Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/3654069.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Underage
  Category:
      M/M
  Fandom:
      Kingdom_Hearts
  Relationship:
      Eraqus/Ventus
  Character:
      Eraqus, Ventus, Aqua_(Kingdom_Hearts), Terra_(Kingdom_Hearts)
  Additional Tags:
      Masturbation, Fluff, Sweet, Romance, Pre-Canon, Fluff_and_Smut, French
      Kissing, Bittersweet, Smut, Underage_Kissing, Consensual_Underage_Sex
  Stats:
      Published: 2015-03-31 Updated: 2015-05-31 Chapters: 6/? Words: 6522
****** Shooting Stars ******
by LucidCrystal
Summary
     Ventus, a young boy, harbours romantic feelings for his keyblade
     master and foster father Eraqus. Said man seems oblivious of the
     youth's affections until, on the day of Ventus's 16th birthday,
     everything suddenly changes.
Notes
     Hi,
     This is my first fanficition ever as well as possibly the first
     Eraqus/Ventus fic I've seen on here (Seems to be a rather unpopular
     pairing...). I'm not a native speaker, so please go easy on me, but I
     hope nonetheless that you enjoy this sweet, fluffy story with my
     favourite characters from KH Birth by Sleep.
     ~ LucidCrystal
***** Chapter 1 *****
'Holy-!'
Ventus sharply burst from his bed as he awoke from sleep. Panting heavily, he
waited for his eyes to focus, desperately trying to work out where he was.
Books. A telescope. A small desk crammed with more books. His room. As Ven's
vision cleared, he was relieved to find himself in his own small chamber.
Slumping back on his pillow, he was startled.
'What the...'
Confused, Ven lifted his bedsheets. Much to his horror, the young boy
discovered that his underpants were embellished with a large, sticky spot on
the front. He cursed. Not again. He'd been plagued by nightmares lately, yet
the latest had been one of the most vivid so far. Actually, they weren't as
much nightmares as Ven's most secret desires. He covered his face with his
hands. Wasn't it enough to be burdened by this condemnable an urge? This
impossible a love? For all he knew, his life in the Land of Departure had been
hell since he'd developed feelings far from friendship towards his keyblade
master and foster father Eraqus. Even though Ven prevented himself from acting
upon his feelings, therefore keeping a safe distance from the older man, he
found it rather complicated to lock away his emotions altogether. Sometimes he
was afraid of falling asleep; he knew that the thoughts he'd been trying so
hard to get off his mind during the day would surely return at night, in his
sleep, when he was left vulnerable. Also, the keyblade master wasn't much of a
help in getting rid of his emotions. Every time Ventus built a large wall
around himself to lock him out, Eraqus would do something seemingly
insignificant yet so sweet that the boy was incapable of letting go.
Ven let out a long sigh as he slowly awoke from his musings about his seemingly
inescapable fate and his hopeless love. Glancing at his clock, half-asleep
still, he jumped from his bed as he noticed that he'd almost be late for
breakfast. He knew that even though Master Eraqus was a most considerate
person, he could get rather annoyed when someone was late for the only meal the
small family ate together. Haphazardly putting on clothes, he rushed out of his
room.
'Morning, folks. Oh. M-Morning, Master Eraqus.'
Ven greeted, as he entered the small kitchen. He was more than surprised that
the only person he encountered was his keyblade master. Usually, Terra, Aqua
and him would be chatting away cheerfully in the morning before Eraqus came to
join them. As it appeared to Ven, Eraqus's 'not being late for breakfast' rule
seemed to apply to everybody but himself.
'Morning, Ven.'
Eraqus's gentle voice reverberated through the room, and Ven could feel massive
guilt rising from his heart as he suddenly remembered that night's rather
naughty dream. Trying his best to rid his mind of the pleasurable yet oh so
reprehensible memories, Ven grabbed some cereals and sat down on the chair
opposite Eraqus. Although he desperately craved for sitting beside his keyblade
master, he never found the courage to do so. Not since his motives had changed
from 'innocently poking his master in his side to make him give Ven some of his
food' to 'shamelessly staring at Eraqus's crotch area, admiring the way his
tight-fitting trousers emphasized his manhood'. Without a word, Ven shoved some
cereals into his mouth, hoping the older man wouldn't notice the pink blush
that had settled across his cheeks, yet the way Eraqus's was gazing at him it
was more than apparent that he hadn't quite succeeded. As he noticed the
keyblade master starting to chuckle, his blush deepened.
'Ventus.'
'Y-Yes?'
