AN: Here is the next part. Hope you like it. This is a long one :)
Lesson
Toboe got to Steve's house only a few minutes after he had left his own home. The screams and war cry like calls rang from the house scared him. Great the twins were not only awake but also very energetic. Every hope he had for a peaceful after noon was just thrown under a bus.
He knew he was going to have to clean up mess after mess and after the breakfast explosion his older brother made this morning the last thing he wanted to do was clean up any messes.
He climbed the steps up to the front door and rang the doorbell. Steve appeared a little bit later, hair a mess with all kinds of things stuck in and to it. His arms were also covered in marker. From where Toboe stood, he could see crayon on the back wall and Edward and Payton running around like mad people.
"Thanks for coming man" Steve's voice was flooded with relief.
Toboe nodded "…Yeah no problem dude…you know you can always count on me to help out."
With that the door closed behind him and the two boys head to the middle of the living room were the twin terrors were now running with paint flying all over the place.
There was a small argument when the boys tried to get the paint away that ended in the four year olds screaming and crying their heads off. This meant the boys now had to calm the toddlers down before they, and most likely the neighbors as well all got major headaches.
It didn't take long before the twins were happy and running about once more.
Toboe and Steve each took a sigh of relief, before they had to go stop and clean up whatever mess Edward and Payton were currently making.
Toboe was happy that there were not toddlers living in his house, sure him and his siblings make plenty of messes but at least they clean up after themselves for the most part…that and they weren't tossing finger paint every which way.
Toboe was so glad when Steve's mother came home and therefore relived the boys from babysitting duty. He said his good bye to Steve then started his way home.
It was going on four when he entered the house, it was quite no one else was home. He smiled he enjoyed having the house all to himself. He was covered in markers, paints, and whatever else the twins go their hands on that after noon.
He headed straight to his room where he got a change of clean clothes before heading to the bathroom to take a well-needed shower.
Hige left soon after Toboe. Downtown was about a fifteen-minute walk. Hige was use to the walk and it wasn't that bad, it was mostly all flat ground and there was lots of shade to walk under during the hotter days of summer.
He was at his destination soon. The downtown was bustling with activity, everyone going for place to place and in every direction imaginable.
He walked up and down the various streets of the area, in search of some girls to flirt with. He was already slapped three times, yelled at twice and rejected several times counting the ones so yelled and slapped him. He had only been downtown for not even twenty minutes. He like usual was not having any luck.
It didn't really matter to him, though because there was really only one girl he wanted, Blue, and some day he hoped that they would be together.
He gave up the hunt for a girlfriend and went to look for his older brother Kiba instead.
He succeed in finding him only a quick while later.
"Hey Kiba!" He called out to his brother.
The dark haired boy turned around to look in the direction in which he had heard his name called. "Hige, What's up?" He asked as his brother walked towards him.
The younger boy shrugged. "Nothing much, just the usual."
"I can see that by the red mark on your face," Kiba countered with a laugh. "Better hope it doesn't leave a bruise or anything you know how Mom feels about you going around downtown flirting." The older of the two said this time in a serious tone. All laughing and joke now set aside for the time being.
But the other boy just merely shrugged. "Eh well can't win em' all." He laughed, rubbing at the red spot on his cheek almost in an absentminded short of way.
The two boys continued to walk down the sidewalk that was lined with stores. They didn't have enough money on them or at all for that matter to buy some of the things in the stores but once in a while they would save up to buy sweets and treats like candy, chips, soda, or even a slushie from one of the many continent store that seemed to be all over the place.
Hige and Kiba continued to walk around aimlessly no real destination in mind, and with no money for any treats, all they could do is window shop, stopping to stare into the windows of various stores to see what was for sale. Looking in on all the latest video games and playing consoles for sale.
They had two different consoles at home one of which was a bit older therefore outdated but the other was pretty much band new; it was a top of the line, and could even be played as motion control game instead of with a controller they could use their bodies as the controller.
The family also had a fair share of games to play on the two consoles. The stack of games was kept on a small bookshelf that was about half the size of a regular bookshelf. The games filled the book self and were starting to pile up on top of the bookshelf now.
