TLC means Tender Love and Care.

Disclaimer: All Characters owned by Square Enix

Chapter 37: TLC

"Kairi," Isa leaned his elbows on his windowsill, speaking to the auburn haired girl who was over on the other side in her own bedroom. "Let's do something today, hmm?"

"I can't," The girl replied. A frown appeared upon her face. "My dad's downstairs. I can't sneak out."

She would speak to Isa everyday this way. She would do her homework with him, play games with him, and tell jokes with him all with the gap that separated the two.

Letting out a sigh, Isa stood. He held his hand out the window and said, "Jump. I'll catch you."

Cue his cute smile.

"What! No way!" Kairi backed away from her window.

"It's not that big of a jump," Isa responded. "I'm sure you'll make it! Besides, wouldn't you rather have some fun with me than stay in your room all day? I'll take you somewhere."

Kairi crawled back up to her window. "It's raining though."

Isa pulled his hand back in, crossing his arms against his chest. "Y'know, you give too many excuses! There is such a thing as an umbrella."

The auburn looked away from the bluenette, contemplating her options. "Here…or there?" When she made her decision she got up and ran to her closet, pulling on a clear rain jacket. She went back to the window, watching Isa give her a weird look.

"You'd better catch me!"

Isa's confused look turned into a grin. "I'll always be here to catch you when you fall, Kai."

Kairi blushed. "D-don't say things like that!"

"What did you wake me up for?" Roxas asked as he sat up on the bed, eyeing the redhead.

A snake-like grin appeared on Axel's face suddenly as he reached towards the boy. "Body check!"

Roxas quickly moved out of the way, the fire-head falling on the bed. "How about no?"

"It was worth a try." Axel murmured into the bed sheets. He rolled himself over on his back, lying beside the blonde. "Roxas," He relaxed himself. "What would it take to get you to like me?"

"I already like you."

The red head looked up at the blonde.

"We're friends, aren't we?"

"Not that," Axel shook his head. "Fall in love with me."

Roxas put his head in between his knees, hiding his face. "You make me uncomfortable." The blonde put his hand out in the air towards that fire-head. Axel grabbed it, intertwining their fingers.

The older boy closed his eyes.

"You'll love me someday Roxas."

"The second star to the right," Axel's eyes shot open hearing Roxas begin to sing. It was in a low voice and started out slowly, as if the blonde was shy. "Shines in the night for you.~" The blonde lifted his head from between his knees, and looked over at the redhead. He could see the look of shock on his face through darkness that was slightly lit by the computer screen on the other side of the room. "Did I sound bad?"

Axel grinned, it was the first time he ever heard the blonde sing. "That was amazing," He finally said. "Breathtaking. How come you never let me hear you before?"

"Because I'd be too embarrassed."

"I'm not sure." Roxas rested his head on his knees.

"You should get a label."

"I've thought about it," The blonde responded. "But those chances are really small."

"Maybe small enough for you to make it!" Axel was encouraging.

"Hmph," Roxas lightly smiled. "You're too optimistic."

"Then I guess we balance each other out," The redhead stated. "By the way, that day in the bathroom in middle school, what were you hiding for?"

"I just didn't want to be seen by anyone. No special reason, really."

"Hm, if only I was persistent on figuring out who you were back then," Axel whined. "I would've met the love of my life a couple years earlier."

"Well aren't you so flattering today?" The blonde grinned.

The redhead closed his eyes once again.

"Blondes usually aren't my type. But you just pull my heart strings," He said. "I think I deserve some TLC* for all I've been through with-" He stopped, feeling a pair of small soft lips press themselves against his forehead. His heart felt like it had skipped a beat. He opened his eyes to see if he was dreaming.

"Thank you, Axel."

"Beat!" Sora yelled happily as he rushed towards the blonde he so dearly remembered back then. His mother got up and walked into the other room, deciding to leave the boys alone.

"Sora," Beat stood up and gave the brunette a hug. He let go after a couple seconds, looking at Sora. He envisioned what he remembered of the Sora he had left back then. "You…you haven't changed!"

The brunette raised an eyebrow before laughing. "I'm definitely taller, and my voice has deepened! Don't you hear it, Beat?"

"You still look like the same old little Sora to me." Beat responded. It must've been because the blonde himself has grown as well, that Sora was still the same to him.

Riku stood awkwardly in the room, as if he were the third wheel. His face stayed expressionless with eyes half shut as he looked towards the ground, white eyelashes batting every couple seconds.

Sora looked back at Riku, noticing the unwelcomed aura about him. He gave a genuine smile, walking over to the snow-head and grabbing his hand. Riku looked at the brunette, waiting for what he was going to say. "Beat, this is-"

"Oh, I recognize 'im," Beat crossed his arms against his chest as he walked up to face the snow-head. "Satoshi, right? From the Blitzball team…well at least he was on the middle school one."

Riku looked the blonde dead in the eye and said, "It's Riku. Satoshi is my surname."

They were around the same height, and almost close in physique.

Feeling the tension that caused, Sora began to pinch the snow-heads cheek. "Isn't he cute?!" He said nervously, watching Riku give him an angry look. Sora let go of the teen's cheek, realizing it didn't help. "Beat, I'm glad you're here and that you cared to come and see me. I want to talk to you about everything, but I don't think right now is the time."

Beat dropped his hands to his sides. "I understand Sora," He grinned. "Y'know, it's been a long time since anyone has called me Beat! Everyone at the hospital would call me Daisukenojo."

"Hmph," Riku put his hands in pockets. "I'll just go home. It's raining anyway, so it'd be hard to give you extra practice."

"Extra practice?" Beat repeated.

"You can't go, it's raining," Sora told Riku, holding onto the boy's arm tight as he was being dragged to the front door. "You might get sick!"

"I'll be fine!" Riku said sternly as he tried to get Sora off of him.

"No you won't," The brunette retorted. "If you get sick before our first game, it'll be awful and coach will be mad!"

"I don't care." The snow-head finally got loose, rushing out the door and closing it behind him before Sora could grab hold of him again.

The boy sighed. He felt Beat place a hand on his shoulder. "How did you become friends with him ?"

Sora looked back at the blonde and smiled. "I stood in the wrong line for my schedule this year. That's how we met," He answered. "We can talk now."

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