Vanitas x Female! Reader ♡ One-Shots of the Better Half

Leaving the Way You Came

☆ Story prompt: Celtic Mythology states that when a person does not leave a graveyard the way they entered, they bring spirits out with them.....A fugitive escapes through a graveyard ☆

(Y/N)'S lungs burned, her shins feeling as if they had split and cracked, and had filled with warm blood. But still she had to run, for they would catch her. The shouts and thumping of footsteps behind carried faintly to her, still in hot pursuit.
She needed to think quickly.
Night had begun setting in some time ago, making it almost pitch black out. Rapidly weighing up her options to flee, her stamina waning dangerously, she veered to the left, her mind made.
She streaked past the old rusted gates of Hallow Bastion cemetery, clods of mud spraying her as she raced across the gravel and leapt over gravestones.
Her pursuers had followed her into the graveyard, but had faltered as (Y/N) had slipped seamlessly into the inky shadows, enveloped in its darkened shroud.
She hurtled on, her breaths coming in deep gasps now. There, the North gate of the cemetery appeared, granting her a swift escape till she was homeward bound.
Crossing the threshold of the gates, (Y/N) dived down an alley to the right, crumpling heavily to her knees, breathing painfully, great whooping coughs stinging her lungs as she slowly crouched on her haunches behind a large wooden crate. She leaned her hooded head back against the rough stone wall, shaking it in mild amusement. She opened the leather fold of her robe, removing the soft cloth purse that clanged heavily, pleasantly weighted down with ill gotten gold. (Y/N) placed it back quickly, wiping the sweat from her eyes. It had been a poorly executed theft on her part, and she'd have to lie low for a few days, but she'd gotten away clean, her identity still in tact. She was by no means a professional thief, in fact, she was barely an amatuer. However, life on the streets of Hallow Bastion had been hard, especially since King Xemnas had been crowned 4 years earlier. He was a ruthless monarch, eager to stamp out the street rats of his kingdom with an iron fist. Or a thick woven noose.
(Y/N) was walking a treacherous line, her and all the other wayward sons and daughters of the Rat Runs, but they had to live somehow.
She sighed deeply, her lungs tender, as she made to stand and turn, till she heard a low whistle.
"Must've been a good score to warrant a getaway like that, honey."
(Y/N) froze, turning slowly, her hand finding its way to the slim dagger hanging under her sash, meeting deep, dangerous golden eyes.
An incredibly handsome young man watched her cooly as he leant languidly against the stone wall, his arms folded. His skin was eeirlly pale, standing out against the jet black layers of his spiky hair. His clothes were fine, and he watched her with a sure smirk gracing his beautiful mouth.
(Y/N) continued to watch him, her own (Y/C/E) eyes sharp.
"Look, I was just on my way....don't make any trouble for yourself." She growled as dangerously as she could muster.
The strangers eyes glittered, apparently greatly amused.
"Oh sweetheart, if only I could. That'd make me a very happy soul indeed." He laughed low now, his joke completely lost on (Y/N).
"Stay where you are, don't follow me."
(Y/N) turned and fled, only catching a glimpse of the beautiful stranger rolling his eyes at her command.
She ducked under a low wooden fence some feet away, pattering hurriedly down wet and mouldering steps, slipping in her haste.
She finally reached a small grate set low into a stone wall, her breath clouding in the frigid, damp air.
With a tug she pulled the grate open and slipped inside on her back, landing in a crouch within the dripping tunnels of the Rat Run, the home of Hollow Bastions' rabble of unwanted, scorned souls.
(Y/N) removed the scarf covering her lower face and pulled back her hood revealing (Y/H/L) (Y/H/C) hair, rubbing at her scalp agitated, suddenly exhausted now that she was home and no longer running on adrenaline.
It seemed like she had spent her whole life running.
She made her way down the shortest brick tunnel to the west, eventually coming on an arch set into the side of the tunnel. A ragged burlap cloth covered her small dwelling, the closest thing she had to a real home.
Directly across from her was an almost identical arch covered by a similarly sad and ragged cloth.
Upon hearing her footsteps, a blonde spiked head poked out, deep blue eyes shining in earnest.
"Hey, (Y/N)! Any luck out there today?"
She smiled wearily at Ventus, the closest thing she had to a friend.
It was unwise to invest so much into a relationship with someone who might one day slit your throat for the clothes on your back.
"Some." She answered cautiously, forcing a casual grin.
Ventus beamed happily at her, his face smudged and dirty. "I'm realy glad (Y/N). I didnt do so bad myself, Aqua helped me out with a grift, once she'd finished turning tricks for the day."
"Nice." (Y/N) nodded back, before rubbing at her eyes.
"Back at it tomorrow then? Sweet dreams, Ven."
"You too, (N/N)."
She entered her small 'room' with a snap of cloth, kicking off her shoes and sinking to the small rug spread out on the floor. She checked to see the cloth had fallen back completely, before removing a single brick and taking out a small skin of clean water, and a bread roll wrapped in parchment.
She had finished off the bread and was gratefully sipping at the water, when a smooth voice beside her made her choke violently in surprise.
"Ol' blondies' a little too chipper for a Rat Run kid. He wont last long like that."
(Y/N) slapped hard at her chest, her eyes streaming. She scrambled back as fast as she could, her shaking hands once again reaching for her blade.
"Save it. I'm not a threat to you." The golden eyed male smirked.
"Who are you!?" (Y/N) demanded fiercely.
The young man pushed off from the sloped wall and made his way over to (Y/N) crouching in front her.
"Vanitas."
"Why did you follow me?"
A stirring could be heard from the short gap beyond the tattered burlap. The sparkling, intelligent eyes of Vanitas darted left.