Every gift giving holiday or a birthday at least on video game as given as a gift, plus the kids often saved up their money each chip in a little so they could buy a game.
More than half of the fights between the siblings started over games, who could play what, who owned what, or what game to play.
The boys would stare into the window and chat about what the newest games were about and what they heard about how good each was. They then made plan on which ones to buy when they found a way to pay of them.
Kiba and Hige they continued on their journey through downtown. Stopping once more, this time at the candy store.
Staring into to display as the leaned and pressed themselves up against the glass. Mouths watering as they looked at all the different kinda of candies.
They talk amused about all the kinds of candy they liked.
Kiba glanced over at his younger brother, and his eyes widened just as he figured, the red mark on Hige's cheek had turned into a big discolored purplish patch of skin: yup it was a bruise.
"Hige" Kiba's amused tone from earlier now nothing serious.
Hige looked over at his big brother when he heard the seriousness in his voice. "What?" his usual childish tone now serious as well.
"Your cheek." The thirteen year old motioned towards his younger brother's right cheek. Hige gave him a confused look before he slowly raised his hand and gently touched his cheek. "Hu ah shhhhhh OW OW. Is it…bruised?" He hissed his question in pain. Most of his words that slipped from his mouth where incoherent. The only things his brother could made out was 'ow' and him asking if his cheek was bruised.
Kiba nodded. "Yeah bro your cheek is bruised…it's bad to…it's like your whole cheek...Ma's goanna be upset…she hates it when we get hurt…then she'll want to know how you got it, that mean she's goanna get angry"
"oh man what are we going to do?"
"we? You mean you" Kiba stated.
"No I mean we, I mean you are my big brother and big bros look after their younger siblings and keep them safe! Plus Mom knows that you and me hang out together downtown almost every day, so she'll assume you were with me when it happened no matter what we say!" Hige said anxious and scared as he speed though his words as fast as he could fly them from his lips.
He paused quickly for a breath the he started once more." You're in deep as I am brother! Come on Kiba what are we going to do!" he continued. "Please tell me?" he look into his brother's eye searching for an answer.
Kiba just shook his eyes, "I don't know Hige, I just don't know but we'll think of something we got plenty of time before curfew. And even then it will be some time before Mom or Kevin gets home." Kiba said staying calm, as he reassured his brother.
Kiba and Hige started their journey home, the whole way thinking what they were going to do about the bruise. The brothers were at a lost. When they were, only a few blocks from home Hige begged his question once more. "What are we going to do, Kiba?" He paused as he stopped walking to lock his worry filled brown eyes with his brother's brilliantly blue ones, which shared the same anxious worried look.
"You said we were going to figure out something, but we're almost home and have yet to think of any good plans!" the younger boy called out as he started walking once more, staring down at his feet as he did so.
"I know what I said, don't worry I think I've got a good idea now, but let's just get home first alright?" stated the older boy rather calmly.
To think all of this over a bruise, but if mother found out that Hige got it while out flirting again she'll be furious with him. She didn't like the idea of the boys going around flirting. Especially Hige, since he was not even a teen yet. He was still just a preteen at twelve years old.
She said they were still young. To wait until they were at least fifteen or sixteen to even consider a girlfriend. Though she was flexible with that rule, Tsume has been dating since he turned thirteen.
Rubbing his cheek Hige was deep in thought. 'Maybe mom's right' he considered to himself. After all if he wasn't too young why was he abused by girls all the time? Maybe he should go after those his own age instead of teens who are a few years old than himself? Hige did not know, he wasn't sure about any of it, not that he'd say it out loud it would crush his reputation.
He looked up as the front gate of the home came into view. He made his way down the steps that lead to the walk way , and the front porch. Then steered himself up the other set of steps to the front door.
He jingled the knob to see if it was locked or not. Upon determining it wasn't locked, he turned it all the way to let himself and Kiba into the house.
Good thing too, he had forgotten his key this morning and Kiba lost his a while back. With both boys keyless he did not know what they would do if it was locked.
As the boys entered the home, Kiba instructed for Hige to go sit down while he went to find some things.
Hige did as he was told and made a beeline towards the sofa.
