Tai: Well, there's little explanation needed for this story. I was watching random AMV's on youtube and came across this song. It just made me think of Bryan, so I thought 'why not write a story for it?'. Hence here we are.
Disclaimer: I don't own beyblade or the song by Evanescence
Bryan watched the scene below unfold with a scowl firmly set into his otherwise handsome features; the slate haired teen was once again training tirelessly, wearing himself down to exhaustion. He did so every day; starting his practise well before the rest of the team and continuing well after the others had left. The ruby eyed male assumed no one knew he started so early, nor finished so late, but the lavender haired teen knew. When Kai collapsed due to sheer exhaustion from practise, he was always there to help; carrying the smaller teen to his room and ensuring there was something nearby to eat.
The slate haired teen was a machine, repetitive and predictable.
He watched silently, the same pain that always arose in him sinking its vile claws in yet again. Yet again, the younger male would train until he collapsed, and with Tala and Spencer already gone for the evening, he would be left to carry the teen to his room. Not once did he receive a word of thanks from the teen, no word of acknowledgement from the obsessive male. It didn't bother him, however, not at first. He did it out of love; he cared too deeply for the male to simply leave him collapsed by the side of a beydish with Dranzer.
Normally, that was how the evenings played out.
Standing silently, he cast a final glance at the slate haired teen before creeping softly away, leaving the phoenix blader to his own devices for the first time in months. For once, someone else could take care of the slate haired boy; it was a thankless job and the falcon was tired. Heading out of the training facility, he thought hard about where to go; there were few places left in the town he could find comfort in such a time.
Solace wasn't what he wanted.
Walking deftly down the streets of Tokyo, he kept the icy mask he always held firmly in place; much like the rest of the Blitzkrieg Boys he'd learnt long ago to bury his emotions deep inside. It was painful to do around those he counted as 'friends'; they'd agreed to be open with one another about everything, but what clawed at the falcon would rip apart the team like the beak of a mighty bird might rip apart its prey.
It would be painful, messy and impossible for any of them to ignore.
Pushing the thoughts to the back of his mind and attempting to force the knives of emotion from his heart, he continued on, brushing past the inattentive American and Japanese blader Kai had once been on a team with. The Chinese male within their ranks recognised the male however, but he said nothing.
No one ever did.
He felt the amber eyes linger on him a moment longer before the ebony haired neko-jin turned to follow his friends; the group clearly intending to visit the younger Russian at their training facility. 'At least he'll still have someone to look after him somewhat.'
Continuing through the streets, he headed towards the port and, incidentally, the airport. They were in a similar direction, which was highly convenient. A wry smile crossed onto his lips as he disappeared into the crowds, anyone watching the lavender hair male sure to lose sight of him as he vanished into the swarm of people.
Kai froze just as he went to launch, looking around the room. Something was wrong; he didn't know what, but a familiar feeling he'd grown so fond of having around while he trained was missing. His arms dropping, he glanced around the room for any sign of movement. There wasn't any; not that the teen truly expected to see anyone. The rest of the Russian team had already left, and the phoenix wielder still had a lot of training to get in.
He already knew he'd be half asleep as he wandered to his room; he always was. Somehow though, he always remembered to get something to eat for when he awoke fully; clearly his sleep-walking self was much more aware of the surroundings than he thought possible. Launching Dranzer, he allowed his mind to drift, his ears catching the tune to a song he could remember hearing before, but not stirring the memory of where.
'What was it called?' the slate haired teen pondered, listening to the lyrics.
Please, please forgive me,
But I won't be home again.
Maybe someday you'll look up,
And, barely conscious, you'll say to no one:
"Isn't something missing?"
Calling the deep blue beyblade back to his hand, Kai walked over to one of the nearby seats to listen to the song, searching his mind for any memory pertaining to the song. Where had he heard it? It wasn't the type of song Tala or Spencer listened to…
You won't cry for my absence, I know -
You forgot me long ago.
Am I that unimportant...?
Am I so insignificant...?
Isn't something missing?
Isn't someone missing me?
"Kai! I never thought you were one for slacking off." The world champions teasing tone made the male smirk, exhaling with a huff.
"Hn."
The remainder of the old Bladebreakers filed into the room, though it appeared Ray was lagging behind the rest of the group. The ebony haired male cast a glance over his shoulder, a frown fixed on his fine features and concern in his deep amber eyes.
Please, please forgive me,
But I won't be home again.