"I'd keep your voice down, or sleeping beauty over there will have the crazy catchers after you in their wagon." His eyes flicked back to hers. She frowned in return.
"Stop talking crap and answer my damn question." She hissed, nonetheless.
Vanitas sighed, before seating himself crossed legged in front of her.
"On your little frolic through the delightful graveyard...you didn't leave the same way you entered, did you?"
(Y/N) searched his face. This was not a question from him, more a statement.
"...So?"
Vanitas rolled his unearhtly, shadowed eyes.
(Y/N) shook her head.
"Thats....just an old Ansem the Wise tale..."
Vanitas raised an eyebrow at her.
"You really think I'd be here with some half-assed amateur thief, who keeps worse company than I did when i was alive if I had to be? I didn't even think that was possible- but hey, thats the first surprise i've gotten in 150 years so I'll take it."
(Y/N) shook her head again, mouth open in disbelief.
"You brought out a spirit, so deal with it. Better get used to me. I'll be sticking around for a while."
He proceeded to spread himself out on her small threadbare rug.
"Move over, I need more room."
(Y/N) stared at him.
"That clerk must've gotten more of a jump on me than I thought." (Y/N) wavered, feeling her skull for wounds.
"Nope. Sorry, sweetness." Vanitas answered, one eye open as he watched her smugly.
"Still...." he purred.
"What?" (Y/N) squeaked.
"At least you're pretty, even if your cloak does look like it was made in my time." He said with a wolfish grin.
(Y/N) scowled deeply, before laying down with great trepidation, hoping this really was some awful nightmare.
A ghostly arm suddenly snaked its way around her waist, unfelt but terribly ice cold.
"Man, been a long time since I've shared a bed with a warm body."
(Y/N) swallowed hard, frozen in place, squeezing her eyes closed tight at the chill making her nauseous.
There was a long stretch of silence.
(Y/N) searched her small dwelling for something to focus on, something that would help her calm down and sleep through the night.
She needed to be alert for tomorrows graft, her wits were often the only thing she could rely on to get her through the day.
She was acutely aware that the raven haired spirit was still awake, his breathing steady, despite the fact there was no breath inside his lungs.
One of the candles in a brick inset went out, leaving a dim, sickly light flickering in the damp tunnel.
She had not noticed anyone following her.
The reason most of the unfortunates lived here was because sound carried incredibly well. It was dark, damp and stuffy, but almost impossible to sneak around down here.
He had appeared almost entirely out of thin air.
Some of the kingdoms Apothecarys spoke of ghosts and spirits, but nobody had claimed to have seen one in years. Necromancy was forbidden around 50 years ago.
No noxious vibes came from this so-called ghost of Vanitas. Maybe he really didn't mean any harm to her?
(Y/N) swallowed hard.
"So uhh....whats your story?" She whispered hoarsly.
She heard a faint chuckle, the icy arm of Vanitas still wrapped tight around her waist.
"I mean, your clothes are pretty fancy..." she added lamely.
"Fancier than anything you've ever owned thats for sure."
She turned her head, pulling a face at the spectre invading her space.
He grinned widely at her as she rolled her (Y/E/C) eyes.
"I was.....a debt collector. Damn good at it too. The best heavy in all of Hollow Bastion."
(Y/N) hummed in response.
"Apparently not since you left a young corpse." She bit back.
Vanitas laughed.
"Young and beautiful."
(Y/N) scoffed.
"Stab wound to the heart. Made a lot of enemies so it was only a matter of time."
"Oh...I see. I'm sorry."
Vanitas turned his head to meet her eyes.
"What for? I lived a good life, had good money. Had more than this squalid hovel you call a home, sweetheart."
(Y/N) turned away, silent.
Vanitas scratched his pale neck.
"Sorry, honey."
"Thats OK."
Another beat of awkward silence passed.
"So c'mon, I've been stuck inside that graveyard hearing the same old stories from the same old faces for 150 years. Gimmie something fresh. No pun intended." Vanitas snickered.
(Y/N) sighed.
"I don't wanna talk about it."
He propped himself up on his elbows now, peering at her.
"Aww c'mon, no fair. I spilled....vaguely."
(Y/N) bit her lip for a moment before sighing hard.
"I was sold to a rich master. I escaped. I've been here ever since."
Vanitas gave a short hum in response.
"Tough break, Kiddo."
(Y/N) remained silent.
Vanitas laid back, his arm finding her waist again.
"Can you...ya know, feel me?" She tried carefully.
"Kind of. I know you're warm, and that your hearts beating...pretty fast actually." He smirked.
"Shut up Vanitas."
"What? This is the most exciting thing to happen to me in years. I'm pretty taken by you, ya know."
(Y/N) frowned.
"Well, you'd be the first."
"I mean it, being bound to you for a while doesn't seem like such a bad gig."
"Bound....?" She croaked out.
"Yeah. You brought my spirit out with you, after all. I'm bound to you by the unholy rites of the graveyard, i'm almost like your familiar now." He said spookily with a dirty grin.
(Y/N) shuddered.
"For how long?"
"Who knows? The way I see it, for now I can help you out. I know how this city runs."
(Y/N) sighed.
"You're 150 years too late, Vanitas."
"Man, you're morose."
(Y/N) shrugged off his ghostly arm as much as was possible, her fingers slicing through his pale flesh, before scrambling to the other side of the small archway.
"Leave me alone, Vanitas."
He sat up, his elegant eyes watching her.
"Sorry, guess I'm not a people person."
"That better not be another ghost pun."
The spirit smiled tiredly.
"Nope, totally sincere."
(Y/N) wiped grime from her cheek.
A pregnant pause filled the air.
"I've seen you before, when you've come through the graveyard..." Vanitas spoke suddenly, his face turned away from her.
"You have?" (Y/N) stared at him now, shocked.
"Yeah. I always hoped you'd take me with you."
(Y/N) continued to watch him, her face flaming hot.
(Y/N) suddenly had a memory of years prior come to her....

