Title: Of Honour and Pride.
Disclaimer: Aw, so cute. You think I own Beyblade? Can't you tell by the loveless lives between Rei and Kai that I have nothing to do with the making of it.
Rating: PG.
Warning: Hmm, yaoi, slash. Boy Loves Boy goodness. You no likie? You no readie.
Summary: Miguel needed more persuasion than an overconfident 'blader yelling in his face to change his mind. What exactly did make him decide? Mainly Friendship Fic, there's a slight mention of a couple in there and if you know me. Well you can guess who it is.
For a moment I had felt it. The thrill of the Beybattle, the acceleration of my heart. It wasn't like any other battle because I didn't know whether I was going to come out of it on top or not. I had refused to use Barthez's cheap tricks, refused to cheat my way to victory. And for a brief second I had felt something . . . intense. Something . . . just something. I can't exactly explain it. But I had no time to dwell on it. No time at all because I had to go back to listening to him again.
Because I had lost.
My team-mates needed me to win for them and I had lost. With that loss I might have cost them the championships and that's all that mattered to me.
Them.
Miguel leant forward, head bent and hovering over his knees. In one hand he clutched his Beyblade, which now sported scratches and dents. His hand tightened around his safe hold. The sharp edges digging into the soft flesh of his palm, blood seeping from the wounds. Part of him said it wasn't right. The other part said it didn't matter. Cheating was a way of life. Hundreds of people did it.
Tomorrow morning he would go back to obeying Barthez.
"They all seem to think that Tyson got through to you." The voice was calm, to most it was soothing. But presently it held no emotions, devoid, nothing. A spark of fear shot down his spine.
"But I doubt it. I've experienced his frantic yells the only thing they give you is a headache."
He walked towards him, stopping just in front. Miguel didn't look up; instead he concentrated on the Chinese style black shoes in front of him. He knew he would work it out. He was smart, smarter than most and well . . . someone had to.
"You're going to go back to cheating."
Not a question but a statement.
"You not answering?"
No. He wasn't. His feelings were all jumbled up inside him. A tangled knot of fear, pain, apprehension and pride. He couldn't answer even if he wanted to.
"Can you at least look at me when I'm talking to you?" Look at him? He didn't dare. Out of all the people he had cheated. All the people he had tricked and beaten. This was the one person he had felt most guilty about. This was the one person he couldn't face. For some reason cheating in his match against this 'blader had been wrong. Very wrong. Maybe it was because he was the very symbol of honour, something he obviously had none of.
"Look at me Miguel."
Miguel was one of those types of people who didn't like to listen to anyone. It was one of the main reasons he found obeying Barthez so hard. But the instant the 'blader said that his head snapped up. Apprehensive blue eyes locked onto determined gold.
"Nice to know you have some manners." Rei murmured idly, dropping onto the bench behind him. Leaning back he stared at Miguel, gaze intense. The blonde shifted uncomfortably as a tense silence settled on the pair.
"There a particular reason you haven't left the changing rooms since the battle?"
Miguel winced; to be honest he had been intending to avoid a confrontation with anyone. Every team had its own changing rooms in which they could prepare before the battles. Not many did, preferring to prepare 'their own way.' Barthez used them to lecture his team before battle. No one ever stayed behind after their match which was why Miguel had. He had hoped that he could avoid everyone until he felt he was ready to go back and face his team. But apparently Rei had thought of this. He could have sworn that the boy was a mind reader. Or maybe he was just very good at reading people's body language.
"A loss is a loss. It's the manner in which you deal with it that makes the difference."
Miguel glanced up at the Chinese lad before him. Eyes locking onto each other again. Those eyes . . . they reminded him of the ancient gods he'd read about as a child. All knowing, all powerful. They seemed to be an unending pool of wisdom and knowledge. Ever flowing like time.
Yeah, Miguel though to himself, he's definitely wise.
"Why?"
