A/N: Thanks a lot for clicking on this, and please enjoy!
This story is the (little late) birthday present for MintColaNihil. I hope you've enjoyed your birthday and that you enjoy this little thing! Happy birthday! :D
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.
Duties
"I'm going out!" a young girl yelled as she ran down the stairs. Her blue hair was tied in a loose bun, and her clothes were obviously for going out - high heels, short skirt and low cut t-shirt.
"Out?" her brother said in response, bored watching TV. He sat upright as he watched his sister ran for the door. "Wait for me, I'm coming too! And whoa, what are you wearing?"
"Sorry Tate, I'm going alone," she said.
"Alone?" he echoed, as if he had never heard that word before.
"Yes, alone," she snapped.
"Why are you going alone? And why are you wearing that?" Tate asked her, a little hurt that she didn't want him to come.
She glared at him, because his comment caused their father to stick his head around the door. He raised his eyebrows. "Where are you going, Liza?"
The girl growled and glared at her younger brother. "You just always have to ruin it eh?"
He pulled a face at her and shoved his hands in his pockets as he got up, lazily following his sister to the kitchen.
"Yes dad?" Liza said lightly impatiently, as she stood in front of their father.
Their mother walked in and immediately gave her daughter a disapproving look.
"What?" she defended herself.
"Nothing sweetheart, nothing." Their mother gave her a half smile. "You're going out eh?"
"Yes, just meeting up with some people," Liza said vaguely.
"Some people?" their father asked.
"Yes, some people. Can I go now? Mom?" She looked pleadingly at their mother.
"Yes hun, you go have fun with those-"
Liza was gone before their mother had finished the sentence.
"Oh my girl, all grown up…" Their mother sighed.
"All grown up? Have you seen what she's wearing? She looks like, like…" Their father didn't know how to continue and fell silent.
"You have to let her go her own way," their mother said comfortingly. She said something else, but Tate wasn't listening to his mother anymore.
His sister was planning something, and he was going to find out what.
"Bye mom, dad, I'm going out too!"
"But-" his dad called after him, but was cut off by the sound of the slamming door, indicating Tate leaving.
"Well…" the middle-aged woman said awkwardly, looking at her husband awkwardly. "Looks like the kids are out tonight…"
"You should look at it differently," he said, and continued with a wink, "looks like we're alone tonight."
It wasn't hard to find Liza. She was in their usual café, where they would often meet up with their friends. Pulling his jacket closer around him, he walked past them, hiding his head under his hood.
When Tate reached them, he slowed down, quickly trying to observe them as he passed them. Liza was blushing as she talked to some guy he didn't know. He was taller than her, orange spikes in his hair and he was obviously enjoying talking to his sister.
It took the blue-haired boy a few moments to get it. And then he got it.
His sister had a date!
Too engulfed in his thinking about his sister having a date, a date of all things, Tate bumped in several people as he tried to find his way out. He needed some space and quietness to think about this.
Outside, his breath came out in small, white puffs as he mentally calmed himself down. Right Tate, think, think.
Oh no.
He just remembered something, something his father had told him about a year ago. He had to protect his sister from other boys, his father had told him. He had to make sure his sister was safe, that was his duty as a brother.
Tate remembered asking his father why, because Liza was very well capable of taking care of herself. His father told him that didn't matter, he still had to be there for her.
So Tate had sighed and promised his father that he would protect Liza.
Dammit.
He knew what he had to do now. He had to give that guy the protective brother speech.
Well, better get over with it, he thought as he walked back inside. The sooner I've done this, the better.
So in a shady corner of the café, he waited. He wasn't sure what he was waiting for, but he needed to catch the guy – Orange Spikes, as he had started to call him in his mind – alone. Because, if Liza saw him, he would be dead meat.
Luck was on his side. Just after a quarter of waiting, a girl Tate recognized as one of Liza's friends, said something to her, and Tate saw how after that his sister had excused herself to Orange Spikes, the two went to the toilet together.
Girls. He would never understand them.
So, he had approximately three minutes to speak with Orange Spikes before Liza got back.
