I haven't uploaded in a while, but please enjoy my first Beyblade fic! And a big thanks to walroose for reading this over for me! Reviews are appreciated.
Senior Year: A Collection of Moments
Ray Kon was always just so excited. It didn't matter what it was. Ray got excited when he received mail, he got excited when he went grocery shopping, he got excited when he wrapped presents.
Therefore, it was no surprise he was so excited when he learned a new student was going to join his class.
Ray was always his class representative and the most active member of the student council. On the day before his first day of Senior year, Ray was informed that a new kid had just moved into town and would be attending their local high school. Ray couldn't wait to meet the new student and help them adjust to the school and the town.
Ray made a point of waking up early so that he could get to school just as it opened, so that he could wait in the office (as a sort of "welcoming committee") for the newbie. Ray had waited in the office all morning it seemed. He waved to nearly everyone who walked past him, since he was so well known. It wasn't until two minutes before the first bell was set to ring that a boy with an unfamiliar face walked into the office. Of course, since it was the first day of the school year, Ray had seen many new Freshmen walking around, but just the height and musculature of this boy told Ray that he had to be the new Senior.
"Hello!" Ray said brightly in his best sing-song voice. "My name is Ray! I'm here to help show you around the school and-"
"Thanks, but I'm okay," the boy deadpanned.
Ray's smile dropped. Did he say something wrong? Ray thought about it for a second, and realized that maybe this boy was just really shy and wasn't comfortable with Ray's overbearing enthusiasm. He decided to try again. Ray put out his hand. "I'm Ray, and it's my pleasure to welcome you to our school."
The boy rolled his eyes as he quickly brought his hand up for a brief handshake. "Kai," was all he said.
Ray beamed. "Well, Kai, let me lead the way."
Ray pointed out the main desk in the office so that Kai could grab a copy of his schedule and a few other forms that the transfer student would need. From there, Ray led Kai to Homeroom, which the two boys happened to have with the same teacher.
"Well we're a little late, but Mr. Tate is the coolest teacher here, so he won't mind," Ray assured Kai as the two approached the classroom.
The two boys walked in. Mr. Tate looked up and smiled warmly at them. "Hello Ray, I see you took the liberty of finding our newest addition. I'm Mr. Tate. Welcome. Would you like to introduce yourself?" The tall man swept his left arm out, indicating that Kai should stand at the front of the room and do a typical New Kid's First Day introduction.
Kai grunted and took his spot at the front of the room as Ray slid into his seat in the front row. "My name's Kai," he began. All of the kids in the classroom were silent as they looked at the exotic new student. Not that the school had any regulations on it, but it was unusual for a student to have hair that was a grayish-blue in the front and a navy-blue in the back. Not to mention the blue triangles tattooed to his face! Everyone leaned forward as they expected Kai to tell a bit about himself and whatnot. They were not expecting, however, that Kai would just sit down in a seat at the back of the room without another word.
Mr. Tate smiled. "Well Kai, it's a pleasure to have you in our class."
The first day of school had been a rather pleasant one for Ray. He had been selected as his class's representative, unsurprisingly, and he discovered that he and Kai shared third block PE class as well as last period Home Ecs. Ray really wanted to get to know the new student better. Other than introducing his name at the start of all of the classes they shared, Ray hadn't heard Kai say another word. At lunch Ray had intended to ask Kai to sit with him, but the mysterious boy was nowhere to be seen. Oh well. Ray couldn't wait for tomorrow, so that he could spend more time with Kai.
The first day of school had been rather annoying for Kai. He couldn't do anything, it seemed, without that noisy Ray guy trying to get involved. What was his problem? Kai just wanted to be left alone. One more year of attending school unnoticed, and he'd finally be free. Free of his awful grandfather. Free of having to deal with annoying people. Free of pretending to care in the slightest. Kai couldn't wait for graduation, so that then he could disappear.
The second day went much like the first one, for both Ray and Kai. Kai refused to talk; if a question was asked he'd just grunt and the teacher would back off. The other students were somewhat afraid of Kai. He had such a menacing aura. Just the way that he never spoke and how he glared at everyone, it made the others quickly realize that he didn't want to be bothered.
That is, of course, except for Ray. He was determined to make Kai open up to him. He must just be shy, Ray reasoned. He couldn't blame Kai, really. Ray could only imagine how hard it was for the boy to have to move right before his last year of high school.
"Hey Kai, wait up!" Ray called. Their shared PE class had just ended and everyone was going into the locker room to change.
Kai glanced back at Ray but he kept walking. He didn't stop until he reached his locker. He pulled off the navy blue shirt that he'd been wearing, but before he could grab his usual black sleeveless shirt, a face was suddenly pressing up into his. Ray. Of course.
"Hiya Kai! Man the past couple of days I've been trying to find you at lunch to invite you to sit with me, but I can never find you! So I just wanted to make sure that you know that you're always welcome to hang out with me," Ray said with his overly bright smile.
"Hng," Kai grunted. He pushed Ray's shoulder so that he could finish getting changed.