Ven couldn't but sit motionless at Eraqus's next gesture. Suddenly, the man
reached out, leaning over to bring his body closer to Ven's, and in a gentle
motion, placed his hand on the boy's cheek to wipe off some of the chocolate
stuck to his lips with his thumb. Then, as he sat down, Eraqus brought his
finger to his mouth, sucking on it seductively.
'Mhm. That stuff doesn't nearly taste as awful as I'd always imagined. Then
again, there must be a reason you're virtually eating nothing but that.'
The keyblade master let out a hearty laugh, and Ven almost dropped his spoon.
There had recently been some very awkward situations, but none of them had been
quite as awkward as this. Forcing himself to quickly regain his composure, he
chuckled lightly, adoring the way Eraqus's lips tilted upwards, his white teeth
showing as he laughed. Suddenly though, the master turned quiet, glancing at
Ven mysteriously.
'By the way, Ven, I have a surprise for you, for today is a special day.'
'Special day?'
The boy replied, his confusion apparent. At Ven's dumbfounded expression,
Eraqus quickly brightened up.
'Oh don't worry, it's nothing serious. I'm sure you'll like it. Now finish up,
and let's go and see what Terra and Aqua have been up to. I noticed they
haven't been at breakfast today. For their sake I hope they haven't overslept,
otherwise I'll make them run to the top of the mountain and back again.'
Winking, the keyblade master stood up from his chair, affectionately ruffling
through Ventus's hair as he passed him. Ventus turned around, still blushing,
wondering what mysterious present the master might have prepared for him. As he
quickly gobbled up his remaining breakfast cereals, Eraqus called out to him.
'After you're done with breakfast, go change your clothes and we'll meet up in
the ceremony hall. If you see Aqua or Terra, tell them too.'
'Mhm, sure.'
Ven answered, smiling at his keyblade master. Eraqus shot him a last glance
before he turned around, graciously walking out of the kitchen, leaving behind
an utterly confused Ven.
'What was that just now?'
Ventus asked himself. For a short moment, he recalled, the atmosphere seemed to
have changed completely, a peculiar spark dancing in Eraqus's grey eyes, and
the boy couldn't construe its meaning. Shaking his head, Ven quickly dismissed
the thought, trying to convince himself that it had been nothing but a
misinterpretation on his side. He stood up from his chair, carefully placing
his bowl into the sink before setting off to his room. When passing by Aqua's
and Terra's rooms, he hesitantly knocked, but got no answer.
'Just where are they? It's not like them not to turn up at breakfast.'
Ven strolled over to his room while his mind was occupied with his friends'
whereabouts. He changed into the track suit he used to train in and left the
castle for the ceremony hall.
***** Chapter 2 *****
Chapter Notes
     Hi,
     Chapter 2 turned out to be rather short, so I decided to publish
     chapter 3 today as well. The story has quite a slow start, but the
     fluff will come. :D
     ~ LucidCrystal
'Happy 16th Birthday, Ven!~'
He was greeted with a giant chocolate cake as he entered the door to the halls.
His friends, who were holding up that freak of nature of a cake, were happily
chanting a birthday song while the boy couldn't even remotely process what was
going on. He could do nothing but stare at his friends' exceedingly ridiculous
creation sporting the letters of his name in differently coloured chunks of
marzipan. Just behind his friends, Master Eraqus stood straight, arms entwined
with a satisfied smirk on his lips, blatantly happy about the success of this
surprise. Though Ven was a forgetful person indeed, nobody expected him not to
remember his own birthday.
'Heh, thanks guys. I'd totally have forgotten about it if you hadn't surprised
me.'
The young boy smiled bashfully, intently watching his friends deposit the huge
birthday cake on the adjacent table. Then, his friends came up to him, patting
him on his back, Aqua even pressing a kiss to his cheek. Ven nevertheless snuck
a peek on Master Eraqus, wondering when he would come to congratulate him. Said
man walked over only after Aqua and Terra had backed up, leaning down to softly
place his hand under the birthday boy's chin to lift it up.
'Congratulations, my boy. I'm very proud to tell you that as of this moment,
you're officially a tiny fraction older than you were just a moment ago.
However, that doesn't mean that you've become wiser.'
He chuckled. The three friends stared at their keyblade master, all of them
speechless, before breaking out into laughter. Eraqus always made the effort to
wish someone a happy birthday in a rather unconventional way indeed.
Terra, who had been most eager to show Ventus the small batch of presents piled
on the table, spoke up.
'Come on, birthday boy, open your presents.'
