Just in case anyone needed a Monday pick me up...Enjoy!

Pool Side Revelations

"Hey Kat! Watch out!"

"Wha…?" No time to react, the ball smacked into the girl, sending her splashing into the deep end of the pool. "That wasn't much of a warning!" Coming up for air, Kat hollered at Tai while treading water, checking to see if the pair of chopsticks still held her hair up.

"You alright?" He waited for her to nod. "Sorry." The brunette called out while heaving himself out of the pool to fetch the volleyball.

"I thought you said you couldn't swim?" The question came from the blonde standing waist deep in the middle of the pool. "Sorry about that." Matt added a second later. "The ball got away from me."

Tossing her sopping wrap skirt over the edge and onto dry land, she smirked as Tai jumped back in the pool, ball in hand. "No, I said I can't swim well." Ducking under the water, Kat pushed off the side and propelled herself towards the brunette, grabbing and pulling an ankle, sending him under water. "Victory is mine!" She grabbed the ball now floating on the surface.

Tai came up spluttering. "You play dirty short stuff." He shook his hair free of water, sending droplets flying everywhere.

"I'm not short!"

"I bet I could use you as an arm rest!"

"What would you call yourself then?" Laughing at the two, Matt asked her.

"I'm not short…" Came the reply. "I'm fun sized!" With that, Kat tossed the ball in the air, smacking her hand against it as it came back to earth, sending it straight towards the blonde. "Game on!"

"Shit!" Reaching up, Matt popped the ball towards the brunette. "Tai! Catch!"

"I got it!" Reaching back, he saved the ball from hitting the water, sending it towards the shorter girl.

000

Setting the pepperoni down, she paused the homemade pizza assembly for a moment. "They look like they're having fun." Looking out the small kitchen window, Sora watched as her two roommates and Kat putted the ball around in the pool.

"Yeah?" Setting down the knife and moving away from the fruit try he was putting together, Ari stepped behind the red head, wrapping his arms around her waist and settling his chin on her shoulder. "That's awesome. I haven't seen my sister this happy in years."

"You're also happier too I've noticed." She shivered a little as he kissed her neck. "You've really toned the overprotective side down a lot."

"Was I that bad?" Tightening his arms, Ari pulled the red head closer.

"Two months ago I would have said absolutely." She watched as the blonde playfully dunked Kat under, swiping the ball from her grasp. "You know he has a crush on her."

"Who?" Ari eyed both males in the pool with suspicion. "Matt? He better not…"

"Hey…" Twisting around, Sora pecked a kiss to her boyfriend's mouth. "Matt's not going to do anything without asking you first." She ran a hand down his arms in a calming manner. "You made that clear remember? If anything, he's afraid to ask."

"I just want her to be safe…and happy."

"I wish I could say I know how you feel." Trying to sooth away his worries, Sora thought how to help. "You know? Tai was overprotective of Kari for the longest time."

"Tai was? Why?"

"He had his reasons." Sora shook her head. "It's not my place to say. But when he let go a little, well you saw how Kari is. She's independent, and not afraid to say what needs to be said."

"That's the truth." Ari winced at the memory of Tai's younger sister chiding him for being overbearing and overly cautious towards his twin when they first met. "But you said I'm better now right?"

Sora nodded. "I think Kat may have a crush on him too…"

"Really?" Ari looked confused; his twin had never shown any interest in dating, frequently saying she preferred pets to people.

"Mm hum." Standing on tip toes, the red head stretched up and gave her boyfriend a slow kiss.

"Sora…" Gripping her tighter, he breathed out. "The pizza…"

"The oven still has to warm up…"

Smirking, Ari looked down. "In that case…" Leaning her against the counter, he assaulted her senses with his lips, attacking her with slow, silk like kisses.

000

Meanwhile in the pool, Matt laughed as he sent the volleyball towards Tai and watched as the brunette sent the ball sailing towards Kat.

"Heads up shorty!"

Gaging the distance, Kat pushed hard off the bottom of the pool, launching herself high, slamming a fist in the ball and spiking it over the shallow end into the bushes by the fence. Proud of herself, she fell backwards under the water, landed wrong and gasped.

"I'll get it!" The brunette once again, headed to collect the ball.

"That was a nice shot!" Turning towards the girl, Matt frowned as she didn't immediately resurface. "Are you ok?" He called out, wading over after she came up a few second later.

"Think I'm in over my head." Treading water, she managed to sputter the words out before attempting to head back to the shallows.

"You think?"

"I can't touch bottom."

"Obviously. Need a tow?" The blonde reached a hand out.

She eyed his hand for a moment before putting her pride aside and clasped Matt's offered hand firmly. "To the stairs please sir."

The blonde laughed at Kat's request, pulling her to the stairs that descended into the shallow end.

"That was one hell of a shot shorty." The brunette splashed back into the pool, ball in hand. "You're quitting already?" He asked the shorter girl who was now sitting on the steps. Pausing a moment, he watched her chew on her lip and extend her leg out, bringing it back in and repeating, the nearly foot long scar over her knee a bright pink against her almost white legs. "You didn't hurt yourself did you?"

