A/N: Well, this one began in my Engineering class, continued on my iPod Touch, and was finished on a computer. Well wasn't today fun?
Also, just thought I'd tell you guys that my reviews are now done on YouTube with Kasta. Find the link on my profile page if you wanna listen to 'em.
Disclaimer: I do not own Ben 10. BEN 10 WEEK!
"I think we should come up with team guidelines."
As if Kevin wasn't already having a bad enough time in the backseat, Ben was taking that opportunity of control he had over the older teen and his cousin to make a point about his leadership. This made Kevin want to bang his head into the window. Repeatedly. "Benji, not-"
"Good idea," said Gwen, knowing what he meant. Recently, Kevin had been acting up again, brokering a few deals here and there. She looked over her shoulder to see Kevin slouched over with his arms folded across his broad chest. His locks of sleek ebony were hanging down into his obsidian eyes. "Shat do you suggest?"
Yes, Kevin was in the doghouse with his teammates. He was the unlucky mutt to have gotten on the bad side of his masters. The Osmosian was hating every second of it. Suddenly, the world kind of sucked. When things weren't going his way and he didn't get what he wanted, Kevin moped. He was very good at looking pitiful.
They'd been together for what, two years maybe? The team was more like family than a team. It was just how the distinctive roles had filled out on the social pyramid. All of them fit into one rank or place and they had never really needed team guidelines because of this perfect structure that they had going. Team guidelines had never been necessary.
"We should set up communication protocols-"
It was the first sentence and Kevin was already groaning.
"-and set up some team norms-"
Kevin was already trying to talk over Ben. "Dude, we can just make some rules later when people aren't mad at me-"
But Ben was louder. "-and make consequences for those who don't follow the rules."
The Osmosian on the backseat immediately went silent, dark hair covering his dark eyes. Kevin was pouting, but he wasn't going to complain aloud. Certain consequences would drive him to the brink.
"Shall we brainstorm our norms?" The way Gwen said it made it sound almost like it had been read directly off of a script. Of course, she and Ben had been toying with the idea of setting up rules to keep each other in line, but these rules were mainly focused on Kevin's recent insubordination. They didn't want him getting in trouble anymore. They'd put too much work into him to watch him drift away from all those hopes they had for him. Mostly Gwen, but Ben was trying to keep his best friend off the streets again.
Kevin kept his sulking going, arms folded tightly across his chest, the muscles in his biceps rippling with tension. The boy silently sat there, trying not to make eye contact, trying not to get himself in trouble.
"Well, we should definitely start out with the rule that there shouldn't be any dealings with any enemies-" Ben's bright jade gaze caught the rearview mirror that he watched Kevin in as the dark teen sat in his brooding mood in the backseat. "-without consulting the others first." He led the car around a corner with a light tug on the wheel. "And no one is allowed to go on any official Plumber duties or any unofficial missions without at least one partner unless told otherwise." The leader of the team had felt the need to put that one out there so he knew the other two would be safe when he wasn't always able to make it somewhere. Kevin and Gwen both had tendencies to run off and try to accomplish missions on their own.
"Agreed." Gwen's voice was completely serious. She was even watching over her shoulder to see Kevin's reaction. All she saw from him was that stoned stillness that was as silent as ever. "And how about no disappearing for days at a time?"
"Keep in contact with others at least once a day unless instructed otherwise," Ben confirmed. His jade eyes kept flitting to watch Kevin's reaction. The dark teen didn't react. At all. He was completely unresponsive. "The only reason otherwise would be an undercover mission. Which we won't be doing unless getting direct orders from the Plumbers."
"Good." Gwen shifted in the passenger seat. Her gaze cast over to her cousin who was still driving the car quickly through the streets towards the south side of Bellwood where he would have to drop off the Osmosian.
"Also, no new technology. At all." Ben felt the need to make that one specifically clear. He didn't want Kevin doing anything stupid. As if he didn't do anything stupid enough to begin with…
"No running off without a good reason."
"Always check your phone."
"Never forget about a mission and stray your teammates."
"And how about we make a rule that you guys trust me?" It was the first time that Kevin had actually spoken up for himself. He was still slouched in the backseat with his arms folded tightly across his chest. His dark hair still hung in his dark eyes.
Ben's lips formed a light scowl on his features. "You-"
"Tagged the equipment I traded to the Forever Knights so I can trace 'em." Kevin wasn't about to look up at his teammates. They were too disgusted with him. He hated how they looked at him like he was a lesser being. "I'm not stupid."
The two Tennysons were quiet for a long moment, drinking in this information. They had to take a few minutes to compute it all before they could fully take in this new concept of Kevin doing bad because he was actually doing good. Well, he had done it before…
Gwen was the first to speak up, emerald orbs looking over one shoulder. "We're sorry, Kevin. You should've told us." The girl couldn't put enough forgiveness into her facial features. She suddenly felt guilty for treating him the way she had. The girl fingered the tip of her crimson ponytail. "We can't read your mind. We don't always know what you're thinking."
"Well, I was planning on bringing back some big technology that would give my jet better hyperspace capabilities so that we'd be able to get farther faster instead of being trapped within a certain speed limit since my hyperspace boom shields aren't as strong as I want 'em to be." Kevin looked up at the red-haired girl. His dark eyes were looking over her expression, drinking it in.
Ben had to blink repeatedly. "You lost me…"
"I wish I knew what you said," added Gwen. Her orbs of jade were still watching her boyfriend as he sat in the back seat and sulked. "You can be a technological genius half the time-"
"And the other half, you're just ignorant," pointed out Ben.
"Wow, it's like I'm both of you combined, but more annoying." Kevin shifted a little bit in the backseat. He hated the backseat. He really, really hated the backseat, but he was there because no one had wanted him to take his own car and risk him driving off to some other deal. "You still gonna enforce all these rules?"
Benji automatically shook his head. "Well, we'll work on this later," said the Tennyson hero. "We've got to stop Vulkanus from blowing up the world again."
Kevin unbuckled and pulled himself out of his slumped position in the leather-covered backseat as the two Tennysons were slowly getting out of the car after it was put into park. "Man, that guy's really gotta get a grip on this whole 'blow up the world' plot he's got goin'."
A/N: It started out better than it ended… Anyways, I always love reading reviews! So write one!
~Sky