Till Death Do We Part

Sometimes one must learn to let go...

a tyka fic

Trueangel

Takao opened his eyes and stood up. He found himself standing in the middle of the road. The last thing he remembered was that he and Kai were going out together and were crossing the road when a car hit them. Takao looked down at the road. There was a lot of blood on the gravel - was he hurt? Takao did a quick check on his body, but he couldn't find any injuries. That meant it was Kai...

Kai. The ice-cold team leader of the Bladebreakers, but only on the surface, as Takao realised. By some mischief of Cupid, Takao had fallen in love with Kai, despite every shred of logic in his mind. And, as fate would have it, it happened that Kai loved him too. As they got closer to each other, Takao learnt more about Kai, and it turned out that Kai was a pretty warm and affectionate guy, when it came to matters of the heart. As the two of them always stayed in the same hotel room, Kai would give him a little kiss every morning, whether Takao was awake or not (since then Takao always made sure he woke up on time). On special occasions such as Takao's birthday, Kai would spring little surprises. The times he spent with Kai were the happiest moments in his life.

Where was Kai anyway? Perhaps he want to get help - but Takao couldn't see the car that knocked them down either. Moreover, Kai seemed to have been badly injured, so he couldn't have simply walked away. If someone had passed by and brought Kai to a hospital, he wouldn't have left Takao behind. The more he thought about it, the more confused he got. Finally, Takao decided to return to the hotel. Perhaps Max and Rei had received news - maybe a phone call - telling them where Kai was.

"How is he?"

"Oh, Rei... He's gone, he never had a chance in the first place."

Silence.

"Should we tell Kai?"

"Not now... he needs to rest," replied Rei.

Kai spotted his two friends talking. He walked up to them. "How's Takao?"

Rei turned around. "Kai! What are you doing here? You should be in your bed resting."

"Don't be stupid. I just bruised my head and broke an arm. How's Takao?"

"He..." Max turned to Rei, not knowing what to say.

"He's alright, Kai, but he's still unconscious. You should rest so that you'll have enough energy to visit him when he's awake."

"Oh, alright," Kai grumbled. "But tell me as soon as Takao wakes up."

The two of them watched as Kai returned to his ward. When he was out of sight, Max suddenly buried his face in Rei's chest and cried.

Takao sat on his bed in the hotel. There was no one around. First Kai, now Max and Rei were missing. Takao was beginning to have a bad feeling about this. Perhaps Voltaire kidnapped the rest of them. Perhaps one of their rivals killed the Bladebreakers. Perhaps they had been abducted by aliens.

Takao smiled at the absurdity of his own thoughts. The silence and solitude was so scary, it was the only way to comfort himself. For a moment, he felt as though he was the only person in the entire world.

Suddenly, Takao heard voices outside. He stood up and opened his door. It was Max and Rei.

"Max! Rei!"

"I'm going to stay with Kai tonight. I just need to get some clothes," Max told Rei.

"I'll go with you," replied Rei.

"Max! Rei! Stop ignoring me!"

"When can we tell Kai the truth, Rei?"

"I... I don't know. He needs to rest and recover first."

So, Kai is in the hospital, Takao thought to himself.

"I'm going with you. I want to see Kai."

"Come on, let's get our stuff. We'll talk about it later."

Takao sat in Rei's car silently as they drove towards to hospital. He couldn't understand why they were ignoring him. It seemed as though they could neither see nor hear him. But at least they were heading to the hospital. Perhaps Kai could give him some answers as to what was happening.

"Rei, I can't keep silent anymore. It's... it's so difficult. I'm going to tell Kai the truth later."

"Tell Kai what, Max?"

"But... oh, alright. We can't possibly keep it from him forever."

"Rei, what is it?"

Max gripped Rei's hand. "But Rei, I need you to help me... I... I don't think I'll be able to do it alone."

"Do what? Tell me!"

Rei placed a light kiss on Max's cheek. "Max, you know that whatever you choose to do, I'll always be there to help and support you."

Takao grinned. "So, the two of you too..."

"Thanks, Rei."

Takao followed Max and Rei as they walked through the hospital towards Kai's ward. The path seemed to wind on forever. Takao's uneasiness grew as even the doctors and nurses walking along the corridor seemed to be ignoring him. Finally, they stopped outside Kai's ward. Takao walked in after Max and Rei.

Upon entering, Takao saw Kai lying on the bed with his head in a bandage and his left arm in a plaster cast. Takao rushed forward to hold Kai's hand - or at least he tried to. He stepped back in horror when his hand passed right through Kai's.

"No!"

"Kai... I have to tell you something. It's about Takao..." Max said. He reached out to hold Rei's hand for strength.

"What's happening?! Kai! Max! Rei! Tell me what's happening to me!"

"What happened to Takao?" Kai asked, with a worried voice.

Suddenly it all clicked together for Takao. Why everyone ignored him, why his hand passed through Kai's...

"No! Why must this happen to me?!"

"Takao... he's dead, Kai. He died almost immediately after the accident due to excessive loss of blood."