"Think I over did it a little. I shouldn't have pushed off so hard."

"Want me to get Ari?"

"Don't you dare!" Her blue eyes snapped to his brown, and Kat shook her head violently. "Let him spend time with Sora without having to babysit stupid me."

"But…"

"I said no Tai. End of discussion."

The blonde jerked his head in the direction of the back door. "Go check and see if dinner is ready yet?" He watched as Tai disappeared inside. "You're not stupid you know." He watched the girl tremble and bury her face in her knees. "Hey…" He slipped an arm around her bare shoulders in support. "Maybe you should take those meds of yours?"

"They don't help anymore."

"Damn! Anything I can do?"

000

The long whine of the oven signaling it had reached the correct temperature broke the couple's mini make out session. Tucking a stand of hair behind Sora's ear, Ari grinned at her before his attention was pulled to the window. "Tai's coming." Stepping away, he picked up the knife and started cutting fruit into chunks. Leaving the red head to finish assembling the pizzas.

"Hey Tai." Sora called out when he crossed the threshold and stood in the kitchen doorway. "What's up?"

"Matt wants to know if the pizzas are ready yet." The brunette leaned against the door jam, his swim shorts still slightly damp from the pool. "Think it was more of a trick to get rid of me."

"Why?" Ari's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Something happen?"

"Think Kat hurt herself spiking the ball… Whoa man." Tai stopped the younger twin, placing an arm out and blocking the doorway. "Calm down, she's not bleeding or anything."

"Move Tai."

"Naw man, take it from me and let her figure things out." He gave Ari a push away from the entry. "Watch from the window if you want. Matt's got it under control. Those two are more alike than you think."

"Matt? Wha…" Turning to the window, he looked out just in time to see the blond wrapping an arm around his twin.

"I told you he likes her…" Smirking, Sora teased Ari while placing the pizzas in the oven.

"Time to let go man."

Slumping a little, Ari couldn't help but nod. "Guess ya'll are right." He turned away from the window as the blonde handed the shorter girl a beer. "Here Tai, help out…"

000

"Bring me a beer and my bag?" She gave the blonde a pained smile when he handed the items over. "Thanks." Rummaging around in the bag, Kat pulled out a pack of smokes and lit one.

"You smoke?" He took a seat next to her on the pool steps.

"Not often, just when I need something to focus on."

"Drinking and smoking your problems away isn't going to solve them. Have you told your brother?"

"No, I don't want to worry him anymore about me."

"Now that's a stupid thing to say." Matt took a swig of his beer.

Sighing, Kat put out the smoke after finishing only half. "Says the guy who's in love with his roommate."

Matt flinched as her words hit home. "What's that supposed to mean?" He frowned when she shook her head. "Somethings up, and it's not just medically related. I won't tell Ari if that's what you're afraid of." He watched as her face snapped towards him. "So there is something then…"

"You really won't tell?" She took a shaky breath in after the blonde nodded. "Would you believe me if I said I'm jealous of my brother?"

"How so?"

Kat chewed her lip. "Ari…He's so protective. Granted he's backed off a lot since he started dating her." She jerked a thumb towards the house behind them. "But sometimes, I think he realized it too late."

"I'm confused."

Taking a swig of liquid courage, Kat decided to be blunt with the blonde. "I'm old enough to drink and yet, I've never been kissed." Taking in his shocked expression, she gave a dry laugh. "No one wants to date the defective chick, both on the inside and the outside." Chugging the bottle, she waited once again, for rejection to hit. What she got instead was an amused chuckle.

"It's easier to pry stuff out of you than it is Sora."

"Huh?"

The blond shook his head. "You know you're not defective…or stupid." He added a second later. "Ari probably told everyone to back off and stay away." Finishing off his beer, Matt rested his arms on his knees and gave the girl a shove with his shoulder. "Think of it like this: He lost you once, almost lost you a second time, and I bet he's afraid that third time's the charm."

"You're a pretty insightful guy Matt."

"I wish it was like that." Seeing Kat's confused expression, he tried to explain. "After my parents divorced, I pushed everyone away and became lonely and angry at the world. Tai was the one who helped me realize that wasn't the case. And Sora…." Pausing a moment, He gulped and continued. "When we dated years ago, I let life get in the way and we drifted apart before I told her how I really felt about her."

"Felt or feel?"

Matt dropped his head in his hands. "Kat, I…"

"Pizza's ready you two!" Tai called out from the open back door. "Come and help out!" He held the door open as Sora appeared carrying a pizza in each hand.

"Here, let me help." Running over, Matt grabbed one of the pies and shoved empty beer cans aside, making room for the cheesy pool party food.

"Thanks Matt."

"We have fruit too." Ari appeared with another pizza and a huge tray of watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, strawberries and blueberries. "We still have beer left right?"

"I grabbed another six pack." Setting down the fourth pizza, Tai opened the cooler and stuck the cans in the ice to cool off. "There are still five or six cold ones in here too."

