Disclaimer - If you recoginize it, then I do not own it.
Thank you to IrishPotatoes, FlamesOfFury, Tezi, lalalalala2, Silver Suzaku, Rae TB & Ceridora for reviewing.
This chapter is dedicated to Rae TB for giving me an idea for this chapter in her first review. I changed it a bit but I hope you like it.
Chapter Six - I Want to Fly
The next morning found Hiro being woke by both Tyson and Brooklyn since they were excited to be going to the park for a picnic and meeting their friends. Both of them had jumped on top of him when he had been sound asleep to wake him at seven in the morning. The glare that he gave the two young chibis was enough to make the two flee his room in terror. "THE PICNIC ISN'T UNTIL TWELEVE!" he bellowed as the two peeked around his door, "It is only seven! I had three hours of sleep left!"
"What we do?" Brooklyn ask Tyson in confusion, "Me thought he like to be woke up." "Don't know," Tyson said with a shrug, "adults always grumpy." Tyson decided to go and watch television until his older brother got up but Brooklyn couldn't help but feel bad for upsetting Hiro. He peeked around his door to see that Hiro had laid back down in bed and was trying to get comfortable beneath his covers. Brooklyn was uncertain if he should say anything or not to the adult that he admired.
He cautiously crept and stood in the open doorway to watch the young man sleep. Hiro wasn't stupid and knew that one of them had not left. He was pretty certain that it was Brooklyn since it was too quiet. Tyson wouldn't have been able to keep his mouth shut. "I know you are still there, Brookie," he moaned, "what do you want?"
He cracked open an eye to see Brooklyn standing in the open door with his Care Bear clutched tightly to his chest and wearing his sky blue footie pajamas with little clouds and stars on them. He was surprised to see that he was carrying around the bear instead of the doll. Ever since he had got the bear, he had hardly put it down. He had to plead with him last night before his bath to leave it on the bed since it was not meant for the tub. "Me sorwy," he said, sadly as he toddled to the bed and was face-to-face with his guardian. "What do you have to be sorry about?" Hiro ask, sleepily, "you are too young to tell time." "Me sorwy for waking you," he apologized, "won't do it again."
Hiro mumbled something inaudible and waved him off with a hand. Soon the room was filled with his soft snores as Brooklyn looked between the open door and his guardian. He was torn between going and watching cartoons with Tyson or staying with the person that he loved. In the end, Hiro won as he climbed up onto his bed and curled up next to him. He decided sleeping was better than listening to Tyson's complaints about his lack of food as he drifted back off to sleep.
Hiro didn't wake up until nearly ten thirty and cursed his luck. He nearly squished Brooklyn in the process of rolling over since he hadn't expected the young child to be there. They ate breakfast and dressed quickly before heading to the park early since Grandpa had all ready left to play poker with his friends at the senior center. Hiro was going to make certain that nothing bad happened today but when you got a group of chibis together; nothing was guaranteed. He almost forgot the plushies for the others but Tyson reminded him right after they had walked out the gate.
The rest of the bladers had yet to arrive as he sat down at a table near the playground. Tyson left his beagle on the table and was climbing around on the jungle gym. Brooklyn refused to leave his lap as he watched Tyson intently with his sea foam green eyes. He wanted to play but he was more looking forward to seeing Kai again. He couldn't wait to give him his gift.
He began to bounce happily in Hiro's lap as the young man groaned. The friction was getting to be too much to bear from his movement as he lifted Brooklyn and set him down on the ground. Brooklyn looked confused at Hiro who had to stifle another moan. He didn't understand what he had done to cause Hiro to act like that but a pained smile from his guardian made him worry. Had he hurt him in some way?
"Why don't you go and play while we wait for the others?" Hiro suggested, "would you like to swing?" Hiro was afraid that he had said the wrong thing as Brooklyn's expression darkened. He remembered that Tyson had seen a memory of him sitting in the swing and being ignored as a child by his peers. Obviously, the feelings of hurt and neglect were still there. That was something he was desperate to change. He wanted Brooklyn to know that he was loved unconditionally and that no one would ever hurt him again.
"I'll even push you," Hiro offered as Brooklyn smiled and ran to the swings. He climbed up into one but Hiro lifted him from it and put him in one of the swings that were for smaller children. He wasn't going to take a chance of him getting hurt if he accidentally let go. "No," Brooklyn protested, trying to lift the bar so he could get out of it, "these for babies. Want that swing."