"Well? So will I be seeing you at lunch then?" Ray asked. His gym locker happened to be right next to Kai's, and so he was also starting to get changed as he chatted.
Kai shot a glare at Ray, who only widened his smile. "No," Kai said in his deep, icy, voice.
Ray blinked. Did Kai just say no? Ray cocked his head to the side and he looked at Kai. It was then that, for the first time, Ray caught sight of how muscular Kai really was. Ray swallowed. The deep contours of Kai's muscles were especially alluring with the slight glisten provided by the sweat worked up during their class's game of basketball. Ray felt a slight fluttering in his chest. He had to blink a couple of times before he could pry his eyes away from the transfer student's chest and back to his face.
Kai just glared even harder at Ray. Before the other could say anything else, Kai slipped on his regular clothes and dashed out of the locker room.
It took two weeks before Kai opened up enough to say anything beyond "yes" or "no". Even then, he wasn't wasting his breath on idle chatter. If a teacher picked him to answer a question, he'd provide the most concise answer as possible.
But Ray wasn't deterred. He spent every moment he could as close to Kai as the other would let him (which wasn't very close), trying to get him to come out of his shell. Ray would talk to Kai all the time, even though the conversations were completely one-sided. That's another thing about Ray. Not only does he get excited about things, but when he does, he puts his entire being into them. And so for Ray to be satisfied that Kai was happy, he was determined to become the cold boy's friend. No matter how long it took, Ray wouldn't give up.
Even though Kai wasn't keen on talking, or participating, or listening, there was one thing at least that Ray knew made Kai happy. Home Economics. The last class of the day for the two boys always softened Kai's glare. Ray could have sworn that he'd seen Kai smile in that class once or twice. Something about baking just always calmed Kai down. He loved to cook anything in general, but when baking, Kai was just so comfortable and he felt like he was really in his element.
Not that he wanted anyone else to know that.
But no matter how hard Kai tried to hide it, he just enjoyed the class too much to keep his usual frown plastered on his face. Of course, to the bluette's frustration, Ray had picked up on it nearly instantly. Darn. Kai tried especially hard near the long-haired Chinese boy to look miserable in class, but it was too little too late. He already knew. Oh well, it just meant that Kai had to be even more cautious around the energetic classroom rep.
The first time that Kai actually ate lunch with Ray was a few days before Halloween. Kai had bought his usual slice of pizza and was heading to find an empty classroom to eat in, when he saw Ray sitting all alone. Ray, one of the most popular kids in school, was always seen with a group of other students laughing and talking with him. Thus, it was rather strange to see him alone. Kai didn't want to get involved, and had planned on just walking past the other, but something in Ray's eyes made Kai hesitate.
"Ray?" Kai asked quietly, as he stopped in front of Ray.
"Oh, hey Kai," Ray mumbled.
"Are... er, you okay?" Kai asked, unaccustomed to pretending to care about others.
"Yeah..." Ray said, unconvincingly.
"Okay," Kai said, turning to leave.
"Well..." Ray began.
Kai rolled his eyes and turned back around. He glanced to both sides before sighing and sitting across the table from Ray. "What is it?" Kai asked, raising a brow. It was actually really unnerving to see Ray acting this way.
"Do you like me?" Ray whispered.
Kai sat, frozen, as he stared at the boy in front of him. He didn't want to answer the question the wrong way.
After a moment's hesitation, Ray elaborated. "What I mean is... I don't think that anybody actually likes me. I'm 'popular' or whatever, but nobody actually wants to volunteer their time to hang out with me. I just feel fake. None of my friendships or anything are formed on mutual trust! I just... don't think that anybody cares about me..."
Kai quirked an eyebrow and looked at the distraught Chinese boy. "I don't dislike you..."
Ray smiled weakly at the other. "Thanks Kai."
Kai blushed a light pink and said, "No, I really mean it. I think you're a good guy, honestly."
Ray's mouth hung open a bit as he looked over at the usually-silent Kai. "Thanks," he said again, though much quieter this time. The faintest colors of a blush dusted the bridge of Ray's nose.
Kai sat quietly for a few moments before picking up his slice of pizza. He made the decision to sit and eat lunch in the cafeteria for the first time.
Ray smiled slightly as he pulled out his chopsticks to eat his home-made lunch.
Although neither spoke whilst they ate, it was a comfortable silence. Not only that, but it was also the start of a real friendship between the two. From that day on, the boys would always eat together. In the beginning, neither spoke much. But as time wore on, Kai became more comfortable talking to Ray, who was more than willing to learn about the strange boy.
When Christmas rolled around, Ray was finally ready to admit it. He really, really, liked Kai. The quiet Russian teen was just so interesting, that Ray couldn't help but seize every opportunity he had to get to know the other better. Which, honestly, those opportunities were arising more and more often. Not only did they eat lunch everyday, but it seemed that every weekend the two found some time to hang out. Kai never invited Ray over to his house, and so the boys would usually spend their Saturday nights playing video games or doing homework in Ray's bedroom. Ray didn't mind though. What little information he knew about Kai was enough to inform him that Kai didn't want to be with his grandfather. It had something to do with when Kai lived in Russia, and the strange tattoos that adorn his face. Some kind of brutal family tradition, Ray presumed. He figured it was a subject that Kai avoided on purpose.
