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“You think I could just bleed out here and the other three wouldn't notice?”
“Could you? Probably. Would I let you? Absolutely not. Now hold still-” He struggled to grab Vanitas's arms to keep the other teen still, trying to see just how many fresh wounds the other had obtained since the last time he had seen him. His hands were covered in splotches of blood from when he had managed to grab at one of the injured limbs in an attempt to see the open wound he had first caught sight of.
“What, you don't want your friends to find the corpse of your dirty little secret?” He stuck his tongue out when he heard the tease, deciding to give up on grabbing Vanitas’s arms for a moment and instead pick the black haired teen up.
“Stop calling yourself a dirty secret, especially since you're the one who pointed out that it wouldn't be safe to tell them about you.” They were lucky that there weren't any open wounds on the black haired teen's back this time, or else he'd definitely get confused looks about more than just a little blood on his bedsheets. The last time he had managed to get most of the blood out with cold water, but he didn't really want to lie to the others again if he couldn't.
Aqua was already suspicious that they weren't from papercuts or him being clumsy.
“Maybe I don't want to.” Rolling his eyes at the words, he watched as the top half of the darksuit vanished, grabbing onto one of the injured arms before it was moved out of his reach again.
Whispering a cure, he grabbed for one of the rolls of gauze he had hidden in his bedside drawer, wrapping over the scabbed over cuts that would eventually become scars. Repeating the process with the other arm and then the other's torso and legs, he tossed a set of clothes the other had borrowed before, a few old blood stains visible on the fabric.
At least he could get away with saying he had a bloody nose when questioned about that.
“Thank you.” Glancing up at the words, he sent a half smile to the darker boy, readjusting the bandages and tying them off.
“Anytime, you know that Vani. I just don't want you to be hurt.” Moving to lay next to the other teen on his bed, he grabbed for one of Vanitas’s hands, holding it for a moment before moving to pull the blankets over the both of them. Usually the other was exhausted after being healed and would fall asleep not long after being bandaged.
“Wait” He watched the other sit back up, and he nearly grabbed the boy so he'd lay back down when he caught a wince. He was brushed off for a moment while Vanitas stood from the bed on slightly shaky legs. Moving to sit on the edge of the surface again, he watched as the other opened a corridor on the other side of the room, reaching into it to pull something out.
“I took a wrong turn on my way here and found a world where these grow on trees. Apparently in local lore, sharing one with another person intertwines your destinies or whatever.” Watching as a yellow star shaped fruit was held out to him as the corridor vanished, he held his hands out to take it.
“Did you want to share it?” Catching pale cheeks gain color quickly, he took the fruit that had been handed to him. He's never heard of anything like what he was being told, but he also has no complete memories of being in any other worlds. It was a pretty idea, and he wondered if it held any merit.
“I mean, what's the harm? And I saw some little kids eating one so it's not poisonous.” The knowledge that it wouldn't kill them intentionally was somewhat reassuring. Taking the fruit, he inspected it for a moment in an attempt to figure out how they were supposed to get through the thick skin.
“You don't mind having our destinies intertwined?” Asking the question, he blinked as he accidentally pulled one of the points completely off, trying not to squeeze either piece and cause a sticky mess. He'd have to change his clothes and bedsheets, and wouldn't that just be mortifying if anyone asked before he could take care of it.
“Honest? Just the thought of it feels…nice?” Hearing the pause in the words followed by mild confusion, he knew that Vanitas was trying to pick a word that fit the most. He was doing his best to help the other experience more positive emotions, and sometimes he had to help label some. “The thought feels warm? Does that make sense?”
“Comforting?” Catching a nod as he felt the bed shift a little as Vanitas sat beside him, he continued to fidget with the fruit in his hands, peeling parts of the rind away.
“That's the word, comforting.” Smiling, he finally got part of the fruit uncovered, moving to turn on the bed so he was facing the other who carefully did the same, mindful of the bandages. “Do you think it'll taste sour?”