"I am not going to risk you getting hurt," Hiro insisted, "and this swing is much safer for you than the other." Brooklyn huffed and crossed his arms but it did not change his elder's mind. Hiro just started to push him as he forgot about his protests, started to giggle and then enjoy the cool breeze in his face. He did have to admit that Hiro had a point since he couldn't have held onto his bear in the other swing and she was enjoying the feeling of flying as much as he was. "Hiro!" Judy called with a wave as the other adults, teens and chibis appeared that included Hillary, Kenny and Daichi. He had opted to stay the night with Kenny instead of the dojo for a night without the chibi problem. Rick, Michael and Spencer were carrying the picnic baskets.
"MAXIE!" Tyson shouted as he ran to meet them. Hiro stopped pushing Brooklyn, lifted him from the swing but the chibi squirmed out of his hands and ran toward the picnic table where they had been sitting. Hiro couldn't figure out why the little red-head was so looking forward to seeing Kai, who was walking quietly next to Mr. Dickerson. "I gots you a present, Kai," Brooklyn giggled as he made for the bag on the table but Hiro picked it up first as most of the teens and adults gaped at the news. He found the phoenix and handed it to Brooklyn, who walked right up to Kai. "Dis is for you," he stated as he blushed a deep shade of red and handed the plushie to the dual-haired chibi.
Kai looked shocked at Brooklyn and before Tala could protest the gift, Tyson piped in happily, "We got all you one!" They handed out the plushies to all of the other chibis, who absolutely adored them especially Max. "DRACIEL!" he shouted as he hugged it tightly to his chest. Most of them were smiling and named the plushies after their bit beasts. "That was very nice of you, Hiro," Stanley remarked with a smile. "It was Brooklyn's idea," he admitted, "he wanted to get something for Kai so we got a plushie for all of them to be fair."
The next thing Hiro knew was that he was tackled around the legs by almost all of the chibi-sized bladers and was nearly knocked to the ground. "Thank you, Hero," they said, collectively as he nodded and blushed. That was when he noticed Kai standing there looking at the phoenix plushie with Brooklyn standing right in front of him. "Do you like?" Brooklyn ask with a smile, "Me thought it looked like Dwanzer." Kai looked at Brooklyn with a confused expression on his face.
"Why you get me something?" he ask, confused, "I hurt you." "Tried ta save me," Brooklyn replied with a blush, "besides me wanted too." Kai's crimson orbs narrowed as he looked at Brooklyn, who smiled and shrugged. If he didn't know any better, Hiro thought his boyfriend had a crush on Kai! A feeling of intense jealously bubbled up in his chest as he intently watched the exchange.
"Thank you," Kai replied with a smile, "no one has been this nice ta me before. I love it." Brooklyn nodded before Kai skipped away to show Tala his plushie. "He loved it, Hero," Brooklyn said, happily, glomping Hiro's legs and smiling, "I knew he would." Seeing the happy expression on his face, Hiro felt a lump in his throat. Was he losing his boyfriend to Kai? This was so unfair.
"That is nice, Brook," Hiro stated, pushing him away, "now why don't you go and play with the others so the adults can talk." Hiro was jealous and hurt and didn't want to deal with Brooklyn at the moment. Brooklyn was confused as he looked at his caregiver and his eyes widened in fear. His eyes began to water and he tried to blink back the tears. He didn't understand why Hiro was acting like this. He had just wanted to give Kai a gift as a friend. He didn't love anyone in that way except for Hiro.
"Hero," he whined, toddling to the man and pulling on his blue jeans, "what I do wrong?" Hiro looked down at his charge as the other chibis were playing on the equipment. His sea foam green eyes were brimming with tears as he sniffled. "Brooklyn, go and play," Hiro ordered, a little too harshly, "you need to spend time with the others instead of me." He ignored his sad expression and pushed the chibi toward the swings which was a mistake.
"What I do wrong?" Brooklyn ask again but burst into tears that would not stop. He had tried to hold them back like he was a big boy but he was only a little baby and incapable. He fell back onto the grass on his bottom and bawled as the other adults and teens watched the exchange with interest. It was the first time that any of them had seen Brooklyn behave in such a way and they were astonished that he of all the chibis was throwing a tantrum. Hiro had made up his mind that he was going to stand firm on his decision and not interfere unlike he had done with Tyson.
