Tonic was short. Even by Rain’s standards he was shy an inch. But then, he was at least taller then Moonshine. Though no one’s saying that’s a good thing. Tonic would rather he and Gin be the same height as Moonshine, or Moonshine as them. His skates raise him an inch and a half, make him ten times faster and if possible add balance to him. He just looks right on skates.

Tonic had left the house through the bedroom window after Chris had locked him in. He’d waited for nearly half an hour in the bedroom, curled into an unusually small ball under Gin’s bed, bleeding and shuddering and naked, waiting until he couldn’t hear his father moving around anymore out in the hallway and living room. He’d heard the front door close but he’d not heard the sounds of a shuffle, of anyone shouting or being hit, and his brother’s hadn’t come to the bedroom so either Chris had a girlfriend over or he left. At the end of the half hour, when he was sure Chris wasn’t coming back, he’d crawled from under the bed and pulled his book bag closer to him. He took out un-needed books and packed supplies for doing his and his brothers homework, then got up and put on clothing without cleaning away the blood or seamen. Then dropping the bag and the skates out the window, he climbed out.

Tonic didn’t clean himself because it felt dirty to have his father’s seed on him, to have drying blood on him. And that’s how he should feel. At least, he thinks so. Don’t bother asking why. Moonshines always seen it as his job to try and protect his brothers, Tonic’s always seemed to believe he deserved what he got for some reason. He’s weak willed.

The clothing he put on covered him from neck to toes in a fishnet shirt that only faintly showed the darker tints of bruising against the pale skin, the reddened flakiness of drying blood and dark cuts. His pants were long, almost too big for him and hung low on his youthful hips, showing more then really needed showed of the hip bones and the fact that he’s not wearing boxers...or anything. The pants have wide legs with zippers and straps. They shouldn’t be skate-worthy or skate-safe pants because the bottoms were tattered slightly and too long for him, but he tucked the pants into the top of black and red boots of the skates, holding them in place and snapping the skates tightly. He’d swung the black bag gingerly over his shoulders. His hair is an inch and a half short so that it’s messy and spiky all over, standing up in every direction it pleases. The bangs, however are long and they hang down straight and touch the bottom of his chin, hanging in front of his eyes and face, hiding his face almost entirely. And really, how can he see? Under those bangs are two black eyes, drying blood on the cheek bone and above the eyebrow, a split lip coated in dry blood and a few scars, several silver piercings. His wrist is wrapped in an ace bandage, though it’s been broken for almost two months now and should have been in a cast. He uses it too much for it to heal.

He enters the skate park and quite a few people know the boy, hardly his face since his hair is often there, but they know him. They call him a range of names from kid to idiot to skate. Why Skate or idiot? Because no one knows his name. He doesn’t talk to anyone but he’s such a good skaters. Such a crazy skater. He attempts things that most won’t and when he takes a spill it’s usually brutally nasty. People have already suspected he gets beat or in a lot of fights. With the triplets, how could you not know, they’re always hurt. And people know he’s a triplet, they’ve seen the other two around him. They also suspect he’s a bit of a stoner since both of his brothers are.

Upon getting to the skatepark, he eases the bag off of his bruised shoulders and doesn’t waist time going straight for a ramp, making his way to the top, and waiting for his turn. Usually, people won’t skate the same ramp as him at the same time. They’re afraid he’ll fall and they’ll run him over. Or that they’ll be in the way of the almost scary wildness of his skating style. Currently, there’s a man and a...well...transsexual? on the ramp.

...

Transsexual?

That's funny. Rain probably would have fallen over, laughing too hard if he heard that one. He's heard it before and time and time again. At first, when he was younger, it had hurt, and he had been shy and shamed when others looked at him with cruel eyes. Now he 'don't give a fuck' and just laughs and flicks off the person who stares at him wrong.

Seriously, he's done it before.

He had been talking to his friend when a kid climbs on up. Friend does his stuny, going up and down, getting ready to land on the other side. Rain is looking at the kid, not hiding his raised eyebrow and grin. Oh dear, silly Rain. His bright eyes go down the thin body, his grin flickering when his eyes point out all the wounds that are visible, and then those /pants/. Who the hell would wear pants like that here?

Obviously this kid is either stupid enough, or just don't give a damn.

Better than going naked, now that would hurt if he ended up sliding face down. Rain practically winced at the thought. But he did wince, becuase his friend just smacked the back of his head.

"Wha-at?"

