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Chapter Text

Chapter 1: Stockholm Syndrome

Tifa and Zack sat together under the sheet that made the tent.  Snacks were set at the front by the tent opening, but they were being guarded by… well normally the people they love.

“How long has it been?” Zack asked.  He glanced at Tifa, who was using this time to stretch out a bit.

“Eh, 2 years? I think.  Unless you mean how long it’s been in here. That’s been like 15 minutes.”  Zack looked over from his spot. The woman at the front of the tent, that was normally his partner, his co survivor in the Realm of Darkness, the person who’s smile lit up the room and always encouraged him to do better, was laying on her stomach and coloring with a crayon.  Her eyes were no longer blue but glowed a soft gold.  Next to her sat Tifa’s love, his expression a bit too vacant and also with golden eyes.  His hand, destroyed by arthritis, lay at his sides as he watched for anyone that got close. 

“I’m sorry.” Zack said again.  He didn’t look at Tifa, but just tried to make himself smaller in the cramped space.

“Zack, I know what I signed up for when I agreed to join the household.”  Tifa reached over to pat him.  “And I’ll be honest, when the Little Sister and Big Daddy dynamic isn’t being creepy, it is a lot of fun.”   She gave a distant smile.  “I haven’t been asked to play hop scotch or hula hoops since I was a little girl. Also, Cloud actually lets me try to throw Aqua when she explicitly asks!” she paused, then settled back down. Her smile a bit pasted on.

There was the other side of that.  How Cloud when suffering from ADAM withdrawal was incredibly mean and cruel.  Spitting out cruel words at Tifa. 

And then there was Zack’s side. His relationship with Aqua.   How she wasn’t like this when they met in Olympus Collisseum, it was only after.  How it had become a safety net in the Realm of Darkness, keeping the darkness from her, and Zack just thought it was a mental defense, unaware of the other factors until the day she had been rescued, and he and their last member had tagged along.  The other thing that kept them all sane. 

“Where’s Dug?”  Zack asked. 

“Taking a nap, I think.”  Tifa nodded outside.  She reached out and tapped by Aqua’s foot. “Hey Miss Aqua!”

“Oh hi Miss Tifa!”  Aqua got up and grinned, before giving a bow.  “Do you want some popcorn?  Mr. C and I can go get it.  Or maybe some lemonade!”

“No, no.  Though can we leave now?”  Tifa asked.  Aqua frowned, then shook her head. 

“I wanted to color with you!  And we haven’t done any coloring yet!  Mr. C hasn’t colored either.”

“Does Mr, er Cloud know how or what to color?”  Zack asked. 

“Oh! Maybe. Though I thought he didn’t like the Crayons.”  Aqua frowned, then turned to him.  Cloud, aka Mr. C, tilted his head to look at her. 

Cloud had caused the other half of this mess.  Something inside of Cloud, that he never spoke about, looked like the substance ADAM to Aqua’s little sister eyes.  Between that and the stress of the Realm of Darkness, she had broken completely and everyone rushed to fix it. They had tracked down “Mommy” aka Dr. Brigid Tenenbaum and a “Big Sister” named Eleanor Lamb.  People Aqua almost trusted.  After more stress for her Little Sister self, she fled.  They had all separated to track her down.  And Cloud had overheard Eleanor and Tenenbaum discuss a “Plasmid” that would turn whomever took it into a Pseudo Little Sister protector. 

They both knew the side effects, what a Big Daddy was,  and what that meant, so it had gone unstated.  Unfortunately for Cloud, who stole it to take so he could protect Aqua out of guilt.

And now here they were.  Aqua would revert to the mentality of a six year old girl, who sought the protection of “Mr. C” aka Cloud.  Her magic had moved from powerful when she met Zack to “could beat anyone in a fight” but she now had periods of berserk fury or childlike wonder.  Cloud would go non verbal, his hands covered in boils and arthritis, eyes glowing yellow unless you got too close or hurt Aqua.  Then they turned red and he would try to tear you limb from limb.  That was all that was there.  Protect Aqua.  Tifa and Zack were tolerated.  Maybe even sometimes protected.  But that was where it stopped.  Tifa had sworn to always be Cloud’s light and when it wore off the first time, she was the only one who could get close to give him food as he broke down into ADAM fueled fury.  The only two  who could clean up Aqua’s ADAM streaked vomit.

“Hey, Aqua.”  Zack knelt down next to her.  “Do you think maybe we could move this to the living room?  Maybe we can go watch a movie.” 

Aqua gasped, and jumped slightly.  Cloud took that as his cue to stand, and as soon as he got closer to his full height, Aqua jumped on his back. 

“To the living Room!” She shouted.  But before she got too far, Cloud stopped.

The last member of their group, their talking pet Golden Retriever, was laying in a patch of sunshine. 

“Ah, there’s Dug.” Zack said.  Aqua got off of Cloud and clambered over to him, poked him, then began to pet his soft fur.  Zack and Tifa took advantage of the opportunity to sneak over and pet Dug too.

Dug, too lovable, woke up, yawning, as his collar glowed slightly.  The little they had found suggested Dug was given the talking collar to better experiment on by the Apprentices.  No one had admitted who had come up with that plan. 