The boys still didn't talk to each other much, but the mutual understanding between them worked, and so neither felt like they were really missing much.
So, as Christmas came closer, Ray started to get a bit anxious. He wanted to get his new friend a gift, but he wasn't sure if he should. Would it embarrass Kai? What would he even get the stoic boy?
The question followed Ray as he went to the mall one Friday afternoon. Ray lives alone in a small apartment, but he still has an extended family in China that he intended on sending gifts to. He spent a couple hours picking out things for his aunts and uncles and cousins. He was quite satisfied with his family's presents, but he still didn't know what to do about Kai. Ray decided to head home and think about his options some more, but as he was leaving the mall he spotted something.
In a storefront window Ray saw an elegant, white, scarf. Kai had never said anything about wanting a scarf, or even about liking them, but the article of clothing really spoke to Ray. He entered the crowded store and located the scarves on a rack. When Ray picked up the scarf, he was instantly in love. The material was so light weight yet soft and warm feeling. As he looked at the piece of neckwear, Ray vaguely remembered an offhand comment that Kai had once made. In early November, the Russian had mentioned that he really hated being cold. He liked snow, but if his body wasn't warm, Kai was miserable.
The memory flitted through Ray's mind as he unconsciously made his way to the counter to pay for the item. He'd already purchased the scarf and was out of the store by the time it fully occurred to him that he'd just bought a Christmas present for Kai.
Ray's anxiety started to return. But it was normal for friends to buy each other gifts, right? He just sighed and left the mall, hoping that it wouldn't be too awkward when he gave Kai the present.
Ray shifted uncomfortably on the carpet that he was seated on. It was Christmas Eve, and Kai was over at Ray's apartment. The white scarf that Ray had bought the previous week was wrapped in a long, flat, box, which now lay under the Chinese boy's bed. Ray wasn't sure when to give the gift to Kai. At the moment, the two boys were watching old Christmas movies on the TV in his bedroom.
"Hey, can I go make some popcorn?" Kai asked. Ray nodded and Kai left the room. The two had hung out enough that, by that point, Kai wasn't shy about using Ray's kitchen.
With the receiver of the gift out of the room, Ray sighed and slid the box out from under his bed, keeping it close to himself. "Now or never, I guess," he whispered. A small smile crept onto his face as he imagined how Kai might react to the present.
A few minutes later, Kai returned with a large bowl of popcorn. He sat down next to Ray, placing the snack between them.
"Kai..." Ray started, his heart thumping. The other turned towards him, and so Ray continued. "Uh... Merry Christmas," he finished, shoving the box into the other's hands.
"Oh, thanks Ray, you shouldn't have," Kai said, his eyes bright as he examined the box. But, instead of opening the gift right away, Kai reached into his pants' pocket. He retrieved a white envelope. Kai handed it to Ray, who tilted his head. "Merry Christmas, Ray," Kai said with a smile.
"Thanks!" Ray beamed. "But you open your gift first," he said.
Kai nodded as he slowly tugged the ribbon that was wrapped around the box. He quirked a brow as he tore the wrapping paper and lifted the lid to the box. Kai removed the tissue paper and found the soft fabric of the white scarf. A genuine grin split Kai's face. He picked up the long scarf and wrapped it around his neck. The Russian's red eyes sparkled. "I love it," he said in a voice that was barely above a whisper.
Ray couldn't help the smile that settled on his face. He felt as if he was glowing. "I'm so glad that you like it," Ray said enthusiastically. He was overjoyed that the gift evoked such a reaction from Kai. Ray had no way to know at that moment that Kai was going to wear that scarf everyday for a very long time, refusing to remove it.
Kai nodded. But then his grin vanished and was replaced by a worried frown. "I... don't think you're going to like my gift, then..." he trailed off.
Ray shook his head. He had half the thought to say something reassuring, but decided he'd rather just open the envelope that Kai had given him. He tore the top off and dumped out the contents into his hand. Ray blinked at the two rectangular pieces of paper that fell out. He flipped one over and realized that they were tickets to the zoo. Ray's eyes widened. "Kai! Thank you! Oh man, this is awesome!"
"Really?" Kai asked skeptically.
The Chinese teen nodded and laughed. "Of course! How did you know that I love animals?"
Kai smirked a bit as he replied, "Well I know that you love tigers, and so I thought that it would be fun to see some in real life."
Ray nodded yet again and, without even thinking, flung his strong arms around Kai's neck. The other teen instantly stiffened. Ray pulled back immediately and blushed as he stammered, "I-I'm sorry! I di-didn't mean-"
Kai shook his head. "No, don't be sorry. It's okay." He looked Ray right in the eye for a moment before flashing his friend a smile.
"So, when can we go to the zoo?" Ray asked.