Judy, who had obviously seen the exchange, would not tolerate this. Brooklyn's sobs were breaking her heart and she wasn't going to allow the child to suffer over a fit of jealously. She went to him and picked him up in her arms to hold. He buried his face in her chest as she rubbed his back tenderly and glared at Hiro. "It is all right, sweetie," she comforted, narrowing her eyes at the young man, "Hiro didn't mean it."
"What did I do?" Hiro ask with impatience as his hands went on his hips. "You are acting like a jealous ass," Rick stated, saying exactly what was on everyone's mind, "I saw how you watched him give that plushie to Kai. It is obvious to everyone that he cares for no one in that way except for you. Are you blind? He's three years old at the moment and doesn't know any better. You should be ashamed of yourself for upsetting him."
Everyone was watching and expected Hiro to hit the American but surprisingly he did not. Hiro sighed sadly and bowed his head. He had acted like a spoiled brat throwing his own tantrum. He couldn't help that the green-eyed monster had reared its ugly head. He loved Brooklyn so much and he was so frustrated and moody from his lack of sex. This was tough to deal with and he was so afraid of losing him.
"Brooklyn, I'm sorry," he apologized but the chibi refused to look at him, "can you forgive me for being mean to you?" The cries stopped as his tearstained face turned to him. "What I do wrong?" he ask with a sniffle. "You did nothing wrong," Hiro explained with a blush, "It was me who acted like a brat. I love you so much and I get a little jealous when I see you with another."
"Kai friend," Brooklyn explained, simply, "don't wike him that way." "Kai don't like Brookie," Rei added since he come to investigate why his friend was crying, "he have crush on Tala." Several people did a double take by that admission but Bryan and Spencer both laughed and didn't even try to deny it. "None of you knew the two of them were a couple," Bryan remarked with a smirk, "I thought everyone had figured it out by now." "Well, that explains a few things," Michael added with a thoughtful expression, "I wondered why they were so close before."
Brooklyn wiggled away from Judy and held out his arms to Hiro instead, who lifted him. "I am so sorry, tenshi," he apologized, holding him close, "sometimes, I don't know why you put up with me." "Cause I wuv you," Brooklyn stated, cutely as he hugged Hiro and kissed him on the cheek, "dat why." Everyone awed at his cuteness but Hiro had to fight the urge to moan. He set the chibi down and remarked, "why don't you go play? I need to go to the bathroom. Can you watch him for me, Judy/"
"Certainly," she offered, seeing the pained look on Hiro's face and knew what he needed to do. Brooklyn offered to go with him to fight the monsters in the potty but he couldn't stand his presence at that particular moment. He was suffering desperately without him. "Brooklyn, why don't you go play with Rei?" Judy suggested as the small chibi nodded and took the Neko-jin's hand. They walked to the playground together.
"You okay?" Rei ask as Brooklyn nodded, "you scared me the day before yesterday." "Think scared everybody," Brooklyn replied with a shiver, "don't wike water." "Don't blame ya there," Rei added with a smile, "let's play with Mystie." The chibis started playing in separate groups among themselves but when Raul suggested a game of Hide & Seek, they all wanted to play including Kai. Miguel was chosen to be 'It' but the trouble started when he had started counting and the others were suppose to hide.
Both Rei and Kai grabbed one of Brooklyn's hands and he was caught in the middle of a tug-of-war battle. "I want him to go with me," Kai demanded as he gave Rei a chibi death glare. "Brookie is coming with me," Rei fought back as the smaller chibi looked between the two. "Rei, Kai," Brooklyn whined, "let go, you hurt." "But I want you to play with me," they both chimed together, attracting the attention of the other chibis and Miguel, who had stopped counting.
"This ridiculous," Tala snapped as he marched between the two and pulled Brooklyn away, "Brookie can come with me." He walked away, holding Brooklyn's hand but leaving Rei and Kai standing there looking baffled. They then growled, pointed at the other and said together, "it is your fault." "You sure popular today," Tala remarked to Brooklyn as they both giggled from the attention, "Miguel, start counting again. Let's hide."
Everyone ignored Kai and Rei, who were still foolishly arguing with one another. Tala pulled Brooklyn through the bushes until they found a small gap for them to hide in. They sat in silence until they heard Miguel yell, "Ready or not, here I come!" "Tala," Brooklyn whispered, "how long do we hafta hide?" "Just a few minutes," he replied, softly, "I don't wanna be caught."