“Hello everyone!” Dug barked.  “Wow! You are all here!  Ever the Blond Master! He smells like fish again!” 

Aqua blinked.

“He does?”  She frowned.  “But fish are smelly and I don’t smell anything that strong.” 

“Yes he does!”  Dug barked.  “But it is okay! I love him!  Wait! Can you go play with me!”  He began to move around as if looking for a toy or a ball. 

“Aqua.”  Zack said softly. “Do you know where the ball is?” 

“I…”  She frowned. Thinking.  The longer it went on, the more the golden light dimmed from her eyes. And in turn, Cloud’s.  After at least a minute,  she looked up. “Oh it’s in the clos…et…”  She looked around, and back at Zack.  “How long?” 

“Just 30 minutes this time.”  He said with a smile.  Cloud scowled, then winced as he moved his fingers. 

“Tenenbaum won’t be happy.” Cloud muttered. 

“Well I am glad you are back.” Tifa grinned. 

For how long remained unspoken.  How long until Cloud and Aqua reverted again.  Until the stress proved so much and Tifa or Zack left.  Until the ADAM maybe took them over permanently. 

They were trapped.  Sure, they loved their captors.  But how long could that last, in the end? 

“BALL!”  Dug howled.  Aqua laughed and Zack grinned.

“Okay, I will get your ball.” Aqua said as she patted Dug’s head.  “Come on, such a good boy.  Let’s go play outside, okay?”

“YES! YES! I want to play outside!”  Dug barked as the family prepared to head outdoors. 

Chapter Text

The clock ticked over to ten PM, and their dog yawned. 

Well, he did ACTUALLY yawn, but his collar glowed and gave out the fake yawn sound.

“I am very tired, can we go to bed?” he asked, his head turning to look at the group of four as he panted. 

“Are you Dug?” Aqua asked.  She smiled as she went back to knitting some sort of scarf. It was an experiment right now.  If she kept track of her stitches, would it hold off any of the Little Sister urges?  “Or do you just want to be on the bed?”

“Both!” Dug barked after a moment.  He danced around their living room.  Haphazard, but cozy.  Aqua was knitting on the love seat, one that was a blue that matched her scarfs and hair.  Zack lay across it, his legs dangling over the arms, his head in her lap as he tried to read a book.  Cloud was on the floor, resting on an incredibly plush rug, headphones over his ears as Tifa occasionally changed records. If she wasn’t doing that, she was stretching, with the salvaged TV playing a DVD absently and a bit muffled.  The walls were covered in fresh paint they had worked on doing together, and the windows had a few boxes of flowers and vegetables. Not a lot, but enough that the room had a real stab at being a home. 

“Fine.”  Zack yawned, the book dropping on his head.  Aqua giggled. “Bed?”

“Finally.”  Tifa muttered as she got up and stretched.  “I’ve been half asleep for the last hour.”

“You should have said something.”  Cloud tried to get up, but couldn’t balance right.  Tifa grabbed under one arm while Aqua grabbed the other.  They helped him up, though he took a second to lean on Tifa, then straightened up to face the door. 

“Okay, Dug.”  Zack said. “What are you thinking?”

It didn’t take long for everyone to get washed up, and then the tetris of their sleeping arrangements kicked in.  Aqua, comfy in a big sleeping dress and long linen pants, ones with flowers on it, fell onto the big bed first, closest to the middle.  Zack, blue sleeping pants and a matching t shirt, took the side closest to the bed from her, so he was the little spoon so to speak.  Cloud was behind Aqua, loose fitting black sleeping pants with a sky design on them, and a muscle t-shirt,  The bed was marked where he would toss and turn.  Next to him was Tifa, sleeping shorts and sleeping shirt, though looser than any of the others.  She curled up in Cloud’s arms, fingers running over his boils and arthritic callouses.  Dug lay down at their feet as soon as they were all settled.  Cloud though would shift in the night, sometimes making sure Aqua was there next to him. 

“The bed is better than before.”  Zack finally said.  Cloud groaned in a way that made him echo a whale. 

“For you.” He finally said.  “I liked being in the middle like that. “

“Cloud we slept on the ground sitting up straight.” Tifa reminded him. “We needed a proper bed.”

“And that was because you stayed as Mr. Bubbles.” Aqua reminded him. Her own voice gave a small distortion.  “I like Mr. Bubbles, but I like Cloud too.”

“I.. like I’m not alone.”  Zack whispered.  There was shifting as they all heard him.

“Zack?” Aqua asked.

“Well.”  Zack sat up in bed, throwing off everyone’s precise arrangements so they could look at him.

“You were with me in the Realm of Darkness for years.” Aqua said in a slightly confused manner.  “What do you mean by alone?”

“That’s fair, but even if we weren’t technically alone, we were alone.”  Zack replied.  “You know full well the realm of Darkness is just surviving.  We didn’t eat, we didn’t even really sleep, we were constantly fighting, Dug helped-”

“I did!” Dug barked.

“Yes you did.  But it… that wasn’t a life.”  Zack absently waved his hands.  “It’s just Surviving. Which we all did.”