Ven shot him a half-serious look- he hated being treated like a little kid- yet
obediently walked over to have a look at the packages. Two of them were blue,
from which he concluded that they'd most probably be from Aqua, the other two
of them were red, therefore presumably Terra's. He unpacked the boxes,
surprised to find a book on wind magic and a rose-scented soap (from Aqua), as
well as a pair of blue-black trousers and fitting black leather gloves (from
Terra). He hugged both of them tightly, thanking them for remembering his
birthday and the wonderful birthday presents they surprised him with.
'Master Eraqus also has a present for you, doesn't he?'
Aqua asked, an impish smile settling across her cheeks as her glance moved from
Ven to the keyblade master. Eraqus, who'd been considerably reticent nodded,
only informing Ven that he'd give it to him later. Reverting back to his
teacher role, Eraqus concluded the short birthday celebration, telling his
children to finally start training.
***** Chapter 3 *****
It was in the late afternoon when Terra, Aqua and Ven finished practice. They'd
mostly been on their own, as Eraqus had soon retreated to the library to do
some research on the various forms of a special magic attack, Megaflare. Ven,
who wasn't quite willing to participate in one of his friends' so called
'games'- which implied Aqua feeding him information on all kinds of magical
attacks with Terra simultaneously showing him how to refine his keyblade
techniques- decided to check up on Eraqus instead. He knew that the keyblade
master might not want to be disturbed, but since it was his birthday, he
figured it would be alright.
Ventus was strolling towards the library when he suddenly heard strange noises
coming from within the room. The door, which would normally be locked at this
time of the day, was left slightly ajar, leaving just big enough a gap to peek
through. Ven carefully approached the door, alert to draw his keyblade at any
moment, yet what he saw exceeded even his most audacious dreams by far. For the
only thing he saw was his Keyblade master, who, sitting in his huge antique
armchair with his legs spread apart, had his hand immersed in his pants,
stroking his rock-hard erection. As the echoes of his foster father's moans and
ragged breaths reached Ven's ears, he felt his pants tighten considerably and a
massive blush spread across his face.
'What the.....'
The boy was shocked, yet instead of turning around and slowly walking away, his
glance was glued to his master's form, his furrowed brows, his muscular,
exposed chest and his majestic cock glistening with precum. Ven watched as
Eraqus's hand teased the underside of his member, then suddenly gripping it,
performing circular motions around the opening with his thumb. It wasn't long
before Eraqus let out a muffled groan followed by a breathy sigh as white
spurts of semen poured from the tip of his dick. Ven was mesmerised, caught up
in a dream he never wanted to leave, never return back to reality. Yet he did.
Realising what mess he would cause if Eraqus caught him peeking, he quickly
snuck back to his room, carefully closing the door before he jumped on his bed.
His right hand was just about to find its way into Ven's pants when he heard a
knock on the door.
'Ventus? Are you in there?'
The boy's heart skipped a beat as he identified the person at his door to be
Eraqus.
'Erm, yes...', Ven stuttered.
Short silence.
'May I come in then?'
Ven swallowed.
'Sure.'
Swiftly turning around, the boy made himself look as tidy as possible before
the door opened, his keyblade master entering the room. Eraqus had won back his
teacher attitude, and if it hadn't been for Ventus witnessing his master's
amorous tête-á-tête with himself just a short while ago, he would never have
noticed the faint scent of sweat and semen emanating from him. Ven's foster
father sat down on the edge of the boy's bed, a content smile settling on his
face.
'Ventus, my boy, I still have a present to give you, don't I?'
Ventus blushed. He didn't want his keyblade master to think of his birthday
present as an obligatory sign of affection.
'It's fine if you don't give me anything. It's not like you have to, you know.'
Eraqus sighed, then got up from Ven's bed to move up to him, putting an arm
around his shoulder to pull his small body against the muscular shoulders of
his own. Ven, immediately averting his gaze, was forced to look up at Eraqus
when said man put his fingers under Ven's chin, gently lifting it up.
'Ven, listen. It's neither obligatory nor an uncalled-for hassle to give you a
birthday present. You're my son, and it is my wish for you to accept my
birthday present. Alright?'
The boy let out a small sigh before he agreed. As much as he enjoyed Eraqus's
affection, he was nevertheless constantly afraid of being bothersome.
Obviously relieved, Eraqus ruffled through Ven's hair, pressing the young boy
into his chest. Ventus relaxed into their embrace, wrapping his arms around the
older man's waist to inhale the musky, heady scent he was so fond of. Eraqus
smelled like a man, but there was a slight scent of cinnamon mixed in.
Suddenly, Eraqus gripped the boy by his shoulders to pull him down, and as they
collapsed on top of each other on the bed, Ven squeaked.
'Hey! That was no fair!'
