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Sora had been living his new life under the very incorrect assumption that no one from his previous life was going to find him. Or more the hope that no one from his previous life would find him. He wanted to think that he was safe, that nothing like that would touch him ever again.
The possibility plagued him every minute his brain wasn’t on aspects of his new life- every moment he had downtime.
He never stopped to think what if he met someone he had once thought was truly dead.
But it happened, and it happened when he wasn’t alone, which made it all so much worse. Or maybe better? So many things happened in such a short time Sora could barely wrap his mind around it.
He was out with Terra, as he almost always was- he didn’t like to go places without him quite yet, and Terra didn’t quite like to not know where Sora was when he went out, so it worked out perfectly. They were just doing mundane shopping in an open air mall.
A voice he never thought he’d get to hear again sounded.
“Sora…?”
Every single ounce of him locked up. He couldn’t move, he couldn’t turn to see if his suspicions were correct. It wasn't fear that pulsed through his veins, but guilt and something like dread.
His hand clenched around Terra’s and distantly he could hear his human wince and try as he might he couldn’t gain control of himself. The edges of his vision were blacking out even as he felt warm familiar hands on his shoulders.
In the space of a blink he was met with black hair and startlingly golden eyes and his own blurred.
His voice came out like a pained whimper, an animal that was on its last leg, “Vani…”
And it was- he was right. Vanitas was right there in front of him. Looking at him with a disbelief of his own. He was wrapped up in distantly familiar arms and pain rocked through him as sobs tore free. His hand left Terra’s to cling desperately onto the form before him.
He knew Terra was worried, he knew he was making a spectacle and people were staring and it was making him feel worse and worse- fear rising up even as he emptied his loss onto Vanitas’s shoulder. He could hear voices, a warble of an unfamiliar tone speaking to both Vanitas and Terra in familiarity to get them somewhere more private.
He didn’t want to let go of Vanitas and Vanitas didn’t make him, he simply shuffled. He felt Terra’s hand on his shoulder and wanted to apologize- wanted to explain. But he knew he had time. He just let the others guide him through the throngs of people to somewhere he wasn’t the center of attention, somewhere he felt safe.
He felt long lost hands stroke through his hair and barely made out the tones of his friend soothing him through his breakdown. Vanitas kept his face tucked against his neck and Sora could feel the torn skin- he could feel every memory of what had been done because of him, and inadvertently done to his own body since.
After long minutes, until he squeezed out the last tear he could he finally spoke, “You’re alive.”
He feels more than hears the other hum. Slowly he pries his face away from Vanitas’s neck to look at him- really look at him.
“Guess they’re not so great at killin’ us, huh?” He teases and Sora just- he can’t believe it. He really is here.
“Wh-what happened- Vani i’m so sorry oh god i’m so sorry. I-”
Vanitas cuts him off, a hand to his cheek wiping his tears, “I don’t wanna hear it, Sora. You don’t need to apologize. I did what I did and I don’t regret it. I’ll never regret saving you even though you ended up the same.”
Sora sniffled and leaned into the touch but guilt still swirled, “S-so you’re…”
“A vampire? Yeah. I am.” he tugged at his mouth, his fangs on display. Sora stared, “I’ll tell you how it happened, but not here. There’s a lot that could be listening. So dry your eyes and lets go home.” He glanced towards someone behind Sora.
Nodding Sora turned and saw pink hair standing beside Terra. Both concerned.
“I-i’m sorry…”
Terra shook his head and offered a hug. Vanitas pushed him into the hug with a laugh.
“C’mon half pint, this is a happy occasion, you can hug your boyfriend if you want.”
Sora turned and pouted as Vanitas grinned and took the pink haired person’s hand, “Follow us.”
He looked up to Terra who nodded, He wasn’t going to let an opportunity like this pass him by.
The pair followed Vanitas through the streets and eventually to a little house rucked near the woods. It was surrounded by flowers and though it looked like a cottage out of a book it had a very clear aura of Don't Come Near.
Sora had a feeling that had to do with Vanitas. Even as a human he hadn’t been one you really wanted to cross unless you were near immortal. Even then he sometimes got the upper hand.
Upon entering the quaint home the two were ushered to sit on a comfortable couch while mr. pink hair made tea. Vanitas seemed to like pestering him and it made Sora smile. He’d seen Vanitas so fierce for so long and he thought he’d never get to see the other truly happy.
Before long a tray of tea in really fancy cups was settled before them and Pink sat in a very cushy armchair while Vanitas perched pretty on his lap.
“So, where to start, huh? Guess it’s safe to assume we’re in the same boat in the sense we were left for dead and someone with a heart bigger than their brain came and decided to help us, right? For politeness sake I’m Vanitas, and this is Marluxia. You’re Sora and he’s Terra. Terra and Marluxia know each other- work together and are friends. Sora and I know each other, used to be walkin’ blood bags for the coven we were stuck in.
“So you remember the last time you saw me, our damn master thought it’d be real kind to tear me apart, except lo-and-behold I fought too hard and ingested too much blood when I bit him that I got to take part in the transformation. Fun stuff huh? Mister ‘oh look someone who needs help, clearly I should do something and not call the police’ took me in and cleaned me up. I was in pretty bad shape but he knew I was alive. I fought him at every turn on the hospital. I knew what was happening, as I'm sure you did. No hospital could help us huh?
“Blah blah he cut himself and I revealed my true colors. Blah blah he’s too soft hearted to just send me out to burn and he kept me, and even more blugh we kind of sorta maybe somewhat fell into something that might, maybe kind of considered love.”
Terra stared with wide eyes at his friend and coworker, “So you...this whole time? How long?”
Marluxia shrugged, “Quite a while actually. You recall when Aqua hunted you both down? I recognized those marks immediately though it seems your Sora is a kinder biter.”
Vanitas rolled his eyes, “Like you complain.”
“I thought- I thought I'd never see you again. You...I-”
“It’s okay, Sora. Calm down. I know you feel guilty, but you don’t have to. It wasn’t your fault. It was my decision. I couldn’t let him hurt you- not for what you did. Besides, I'm older than you. It’s always been my job to take care of you. Now I get to do it again, and I honestly couldn’t be happier. You’re not the only one that thought the other was lost to him forever” Vanitas hopped down from Marluxia’s lap and kneeled before Sora, taking his hands in his own. “We got real damn lucky, kid.”
Sora gripped the hands and laughed- finally laughed and smiled a true smile even as stubborn tears trickled down his face, “Y-yeah. I- thank you, Vanitas.”
Vanitas offered a soft smile in return, “Anytime.”