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Taiga looked up at her with wide eyes, "Really? i love basketball! Testu stole one from the school by our mother's house and we'd play all the time when the men weren't there!" he held up the basketball he always had near, "we lost that one, it got stabbed, but Daren gave use these new ones!" it was obviously well worn, but also taken care of. "maybe, if you have time, we could play? i'm excited, we get to go to real school next year and they said we can join the team too!"

Daren grinned a little, "Actually, it was originally made for shorter people, but it was too short for me so i added two inches to the counter tops and put the cupboards up higher too. sorry about that, might need to invest in a step stool if you two are over here often enough." he made a mental note to buy one the next time they went to the store. "there's a salad made in the fridge, i'll get that out with all the trimmings. deal?" he adjusted Testu to his other arm, the boy weighing so little he was able to support him with his sling without much more pressure. it freed up his hand to do what he needed and he started getting everything out.

Taiga nodded, "That's ok. it means we can see each other again!" for him that was more important that playing. "why do you have to be 'man enough'. lots of girls play, you don't have to be a man to play basketball. Tim, do you think you have to be a man to play?"

"Ow! hey now, i'm holding a kid!" Daren said, laughing, but Tetsu adjusted, nuzzling closer into Daren's neck and sighed softly, clinging to the strap of his sling. "good thing he didn't wake up-" he smiled at Amanda and carried the salad supplies to the table one or two at a time. the timer went off and he hurried back, turning sideways to keep Tetsu out of the heat when the opened and pulled out the casserole. "dinner's done if you want to get the others."

Taiga smiled, "Yuki said he was no good at them, but he's actually really good at chess and stuff like that so it doesn't matter. Mama says sports aren't for everyone." he put his ball next to Tetsu's and hurried to the table when dinner was called. "i
m so excited! thanks, Daren! i love your cooking."

Daren grinned, "whatever you say, little man. Tetsu-" he pulled the other away and shook him a little, but Tetsu remained limp, his arms and head lulling as they hung low. "Tetsu, wake up buddy. dinner time. you promised to eat, remember?"

Tetsu blinked a couple times, his eyes slowly coming into focus as he looked at the group. "morning."

Testu's head was the only thing he was holding up, the rest of his body still limp. "No-tired." he yawned, his eyes starting to close again.

"Tetsu, just eat a little, ok?" Daren ordered, the boy waking up again and giving a tiny nod. "Alright, thank you. come on." he sat Tetsu down on his own chair, knowing that if the boy sat on his lap he'd be asleep again in minutes. "i hope you like it, it's a recipe of my own invention." he sat down and began to dish out according to what size everyone wanted.

Taiga sat between Rachel and Tim, happy since he'd made two new friends. "Do you like basketball, Miss Amanda?"

Testu was taking bites between nodding off, almost falling back asleep in his plate, but staying awake enough to finish.

Taiga attacked his plate like a starving man, devouring it and getting seconds like any growing young boy. "I like baseball, but it's hard! i got hit by a ball once, knocked out my first tooth!"

Daren nodded, "We could do that, if you wanted, Tim. it's up to you, but i think baseball would be a good idea. there's a community league you could join if you want and they have different levels of play from 'honest' to 'full of yourself'. that's actually what they call them, i didn't make that up."

"If that's what he want," Daren said. he wasn't going to force Tim to do anything, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to strongly encourage.

Taiga looked at Tim with new respect, "that's so cool! Mama would have a heart attack if that happened to me, though. i got hit in the ege by a basketball and it turned all black and purple. she cried for a long time, said it reminded her of too much." he shrugged and took another big bite, "but Dad told her that's part of sports. she's been better about it since then."

there was a tump next to Daren and he looked over, seeing that Tetsu had finished his plate and passed out as soon as he swallowed his last bite. he wiped the boy's mouth and moved him so his head was on Daren's knee, letting him sleep more comfortably.

Taiga stood on his chair and reached over to feel, his eyes wide. "oh wow-that's cool!" he grinned and sat back down, "Tetsu don't have a dent, but he has a scar! a big one too! it's on both sides, look-"

"Taiga, don't!" but it was too late, Taiga had already lifted Tetsu's shirt, showing the round scar and multiple surrounding surgical scars on the boy's back, barely half an inch away from his spine. "Taiga! you know you aren't suppose to show that to people," Daren scolded, pulling the shirt back down to hide the bullet's scar. unfortunately that wasn't the only mark on the boy's body, but it was the one that drew the most attention. "Tetsu doesn't like people seeing it."

Taiga sat down, looking sad, "i know, but he's asleep so he won't know..." Daren glare made him drop his eyes, "i'm sorry."

Daren reached over to pat the boy's head, "it's ok, just be careful ok? he looked up at the three and knew an explanation was needed. "a little over a year ago Tetsu was shot, i'm not going to go into much detail, but their mother was involved with a gang and a rival one targeted her. Tetsu was hurt as a result."

Taiga nodded, "he always protected me from the bad men who came to visit mother, but he was trying to save mom when he got hurt. he's really strong and super brave, i wish i could be as brave as he is...but he has nightmares. bad dreams of when we were living with mother. he can't sleep when he has them unless he's touching Daren. he can sleep when Daren's there."

Daren nodded, "which is why i can't move him to the couch just yet. i'm almost done eating, i'll move him then."