Eraqus, who was lying beneath the boy, slowly lifted him up, noticing the deep
blush that was spread across Ven's pretty face. He grinned.
'Now what am I going to do with you, birthday boy?'
Before Ven could reply, Eraqus's fingers found their way to the boy's most
sensitive spots. As he'd used to play with Ven a lot when he was younger, the
keyblade master knew exactly where Ven's most ticklish places were to be found.
When it began to dawn on Ven just what Eraqus had in mind- his foster father's
evil grin greatly contributing to his realisation- it was already too late. The
older man's fingers expertly teased Ven's body and soon, the boy was reduced to
a half laughing, half squealing puddle of goo. Trying to strike back, Ven bit
down on Eraqus's neck, reveling in the admonishing 'Hey!' he received in
response. To make matters worse, he stared sucking, tinting his master's fair
skin red as well as drawing a sharp intake of breath and a small sigh from the
other man. The hands which had teased Ven a moment ago were gone, replaced by
tentative pressure on his shoulders to push him away. He didn't notice. His
tongue was flicking along the reddened spot near his master's collarbone,
occasionally biting down again. What he didn't notice either was the sudden
darkening of Eraqus's irises and the wanton look appearing in them.
'Ven. Veeeeeeeeeeen. Come on, let me go.'
Ven was finally pushed away by strong arms. His eyes were fixated on his foster
father's face before he came back to his senses, his glance nervously reverting
back to the spot on Eraqus's neck. A bright red, instantly apparent spot still
glistening with Ven's saliva. Awkward silence ensued before Eraqus decided to
regain his composure.
'Now what are other people going to think when they see that?', Eraqus laughed,
'everybody will think I have a lover.'
Eraqus got up, gently pushing Ven off him, and walked to the mirror.
'Oh dear. Well, there's no chance I can disguise THAT.'
Eraqus walked back to the bed, mildly caressing Ven's cheek as he spoke.
'I have to go now. For your birthday present, come to the lake on the
mountaintop at 8 in the evening. And don't forget to bring swimming trunks.'
The door closed and a mildly shocked Ven was left alone.
***** Chapter 4 *****
It was 7.30 pm and Ven was getting ready to leave for the mountain. The Land of
Departure had a rather warm climate, and as it was summer, it was especially
warm a day. The boy opened his wardrobe, frantically searching for the bright
blue swimming trunks he'd gotten for his birthday from Terra the previous year.
'What does he even want me to bring swimming trunks for? Ah.'
Finally, Ven discovered the desired object in a pile of clothes he'd forgotten
actually existed. He put the trunks into his bag, along with a jacket if it got
colder, slipped into his sneakers and left the house. It was still bright and a
refreshing breeze brought some relief from the muggy weather so typical for
this time of the year. Ven paused, staring into the sky absentmindedly, his
thoughts preoccupied with Eraqus's surprise for his birthday.
'Eraqus....'
As he strode towards the hills leading up to the mountain, the scent of
elderflowers caught Ven's attention. If there was one kind of flower Ventus
loved, then it was the elderflower. It reminded him of his childhood. He
remembered that when he'd woken up in the Land of Departure after being in a
state of comatose for quite some time, the scent of elderflowers had surrounded
him. It had been summer as well, and it was around the time he'd met Eraqus,
Terra and Aqua for the first time. Actually, Eraqus had been the first one
Ventus had met. He had been the one sitting beside Ventus, watching over him,
so it was only logical that when the boy awoke from his slumber, he was the
first for Ven to meet. Ven stilled his movements as he mused about their first
encounter. Eraqus had been so happy when Ven had opened his eyes, yet he'd done
nothing more than smile at him and say 'Welcome home, Ven.' The boy smiled. His
childhood memories were precious to him and he often delighted in reminiscing
about the old times. Times when Terra, Aqua, Ventus and Eraqus played together,
when Eraqus showed him how to wield a keyblade, when he and Terra once snuck
out in the evening to pick some flowers, which only blossomed during the night,
for Aqua's birthday (solely to be caught in the act by Eraqus), times, when he
could be beside Eraqus without the immanent feeling of guilt rising in his
stomach. Ven sighed. It was impossible a love and he knew it.
'Nevermind...'
Ven grumbled, shaking off the unpleasant thoughts and urging himself on to not
be late for his birthday present.
When Ventus arrived at the lake, Eraqus was already there. He was sitting under
a tree, leaning against its rough bark, the setting sun conferring a red glow
to his appearance. Hearing footsteps approach, Eraqus turned around.
'Ventus.'