“Maybe, but we won't know until we try it.” He tried not to laugh at the shocked expression Vanitas wore when biting into the fruit, especially since neither of them knew what it would taste like beforehand.
“Your friends have their Mark of Mastery exam in a few weeks, right?” Nodding at the question after they had both cleaned up from the fruit, he felt the lukewarm body press closer against his side.
“Yeah, they're both pretty excited about it, and I'm happy that they've gotten this far. That doesn't stop me from dreading how they'll have an actual reason to treat me like a little kid.” Hearing a snort at his words, he glanced over just in time to catch a yawn.
“You could still probably kick their asses regardless, you're faster than both of them. Anyway that's probably the next time we'll see each other, as long as the master doesn't give me a reason to come back.” Frowning at the words, he hated the small part of him that wanted to see Vanitas sooner than that.
“Guess I'll need to commit you to memory, right?” The laugh he received made him smile, moving to face the teen next to him.
“With that head of yours? That'll take ages.” Snorting at the tease, he moved to press a kiss to Vanitas’s unbandaged cheek.
“Oh just go to sleep, you're tired.”
xxx
“Did you hear what I said?” Watching the blonde in front of him move closer, he tried not to listen to the instinct that made him want to back away from the other. He wasn't scared of Ventus, but the fear he held for the master overwhelmed him. If he didn't do as he was told it could spell his doom. He jumped slightly when he felt a hand against his cheek, blue eyes staring at him in concern. Why? Why was Ventus concerned for him now?
“What?”
“We need to destroy the χ-blade to stop Xehanort from getting it and doing as he likes.”
“But…it's made out of our hearts, destroying it would…” The weapon in question felt heavier in his hand, nearly pulling on his shoulder as he tried to keep a hold on it.
“Destroying it will shatter our hearts, I know, but it's the only way the two of us can make sure he doesn't get it. I don't like the thought of it anymore than you do, but it feels like the only real choice we have.” He glanced down to where his gloved hand gripped the weapon when he felt the weight of it shift in his hold, another hand helping him hold the weight of the item.
He didn't want to mention the third option, the second being handing the χ-blade over to the master, especially since neither of them were all too fond of what would happen after that. The current option made sure that they'd both be in similar condition, either both of them dead or both of them alive, whereas otherwise one of them wouldn't survive or they'd both end up under the master's control.
Shattering their hearts really was the best option the two of them had.
“Do you trust me?” Blinking at the question, he bit at the inside of his cheek to hide a smile that wanted to creep up his face.
“Of course I do, Idiot, we wouldn't be having this conversation otherwise.” Feeling the hand that had been cupping his face move to grab for his empty hand, he kept his focus on blue eyes. He didn't want to see the cracks forming from the edges of their shared heart station, didn't want to see each shard fall into nothingness. He didn't hear when both of them loosened their grip on the hilt of the χ-blade at the same time, the heavy keyblade falling and shattering on impact with the already crumbling stained glass under their feet.
There was a squeeze to his hand, and then all sensations went blank as they fell.
xxx
His eyes were still closed when he sat up on what could barely be considered a bed, his ears perked for the sound of anyone else nearby before he even dared to open his eyes again. Sighing under his breath once he opened his eyes, he grabbed for one of his legs, mindful of the haphazard bandage he put over the newest laceration before he had fallen unconscious. The wound stung, but it was something that he was used to.
Being alone was also something he was used to for a while at least, not that he liked that fact now. He's only been awake for what he's pretty sure has been a month, given a coat and being told what to do by another version of the old bastard he called his master. The few times he felt well enough to snark didn't last long, either ending with him going unconscious from the beatings or his body rejecting almost everything he's ever tried putting in it. He wouldn't say anything to the other light rejects about his assumed illness, especially since being sick most likely counted as weakness.
Pressing a gloved hand against his chest, he tried not to think about the loneliness, instead trying to focus on the weight of another heart tied to his. He could feel the other's heart the moment he was dragged back to the living, an almost complete attachment unlike what the two of them had before. The weight was a comfort in contrast to his sad existence, it let him know that the other was still alive in some form.
