Disclaimer: I don't own any characters involved in this story, although I have named a couple of locations.
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Chapter 7: Plans
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Kairi's parents had made barbeque out back and the kids had a grand old time scarfing down the BBQ goodness. All of them except Wakka, that is. He had asked if he could eat indoors, which Kairi's mother had allowed. He ate his barbeque inside, alone. Riku went inside after he had finished his food to check on his redhead friend.
Wakka hadn't touched his food. It was sitting on the kitchen table, and Wakka was sitting on the couch in the den, looking out the window with his head resting on his arms on the back of the couch. Riku walked over to him, and Wakka sighed.
"What are you looking at?" Riku asked, knowing the answer.
Wakka didn't answer for a moment. Then he said, "Nothing."
Riku sat on the couch next to the redhead, facing the opposite direction, and looked up at the ceiling. "Well, that nothing isn't going to come out tonight. At least, I don't think it will."
Wakka sighed. "I don't think it will, either." He turned around and sat correctly on the couch, next to Riku. "Will it ever?"
Riku shook his head slowly, returning his gaze to eye level. "That, I'm not sure." He wrapped an arm around Wakka and gave him a sideways hug.
Wakka just sat there, staring at the floor. "I've been thinking," he finally said.
"About what?" Riku said, returning to resting his head on his hands.
"I think…I'm going to talk to Jecht."
Riku's eyes shot open. "What?" he sat up and looked at Wakka, who wouldn't look at him.
"I'm going to talk to Jecht," Wakka said, stronger than before.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Riku asked.
"Not at all," Wakka said truthfully with a sigh. "But I believe that I might be able to convince him that Tidus is best left to himself."
Riku shook his head. "You know Jecht better than I do, but I know that he's thickheaded as a shoopuf, so what're the odds that you could get him to change his mind about his son's 'condition?'"
"Just leave it to me, Riku," Wakka sighed. "I don't need you getting involved."
Riku thought for a moment. "Maybe you should," he said with an excited voice. He'd had a revelation.
"What? What do you mean?" Wakka asked the silver-haired boy, raising an eyebrow.
"Don't worry, we'll help you out," Riku said, a grin on his face.
"We? Who is 'we'?" Wakka asked, watching Riku as he jumped up from the couch. "Riku, what are you talkin' about?" Riku didn't answer him. Instead, he ran out the back door, where the others were. Wakka got up from the couch and followed him out the door.
Riku had Sora, Kairi, and Selphie over to the side, away from the adults, in a huddle. Selphie saw Wakka and waved for him to join them.
Wakka nervously entered the huddle, where he caught the tail end of Riku's plan.
"…and convince him that being gay isn't that bad," Riku finished, a triumphant look on his face. Everyone but Wakka agreed that it was a good plan.
"What did you tell them?" Wakka asked Riku, a shocked expression on his face.
Riku grinned. "I just told them that Tidus is gay and that it was your idea to try to convince Jecht that it isn't as bad as he thinks."
Riku had a reassuring look in his eye. He hadn't told the others about Wakka's feeling for Tidus. Damn, Wakka thought. He is good with keeping secrets.
"Yeah, great idea, Wakka!" Selphie giggled, giving the redhead a hug.
"There's one problem," Kairi said, her face serious. "Jecht has a skull thicker than a shoopuf's hide. How are we going to convince him that being gay is okay?"
Riku gave Sora a dazzling smile, and Sora blushed. After the blush ended, Sora nodded and smiled back. "Let me and Sora handle it," Riku said, turning his smile to the others.
Wakka wasn't sure that was a good idea, but he hadn't said a word since coming outside yet, so he wasn't about to throw their plan aside. It was better than what he had.
Anything was better than a sit-down with Jecht.
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Tidus looked outside the window in the den, which overlooked most of the street. His friends were having a cookout in Kairi's backyard. Tidus could see the five of them huddled together in what looked like a football huddle. Curious, Tidus moved to a closer window, but he still couldn't see anything important. Riku seemed to be talking the most. After he was done, he pulled Sora in close to him and gave him a peck on the cheek.
Tidus' eyes widened in shock. Sora and Riku? No way!
Tidus backed up from the window and headed upstairs. He had a feeling that if he made too big of a ruckus over that, his dad would see them, and make certain that Tidus would never leave the house again. When Tidus reached his bedroom, he sighed and opened the door, letting himself in.
"I hope you guys have a great dinner," Tidus said to no one in particular. He curled up on his bed and closed his eyes. He drifted off to sleep, a tear rolling down his cheek.
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I know, I know, short chapter, but the chapter, they instigate their plans! Woohoo! Will it work? Is Jecht really thicker than a shoopuf? Read and review if you'd like.