Title: Toxic
Author: Blake Schwartz
Rating: G
Pairing: Ray x Kai
Category: Songfic.
Warning: OOC-ness, particularly on Kai's part…
Disclaimer: I own nothing, except this temperamental computer and a dictionary. The song is parts of Toxic by Brittany Spears.
Archived: yes please; notes: this didn't turn out quite right, I think I was just too tired when I wrote the ending.
Baby, can't you see?
I'm calling
A guy like you should wear a warning
It's dangerous
I'm falling
Ray rolled the lollypop along his bottom lip and licked at it, completely ignorant of Tyson trying to hide his laughter, Max alternating between watching Kai and watching Ray and Kenny, hidden behind his laptop screen, not wanting to know what his team mates were doing.
Strawberry. The lollypop was strawberry and round and rolled easily across his lips. Every now and again, Ray pulled the whole thing into his mouth, trying desperately to get Kai to tear his attention away from the movie they were watching on TV (Hero - again!) and notice him. Unfortunately, Kai was either devoid of anything stronger than friendship or getting his captain to notice him would be harder than Ray originally anticipated.
After the fight with Bryan, Ray spent four days in hospital, with constant visits from the White Tigers and the BladeBreakers. The White Tigers left the day Ray got out of hospital. The day after which, Bryan had asked to see Ray, being poked and prodded by Kai, he quietly told Ray he was sorry and he was only under orders and said he hoped Ray had recovered OK. Ray was more shocked than anything, but it was Tala that told him that Kai had been pushing Bryan to come see him since the championships. Mr. Dickinson had announced that the BladeBreakers were to have a holiday, after all, his little world champions deserved it. And that's what they had been doing, holidaying and relaxing. Unfortunately for Ray, with no battles to monopolize their attention, the rest of the team had noticed something odd about Ray. He had a huge crush on Kai, and Kai was too thick to realize it.
Ray sighed and glanced over to Kai, he'd figured it would be hard to get the bluenette's attention. He just hadn't figured on how hard it would be, but he had a theory about it, much like Kenny had a theory to explain everything. Ray's theory was: Kai had air pockets in his head to balance for being a super-sharp beyblader, he was particularly dense when it came to other people. Ray's favourite example was to point out how long it had taken Kai to realize that the BladeBreakers were his friends. Obviously it would take twice as long and getting closer to death than nearly sinking into a Russian lake to prove to Kai that Ray liked him more than that. Far, far more than that. It was more like the obsessive-compulsive disorder of any new couple. It was the sexual attraction of the first six months of a relationship. Jesus, Kai had such a tight hold on Ray it hurt.
Ray had managed to pick up a job at one of the local cafes and he thanked God for it every single day, because it meant he got away from the tall, sexy, red-eyed bluenette he shared a room with. That rough voice with just a hint of an accent that ordered Tyson to stop eating. That tiny smirk that graced his oh-so-attractive face when Tala teased him. Yes, they saw the Demolition Boys, but really only because they had no where else to go and the BladeBreakers were in Russia. Besides, Kai seemed to like their company, and while Ian could be a little annoying, Spencer a little intimidating and Bryan a little blunt, Ray had taken a liking to Tala and his sharp tongue.
Ray sighed and gave up, sucking thoughtfully on the lollypop. Nothing was going to tear Kai's attention from his favourite movie.
There's no escape
I can't wait
I need a hit
Baby, give me it
You're dangerous
I'm loving it
The other reason they were still in Russia was that there was going to be a huge ball to celebrate the Champions. That, Ray was not looking forward to, because he figured that at some stage someone would ask him to dance. He was OK when it came to clubbing and nightclubs, having worked in quite a few over the years, but when it came to graceful ballroom dancing he knew as much about that as Tyson knew about self control. Next to nothing. Not only that, he didn't know anyone who could teach him; he didn't even know anyone who could dance.
"Well, that was great, who's up for something more exciting like watching grass grow?" Tyson announced as the end credits rolled. Stretching his arms above his head he looked at Max, "What do you think Maxie? Want to go out somewhere? The park? To blade?"
"The movie wasn't that bad, you just can't appreciate the plot line and the emotions in it, and the subplots and the complexity of the movie," Kai said sharply, his gaze cutting through Tyson.