She was a young teenager, crouching under a large ornate gravestone, terrified and keeping her breathing silent, as the angry footsteps of her master combed the graveyard.
"Please...please don't find me. Someone make him go away." She whispered, holding back petrified sobs.
After escaping, if she was found, she would be killed.
A sudden shrieking from her master sounded behind her, causing her to start with a terrified whimper.
Then hasty heavy footsteps travelled quickly away.
There (Y/N) remained silent, while some time passed, blood beating in her ears.
She finally stood, peering around the grand stone devil atop the grave, not seeing her master anywhere. She turned to run, tripping over her shaking feet.
She didn't know what had caused her raged master to flee so, but at that moment she didn't have the luxury of caring.
She peered back quickly in her retreat, nearly rolling into a muddy puddle in shock, as a dark silhouette with shining golden eyes stared back at her steadily from atop the devils shoulder.
She didn't stop running again.

"Vanitas....?"
She looked close at his face, her eyes much softer.
The spirit coughed now, embarrassed.
"Can you come lay back down?" Vanitas asked her gruffly, squaring his shoulders.
"What?"
"Come lay with me."
"Why?"
He suddenly looked bashful.
"I like your warmth."
(Y/N) blinked slowly at him, before crawling back onto the rug, laying down wearily.
"I wish I could feel you." She mumbled as a chilled limb enveloped her again, accompanied by an unexpected need to be held by someone, to not feel so alone anymore.
Vanitas shuffled closer to her, attempting in vain to make her feel him.
"I'm sorry."
Somewhere, a far away dripping could be heard, while the muted traffic of carriages rumbled overhead.
(Y/N) realised how wonderful it was to have someone around again, someone that maybe, she could trust? And even if she couldn't, at least he couldn't hurt her physically himself.
"Hey, Vanitas?"
"Hmm?"
"Maybe you staying won't be so bad. Just for a little while?"
She saw the beautiful ghost stiffen, before relaxing, his ghostly head dropping onto her shoulder.
"I'd really like that."

♡ Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year ♡