Not at all shy, Eight took the opportunity to taste him, exploring his brother's mouth with a mix of curiosity and desire. He'd been attracted to Seven for as long as he could recall, and if he was going to be allowed a "real" kiss, he wasn't about to pass up the chance.

Seven allowed it, and even reciprocated to a point before he pulled back, "You know what you're doing?" he asked.

Randy VIII folded his arms. "'Course I do; I done it before," he replied.

"Oh? Who you been kissin'?" asked Seven.

"A girl in my class..." Randy VIII shrugged.

Seven raised an eyebrow, "I see....gettin' to be not such a Baby Boy anymore...huh?"

"Yup." Eight reached up to give him a kiss on the cheek. "But I guess you can still call me that if you wanna," he added with a grin.

"You got it, Baby Boy!" said Seven giving Eight a kiss.

It wasn't long before Randy VIII's birthday was approaching. Normally, twelve was the age around which training would be switched from simple group courses at the gym to more in-depth one-on-one learning either at home or at a location specified by the coach. As Randy VIII had been deemed a very aggressive special-class and his father was to be his coach, however, the at-home training had already begun. He and his father held regular sparring sessions in the yard, the main focus of which was usually his attempting to pin Randy in a set amount of time. So far, he had been quite unsuccessful, but with his age and lack of experience, it was to be expected. Randy was pleased with his son's progress, despite knowing that his military enrollment was growing closer and closer. It would only be another two years now. While most Schickelgrubers who intended to join the military did so at around the age of fifteen, the special-class were expected to start a bit earlier--just as with their training.

Seven did his best to stay cheerful and enjoy his time with his younger brother...but time was running out, and with the further knowledge that by the time Eight returned from the military Seven might no longer be alive time seemed all the more precious to him and it seemed to be slipping so much quicker....

Though he was unaware of the severity of Seven's condition, Randy VIII intended to make the most of the time they had before he was sent off to training. "You know what I want to do for my birthday this year?"

"What?" asked Seven eager to know so he could fulfill his brother's wish.

"I want to go hang out at Amusement World, just you and me," said Randy VIII.

"You got it baby boy!" said Seven giving him a kiss.

Randy VIII grinned. "You know... aside from the usual birthday party."

Seven gave him a pat, "Of course! But I'm still makin' you a cake!"

"You better!" Randy VIII gave him a peck on the lips.

Seven grinned, "Pepper cake sound good to you?"

"Pepper cake always sounds good to me," snorted Randy VIII.

Seven gave him a kiss, "I thought so..."

When they arrived at the amusement park, Randy VIII was eager to bring Seven onto as many rides as they day would allow.

Seven, for his part, wasn't all that keen on the roller coasters but he went along cheerfully and even won his brother a stuffed grizzly bear at one of the booths.

Eight pulled him in the direction of the nearest photo booth. "What are we gonna do on your birthday?"

Seven paused, he hadn't given much thought to his own birthday, truth be told he's have considered himself happy to even have another birthday, but he smiled at his brother and said, "Just be there to eat the cake with me," he said.

"Aw, c'mon, that's boring!" said Eight. "Ain't you say you wanted to go in a aeroplane? Fifteen's a big number, you know."

"Well yeah, I'd wanna try an Aeroplane," said Seven.

Randy VIII leaned into him. "So why don't we do that?" he suggested.

"If you think we can afford it and you ain't afraid, then I'm game," said Seven.

"I ain't afraid of no aeroplane," said Randy VIII, puffing out his chest and turning up his nose. "And neither is Lady Fitzgerald," he added. He wiggled the stuffed bear at Seven.

"Lady Fitzgerald, huh?" Seven raised an eyebrow.

"That's my name and I'm sticking to it," Randy VIII said, wiggling the bear along with the words and using the sort of voice he imagined a lady bear might have.

Seven snorted, "Oh, I see, pardon me ma'am,"

"That's OK. You're so big and handsome," said the bear as Randy VIII pressed its muzzle against Seven's cheek and made a kissing noise.

Seven burst out laughing, "What a charming bear," he said giving the teddy a pat.

Randy VIII giggled and ducked into the photo booth with him, with "Lady Fitzgerald" in the middle.