.Share Your Demons With Mine.
.Tyson & Kai Friendship Fic.
The face is there again. Fuck!
Now breathless from the sight, Kai sat up to wriggle himself free from his sleeping bag. Despite that he wants to run and escape the sight of his dark shadow, Kai took a brief moment to skim his widened eyes down to his teammates; he counted the heads and then turned his head back to the window to notice that the strange sight had disappeared.
It's all in my head again. It's me.
The paranoia that was screaming wildly inside mind had grown stronger, but the Hiwatari was more drawn to the aggressive rhythms that were echoing loudly inside his ears. His mouth dried, yet his eyes moistened to fog his view.
I can't wake anyone to let them see me in this state. I need to sort myself out, fast.
Even though his numbed figure struggled with the simple task of sneaking across the bedroom to pick up his luggage bag, he then made his way to the kitchen to lifelessly drop the bag onto the table. Afterwards, he switched on a light switch so he could dig out the bag to find his temporary cure – some strong painkillers.
Once he'd found the packet, he anxiously gazed around the room to ensure that nobody in the darkness was present. However, once he'd concluded that the coast was clear, Kai rushed across the kitchen to close the door – he was determined to seal out the darkness completely.
Things were so much easier when I was numb inside. But, isn't this the cowards way out? I am supposed to be so much stronger than this, I mean, for crying out loud, I haven't long finished my therapy program.
Kai was suddenly torn. All he wanted to do was escape this nightmare so he could finally sleep at night; the ghosts from his past continued to strip him down bare to expose his weaknesses. He was vulnerable and in his eyes, this wasn't acceptable behaviour. After all, his upbringing taught him that better than anyone.
He prepared himself a glass of water and popped out two of the pills into his shaky palm.
It's now or never. Maybe if I just hold on, it might go away.
Before Kai could make up his mind, the door was swung open and the light switch was turned on. He'd frozen like a child who had just been caught in the act. At that very moment, it was as if the soul inside his body had escaped through his mouth – he felt lifeless with no dignity left to spare.
"I knew it." A familiar voice interrupted in a stern tone. "For goodness sake Kai, how many times have we spoken about this?"
The Hiwatari couldn't answer him. He just hung his head to hide his shame.
"You promised me that you would wake me up so I could sit with you." The champion slipped in front of him to slap the tablets from his hand. Tyson was rightly frustrated. "Now, sit your ass down and don't move. I'm going to take a leak, then when I come back, I will make us both a drink."
Stunned by his rivals behaviour, a sudden breeze of relief pulse through Kai's figure, awkwardly, it restored his senses and soothed his overworked heart. After he registered Tyson's words, Kai did as he was told and placed his glass of water onto the surface of the table.
Naturally, he felt stupid and humiliated. But in a strange way, he was very grateful about the fact that it was Tyson who had caught him, and not Hilary or Ray. The Dragoon wielder had an approach which Kai could relate too, so secretly, he preferred this result.
Tyson returned and fidgeted with his pyjama bottoms to get comfortable again. He yawned loudly and then prepared the kettle along with two cups of tea, Kai was forbidden to touch the coffee when his anxiety was in this state - it was now Tyson's golden rule for Kai, especially as the champion had learned about the effects of caffeine during his own personal therapy sessions.
The cups were placed onto the table and Tyson to join the Russian by sitting beside him. "So, what happened this time? Did you have another nightmare?" He cut straight to the chase without allowing Kai any time to straighten out his story.
"No. I just couldn't get to sleep." Kai admitted bluntly. He sealed his hands around his cup of tea to embrace its warmth – it almost reminded him of the fact that he wasn't dreaming nor dead.
"Oh, so you were over thinking again." Concluded Tyson with a small smirk crawling across his dried lips. Oh yes, he knew all this too well. "When are you going to change the tune, Kai? And when are you going to start focusing on what you are good at, instead of being what they want you to be."
