Author's note: Mild language

Ages: Kai - 17, Eli - 16, Ronan - 14, 'Jem - 12

"Man, I haven't been here in forever."

"C'mon Eli, I don't think you've ever been here."

"Have so! Once. ...A long time ago...I can't really remember, actually, I might've been five..."

"Dork."

Eli grinned at Kai over his shoulder, absently swinging the stick he'd found. They'd been on Destiny Islands for almost a whole day already, and Kai was happier than he'd admit that Eli had been keeping his mouth shut about the Paopu fruit since they'd arrived.

Oh sure, the other boy kept giving the tree pointed looks, and then giving the same pointed looks to Kai, but at least he wasn't talking about it. Kai'd heard enough about the silly thing on the trip over to last him a while.

"Kai! 'Jem says hurry up with the fire, she's almost got dinner ready!"

He glanced in the direction of the yell to see Ronan waving at him and smiling. It was nice, seeing his brother starting to open up more around them. He was still quiet, sure, but at least he didn't flinch as often...and he had less of a tendency to open random portals when someone tossed food at him.

"Yeah, no problem! Come on Eli, put the stick back so I can get the fire going."

"Ah, Kai, it's my sword-"

"It's a stick. We'll find better ones later, I want to eat."

Granted, he wanted to eat something that wasn't fish, but 'Jem had been so happy to see such a clear ocean he hadn't been able to talk her out of it.

Grumbling under his breath, Eli tossed the stick away, following Kai back to the campsite. The wood had been collected earlier, and Ronan had it set up properly, so it was up to Kai to light it.

Which he did, with maybe a stronger burst of Fire than he needed. The three boys jumped back in surprise, then snickers broke out. 'Jem glanced up from her spot a few feet away, where she was finishing off turning the fish she'd caught into shish-kabobs.

"Really, you guys."

"Hey, you wanted a fire." Kai laughed, sitting back down and waiting for 'Jem to cook the food. He'd offer, but as of the last time he'd tried (and managed to incinerate the whole meal), he'd been banned. Ronan didn't know the first thing about cooking outdoors unless it was a hotdog on a grill, and Eli?

Well.

Eli's idea of cooking dinner was to nuke it, and since they didn't exactly have access to a microwave most of the time...

"Just a small one, it's only fish." 'Jem settled in to cook, and Kai flopped onto his back on the sand, staring up at the darkening sky. It wasn't his Destiny Islands, but it was still a good, calm place to be. It felt safe here. He could tell Ronan felt the same when the younger boy let out a soft yawn.

"Tired?"

"Not much, just relaxed, I guess. Hey Eli?"

"Yeah?"

"That fruit- the Paopu? Does that really work?"

Oh no.

"I dunno, I guess. I mean, legends gotta come from somewhere, right?"

Kai snorted. No, no, and no.

"Legends come from the brains of sappy girls overly interested in romance- Ow!"

He jerked his leg away from 'Jem, trying to avoid getting poked again. That hurt.

"Sorry, sorry. But even if it's real, I'm not sharing one with you Eli, so give it up already."

"Awe, but Kai-"

"'But' nothing, you weirdo!"

"I thought you loved me!"

"Not that much."

"Geeze, thanks. Guess it'll just go to waste, then."

Wait, what? The way Eli said that, Kai pictured him with his hands on it already. But-

Pushing himself up onto his elbows, he looked over to see Eli waving a large Paopu fruit in the air. When did he get that? As if he'd heard the thought, Ronan answered it, grinning at the look on Kai's face.

"I picked it for him while you guys were busy exploring."

"Ah, traitor."

"Always happy to help!"

'Jem shook her head with a smile, checking on the fish again before reaching over to take the fruit from Eli.

"I don't think it'd hurt, Kai. It's just a legend."

"Who says I want to be stuck with the world's dorkiest Epic Mage for eternity?"

"Hey!"

Ronan gestured for 'Jem to toss him the fruit; she did so, and he caught it neatly, turning it over in his hands.

"...If you won't share with Eli, will you share with me? I mean, I'm your brother, and everything."

Kai cast him an exasperated look. "Since I'm your brother, I'm going to be in your damn destiny whether you want me there or not, so no."

"Kai..." Ronan put on his best sad face without overdoing it. Kai nearly twitched. Why the hell-

"Oh all right, if it'll get you guys to stop already. It's a legend. I think we're pretty well stuck with each other as it is. Give me that."

The younger boy happily turned over the fruit, and after Kai was done making faces at it, he took a bite...Then made another face.

"Tastes like mango. Kinda." He quickly tossed it back to Ronan, who after taking his own bite threw it to 'Jem. Laughing, she barely managed to catch it before it hit the sand.

"Should I? Does it work like this, with four people? ...And I think the fish is burning."

Eli laughed, leaning around her to check on the fish. Whoops, kind of charring there for sure. He carefully picked the pieces out, laying them out on a rock they'd found for the purpose.

"I could go get another one and we could just do it in twos."

"Like hell!" Kai tossed a handful of sand at him. "Do it with Larkin if you're going to do it with anyone, she's mine!"

'Jem blushed and turned her attention back to the Paopu, while Kai scowled, smacking himself in the face. "Not like that!"

Snickering, Eli flopped onto his stomach. "Okay, so you and Ronan already did it, and you don't want me sharing a separate one with 'Jem, so I guess that means I'll have to eat this one, which means you and I shared, so our destinies will be forever intertwined! ...That is kind of romantic, I think you're right about sappy girls coming up with it- OW, 'Jem!"

The blonde was glaring at him while she chewed, holding the fruit out. Kai rolled his eyes. Well great.

"Aw, just take a bite and shut up already, Epic Mage."

Absolutely beaming at having won, Eli took the fruit and bit off a corner, flopping down again.

"It's not bad...doesn't taste like mango to me."

"I can't believe you. Now I'll never be rid of you."

"Awe, like you'd be able to manage."

"...Eat your fish before I drop you in the ocean, Eli."