Kai walked over the fresh layer of snow as he made his way to Ray's apartment. It was New Year's Eve and the two decided to bring in the year together. Kai, although he rarely talked about him, lived only with his wealthy grandfather. The two Russians didn't get along, however, and so Kai liked having somewhere else to go. And, seeing as Ray lived alone, the feeling was mutual.
Kai reached the apartment building and went into the brightly lit lobby. As he went to the elevator, Kai let his mind wander. He couldn't help but worry about the implications of inviting himself over to his friend's house for New Year's Eve. Don't people usually kiss when the new year arrives? Kai kept playing out different scenes of what might happen when the clock strikes midnight in his mind.
Kai chewed his bottom lip as he entered the elevator. He really wasn't sure what he wanted to happen. So, he was still preoccupied as he exited the elevator and made his way to Ray's door. He lightly rapped his knuckles on the wood and waited as he heard his friend shuffle to let him in. "Hey," Kai said as he stepped into the cozy home. Ray's house always smelled like warm spices, and that night was no exception.
"Hi Kai!" Ray greeted heartedly. "Come on in."
The two filled the evening with video games, movies, and Chinese food (homemade, courtesy of Ray). As the big moment approached, the two poured a couple glasses of Sprite and settled onto the couch.
"3..." Ray said.
"...2..." Kai continued.
"...1!" the pair shouted in unison. Ray had provided a bit of confetti for the two of them, and so as the clock hit twelve the boys threw it into the air. "Happy New Year!" Ray and Kai said to each other.
Kai took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and held them tight as he leaned in and gave a swift peck to Ray's cheek. "Happy New Year," he repeated.
Ray instantly blushed. But, not wanting to forgo tradition, he too gave a quick kiss to Kai's blue-triangled cheek.
Kai felt the warm lips on his cool skin and began to flush. But he also smiled.
Maybe this year would bring something special.
Following the brief kisses of New Year's, Ray couldn't get his mind to slow down. He really wanted to get another chance to feel his friend's lips. But Ray was scared. He and Kai still didn't talk that much about their pasts or problems or anything, and so he didn't feel all that close to the Russian. But the desire to know more about him had to mean something. Ever since that first time that Kai ate lunch with Ray, the Chinese boy saw the Russian as a friend. Over the months that friendship was determinedly mutual, and quickly the two were each other's closest friend. But now Ray wanted more, and he was terrified of what Kai would say if he knew that Ray had been thinking of him like that. Kai was a man of little words, but that didn't stop Ray from being anxious. It wasn't every day that Ray fell in love with his best friend, especially when said friend was of the same gender. What was he supposed to do?
It was finally the day. After a few months of waiting, it was time.
It was the day that Ray and Kai were going to go to the zoo.
The two boys had decided to wait until they had their spring vacation. By that point the zoo was open, and not to mention they had more free time.
To make sure that they were both ready bright and early, Kai slept over at Ray's apartment. He spent the night on the exceptionally comfortable couch. He woke up to the sound of his phone's alarm. Kai and Ray were able to quickly get ready, and then the two worked together to make breakfast. Once their pancakes were eaten and the kitchen was clear, they left the house and headed to the zoo.
The weather that day was absolutely beautiful. For early spring, the boys couldn't have asked for better. The two made their way to the local zoo via bus. The ride took only about twenty minutes, but the road was rather bumpy and so they were very glad to finally get off the bus.
Once the boys entered the zoo, mere minutes after it opened, Ray grabbed Kai's hand and began to drag him. "Come on, this way!" he said excitedly.
Kai let a small smile form as he let himself get tugged by the other. And really, he couldn't complain. Kai knew where they were going. It was the whole reason he'd bought Ray the tickets in the first place.
The tiger exhibit.
When the enclosure came into view, Ray dropped Kai's hand and ran up to the fence, eyes the size of saucers. "Wow," he breathed out in awe. "They're beautiful!"
Kai raised a brow at the other as he walked up to stand by his side. "Wait, is this actually your first time seeing them in real life?"
Ray nodded. His eyes caught something in the corner that made him gasp. "Kai! Look! It's a white tiger!" Ray was bouncing on his heels as he pulled out his phone and started to take some pictures.
Kai laughed slightly as he watched Ray. Sure, the big cats were beautiful creatures, but in his opinion, they didn't compare to the boy next to him. Kai had never seen the excitable boy so energized. Ray was acting just like a little kid. It was actually rather adorable.
"Kai!" Ray said, thrusting his phone into Kai's hand. "Can you get a picture for me?" Ray's eyes shone with pure joy.
Kai nodded and took a few photos of the boy.
"Thanks!" Ray squealed. Then he pulled Kai in close to him. "Now let's take a couple of selfies."
Kai internally sighed, but he just went along with the other's antics, even offering a smile for one of the shots. Kai wasn't used to dealing with people like this, but for Ray, he decided it was okay to make an exception.