They grew quiet. Aqua’s life of sacrifice, Zack’s own unexpected one, Cloud searching and searching after his city fell and he thought himself the only survivor, and Tifa’s own powering though even if she was gone searching when Sora found Leon and company.

Aqua sat up and pulled Zack close in a hug, her head resting by his neck.  Her hands wound through his hair, and they rested like that for a bit.

Until Cloud got over and lay on Aqua.  They wavered but it held… until Tifa joined.

Unfortunately, Zack did not have Cloud’s Big Daddy endurance or stability, and after waving a second, fell off the bed onto the carpeted floor, as they all slid down on top of him.

“Ow.” He muttered.  “Aqua, Cloud, you’re crushing my sternum.”

“Sorry.” Both muttered and worked to pull themselves apart and off of Zack.  Tifa was half tied up in the sheets, and Dug was making obviously fake snoring sounds.  It took a few minutes, but eventually Zack was able to crawl out and stand up. 

“... should we try that again?” He asked.  His three others looked at each other, and simultaneously decided that “That” was a hug.

Zack fell down again. 

Chapter Text

“We are prepared, yes?” Dr Brigid Tenenbaum adjusted her shirt and she looked over the  group in front of her.  Cloud had already abandoned any clothes that required complicated ties to stay up or would impede his movement.  Aqua’s eyes were already glowing slightly, but the slug charm was hooked onto her keyblade. Tifa and Zack looked fine.  Dug was boarded up with Merlin because there was no way he was coming along. 

“Is Aqua the only one to ever go to Rapture?” She asked as she double checked her pistol.  Zack nodded. 

“I never went there while in the realm of darkness.” Zack replied. “I just saw her act differently without context.”

“No on my end.” Tifa replied.  She tightened her gloves.  “I honestly haven’t left this world that much.”

“No.”  Cloud managed to rasp out.  His voice and complex thought were going already? Time to get a move on.

“Herr Cid!” she called out.  Cid- a mechanic of some kind - grumbled before flipping the switch.  A portal opened up, revealing the end goal of this trip.

Mercury Suites in Rapture.

“All this for a couch?” Cid called out.  She turned to glare at him. 

“Herr Cid.  That is the best couch I have ever sat upon.  It will need washing-”

“It would be a miracle if it isn’t moldy.” He muttered. 

“But I-”

She needed it.  She needed something in this new world. 

With a deep breath, she walked through the portal, and heard the others walk behind her.



The smells hit her like a solid wall. Blood, sea water, ADAM, decaying metal and wood.

Rapture, the beautiful city of progress, always had a rotten underside.  Just now… now it was a lot worse. 

She glanced back.  Aqua and Cloud’s eyes were already glowing brightly.  Aqua had the Little Sister yellow, but Cloud’s was the soft green only seen when Big Daddies believed it was safe.

Interesting. 

Aqua had jumped up on Cloud’s shoulder, and Tifa and Zack circled them. 

“So this is Rapture?”  Zack asked.  “I-”

“Was not expecting the art style.” Tifa finished.  “Though the smell is… not unexpected.” 

“It smells like candy!”  Aqua giggled. “But I don’t see any angels. Maybe we can see angels with cotton candy hair!”

Zack flinched.  Tenenbaum shook her head. Back on task.

“Unless the Splicers have stolen it, the couch should be in my bedroom.”  She fingered her pistol as she went towards a doorway in the wall. Crumbling Infrastructure covered part of the doorframe, but Cloud pushed her aside and went through, ignoring the scrapes on his skin as he pushed a boulder out of the way.

Her Bedroom was … well it wasn’t the same as before.  Rapture was falling apart after all.  The radio by her bed was covered in sea lichen.  The PA system floated in from the outside but was so distorted she couldn’t even pick out Mary’s name.  It didn’t smell any better in her bedroom - though maybe less blood - and the air felt… dense.  Had the air changers stopped working? Wouldn’t be the most surprising thing. 

“There it is.”  She pointed to a Camelback sofa, with it’s humped silhouette and over stuffed cushions in a gorgeous damask blue, it was definitely decaying, but it would make a good project for her.

A fresh start in that new city of Radiant Gardens.  So much the opposite of Rapture.

Except for one thing. 

“Make the baddy go away!” Aqua said very loudly as she ran behind Cloud.  Cloud tilted his head and walked towards the door that lead out into the main area of Mercury Suites.  Tifa and Zack prepared behind him. 

“Oh, the whore is here.”  A voice came from the door frame.  A splicer voice, not Fontaine or Ryan. Both were dead but it didn’t really matter.  Lamb at least was above such spurious accusations.   The splicer came into view.  A thuggish, but a lead head was behind him.  “Oh, these are NEW?” he looked over the four.  Curse it.  He was actually aware of what was going on. 

“Leave.”  Zack said first, pulling out his sword.  The Thuggish laughed. 

“A SWORD? Where did you get that? Maybe you aren’t even from around here.”

“Come on, there is Sister in there! Of a sorts.” the leadhead said.  “She is going to have ADAM.  I want it.”

“No. You don’t get it.”  Tifa said.  Tenenbaum pulled out her own gun and aimed it at the Thuggish splicer’s head. 