Kai just stared at Max, numb with shock. Takao wanted to cry, but the tears just wouldn't come. Probably because he wasn't alive anymore.

He was a ghost, a phantom, an apparition. He no longer belonged in the same world as Kai and everyone else.

Takao laughed bitterly at the irony of it all. In reality he had just been taken away from his friends, but to him it felt as though the entire world had been yanked from him from beneath his feet.

Slowly, Takao walked out of the window, passed right through it, and floated 10 floors to the ground.

Kai stood behind Max and Rei as they entered the lobby of the hotel. He followed the two of them to the elevators silently, and entered after them.

Ever since Max told him about Takao's death, Kai had become unusually subdued and quiet. He seldom responded when anybody asked him anything, and when he did, usually gave non-commital monosyllabic answers. Max regretted telling Kai the truth. Sure, Kai was secretive to begin with, but at least he would tell them stuff at times, and he had Takao to confide in. Now, Kai looked so distracted and disoriented all the time. Max felt so helpless.

Max and Rei got out of the elevator, followed by Kai. He followed them along the passageway to their respective rooms. When they finally arrived, Rei turned around.

"Welcome back, Kai."

Kai nodded and entered the room that he and Takao shared - or rather, used to share. As he closed the door behind him, Max and Rei watched on sadly.

In a corner, Takao stood and watched.

In his room, Kai sat on the bed and sighed. In a corner of the room lay Takao's stuff, untouched since the accident. Kai walked over to it. Sitting right on top of everything was Takao's Dragoon. Kai took the beyblade in his hand. He could almost feel Takao's bitbeast mourning... A tear fell down Kai's cheek.

Takao reached out with a finger and, teary-eyed himself, tried to wipe away Kai's tear.

Kai turned around and took of his black shirt. As he did so, his hand brushed against a scar. It was a small scar on the upper part of his left arm, caused by a splinter that pierced his skin during the accident. No doubt, it was a small scar, but it was an indelible mark that would always remind him of Takao.

Takao cried as he brushed his finger against Kai's scar. He couldn't feel anything. He would never caress Kai again. He would never feel his kiss in the morning. He would never be able to let Kai know that he still loved him...

Kai unbuckled his black leather belt, took of his blue jeans and boxers, and stepped into the bathroom. He switched on the shower to 'hot' and stood under the comfortably warm spray. He could feel his tense muscles relaxing in the hot shower. Kai sighed. This would have been the perfect moment to share with Takao, soaking under the warm water as they soaped and washed each other's bodies... he missed Takao.

Takao smiled as he watched Kai. It was so typical of him. Kai would always take a nice, long hot shower after a hard day of training. If not for the fact that Kai let Takao bathe with him, Takao would have already complained to the others a million times about Kai hoarding the bathroom. Takao wondered for a moment of ghosts could cum, for he was close to doing so now. He watched, mesmerised, as the water flowed down Kai's lithe form, forming little rivers and streams on his silky skin. Takao stared at Kai's well-defined muscles, his beautifully sculpted pecs and biceps, probably earned from years of training, giving him the body of a Greek god. Feeling mischievous, Takao crept forward and blew gently on Kai's manhood. Kai dodn't feel anything, but as if subconsciously, his cock rose slowly, seductively. Takao watched, hypnotised...

He tore himself away from the scene. It was no use. Takao was in a different world from Kai now. He could watch, but Kai no longer belonged to him. Takao looked at the large mirror facing the shower. There was no reflection of him, only a layer of steam forming... suddenly, Takao grinned. He had an idea.

Feeling completely relaxed at last, Kai turned off the shower. He reached for a towel to dry himself, but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the mirror - or rather, the words written in the steam on the glass of the mirror.

Hi, Kai. This is Takao.

"Takao!? Where are you?"

Words began to form on the glass again. My spirit has always been with you since the accident.

"Do you know how much I've missed you? I've missed you so much, Takao... so much..."

I miss you too, Kai.

"I'll never ever forget you..."

I want you to forget me. I want you to leave me behind and start a new life. Find someone else to love. There's no use clinging on to the past. I'm dead, Kai, but you're still alive.

"Takao, don't leave me!"

The steam is beginning to fade. You might not be able to see or hear me, but you'll always feel my spirit with you. I am the air around you. I won't ever leave your side. Goodbye, Kai.

Kai watched helplessly as Takao's last words faded away. His legs crumpled and his body collapsed to the floor. Kai buried his face in his hands and cried.

"Goodbye, Takao."

-{= END =}-

After meditating in the mountains for months, almost a year, the Goddess of Inspiration granted me this fic. But seriously, what with a major exam drawing near, I'm finding I don't have enough stamina to work on Legend of Apocalypse. I might continue once everything is over, but I'm making no promises. But don't worry, I'm planning a Christmas fic (heck, it's all written out nicely waiting to be typed out and edited), dedicated to a very special friend, so I'm not permanently gone yet. Also, I'm planning to make a crossover into the original fic section, and I've begun creating the world that my fic is going to take place in, and the characters too. If I don't skive, I'd probably start writing proper sometime around June next year, but I'll have more details in my next fic. Meanwhile... review!