A/N: Okay, school has given me the tiniest bit of relief, so I can stop the disappearing act I've put you guys through. Here's drabble number twenty-one. Aside from writing, I've decided to take a swing at making my own icons, since I found this really awesome tutorial, so we'll see how that works out in the next month or so. Anyway, enough of my blathering. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: No. It's not mine. I wish it was. But no. It's not mine.
Timeframe: somewhere set in Senior Year – early October 2008.
Words: 1,050
Couple(s): none; Zoey/Dustin sibling love.
Inspiration: Just because I wanted to dish out some sibling to sibling love.
The Little Things In Between
Grown Up
Zoey Brooks was completely amazed at the way her not-so-little brother was changing and growing.
For the first time in a long time, they were apart for the summer. While Zoey was working and spending time with her best-friend-turned-boyfriend, Dustin was going through puberty a lot. In Louisiana, her parents had told her that she probably wouldn't even be able to recognize him in the past months the siblings had been apart. Zoey had been warned by her parents, and no matter how prepared she was, she was still shocked regardless.
It astounded her nonetheless, and caused her to blink in shock, seeing that Dustin had had a growth spurt with his voice deepening slightly – it didn't really make much of a difference, but everyone noticed it – and his blonde hair developing in a dirty blond mop with the bangs casually falling into the brown eyes that remained the same.
Clad in a pink baby doll dress, and a flower in her dirty blonde tresses, she dropped her bags and ran in complete happiness and hugged her brother because she just missed him so much.
"Oh my God!" the teenager exclaimed, a full on grin taking on her features. She let go of the loose grasp on her younger brother and lightly ruffled his hair because it was force of habit. Dustin only offered a small smile, and lightly brushed the bangs out of his eyes. "Wow, you really changed. Mom wasn't kidding."
"Not by a lot. I still sound the same."
"No, you don't."
"Okay," the freshman answered, with a loose hug. "Maybe I don't. But I'm still the same. I'm just the same Dustin who's in high school now meaning you can't baby me anymore."
"You're lucky I'm still four inches taller than you," Zoey said, in mock offense before she softened, with a sigh and hugged her brother again. Maybe she didn't have to defend and protect him as much. "I really missed you, and wished you were with me in Hawaii."
"Yeah, and watch you and Chase act all couple-y. I'll pass, Zoe," he answered, with a slight harmless sarcasm as his arms remained loosely around his sister's waist in another looser hug. "But yeah, I missed you too."
Now, Dustin wasn't a middle schooler, but actually starting his freshman year, being thrust in the world of high school. The siblings were at Sushi Rox getting some quiet time in the well-known sushi hangout. While Zoey was already juggling an already busy class schedule and the craziness of college applications already glaring her in the face, Dustin was just trying to adjust into moving into a bigger dorm room. Jack was still his best bud and Todd was still on the verge of making Dustin want to hit him, and then rip his own hair in frustration.
But they had promised to hang out with each other, at least twice a week so the craziness in their separate lives didn't fully consume them. It was a way to keep Dustin and Zoey grounded, and this time, Dustin was mature enough not to lie about wanting to hang out with his sister alone, sometimes.
"So?" Zoey broke the nearly minute and a half silence. A conspiratorial smile grew on her face as she brought the glass to her lips before sitting it down on the table. The sizzling of a silver frying pan, and the familiar sound of Kazu busily chopped vegetables and raw fish was heard. "Any girls in your life?"
"Yes, Mom, Aunt Wendy, Grandma, Cousin Jamie and Brittany," the newly high school freshman listed, counting it on his fingers.
"Dustin!"
"Oh," he snapped his fingers in mock recognition. "And you, Zoey, my big sister who clearly won't pry in my life that much anymore. Or at all."
"I'm not gonna pry," Zoey assured, absentmindedly tapping a manicured nail against the wood of the dining. Gazing at his sister through his eyelashes, Dustin finally met his sister's eyes with skepticism and slight unbelief. It's not that he appreciated it because ultimately it came down to the face that Zoey really cared for him, but sometimes, Dustin just wanted his space. "I just…want to know."
He did have a girl in his life, but it was a sure thing. He wasn't even sure if the new girl that instantly caught his eye in homeroom, Olivia Larsden, was even officially his girlfriend yet. Dustin was confused even though there were times of doing homework together, laughing at things the average person wouldn't find funny, and the fact that Olivia was a deep thinker underneath the endearingly crazy exterior she had put up. He allowed the taste of strawberry kiwi to hit his tongue when he took the last drink of his fruit punch.
"Look," Zoey said, looking into her brother's eyes. "I know, I tend to hover and be overbearing, but ever since you were born, I've always protected you and made sure you were okay. It's just," a heavy sigh pushed past her glossed lips, the glass half-filled of the iced green tea long forgotten. Zoey allowed her gaze to wander, trying to group her thoughts together in the expanse of her pause. " – you're my baby brother."
"I'm not a kid anymore, Zoey."
"I know that now," the blonde quickly assured, shaking her head. "But I just had this sisterly need to want to protect you all the time. I'll learn to ease up a little bit because I was fourteen three years ago. You want your space so I'm sorry, kiddo," a gentle smile touched her lips.
Dustin remained silent and he smiled back, and nodded, "You're my big sister, and I know you hover because you care."
Zoey Brooks was really amazed at how grown up her not-so-little brother had grown up.
So, Zoey learned to allow him to scrape his knees a little bit, and Dustin learned to accept his newfound space, but he really did love his sister. A lot. And watch her back to return the favour.
"So, seriously, tell me about this girl in your life. I won't pry. Promise."
The blonde teenager sighed, feeling the beginnings of a blush, "Her name is Olivia, and she's in my homeroom class…"
A/N: Okay. There it is. I hope you enjoy it, while I go to bed since I'm tired, really. Goodnight and leave your honest thoughts. I tried to get then in character enough. Nine more drabbles left everybody. Review my other stuff too if you like that. It seems I've been struck with a Choey plotbunny that kind of angsty and different, so I'll be warping canon some more because I'm on an angst kick. I've developed a thing for LJ, and as mentioned will be trying to make my own icons. It looks fun.
-Erika