Ven sat down beside him, daring to lean his head against his keyblade master's
shoulder. He felt the older man's hand come up to ruffle through his hair and
he let out a sigh of contentment. Neither of them spoke, only the sounds of the
waves clashing against the shore and the chirping of the birds in the trees
were to be heard. They watched the sun set, watched its red rays fade into the
surface of the lake and its reflections slowly dissipate into the cool water.
Eraqus and him had come here often for a swim, but that had been years ago,
even before Terra had turned fifteen. Ven nuzzled his head further into his
foster father's shoulder, eliciting a playful laugh from the other man.
'Come on Ven, let's go swimming.'
Ven was surprised. It had been such a long time since they had last gone
swimming together that he could hardly believe it. Grinning, he agreed, only to
realise that he had forgotten to put on his swimming trunks at home and would
have to do so now.
'Erm, Master? I have to get on my trunks, so I'll be off for a little while.'
'Alright. Tell me when you're ready.'
Eraqus replied as he took off his clothes, pulling his shirt off to expose his
well-trained upper body. Ven kept staring for a little while before it dawned
on him that Eraqus might notice, grabbing his trunks to hide behind the tree.
Quickly changing into his trunks, Ven returned to the lakeshore to where his
keyblade master stood, stretching.
'Ah there you are, Ven. Let's go, shall we?'
Ven grinned. He sprinted into the water, laughing, the cold drops glittering on
his skin wherever they touched it. Ever since he could remember, Ven had loved
the water, had loved to swim and dive in it as it smoothly slid along his body,
encompassing his very being. Eraqus, by contrast, stepped into it more
leisurely, his age having taught him that beautiful things were to be enjoyed
slowly. Just as the water reached the older man's chest, he felt Ventus
creeping up at him from underwater, lunging forward to pull him to the depths
of the lake. Yet Eraqus caught the dripping wet boy by his shoulders, lifted
him up and threw him back into the water, laughing. Ven resurfaced, a cute pout
on his face, shaking off the heavy water droplets eager to drip off his bangs.
'Nawww, too bad. I really wanted to get you wet.'
Eraqus smiled, relenting, extending his arms wide open.
'Alright. You can attack me if you like.'
As soon as he'd said the words, Ven jumped forward, drowning his keyblade
master with him. The lake was still shallow where they stood; it didn't take
them long to reach the ground, where Ven playfully tried to keep Eraqus
underwater. Soon, though, Eraqus's hands reached out for his, pulling him back
to the surface. Both were drenched, water clinging to their body, while they
stood there, trying to catch their breath. Eraqus's arms were still wrapped
around the boy's shoulders as they kept silent, watching the sun's last crimson
rays disappear beneath the horizon. Ven looked up at the older man's face, his
gaze immediately drawn in by Eraqus's symmetric features, his strong jaw and
his silvergray eyes. He couldn't but marvel at the other man's beauty. Eraqus's
appearance always reminded him of that of an ancient greek god's, his muscular
build and handsome face fascinating men and women alike. The boy's glance
suddenly fell on the red spot he'd given his keyblade master quite recently. In
a moment of blind impulse, Ven raised his hand to softly trace the outlines of
the reddened skin with his fingertips. He felt Eraqus shiver before the older
man's gaze fell upon him.
'I'm sorry.'
Ven whispered while his digits were stroking his master's collarbone. He was so
absorbed in thought that he didn't notice Eraqus's mouth approaching the crook
of his own neck. Only when his keyblade master's teeth grazed over his
sensitive skin did Ventus realise what he'd gotten himself into. Letting out a
surprised yelp, he grabbed Eraqus's shoulders for support, shuddering slightly
as the other man started sucking on the spot behind his ear, occasionally
licking and biting it. A soft moan escaped from the boy's lips as Eraqus's
hands travelled up his spine, the trails of his fingers leaving goosebumps on
Ven's body. The longer Eraqus's ministrations continued, the more pleasure Ven
felt welling up in his body. He felt his swimming trunks get noticeably tighter
and when Eraqus gently caressed the younger blonde's earlobe, he almost lost
himself in the tremendous pleasure. Yet to Ven's disappointment, Eraqus pulled
away after some time, a pink blush ghosting over his features, his gaze
averted. The older man tried to conceal his obvious embarrassment at his
momentary loss of control and reverted back to his cheerful demeanor instantly.
'That's for giving me a lovebite earlier today.'
Ven paused for a moment before deciding to go along with his keyblade master's
plan of pretending that nothing happened. He smiled gleefully, telling Eraqus
that he'd go sit on the shore for a while now that he was refreshed. This time,
though, he couldn't but notice the way his master's eyes were focused on his
back before the older man came to follow him.
