Chapter Text
Sora woke up still tired. His limbs felt heavy and he was really hungry, but his heart felt light and the sad sigh that always seemed to weigh the back of his heart was—not gone so much as… happier? But it also felt like he was missing something. He wondered what he lost as he got up from the chair? he had been sleeping in. He was covered in blankets and it was only after he knocked several off the chair that he realized there was someone else next to him.
Sora frowned in confusion. He reached up and pulled a red blanket off of the other boy's head so he could see who it was then felt like an idiot. Of course. It was just Ven. He relaxed and smiled. Riku's mother liked to remind him of when he been little he had an imaginary friend named Ven and how Ven would tell him stories of other worlds, which he then told Riku leading to them planning the raft. When the islands had been attacked the first time and he lost Riku and Kairi the voice had drawn him into his own mind and made him think enough to summon the keyblade the first time. He had asked him what he valued most and then gave him half memories depending on what he picked. He had chosen to be a shield for his friends so the first thing he knew how to do with the keyblade was a block. After that they didn't really talk still but the impressions Sora got from the other were stronger and more clear.
Ven, indirectly, taught him several fighting techniques and spells and helped him figure out what he was going to do during his journeys. But the best part was Ven was always there. Sora couldn't remember ever being alone because he'd had Ven, even when Ven was asleep. But now he was real and not just in Sora's heart!
Sora grabbed Ven by the shoulder and shook him until he cracked open an eye to glare at him. Ven huffed and tried to roll over and ended up rolling off the chair and onto the floor. Sora laughed. After a moment Ven started laughing as well. Then Sora jumped up, stumbled a bit when his muscles protested, and pulled Ven to his feet. Facing each other in person for the first time was odd. Ven was taller.
“Hi.” Sora chirped at the older boy, “nice to meet'cha!” Ven's smile grew. “Hello Sora.” Then he pulled Sora into a tight hug. Finally meeting this person he had looked up to for so long and the ache in his heart from being separated made this moment feel like too much and Ven found himself crying into Sora's shoulder. “Thank you Sora. Thank you so much. You saved me. Thank you.” he went on and on until he was able to calm down enough to realize Sora was crying too.
He huffed out a laugh. “Here we are being big babies,” he pulled back a bit and wiped Sora's face roughly with one of the blankets still on the chair, “when we have friends out there who are probably waiting to feed us. Come'on!” Ven threw his arm around Sora's shoulder and they walked out of the room.
Neither of them had any idea where they were or how to get anywhere so they ended up just following Sora's heart to lead them to their friends. They were lost in minutes.
“Where are we?
“Castle Oblivion. Or, at least, that's what Aqua calls it.”
“Sounds familiar. And it feels familiar… Oh, I know! Axel had a mission here.”
“You knew Axel?!?!”
“Yep, I got it memorized. I think he was my friend. He's gone now, though, isn't he?”
“Yeah… He saved me, remember? You were sad then also.”
“...Yeah.”
“You know, Aqua's here too. Weren't you happy when we found her? Hey! Maybe that's why we're here, to visit you! Haha! She's gonna be so happy to see you!”
“Yeah, if we can find them… where are we? It's like there's corridors just for the sake of being confusing!! They don't really go anywhere.”
“HEY!”
Sora and Ven stopped and looked around. Behind them a few doors down was Aqua, hands on her hips, staring at them both in disbelief. Then she seemed to give up and smiled at them, “Come on guys, we're staying over here.” Then she wrapped her arm around Ven and led the three of them back to a medium sized empty room where Riku and Kairi were asleep on the floor. “They wanted to stay with you, Sora, but Ven was being picky about them being too loud. In case you are both complete morons this room is directly across the hall from where you were. Just where I told you we'd be, VEN.” She gave him a look and he smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.
Sora walked over and flopped down next to Kairi, right on top of Riku who let out a whump sound and a groan. “Oh, yippy, you're up” the squished teen deadpanned, “I thought you found another sap like you to snuggle with so you could leave me alone.” Sora snickered.
Ventus and Aqua watched in amusement as Sora rolled off his friend and promptly snuggled up between him and Kairi and stole both their blankets. “Sora!” Kairi groaned and there was a slight scuffle as they all fought over the blankets until they were all wrapped up together and snoring peacefully.
Ven sat down close enough that he could stretch out his foot to touch Sora's leg. Aqua sat down next to him, pulling a blanket around their shoulders. “I'm so glad you're okay Ventus. For a while I feared--” Aqua whispered, but Ven cut her of gently, “I'm glad to be back too.”
About an hour later when Kairi resigned herself to actually getting up she was surprised to find the blond boy, Ventus, asleep across their legs. Sora didn't seem to even notice as he snored on but Riku was laying on his back staring intently at the ceiling. Propping herself up on her elbow, Kairi leaned over Sora slightly to get Riku's attention. “Is the ceiling that interesting, Riku?” she asked with a smile.
He frowned for a moment before turning his head to finally look at her. “Just never thought I'd see Roxas again.” he explained. Kairi turned to study the blond boy and tried to remember everything her boys had told her about Roxas. Roxas was a Nobody, but this boy was real and she couldn't figure out how that was possible either.
But that wasn't the point right now. “But, this isn't Roxas. It's Ventus, right?” she told her friend, “And even if he were Roxas, Roxas is a part of Sora who knew that Sora needed him.” Riku still had that wrinkle between his eyebrows that was going to make him look old if he didn't stop. “It wasn't your fault.” She added. They lay in silence for a few minutes before Riku huffed. “If he's not Roxas then why does he keep glaring at me?” he asked.
Between them Sora laughed and they both jumped. “Riku, he's Ventus! He might have kinda been Roxas too but that's okay! He likes you just fine, right?” he asked as he kicked Ven lightly. The blond groaned. “Yeah, yeah. I'm not mad or anything. Roxas was my heart and Sora's Nobody and Sora really needed his Nobody. I'm more mad at you for the stunt you pulled in Hollow Bastion.” Sora kicked him again then sat up to glare at him. “I forgave him for that so be nice.” he ordered with a pout. Ven just raised an eyebrow at him before hopping to his feet and reaching down to pull Sora and Kairi to their feet.
“Come on! Aqua said a while ago she'd make breakfast so we should go find her!” Ven told them as he started to drag them along.