Red Hair, Blue Hair and Gold Eyes

Disclaimer: Beyblades and its characters and other property are not my property. I do not own them. I do not intend to profit from this work. This work was created for entertainment only.

Pairings: Kai/Tala/Rei friendship, Kai/Tala friendship, Rei/Kai/Max/Tyson friendship

Plot summary: Rei gets sick and Kai and Tala care for him.

Warnings: Male/Male/Male platonic bonding/affection, sick Rei, references to childhood trauma, references to child abuse of Rei, Kai and Tala, nightmares, sickness, vomiting.

AN: Italics = Russian

START

Kai and Rei shared a room for one simple reason. At least at the start. Rei was the least annoying of the team. But they had come to form a bond he had never expected. He didn't know such bonds were possible, let alone such people! It was strange. Hard to accept or even acknowledge the existence of it. But they were friends. Team mates. Brothers.

It was strange because they were so different. Or so it seemed. In fact they had much in common. The arrangements for rooms didn't change, even as he became closer to the rest of the team and they became less annoying. Well, except for Tyson.

Kai had both looking forward to and dreading to a visit from one of his former team mates. Tala. They were like brothers. As close as you could get. They had both shared a harsh life, they had saved each other more than either would admit. Still Tala would be his usual annoying self. He really was quite the joker when he was not beyblading.

So when he heard the door, he left his room. Tala was dressed casually and grinning widely. "Ah Blue! I was wondering where you had got to!" he said in a light voice. The other team mates looked nervous, they had only seen him beyblade. Tala was a vicious beyblader who spared no one. They really didn't want to suffer his wrath. And who knew what set off the vicious beyblader?

"Tal" Kai greeted warmly, ignoring them. He couldn't expect any different. They didn't know Tala like he did. Tala had only been a monster to them.

"It has been too long, brother." Tala replied in Russian.

"Far too long, Red." he replied easily.

"I was wondering If you had forgotten!" Tala replied, switching to English again, enjoying the confused and suspicious looks it earned Kai.

Kai did not bother to even look at the others as they left for his room. It would be much more private. He had already set up the spare bed in there anyway. Rei was fine with it. After all, he trusted Kai, even if he didn't trust Tala.

Tala followed behind, wondering where Rei was…he had been missing from the 'welcome' committee. He hadn't even seen Rei as they passed the kitchen. He was sure that if Rei was there, he would have been greeted with a warm cup of tea and an uneasy smile. Rei was kind like that. Sure if Tala had been a friend, maybe at least a cake would have been offered but Rei was never unkind unless he had a reason.

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Rei was curled up on his bed, sleeping, surprising Kai. Tala noticed with interest how that actually worried his friend. Kai worried about precious few. His old team and his current one. That was about the list.

Seeing Kai show concern to anyone but The Demolition Boys seemed unnatural.

"Is he taking catnap?" Tala joked, trying to break the silence.

Kai rolled his eyes, but otherwise ignored him. He must be really concerned.

"Why are you so worried, Blue?" he asked.

"He never sleeps during the day. He always wakes early, sometimes before me. Something is wrong." Kai replied.

"He does not look at peace." Tala commented sadly.

"He never sleeps well." Kai replied, sounding almost soft.

"He looks like he is in pain" Tala expanded.

"Yes, headache." Kai replied, though he didn't comment on what Tala was referring to. Emotion pain. Specifically nightmares. Something both were intimately familiar with.

"Sick?" Tala asked.

"Probably. Its my best guess."

"Guess?"

"He never gets sick." Kai explained worriedly.

Later the neko beyblader woke, he felt awful! His head felt like it would burst. His limbs felt heavier. Every little thing seemed to take effort. He hadn't noticed Kai and his guest yet...which was strange enough to be concerning. He didn't emerge from his blankets, but wrapped himself tighter. He was much paler too.

Kai certainly noticed. He was watching the other carefully. He was sure of it now. Rei was sick.

Rei tried to sit up, managing barely, though the effort was great. After a few moments rest, he attempted to get to his feet. Now Kai acted. He quickly caught the boy before he could fall to the floor. Rei should have resisted, but he accepted it.

"Rei!" he called, hoping to stir some life in the chinese boy. He only received a whine in reply, which was encouraging and concerning. This close he could see his friends glazed eyes, and feel a fever.

"The little kitty is really sick...poor Gold" Tala said, sounding concerned too.

"Gold?" Kai managed to ask, before Rei started shifting in his arms. Not a minute later, his pants and the floor around them had been covered in vomit. "Tal, take him. I need to change." he ordered casually.

Tala obliged, setting the nekojin on the bed, still keeping a strong hold on him. He couldn't help but be concerned. Poor neko! Rei didn't seem bothered...or he was just that sick that being held by Tala, the cold and vicious beyblader didn't bother him.

Kai emerged again and quickly cleaned up Rei. He wasn't paying attention to Tala, busy muttering comforting phrases in Russian to the sick boy. It brought Tala back to the times his team had been sick or injured and Kai would help them recover.

"Gold?" he asked again.

Tala grinned. "Yes. Blue. Red. Gold." he explained succinctly, pointing to Kai's hair, his own hair and Rei's eyes.

Kai raised an eyebrow but didn't comment.

Rei had settled against Tala, looking comfortable enough to sleep. Kai looked over the boy, now he could focus on him. Pale and sweaty. A fever for sure. Throwing up, tick! Probably a headache. He should keep an eye on it, in case things got worse…

"What are you thinking?" Tala asked interrupting his thoughts. "I know that look. Are things that bad?".

"We need to keep an eye on him." Kai replied, not bothering to hide his concerns or words. "He is sick. Not much can make him sick..." he trailed off worriedly.

"Alright. What now?" Tala replied. Rei was still half asleep against him.

"Let him sleep. He will need to keep up his fluids and we should take his temperature." Kai ordered softly. "I'll make some soup for later. Tea should help too. I will see what medicine we have.".

Kai easily picked up Rei, placing him under the warm blankets on his bed. The sick boy fell asleep easily.