Xisuma's Parrotsitting [HermitSteal AU]

...Until the very end(?) :D

The title is the continuation of the previous chapter, which was "And it all goes well..."
Also sidenote for sodium metal, the stuff is very reactive with water. It explodes. Please do not attempt what Spoke has attempted in this chapter, you've been warned.

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At the end of March, Parrot broke the news that his school, in collaboration with the neighbouring Primary, would host a sports tournament in June, right before closing for the summer holidays. He is ecstatic when he shoves the formal form in Xisuma's face for him to sign his consent, right as the poor man stepped into the apartment after a long day at work. He took the paper, sidestepped an energetic, jumping Parrot and sat at the kitchen table to ask the boy more about it.

Of course, he allowed Parrot to participate. With how many days the group of misfits have spent playing football in the afternoon, even before any of the adoptions took place, both Parrot and Spoke had enough experience to win the football match that would signal the beginning of the tournament. Who is he to say no to such talent showing off in front of the whole school? Not to mention that neither of his boys wouldn't talk to him for the two and a half months until the big event if he did.

"Awesome! I can't wait!" Parrot flashed a toothy grin, throwing his arms in the air before putting the signed form into his backpack. Xisuma ruffled his hair and rushed both kids to return to their homework.

Spoke still had work in the afternoons. While Xisuma disliked the fact that he was working under an incredibly dangerous individual, the boy only seemed to be amazed by it. He'd return with countless stories about a lady who hit a cheating player upside the head with her bejewelled purse (ouch), or the bartender doing a cool shot trick with the precision of an architect, or how he has his own little R&R room, which is basically a miniature suite with his own bed and (daily restocked) mini-fridge.

As for Xanthus... He didn't visit as frequently as he once did, scared of the boys' reaction every time he entered through the door as a guest. The kids have been slowly accepting him into their lives again, way slower this time, careful to not make the same mistakes they had made the last. Xisuma more so watched and encouraged them to be friendlier and usually met his brother outside of the apartment for some family bonding time. He still felt the remnants of betrayal and anger when the idea of what his brother had done resurfaced but Xanthus was still his brother. And he loved his brother dearly; he couldn't hold anything against him for long.

The same could not be said for Parrot, who freely kicked his shins (he couldn't reach higher) when the man would get too close or "steal" a "taken" seat. Xisuma's placations didn't always reach Parrot's feathered ears. The boy only restrained himself from throwing punches because of Xisuma's presence and the family ties between them all. Honestly, that much was enough for Xisuma. Xanthus had messed up and Parrot was making sure he knew where they stood.

Xisuma didn't think that was a healthy way to place boundaries, so he did his best to minimise the amount of kicks and passive-aggressive comments given out.

And so life ran as it had, although the boys came less and less to the cafe afterschool and Pearl reported rising activity at the school's backyard and incidents with Mr. Marriott in the afternoons. While Parrot and Spoke did their own little practice with a ball and the wall, the others played with their own rules until the two boys rejoined the teams.

In PE, the gymnast approached the subject of forming strong teams in all sports that would be played to beat the other Primary in everything. That's right, they wouldn't take any prisoners. The teacher, apparently, knew of what transpired in the school yard in the evenings, and therefore took Parrot, Spoke, Mapic and Ro in the football team and filled the rest of the player slots with some of their other classmates. Bacon sat it out with Terrain, preferring to watch the chaos from the sidelines with a bowl of popcorn.