Chapter 7

"The Foster Bond"

7-6-6 – 4-3-5 – 8-6-8-9.

Click.

"You've reached the Atercor Residence. This is Ansem Atercor. Leave a message after you hear the tone and I'll reach you as soon as possible."

Beeeep.

"Riku? It's Tidus... Listen...about today...I... ...(sigh)... ...Are things going on okay at home? I've never seen you so mad. ...Anyway...if there's anything you need, you know where to ring me.

...Talk to me, man. Please."

Click.

Beeeep.

Click.

+You have one new message.+

Beeeep.

"Riku? It's Tidus..."

Thirty Minutes Later

7-6-6 – 2-2-9 – 8-8-5-0.

Click.

"Hello?"

"(sniff) (gulp) WHERE'S TIDUS!"

"He—He's in the shower...I'm sorry, who is this? I'm his mother."

"(scoff) You're not his mother—(gulp)—and you never will be!"

"Excuse me?"

"Tell Tidus that I told him to NEVER FUCKING CALL ME AGAIN!"

"Who is this!"

Click.

Edea stared skeptically at the phone, and slowly hung it up on the receiver, her glossy black hair pulled back in a bun, her reading glasses resting on her nose. What a disturbing phone call! For all she could tell, it sounded like a death threat!

Her fostered, sandy-blond-haired son came tapping down the stairs in bare, damp feet, a towel wrapped around his waist, another ruffling his hair dry.

"Who was that, Mom?"

"I...think it was your friend..."

Tidus' eyes sparked. "You mean Riku?" he asked, his voice full of hope. Finally, some answers! He rushed for the phone. "Why the hell did you hang up? I wanted to talk to him!"

"No, don't—Tidus!" Edea quickly laid her hand over her son's when Tidus touched the phone and shoved it onto the receiver with a clang. Tidus looked up with stunned blue orbs, his brow creasing.

"Edea!"

Edea swallowed a fearful lump in her throat, closing her eyes and taking deep breaths. She loosened her grip on the phone, realizing she was bleaching her knuckles white from the pressure.

"...Tidus," she said slowly, "I don't want you talking to Riku right now."

Tidus looked hurt. "Why? What did he say?"

"He said something about never to call him again." Edea murmured, "Tidus, I want you to take his advice. He sounded very...unstable."

"Unstable?" he snorted. "Unstable! You said that I was unstable when I moved in because I always came home crying when the kids called me names!"

Edea's violet orbs narrowed in concern. "Tidus, trust me, Riku was very distraught just now. He sounded furious. He doesn't want you calling him, and frankly, after hearing him over the phone, neither do I."

Tidus' eyes shrank and he swallowed hard. Naturally, the incident earlier had made him feel worse, but he'd never heard something like this from Edea, and the only thing his mind told him that he could do logically was to lash out. He clenched and unclenched his fists, gritting his teeth. How could Edea say that about Riku? It wasn't fair! Riku was a good person, he knew it! He was just hard to understand, that's all! He understood...he was the only one who could!

"Unstable," hissed Tidus. " 'Not well.' 'Not wanted.' 'Too expensive.' 'Too rowdy.' 'Not mine.' "

Edea put her hands on his shoulders comfortingly. "Tidus..."

"Don't!" he snapped, jerking away from Edea, leering at her. "I know what this is! You're just like all the other so-called parents I've had! Every time something goes wrong, you act like it's my fault! My problem! MY mistake!" His knuckles were white now. "I know that he's not perfect! I've seen him, Edea! But he's better than that! You don't understand! None of you ever understand! We're not F-Children!We're not failures! It's not our fault!" He turned and ran back upstairs.

"Tidus, please!"

The door slammed shut behind him. KEEP OUT, read the glaring sign hanging on the knob.