Silver Family Ties

By Irene Sharda

"One cup of sugar, three cups of flour, two eggs—wait a minute, where are my eggs?" The silver long-haired teen looked all over the counter for his missing ingredients. How the heck was he supposed to make cookies if he couldn't find his eggs! Did they roll on the floor or something?

He went searching under the table for the eggs while calling out, "Hey, has anyone seen my eggs?"

"You mean like, these two?" a familiar voice answered.

He stuck his head out from under the table, to see his triplet brother holding the two eggs playfully in his hands flipping them between his fingers. "Oh, come on Kadaj, give them back. I have to finish my cookies!"

Kadaj flipped back his silvery white mid-cut hair, his blue-green eyes bright with mischief. "Your cookies are always blah, Yazoo. You always leave out the chocolate-chips, and you're always using that organic stuff. Yuck! I mean look at this…"

He held up the paper bag from the kitchen table, on the front was printed: "Unbleached, Unsalted, Wheat-less, Grain-less, Carbohydrate-less, Taste-less Flour". He rolled his bluish-green eyes at his brother in exasperation and disgust. "There is no way, anybody's going to eat these if you put this kind of junk in them. I mean you don't even use butter, Yazoo! What kind of cookies, have no butter?!"

Yazoo took the opportunity while his bro was ranting, to snatch back his eggs. "You just have no sense of eating healthy, Kadaj. Loz likes my cookies, don't you Loz?"

The third of the triplets, Loz, was on the other side of the room looking through cabinets, the question totally flying over his head as he was too preoccupied with something else. "Have any of you seen my hair gel and stuff?"

Kadaj tapped his fingers on the table, "I think Riku took them."

He called out to his big brother in the living room, "Hey Riku, do you have Loz's hair stuff?"

The older teen sat on the couch tapping his pencil to some tune on his iPod. He flick open his eyelids at the sound of his name being called, revealing sparkling blue-green eyes that were a running trait between all the brothers. Shifting off his head phones he turned to the triplets back in the kitchen, "No, I think Weiss borrowed them."

Loz sniffed a little, his eyes beginning to well with unbroken tears. "Aw man…Weiss!"

Kadaj hit his brother playfully yet reassuringly, in the arm. "Don't cry bro. We'll just get more. We'll just have to get Weiss back really good, next time he comes home, okay?"

"And you can have one of my cookies when they're done, alright?" Yazoo added, waving his dough-laden wooden spoon cheerfully.

Kadaj looked back at him incredulously, "We're trying to make him feel better, not worse."

Riku put his iPod down and went to join his little brothers. He stood at the doorjamb and sighed. Weiss probably wouldn't be back till next month; why did he say he was just going "to borrow" stuff anyway? With Weiss, you might as well just give it to him, because you probably won't see it again…

Weiss was the oldest of the five of them, and he was never really home. Dad always said that Weiss was one egg short of a full dozen, and he's always been the basic black sheep of the family. He was into some kinky stuff and Dad threw him out—literally. He now lived in some small castle place up north with a lot of his friends, especially this creepy Goth guy called Nero or something. Those two were like best friends, practically brothers…creepy brothers, but whatever. Weiss did still come over to see them sometimes, mostly just to "borrow" stuff…

Goodness knows the guy needed as much hair spray and gel as he could get, with that spiky hairstyle he was into. Man, he could remember how his older brother needed two hours everyday, just for his hair!

Like you can talk, a little voice in his head reminded him. He fingered the sleek, perfectly feathered locks of his own whitish silver hair and sighed happily. His hair was naturally alluring; he didn't really take that much time on it…only an hour and 59 minutes—nothing like Weiss…

Riku stepped up to Loz and pushed the very limpy looking silver hair from out of his little brother's turquoise eyes. Man, this one needed hair gel, like fish needed water, like a human needed air…or like Yazoo needed new food habits. "It's alright Loz, we'll just go out tomorrow and get you some more hair gel. Okay?"

The teen suddenly brightened up, "Cool, can we get some triple-fudge mako-laced ice cream too? It's my favorite!"

Yazoo gasped as if stricken, "That sugary stuff? You can have my cookies later, they're much better than that ice cream. Have you ever read the ingredients on the carton?"

Kadaj rolled his eyes, "Have you had your own food lately? I'd rather eat the carton."

Riku tried to hide his laughter, "He's got a point, Yazoo." Then turning back to Loz he sighed and shook his head, "No, you know dad said that stuff make you go all loopy."

Flicking his long silver hair behind his back, Yazoo kept on stirring his dough frowningly, "Try to get your family to eat healthy but nooo….and then they complain about being tired during combat practice!"

Kadaj took the spoon from him, "The only one who I hear complaining about being tired—is you! It's probably because of all this nasty food!"

"Give me back my spoon, Kadaj! Riku, tell Kadaj to give me back my spoon!"

Riku sighed tiredly and went over to the fridge, "Kadaj, stop acting like a child. Um, Yazoo?"

