Nothing Rhymes With Orange: An Anthology
I
The stadium was full of cheering fans. All of them devotees to the sport, all of them desperate to witness their idols, their team, the Bladebreakers. Their cheers rang against the domed walls, forever echoing against themselves. A never-ending scream.
For Kai Hiwatari their screams were meaningless. He didn't blade for the game, could care less about the adoring fans. Nothing had mattered since the day Kai first met 'him'. The day he crashed into Kai's life was the day the stoic blader's perception of the came shattered.
The day he found his spiritual equal.
Reid turned to the crowd, waving eagerly at the rabid fan-girls, soaking up their adoration. He smiled back at Kai. "Don't look so down," he laughed. "Don't you realize they're all here for us?"
Kai scowled. "I don't care about them." he said without thinking. He immediately regretted the words as Rei's beautiful smile began to fade. "Let's just get this over with."
Rei shrugged. "Whatever you say 'co-captain'." He walked past Kai, a sensual sway to his hips. Kai took a shaky breath. 'Co-captain', it's like Rei knew the idea of being equal to him sent Kai reeling. Though all the Chinese man's actions were innocent, Kai couldn't help but picture them side-by-side, holding the golden cup high, tournament champs for yet another year. But it wasn't the thought of the cup that excited him, no, it was the idea of being so close to his co-captain, close enough to touch those silky black locks, to caress his milky white skin.
"Kai, quit spacing out!" Tyson called, beaming at him from their spot at the side of the dish. "Geez, and you all call me immature!"
Kai sighed, imperceptibly shaking himself from his daydream and storming over to the bench. Rei looked at him, a question in his feline-eyes, but Kai avoided his gaze and settled down, crossing his arms in clear annoyance- his customary stance.
"Wow, can you believe it's been eight whole years since we all first started blading together?" Max asked, bright blue eyes shining with excitement. "The years sure are heavy on you Kai." he snickered. The gray-haired man shot him a look and Max clammed up. "Uh, sorry! I mean to say, you look good! It's been forever since we've seen each other, you know?"
"Oh Max, just come out and say it! You missed my dashing good looks!" Tyson laughed, Max rolled his eyes.
"Oh sure, Ty, you know I missed you the most."
As the two younger members chat, Rei took a seat next to Kai, startlingly close to his co-captain, and Kai stiffened. "It has been a while, hasn't it Kai?" he asked, a gently melancholy look in his golden eyes.
Three years. Kai thought. Three years without your beautiful eyes.
"I can't say I've missed that." Kai idly gestured toward Tyson and Max, now in the middle of an argument.
Rei sighed and smiled fondly. "You'd think at this age they would have..." he trailed off
"Grown up?" Kai input, smirking.
Rei laughed. "Yeah." he shook his head. "It's no wonder we were made co-captains. We're the only ones with any-"
"Sense?"
Rei smirked this time. "I was going to say 'maturity', but you may have a point." he laughed again, and Kai's eyes slid shut as the melodic sound drifted through him. The screams of the crowd were lost and all he could hear was Rei.
Slowly, and begrudgingly Kai came out of his reverie when Rei's laughter subsided, and found himself face-to-face with the object of his affections. Rei's eyes were worried and Kai's cheeks flushed.
"Are you feeling alright Kai?" Rei brought his hand to Kai's cheek. "You've been acting strange, and now you feel hot. Are you coming down with something?"
Kai stood up and shook his head, causing Rei to stumble backwards. "I'm just ready for this tournament to start."
Rei frowned and started to speak, but the announcer called out to the teams, ready for the match to begin.
"I'm up first." Kai said hastily. "I'm eager to be back in the game." Before Rei could respond, or Tyson could protest, Kai was cone to the center of the arena, ready to dominate and relieve some building frustration.
As the day wound down, the Bladebreakers headed to their hotel, their place in the semi-finals of the tournament secure. Kai had been silent since his semi-intimate encounter with Rei, and the raven-haired man was slightly worried. He waved good-bye to Tyson and Max as they took the elevator to their rooms on the sixth floor and followed Kai to the stairs.
"Kai, wait up!" he called.
His co-captain stopped at the base of the stairwell and looked back.
"Let's catch up over some drinks, strategize and the like, co-captain style." Rei suggested, smiling. Kai slowly crossed his arms. Since an immediate Hiwatari-esque 'no' hadn't been snapped, Rei decided to sweeten the deal. "My treat?" he added hopefully.
Kai sighed, a million thoughts roaming through his head, all of them R-rated, some X. He shook his head, making a decision he hoped he wouldn't regret (especially after seeing the hopeful and almost desperate look on Rei's face) and turned to exit the stairwell and head toward the hotel bar.
As they took seats at the back of the bar in a secluded booth (table aptly topped with a candle, burning sensuously) a server took their order. Rei was prepared, and ordered a bottle of vodka, on ice, and two glasses, surprising Kai with his boldness.
