Riku watched as Sora dug away at the front lawn. As soon as he had finished his breakfast the brunette told Riku to go home and do his chores. The morning air had started to heat up so Sora had tied a bandanna on his head. The silver-haired teen bit his lip and went to haul the lawnmower out of the garage. Sora looked up and smiled. Kairi was roller-skating across the street towards him.
"Like my new dress?" She asked, modeling the lilac sundress for Sora. "My mom made it for me."
"It's really nice, Kairi." The brunette smiled.
Kairi giggled. "You're not polishing the silverware today?"
Sora smirked. "Nah. It was a nice day so mom changed my punishment to making her some flower beds."
"I tried to come see you last night but your mom wouldn't let me in. Were you ok, alone??"
"I wasn't alone. Riku snuck up to my room."
"Oh. Well...that's good. I was afraid that you were all alone."
The teen smiled faintly. "It's ok, Kairi."
"Ok. Well...Selphie and I are going to the market. Are you ungrounded tomorrow?"
"Yeah."
"Good. We'll all head out to the island tomorrow then."
"But Riku is still grounded tomorrow."
"I'm sure he won't mind."
"Well..."
"See you later, Sora. I'm going to show Riku my dress."
Sora nodded and bid his friend farewell. The girl skated off, modeled her dress for Riku, talked to him for a bit, then went across the street to Selphie's house. The two girls waved to Sora and Riku as they skated past.
Riku was still mowing his parents' massive front lawn and Sora was still digging away when Tidus strolled up the walk.
"Hi Sora."
"Hey Tidus."
The blonde plopped down on the grass, leaning back on his hands.
"There was a big storm last night. Were you ok?" The teen asked quietly.
The brunette nodded, "Riku came to see me."
"That's good. So... are you grounded today?"
"Yup."
"I'll make this quick then. Sora, do you have a crush on anyone?"
The older teen paused briefly. "Yes."
"Have you...told them?"
Sora smiled sadly. "No."
"W-well if you were going to...how would you say it?"
The boy wiped some dirt on his jeans. "I would ask if they wanted to share a paopu with me."
Tidus' bright blue eyes lit up and he jumped to his feet. "Thanks Sora!"
"No problem."
"Have fun being grounded." The blonde teased before running off.
Tidus squeaked as he caught his toe on a crack in the sidewalk. Sora leapt to his feet but it was ok. The blonde fell headlong into Wakka's arms.
"Klutz." Wakka and Sora teased at the same time.
Tidus stuck his tongue out at them and righted himself.
"You ok after last night, Sora?" Wakka asked.
"Yeah." Sora nodded.
"Ok. You won't be mad if Tidus and I go for a swim without you?"
"Nah. Go ahead. Enjoy the summer."
"Cool." The redhead grinned. "See you later, ya?"
"Ya." Sora teased.
"Go Wakkie, go!" Tidus ordered, jumping on the older boy's back.
"You packin' on the pounds, Tidus? You're heavy." Wakka joked, walking off.
"It's all muscle, baby!" Tidus proclaimed.
Sora chuckled and turned back to the flower beds.
-------------------------
Once April returned home Sora had all the flower beds dug and ready to be planted in.
"It's going to look great." April smiled, kissing Sora on the head. "Thanks."
"No problem."
"If you need me I'll be inside. The house needs a good cleaning."
"Okay mom."
Sora's mother smiled and went inside. Sora looked around for Riku but the teen was in the backyard weeding his mother's vegetable garden.
"Poor Riku."
The brunette went into the backyard and got the seeds and bulbs his mother bought out of the shed. The teen returned to the front lawn and started to plant. He worked until his stomach grumbled. Sora wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked at his watch.
[Time for me to make lunch.]
He stretched and walked up onto the porch. He was about to go inside when his mother came outside carrying a tray.
"Mom." Sora blinked. "Y-you made lunch??"