A whine from Rain and a punch back. His friend leaned in close, motioning to go somewhere else 'cause of the kid. Rain pursed his lips, raised and eyebrow and looked at the kid then back at Jonathan. Then he burst. Out laughing that is. Head tilted back he just laughed and laughed, until tears came down his face and then he was snuffling, wiping his eyes. Rain's voice, unlike his laugh, was no longer loud. It could be heard only by those within ten feet.

"You're telling me, that we should wait until the boy is done? Why?"

A snort from Rain and his face was dry. Obviously Jonathan was one of the people who were afraid to run the kid over.

"If the kid gets ran over, it's 'is own damn fault, and the person-who-ran-him-over's fault 'cause they were obviously not watching where they were goin'."

Jonathan sighed, he's been here plenty of times before, he's seen the kid and all those wipeouts he has had before and he looks to Rain but before he can open his mouth, Rain grabs his lips and pinches them shut.

"Look, shut up, go sit down if you want, I'm skatin'."

If one can listen closely, they can hear his Californian accent. Oh how nice it would to be there again. San Deigo...go shopping and swimming. Gorgeous people, beautiful scenery. As long as you are in the nice parts. Rain is not an unkind person, he can just be brash, blunt, and really crude. But never is ke unkind. Jonathan just shook his head and patted Rain, yes, patted Rain, on the arm and climbed off. Well, at least tried to, he slipped halfway and fell the rest.

"Ow! That must 'uv been a reeeeaaaaal doozy there Jonny!"

Rain snorted and turned, turning around and looking at the others. There were a few other people on the ramp, but not many Rain just shrugged and took his turn, doing that silly twirrly thing he's been practicing most of the time he's been here, in between challenges and skated back up on the other side, stretching his legs.

Ooooooh. Goddamed cramps. No more standing still for more than three minutes, nosiree. While he was stretching, he took his time to watch the kid. See what hes got.

He's got nothing as long as someone else is on the ramp. Tonic doesn't skate when others do. Not for fear of falling and being run down like most people fear for him but because he knows that nine out of ten times, if someone skates with him, they end up injured and he ends up blaming himself for evey little extent of their injuries. Stupid, he shouldn't have been in the way. If he hadn't been, they wouldn't have fallen.

Can you see the negitive digits of self esteem? Can you say 'Chris is great for a person's ego?'

Tonic is neither an idiot nor does he care if he gets hurt. It's why the bottom of the pants are tucked away into the top of the skates. They won't do him any damage there. But even if naked had been an option, after this afternoons 'father/son' time, the only thing Tonic was really worried about, besides being away from his brothers, was being completely covered. Naked wasn't an option even if it were an option.

Tonic had been standing at the top of the ramp, his arms crossed tightly over his chest and holding so tightly that his knuckles had paled, as if he'd been hugging himself, his gray green gaze watching the other skaters moving about. He'd not noticed the ... transexual? watching him until the other had burst into laughter until tears. His eyes had turned to the sound, he'd never laughed like that. He'd never seen his brothers laugh like that, or his mom. How much he'd give to see Moonshine and Gin smile like that. Tonic vaguely recognized the other's friend as well, though when Tonic takes in a scenerey, he doesn't focus as much on faces as he does where the possible exits are.

When Rain's eyes return, Tonic was still looking at him. He looked away so quickly it's a suprise he didn't snap his neck. It wasn't the look of embarassment at having been caught like Ivan's look might be. Rather, it was a nervous, fearful expression that flickered over his features as he looked away in the other direction. He contniued to gaze at his book bag on the table top until someone shouted:

"Hey Skate...yer up." His attintion came back to find there wasn't anyone on the ramp but rather they'd lined up on the platform on the other side. Some people liked to watch him skate because he really was good, some because he tried things most people wouldn't, and some liked to watch him fall, because when Tonic fell, he whiped out.

He didn't hesitate stepping onto the copeing and jumping into the vert. Maybe because he's so light or maybe because he's perfected the technique, he gathered higher air faster then normal, then starts the tricks. A grab in the air, 180 back in, a porn star stall on the other side, 360 back in, a soul stall and 180 back in, more and more until he turned the stalls into grinds the length of the coping. And finally, the inevitable. Tonic moved up one side for a reverse grind and landed the trick...but the back wheel of one skate caught the coping.

He went forward, knees to the vert, then hands. His hands caught the smooth wood, abruptly stopping him. But when your front stops, the back keeps going and his butt and legs were airborn for a moment before flipping over his head and hitting the wood of the ramp and then sliding down to the flat of the half-pipe on his knees and forarms, his face touching the wood all the way. Someone gasped, two boys cheered, one asked if he was alright but he didn't answer or move. He's counting to ten.