“Leave.  Or I shoot.”

Cloud could not grab his sword as a Big Daddy.  But he definitely could make his feelings known.  As Tenenbaum watched, his eyes switched from Green to a reddish yellow and reached out with his hand, until he grabbed the Splicer’s face. Then threw him at the other one.

“Get him Mr. B!” Aqua shouted.  Cloud growled.   But while the two tried to get up, Tifa and Zack tried to close the door to her bedroom.  The decaying wall did not help.

“Just get the portal open!”  Tenenbaum shouted.  “Fraulein Aqua!”

That called something to her.  She pulled out her keyblade, a very simple version, and pointed it at the wall. 

“Home. Home. Home.” She chanted.  Slowly an image of Radiant Gardens took shape.  She tried to pull the couch, but instead Cloud picked up one side of it, while Tifa took the other.

“Let’s go!” Zack shouted, grabbed Aqua’s hand, and ran out of the room.  The others followed, Tenenbaum last.  Pausing slightly to see the first room she could ever truly call her own, a place full of both pain and new beginnings, and then ran through.

But yet, this was a new beginning too. 

Aqua was already shaking off the aura of Rapture, her keyblade turning more complex before she dismissed it.  Tifa and Zack were crinkling their noses at the couch, and Cloud groaned in a very human way as he shook his head. 

“Okay.” Cid sighed.  “It needs to be refurbished but it is much different than any we have here.” 

“I told you.” She said cheerily.  “Fabric can be found above the surface in my world so that is fine.” 

“Hey, Doc.”  that was Zack.  “One thing I don’t get is… why? Like, can’t you just buy a new one?” 

“Yeah, but this was our first time going out as a unit.”  Tifa stretched.  “And I think we did quite well.” 

“Did we?” Cloud asked.  He glanced around.  “I guess no one died.” 

“Well.”  Tenenbaum clapped her hands.  “I have my couch, no one died, Herr Cloud and Fraulein Aqua have returned to normal very quickly - and Fraulein Aqua managed to make a portal much quicker than expected - I think, over all, we can call this mission a success and a fresh start for you four.”

The four grinned at each other.  Aqua went back to scramble up on Cloud, but was beaten to the punch by Tifa grabbing Zack and lifting him up too. 

“Better than you.” She said to Cloud, who stuck his tongue out at her. 

Yes. They did seem to get back to normal… and maybe now she could too. 

Chapter Text

“Tell me, Mr. Cloud.”  A voice said to his right. Cheerful and yet mysterious.  Cloud grinned as he opened his eyes and turned to face her, his back protesting a bit as he looked at Tifa.  The sunlight blossomed behind her in their room, scattered artifacts from all five of them laying about.  From Aqua’s Little Sister dolls to her books on building codes, Zack’s training dummy, his own heating pad, Tifa’s maps, to of course Dug’s toys spoke of a life here.   A life he had not had when he worked for Hades, searching for anyone he knew. 

Leon was the first one who found him, and signed them both up for a tournament. 

“What?” Cloud replied, his voice the same tone.

“Run away with me?” Tifa asked, grinning. She held out her hand towards his very comfortable seat, and he reached out for her.
***
“So anyway, Leon said that Stitch started a coffee shop.”  Tifa was saying.  Cloud nodded along, wincing slightly on every other step.  The cobble stone looked great, but each step kept pushing at the damage in his knees.  Big Daddies could ignore the pain.  But right now, Cloud was just human. 

“Why a coffee shop?” Cloud asked. “Does Stitch even have coffee beans?”

“I think so, and then Leon just started mumbling about “Smarter than a super computer and doesn’t want to learn English.”  Tifa replied, stretching slightly.  The sunlight beat down on them, causing his boils on his arms to sting, but also let Tifa’s hair turn some very pretty colors.   “It’s within walking distance of the house so I’ll take it.” 

“True.”  Cloud replied.  But it made him do a quick check.  Aqua was still there, back in his mind like at least some Big Daddies and Little Sister pairings.  She was happy at least right now.  And-

“Cloud, I measured it before we left.  Unless Aqua leaves- and she won’t without telling us - it’s within safe distance for you too.” Tifa poked him in his rib.  That hurt too, but more to do with how hard she poked than any damage to those bones. … could his ribs be damaged like that?

Cloud winced, his foot making a harsh sound on the cobble stones, both snatching him out of his reverie and shooting pain up his leg.  Tifa slowed down. She acted like she didn’t, but Cloud could tell. 

“That obvious?” Cloud limped as he tried to catch up.  Tifa almost grabbed his arm, but settled for a hand behind his back. Was it the boils and lesions? Or just not wanting to trigger pain?

 “Did you think I wasn’t going to check the distance?”  She asked.  “Cloud, I know how this bonding thing works. WE know how this works.  Tenenbaum pulled Zack and I aside to give us a 3 hour course on how it works. I don’t want you to go into a coma because I wanted to get some coffee with you.”

Cloud opened his mouth to say something, he wasn’t even sure what, but Tifa pulled up short at the building Stitch had taken over. 

“That’s… a new design.”  Tifa finally said.  Cloud nodded his agreement.

