He’d been around them for another 16 years, and yet now it truly felt like he was with them. Not hiding from them at all, though he supposed he still did hide. They didn’t know he was essentially immortal and lived much longer than them. Or that he knew he’d lose his mind. That was probably the hardest part actually. And why the tears kept streaming.

Aqua tried to reassure him, but she wasn’t allowed to touch him so her lackluster words were all he received. He didn’t bother listening to them though. It would probably just be the same computer generated crap he was subjected to during his time in the hospital.

Maybe he truly was tired of this place. But maybe he deserved to spend more time here.

Well I can’t even if I wanted to. There are people trapped in a snowglobe because foresight, despite me having it, isn’t my strong suit.

“Do I get to come home yet?” Objective and comfort. He needed tears to sell the desperation to get out, but were they all that fake? He couldn’t get them to stop even if he wanted to. He truly was just glad to see his family again. Too bad they weren’t the ones he remembered. Right?

“Of course you can come home, Ven.” Aqua assured and Terra nodded with crossing arms to back her up.

Just as quick as he was to be remorseful, he swapped to being irritable once more. Hard not to be when his mind was plagued with the previous month’s events. “Surprising since you kept me here for a month.” The blond scoffed. “I’d be surprised if you even wanted me back, or no, you only want me back because it’s a pain in the ass to pay for my medical bills right?”

“That’s not true, Ventus, and you know it.” His dad interrupted. Oh how wonderful, the father that would clearly rather he was locked up.

Moving up a bit in his chair, Ventus held a hand behind his back in the small space between him and where he sat, materializing a knife in it. His family kept droning on about how they loved him and shit like that. They didn’t love him though. They didn’t know the first thing about him. If they knew anything he did on his nightly escapades they’d disown him in a heartbeat. They already wanted to throw him away for the drugs after all. And they did, so he didn’t feel much remorse in abruptly standing and pulling the knife up to his dad’s throat.

“Sorry, dad, but frankly I don’t trust your bullshit.” He just about mocked. “You’re nothing but a liar for your own agenda. All of you are.” He glared at not just his hesitant and taken aback siblings, but those that now had eyes on the sudden threat. Perfect. Terror is how people should view him.

Ventus’ eyes trailed back to his father just as Terra and Aqua’s had. Eraqus actually stood pretty firmly. He didn’t move a muscle. At least not until he squeezed his arms around Ventus in a tight hug. It brought the knife closer against him, nicking at his skin and tearing into it.

Not expecting a loving and warm embrace, the blond panicked then, squeaked out “Stop!” He tried to pull back, but Eraqus pulled him closer. The knife only really sliced thinly at his neck thankfully, but it still frightened the boy quite a bit.

“It’s alright, Ventus.” Eraqus cooed, eyes closed as he held the panicked boy close. They stayed like that a moment, but the blond continued to squirm in hopes of freeing his father from the weapon. “You’re going to kill me if you keep moving around like that.” The man idly remarked with a peeking eye.

“Then don’t have a knife held up to your throat, or better yet, don’t hug the guy threatening you. At least disarm him first.” Ventus huffed with exasperation.

“Last time we disarmed you, you ended up here for a month.”

“I ended up here for a month because you ditched me and took me out of school, not because you disarmed me.”

“Well in that case.” He loosened the hug finally, plucking the knife from his hand with a bit of a cocky smile. “If you were going to be that distressed about leaving school, why didn’t you say anything?”

“I pointed a gun at you, I thought my demands were pretty clear.”

“It’s a little hard to think when there’s a gun being pointed at you, Ventus.”

The boy groaned and grumbled with defeat before looking to his father again, who’d received pretty quick attention in dressing his new wound from the nurses of the building. Impressive but unsurprising really. He got pretty immediate attention when he jumped and fell off his bed after all. Maybe they thought he was trying to die, but that year he wasn’t too suicidal, he was just bored and having fun.

“Agree to let me stay in school and I won’t threaten you again.”

“What kinda agreement is that?” Terra chimed, bewildered.

“It’s the agreement of a sociopath.” Ven chuckled.

“You’re not a sociopath, Ven.” All three remarked, even the nurses gave knowing glances. It made him smile and feel that much lighter.

He moved back from his father, just by a little bit and wiped at tears that welled in his eyes, sniffling. Ventus bowed his head, struggling to not smile. To say the least, he failed pretty badly. Small laughter fell from him even, erupting into something much more as he brought his head back. No one else joined in, but really when did he not laugh at random? Maybe he was a bit psychotic after all.

Nevertheless, Ventus calmed after a moment, wiping stray tears with his long sleeves. He was easing, and therefore felt his memories fading. Not bad other than the fact that he had people trapped in a snowglobe at home.

“Mom, I’m not gonna be able to free them when I get home. Can you get them out and explain things to them?” The boy asked quickly, earning him a few odd but expectant glances. What, he couldn’t laugh to himself and then suddenly talk to himself in a seemingly made up language?

“Please use your foresight for once.” Avarisia sighed.