Turning carefully on the bed, he moved to get up from the surface, trying not to reopen the barely healed slice on his leg. He was always shit at cures, wishing now that he had asked Ventus to help him get better at them when he had the chance. Getting to his feet, he wobbled just barely, gritting his teeth at the stinging pain. Aiming to grab for the wall when he stumbled, he glanced up for just a moment to catch his reflection in the cracked mirror that leant up against the wall.
That didn't look right.
Moving closer to the broken glass, he tried to understand what looked wrong about his reflection. Yes he was pale, maybe a little more than before. That could also be from his wound, a little bit of blood staining the messy bandages.
“How the fuck did I gain weight with how much I've been puking?” Poking at the barely there lift at his stomach, he wasn't prepared for there to be almost no give. That wasn't right, he should be able to press his fingers deeper into his skin before hitting anything solid. There isn't even any bone there.
Wait…
No
He ignored the stinging from his laceration as his knees hit the floor, instead focusing unwillingly on a memory that was so inconsequential at the time.
“I saw a pregnant woman while I was in another world.”
“Really? That's cool.”
“She was just complaining about it, something about feeling sick and tired and then gaining weight.”
“Well it takes a lot of energy to grow a human, but I think most people probably find it worth it.”
“That can't be it, it's not even possible. I'm just-”
“Just a monster that creates more monsters.” Shuddering at the words that have been thrown at him most of his existence, unfortunately it helped hammer in the idea that it could be true. The unversed came from him, whether intentionally or not, what if he's just fucked up enough that this is true too.
Curling in on himself, he clutched at his stomach with both hands, the floor a blur with the tears dripping down his face. There had to be a way to know for sure, but regardless the situation was already sending him into a panic.
Startling when he felt a nudge against the side of his good leg, his neck ached from how fast he had moved to look down. Staring up at him with its ears still trying to wrap around his leg was a hareraiser, most likely brought forth by his panicking. He hadn't even noticed it had formed, which showed how out of his senses he was. Extending his senses for just a moment as he loosened his grip on himself, he let himself take a breath in relief that more unversed hadn't manifested outside his room.
Hearing the soft sounds made by a few bounces, he glanced back to the creature the same moment both ears wrapped around his shoulders, the rabbit-like unversed having hopped a few times to reach higher.
Reaching both hands up to help the small creature stay in place, he glanced up, catching sight of himself in the mirror. His face was still a mess with tears and his eyes were red rimmed from his crying, but somehow he was calmer than he was a few moments ago. Taking a breath, he moved to press one hand on the floor so he was no longer situated on his knees, hissing under his breath when the side of his leg stung.
Oh, his wound must've reopened.
Taking a few minutes to rebandage his leg, he didn't bother moving the hareraiser still hanging around his shoulders. Checking the bandages for a moment, he held his hands up after to catch the tired unversed. He didn't know the creatures could do that, had no idea that they would actively try to comfort him. But he guessed he hadn't been in this kind of situation before.
Feeling as the small creature faded and went back to him, he carefully stood from his spot on the floor. It took only moments for the shadows to swarm around him, his darksuit forming again after a few moments. Glancing back to the mirror, he sighed internally at how it morphed the shape of his body, hiding any visual proof from sight.
The suit would hide his body, the helmet his face, but that doesn't change how real it could be. He'd have to be careful to hide this, and if he's wrong and he dies, so be it. Maybe it'd be easier if he wasn't alone, but that aching emptiness at his core was still solidly there in the form of the silent tie to Ventus's heart. He didn't know how long it'd be before the blonde was found and woken up, and he wished that he could go and search for his other, but that would just draw suspicion.
Glancing at the mirror one last time before he put his helmet on, he tried to focus on the weight of another heart tied to his.