Paint had been almost thrown at the building, leaving it a mash of colors that contrasted with the single shade building around it.  The seats outside - and from what Cloud could see inside - were mismatched and pulled up next to tables of various sizes and materials. 

“Where did he even GET some of that stuff?” Cloud finally asked.  Tifa shrugged.  Cloud walked over, and pushed the door open. 
***
“And this for Cloud.”  Stitch had half jumped over half the room to deposit Cloud’s drink and food in front of him.  Thankfully, Stitch was using mugs with large handles, and Cloud tentatively stuck one hand through the handle, the heat both hurting and calming the boils, and stuck his other hand on the bottom so he could palm it.

Not the easiest way to drink it, but it was doable.  Tifa wrapped her hands around her own mug.  Cloud had gotten just black coffee, but Tifa had Stitch’s new concoction all teed up to go.  Something chocolately with whipped cream.  A slice of cake rested on the table.  Their chairs were different sizes, but it ended up with them sitting at eye level for once. 

“Thank you.” they both said.  Tifa a bit more softly. 

“Enjoy!” Sitch said cheerily. And then he climbed off, waiting to see who else entered the shop.

“... Do you think Leon took Larxene here on a date?” Cloud asked, causing Tifa to snort into her whipped cream.

“I don’t even know if they are dating.”  She replied.  She paused.  Aqua was still fine. 

“Cloud.” she said after a moment, putting her drink down.  Cloud tried to copy her, but he couldn't extract his hand easily enough. “I worry about you.” 

“What, that I may need a cane in a few years? I hope to have more time, but-”  Cloud tried to rattle off, but Tifa reached out and put her hand over his.

“No. It’s…” She paused, then steeled herself.  Just like she always looked when facing something tough.  Cloud wouldn’t let himself smile.  It would ruin it.

“It’s… what?” he said instead.

“We’ve been apart for… however long.  You went to a different world.” She said,  “And that isn’t counting those Rapture Ghosts that are in your blood now.”  She squeezed his hand.  As nice as it felt to have someone touch him like that… it hurt. A lot.  “I tried looking for you, for years.  And I never found you until near the end.  And then everything happened.  I know I said I’m your light but…” She paused, biting her lip.

“Tifa-” he started to say.  His hand was finally out and he tried to put it on hers.  “Tifa, what is it?”

“Cloud, with all of this.  Are you okay?” 

“Tifa, I have arthritis.”  He scowled. 

Cloud looked at the syringe in Tenenbaum’s case resting on the table in Leon's house. The sunlight from outside streamed in, causing the red liquid in the syringe to gleam. It looked like a painting, resting against the black silk case. The Psuedo Big Daddy Plasmid she and Eleanor Lamb had called it.  Considering how Aqua asked if he was her daddy when she saw him before she ran off…

Cloud held back a shudder.  He had answered wrong.  Fixing it was what mattered.  

He picked it up, took a deep breath, and inserted it into his veins.

His brain started screaming, knowledge, needs, he couldn’t parse what else rushed through, threatening to drown him.  His muscles tensed, pain spreading to them as they began to strain against his clothes.  His legs shook, before giving out completely.  He was barely aware of it, the only reason he was standing was how tightly he gripped the table.  His collar strained against his neck, blackness crept at his vision.

Voices.  Hands grabbing at him, pulling him down to the ground where he began to seize. Someone rolled him on his side. Someone else removed the block so he could breathe. Enemy? Friend? Little One?

“Name” someone was calling above him.  It came to him, one shining thought he grasped on to.  His.  His name.

“Cloud” he gasped.  And then the world took on a yellow tinge before going black.

“I know and… well I can’t change any of this.”  Tifa said after a moment, snapping Cloud out of the memory. She sat back, and took a sip of her coffee.  “But, Cloud, I want to make sure you’re you.”  She put the cup down and went back to holding his hand.  “No matter what ghosts are in your head, or how you have trouble getting around, or anything.  I’m here for you.”

“Even when I swear at you in the midst of an ADAM withdrawal?” He asked.  Tifa reached out and touched his cheek.

“Yes. even then.”

It would be very painful to wipe his eyes now.

BANG

“CLOUD! YOU OKAY!” Aqua skid into the shop, Zack just behind her.  “Hello, Stitch. Cloud! There you are!”

“Aqua?” Cloud blinked as a tear dripped down his face. “How-”

“I just knew you were sad and stressed  and I was worried Tifa broke up with you!” Aqua explained.  Behind her, Zack rested his head in his hand. 

“Aqua, I think they are fine.” 

“Oh.”  Aqua stepped back.  “Sorry. We’ll go now. Bye Stitch!”  And she grabbed Zack’s hand before going out.  Cloud and Tifa glanced at each other, before breaking out in giggles. 

Chapter Text

“Wait! Dad!”  Judging by the footsteps, Vanessa Doofenshmirtz was running past the Family’s window that faced onto the Radiant Garden’s square.  “Dad! Stop it!”

“What’s going on now?”  Aqua asked as she finished making pancakes. Tifa opened the clasp and let the morning air come in as they all ate their breakfast at the large table that Cid had carved out of boredom over the last several years.  