“I do! Just when you tell me to watch out for what devious actions I’m going to pull apparently.” The boy mused “Also what was the point in showing clueless me something I’m not going to even prevent?”

“You might just grow acquainted with the victims and not kill them, Ventus, that’s the point.”

He wanted to argue, but honestly maybe she had a point. He actually didn’t mind Strelitzia, despite trying to rape an image of her. Maybe he should apologize. No, that would sound crazy. And maybe a bit frightening. Best he kept that to himself then. Not like he’d remember it anyway.

Speaking of remembering, he was having a bit of trouble managing. Last he was able to remember, he was talking to Isaac, Cole, and Phoebe. Wait, when did his family get here? And where did the other three go? He looked around a bit only for Aqua to bend over and end up face to face with him.

“Ven!” That was loud. Why was she yelling?

“Ow!” The blond squeaked, pulling hands up to cup over his ears. “God, Aqua, why are you yelling?!”

Blinking with confusion, she backed up and lowered her tone to a much softer and gentler one. “You weren’t listening. You were just talking and laughing to yourself.”

“I was not.” The boy huffed. “I was talking to my friends.” He motioned to the empty table. Great, time to look crazy again. His demeanor dropped and he sighed, rolling his eyes. Fine, so those guys weren’t real after all apparently. Big surprise.

Turning back to his family, he idly remarked “Well I’m going so crazy that I’m making up new friends so let’s leave already.” Everyone. Everyone gave him a look of concern and it was really upsetting. He just wanted to hide. Maybe have his headphones and blare music so he couldn’t hear anything. Because that won’t make him any more deaf. Maybe a concert would be fun. Get to feel the vibrations of the music beating at his own heart and actually hear something, if only thanks to his hearing aids but still! He missed out on halloween for this and he didn’t even know to decorate this year! He wanted a redo! A do over!

But wait, Christmas would be right around the corner. Actually, that wasn’t wrong. He was there a month after Halloween so it should be about December now. Christmas was coming! And he escaped the worst holiday!

I still ate too much here though, but not nearly as bad if I was home for Thanksgiving.

Hate food all he wanted, Thanksgiving treats were a world of their own though. He really couldn’t help but gorge himself then, and he always hated himself for it. But it’s okay! Because he missed that holiday. A little sad that he wasn’t taken out even for something special like that, but he’d have to get out now if he wanted to enjoy Christmas.

He moved to speak, but oh wait, where’d his family go? He was so preoccupied with loving holidays, that he didn’t realize they’d slipped away. Assholes. He supposed he should get comfortable if he got ditched again. So much for holiday fun. That just made him think about how he’d made up new friends apparently. Agonizing.

A sigh escaped him at the thought, and just as he was about to move and sit back down to further mope, two hands grabbed from under his arms and lifted him up. A small yelp escaped him as he turned to see Terra behind him.

“Don’t get comfortable, we’re leaving.”

“You’re actually bringing me with?” He asked with absolute disbelief. His brother raised a brow at the reaction.

“Yes..? Were you just gone for the entire discussion or something?”

“It’s a little fuzzy admittedly.”

“Well get your stuff, we’re leaving.” He was placed back down, but what stuff? He supposed he had his clothes and the journal they’d given him to write in. He didn’t do jackshit with it this time since most of the time he spent trying to committ suicide or staring at a wall. It was a really eventful stay to say the least.

That left retrieving his items to be rather easy. Speaking of which, he didn’t change clothes that often either so the extras his family brought him were still packed the way they’d come. Easy peasy~

Grab those really quick, disregard the now emptied room he’d spent much too long in, and off he went to return to his family. They were so warm and loving, he adored them, but wait what happened to his dad’s neck that it required a bandaid?

Idly as they walked out, Ventus chimed “Did’ja cut yourself shaving or something dad?” He couldn’t help but chuckle at the neglect. He never knew his dad could be so clumsy. It was actually a little endearing to think he was finally sorta human and not some stressed working machine.

They all gave him an odd look though, effectively cutting off his jovial tone. “What?”

“You already don’t remember?” Aqua asked, taking both hands to cup his face as if looking for a fever. It was left a bit squished as he blurted out rather disappointedly

“What’d I forget now?”

Rather than state it outright, she merely shook her head and replied

“It’s nothing, Ven, let’s just go home alright.”

What was that emotion? She didn’t seem too pleased. What was she though? She’d let him go by then and started off to leave with the rest of their family, but Ven tried to keep up, hopping up to try and get a gander at her expression. It was difficult given how much shorter than them all he was, but why’d they look so worried and concerned? Right, that’s what it was, but why?

“Why’d you guys suddenly die?” The blond asked as he continued to hop up and down for better sight at them. They gave what looked to be forced smiles and replied with

“We’re not dead, Ven, we’re just focusing on getting you home.”

“And you can’t do that while smiling normally? Shouldn’t it be nice to have me back?” Well that was just depressing. Might as well have never left apparently. Such left a sigh to escape him as he gave up, because that appeared to be the most he’d be getting from them, which made the car ride awkward, but he’d be happy once he got home with his pets and games and headphones. That’d be the life.