"Pft. It's easier said than done-"
"Oh trust me, I know it is." The Granger too had bags under his eyes, he too had been struggling to fall into a deep sleep. "But why the tablets Kai?"
What a daft question. I'm sure that he already knows the answer, but he just wants to get the satisfaction of hearing me say it. Fuck him.
"Do you know how you look when you take those horrible things? Do you know what your teammates have to see?" The Granger then leaned down to the ground from his chair to pick up the painkillers. He swirled them around his hand to inspect them more close up. "No, I didn't think you did."
Tyson didn't even have to look at Kai to know what he was going to say. He may be overtired, but he still could predict his teammate's reaction on the odd occasion. Still, could Kai foresee that he too wasn't the only wreckless person in the room?
"Well, let me show you."
A gasp flooded from Kai's lips and his eyes almost rolled out of his head. "Don't you fucking dare!" He lept from his seat to tackle the Granger onto the floor, he pinned him down with his weight and straddled him.
When he saw the tablets fly out of Tyson's hands, the captain grasped his hand onto Tyson's t-shirt and he raised him so they were inches away from one another's face. He'd finally lost his temper.
"How can you be so stupid!?"
"Stupid!? Me?! Go and look in the mirror smart ass! You're the moron here!" Tyson's eyes were now tearing up with emotion as he slammed his fists onto the floor. "There's nothing wrong with asking me for help Kai, you know that I would do anything for you and this team!"
"Oh shut up."
"Is that all you can say-!?"
"No, seriously, shut up, you are going to wake everybody up. And if anyone has heard us tonight, I will make you run to the other side of the Earth and back in the tomorrows training session, I can promise you that." Kai threatened with a fire burning gloriously inside his crimson eyes.
"You just don't get it. I don't want to lose you." Tyson finally sobbed dramatically, "Besides, if you tell me to run to the other side of the world Kai, but I would make sure that you're coming with me because you can't even look after yourself when I am not around-"
"Here we go." Kai released him and rolled his eyes, "Fine. If I say it, will you at least stop fucking crying?!"
"At this point, I don't even know." Confessed Tyson, "At least I ain't afraid to show weakness. I'm okay with crying."
Despite that his rival was just scored cheap points, Kai had to recognise that Tyson was right. The team does care, and sometimes, he does need to accept more help than what he's used too. After all, the Bladebreakers have won three tournaments together by working alongside each other.
"Fine. I'm sorry. I won't let myself get to this point again." Slowly, the raven-haired teenager shifted himself off his rival to perch back onto the table. "Now drink your tea and go back to bed."
"I'm not going back to bed unless you come back with me," Tyson muttered whilst wiping his runny nose and leaky eyes. "I don't care how that sounds either, you need your rest too."
An eyebrow raised towards Kai's forehead, he was dying to chuckle at that little remark, but he swallowed it. "Right." He picked up his cup of tea in one hand, and then extended the other hand down to Tyson to pull him up from the floor.
"Thanks." Praised the Granger, he picked up his hot drink and sipped it slowly. "Oh man, why do we always get ourselves into such a state? I'm sick of this."
You and me both – Kai thought to himself and shrugged bluntly.
"Hey, I know what we can do." Chirped Tyson, "I heard there is a full moon tonight. I'm going outside to look at it, are you coming?"
Outside? Where that face looked in? I can't let him go outside alone!
For the peace of mind, Kai nodded and followed his teammate out into the cooling summer night. It was silent and after he had skimmed his eyes across the scene, Kai grunted with happiness. There was nothing there, it was just his anxiety playing tricks on him again!
"Wow, it's a huge, huh?"
The Russian too looked up to the sky to be astonished by the view. He smiled until Tyson leaned his arm onto his shoulder. That sense of comfort soon flew out of window and Kai's body tensed at his unwelcomed touch.
"I could stand out here to look at that view all night with you Kai."
"You are getting too comfortable for my liking."
"Oh come on Kai, enjoy the moment. Go with the flow-"
"Stick your flow up your ass and get off me."
"If you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best." Marilyn Monroe.