LOG: Chocolate Milk and School

[protective_logic]

Who: Delta Ai (Native), Theta Ai (Native)
What: Omega asked Delta to talk to Theta about school. This is that talk
Where: Theta and Omega's bedroom
When: Sunday Afternoon, 10/18
Warnings:

Sundays, the day of the week that is starting to become consistently Delta's favorite. Granted he had just gotten home from the latest of his driving sessions with Beta and that put his nerves on the absolute edge, but Sundays tended to be Delta's actual day off. The day where he had some responsibilities, but those being almost exclusively the usual groceries, and 'make sure the twins don't color over the walls.' But with the terrible twosome downstairs watching cartoons, Delta doesn't find it hard to come up and knock on the door of Theta and Omega's bedroom. Purple team country.

Good thing he's coming with a bribe. The twins are downstairs with a plate of apple slices and glasses of milk and orders to shout for Delta if anything falls over or goes wrong, but he doubts it will happen. For all that they're young, they are bright for their age. Just like all Ais. And that brightness comes with good common sense. Like Theta. He's going to recognize Delta's tray of chocolate milks and a plate of the cookies Florida sent home this week as an indication of serious talk. Or so Delta hopes. That's the goal after all.

Comments

[trustandfireworks]

HE DOES? He perks up a bit. WELL, IF YOU TWO DID IT TOGETHER, I GUESS IT WOULD BE OKAY.

[protective_logic]

Delta nods and rubs his hair.

"You can also ask for help at school if you want."

[trustandfireworks]

BUT THEY HAVEN'T HELPED BEFORE, he points ou. THEY NEVER LISTEN.

[protective_logic]

NOT TEACHERS. THEY CAN GIVE YOU A TUTOR, AN OLDER KID AT SCHOOL GOOD AT SOMETHING. OR YOU COULD TALK TO ANY FRIENDS YOU HAVE THAT ARE GOOD AT IT.

Which is Delta's subtle way of asking if his brother has made new friends, as well as how he's doing with his old ones.

[trustandfireworks]

TUTOR, he repeats the unfamiliar sign. 'What does that mean?.'

'Most of them aren't in my class,' he says. 'And the others are busy.'

[protective_logic]

"Someone who takes time to help you learn the things you're having trouble with. Or help you learn things you're decent at better..."

Busy? Delta frowns at that and shifts to look straight at Theta. "What do you mean 'busy'?"

[trustandfireworks]

'Oh.' He tries the sign again, trying to get it in his memory. 'What's the word?'

He shrugs. 'I don't know, they just always say they're busy.'

[protective_logic]

"Tutor," Delta provides as he tries to think about it. "Would... you like to invite your friends over here for a sleepover? We can do that now, you know."

[trustandfireworks]

A sleepover? He's never been allowed those before. 'Can... Can Squall come?' It takes him a second to remember the name he's supposed to use.

[protective_logic]

"Squall?" Delta asks, keeping his tone light and welcoming even though he's never heard this name before. "And you said you hadn't made any new friends. But okay, how about we make a list of people you want over and we'll make invitations and I'll talk to their parents?"

[trustandfireworks]

'I made one,' he says, holding one finger up. 'He... doesn't go to the school though.' He fidgets at the mention of parents, remembering that whole conversation he'd had with Nida.

[protective_logic]

"Then... how did you meet him?" Delta asks, suddenly very afraid.

[trustandfireworks]

'In the... park.' Close to the park anyway. Ish.

[protective_logic]

No, this is not good.

"How old is he?"

[trustandfireworks]

He has to think for a second, remembering.

'Seventeen.'

[protective_logic]

"Theta," Delta gasps. "Theta, that isn't someone you go to school with. He's a high school student."

This is weird. How can Theta let this happen? Did they not teach him properly about strangers?

[trustandfireworks]

His eyes widen and he pulls the duvet tighter around himself.

'No, i-it's okay,' he says hurriedly. 'Omega knows him.'

[protective_logic]

Yeah, no, that isn't okay either. But Delta will face that later. "Tell me more about him."

[trustandfireworks]

He bites his lip. Nida told him not to. What can he say?

'He... He's the guy in the ice cream shop. The one who was in the video.'

[protective_logic]

Oh man, now what is going on?

"You knew him?"

[trustandfireworks]

'No...' He looks down guiltily.

[protective_logic]

"Theta, please," Delta says softly, reaching out to stroke his hair. "I need you to be honest about this."

[trustandfireworks]

Why can't he be good at lying like Gamma? Gamma can get away with almost anything.

'...Maybe.' The word is barely even a mumble.

[protective_logic]

"Tell me everything," Delta asks softly. "Because otherwise I don't know I can trust him. Theta, he's almost an adult and that scares me. Someone that old I want to know more about."

[trustandfireworks]

'I trust him,' he says, nodding with certainty. 'I definitely trust him. And Omega does too. That's good, isn't it?'