"Hand me one of those Tai?"

"Sure thing shorty." Teasing, Tai handed the girl a beer.

"Is that your permanent nick name for me?" Rolling her eyes, Kat asked the wild haired brunette.

"I could always call you short stack?" Tai grinned as the shorter girl laughed.

"Shorty is fine." She handed him a slice of pizza and cracked open a beer.

"Kat…"

"Nope Ari, I haven't had any meds in two days. I'm drinking and having fun tonight."

"You done yet?" He watched as his twin raised her eyebrows at him. "I was going to ask for one too." He grabbed the beer Kat held out for him before pulling her into a one armed hug. "Sora says Matt thinks you're cute." He whispered in her ear. "I promise to back off, and it's time for you to live a little too sissy."

Dumbfounded, Kat stood there as her brother walked over to his girlfriend, handing her a beer, slinging an arm around her shoulders as both the red head and Tai laughed about a story from years ago.

A slice of pizza appeared in her view. "Penny for your thoughts?" The blonde smiled down at her.

Kat blushed. "Thanks." Taking the offered slice, Kat bit into it and savored the flavor. "He just told me to live a little. I wonder…"

"Hey Matt?" Ari waved towards the house. "Come help me with the ice?" Shutting the door behind the blonde, the two made their way to the kitchen.

"I thought we were good with the ice…" Matt trailed off when Ari shot him a look.

"Sora said you like my sister…"

Matt gulped. "Well…"

000

"And that's why I hate history." Ari slumped back after finishing his story. He looked at a giggling Kat. "It's not that funny sis."

"I'd always rope him into doing both our assignments." She giggled behind her beer. "Not my fault you fell for it every time."

"Tai used to do the same thing." Chiming in, Sora voiced. "Always trying to cheat on homework."

"Sora!" The brunette gasped at the red head. "I never…"

"Bullshit!" Laughing, Matt agreed with Sora. "If you weren't trying to get the answers from her, you were trying to get them from me."

Everyone burst out laughing.

"Conniving females." Tai grumbled out before checking his watch, the sun had set hours ago. "Well, I better get going guys." Standing he bid everyone a farewell. "Got soccer practice early in the morning." Gathering his stuff together, he waved. "Are you two coming home tonight?" The brunette watched as Sora shook her head. "Matt?"

The blonde shrugged. "Depends on what time we finish up." He waved a bye at the brunette who disappeared behind the gate leading to the street. "Now what?"

Ari eyed his bouncing sister. "Sis, What are you…?" His eyes widened as she took out her phone, hooking up the wireless speaker and opening a music app. The beat of a song slowly rocking out over the pool, he turned to his girlfriend and extended out a hand. "Shall we?" Grasping her hand, Ari pulled Sora out of her chair and stepped with her around the patio.

Kat winced while watching her brother attempt to teach Sora how to two step. Even to her, his instructions weren't very clear. Finally fed up and her own toes hurting, the shorter girl wedged herself between the two and dragged a blushing red head away from her brother.

"Hey!"

"You were confusing her." Kat shot back to her brother before turning back to Sora. "Two steps forward, one step back. Always counter-clockwise." Explaining, Kat led the taller girl around the patio once before handing her back to Ari. "There you go! You got it this time."

"That was sweet of you." Matt stepped beside Kat.

She shrugged. "He deserves to be happy."

"He lectured me you know." Looking down, he nervously smiled at Kat's confused face. "Kat…I… Uhh." He scratched at his head. "Kind of… like you?"

Blinking rapidly at the blonde, Kat tried to decipher the message before jerking her head and leading him to the other side of the patio, away from her brother and Sora. "You 'kind of' like me?" She raised her brows at him.

"That err…. Came out wrong." Blushing, Matt gathered his thoughts. "You're smart, funny, pretty…"

"And defective remember?" Kat crossed her arms at the blonde.

"Damnit Kat! "Grabbing her shoulders, the blond slightly shook the blue eyed girl in front of him. "Would you stop talking like that."

"I don't need pity Matt. I'm fine on my own."

Tired of her idiotic nonsense, he tilted her face up to look in her eyes. "Then tell me you don't feel something towards me too." Watching her eyes darken, the blonde smirked at her. "Thought so. May I be your first?" At her nod, his lips descended down and brushed against hers, softly, sweetly, slowly, gripping and holding her up as she swayed under his slight touch. Breaking free after a minute or two, Matt watched as she slowly opened her eyes to stare at him in amazement. "I could never pity you." His voice came out as a whisper. "You're too fiery for such idiocy." He wiped at her tears with his thumbs. "What do you say? Want to catch a movie with me tomorrow?"

Smiling, Kat wrapped her arms around Matt's waist and gave him a squeeze in gratefulness. "Only if you dance with me tonight?"

"It's a date then." The blonde led her back towards the others, shaking a finger at the duo grinning back at them. "Don't even start you two."

I promise there is a method to my madness. *winks*

Thanks for reading! So what did you think?

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