“Ven… where are you?”
xxx
“This is frustrating, any world that he'd remember is either in darkness or unrecognizable.” Stepping over the cracks in the stone bridge, he willed himself not to glance back when he heard the telltale sound of a few bricks falling out of place and towards whatever was below. He hadn't witnessed the fight firsthand, but a few archraven had watched as both Aqua and this world's prince defeated Maleficent. All proof left of the fight was the bridge, barely managing to stay up all this time later. Making it to the solid ground, he glanced back, trying not to focus on the new holes and cracks that had formed from him disturbing the surface.
Maybe once those good fairies came back from helping the light-weilders they'd fix it before it fully fell.
Stepping into the clearing, he reached up to remove his helmet, taking a breath as the cooler air hit his face. He wasn't even supposed to be in this world, especially since Aurora had passed on her title of princess of heart. But the world itself was practically empty, he hadn't seen or heard any humans since he had arrived, and the animals that he could hear were nowhere nearby.
“This is a bust, I probably wouldn't even be able to convince any of them that I didn't kidnap you if those three were here. And despite how amusing it would be to leave you with a note, I don't think I could do that.” Huffing the words out, he set his helmet on the ground, moving to lay back on the ledge and stare up at the sky.
Even if just the thought of his idiot being handed their baby without context or a proper explanation was funny in his mind, he knew that it probably wouldn't end well. Resting one of his gloved hands against the front of his torso, he tried to ignore the distress in the back of his head at how small his bump was. He knows it isn't healthy, but at least like this no one could really tell unless they focused specifically on his stomach. Granted, if any of them had half a braincell he'd probably have been found out long before now.
Making a noise with the back of his throat, he stared at the sky, not even attempting to count the stars he could see. You couldn't even tell that not even two years ago worlds had been falling and collapsing under the influence of darkness, this world was no different. And since the master's plan involved destroying everything, so would there even be anywhere after that?
Closing his eyes for a moment, he traced the tips of his fingers against his middle, making no conscious patterns. He shouldn't think about that, there should still be a few months before the fighting would start, enough time for him to hide away to have his baby and drop them off somewhere safe. He shifted his hand so his palm covered where the tiny child was growing inside of him, glancing down again.
“Maybe-” Cutting himself off when he felt the slight bubbling sensation in his guts, he sighed, losing his track of thought. Moving to sit up in order to stand, he left his helmet on the grass. This had happened a few times the last week and a half, and normally pacing would stop the uncomfortable sensation.
Keeping one hand against his stomach, he moved to use the other to push himself up off the grass, not even getting as far as standing before he felt something different.
“Was that-?!” Blinking, he moved both hands away from himself only to pull his gloves off so he could press both bare hands against the same spot. The sensation repeated, the fabric of his gloves no longer muffling what he could now physically feel.
“Are you kicking?” He couldn't help the small smile that appeared on his face, nor the almost silent laugh that left his mouth when he felt the little movement again, this time just a little more targeted to where his hands were.
“I wish he was here, I'd like to think that he'd be happy to feel you moving.” Feeling a few more kicks at his words, he finally moved to stand again, glancing around the clearing. Picking his gloves and helmet back up, he moved to put both back on, keeping the glass open for a moment as he used one hand to cradle against where he felt his baby settling down just a bit.
“I think I've figured out where you'll be safe, I might not be, but you're my priority at this point.” Tugging his gloves the rest of the way on and fastening his helmet, he moved back to the edge of the clearing before he opened a dark corridor. He'd have to find a way in and out without himself being detected, but Radiant Garden might be his best choice. Ventus might not recognize the world completely, but as long as he left a note someone should be able to tell him about the baby. The hardest part will be keeping the other lights from finding out he was there, but he was willing to risk it.
He didn't care what happened to himself, just as long as Ven and the baby were alright. They'll be alright, he doesn't know what he'd do if they weren't.
xxx
“You know Alivia? I was right. Radiant Garden was the best place for us to end up.” Laughing softly at his own words, he ran his finger against the back of his daughter's hand, watching the tiny baby sleep.