He wasn't supposed to exist.
After the final battle with Aqua, in a final, desperate moment of clarity, Terra had taken the hulking keyblade to their collective hearts and plunged blissfully into darkness. His last thought was of Aqua, how beautifully radiant she was, how well she would carry on their master's legacy.
And how it would be all the easier for her without his poisonous heart clouding her world like acid.
He wasn't supposed to exist, yet here he was, placidly sitting on a couch and looking into a pair of adamant blue eyes. At least, those eyes should be clouded with pain, turned away in mistrust. He'd killed their teacher, worse, he'd as good as killed the both of them.
Yet, inexplicably, Aqua leveled a patient gaze at him, eyes shining with hope and happiness. Belatedly, he slowly reached a hand out to touch her, but recoiled, as the blue haired girl flinched under his touch.
Memories of a darker time, after being possessed by Xehanort. Brutal strength. A cold sneering voice.
Hands callously wrapped around a slender neck, intent on...Light, he had harmed her! If it cost him his heart, he swore at least to protect his friends from the darkness.
One more reason Sora should have left him in the darkness where he found him.
Aqua, however, seemed to think nothing of it. Amidst his self incrimination, Terra suddenly felt a pair of hands brush his arms, hesitant at first, and then forcefully, as he was wrapped in her embrace, a silky blue head nuzzled into his chest. Slowly, he returned the embrace, aching to touch her yet fearing to break her. At first, she'd tensed, but as the seconds passed, Aqua relaxed into his embrace, and he'd allowed himself to cling to her, immersing himself in her calming light.
Their story was to have ended more than a decade ago, each broken in different ways by the plan Master Xehanort had set in motion. Now, with his princess tucked into his embrace and his little brother's heart whole and complete, Terra felt that their finale could have a new beginning.
Spoiler
:heart: