"Hey Wakka you lucky dog you." Riku grinned.
Tidus blushed.
"Be nice to Tidus." Wakka warned. "I have to get going. It's my turn to cook dinner." The redhead kissed Tidus on the hand. "I'll call you tonight."
"Okay. Bye Wakkie."
Wakka returned Riku's grin before sprinting off.
"Popsicle?" Sora motioned to the small cooler beside him.
"Thanks."
Tidus took a popsicle out and sat on the cooler.
"So...why were you spying on me 'n' Wakka?" The blonde asked, licking the bright green popsicle.
"Oh you didn't tell me that you perv." Riku smirked.
"It's not like that!" Sora gave his friend a gentle shove. "I thought they might be fighting so I went to see and well...you were in the middle of a romantic moment. I didn't want to ruin it by running off and you thinking I was going to tell your parents."
"I forgive you then." Tidus chuckled.
Sora blushed and finished his popsicle off.
"Hello Tidus." Mileena said, emerging from the house.
Tidus smiled. "Hiya Mrs. Argent!"
"How's your mother?"
"She's good."
"Hello Tidus." April said, walking up behind Riku's mother.
"H'lo Mrs. Everhart."
"Come on, Sora. It's almost supper."
"I'll call you tonight, Riku!" Sora bounded up and followed his mother.
"Can I stay for supper?" Tidus asked. "My mom is at her Judo lesson right now and dad doesn't cook."
Mileena smiled. "Sure."
"Mooch." Riku teased.
"Riku!" The woman messed her son's hair. "Be nice to your little friend."
"Yes ma'am."
Mileena chuckled and waddled inside to set an extra place at the table.
"Soooo...going to tell me who you have a crush on?" Tidus asked.
"Nope."
"Awww. Why not?"
"You'll blab it to Wakka and it will go on from there."
"I won't! I promise!"
"Nope."
"You're mean." Tidus pouted.
"Yup!" Riku grinned.
"So, you're ungrounded now right?"
"Yeah."
"What're we going to do tomorrow?"
"I was thinking we could take the ferry to Plum Island and go for ice-cream at Apple Berry's."
"That place has the best ice-cream. I'll go along with that."
"You can eat it off Wakka."
"Eww!" The blonde wrinkled his nose. "You're such a pervert, Riku."
"You'd be surprised at how many people say that."
"I doubt I would." Tidus grinned evilly.
"You...evil little kid."
Tidus squawked as Riku trapped him in a headlock and gave him a noogie.
Sora rushed around the kitchen. He checked on the fish he was frying before straining the peas in the sink. April was standing at the open kitchen window, smoking.
"You need any help?" She asked.
"No, mom. I got it covered." The brunette smiled.
"Looks like a thunderstorm is rolling in." The women observed.
A shiver rolled down Sora's back, but he continued to cook. April ran her free hand through her long hair and eyed her son. He started acting weird the moment she had mentioned the storm.
"Sora...what's with you and thunderstorms?"
Sora nearly dropped the fish on the floor. "N-nothing."
"...Is it because you walked in on your father hitting me?"
The brunette twitched. "I-i can't remember..."
April frowned sadly and put her cigarette out in the ashtray resting on the window sill. "You were about...seven or eight. There was a bad thunderstorm but you could sleep through an explosion. I don't know why you got up. You were thirsty I think. You walked into the kitchen. Your father had just hit me so I was lying on the ground. Even though you were young you knew you're father wasn't supposed to be here..."
"Mommy!"
"My heart stopped when I realized that you were there. I pleaded with you to just go back to bed, but the blood on the floor scared you. You wanted to make sure I was ok..."
"Sora! Go back to bed!"
"Mommy!"
April hugged her son close. "That's when he got really mad. He got up...and hit you too. It wasn't hard and it was a slap...but he hit you. He hit my baby boy. I tried to get up but my back hurt so much..."
Tears started to build up in both April and Sora's eyes.
"He chased you back to your room."
"Back to your room!"
"He locked you in your room and came back downstairs. He spit on me and left. I called the police and they came. They let you out of your room. You were scared to death."
Sora sniffled and hugged his mother tighter.
"After that...you just...it seemed like it never happened. You never talked about it. I should've brought it up but I didn't want to hurt you anymore..."
"It's ok, mom..." Sora whispered, kissing her cheek. "I think it was better this way."
"Oh shit!" April gasped. "Our supper!!"
"Oh no!!"
Sora ran over to the burning fish and dropped it in the sink. He turned the cold water on it, making it steam and smoke.
"Pizza?" Sora's mother asked, picking up the phone.
"Double pepperoni." Sora confirmed. "With a side of peas. They survived."
April laughed and went into the next room to find a number for a pizza place. A low rumble of thunder sounded in the distance. Sora tensed a little, but he found he wasn't as scared as he used to be.
[I have a lot to tell Riku tonight...]
To be continued...
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Agh. Finger bones hurt [takes more tylenol] R&R Please :)
