Summer's End and New Beginings

Ah. I forgot to put a chapter up last week, so for the people who are reading, a surprise! Two chapters! I hope you enjoy. Please give me some feed back too.
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Blank, Tidus and Zidane all walked up to the fountain. "Everyone find what they are looking for?" Blank asked.

"I think so," Yuna said looking around at the others. Dagger and Rikku nodded, while Paine's eye caught Blank's purchase.

"Gonna play some dress up Blank?" she said with a sly grin.

"Come to the first meeting of the weapons club and find out." He said before throwing his head back and cackling.

"Scary." Rikku said clinging to Paine.

"We still have one place we should go." Dagger said, as all eyes turned to her. "Tifa will be mad if we don't visit."

"That's a good idea. We can grab a smoothie to go too." Yuna said smiling.

Tifa waved as they came into 7th Heaven. "Hey guys! Glad you stopped by. Blank was in here earlier, so I figured you were not too far behind."

"Yo." A spiky haired blonde said from behind the counter.

"Hey Tifa! How they hanging?" Zidane asked with a slight giggle as he looked over the menu.

Tifa scowled and Rikku snuck up behind her. She reached around and placed her hands on Tifa's bosom and rubbed then slightly. "Seem perky too me!"

Tifa jumped slightly and blushed. "Ahh! No! Stop! To the right! Pinch it!"

Paine laughed and Tidus looked flustered. "That means business is good." Paine explained.

Tifa caught her composure. "Actually, we are having a volleyball tournament soon."

"Volleyball tournament?" Tidus asked.

"Who are you?" Tifa asked looking Tidus over.

"Sorry! I forgot! This is Tidus, Tidus Tifa." Yuna said properly introducing the two. "Cloud is the one behind the counter. Cloud, can I have an orange cream slush."

"Nice to meet you Tidus. Anyway, 7th Heaven is sponsoring an End of Summer Volleyball tournament.

The winner gets our sponsorship for their club. That club also gets a special party thrown by us!" She said handing each of them a flyer. "Cloud and I will be playing with the winning teams."

"Sounds fun! Chocolate chip cookie dough Cloud!" Zidane said with a big smile.

"I'll have what he's having," Tidus said.

"Let's join! Whatcha say Yunie?" Rikku said practically dancing around. "Make mine rainbow, Cloud!"

"Strawberry Banana?" Dagger said looking at the blonde. He nodded and Dagger smiled widely. She really loved strawberries.

"So can I count on seeing you all there?" Tifa asked excitedly.

"Yeah. We will be there." Blank said coming in from where he had been listening outside.

Cloud put the drinks on the counter and looked over to Blank. His face went pale when he saw the outfit slung over his shoulder. Tifa caught the look and burst out laughing.

Everyone looked at the hysterical woman who was bringing over their drinks. "Here. On the house." Tifa said passing them out.

"You sure?" Zidane asked wide eyed.

"Yeah. Thanks Blank. I needed a good laugh." She said stifling a giggle again.

"Alright." Blank said herding everyone to the exit. "Later guys!"

"Bye Tifa!"
"Bye Cloud!"

"See ya Thursday!" Tifa said as she turned to Cloud and immediately started laughing again. Cloud just groaned and tried to sink through the floor.

Zidane let Tidus in the before reclaming the front seat. The girls got in the back and Paine pulled out a CD. "Here"

Blank put it in as he started it up. The Dynamic Chocobos started blaring as they pulled out of the parking lot and made their way back. In the back seat the girls went through bags comparing purchases, while the front seat remaind fairly quiet.

Zidane's tail twitched in time with the music. He was finding it hard to stay awake. He tried watching the road through half lidded eyes before he gave in and fell asleep.

Tidus was startled by the soft thud on his shoulder. He looked over and saw a snoring Zidane. He smiled softely at the sleeping boy before he reached for volume knob and turned it down.

"Hey!" Paine started.

"Shh!" Tidus whispered as he pointed to the sleeping boy.

"Aww. Keymon's exhausted." Rikku said pratically cooing. Before long they pulled into Yuna's driveway. The girls got out quietly. "You sure you don't want me to drive you home Dagger?"

"It's ok. It's just two houses down," she said and started off.

"You coming Tidus?" Yuna asked softely.

He looked at the still snoring Zidane. "I think I will walk back. I don't want to wake him yet."

"You don't know the streets well enough to be walking them at night," Yuna said sternly.

"I...well..."

"He will stay at Zidane's tonight then." Blank supplied.

"He will?"
"I will?"

"Sure. I am sure Zidane won't mind." Blank said putting the car into gear.

"Ok. See ya later then." Yuna said as she turned and walked to the front door. Blank pulled out of the driveway and took off down the road.

"I hope the couch will be okay for tonight." Blank said as they continued down the road.

"It's fine. That is what I was sleeping on at Yuna's."

"When you first go in, there is a closet to your left. There are spare blankets and sheets in there."

"You know alot about his house, huh?"

Blanks face softened slightly. "Yeah. Zidane and I have been friends since we were little. I have taken care of him ever since Baku left."

"Baku?"

"Baku is, or was, Zidane's guardian. But one day he just disappeard." Blank cleared his throat.

"Anyway, help yourself to anything in the fridge."

"Okay." Tidus said respecting Blank's unspoken request to drop the subject of Zidane's past.

Blank parked the car on the curb outside Zidane's. "The house is unlocked. His room is upstairs, think you can manage?"

Tidus lifted the boy in his arms and climbed out. "Yeah. I got it."

Blank started to walk to his house. "I am right next door if you need anything."

"Thanks Blank." Tidus said as he walked up the path to the front door. It was alittle hard to open the door while holding Zidane, but he eventually managed to get it open.

Zidane snuggled closer to Tidus's chest. As he breathed in he could smell his nice scent. His eyes opened half way, "Tidus?"

"Yeah. Sorry. Did I wake you?"

Zidanes eyes flew open. He felt the blush creeping to his cheeks as he looked up to face the other teen.

"N-No. It's alright."

Tidus smiled down at him. "Okay. Blank told me to crash here tonight. We didn't want to wake you." he said as he placed Zidane down on the couch.

"Ah." Zidane said while some of the blush went out of his cheeks.

"You don't mind do you?" Tidus asked sitting beside him.

"Of course not! It'll be fun!" Zidane said excitedly.

"Cool. Glad I am not being an inconvience."

"Never." Zidane mumbled as he went about gathering some games and movies. "It's only 7 o'clock. So what do you want to do first?"

"Mmm. How about a game?" Tidus asked going through the stack Zidane sat down on the table.

"Sounds good. Which one?"

Tidus carefully looked through the titles before holding one up, "This one!"

"DOA Ultimate?" Zidane said reading the title. "Okay. But I should warn you, I am pretty good at it."

"Oh really? Well, I am sure I can catch on pretty quickly."

Zidane popped the CD into the system and grabbed a controller. "Okay then. First one with 100 wins,wins!" he tossed the other controller to Tidus.

"You're on!" Tidus said, and they began.