When they heard Miguel run past their hiding spot in pursuit of Tyson, Tala peeked his head through the bushes to see if the coast was clear. The sandbox was the safe zone as the two ran toward it and made it without any trouble. "Dat was fun," Brooklyn squealed, clapping his hands as Raul appeared, pulling Julia with him. For some odd reason, Raul had become more outspoken and bold when he had been pretty meek and shy before. "We made it!" he shrieked as he jumped up with joy and then high fived Tala. Julia just smiled shyly as she looked at Brooklyn.
"I wike your bear," she remarked to the toy he was holding. "She is Wish Bear," he introduced with a smile, "she grants wishes." "Can she grant my wish?" Julia ask as Raul and Tala were talking avidly about their own plushies. "Sure," Brooklyn replied as he gave his bear to her, "just hold tight and make a wish." Julia took the bear and held it tightly in her arms as she whispered something that Brooklyn didn't quite catch. Her green eyes then opened as she smiled and gave the bear back.
"What you wish for?" Brooklyn ask as his eyes brightened from excitement. Julia shifted uncomfortably as Garland came into view along with Oliver and Kevin. They hadn't been caught by Miguel but it seemed that Tyson and Max had along with Enrique. "This is what I wished for," Julia said, softly as she leaned forward and kissed the younger on the lips. Almost everyone saw the innocent kiss as Brooklyn looked like a deer caught in headlights.
He was standing still almost like a statue as he then blinked and looked at Julia who smiled. "Ewww gross!" he shrieked, wiping his mouth on his shirt and spitting, "Me got cooties! GIRL COOTIES!" He ran from the sandbox and toward the adults crying all the way. He was looking for Hiro, who had just returned from his trip to the bathroom in a better mood than he had been in before. "WIPE IT OFF!" he screamed to his guardian, violently tugging on his pants, "WIPE IT OFF!"
"Brooklyn, calm down," he ordered, "what happened? Are you hurt?" "Julia kissed me!" he screeched, "me got COOTIES!" He was violently wiping his mouth on his shirt as Judy and Stanley burst into laughter. "Girls don't have cooties, Brooklyn," Hiro said with a sigh, "that is just a myth."
"Yes, they do," Brooklyn defended, looking quite cute even though he was glaring, "everyone say so. Dat why I like boys. Don't mind kissing boy but girls icky. They got cooties. COOTIES! COO-TIES!" (A/N - Sorry, for the Julia bashing. I have no problem w/h Julia. In fact, I love stories where she & Brooklyn are a couple but I couldn't resist using her. She is the only girl chibi after all & Brooklyn doesn't mind Judy.)
Brooklyn wouldn't relent or calm down until he wiped his mouth off and Judy declared him cootie free. The older woman couldn't resist laughing at the scene since she had never expected to see something that funny happen. Brooklyn looked so disgusted but Julia had been hurt by his over reaction. It seemed that she had a crush on the ginger-haired blader but it seemed that he had been gay from the beginning. Julia burst into tears but Garland solved that problem by kissing her. It did silence her crying but then Raul looked jealous. He then protectively pulled Julia to him and glared at the small captain of the BEGA bladers.
All of the other chibis had finished their game by that time with Miguel tagging Tyson, Max, Enrique and Kai, who had tripped while he was running. Rei and Mystel had made it to the sandbox safely. When they tried to play again, no one wanted too especially those who had lost so they went back to their own games until they were called for lunch. Brooklyn prefered to sit and eat with the others leaving Hiro able to relax with the adults for once. He had to make certain that his lunch was free of any animal but Judy had taken care of it for him. She had been taking care of Mystel and it seemed that he was quite a picky eater as well.
They ate and then returned to playing with Brooklyn hanging around Kai, Rei, Mystel and Tala, who had come to a mutual agreement to be nice to one another since they were all fond of Brooklyn. Rei was hanging upside down on the bars with Tala while the other three were on the swings. It was quite a cute scene actually. Kai and Brooklyn were on a swing together. Kai was sitting on the seat while Brooklyn was straddling his lap as they both pumped their legs in rhythm to go higher.
Mystel was swinging higher than they were at the moment as he seemed to be enjoying the wind in his face. Brooklyn watched as a sparrow flew past and marvelled at how it stayed aloft. "Me wuv birdies," he remarked to no one in particular as Kai's crimson orbs watched the bird fly by, "Me wish I could fly wike dem." "Why?" Kai ask, "It too hard and dangerous." "Dey are so fwee," Brooklyn replied with a smile, "unwike me."