Soon after Ven had crouched down under the massive oak tree, Eraqus joined him,
holding out a towel for Ven to take.
'Come on, you'll catch a cold if you don't dry yourself off.'
Ven hesitated for a moment before taking the towel, absentmindedly drying his
hair with it. Eraqus grabbed the towel after some time, not able to stand the
inattentive way the boy was treating his hair. Gently rubbing his head, the
keyblade master spoke to him.
'You have to do it properly for it to get dry, you know?'
The boy blushed at the playfully childish way Eraqus was treating him; the last
thing he wanted was his foster father to think of him as a helpless child.
The sun had set by now and it was getting dark. They'd dressed after their
trunks and hair had dried; sitting yet under the tree they watched as the stars
turned into blazing white orbs, their reflection wafting on the lake's mildly
disturbed surface. Eraqus had told the boy stories about his own youth, his
first attempts at wielding a keyblade (which had all failed miserably) and his
first experience with magic. At the moment, Ven was inquiring about his foster
father's private life.
'When did you have your first girlfriend?'
The boy asked, trying hard to sound as disinterested as possible.
'Hmmm, I might have been around 18 I suppose. Though that was not the first
relationship I'd had.'
Ven paused, confused.
'But you just said you had your first girlfriend at age 18?'
Eraqus grinned.
'Indeed. But the universe consists not only of females, if you know what I
mean?'
It took Ventus some time to process what the older man had just implied. When
he realised the significance of Eraqus's words to his own situation, he was
flabbergasted.
'Y-you mean you liked guys?'
'It seems you finally understood.'
Ven pouted, offended at Eraqus's insult of his intelligence. Soon, though, he
fell back into a state of confusion, another question making its way to Ven's
mind.
'So did you like girls or guys in the end?'
'Both, I suppose.'
'Both?'
'Well, that makes for a lot more variety, you know? Besides, I was never good
at choosing.'
Eraqus laughed and Ven suppressed a smirk. His thoughts had run wild the moment
Eraqus had told him about him being interested in both genders. Eraqus then
turned around, facing the boy.
'Ven, as today is your 16th birthday, I would like to give you something
special.'
Eraqus extended his hand as golden cubes appeared, which slowly materialised
into a silver-black keyblade. Then, he handed the blade to Ventus, smiling.
'This keyblade is called 'Void Gear'. Its magic attacks are fairly strong and
it has a high range. Perfect for you, I thought.'
Ven stared in awe, wordless. The keyblade was breathtaking, most elaborately
crafted; and whilst the material it was made from appeared heavy and sturdy, it
was yet as light as a feather. Ventus traced his fingers along the sharp edges
of its tip, marveling at the metallic sound he got in response. The boy lifted
his head, looking at his keyblade master.
'Thank you. Thank you so much, master.'
Turning around, Ven embraced the older man, reveling in their closeness and the
wonderful gift he'd got. They separated and Eraqus continued.
'That wasn't all. Ven, there's something I want to tell you.'
Eraqus paused and suddenly a shooting star blast across the sky, momentarily
illuminating their surroundings. It was silent, weren't it for the cicadas and
the frogs trying to win over their female counterparts by trying to chirp the
loudest.
'Ven, I want to tell you how important you are to me. It's been six years since
you came here, six wonderful years. I'm so grateful I could get to know you and
I hope you feel the same. My life wouldn't be complete without you.'
Eraqus put his hand around Ven's shoulders, holding him tight. Suddenly,
though, he broke away when Ven started to sob.
'Ven? Ven, what's wrong? Did I say something that hurt you?'
The boy glanced away, hesitantly talking.
'Th-That's not it. I just.... I just can't.... I can't like you the way you
like me.'
Eraqus paused, seemingly distressed.
'Come on, let's go home and talk it out there, okay?'
Yet Ventus lifted his head, staring into his keyblade master's eyes, his voice
breaking.
'You don't understand, master. I- I'm in love with you!'
Blurting out the words he had tried to suppress for so long, Ven shot up,
glancing back at the older man for the last time before starting to run. Eraqus
stayed under the massive oak tree, letting out a sigh as the final piece fell
into place.
'So that's why he's been acting so strange lately.'
He murmured. Picking up the relinquished keyblade, he stood up; determined to
find Ven to talk to him. He was anxious.
'Stupid boy. So young and so blind.'
***** Chapter 5 *****
Chapter Notes
     Phew, back on here after some time. My life caught up with me...
     ^_^;;;;;
     As I wanted to cover Aqua's and Terra's view of Ven's situation too,
     this chapter mainly focuses on a dialogue between Aqua and Eraqus,
     with Aqua being a mischievous matchmaker and Eraqus being a helpless
     adult. Hope you enjoy it.