That'll be more bruises and road rash on the knees, arms, and probably the forehead too.

Chris is great for a person's ego? Maybe his own, but obviously not for anyone else's. But Rain didn't know what Tonic's life was like, and he didn't know who Chris was. He didn't even know Tonic, not even his name. All he knows is that this kid is one of the damn best skaters he's seen for someone at that age. Yes, Rain does assume he is young, he's small enough to be.

Now, a wise-ass ((:eyes Emmys:)) can point out that Rain is small too, but he doesn't really look young. He has this youthful aura to him, but he more or less looks his age.

But damn! The kid is good. He was doing a few tricks that Rain knew and a few other ones that Jon had showed him. Afew Rain couldn't get because truthfuly, he thought they were kinda stupid. But this was impressive. Really impresive. Rain expressed that with his large cat-ate-canary grin. Strangely, it only grew wider with the wipeout.

That looked painful. Of course Rain was sympathetic to the other's pain, but that was just too cool to watch. But it must have been damned painful. A few people had skated over to him, since he didn't reply, and Rain was one of them. He didn't rush, like a few other's did. He thought it would be best to give him a little space at first. Still he was nearly right beside the other semi-crouching down next to his torso.

He's looking at all those marks on the thin body of the other. He made a face. Just as thin as Ivan. Someday, somehow, eventually Rain will get Ivan to gain enough weight so he doesn't look like he can be snapped in two. But then again, that look is natural to Ivan it seems. But this kids thiness does not seem natural. Anorexic maybe? For once he frowned. Looking up to 'Skate's' face. There was chattering going on around them.

"You alive?"

No kid, no skate, no 'you alright?', 'cause that looks like it has already been answered. Asking if they were alive is more of Rain's style. It's kinda stupid to ask an injured person if they were alright. 'Cause their wounds can tell you that themselves. Must be painful.

Me? a wise ass? Nah, never.

"Wish I wasn'."

No one said he wasn't honest. As for the grammer, he's smart, very smart. He knows it's not proper grammer, but Tonic had stopped using proper grammer when his mother died. Well...he'd stopped talking entirly. technically I should say when he started talking again his grammer had depleated to this mess. He was just being negligant to it. Just didn't care anymore.

That's all he said. He opened his gray-green eyes finally and blew out. The woosh of air unstuck the hair in his face that had been plastered there by sweat. It lifted, then fell to cover his face again. Black-ringed eyes blinked, the sweat burned the cuts but he didn't seem to care.

Tonic sat up, rolled his shoulders and whinced a little. The moment he sat up, people turned away. They knew that once the boy sat up, he was alright. If he didn't get up, that was a good time to pull him off the ramp and wait for one of his brothers to find him. The kid was very against calling an ambulance or going to a hospital and after the first attempt at taking him, which involved a lot of squirming and struggling, wide, fearful eyes, flying fists and three boys going home with bloody noses, they didn't offer that again.

He got to his feet and nursed his broken wrist a moment, spared a very empty look for Rain, not because he wanted it empty but because it simply was. He wobbled, nodded curtly once. Did I mention Tonic very rarely talks to anyone that isn't part of the triplettes?

Uh-huh. Are too.

"That sucks."

Comment to the other's reply. Rain wasn't sure what to make of this kid. Some typical angsty kid who thinks his life sucks when it realy doesn't? Or someone who does have a right to complain about life? Then again, everyone complains about life, so what really is 'the right' to complain about life? It sucks, no one ever said life is fair. That's Rain's policy. Also 'what has happened, has happened, get over it and move on'. He's just like that.

He too stepped back when the other got up, giving him some room. He was loking over the kid and how he moved. Something was wrong with his wrist, he concealed any negative houghts on his mind. He did slightly frown though. Kid is a hazard to his health. And I wouldn't doubt that he doesn't talk to people much, 'cept his brothers. He probably doesn't trust many people either. Rain doesn't know, and it's hard to know if he even cares.

He's just curious about the kid.

"Where'd ya learn how to skate?"

Not where litterally, just a figure of speech or sumin'. He's jsut curious. Kid is damned good and you only have so much natural ability. He stuck his hands in his pockets, waiting for the other to walk off, he'd follow him of course. Just to get that answer. what can I say? Rain never learns, he's just damned curious.

Am not.

"Sure." It didn't sound like he was agreeing. Actually it sounded blank and like it was a word meant to say many. Such as 'Yeah whatever. Not that it matters. It's a shame I'm not but I'll agree so you don't think I'm going to go off the deep end and have me impounded in one of those people pounds for crazy nitwits.' Really, if he said more then the little he does, he'd be a very talkative kid.