Ray and Kai spent the entire day at the zoo. The only time that Ray wasn't running around and cooing at animals was the half an hour when they ate lunch. And, even though Ray was the one exerting so much energy, Kai was completely drained by the end of the day. It took everything in him to not fall asleep on the bus ride back home. Ray, on the other hand, nearly passed out the moment he sat on the bus seat. He was sporting the T-shirt, featuring a white tiger, that Kai had bought him. Kai used the bus ride to reflect on the day. Sure it had been exhausting, but Kai was very glad that he'd bought the tickets as Ray's Christmas present. It was worth all of the energy drained that day just to see the honest smile that Ray had had gracing his face all day.
Moments before the bus arrived at their stop, Kai leaned in and pecked a soft kiss to Ray's forehead. He felt guilty for stealing the brief touch, but Kai felt that he somewhat deserved it after the day that they'd had.
Afterwards, Kai woke up Ray and they got off the bus and headed back to Ray's apartment. They were both so tired that they decided to forget dinner and just go straight to bed, Kai deeming it appropriate to spend the night at Ray's house for the second night in a row.
As the boys settled into their own beds, Ray let a blissful smile blossom. He thought back to the great day they'd had. But even after all of the fun that the boys had had at the zoo, Ray revisited the best memory of the day: Kai's lips pressed onto his skin.
"So Kai, are you going to go to Senior Prom?" Ray asked one day during Home Ecs. Ray, an active member of the student government, didn't have a choice; he had to attend the formal dance.
Kai just shot the other a look.
Ray sighed. "Come on, it'll be fun!" he said as he continued to frost the cake that the boys were making together.
"No," was the swift reply, as Kai watched Ray, correcting him when needed. Both boys knew that Kai would kill Ray if he ruined their dessert.
"But I'll be there," Ray said, putting down the icing bag.
"So?" Kai asked teasingly. He nodded at the cake and raised his hand so that the teacher could come over and inspect their work.
"You have to go!" Ray whined.
Kai opened his mouth to retort, but just then the teacher appeared and ended their conversation.
"Please?" Ray asked Kai as they walked out of their classroom.
"What?" Kai responded, confused.
"Please, go to Prom," Ray elaborated.
"Oh, you're still going on about that?" Kai rolled his eyes. He rounded the corner of the hallway, heading towards the exit that he used whenever he went directly to Ray's house after school.
"It'll be fun!" Ray said for the second time that day.
Kai sighed. "Look, I won't have a date or anything, so it'll just be awkward."
Ray was quiet for a minute. The two had walked out of the school and were making their way through the park that was situated between the school and Ray's apartment complex. After thinking it over, Ray hesitantly said, "You'll definitely have a date."
With a scoff Kai muttered, "Yeah, right." Kai never talked to anyone outside of Ray, and so he knew that nobody would want to go with him, even if he did ask someone.
"I'll be your date," Ray replied quietly. He stopped walking and stared at the ground.
"It's lame to just go with your friend," Kai said.
Ray blushed and kept his eyes trained on his shoes. "No... I don't want to go with you as your friend, I want..." He paused and swallowed. "...I want to go as your date."
Kai, who had also stopped walking by that point, turned and stared at Ray, his eyes wide. "Ray, are you-"
"I'm asking you to be my Prom date," Ray said, raising both his voice and his eyes. Golden pools searched maroon ones.
Kai didn't know what to say. He wanted to, yes, but he wasn't sure if it was okay to.
When he got no response after a minute, Ray closed his eyes, tears starting to form in them, and started to run. He didn't care what he looked like, as long as he was able to get away from Kai.
Kai could only watch as his crush's heart got broken by him and then disappeared.
Ray ran through the park and made his way to his apartment. He dashed up the stairs and threw open his door. He went to his bedroom and buried his face in his pillows. He couldn't hold his tears in any longer, and let them soak his pillowcase. Ray was vaguely aware of his cell phone buzzing in his pocket, but he just ignored it.
Kai needed to talk to Ray. He needed to explain himself. He thought about going to Ray's house, but knew that the other boy probably wanted his space. With nothing else to do, Kai sent a text to Ray, saying, "We need to talk." Then he put his phone away and sat on one of the park's benches. Kai cradled his head in his hands. How could he have been so stupid?
After Ray finally calmed down, he pulled out his phone and read the text that Kai had sent. He sighed and just tossed his phone to the side. He stood up and walked into his small kitchen. He poured himself a glass of water and sipped it as he sat on his couch.
He felt so stupid. How could he think that Kai would feel the same way about him?
Kai couldn't take it any longer. After spending two hours on the bench, and watching as the sun sank low, he knew that he had to do something. He stood up and began to walk to Ray's house. He just hoped he wasn't going to make things worse.
Ray was laying on his couch, mindlessly watching television, when his doorbell rang. Ray frowned. He sat up and turned off his TV with the remote. He walked to the door and looked through the peep hole. His eyes were met with Kai's two-colored hair hanging over said boy's face. Ray didn't know what to do. Should he just let him in or make him go away?
Whilst Ray was still internally debating, Kai finally spoke. "Ray," he said softly, a stark contrast to his usually cold voice. "Can I come in, please?"
Ray was always the kind of person who hated to see anyone else looking upset. So, of course, it completely killed him to look at Kai like that. With a sigh Ray slowly pulled open the door and stepped aside to let Kai in.
