[KH] Little Wind, epilogue (Sta.sh version)

Little Wind, a Kingdom Hearts fanfic by Raberba girl
Epilogue

One night, a few months later, a red-haired figure materialized out of nowhere, his black cloak making him difficult to see in the dark.  He walked up to the nearby house where a winged Guardian sat watch, staring at something through a window.

"Guard duty's boring as heck, huh," Axel commented.

Kairi turned and smiled at him.  "I was actually sent to dispatch a Night Mare halfway across town, but it's not against the rules to make a little side-trip before going home, right?"

He shrugged.  "Not like I'm gonna tattle on you or anything."

"Ven looks so much like Sora, sometimes I can't help just staring at him...sometimes I'm really glad he can't see me...."

Axel raised an eyebrow.

"Obviously I wouldn't watch him when he wants privacy!  I don't even have much time to, anyway.  It's just, like now, when he's nearby and he's just sleeping....  He acts like Sora now, you know.  He rubs the back of his head when he's embarrassed the exact same way, and he's a little flightier than he used to be."  She sighed.  "I miss Sora."

"Looks like we've got something in common, then," Axel muttered, sitting down on the roof beside her.

"You and I both miss someone we care about," Kairi said softly.

He looked away.  "We fae aren't supposed to have hearts.  We don't 'care' about anyone."

"So your pact with Ven was all business, was it?"

"...Why would he do something like that, Kairi?  Why would he risk so much for me when there was nothing to gain, and then not even take advantage of my name when I'd paid him with it?"

She smiled again.  "Ven's an important person.  He's special."

"Yeah.  I think I'm finally starting to see what all the fuss is about."

When Kairi was gone, Axel tapped on the window until Ven stirred and sleepily opened his eyes.  The boy sat up at once and bounded over to open the window.  "Axel!"

"Yo."

Ven climbed out and sat down next to him.  "I know it hasn't been nearly as long for you, but I've been worried."

"I can handle myself."

"Did Xehanort figure out how much you helped us?"

"He had no proof.  And I told you, I can handle myself."

Ven studied his friend intently, then finally smiled.  "Yeah, I know you can."

"Better than you, anyway."

"Hey!"

"You're too much of a softie, and you know it."

"Talk about the pot calling the kettle black...."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, what do you think it means?"

Axel frowned.  "You're treading dangerous ground, calling the Unseelie king's assassin soft."

"Well, I won't if it'll get you in trouble."

Axel shook his head.  "Clueless idiot...."  He sighed and dropped the subject.  "So, you're obviously still living here.  I assume Aqua's parents took to you?"

"I mean, they weren't exactly thrilled at first, but Aqua legally adopted me as soon as she turned eighteen."  He pouted.  "I stopped growing as soon as I returned to Faerie.  But anyway, I've been behaving myself.  Her parents kind of love me now.  Heh, Aqua's mom treats me like I'm six, but I don't mind much.  It's better than them kicking me out."

"Them puppy eyes of yours don't help, I bet," Axel teased.

"Oi, lay off...."

Axel paused.  "You all still going to the same school?"

"Yeah," Ven said shortly.  That had not been pleasant, discovering that Arture High sat right on top of an Unseelie node.  No wonder its crest was actually the symbol of the dark court.  "But the undercover fae leave us alone."

"I bet they do," Axel muttered, eyeing Kairi's invisible seal.  No ordinary fae would dare hassle someone who had overcome all thirteen gates.  "So what about university plans?"

"She got accepted to Seidon.  I'm gonna move with her and go to school over there 'til I graduate."

"Long distance relationship, then?"

"Yeah...Terra's starting at a community college here so he can help out his parents, but hopefully he'll be able to join us in a couple of years."

Axel shook his head.  "Time passes so quickly in this realm...how do you stand it?"

"We don't even notice the difference," Ven explained.  "Time is time.  It feels normal.  How long has it been for you?"

"...A week or so."