"You rubbed off on me," he winked, chuckling at Kai's confused look. The server left and returned just as quickly with their order. Rei began pouring the vodka into the glasses and set the bottle back on he ice before handing Kai his drink. "So what have you been up to the past few years?" he asked, smiling. "Obviously you weren't taking a break from blading like you told us the other day. Your skills out there today were just as amazing as always!"
Kai smirked. "I meant blading professionally." he said. "I never stopped training."
"I can tell," Rei said, gesturing to Kai's exposed biceps. "Someone's been working out."
Kai fought back a blush at Rei's innocent compliment toward his physique. "Hn, you too." he supplied, downing his glass immediately afterward and feeling the pleasantly cool burn of the alcohol slide down his throat and warm his core.
Rei followed suit and refilled both glasses with more chilled vodka. "I'm glad you noticed. I have to keep up with you, I don't want to set a bad example as captain."
"Co-captain." Kai corrected, accepting his glass from Rei.
"Co-captain." Rei laughed.
Easiness set in between the two old friends after that, and soon enough the idle talk turned into a second bottle of vodka, then a third as strategies for the upcoming matches and training schedules were made. Suddenly, the talk turned romantic.
"So," Rei drawled, swirling the liquid in his glass. "Still on the hunt for Mrs. Hiwatari?" his eyes were drooping as he asked.
"Or mister." Kai said, then immediately paled. No one knew his preferences, and now he'd drunkenly let it slip. He stared at Rei, waiting for the man to say something, ask about it.
Rei sighed. "You and me both." he said simply, locking eyes with Kai."It's hard, right? Trying to get people to understand?"
It took Kai a moment before he realized that Rei was talking about his own sexual preference too, and his heart began racing at the thought. "Are you...?" he asked.
"Gay?" Rei asked. "Yeah, I've known for years. You?"
Kai blushed. "Yes. I've been trying to keep it secret."
"Why?" Rei asked.
"Why do you?" Kai countered.
"I don't. Everybody knows I'm gay."
Kai's eyes narrowed. "I didn't."
"Mr. Hiwatari, you never asked."
With eyes locked, the two men shared a silent moment, and Kai's blush deepened. "Sorry." he mumbled.
"Don't be," Rei smiled, swaying a bit. "It's tough, but you and I both know love is love, right? That's all that matters." his words slurred and he held his glass up to Kai.
Kai stared into Rei's glowing golden eyes. "Love is love." he agreed, clinking glasses with Rei and nodding. They both downed the remainder of their drinks and Rei began to yawn, stretching his arms high.
"Well I think I'm done down here." he said, swiping hair out of his face.
Kai nodded and began to stand, but stumbled. In his nervousness he was pretty sure he'd finished a whole bottle of vodka alone.
"Woah, woah," Rei said, coming up beside Kai and steadying him. "Maybe you should just come to my room. I'm just on the second floor and I don't think you'll make it to your penthouse." he snickered.
Kai nodded numbly, heart racing as he leaned against Rei's lithe body. Slowly they made their way to the elevator. "I think the couch in my room pulls out or something so I'll make that up for you no problem!" Rei said happily, unaware of the thoughts in Kai's head.
This is my chance. He thought, I know he's gay, I know he's single. Maybe he was flirting earlier? His drunken thoughts, coupled with his inexperience, excited and irritated him. Kai's eyes slid closed as he tried to piece together his thoughts. This is my chance, he reiterated. Rei opened up the door to his room.
"Here we go!" Rei said, helping Kai onto the couch. "Give me a sec, I'll grab the spare blanket." Rei disappeared into the adjoining bedroom and Kai stood to follow him, nearly crashing into the smaller man as he turned the corner.
"Woah, Kai!" Rei said, nearly dropping the blanket. "Are you... are you sure you should be standing?"
"Rei," Kai said, breathing deeply to steady himself. "There's something I need to do."
"Okay, what's that?" Rei asked, confused.
Kai wrapped his arms around the smaller man's waist and pulled his body close. Rei's eyes widened at the action. "Kiss you." Kai replied before crushing his lips to Rei's.
With his mental fingers crossed, Kai slowly tried to deepen the kiss with Rei, and to his joy, surprise and excitement, Rei accepted his advances with fervor, tossing the blanket aside and wrapping his arms around Kai's neck. Lips against lips, chest against chest, Kai inwardly shouted at his delight as Rei's hands gripped his hair and prolonged the kiss until they were forced to break away.
As they came up for air, Rei gasped, "Oh thank god! I thought you'd never do that!"
Kai panted, drunkenness all but gone as adrenaline coursed through his body from their kiss.. "You wanted me to kiss you?"
Rei looked insulted. "Kai Hiwatari, I've wanted you to kiss me since the moment we first met."
Kai smiled, the stunning, rare smile that made Rei gasp. "Convenient," Kai said. "Considering I've been in love with you for just as long."
Rei gasped, then smiled devilishly. "Kai, take me to the bed." he said.
"Yes captain." Kai smirked, pulling Rei into his arms.
"Co-captain." Rei corrected.
And they took it to the bed.