Kiba headed up stairs and to Mom and Kevin's room. He searched around trying to find what he was looking for. He found it on mom's nightstand, he grab it and headed back down stairs.
"Alright Hige look up, and turn your head over that way." Kiba said pointing to the left as he walked over to the right of his brother. Now he had a full view of Hige's hurt cheek.
"What are you going to do?" Hige muttered as he turned his head the way he was told.
"Hold still…I'm goanna cover it up with some of Ma's makeup"
"WHAT? Yeah …uh no you're not!" Hige shouted pulling away.
"Come on Hige it's the best I've got, unless you can think of something better just hold still!"
With a sigh and skeptical glare, Hige obeyed.
By the time Toboe got out of the shower, he was no longer alone in the home; Kiba and Hige were there, making loud commotion from the living room. What Toboe mainly heard was Hige's complaints and whining. About what, Toboe had no idea.
He found his way to the living room only to find Kiba rubbing some type of makeup onto Hige's cheek.
"Um…what are you doing?" he asked his brothers looking at them with a confused stare.
"Uh…um...Oh…Nothing…." Hige stumbled over his words. Kiba was a little more calmer.
" Toboe, don't worry about what we're doing alright? "
"But I'm curious I just wanna know, please?"
"Will you be willing to keep a secret from Mom and Kevin for us? Can you do that?" Kiba questioned.
Toboe looked at him. "…What are you guys doing that you don't want Mom and Kevin knowing about? I can keep a secret but…I don't like the idea of keeping things from them." The youngest boy replied.
"Don't worry Toboe, It's nothing too bad I promise, now will you keep a secret? Otherwise you can leave."
Toboe was quite for a moment as if thinking it over. But eventually he nodded. "Okay fine, I'll keep a secret now tell me what is going on here? Kiba why were you putting makeup on Hige?" The child questioned.
Kiba sighed. The kid never lets up does he? Oh well might as well tell him, they could only hope that he kept his word and didn't tell Mom or Kevin.
"You know how Mom feels about Hige flirting, yet he does it anyway?" Kiba asked. Toboe nodded.
"Okay well earlier today he did just that, and he it would seem said something one of the girls didn't take to well and she decided to slap him. Apparently, it was hard because it left a bruise. I was putting makeup on Hige to hide the bruise so Mom won't see it, got it?" Kiba continued.
Once more Toboe nodded.
Kiba and Hige hoped that he would keep the secret.
"So what did you say Hige?" the youngest boy questioned.
"Well actually it was more of what I did…heh girls don't like it when you lift up their skirts...after you say 'hey baby do you clean your panties with Windex because I can see myself in them.' Or after the slap you the first time say 'oh baby no need for that now , you wanna see what's hanging?'…..after all that she slapped me again even harder" Hige said rubbing the back of his head and neck as an embarrassed smile crept onto his face.
Mom got home from work about six thirty. Kevin got in shortly after. By seven the family was sitting down for dinner.
"So how was your day everyone?" She asked her children.
"I spent it helping babysit Edward and Payton." Toboe answered.
Mother nodded, " sounds like your day was busy" She said moving to the next person at the table.
"It was a fun day, the new path at Mt. Barren is really nice. Flowers all over.." Cheza explained. Mother smiled.
"That's nice sweetie , Kiba how about you honey how was your day?"
"It was alright. I spent it downtown." Kiba replied simply.
Mother nodded as she turned he attention to her oldest son. "Tsume?"
"It was okay, I spent my day with Lianna mostly" Lianna is Tsume's girlfriend. They have been going out since a few days after Tsume's thirteenth birthday.
"That's nice hon, how's she doing? I haven't seen her in a while." Mother asked.
"She's doing good, her family is going on a vacation later this week to some place in New York."
"Ah well that's very nice." She said smiling , she then looked towards Hige. "And you Hige?"
Hige froze, first he made a mess which he did clean up but it wasted whatever he put into the batter , then second was his cheek…it wasn't the best day for him even though he did have a few laughs.
"Something wrong sweetie?" Mother asked. Hige remained still, in a daze.
"Hige you alright kiddo?" Kevin asked.