Miguel stared at the Chinese lad; he actually expected an answer to that? The blonde stared into the depth-filled eyes and realized with a sinking feeling that yes, he did expect an answer. And a small part of him knew that if Rei were in his position he would be able to come up with an answer. And a good one of that.
"I . . . Well . . . My team . . ." A single eyebrow rose at that, a gesture Miguel swore he had seen somewhere else on someone else's face.
"You're team pushed you into cheating?"
"No!" Miguel snapped, jumping to his feet. Anger coursing through his body.
"How dare you?! How dare you imply that my friends would force me into doing anything?! They-"
"Sit down."
The rage rattling inside him seemed to disappear, leaking out the bottom of his feet. Slowly, shaking, he sat back down again. But said nothing.
"You care for them." Rei said knowingly, eyes leaving Miguel for the first time since he had entered the room. Sliding past him to glance over at the doorway for a brief second before looking back.
"Why?"
The same question, a question he couldn't answer. Why? Why cheat? Why lie? Why battle? Why blade? He wished he knew.
"Tyson was right about one thing, 'blading is about honour. The honour you show you're opponents, your team-mates, your trainer. All are important."
Rei fixed him with such a piercing gaze that he could have sworn he was being looked through. His soul exposed for the Chinese teen to see. Not one part of his feelings was left uncovered.
"You cheat for your team. But truly you are only cheating for yourself." Rei continued even though Miguel opened his mouth to protest. "Your team-mates are your family and your friends. In battle you honour them, make them proud of you. You do not do what you are doing. Your team follow you because you are doing it. They cheat because you are doing it. The risk shaming themselves because you are doing it. They respect you but you do not honour this respect.
"You are leading them to their doom. Even if you do win the Championship title without the officials finding out, danger will follow you. People will attack you, wanting to have your powers and your Bitbeasts as their own. And without a plan, without specially before-hand designed tricks you will fail. And then you will loose everything. And it won't be just you. Your team will be left with nothing. Beaten and broken to lie on the floor in shame."
Rei stood, allowing his words to sink in.
"If you want to help them then refuse to lie your way through this tournament. Teach your team-mates how to fight their own battles because one day your trainer will not be there, whispering words in your ear."
And he was gone, long ponytail disappearing round the corner of the wall. Leaving Miguel to fight his inner-battle by himself.
"You think he will continue to cheat?"
"No." Rei whispered, leaning back against the warm chest behind him. "He will see what blading his really about. I have no doubt of that."
Sighing he spun round, the arms around his waist tightening as he did so.
"We had best get back." He murmured, brushing dark blue locks away from his lover's forehead. "My team will be missing me, as will yours."
"I doubt they will."
"Well mine will and if we're caught . . . I really don't want to try and explain to Lee that, even though I'm consorting with the enemy, I'm not betraying them."
His lover smirked.
"And after that longwinded speech about honour and pride."
"This is different. I'm honouring my love for you by sneaking out in the middle of the night to meet with you. I'm proud to have you by my side but others would not think that way and until this mess between us Ex-Bladebreakers is sorted out it's not going to be. So get your cute butt back to your team."
"Know-it-all." His partner muttered, pressing his lips to Rei's neck, trailing butterfly kisses along the exposed skin.
"Yet you love me anyway. Not get going before I decide to stay."
Smirking, his love untangled himself from Rei. Kissing the Chinese boy one last time before disappearing down the corridor back to his team.
"See you later Kai."
The bluenette nodded as he rounded the corner, sending his boyfriend a half smirk as he disappeared off to bed.
Yes, once they had gotten over the 'Bladebreaker ordeal' things would go back to being normal. Or as normal as his and Rei's life could get.
And he would definitely honour Rei then.
Um . . . yes. I didn't think anyone, even if they did feel guilty, would change their ways just because some overconfident supposed 'World Champion' yelled in their face. So . . .
Yeah you can see where that ended up.
Couldn't resist the KaiRei. What can I say? I'm an addict.