Tate didn't think about it anymore, and just went for it.
"Hey."
"Hey," Orange Spikes replied, a bit unsure. "Do I know you?"
"You will in a second. Come," Tate said, roughly pulling the boy with him.
"Whoa mate, calm down, I don't want to fight," Orange Spikes said, trying to pull his arm back.
"I know." The younger boy smirked, though he had no idea what he was doing. "However, you do want my sister."
Orange Spikes' mouth formed a perfect O. You would think he would've recognized me, Tate thought, but immediately realized that it was pretty dark in here.
He had now pulled Orange Spikes outside, and stared up to him with the best glare he could muster. It didn't help though that he had to look up, considering Orange Spikes was at least half a head taller than him.
"Listen mate," he started, emphasizing the word mate to show him they were definitely not 'mates'. He had seen that in movies."I'll keep it short. You hurt my sister, in any way or form, and you'll regret it."
To his surprise, Orange Spikes laughed. That never happened in movies. "Believe me, if I hurt Liza, I'm pretty sure I'll regret it. She's a feisty one."
Even more to his surprise, Tate found himself laughing a bit too. Forget it, he thought, forget this whole protective brother thing. It's stupid and embarrassing. Liza's able to take care of herself, she doesn't need me for that.
After a moment of thinking, Tate said, "Listen, let's leave it at this, 'kay? You go back inside and pretend nothing happened, and I'll have fulfilled my whole 'protective brother' duties. You got it?"
Orange Spikes laughed again. "That's a deal, er…"
"Tate," he said quickly, glad it was almost over. "And don't tell Liza this happened, yeah?"
The boy in front of him was about to nod, when a female voice interrupted them.
"Don't tell Liza what?!"
Shit.
"Liza, there you are," Orange Spikes said smoothly. "Sorry for disappearing like that, I needed some fresh air."
She raised her eyebrows, and looked at her younger brother questioningly. Well actually, she more glared.
"Yeah, and then I met this nice fellow here, who I immediately recognized as your brother, of course. So we got talking a bit, that's all," Orange Spikes concluded.
Immediately? Tate thought lightly amused.
"And what part weren't you meant to tell me then?" she demanded, her arms crossed as she glared at the boys.
"Well, I can't tell you of course." Orange Spikes smirked. "It's a secret. But you'll find out in due time."
"A secret?" Liza scoffed. "Of course it's a secret, if you're not going to tell me."
"And if we would tell you, it wouldn't be a secret anymore," Orange Spikes said cheerfully. "Glad you understand it Liz."
The girl growled, and Orange Spikes just smiled happily at her, seemingly unaffected by her silent threats. However, Tate wasn't. He tried his best to look relaxed, but he knew that as soon as she got home, he would be in big trouble.
"Just trust me on this one, Liz." Orange Spikes gave her a winning smile, hoping she would believe him. She seemed to fall for it.
"Fine," she said with a sigh. "Let's go back inside, yeah? I'm getting cold."
"Not you though Tate," she quickly added as she gave him a quick glare.
"I'll be coming in a minute," Orange Spikes said, "You go inside already, okay?"
Liza sighed, obviously annoyed, as she turned around and walked back to the café.
As soon as she was out of earshot, Orange Spikes sighed and his shoulders slumped. "Well, this date isn't going as planned."
"Don't worry, she's annoyed now, but she'll forget about it soon enough. She's completely smitten with you." Tate had no idea where those words had come from, but he didn't question it as it seemed to cheer Orange Spikes up.
"Thanks mate." He smiled, and slapped him on the shoulder. "And if she asks about what we talked about, just make up some story about her birthday or something."
"Good idea," Tate said, glad to have found an excuse. "Well…"
"Yeah…" Orange Spikes said, a bit awkwardly. "I'll see you around."
"Yup, see you around," he said, turning around, glad to be away from this whole awkward happening.
Tate had just taken a few steps when he remembered something.
"Don't have too much fun!"
So. Brotherly duties, finished and done.
A/N:Thank you very much for reading! I hope you guys liked it! Especially you Minty :) Anyway people, please leave me a review on your way out!
Thanks again!