"Thanks," Kai mumbled as he entered the small apartment. Ray closed the door behind him. Kai turned to face Ray, and looked at him with pleading eyes. "I'm sorry," he began.
But, before Kai could say anything else, Ray put up his hand. "No, don't be. I'm the one who should be sorry. I-I don't know what I was thinking... Well, I guess I wasn't, really... I didn't mean to-"
Now Kai was the one to cut Ray off. "Yes," he said.
Ray raised an eyebrow and asked, "Yes what?"
Kai took a breath. "Yes, I'd like to go to Prom with you."
Ray stared at the other doubtfully. "Kai, you don't have to if you don't want to." The memory of Kai kissing Ray's forehead after they went to the zoo flashed in his memory, but Ray refused to think of that moment as anything but friendly.
"I want to go with you, Ray," Kai said earnestly. "I... like you Ray." With that, Kai's face burned a dark red, and he refused to meet Ray's gaze.
"Are you saying you like me... as more than a friend?" Ray asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.
Kai just nodded.
Ray's face slowly split into a grin that stretched from ear to ear. He stepped closer to Kai and said quietly, "I'm glad that the feeling's mutual."
Kai's head shot up as he felt strong arms wrap around his neck. It took a moment for him to realize what was happening. Kai hesitantly put his arms around Ray's waist, loving the feeling of the other's body heat pressed into his own. After indulging in the embrace for a few moments, Kai whispered into the other's shoulder, "Is this okay? I mean, we are both guys..."
Ray just nodded. He didn't want to ruin the tender moment by speaking.
A couple of weeks before Prom, Kai and Ray went to a local tuxedo shop. Both got similar black tuxes, but Ray went with a white tie and vest whilst Kai went for a blue bow tie and cummberbund. They had talked about wearing matching colors, but since they weren't open about the blossoming relationship that they had, they didn't want to be too brazen about it. But they were okay with it. Both boys were looking forward to the big night.
Ray ran to the door when he heard the doorbell ring. He knew it was going to be Kai who was waiting, so he already had the apology on his lips as he opened his door. "I'm sorry, I know I'm late, I was just having problems with my hair!" Ray explained.
Kai let out a low chuckle and shook his head. "It's okay, don't worry about it." Kai then leaned back slightly to take in the full view of Ray in his Prom attire. He whistled as he looked his date up and down.
Ray blushed as he felt Kai's eyes on him. He still needed to grab his jacket and put on his tie, but the rest of his getup was on. Ray had decided to not wear his usual headband, and so it took him a while to get his hair to fall just right.
"Well I think that you look amazing, so don't worry about it," Kai reassured.
"Thanks," Ray muttered. "You don't look too bad, yourself," he told Kai with a wink.
Kai looked at the ground for a moment, trying to hide his burning cheeks. It was hard, however, since he didn't have on his usual scarf that Ray had given him. "So, are you ready? We should get going..." Kai finally said, trying to change the subject.
Ray nodded and threw on his few remaining articles of clothing. The boys then made their way out the door. They had wanted some fancy car or what not to get to Prom, but since Ray lived so close to the school, and seeing as the Prom was in the gymnasium, they chose to just walk there.
The gym was decorated with streamers and balloons of blue and red. Nearly the entire Senior class was in attendance, leaving little wiggle room in the gym. There was already music thumping and drinks and snacks set up throughout the space when they arrived.
"This really came out great," Ray said, nodding with approval. He'd been very involved with the planning process, but he hadn't done much for the actual setup.
"Yeah," Kai agreed, warily looking around at their classmates. He was excited to be at Prom with Ray, but he was much less enthusiastic to be at Prom with everyone else. He had a feeling that it was going to be a long night.
Ray had some last minute responsibilities to attend to when they first arrived, so he had to leave Kai for a few minutes. The shy boy wasn't too keen on the idea, but he didn't have any choice in the matter. So as Ray went off to take care of some business, Kai sought out a nice corner that he could hide himself in.
Kai settled into a folding chair along the wall and just watched his classmates dance. He'd never really gotten to know any of them other than Ray, so he felt awkward and hoped that his date would return shortly.
"Hello, Kai," a cold voice called.
Kai shot his eyes up to meet Bryan's lilac ones. Bryan was the school's resident "scary guy". He'd never been in trouble for causing fights or anything, but even teachers were afraid of him and his dark aura, even more so than Kai's! Kai glared at the tall boy. "What do you want?" he asked coolly.
"Just saying hello, no big deal," Bryan retorted.
Kai continued to stare the other down. "Well you've said hello, so now I'll just say goodbye."
Bryan didn't flinch. He kept his pale eyes trained on the other Russian. "So," he started casually, "I saw you come here with that Kon guy."
Kai's eyes became deadly slits. "What's your point?"
Bryan smirked. "Nothing, I just didn't realize you were gay is all."
Kai didn't say anything in response. He couldn't. Even if he didn't quite want to admit it to himself, it was true. Kai had fallen for another boy, so he had to be gay or bi or something.