     ~LucidCrystal
In the meanwhile, Ven was running back to the palace, sobbing while he felt his
heart shattering. Now that he'd confessed to Eraqus, there was no way his
keyblade master could ever approach him normally again. His eyes teary, Ventus
entered the mansion, going straight for his room. Aqua and Terra, who were
watching a movie, noticed immediately that something was wrong, though only
Aqua could suspect what the possible reason for Ven's emotional breakdown could
have been. She prevented Terra from following the boy, simply stating that
she'd go find Eraqus.
'And don't you dare talk to him while I'm gone. It'll be fine.'
Aqua stated, turning around to leave the house. Suddenly, though, the door
opened, and Eraqus entered the hallway.
'Have you seen Ventus? How is he?'
Aqua smiled. By now, it was more than apparent to her what had happened. Gently
putting a hand on Eraqus's shoulder, she whispered:
'I think we should have a talk, master.'
Even though Eraqus was confused, he relented, following Aqua into the adjacent
room. They sat down by a wooden table, and Aqua stared at him intently.
'What happened?'
Eraqus hesitated.
'I'm not sure if I can...'
'He confessed to you, didn't he?'
The keyblade master's surprise was apparent, but Aqua merely smiled.
'Oh come on, don't tell me I was the only one who knew what was going on. I
mean, the way he looked at you, the way he acted when you were around. It
couldn't go unnoticed, I thought. But for you not to realise...'
Aqua grinned.
'He's a lucky boy.'
'Lucky?'
Eraqus inquired. Aqua's grin widened.
'You like him too. No need to deny it.'
Aqua reinforced as Eraqus made a dismissing gesture.
'Aqua, I can't. He's 16. Even if he likes me, it can't be.'
'Why not?'
'It's not good for him.'
Eraqus gaze was fixed on the ground, his fingers twitching nervously.
'Sooo you think it's better for him to keep suffering from an unrequited love?
I hope you're aware of the fact that he'll never behave normally around you
anymore.'
The keyblade master frowned.
'He'll get used to it eventually.'
Aqua clenched her fist, leaning forward to make Eraqus look up at her.
'No he won't, Eraqus. He's very sensitive and he won't get over it quickly.
Denying both your feelings can't be a solution. Especially you should know
that.'
The expression in Eraqus's eyes turned from defiant to sad, his stare turning
stern. Aqua continued.
'Don't let that happen again. Don't let yourself suffer like back then. And
Ventus neither.'
Glancing up at Aqua, Eraqus gave a reconciling smile, gently patting her arm as
he stood.
'Sometimes, Aqua, I think you're a lot wiser than an old man like me.'
Aqua grinned.
'Oh that has nothing to do with age.', she replied, 'it can't be helped that
I'm smarter than you, can it?'
Eraqus snickered.
'And you're a lot more sarcastic as well.'
He kept silent for a while.
'Thank you, Aqua.'
'It's fine. Go talk to Ven. Don't make him wait for his happiness any longer.'
They both stood up, leaving the room; Aqua slumping back on the couch, silently
watching as Eraqus made his way to Ven's room. Terra poked her in the side,
asking what had happened. Aqua just smiled mysteriously.
'It'll be fine, I'm sure.'
Terra let out a condescending grunt.
'Women and their intuition. I'll never understand them I suppose.'
***** Chapter 6 *****
Chapter Notes
     Hi,
     There isn't really much to say to this chapter except that the long-
     awaited fluff will follow. It's very sweet and very fluffy. Like
     marshmallows. Did I mention I love marshmallows?
     Anyway, enjoy the story while I keep on thinking about half-molten
     marshmallows. Yummmm!
     ~LucidCrystal
Eraqus let out a sigh as he stood in front of Ven's door, pondering on whether
or not to knock. He heard Ven's sobs from behind the door and he felt sorry for
the boy. Deciding to settle this affair, he knocked.
'Ven, can I come in?'
The sobs stopped.
'N-no.'
Eraqus let out a deep sigh.
'Please, Ven. We need to talk.'
Silence ensued. The keyblade master took that as a yes, carefully opening the
door to step into Ven's room. He looked around, finally spotting the picture of
misery under a set of orange bedsheets. Sitting down on the edge of Ven's bed,
Eraqus extended his hand to uncover the boy's face to look at him, yet Ventus
only skidded back further. Withdrawing his hand, Eraqus waited for the boy to
break the silence.
'Please don't hate me.'
