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[theprobator]

[one might consider a creature that is more or less a shadow of another-- and enough of just a shadow to pick up on the emotions of whoever's light they're standing behind-- an unfortunate soul. unfortunate or not, for the majority of his existence, Vanitas has been trying with everything in his being to keep every single schmoopy wisp of affection

Comments

voice;

[todomarishi]

What's your problem with Ven?

[Got a problem with the little bropal, got a problem with him. You know how it goes.]

voice;

[theprobator]

[watch that question sail right out past the Pull, Terra.]

Where are you?

voice;

[todomarishi]

[Vanitas. What's he up to now? Well, if it's a fight he wants...]

By the stadium.

voice;

[theprobator]

Stay right there, then. Don't even think about running.

voice;

[todomarishi]

I'm not going anywhere.

voice;

[theprobator]

Good.

[Terra will have to wait all of five minutes before Vanitas shows up-- and he isn't approaching casually and threateningly like one might expect, he's running.]

action;

[todomarishi]

[What the... Someone's sure eager to fight. What brought this on? No time to think it over. Tensing, Terra falls into his battle stance and summons his Keyblade.]

action;

[theprobator]

[if Terra is willing to call Vanitas barreling right into him at top speeds completely unarmed eager to fight, then by all means he is picking a doozy of a battle. but he feels pain. he remembers feeling worry and heartache and somewhere in there Vanitas can even feel a sense of awe, of pride for Terra. he feels that familial love, and instead of suppressing it like he has the past four years, he's suddenly compelled to hug the life out of Ventus'-- his, too-- older brother.]

action;

[todomarishi]

What...?!

[That's all he gets out as Vanitas keeps coming. Never stopping, never slowing, never summoning his own blade. Terra backs up a step, but the speedy approach catches him unprepared. The next thing he knows, there's a boy pressed up against his chest. Are those... his arms wrapped around him? Wait what.

... Uh.

Terra slowly straightens up, staring down at Vanitas with wide, uncomprehending eyes. Hug... attack?]

action;

[theprobator]

[this is ten thousand layers of awkward, but Vanitas doesn't care-- he likely wouldn't know an awkward hug from a regular one to begin with, he's never... really hugged anyone at all before. all he knows is that his impulse is to keep clinging.]

action;

[todomarishi]

[As Vanitas keeps hugging, Terra keeps staring. Maybe it's supposed to be some kind of distraction? He looks around quickly, scanning their surroundings for any old men.

Nothing.

Back to staring then.]

... Vanitas?

action;

[theprobator]

What.

[it's almost sullen. like the angry kid he's always been is well aware of what he's doing, but he can't fight it.]

action;

[todomarishi]

What are you...

[He trails off without finishing the question. It's a little like a light bulb has flickered on somewhere above his head. Terra suddenly understands. Everything he had said to Vanitas... A small glimmer of light must have reached his heart somehow and lit what was once only pure darkness. Terra can't really feel it, even though he's so close, but that has to be what's going on.

He hesitates at first but finally folds his arms around the boy, the dark side of his friend, hugging him in return.]

... It's okay.

action;

[theprobator]

This isn't okay.

[it's a pretty weak argument, considering he's still standing there, not really trying to fight it-- letting someone actually hug him. the part of him that understands what Ventus feels has taken over completely. he's no longer himself, if he ever was "himself" to begin with.]

[if he could, Vanitas would be terrified.]

action;

[todomarishi]

[It'll take more than that to convince him he's drawn the wrong conclusion. Vanitas probably just needs time to get used to this, right? He can't imagine how drastic the change must be, even if it's only a speck of light that's found a way in.]

It will be.

[He's not exactly a natural hugger himself, even in the most comfortable of circumstances, so he decides to pull back after a moment, but then he's able to look Vanitas in the face. His smile betrays his lingering uncertainly, as if he half-expects the kid to reveal all of this is a trick, but there's a hopefulness there, too.

He raises a hand carefully to the top of Vanitas' head and ruffles his hair. Lightly. Not a full Ven ruffle but the beginnings of one.]

action;

[theprobator]

[this whole thing is an awful trick Vanitas is playing on himself, really. he tenses considerably when Terra's hand passes through that thick mess of spikes, not entirely sure of what he's doing-- or how he's supposed to react. so he simply stands there, enduring it silently. lifts his eyes to Terra's hand, his mouth set in a bemused line. when he can't think of anything to say, "Ventus" spits something out for him.]

Thanks.