With a satisfied smile and a quirk of an eyebrow, Bryan walked away.
Kai was left to think about the encounter. He didn't care what other people may think of him, but Kai was worried that their classmates might pick on Ray. While Kai tried to think of the best course of action, Ray finally came over to him. Ray had finished his tasks and now was free to spend the evening with his date. "Kai!" he had called happily as he spotted the boy in the corner. He made his way over to Kai.
"All set?" Kai asked, smiling slightly at Ray.
"Yup! So come on, let's dance!" Ray said, grabbing Kai's hand and pulling him to his feet. Kai decided to not think about the other students' opinions for the rest of the night. The boys made their way to the edge of the dance floor. The music was upbeat and everyone else was kind of just bouncing to the rhythm, and so they joined in, hopping to the indistinct songs.
Kai and Ray continued to dance for about twenty minutes before they took a break to grab some drinks. By the time they were able to make it back to the dance floor, the music was shifting to slow songs. Ray looked Kai in the eye and asked, "Are you okay with this?" He took Kai's right hand into his left when he got a nod of approval, and then he cautiously placed his other hand on Kai's hip.
Kai was stiff for a moment. The two had never actually gone on a date or anything before the Prom, and so the sudden intimacy threw him off guard. But with another nod he brought his free hand to Ray's back, and they started to sway. Kai was surprised by how pleasant he found the experience, though Bryan's words still tugged at the edge of his thoughts. He hadn't wanted to worry about the issue, but it was nagging him too much to ignore. "Ray..." he said quietly.
"Mmm?" Ray hummed, his eyes closed as they slowly spun in circles.
Kai leaned in close to Ray's ear. "Is this... okay?"
"Kai, we've talked about it before, it doesn't matter that we're two guys, as long as-"
"But is this okay to do here? What if the other kids bully us or something? I don't care since I don't have any friends besides you, but what if they're mean to you? I'd hate myself if anything happened to you because of this relationship." Kai pulled back so that he could stare into Ray's big, golden, eyes.
Ray put on a smile. "Kai, I don't care what other people think or say or do. This is just about you and me. I really, really, like you, and some name calling or whatever isn't going to stop that. And anyways, we have each other."
Kai nodded slowly. He really was in love with Ray, and there was nothing that could make him feel otherwise. It was worth the risk.
The Prom had gone over quite well. Both Kai and Ray enjoyed themselves and were glad that they went. When the last song had ended, the boys gathered their belongings and made the walk back to Ray's apartment through the park. With the moon as their only witness, they held hands the entire way.
"Thanks for convincing me to go tonight. I didn't think I'd have as much fun as I did. But, of course, that was all because of you," Kai said in a quiet voice. They were standing in front of Ray's door.
Ray looked down at his feet before whispering, "No, thank you... Kai, do you want to come in?" He turned his eyes back up to Kai, a blush evident on his cheeks.
Kai nodded. He followed Ray in through the door. Both boys took off the majority of their tuxes, just leaving their undershirts and pants on. They went into the kitchen to grab some drinks before settling onto the comfortable couch in the living room area. Kai sipped at his drink, but he kept stealing glances at Ray. After a little while, Kai gulped. He slowly reached out his hand and let it rest on Ray's thigh.
Ray looked at the other boy. A dark blush covered the Chinese boy's sharp features. "Kai..." he breathed.
"Ray. I-I've never kissed anyone before..." Kai admitted. He tightened his grip on Ray's leg. "But that's because I'd never found the right person before. But now, all I can think of doing is kissing you."
Ray's face was as red as his trademark headband. He swallowed, trying to calm his pounding heart. "I've never kissed anyone either," he whispered.
Kai nodded, his own face also very dark, and placed his drink on the coffee table in front of the couch. He used his now-free hand to lightly grab Ray's chin. With his heart beating erratically, Kai leaned forward. His lips stopped just above Ray's. Kai could feel Ray's hot breathe on his face.
After waiting a few moments for Kai to finally close the gap, but with no results, Ray took things into his own hands. He brought his head up just enough to feel the light pressure of Kai's lips upon his own. The contact lasted a few seconds before both backed away. Ray smiled.
"Wow," Kai said, raising his brows. Even though it could barely be counted as a kiss, Kai thought that it was exhilarating. He waited a moment before leaning in to try the experience again.
Ray eagerly responded to Kai's advances. He moved his mouth slightly against Kai's, trying to find a rhythm. It took a few tries, but the boys quickly were synced to each other. As the kisses deepened, Kai let himself get into a more convenient position, straddling Ray's legs on the couch. Ray brought both hands up to grab Kai's face. Their kisses were lasting longer and they both were panting whenever they got the chance to swallow some air.
After a while, the boys separated to fully catch their breaths. Kai still sat on Ray's lap, but neither was complaining. Once Kai could speak again, he repeated himself; "Wow." Then he laughed and looked deeply at Ray. "I feel like I barely know you; we only met this year. But, I'm still crazy about you, and I want to spend all of my time with you. I just can't stop thinking about you." Kai was blushing and bit his lip nervously. Had he said too much?