I know what you do to yourself,
I breathe deep and cry out,
"Isn't something missing?
Isn't someone missing me?"
"Kai, is something up with Bryan? He walked past us on our way here without saying a word." The neko-jin questioned, earning a frown from the slate haired teen. Was something up with the lavender haired male? He'd seemed the same as normal at practise…
And if I bleed, I'll bleed,
Knowing you don't care.
And if I sleep just to dream of you
I'll wake without you there,
Isn't something missing?
Isn't something...
His deep red eyes widened as the words seemed to echo through his mind, the pieces clicking into place simultaneously. The falcon had been listening to the song recently, leaving it turned up loudly in one of the other rooms while he trained. Out of curiosity the younger teen had gone in to listen, the phoenix ending up watching the male train for a couple of hours.
Kai frowned at the idea; why was that fact bugging him so badly now? It wasn't like it was unusual for the Russians to go off on their own, but the pang of worry that nipped at him wasn't going away. "I don't think so Ray. He's probably just in one of his moods."
The concern in the amber eyed male's eyes didn't decrease any, and the ruby eyed male sat silently thinking, even as Tyson began chattering away. 'What's wrong with the idea that Bryan wanted out of here for once? It's not like he had any reason to stay normally…'
His mind travelled back to his getting back to bed; he was completely exhausted by the time his practice finished; there was no way, awake or asleep, that he had not only the energy to walk to his room. It was three flights up, and finding food once there was no easy task. Tala and Bryan tended to devour everything in sight, with the blonde of the team constantly complaining they were gluttons.
Even though I'm the sacrifice,
You won't try for me, not now.
Though I'd die to know you love me,
I'm all alone.
Isn't something missing?
Isn't someone missing me?
In the background the song finshed, the final pieces of the mystery locking themselves into place. Bryan normally stayed behind to keep an eye on him. The lavender haired male used to sit on the floor of the viewing platform, watching as the slate haired teen pushed the limits of his exhaustion and collapsed onto the ground.
The absence he felt in the room was the falcons; he'd been around during the training so long that Kai had become accustomed to it, grown used to taking advantage of one he cared about. If Bryan cared as he thought, why had he left the slate haired teen to train alone in such a suicidal fashion?
Up off the chair in an instant, he slipped past his old team and darted out onto the street, dodging people as he headed toward the centre of the city. His deep red eyes searched for his fellow Russian, for any trace that the falcon had been in the area. He found none and continued to run, leaving behind him the confused remnants of the Bladebreakers.
'Where are you Bryan?' the Russian thought desperately, finally opting to climb to the roof of a building to see if his hawklike gaze could find any trace of the other teen.
Tala and Spencer arrived back at the building later than normal, jumping as the sound of hurried steps met their ears. Kai landed before them as graceful as ever, panting heavily as he looked at the duo. "Bryan…" he panted, causing both redhead and blonde frown further at the teen. "have either of you seen him?"
"No, he was staying here." Spencer shrugged, frowning at the slate haired male. "You need a training partner or something?"
'If only…Bryan where are you?' Kai thought, the look of concern on his features startling both of the taller males. "I've been looking for him most of the afternoon; I can't find him anywhere."
"He'll show up at training tomorrow morning. Regardless of what mood he's in he'll turn up for training. He always does." The redheaded captain stated, though even his definitive tone failed to put Kai's mind at ease. The slate haired teen decided he would relax once the falcon appeared at training tomorrow.
The morning sun was mocking as the Russian team awoke, all heading down into the training room for practice. The slate haired teen was already seated on one of the seats, his deep red eyes watching the new arrivals. They took their own seats to wait on the lavender haired male.
Seconds melted into minutes, minutes had long ago melted into hours, yet there was still no sign of the fiery falcon; his unusual temperament leaving a void in the team. As lunchtime rolled past, none of them wanted to admit what they were all thinking. As the day grew later still, they finally accepted that the younger teens concerns were somewhat founded.
It took an hour, but none of the teens were willing to relax, even once it was done. Their concern mounted as the passing hours mounted, but with the report now filed with the authorities, there was no point in avoiding the fact further.
Kai found the lyrics to the song echoing in his mind as he finally accepted the fact –
Even though I'm the sacrifice,
You won't try for me, not now.
Though I'd die to know you love me,
I'm all alone.
Isn't something missing?
Isn't someone missing me?
Bryan Kuznetsov was missing.