Even if Tonic went by 'what has happened has happened, get over it and move on,' it (it being his problem and his problem being Chris) would only happen again within the week. It always did. So how do you move on from something thats repeditive?

He gazed downward while Rain looked him over, used his good hand to smooth his sweaty bangs back down, which caused them to fall over his face again, nearly completely hiding those blankened eyes beneath the blondeness. Then he ran his hand back and grabbed a fist full of the short hair and tugged lightly. He looked very uncomfortable being looked over like that, nervous and fidgety.

When the other asked the question, his eyes came up, went away. He brought his hand down to grip the opposite arm and hold it against himself, half crossing his arms, and turned his head to watch people gathering to start skating again.
He started to glide slowly off of the ramp, clearing the way for the other boys, but not before mumbling:

"Taught myself."

He didn't have anyone to teach him. But what set him apart from other boys who taught themselves was that he wasn't afraid of falling and hurting, since he always hurt anyways. And if your not afraid to fall, you'll try anything at least once.

What/ever/.

Good point, Rain would agree on that, since it hasn't stopped yet, if it ever will. He watched the other curiously, recognizing the uncomfortableness the other was mostlikely feeling. He grinned and shrugged. Kid must have horrible, either self-esteemor something...or he's really, really shy. It sort of reminded him of when Ivan would look away, 'cept Ivan was usually embarressed becuaseRain brought up boobs or something.

"Mm. Cool."

He skated after the other, slowly, his interest solely on the kid. He followed him, catching up beside him. He was an inquisitive person, and when he wanted to know something, he found out. This kid had caught his interest for gods know what reason. Hmm...the kid...blegh, horrible.

"You got any other name besides 'Kid'?"

He cocked his head, now skating backwards as he looked at the other. He liked knowing names, it made people more real.

Whatever yourself. Brat.

Tonic continued to move along until he reached the edge of the concret and stepped into the grass, treating his skates as if they were a permanat attatchment to his feet, which they may as well be, and just walking across the grass towards a wooden picnic table where he'd left his bag.

He strddled the bench, whinced sitting down, nearly stood back up. It doesn't matter how many times his father does that dirty deed to him, no matter how long, it will never not hurt him. It's not like his father is particuarily gentle either. He squirmed until he'd found a position where he wasn't as uncomfortable on his tender and bruised butt and pulled his book bag closer to him, unzipping it.

The other had followed him and he glanced over his shoulder a bit nervously several times, removing one three spiral notebooks from his bag, two pens, one blue and one black, and opened two notebooks to the next blank pages, opened one to a page covered in tight, slopy dark blue had writing. He proceeded to copy into one of the notebooks with a little bit lighter of a blue pen the exact same words from the first, in different handwriting. When his brother's missed classes, he always made a point to do their homework for them. It'd be terrible to be a grade ahead and be seperated.

"Tonic." Not his name but it's something besides kid.

Pshaw. Old Man.

Rain was satisfied with it though. Tonic. Like uh...the drink, right? His mind played with the name a little bit before returning his attention to the now dubbed 'Tonic'. He looked over what the other had, raising an eyebrow. He decided not to ask, though it did look...suspcious the word? He shrugged to himself, whatever.

"I'm Rain."

It's not his first name either, but it still is his name, middle one at least. Who is alive nowadays that is named Charlotte? And why did his mother name him Charlotte? Probably 'cause she wanted a girl instead of a boy.

Unlike Tonic, Rain could not keep his skates on, and standing up, he lifted one foot - untying that one and slipping off the skate - and then the other, doing the same. He had good balance. He let them down carefully, stretching his toes for a minute before finally plopping himself across from the other. His head was cocked.

"Homework?"

He figured the kid was maybe a little younger than Ivan, but probably in high school. Rain never went to high school...wonder what it is like? That also reminds him that he has an essay to finish, oh fuck, that totally sucks. But its easy so it isn't like he's having a hard time.

Little girl.

Yes, Tonic as in the drink. Tonic as in Tonic and Gin. And Moonshine. He'd been the only one Chris didn't name, because his mother beat Chris to the punch and named him Christian, after Chris in a sense. That was before Chris started treating that particular girlfriend badly. Tonic liked his name, but he needed his brothers, depended on them, needed to be close to them in all ways and so when they started calling him Tonic, he started treating it like his name.

Tonic glanced up at Rain for just a moment, then turned his eyes back down to the paper and was quiet for so long it seemed he might not answer him at all. He was thinking, about answering him, deciding if he should or not. Then he nodded when he finished copying the page onto one notebook, about half a page of questions and answers.