A muffled whisper sounded from the boy under the bedsheets and Ven's blonde
hair appeared above the sheets. His eyes were red, and the remnants of tears
clung to his handsome face. He didn't dare to look into Eraqus's eyes,
patiently waiting for his foster father to shatter his last hopes for a
relationship with the older man. Eraqus's heart dropped. How could Ven ever
think that he'd come to hate him? He'd always endeavoured to teach his children
that love was something ethereal, but Ven seemed to be oblivious of this notion
altogether. Sighing, Eraqus pulled the boy to his chest, hugging him as Ventus
started to cry anew.
'Ven.'
The boy flinched, bracing himself for the worst.
'Why are you so sad if you don't even know how I feel about you?'
Ven looked up at him incredulously, not daring to hope for Eraqus to
reciprocate his feelings. While the boy was still in a state of shock, the
older man leaned down to him, his hand softly caressing the other's cheek as he
almost closed the distance between them. Letting his lips ghost over Ven's, he
whispered.
'I'm going to kiss you now if you don't hold me back.'
Awaking from his paralysis, Ven quietly replied.
'That's- that's fine.'
Eraqus smiled and their lips finally met in a chaste kiss, tentative, yes, but
equally wanton; Ven's hands tangling in Eraqus hair, his cheeks tinting in a
shade of pink as the older man's hands slipped beneath his shirt. The kiss grew
heated and Ven let out a muffled moan when Eraqus's tongue slipped into his
mouth to meet his own. Ven had come to rest on top of the keyblade master's
body by now, both men lying on Ven's bed, panting mildly. They broke away, the
youth hesitantly bucking his hips into Eraqus's, his bulge pleasantly rubbing
against his foster father's. By then, Eraqus's hands had pushed up Ven's shirt,
rubbing circles over Ven's exposed chest. A sigh of sheer pleasure escaped the
boy's lips as the keyblade master pinched his nipples, his experienced fingers
expertly teasing the little pink nubs. Ventus leaned down again, giving Eraqus
a shy peck on his lips before he was again pulled into a mind- boggling kiss.
'W- wait...'
The boy tore himself from the other's lips, his gaze averted.
'I think.... I'm not ready yet.'
Placing his hand on Ventus's cheek, Eraqus smirked at the boy's apparent
uncertainty.
'That's completely fine, you know.'
Short silence followed before the older man spoke up once more.
'Would you allow me to cuddle you a bit longer, though? No kissing, I promise.'
Ven pouted, his statement having brought forth a reaction he had not quite
hoped for.
'No.'
He answered plainly. But before Eraqus could voice his concern over Ventus's
sudden rejection, the boy had planted his lips against his own yet again.
'You can continue cuddling me only if you keep on kissing me.'
Ven stated, his face turning red. Eraqus grinned.
'Seems like someone really enjoys being snogged.'
He teased, gently tickling Ven's sides. The youth squeaked in response,
launching a counterattack immediately. They continued their banter until Ven
ultimately collapsed on the older man's body, both men half- laughing, half-
panting. Catching their breath, Eraqus lifted the boy's chin, sitting up to
meet the blonde's lips, his hands tangling in Ven's tousled hair.
'By my keyblade, Ven, I think I should really go to bed now. I'll surely end up
attacking you if we don't stop now.'
Ven sighed, disappointed for their time to end so soon. He let the older man
get up nevertheless, wordlessly following him to the door of his room.
'Come on, Ven, don't be sad. Tomorrow's a new day and we'll be able to kiss a
lot more if you like.'
Reducing his voice to a whisper, Eraqus added, an impish smile spreading on his
face:
'I might sound like a serious pervert now, but you can come to my room whenever
you want. For snogging. Or other things. It's up to you what the "other things"
contain.'
Eraqus winked. Soon, though, his stare grew stern, his brows furrowed and a
serious expression marked his features.
'Just.... Just promise me one thing, Ven.'
'What is it?'
Ven inquired.
'If you don't want something we're doing, tell me. I won't do anything you
don't like, Ven.'
Eraqus paused for a while, gazing down at the young boy affectionately.
'I love you.'
Ven could virtually feel his face heat up at his foster father's confession,
his cheeks sporting a massive blush within seconds.
'I- I love you too.'
Ven stepped forward, pressing his face into the older man's chest. As he
stepped away from Eraqus, his keyblade master caught his hand, raising it up to
his mouth to press a firm kiss to his supple skin.
'You're far too beautiful a present for an old man like me.'
Having said that, Eraqus opened the door to the hallway, glancing back at his
young lover for the last time before retreating to bed.
'Good night, Ven. See you tomorrow.'
Eraqus heard the door shut behind him. Walking towards his room, he couldn't
help but smile. He would do anything to make his new lover happy.
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