"Come on Max, let's leave our grumpy captain and his-" Max quickly cut Tyson off by putting his hand over Tyson's mouth.
"Yep, let's go Tyson, come on Kenny. You gonna watch us take out a few amateurs?" Max said, pushing Tyson out of the room and towards the front door. Kenny shrugged, picked up his laptop and followed. Kai watched them go and then turned his gaze towards Ray.
"My what?" Kai asked Ray. Ray's eyes widened as he realized that Kai was talking to him and his face flushed.
"Your-um-I don't…" Ray stuttered, suddenly feeling breathless and completely unable to answer Kai. He also knew how Kai hated to wait for an answer; he was far too straightforward and simple to wait for an answer. Grunting, Kai left Ray stuttering on the couch. Ray watched him leave, his easy grace and acute awareness of his surroundings obvious from watching him leave. Ray smiled softly, he knew how dangerous it was to fall for the stand offish Russian, how dangerous it was for the team image, Kai's image and his own. Particularly if the news got back home and the White Tigers found out. Or worse, his parents. He was pretty sure that by now, his parents would have picked out a good wife for him and were just waiting upon his return to marry him off. Pulling himself off the couch, he headed down the corridor.
"Kai?" Ray asked, standing outside their room, "I liked the movie. I got what you were saying to Tyson. I liked the wire work and I wouldn't mind watching it again," with you he silently added. The door swung open.
"What?" Kai grunted.
"I said, I…um…that is to say that…I...um…" caught again under hypnotizing sexy red eyes, Ray couldn't string a sentence together. Max was trying to give time alone, but Ray kept stuffing it up. At this rate, all Kai would think of him was that once there was no pressure on him to perform, he couldn't talk.
It's getting late
To give you up
I took a sip from my devil's cup
Slowly, it's taking over me
"Is there something wrong with Ray?" Kai asked Max, finally able to get him alone.
"What do you mean?"
"Is he going out with someone? Because Tala said that sometimes people can't focus when they're in love." Kai frowned, "And Ray is definitely having trouble concentrating. For some reason, that struck him in a funny way in his chest.
"Is he? I hadn't noticed," Max asked, carefully playing dumb, hoping that if he couldn't get Ray to say anything, maybe Kai would say something. He could see the sparks there, but Kai had trouble understanding people and picking up signals and Ray was too shy to do anything over-the-top, which, unfortunately, is just what he'd need to do to get through to Kai. He supported Ray's theory about Kai's head. There had to be some fault in him somewhere to make up for the way he bladed.
"He can't thread a sentence together Max. His mind is clearly elsewhere," Kai stated clearly, as though Max didn't understand what he was saying. There was something wrong with the Chinese blader and he's sit here all day if that's what it took to get the blonde to understand. "Are you sure he's not dating anyone? Not one of those fan girls? Not Mariah?" Kai frowned, that was all he could think of, after all; Ray did seem to be a ladies' man. If it weren't for Tyson being the one to beat Tala, Ray's fan mail would easily be the most any of them got.
"No, he said that he saw Mariah and the other White Tigers off the say he got out of hospital. He's not too interested in his fan base; you know how he doesn't like the superficial. He says he likes to know people before he goes out with them. Reasonable eh?" Max figured that he might as well try to help Kai see Max's strong points if he couldn't see how crazy the neko-jin was about him.
"Did you see with the icy pole yesterday? In, out, in, out, you'd think he was trying to touch the back of his throat with it. You did see him didn't you?"
Max tried to hide his smile, he knew exactly what Ray had been trying to do and it amused him that Kai hadn't picked it up. In fact he thought it was down right funny that Kai hadn't figured it out just how bad Ray had it for him.
"I saw him, why, did you think you were going mad?"
"No! I just-"
"You know, he's pretty worried about the formal thing on Friday. He never learnt how to dance and I think he wants to learn. Do you know anyone who could teach him?"
"Is that what it is?" Kai looked at Max incredulously, "Why didn't he say something?" Kai rolled his eyes to the ceiling.
"Why? Do you know how to dance Kai? I bet Tala does, he always struck me like the sort of guy who'd know." Max kept his face solemn, "Hey Kai, where are you going?"