Then he pulled the other notebook to him and switched the pen to a black one and continued to copy in a completely different handwriting.

"yep."

And a damned cute one at that! Fart head.

Too much of them can be a bad thing I guess. Rain didn't have any real brothers or sisters, Destiny had been his best friend and closest thing to a brother while Nine, well, she was a scary girl. Rain was a rambtunctious little boy when he was younger, and believe or not, he went through the cootie stage. Nine had been a girl, thus she had been ucky. But she was still the closest thing to a sister he ever had.

Rain had been pondering the name as the other was quiet, he didn't expect an immediate response from the boy. He already looked like he could be startled and throw a fit if someone taps him from behind. He looked down at the papers, reading it from upside down. Trying was more like it, he couldn't see it that well; getting dark. Homework, huh? Science and Math had been his favorite subjects.

He looked up at Tonic.

"What subject?"

Loser.

Actually, if someone tapped his shoulder he wouldn't throw a fit. He would shrink away from it slowly. If someone tapped him on the shoulder hard enough to hurt one of his bruises, which is very likely that he has a bruise on his shoulder, or just as likely as there might be any where on his body, he would probably shrink away and curl into a tiny, submissive, whimpering ball and receed in his mind, trying not to let his brothers hear his thoughts or feel what he felt.

He's a basket case really. But then...what Valentine Spawn isn't?

Another long pause.

"'Merican History." That would put him at what? Nineth grade level right? He looked up at Rain, looking at his face but somehow managing not to make any eye contact. "Why are you...." He pressed his lips togather, a scab on his lip split and a little blood specked it, making his blond bangs stick to his mouth. He didn't continue but looked down and shook his head slowly. Nevermind. I'm sorry. He's good at implying words in substitution for actually speaking.

Pompous bastard.

Goodness, poor thing. Rain would be rather shocked if that happened, it isn't that he isn't used to running into upset or disturbed persons, but rather the fact that this kid would so something like that. Then again, Rain already figures he is really shy, so maybe it wouldn't be a surprise. But something like that would make him wonder. He's not stupid, he'd figure either something like home problems or constant bullying. Or both.

All the Valentine Spawn are basket cases. Sad but ue, they all have their own problems.

Something like that, I have Honors World History next semester, maybe 10th grade or something. Ah well, Rain doesn't know much of a difference about who takes what classes, all he does know is that he doesn't like History that much, unless it deals with Science, not wars and crap like that. He made a face.

"I'm sorry."

Sorry that the homework is for History, he is obviously unfond of American History. He lived in California all his life, and the only thing he can remember are the wars, and not even the names of them, the only one he remebers is the Civil war really.

"I prefer Math and Science."

I'm Sorry.

He looked up, a confused expression creasing his youthful but bruised face, if you can even see his face through that layer of bangs. Then he understood and returned his eyes to the papers, never once had he made eye contact.

I prefer Math and Science.

There was a long moment where Christian said nothing, only staring at the papers, the pen scrolling across the sheet in the perfect imitation of Gin's handwriting, changing just a word here and there but giving the same answer in the end.

"I don't like school," he replied. His voice was soft still, almost lower then the sound of the other skater's skates and boards on the ramps. He doesn't just like math or science. He just doesn't like school period. But if their report cards come back with anything but straight A's, Chris would beat them...not that he doesn't do that anyways. But Tonic tries so hard to do everything he can to keep his brothers from getting beat. So straight A's it was.

Rain shook his head, shrugging.

"Not a lot of people do. But I rather sort of liked it, as long as I was learning about what I like."

Yea, he reffered to students - even younger ones - as people. Cause isn't that what they are? He looked up and around, watching people skate and talk and do what most people do at these skateparks. He looked back down at Tonic, watching him silently.

The kid was quiet, he found it almost unnerving, 'cause Rain was quite the talkative one but he knew when to keep quiet. Rain only looked up, leaned back aaaannnd...

Flop.

Right on the ground, feet on the bench and torso on the grass.

Tonic has his reasons for silence.

His brothers might not call him so very quiet at times but usually, even with them, he was soft-spoken and spoke little.

He nodded just barely and continued to write, comfortable in the silence that came after Rain spoke.

Then...he's looking at feet now, not Rain's face, his eyes widened just a little. He stood up to look over the table at Rain, bumping his knees against the back of the bench, and pushing at his long bangs impatiently. revealing two black eyes and a cut, but was Rain hurt?

"Are you..." Alright? He hesitated then crawled out of the bench and started to walk around the table.