Erchomai [Ricochet/Adam Cole]

chapter 6: best friends with kid

Trevor wakes up the next day in a good mood, which makes sense because he's got quite a few things to be happy about. His friendship with Adam is already on the mend, the taping of his match with Pete Dunne is happening soon, and today he's hanging out with Akira and Apollo before they hit the road again. Apollo is bringing his daughter Sade, who Trevor and Akira both see as a niece of sorts and usually wind up competing for her affection. And honestly, he's feeling so great, he might just be able to come away with the title of favorite quasi-uncle.

It might wind up being easier than he originally thought when he comes into the kitchen after running through his morning routine to see Akira still in pajamas, hand shoved into a Lucky Charms box. A few of the cereal pieces are deliberately scattered beside him on the oak table, and Trevor takes a moment to compose his annoyance before he intervenes. Akira's leaving early tomorrow morning, and their short time together would be more appreciated if it meant he didn't pick the marshmallows out of Trevor's favorite cereal.

On his way to the coffee machine, Trevor whisks past Akira and takes the cereal from him, earning a whine from his friend the moment they leave his hands. "Hey, I was eating those."

"No, you weren't." Trevor stops and turns to face him, gesturing to the cereal on the table. "You were picking out the marshmallows like a three-year old. That's not how they're supposed to be eaten."

Since he's known him, Akira's only ever wanted the marshmallows from the cereal and thinks it's a reasonable thing to have. Trevor tells him he doesn't deserve them if he can't appreciate the full package. They've had this discussion dozens of times. It never sets. Akira stands, swiping the discarded cereal into his hand as his mouth twists into a frown. "Says who?"

"Says me." Trevor smiles, patting the front image of the box. "And my good friend here."

Scoffing, Akira tosses the cereal pieces into the trash, then makes his way in front of Trevor. "Well, I didn't have a friend over last night that woke you from your sleep." His frown morphs into a smug stare as he flicks the box. "By my calculations, that means Luke is my friend now, and I get to eat all the marshmallows I want."

Trevor gasps audibly, taking an offended step back. "His name is Lucky, you fool. It's literally right here on the box." He narrows his eyes at Akira, looking him up and down. "And that's different, since I didn't know Adam was coming over. Your math is flawed."

Akira nods, as if he's taking it all in. He holds up a finger. "Fair point. I offer you this counterpoint." He yanks the box from him and dashes out of the kitchen in the blink of an eye, leaving Trevor standing there empty-handed.

With a sigh, Trevor calls out to him. "Real mature, man." He glances to the coffee machine, then decides to forego it in favor of jogging after Akira. When he finds him in the living room, he's sitting on the sofa hugging the cereal to his chest. Trevor holds out his hand, motioning for them back. "Alright, give 'em up."

"No, they're mine now." To solidify this claim, he shoves his hands into the cereal and comes away with a handful that he shoves in his mouth. After a few chews, he opens his mouth to utter a barely intelligible, "Look, I'm eating all of it. You wanted this, right?"

Getting a close-up view of the chewed-up cereal, it's almost a wonder how Trevor can love this guy. "Childish." He shakes his head and snatches the box, turning his back to him as he closes it. "I'm going back to hiding these on the highest shelf."

"Really? A short joke? You're only two inches taller." Akira stands and tries to reach for the cereal, but Trevor holds them out of his grasp. He tries to make another grab for them, but Trevor pie faces him away and starts heading back into the kitchen.