He was small. Some people even said that he was tiny for his age. But even at his height, he sure didn't lack the gift of stubbornness. Arms linked across his chest, his lower lip pushed out in a cute little pout, seven year old Kyp Durron shook his tousled dark head and uttered a simple, quiet word. "No."
His older brother Zeth groaned and sat back on his haunches, hoping that he could conjure up a little more patience. Or rather, he prayed that he wouldn't strangle the boy. "Will you stop being such a coward? You know you can do it."
"I am not a coward." Kyp narrowed big green eyes. He had that look on his face, the look he'd perfected even at this age. It was the look that plainly meant I-will-kick-your-butt-if-you-mess-with-me. Sure, Kyp would never be able to take on Zeth but he had those itty bitty little sharp kiddie teeth that hurt like hell. "It's stupid. And dangerous." Kyp added a moment later.
"No it's not! At least not for you." Zeth grabbed the little boys' hands, hating that he was actually on his knees and really begging for his help. But, Kyp was his only hope.
Kyp turned his head away and squeezed his eyes shut. Maybe if he didn't have to look at Zeth, at the way his eyes crinkled because he was trying so hard to be nice, than he could just keep saying no…
"Please, Kyp. Do it for me."
Do it for him?
Kyp pushed Zeth away and the older boy landed flat on his butt. "I always do stuff for you! And when I ask if I can hang out with you, you keep saying no. Last time you said your friends are scared of me! You never do anything for me."
Inwardly, Zeth cringed.
He had a point there. "What if I promise I'll take you out next time? And Melina really likes you. She said so just yesterday."
"She did?" There was that hopeful edge in Kyp's voice that Zeth hated. Because it was that tone that was always his downfall. He couldn't say no when Kyp put on that little pout and did the eyelash thing.
"Yeah. And you know…I really like Melina, too. And that's why I need you to do this for me."
"What if Mom and Dad find out? I don't want to get in trouble."
"They won't find out, Kyp. I'll make sure they won't."
Kyp raised his brows and Zeth about made a face when he noted how his little brother actually smirked at him. "Sure. Just like when you made me jump into a gravdumpster to dig out some stupid old holozines for you and your friends. You said Mom wouldn't find out and then she grounded me for a week! Me, Zeth! And I never even got to take a look at the holozines!"
Zeth fought really hard not to laugh. He turned his head away and coughed to cover the chuckle lodged in his throat. That had been a funny day, he remembered fondly. And those holozines had been nothing for little kids' eyes but trying to explain that to a seven year old…well…
"Kyp, seriously. This is different. This is important. And it's for a good cause."
Kyp frowned. "No it's not! It's a stupid little gift for that girl you like." He turned away and was about to storm off into his room when Zeth grabbed his elbow and spun him around.
"Listen, you have this power. You can do anything you want. You're special, Kyp. I mean, I bet you'll be a powerful Jedi Master someday, just like in the old stories. You just wait and see." Zeth smiled and patted his little brothers' head. "And it's just a bracelet."
Kyp's green eyes widened. "Just a bracelet?" He echoed loudly. "That bracelet cost over two hundred creds, Zeth!"
"I know but –"
"If they catch me stealing that stupid bracelet, Mom will ground me for the rest of my life!"
Zeth laughed. "No, she won't."
"Yes, she will. And then I'll tell her that I stole the bracelet for you because you have the hots for Melina. And then she'll ground you too and she'll cut your allowance. And Dad will make you work at the company, too. You know that, right?"
Zeth clapped Kyp on the shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. "I guess we'll have to make sure you don't get caught."
The city of Feiya had exactly one shopping center. It was small – really really small – compared to the malls you could see on the holonet but for the people living in Feiya, it was big enough. You could get anything you wanted here, including stupid expensive bracelets for girls.
Kyp grimaced as he glanced up to the entrance of the shopping center. He and Zeth had come via sky train and he distantly heard the grinding sound when the next compartment came to a halt. The shopping center was buzzing with life, which was ordinary at this time of day. And usually, at this time of day, Kyp would be in class listening to a teaching droid prattle on about numbers that made absolutely no sense to him at all. He'd always disliked math so heading out to the shopping center didn't seem all that bad, really.
Up until they hit the jewelry store, that is.
"Do we really have to do this?" Kyp whined while making a face.
"It's Melina's birthday, Kyp."
"Can I give her the gift?" The little boy lifted his head to look at his brother but his spirits fell when Zeth shook his head.
"I have to be the one to give her the bracelet, little brother. I was sort of hoping to tell her that I really like her."
Kyp frowned. "I hope I never fall in love."
"I'm not in love. I'm just –"
"Love makes people do stupid things. Like this. This is totally stupid."
Zeth pushed Kyp forward, through the double door entrance, while shaking his head. "Keep going, little brother. We're almost there."
Kyp knew he had the jewelry assistant wrapped around his finger the moment he entered and flashed a smile. His Mom had told him countless times how handsome the smile made him look and older, too. He could go through as a ten year old, at least!
It was a twinkly place with all sorts of earrings and necklaces and bracelets and stuff. Girly stuff that supposedly made them prettier and happier. He couldn't really understand how but Zeth said it was a universal rule – whatever that meant.