Ven's eyes widened.  "Really?!"

"Yeah."

"Sorry."

"What, you're like Luxord now?  You can make time run backwards and stop yourself from getting old and dying?"

"Axel...I...I don't know how to explain it.  Ever since I came to Earth...I haven't been afraid of dying anymore."

"...."

"Mortality's not so bad.  I've met Aqua's grandparents, and Terra's.  They're all really sweet.  There's no one like them in Faerie.  I'm...almost...looking forward to getting to be like them."

"Sicko."

Ven laughed.  "I guess I can't expect you to understand."

Axel glared off into the distance.  "Yeah, rub it in that you're a completely different order of being now."

"Are you mad at me?"

Axel slammed his fist onto the shingles and turned his fiery glare onto Ven.  "Yeah, I am, actually."

Ven gazed into his eyes.  'You look more afraid than angry.'  "You know, if I were to become a fae again and live forever, Sora would be gone forever, too."

"I don't care about Sora."

"Well, I do."  Ven laid a hand over his own chest.  "I decided.  I'm going to find a way to free him.  I don't want to wait until I'm dead...I miss him.  He was my friend.  He didn't deserve to give up so much for me."

Axel stared at him.  "Kid, you're talking about fighting Guardians.  Did turning mortal also make you insane?"

"I'm sure that Kairi and Riku will help me," Ven said.  "They want Sora back even more than I do.  And I've...I've talked to Naminé.  A lot of this mess is her fault, but she's not...evil, like everyone wants to think she is.  I'm sure she'll help, too."

Axel sighed.  "Well, maybe I'd better warn you, then.  If you try to get yourself killed for this guy, I'm gonna fight you every step of the way.  Because in case you forgot, Sora's heart is the only reason you're still breathing."

"I'll find a way," Ven said confidently.  "Sora was trying to figure out how to fix me and Vanitas all that time.  He was halfway there; if he hadn't gotten...interrupted, he could have done it, eventually.  Someday, I'll be whole again, and so will Sora."

"Well, good luck, then.  You're gonna need it, if you're planning to forge ahead with me standing in your way."

Ven laughed.  "I'm looking forward to the challenge."

"This isn't a game."

"Aren't all things a game to the fae?"

"Then maybe you're somewhat oblivious to the stakes involved."

"Nope.  Life or death."

"At least wait 'til Aqua's all grown up and wrinkly," Axel said persuasively.  "Won't it be hard to leave her when she's still pretty?"

"Aqua and Terra are going to help, too.  Didn't you see their Keyblades?  They may not have any magic of their own, but they've gotten pretty good at using their blades' specialties.  They're the most un-useless humans I've ever met."

"Roxas, you can be an infuriating little punk sometimes."

"You're really sweet, Reno."

"Shut up."

Ven laughed.  "Well, since apparently we're gonna be enemies once you leave, you want to have one last ice cream with me?"

"Hmph.  Only if you've got sea-salt."

"What, you doubt me?  Two sea-salt ice creams, coming right up."  Ven hopped back through the window and headed down to the kitchen.

Author's Notes:  I drafted this story back in the summer (before CatC, ftr) just because, while in the middle of playing Birth by Sleep for the first time, I decided that I wanted to write a specifically BBS-focused fic.  This is the idea I came up with.  I love this trio, especially the boys....  Though Axel started shoving his way onscreen after a while, most likely because I was playing 358/2 Days again during the drafting.  The Guardians were TOTALLY unplanned.  Riku & Sora just thought it would be fun to be sempai to the BBS trio, instead of the other way around.

Lol, Ven was originally supposed to be an alien, but as I was writing the fic, things changed and I ended up with yet another Kingdom Hearts Faerie AU (there's more that I haven't finished/posted yet).  KH is just made for Fairyland.

If the backstory cooperates, I might try to write an epic companion fic from Sora's POV.  If not, though, I think this story can still stand on its own.