"I can do that," Mystel added, "It very easy." "Mystie," Rei reprimanded, "you 'member what Dr. Judy say. She don't want you ta do any acrobatics." "Rei-Rei, what she don't know won't hurt her," Mystel remarked as he motioned toward Judy, who was absorbed in a conversation with Hiro and Stanley. The teens were playing a game of touch football except for Kenny and Emili, who were sitting together off to the side and talking adamantly to one another over his laptop.
"Mystel," Rei warned, dropping his pet name, "don't do it!" "Me want ta fly, Rei-Rei," Mystel protested as he pumped his legs faster to get more height, "me can do it." "No, you can't!" Rei yelled as he jumped down from the bar he was hanging on. Rei was too late as Mystel swung back one last time and when the swing swung forward, he let go and jumped. The four chibis watched in wonder as Mystel flew through the air laughing like he often did when he was older but when he landed, well, let's just say that it wasn't a pretty sight.
He fell and landed with a loud crash and into a bush to top it off. A high pitch cry alerted the adults to the accident as Hiro jerked his head to look and sighed with relief when he saw Brooklyn sitting with Kai. Judy sprinted to them as Mystel sat up crying his little blue eyes out. He had skinned both of his knees since his pants were torn and there were scratches on his arms and a few on his face. "Mystel, what happened?" Judy ask as she looked him over as he pointed out each boo boo that hurt. He wanted her to kiss each one. Fortunately, nothing was broken.
He continued to cry and wiped his eyes with his hands that only dirtied his face even more. "I told ya not ta jump," Rei added sternly as Judy's face went from concern to fury. "Mystel, what did I tell you about doing acrobatics?" she ask. "You told me not too," he said, softly as tears streamed from his eyes, "I sorwy." "Let's clean you up then," Judy sighed as she lifted him into her arms. "Ouchie," Mystel complained as he was taken back to a picnic table and the first-aid kit that she had brought just in case of such an emergency.
Hiro didn't follow and sat down in the swing that Mystel had just vacanted. Brooklyn seeing that Hiro was staying jumped away from Kai and went to him instead. Tala then joined Kai on the swing while Rei went to see how Mystel was faring. "Mystie, got boo boos," Brooklyn noted, "flying for birdies; not people." "How right you are, tenshi," Hiro commented with a chuckle, "don't ever try it though." "Me won't," he replied as he leaned his head on his Hiro's chest, sighed contently and then fell asleep.
The teens had stopped playing football and now Johnny was showing off his soccer skills to the others and oddly enough, even Robert was playing. Hiro hadn't noticed earlier but Brooklyn was not holding the stuffed bear. A quick scan of the area found the bear sitting near the swings. He assumed that Brooklyn didn't need the companionship of the toy when he spent time with others that cared about him. It appeared that he only needed it when he felt lonely and needed comfort.
Hiro took one hand from the swing and wrapped it around Brooklyn. Kai and Tala looked pretty happy swinging together as his eyes drifted to Tyson, who was blowing a raspberry at Miguel, who didn't take the insult lightly and started to chase him. A loud "OWW" made his attention turn from his little brother to Mystel, whose cuts and scratches were being tended too. He was clutching his plushie tightly to his chest as Rei sat beside him offering words of comfort. Out of all of them, Hiro was looking forward to seeing if their relationship progressed beyond friendship when they returned to their normal ages.
He knew that Mariah had a crush on Rei. It was obvious to everyone but he had seen the way that Rei had looked at Kai and figured that he might prefer both sexes to just one. He couldn't help but notice that the two boys were cute together and would make a great couple. The same could be said of Tyson and Max, Tala and Kai along with Oliver and Kevin. The two of them were hardly ever apart from the other as well. Now that would be a pairing that no one could have predicted.
Hiro hadn't considered it before but he thought back to what Zeus had said a day earlier. He had said that the changes in their ages had been done on purpose. He didn't have the opportunity to think about it at the time since he had a furious bit beast standing over him & snorting in his face. Had it been done to discover secrets about the bladers that they refused to discuss or reveal during their teen years? He figured that he was on the right track with his assumption and was determined to figure this puzzle out. It seemed that he would be having another conversation with the head of the Greek gods and he wasn't at all looking forward to it.
AS
R & R