Ray smiled and felt tears of joy prick his eyelids. "Kai, I'm so happy." He brought his hand to Kai's cheek and ran it down to his jaw line. But then something caught his eye. He flicked his sight's focus to the clock on the TV. "Kai, it's 1:00 AM," Ray said, surprised.
Kai's eyes widened. "Crap, I was supposed to go home after Prom." He pulled out his phone and saw his numerous missed text messages. "I have to call my grandpa..." he trailed off.
Ray nodded slowly. "You should spend the night here," he said firmly.
Kai looked at Ray for a moment before he nodded. He reluctantly climbed off of Ray and walked into the kitchen to make the call.
Left to his own devices for a few moments, Ray sighed happily and yawned. So much had happened so quickly that he was glad to get a little bit of time to just relax and reflect. Kai actually liked Ray back, and enough so that they'd just made out. Ray still couldn't wrap his mind around that fact.
"My grandpa is going to kill me tomorrow," Kai said with a sigh as he walked back into the room. Then he broke into a smile, "But, he told me to just stay here over night."
Ray grinned.
The boys got ready for bed, Kai wearing a pair of Ray's pajama bottoms and one of his T-shirts. Once they were ready, Kai awkwardly looked from the couch he always used to sleep on to the door of Ray's bedroom. Ray caught the glance and smiled shyly. "Kai," he said in a low voice. Without another word he took Kai's hand and led him into the small bedroom. The bed, thankfully, was a queen sized one, so both boys could comfortably lay on it.
When they were settled amongst the sheets and blankets, Kai spoke. "Thank you."
Ray nodded into his pillow and brought himself closer to Kai. He draped an arm around Kai's waist and snuggled his face against one of Kai's strong shoulders. "Good night," he breathed.
"Good night."
Ray felt a few last tears swell up in his eyes. He took a deep breath and then heard his name get called. He took proud steps across the stage that had been erected in the football field. He met his principal and shook his hand as he received his diploma. It had taken thirteen years of his life, but he'd finally done it. He had graduated.
Kai didn't feel quite the same sense in pride when he took his diploma, but he was glad that it was all over.
When the ceremony was complete, Kai and Ray went out to celebrate. They went to their favorite Italian restaurant, smiling with the knowledge that the food was Kai's grandfather's treat. They ate some delicious food and then went for a walk. The boys found their way to a quiet playground, and they talked for an hour as they sat on the swings. They had so many plans for what was to come next. They'd both gotten accepted into the same college, and they had just been approved as each other's roommate. Although the future was scary, Kai and Ray had each other, and that made them feel like they could take on the entire world.
Eventually, as the sun went down, Ray brought up the one thing that neither boy had wanted to be the first to mention. "Kai," he said in a husky voice. He stood up from his swing and knelt in front of Kai's. He placed his hand over his boyfriend's. "Tonight, I think... I know I'm ready. If you don't feel comfortable then we won't do anything, but, Kai, I love you and I want to take the next step." Ray swallowed thickly. He was terrified that what he was suggesting was too much of a leap out of Kai's comfort zone.
Kai looked at his boyfriend lovingly. He squeezed the hand that covered his own. "I love you too," he started. "And, I'm ready for this." He nodded earnestly and stood up, pulling Ray with him. "But..." he trailed off.
Ray was still worried that he was rushing things. He opened his mouth to voice his concerns, but Kai continued, cutting him off.
"We need to be safe about this. Do you have any protection?" Kai asked seriously.
Ray shook his head slowly. "I've... never done anything to need it before."
Kai nodded. "Neither have I. Come on, I know where there's a drug store nearby."
The boys stopped by the store on their way to Ray's house. When they entered Ray's bedroom, both boys were excited and nervous. But together they slowly got into the right mood, and from there they took everything step by step, making a very memorable night.
The summer flew by, like always. Kai and Ray spent every available moment together. They put a lot of time into shopping for the things they'd need in their dorm room, as well as enjoying their last summer before they were official members of the "real world".
When it was time to move into their college dorm, they did so with an incurable excitement. After the boxes were unpacked and the beds were made and the closets filled, the boys finally found the time to sit and relax.
"Nervous?" Kai asked, acknowledging the new surroundings that they found themselves in.
Ray nodded. "But, I'm ready." He smiled at Kai warmly.
Kai grabbed Ray's hand and brought it to his mouth. He slowly kissed the back of his hand. "Thank you."
Ray laughed and cocked his head to the side. "For what?"
"For not giving up on me. You weren't just my first friend when I moved, you were my first real friend ever. And I'm indebted to you for that," Kai explained.
Ray blushed lightly. "Well Kai, you're my first real friend, too."
Kai looked at Ray quizzically.
"You were the first person to take the time to actually get to know me. You... were the first person to love me, in any sense of the word."
Kai searched Ray's face, but only found that he was serious about what he was saying. Kai suddenly hugged Ray close to him. "I love you. So, so, much."
"And I love you too, Kai. I love you too."
And with that, Kai and Ray took their first steps into the rest of their lives. Together.