Happy Birthday, and Hope To Many More
Basically, a happy birthday, ship fic for our beloved sunspot, Sora. And a small "cover photo" as well. I hope you all enjoy!
The first time it happened, it had been by mistake. Vanitas had gotten a little more then annoyed with Riku during training and a few floods had manifested. One had crashed into Sora, which caused the brunette to catch it in his arms and hug it as it gurgled out loud screeches and hisses. As he did that, Vanitas seemed to just...freeze. he had abruptly stopped yelling and snapping at Riku a this golden colored eyes widened and his body went stiff like rigor mortis had set in. At first, this seemed to worry all the Guardians of Light, after all Vanitas was a loose cannon who only seemed to listen to Sora, and even then, that was on good days. When they saw this, Riku had asked if the raven was okay to which Vanitas had asked him, who was squeezing an Unversed.
Needless to say, they all turned to look at Sora, and saw he was holding a still mildly angry Flood, it was then easy to put two and two together. Since then, it more or less had become Sora's job to hug and or pet any Agitated Unversed that came from Vanitas when the said being of Darkness was having a bad day. As time passed and the raven mellowed out more, it became more and more apparent that they wouldn't be needing Sora to do that. However, old habits died hard as even when the dark colored Unversed started manifesting as Pastel, fuzzy and slightly chubby, Sora could be found from time to time hugging one or petting one. And in turn, one could find Vanitas seeming to doze off and purr while the brunette did this. And Vanitas didn't even have to be in the same room as Sora for this to happen, eventually Kairi and the others more or less turned it I some kind of game of how far apart could they before Vanitas was unable to feel the affection Sora was giving the small creatures.
The answer? There wasn't one, Vanitas seemed to feel whatever was being done to the Unversed even if he was worlds away. It was amazing as it was considering. But since his more or less.... conversion to the side of Light, Vanitas found himself using Unversed to keep an eye out on the seven Princesses of heart or to merely gather information if necessary. And at this point, they also became like a secret language to Sora. The brunette seemed to have somehow deciphered what Unversed represented what emotion. Ventus was the only other person to know, but seemed to have let Sora take over on Vanitas' handling. Much like now as they watched Vanitas on his knees in the middle of the training courtyard, his hands gripping his hair so hard his knuckles turned white, wisps of darkness rolling off of him in waves as he cried out in what they could only assume was anger or pain. Floods, Scrappers, Hareraisers and thornbites seemed to flood the entire area.
No one was quite sure what triggered this overflow of negative emotions, if it was even that. But not even Sora could get past the numerous Unversed that had over take the training yard. Instead, the brunette had managed to find a small, chubby, pastel pinkish white Flood, hiding away in one of the gold pots that they all kept around in the Land of Departure. He had sank his hands in and pulled it out, holding the small, quivering and frightened flood to his chest, shushing it gently, running his fingers through the fur on it's body and placing kisses at the top of it's head as words of comfort were whispered to it.
It was astounding to the other Guardians as they watched this unfold. As Sora kept up the actions, Vanitas seemed to have started to feel what was being done to the lone, friendly flood. And slowly, ever so slowly his cries of pain died down to small whimpers and cries. The dark colored Unversed started to turn back into wisps of darkness that flowed right back into the raven. They could clearly see the pain written all over his face at this, but none of them dared to move until Sora gave them the all clear. Something he wasn't going to be giving them if his sympathetic smile and motion for them to go inside was anything to go by. Kairi and Aqua would have protested if Ventus, Riku and Terra hadnt gently lead them inside the large gold colored castle.
As soon as the others had turned their backs, Sora was at Vanitas' side, still holding the small flood as he moved and sat on the ground next to the raven. Vanitas hadn't looked up, Sora could feel the shame, the embarrassment and the pain that was coming off of the other male. Carefully, he allowed the pinkish white Flood to crawl into his hood before reaching over, gently wrapping his arms around Vanitas and pulled him onto his lap and against his chest. He kept one arm wrapped around his shoulders while the other around his middle, squeezing him gently. For a while, the pair sat there silently, Sora gently shushing the other male whenever a choked out sob or whimper would come from the raven. But otherwise, it was silent, the breeze rustling the leaves on the trees seemed to help calm the golden eyed male. Sora guessed that maybe about twenty minutes had passed before the raven had allowed his hands to fall from his hair and for his head to rest on Sora's shoulder.
"Not...not exactly the birthday gift I wanted to give you," Vanitas eventually spoke, his tone low and soft, a little rough from the screaming. He felt and heard the brunette chuckle as the arms around him tightened. "But, at-at least you found it." At that, he felt himself being pushed away just enough so Sora could get a look at his face and give him a questioning gaze. Vanitas, even with eyes puffy, cheeks and nose a little flushed couldn't help but laugh softly. "The flood in your hood, that's uh..." He trailed off, suddenly feeling sheepish and embarrassed. Maybe it wasn't a good gift. Ventus and oddly enough that new pet of his; Chirithy; had taught him how to turn his Unversed into spirits. He had asked them how to do it because he couldn't think of anything else to give to Sora for his birthday. But when he finally did make it, and he was now sitting here about to tell said male about his present; he felt... nervous. He swallowed the lump in his throat before continuing. "T-That flood....it's for you. Ventus and Chirithy taught me how to turn them into spirits. And I can't always go with you to other worlds and my Unversed aren't in every world either...so, I figured making one into a spirit was the best i could do. That way, I'm always by your side helping you. Keeping you safe."
He hadn't wanted to meet the other's gaze, considering he felt like this was actually a pretty stupid gift. Part of himself wanted to kick his own butt for it, but another part of him was proud that he had thought up of this gift. As he opened his mouth to inform Sora that he didn't have to accept it or much less keep it, he found a hand cupping his cheek, turning his head, and a pair of lips on his own. It was only for a few moments, not nearly enough time that the raven would have liked or even enough time for him to even respond to it. He stared at the stupidly happy grin on Sora's face in shock. The brunette looked so, so, /so/ happy with. At first Vanitas didn't understand why he was so happy, but a blush found itself creeping up into his face and making itself right at home when the realization hit him.
He actually loved the gift. Sora loved the dang gift.
"Thank you, Vanitas. God it's so cute, and amazing! I swear you never cease to amaze me with the things you can do and learn to do." The words were so genuine and so full of warmth and love. Vanitas felt light headed and stupidly happy at the words as well. A laugh escaped the brunette before Vanitas yelped at the hands cupping his face, seeming to hold him in place as the other started peppering his face with random pecks and nuzzles. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love it, Vanitas. And I love you."
Vanitas couldn't help but find himself smiling then eventually laughing as he tried to push the other's face away from his own, though he wasn't exactly trying. Sora soon settled for nuzzling their faces and noses together, earning purrs from the raven haired male. "Yeah yeah...love you too. Happy birthday, Sora."
And hopefully, it would be one of many more.