"….What….?" he asked slowly coming out of his daze somewhat.
"Are you feeling okay? Your mother asked you how your day was but you seem out of it"
"huh? Oh ...yeah I'm...just fine…my day was good…Spent it downtown" Hige answered
"You sure you're feeling alright honey?" Mother asked getting up from her seat at the table, and walking over to Hige, she placed a hand on his forehead. "You don't feel warm or hot." She said as she slid her hand down to his cheek.
He froze once more, and she paused. "Hige? What's this?...is this makeup?" She asked as he rubbed her finger over his cheek. He flinched as she touched his sore cheek. "Why do you have makeup on your cheek?"
Hige remained silent. "Hige, why is your cheek covered in makeup?" Mother asked once more, but more firm this time.
Kiba and Toboe froze as well.
"Alright come on let's get that off your face, this instant." Mother said pulling Hige to his feet and pulling him by his upper arm over to the sink. She wetted a paper towel started cleaning the makeup off his face.
"Ah, hey come on no need to remove it! Ow! Mom stop please it's sore." Hige cried out as he tried to tug away from her.
She paused. "Your cheek it's bruised! How did this happen?"
Hige remained silent.
"Hige, what were you up to today?" She asked.
He was still silent.
"Hige…." Her tone was now more firm.
"Nothing Ma…I wasn't doing anything I wasn't suppose to!"
"mmhhh." Was all she said as she turned back to the table, look at each of her other children. "Alright, out with it. If any of you know what happened today tell me now."
Kiba and Toboe gave each other a glance before looking over to Hige.
Mother look at the each one, her eyes resting on Kiba. "Kiba, you were downtown today as well so surely you know what happened to your brother?" Both her tone and stare made it seem as if she already knew that Kiba knew about Hige's cheek.
Mother's instinct or something like that is what he figured.
He sighed. If he did not say it Toboe would anyway that he was sure of. "I wasn't there when it happened but he told me that he was flirting again, and one girl slapped him. When I did see him later today, he had a red mark on his cheek which turn into that bruise…..and then…" He sighed once more, it's never fun being in the hot seat.
"And?" Mother pressed.
"And then when we got home….I tried to hide it by covering it up with some of your makeup….I'm sorry Ma really….but it's just a bruise…" Now he just began to babble and trail off. It was obvious he felt bad about to whole thing, but he was not the one that got bruised doing something Mother told him not to do.
Whatever trouble he was in Hige was probably in for worst. That thought ran through Kiba's mind.
"I see, well then." She looked at her other three children "I hate it when you eat in your rooms but, Just this once please go and finish your dinners up stairs please Kevin and I need to talk to Hige and Kiba alone." She said. With that Toboe, Tsume and Cheza rose to their feet and with their plates in hand, headed for their rooms.
"Sit" Mother said motioning for Hige to come back to the table.
"Alright Hige, we heard Kiba's side in this now it's your turn, talk." Kevin said, now standing next to Mother. Both had their arms crossed.
Hige sighed. "Well after breakfast this morning, I went downtown and like Kiba said I was flirting. I uh…went up do one girl and uh after I…..said something to her…she slapped me…..then I said um….something else and she ….slapped me harder."
"What did you say?" Kevin asked.
Hige blushed. "…uh…."
"Well?" Mother asked
"Uh I'd rather not say…"
Kevin look over at his wife then back to his step sons. "Honey I think it's better that I talk to the boys alone, a little 'talk' to between boy and man might do these two some good."
She knew what he meant, and she agreed so with a nod she left.
"Alright boys neither one of you are in trouble this time but I think I would do you good if we had a talk, about what happened and a few other things."
"Why do I have to have a talkin' to? I didn't do nothing expect cover up the bruise."
"True , but you're only a year older than Hige and you'll both be dating soon so I think it's best that you both hear what I have to say" Kevin answered.
Both boys nodded. It was good that they were not in trouble but they knew the talk would not end here , next time they went to dad he'd likely have something to them as well.
Well some lessons are better learn the hard or in this case awkward way. That's just how it is.
AN: hope you liked this chapter (it was long wasn't it?) Please review and thanks to all who have already reviewed.