"Hello." He said sweetly while stuffing his hands into the pockets of his pants. He walked up to the counter and tried not to grimace at the price tags hovering above various pieces of jewelry.
"Why, hello there young man." The assisstant said with a big grin. The small nametag on her blouse read Teela and Teela was really pretty. Her hair reminded Kyp of the sun and when she moved, strands of it almost twinkled. And her eyes were a pretty brown, just like his Mom's eyes just not as old.
"What can I do for you?"
Kyp pretended to be looking at the earrings in the showcase. The bracelet Zeth wanted was the one on the very end. It was a thin chain with little jade green orbs woven into the gold.
"There's this girl." Kyp said with a sheepish smile.
Teela chuckled and leaned forward, propping her elbows on the counter. "Oh? And you want to buy something pretty for this girl?"
Kyp nodded. "Yeah. My brother said girls like this kind of stuff."
"Your brother is right." Teela winked at him. "But I don't think we have anything for girls in your age." Her tone was one of those fake sad ones.
Time to play his magic.
Kyp concentrated. He couldn't really describe it but it was like jumping into a warm lake. The water around him granted him all sorts of powers. He could move things with his mind, he could make them hover in mid air and twirl them around. Back when he'd first realized what he could do, he would sit in bed at night and laugh at how his toys suddenly came alive because he willed it so.
He could also influence people. It never worked on his Mom, though, and each time he'd tried it, she'd slapped him upside the head. He cringed when he saw his mother's face in his minds' eye, telling him to turn around and come home because this was a really really bad idea.
Kyp was surprised that he actually agreed but he'd promised Zeth. ..
He pushed further into the warm water and inhaled the stale air around him. Teela was still smiling at him, waiting for a response.
"I want the bracelet over there." Kyp said, pointing at the one with the little jade orbs.
"Are you sure?" Teela asked with raised brows. "Don't you think it's kind of expensive?"
Kyp pulled out a wad of cash from his pockets. At least he knew Teela thought so. But in reality, it was just colored paper to look like credit bills. "I have enough money." He said but somehow he couldn't smile. "And I really want that bracelet. It's for a special girl, you know? And it's her birthday." He used more of his gift running through his veins to influence her thoughts, to make her see that this was the best thing ever.
And it worked.
Not that Kyp had doubted himself in the least.
"Of course, young man." She winked at him again – he made a mental note to ask Zeth why she kept doing that – took his "money" and packed up the bracelet in a fancy little box.
"Can we go get some ice cream now?" Kyp asked when he caught up with Zeth a few minutes later.
"Not now. We need to get home. I have to call Melina."
Kyp frowned and didn't hide his disappointment. "Great. I risk my hide for you and now you won't even get ice cream for me. You're the best brother in the world."
Zeth pulled him to a stop and smiled down at him. "I promise we'll get ice cream tonight, okay? You can hang out with me."
Kyp's eyes lit up. "Really?"
Zeth nodded and his little brother threw his arms around his waist and hugged him.
"Dad!" Kyp shouted for what seemed like the hundredth time. "Will you get out of the way? I can't see anything."
He was watching a kiddie show, the show he always watched before his parents sent him to bed. But tonight he was allowed to go out with Zeth for a little while. They were going out to eat with Melina. She and Zeth were in the kitchen with his Mom while Kyp wanted to watch his show. But his father was – wait, he'd learned a new word! – obscuring his view. "I want to watch the show, Dad, not your big butt."
The older man laughed and shook his head. "I'm almost done, Kyp. Be patient."
Kyp had no idea what his father was doing. Tinkering with something on the floor – why he couldn't do this somewhere else, Kyp had no idea.
With a little huff, Kyp jumped from the sofa and headed to the kitchen instead. He heard them laughing before he entered. Melina and Zeth sat side by side at the table and Melina was already wearing the bracelet. She had sworn an oath of secrecy, of course. Because if their Mom and Dad ever found out…not a pretty picture.
Mom was sipping at a cup of caf, leaning against the counter while she smiled at her sons. Kyp had the sense that she was having one of her typical Mom-moments. He hated those because it usually involved a lot of kissing and hugging and "I-love-yous" at the end.
Kyp was annoyed.
He'd stolen for his brother and then there hadn't even been ice cream. Then he'd wanted to watch his show and his Dad was building some new toys for his collection and now Zeth and Melina were ogling one another and his Mom just seemed to love that.
Kyp moved closer to the table and inclined his head to the side. Zeth was whispering something and Melina took his hand into hers.
Kyp wrinkled his nose. "Melina, can I ask you something?"
Zeth raised a brow in Kyp's direction. Kyp tried not to smile. Yeah, never trust the younger brother when he's annoyed.
"Sure, Kyp. Ask away."
"Is Zeth allowed to stick his tongue down your throat, now that he's gotten you that pretty gift?"
Surprisingly, his Mom choked on a laugh.
Kyp smiled sweetly, clasping his hands behind his back while Zeth glared at him.
Melina threw her head back and laughed loudly. Zeth exhaled, relieved but still he stared at his little brother, about ready to wring his scrawny little neck.
"I really like you, Kyp." Melina said with a wink. "You're a great kid."
Smiling to himself, Kyp went back into the living room, hoping his Dad was finished with his tinkering.
But a moment later, he yelled. "Dad! Your big butt's still in the way!"