“I think Doofenshmirtz got into the apprentices research.”  Tifa said after a moment, eyes following the chaos.  “Ienzo and Vanessa are both following him, but Even is too.”

“Should we handle that?”  Zack asked as he took a drink of orange juice.   Cloud tentatively held one of his arthritis forks and tapped his placemat as he waited for the food.  “Or maybe Aqua can handle that and I coo-”

“NO”  the rest shouted back.  Zack pouted. 

“Zack.” Tifa came back in with a sigh and reached for her own morning drink.  “There is a difference between ‘I have sworn myself to Athena and therefore while I am good in battle I lack skils elsewhere” and “whenever I stand behind a kitchen counter I apparently lose  the ability to use my hands for anything cooking related,, but also my senses of taste and smell”” 

“But, I didn’t mean to set the curtain on fire.” Zack tried to explain.  Aqua sighed.

“Zack, you were using the MICROWAVE. On the OTHER side of the room.” 

“I think Hestia just hates you.”  Cloud finished.  Aqua put the pancakes in front of him first.  Cloud reached for the open cup of syrup to pour, but as he did so, a beam shot into their room.  There was a quick Fwip and Aqua was standing where Tifa stood. 

“Aqua?” Zack reached up for his head, “Aqua you’re not here.” 

“Yes I am.”  Her voice came out, as Tifa’s.   She glanced back to where she stood before, but there… she was?  What?   She turned back to the table, and saw Cloud spill the syrup before wincing and trying to bend his fingers. 

“Oh… boy it hit you guys?”  They all looked to see Vanessa standing at the window.  Beyond that Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz was waving a ray gun around as Ienzo and Even argued with him. 

“What happened-” Tifa in Aqua sighed.

“Why is it so NOISY?”  Zack in Cloud voice choked up.  “Why does everything hurt?”

“Well-” Vanessa ignored Zack in Cloud as Cloud in Zack balled up his fingers, grinned, and punched Zack in Cloud on the shoulder.  Zack in Cloud glared at Cloud in Zack. 

“Well, Vanessa?”  Aqua in Tifa asked. 

“Dad started on his “I need to meet your boyfriend’s family” thing again.” Everyone winced.  Ienzo,-being the previously unknown child of Cosmos, a goddess of Harmony, and Master Xehanort, author of every bad thing in the universe for the last at least 20 years - made Doofenshmirtz’s normally reasonable goal difficult.  Ienzo wasn’t talking to Cosmos outside of Demigod reasons, and had actively worked to thwart Xehanort.  He had even done research to see if he could have helped out as the demigod of Balance and have it not count as the seven guardians of light as he was, well, the balance between. To make a long story short, for all intents and purposes, he was estranged from his parents.

“He knows Xehanort is…dead… right?”  Zack in Cloud asked.  “... Wait was he going to ask Hades-”

“No! Thank I don’t even know what anymore.” Vanessa cut in.  “But he found out about the whole ejecting hearts thing and Even’s replicas and proposed they bodyswap both Cosmos and Xehanort into replica bodies.  No powers and they get to have a good dinner.” She rolled her eyes at the last part. 

“Oh that would be a nightmare.”  Aqua in Tifa said.  Zack in Cloud suddenly got up and went toward the dark room that Cloud sometimes took naps in. Or tried to at least.  He was limping.  There was a thump  and Dug trotted into view before following Zack in Cloud into the room.   Cloud in Zack glanced back at him, then the clock on the stove.  

“Five minutes.”  He said. Aqua in Tifa nodded. 

“So, uh… can you get us back?” Tifa in Aqua asked.  Vanessa leaned in and looked at the clock on the stove too. 

“Give me half an hour.  I think it will take a while to get him calm enough to get it away from him.” 

Cloud in Zack gave a thumbs up, then closed the window as soon as Vanessa left. 

“I want to enjoy the quiet first before we talk.” he said seriously.  He slid out of the booth and stood up, and stretched.  “Oh Kingdom Hearts this feels good.”  He reached up, the began to stretch with elbows and knees.

“What is it?” Tifa in Aqua asked, before flinching.  “Next question, what am I feeling?” 

“Big Daddy little sister bond.”  Aqua in Tifa said solemnly before her cup to drink, paused, looked at Tifa in Aqua, put it down, and went to pour a new glass of orange juice. 

“This… buzzing.  It’s like that for you all the time?”  Tifa in Aqua gasped.  Aqua in Tifa shrugged.

“I’ve had it for a few years.  I’ve gotten good at tuning it out.  Just let me know if you start seeing things… differently.”

“How differently.”

“You’ve heard me talk in Little Sister form.”

There was a pause.

“WAIT THAT IS VISUAL TOO?”  Tifa in Aqua blinked.  “I’m sorry, I didn’t.”

“It’s… hard to explain.”  Aqua in Tifa agreed. “Like… sometimes I see things that aren’t actually there. Or they are there, but I see a really… fancy version.  But at the same time my mind accepts it as real.  Because I think I’m five and this is all supposed to… make sense.”  Aqua in Tifa sat down and took a deep breath.  “I’ve been more in my own head, but-” she blinked and looked up.  “Let’s go see Zack.  He’ll want to hear this too.” 

The remaining three crept the short distance down the hall until they found Zack curled up in the dark room.  There was a window with dark shades on it, and it was cracked enough to get air through.  The bed was still made and Zack in Cloud was lying on top of it, a pillow on his head awkwardly as if he was trying to blot out sounds but couldn’t because he didn’t know how to use his hands. Dug was nuzzlng at what he could, his ears very much not scratched.

Which was probably true. 

“Do you know how I faced down Xehanort?”  Aqua in Tifa asked. 

“Will it distract me from all the voices in my head who are VERY ANGRY” Zack in Cloud said.  Cloud in Zack chuckled.

“Is Michael in there now?  I always liked him.”

“I don’t… you gave them names?”

“I didn’t give them names.” Cloud in Zack shrugged.  “ADAM is recycled through Little Sisters.  Previous users’ … thoughts I guess get pulled in too.  Those are the splicers who used the ADAM before I got it.  I see them sometimes too. Their ghosts.” He stretched up to touch the ceiling.  “Or whatever they are instead of ghosts.” 

Zack in Cloud  and Tifa in Aqua turned to look at each other.

“It’s like this for you? All the time?”

The other two nodded.

“And, more importantly.  It’s how I knew I could beat Xehanort when it came down to it.”  Aqua in Tifa said.  “It’s not just that I had overcome some of all of that.  It’s because I knew I had all of you.  Xehanort has 13 versions of himself and they still somehow hate each other.  I have you 3,  Terra, and Ven. And in turn you all have me. And around and around it goes.”  Aqua’s smile came through on Tifa’s face.  “ If anything happened, you all would help me. No matter how far.  And even if you couldn’t make it in time, I’d be a Big Sister and stop it too.” 

“And me!” Dug barked.  Zack in Cloud reached over and patted Dug’s head.  Cloud and Zack picked up by scratching behind Dug’s ears.

“And you.”  Zack in Cloud agreed.  “Can we sit here in the quiet and the dark for a bit.  No offense Cloud, but your ADAM can be noisy.” 

Vanessa did find them a half an hour later, all asleep together.

Chapter Text

Terra and Ven glanced at each other, then the large ish house near the town square.  It was painted a bright blue with a multi colored mural of stars and plants on it, and it had a yard, something not a lot of other houses had, but considering the dog house and food bowl in the yard, it was easy to figure out why. 

“Is this the right place?” Ven finally asked as he adjust the large backpack Roxas had given him.  “Her room was never this big or decorated when we were growing up.” 

“I heard she had some roommates.” Terra finally offered. “Maybe it’s because them?”

It didn’t seem right, from what he had heard.  But it didn’t matter. It was time for a return of their tradition. 

Terra knocked. 

There was no sound for a minute in the house, and as Terra prepared to knock again, a barking sound came from… behind them?

Ven and Terra both turned around and saw four people - and a dog- coming in from a side street.  The dog- a medium sized golden retriever that looked vaguely familiar to Terra somehow- began to bark as soon as he saw them.

Or almost bark.

“I HAVE FOUND NEW PEOPLE! One of them has a familiar scent.”  echoed across the air.  But they barely had time to parse that the dog seemed to have said that, before someone with black hair rushed them.

“TERRA! VEN!” 

Smelling faintly of apples, the person grabbed them and wrapped them up in an encompasing hug. 

“Oh by Athena it’s so good to see you! You made it out! I hear you are heroes!” 

“Maybe” the dog said, growling slightly. 

“... ZACK?”  Ven finally managed to piece together.  Zack stepped back, and smiled.

He looked… unchanged.  Just as they all did all those years ago. He should have aged, right?  But no, here he was.  Dark hair, bright blue eyes, just dressed much more casually than before. 

They both tilted to look behind Zack.  The golden retriever was there, eyes on Terra.  Not growling, but definitely wary.  A muscular girl with long black hair that resonated with the part of Ven’s memories he shared with Sora was holding onto the dog’s leash.  Another Sora part, almost, was the blond man with the same blue eyes and hair style to Zack, but he had knobby hands and large boils all up his arm even to beyond his elbow.  The last one there though, was

“AQUA!”

Aqua smiled, and also rushed to hug them.

“It’s so good to see you again!” She said, and the three began to jump around in a hug.  “I didn’t want to bother anything after we all came back and-”

“I know, I know.”  Terra said.  “It’s taken me a while to get my memories back in order.” 

Terra and Aqua’s foreheads rested against each other, just a second, and then Aqua went to hug Ven again.  He resisted being pulled up to her shoulder but she still spun him around.

“Wow, Cloud’s grinning. You must really be happy, Aqua.” The girl said.  “Introductions?”

“Oh, right.”  Aqua stepped back.  “This is Tifa, Cloud, and Zack.  Oh, and Dug.”  Each person gave a nod at their name.

“We’ve met.”  Dug again almost barked.  Aqua tilted her head, then looked back at Terra.  Terra on his end had his eyes fastened on Dug’s collar, and the little red light that glowed. 

“... why don’t we go inside?” Tifa offered.  “Did you guys just come to chat?”

“Eh, sort of.” Ven reached into his bag and pulled out a box.  “I was hoping we could play some Command board?”