April nodded. "Well, you've been working hard all morning and I picked up your favorite kind of lunch meat at the deli so..."
Sora grinned and took the tray from his mother. "Thanks mom!!"
"No problem. I made Riku a sandwich too if he wants it."
"Sounds good." Riku grinned, walking up the sidewalk.
"How do you always know?" The brunette teased.
"I never take my eyes off you." answered Riku, making kissy faces at Sora.
The brunette rolled his eyes and pushed Riku off the front porch. The older teen stumbled backwards, laughing. April just smiled knowingly and set a pitcher of lemonade on the porch table.
"I already ate. I'm going to attend to my cleaning again." She said.
Sora nodded and his mother went back into the house. Once the boys washed their hands they sat side-by-side on the porch to eat. Riku hadn't even taken a bite of his sandwich when...
"RIKU! Where in the hell are you!?" Riku's dad bellowed.
Sora laughed. Riku sighed and rolled his eyes.
"I'm having lunch with Sora, dad!!" The teen called back.
"Our food isn't good enough for you!?"
The brunette laughed harder and Riku sighed again.
"Mom said I wasn't allowed back in the house until all my work was done!!"
Riku's dad grumbled something and went back inside. Riku elbowed his laughing friend.
"Shut up, Sora." He grinned.
Sora's laughter eventually tapered off and he returned to eating his lunch. The two boys sat in comfortable silence watching their neighbors work on their own lawns and the kids play in their sprinklers.
"So what did Tidus want?" Riku asked.
"He wanted advice on how to tell someone he has a crush on them..."
The silver-haired teen laughed. "He got advice from you? Poor guy..."
Sora poked Riku in the ribs and grinned. "Shush you! I give good advice."
"Not when it comes to crushes. What did you tell him to do? Hump Wakka's leg?"
The brunette choked on his lemonade. "You think he has a crush on Wakka?"
The older teen raised an eyebrow. "You don't?"
Sora blinked. "I..."
Riku chuckled. "Tidus practically worships the ground Wakka walks on. He's got it bad for everyone's favorite oblivious redhead."
The younger boy blinked again. "Wakka and Tidus?"
"They'd look cute together."
His friend's earlier comment finally sunk into Sora's brain and he punched Riku in the shoulder. "I didn't tell him to... hump Wakka's leg!"
"You're so slow Sora..."
"Oh that's it!"
Riku laughed as Sora pounced on him, sending them both sprawling onto the front lawn. Lunch forgotten they wrestled around until the older teen finally got his friend in a headlock.
"What did you tell Tidus then??"
Sora kneed Riku in the back of the leg and broke away from him. He jumped on the silver-haired teen again, pinning him to the ground.
"I told him to ask his crush if he wanted to share a paopu."
Riku grinned. "That should penetrate Wakka's thick skull."
Sora rolled his eyes and made himself comfy, sitting cross-legged on Riku's stomach. The older teen rested his hands on Sora's knees.
"You're going to break Riku, sitting on him like that." April smiled as she collected up the dirty dishes. "Are you all done lunch?"
Sora nodded.
"It's awful Ms. Everhart. He always beats up on me." Riku mock sniffled.
The brunette snorted.
"And I'm sure you deserve it." April grinned, going inside.
Sora laughed. "You got burned by my mom."
"You Everharts are so cruel." The teen sniffed (with a smirk on his face).
"Are not." The younger boy did a reverse somersault off Riku. "Well now that lunch is over I have plants to plant."
Riku sighed. "And I have a garage to clean."
"I'll come help you if I finished early." Sora offered.
"Finish early then. It's like a jungle in there."
The brunette rolled his eyes and returned to planting. Riku grinned and jumped to his feet, jogging off.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How do the parents always know before the teenager? XD R&R Please ^^.
And yes I know Kairi's history and it's still existent in this story. Kairi lives with her adoptive parents, but I can't see her calling them by their first names or calling them her "adoptive parents". So therefore she just calls 'em "mom and dad".