The teen took his spoon back, "Yeah?"

The elder brother took his head out of the fridge with concern, "Did you remember to get some milk?"

He looked back blankly, "I thought you said you were going to get it…"

Kadaj put his head on the table in exasperation, "Oh great, not only are we out of milk, but that means you don't use milk in you food either. What type of sick person are you?"

Yazoo snapped off on him, his hand on his hip. "Look, I'm tired of you ragging on my cooking, little brother."

The other snapped up at that reoccurring aggravation. "We're triplets, Yazoo! That means we're the same age. You were only born first by what, two minutes?"

"Four and a half minutes actually. Loz, was two minutes ahead of you."

"Well, I'm still the more mature one! And I have the better looks."

"Yeah right…not with that hacksaw look."

"Health Fanatic!"

"Half-brained Idiot!"

"Hey, Hey!" Riku called out, getting in between the two. "Look, I'm going to going to go out and get some milk on my bike, you know dad gets cranky if he hasn't had his milk and cookies before bed. You two, settle this by the time I get home."

Grabbing his motorcycle helmet from the wall next to the door, and the keys from the hook, he looked over to Loz. "Keep an eye on things. Don't let them burn down the mansion, and if dad comes home while I'm gone, tell him I went out but will be back soon."

Riku reached out to open the front door, but before he could even touch the doorknob, the door swung open swiftly, revealing two tall, handsome men standing in the entrance! They were both laughing at something one of them had said, seemingly very friendly with each other. One, dressed in black with a long familiar black leather trench coat, was lofty and muscularly robust, very long sleek silver hair down his back, his familiar aquamarine eyes held a dangerous glint within them, even when he laughed. The other man, was about the same height and build as his companion. He too had a dangerous stance about him, a malevolent spark in his golden eyes. His white hair had traces of silver, and was immaculately clean and pristine. He wore an incredibly white business suit, the only color showing up, was from his tie which had small red flowers dotting a white background. The only other color on him, were the magenta and indigo tattoo-like markings on his face and arms. If memory served, they were some sort of symbols of the man's family clan.

Both men held an air of greatness, nobility and awesome strength about them, which seemed to fill whatever room they entered. These two demanded respect and fear from whoever as in their presence, and they always got it. Riku smiled, recognizing both of them at once.

"Father! Uncle Sesshoumaru! It's good to see you."

His father, the one dressed in black, looked pointedly at the helmet and keys in his son's hand. "Riku? Where—"

"I was about to uh—about to go out, dad. Only be a few minutes, I have to go to the store and get some—uh, hair spray! Yeah, some hair spray."

Sesshoumaru, who was one of father's good friends from work, was so close to the family that they just called him "Uncle", even though he wasn't related by blood. He was an excellent businessman and specialized in hair and body products, so it was understandable that he swiftly went over to inspect Riku's hair.

He looked frowningly at the boy, "Your styling is perfect as usual, Riku. Why hair spray?"

"No, really it's for—"

Suddenly, loud pounding noises and raised voices came from further inside. Then came the sound of running accompanied by Loz's voice. "Rikuuuu! Helpppp! I can't stop them Riku, they're fighting again! They're throwing stuff all over the place. Kadaj even tried to throw me. Meee! I—"

The owner of the voice rushed to door, but stopped short in surprise when he saw the two men.

Glad for the diversion, Riku slipped past his dad and ran towards the street where his bike was parked, "—it's for Loz. I'll be back in less than half an hour, I promise."

"And don't go stopping to talk to any of your worthless friends. Remember, tonight is family night." His father called after him.

Riku jumped on his motorcycle and placed his helmet on while rolling his eyes. "Kairi and Sora are not worthless. How come you always make fun of my friends? What about Weiss's?"

"Weiss's friends are not worthless. His friends are useless and insignificant. There's a big difference."

"Whatever…" Riku responded sarcastically, while jamming his foot on the accelerator. His black Harley took off down the street, every other vehicle on the road immediately making way for him.

Sephiroth watched his son ride off and shook his head with a smile, that boy had a ways to go in his lying, but…he had potential. He probably forgot the milk again.

Turning back to the foyer, he watched as Sesshoumaru was busy ranting over Loz's flaccid, pathetic silver locks, while his son looked down in embarrassed shame. "What is this?! How could you let it get this bad?! I thought I taught you better than this Loz. Don't make me take away your weapons…"

Sephiroth shook his head again as he listened to his best friend rant, and sighed happily. Home sweet home…

"Loz, listen to your uncle. He knows what he's talking about."

"Y-Yes, sir."

Closing the door behind him, he yelled up into the corridors of the house. "Kadaj! Yazoo! Stop fighting or no combat practice tomorrow!"

The sounds of fighting ceased immediately, and both teens answered in unison. "Yes, Father!"

Home Sweet Home.

This is a trial oneshot. If it does well, I might continue it. But that's up to you. Do you think it's worthy of more? Please Review! Thanks!!

--I.S.