“Well then, I’m going to beat the pants off of you.  Just like old times.”  Aqua said with a grin.  “I call Cloud!”

“YOU HAVE TO CALL CLOUD!” Tifa shouted back, then sighed. She muttered something to herself that Terra didn’t catch, but sounded like “Telepathy” 

***

Even after Terra and Ven tried to clarify it wasn’t a team based game, the four still insisted on Cloud and Aqua being on the same team.  She leaned on Cloud in a casual way that Terra had never seen her do before, and their playing was almost effortless.  It should have been a handicap that they had to share a token while everyone else just had their own token, but they were doing… fine.  Not bad, not great.  Almost what she had been doing before.  Even with not a word spoken between them. At least not game related.


Their house, now that Terra and Ven got on the inside, was… also weirdly average except for it being filled with murals and random decorations.  There was a lot of adaptability equipment that quickly became obvious it was for Cloud for some reason.  But it was… comfy. Very little shared the same color or textures but it all came together in a way that made it fit together.  Big sofas, chairs, a TV, a well stocked kitchen with lots of meal prep ready, painted walls, thick carpet or clean tile, multiple bathrooms, a chore chart, and possibly the worlds largest bedroom tucked away in the back.  At the very least the largest bed.  The only odd thing was an area set aside for what was clearly some kind of altar.

“Okay, I’m moving this way.”  Zack said as he moved his token around.   “Honestly I thought you guys would like a game with some more strategy.”

“We do strategy ALL. THE. TIME.” Ven groaned as he rolled his die.  “Pure luck can be frustrating but at least it’s fair.”

“And there is some strategy.” Aqua cut in as Ven moved his piece.  “Not a LOT but-”   She paused, then got up.  “Water? Juice? I think we have some iced tea somewhere.”  She glanced over at Dug.  “Do you want a Treat?”

“No.”  Dug replied.  Cloud, Zack, Tifa, and Aqua stiffened. Terra could have sworn Cloud’s eyes flashed yellow.

“Dug?” Zack asked.  “Is there something wrong?” 

“I do not know.”  Dug said.  He sat up, panting.  “The Man Dressed In Brown smells a lot like the man who gave me my collar before putting me in a room with mean shadows.  And the same man who gave me the coat to meet you.” 

“... Ah.”  Terra said after a moment.  “Xehanort.” 

“Xehanort?” Tifa frowned, then glanced at Terra, gasped, and stood up.  “XEHANORT!”

“I’m… lost.”  Zack finally said.  “Isn’t Xehanort the old guy who is Ienzo’s dad?” 

“Yes. Sort of.”  Terra began to fiddle with the spare set of die by him, just looking for his hands to do something.  “But Xehanort was scared of dying so he tried to body hop.” There was a pause.  “Into me.”

“But you fought it off.  Right?” Zack asked. “I know you. You’ve got a good heart. A strong one.” 

“It… well he weakened it.”  Terra finally said.  “I… did what I could but it wasn’t really enough.” 

“I fought him here.”  Aqua said softly.  “I managed to partially drive Xehanort out.” 

“I took control enough that Xehanort completely lost his memory. “ Terra said softly.  “He still had the drive to experiment and Braig, Xigbar, would try to lure him back to his old goals.  I think. I always felt like Braig was hiding something.  But sometimes… I could take some control back.  The last time I did, it was to save Dug.” 

“Oh, Terra.”  Ven said softly. 

“... that explains something I went through.”  Cloud said, before glancing at Tifa. Who gave a small nod and a shrug.  “But why save Dug?” 

“Well the Collar…” Terra paused, clearly scared of his next words.  “It was to see how non humans reacted to experiments on their heart.  It’s… hard to tell what is going on if you couldn’t understand them.” 

Tifa gasped. 

“The last thing i was able to do, as myself, was get Dug out and give him the cloak and food so he could find you in the Realm of Darkness, Aqua.”  Terra looked up.  “I… never expected it to come back this way.”

“Did you hear all of that, Dug?” Aqua kneeled down.  “Can you forgive Terra?” 

“Does he promise not to hurt me?” Dug asked.  Terra left the table, grabbed the treats Aqua snuck to him, and sat down in front of Dug, hand out with treats.

“I promise.  I know the person used my body, but I never wanted anything to happen to you.” 

“Then I forgive him! If he gives me a treat every day!”  Dug barked.  Terra chuckled and began to pet behind Dug’s ears.

“I’ll try to pet you every day. How about that.”  Terra said, with a half laugh.  Dug barked and said “Oh Yes!” through his collar.

“Okay, another question.”  Ven said.  “Aqua, why are you dating Cloud?” 

There was a pause, and then all four began to laugh. 

“Ven.”  Aqua finally managed to gasp out. “I’m dating Zack.”

“But you’re so in sync with Cloud! You were leaning on him just a second ago! ”

“It’s the telepathy.” Zack explained.  “Kind of helps matters.”

“Telepathy?” Terra asked.  

“I’m still a Little Sister. Cloud is my Big Daddy.”

“STILL?”

The game was abandoned as Aqua filled both of them in on what happened after the three had left Rapture over ten years ago.