Intoxicate me now
With your lovin' now
I think I'm ready now
"Ray," Kai said, commanding the neko-jin's attention. Ray jumped at looked at Kai from a corner of his bed, leaning against the wall.
"What's wrong Kai?" Ray asked, trying to sink behind his book. He'd been trying to stay out of Kai's way. Since talking to Max the day before, Kai had been acting strange around Ray. He seemed to be trying to get to know Ray, actively seeking him out to talk to him, but he also confused Ray. Trying to get Kai's opinion in front of the rest of the team seemed next to impossible, trying to get him to initiate a conversation? Less likely than hearing Tyson say 'no second helping thank you.' However, in private, Kai was more than willing to give Ray his opinion.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Kai said, his eyes intensely focused on Ray.
"Tell you? I didn't know how you would react."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, it's a pretty big thing don't you think?" Ray said, How did Kai know? Did Max say something to him the other day?
"It's not that big, seriously, not even that hard." Kai looked at Ray and saw the light blush gracing the golden features of Ray's face.
Ray's mouth fell open very unattractively has he- no way; this is Kai we are talking about. Who the hell would he hook up with? "It's just that it's not…I mean, the media and your rep and…"
"Nothing is going to get into the media, now get up." Kai turned on his heel and left the bedroom, expecting Ray to follow. Ray, confused and surprised, and in all honesty, waiting for Kai to turn on him and hit him, hesitantly followed Kai out into the backyard where a small CD player sat next to a paved area of the garden.
"Right, we'll start with the basics, the waltz." Kai faced Ray, hands held out.
"What are we doing?" Ray asked slowly, taking in his stoic captain standing in the middle of the backyard next to a small CD player with his arms outstretched. Had Kai gone mad?
"I'm teaching you how to dance, now come over here," Kai said, starting the music. Ray walked over to Kai, taking his hands and trying not to fall into a puddle at Kai's feet.
"Right. Follow my lead Ray. One…two…three…one…two…three," Kai counted out slowly and moving slowly so Ray could follow his movements. "Don't look at your feet Ray, look at me." Ray tried, but he couldn't look Kai in the eye for too long, those intense red eyes held his attention far too easily and he didn't want to stuff up his movements.
"How did you learn to dance anyway?" Ray asked, starting at Kai's shoulder and focussing on his feet.
"When you're the grandson of a millionaire, you learn a thing or two. After my fourth or fifth formal occasion as 'Voltaire's grandson' it was decided that I should learn how to dance. So I did."
"And you never said anything because?"
"When in our world-travelling would my ability to ballroom dance have been useful?" Kai said, watching as Ray smiled, and then blushed, looking away.
"But tell me Ray, what did you think I knew before? I know it wasn't your inability to wow females with your dancing ability. Put your hand here on my back, you're the man and you have to lead me," Kai said, moving Ray's hand to rest in the middle of his back, resting his own hand on Ray's upper arm.
"What do you mean?"
"The thing you didn't know how I would react to."
"Oh. Look, Kai, I have to be honest with you. You're my friend and you deserve that much. See, I kind of have a little crush on you," there was no kind of about it, "And the others seemed to have noticed, but you just never did…so I assumed that it was because it was just not meant to be, which is why I've been avoiding you. I mean, naturally by now my parents have chosen a suitable wife for me. I thought that if I saw you as little as possible, then I would be able to get over my crush and live happily ever after with my wife…." Ray flinched, expecting some sort of outburst from Kai. "What it comes down to Kai, is that I like you, I want to talk to you, I want to know you and I really want to sleep with you…"
"But aren't you going out with someone else?"
"No."
"What about all your strange behaviour? I thought you were acting like that because you were dating someone?"
"Um…that was to get your attention…you just didn't seem to notice…" Ray said, leaning closer to Kai.
"I did…and I feel strongly positive in your general direction too…" Kai leant just a tiny bit closer to Ray.
Unbeknownst to Ray and Kai, still waltzing, slowly moving around each other, Tyson was slowly creeping up behind Ray and when he was close enough, pushed Ray into Kai, locking their lips. Two pairs of eyes widened momentarily, but slowly slid closed with the soft beats of the CD player in the background.
"About time eh Max?" Tyson said, watching Ray and Kai kissing in the backyard.
End