Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade, but someday... determined expressionSomeday...

What I Always Knew

By: Mei-sama

Rei stood in front of Kai, their gazes locked. They stood, their opposite shoulders almost touching. Their bodies faced almost opposite of each other, one's chest facing one way while the other's faced the opposite way. Their gazes were intense. Kai, a bit taller, looked diagonally downward at Rei, whom was staring at an equal, yet opposite, angle. So many emotions danced in their equally fiery eyes. They stared hard at each other, as if trying to figure out why the other was even existing. The curiosity in their eyes, the sheer need to know was all but dripping from their equally exotic eyes.

Tyson, Max, and Kenny watched from a distance, still within hearing range, yet out of the elders' range of sight. They watched with curiosity as well, none of them knowing what would, could, or even should happen. The thin carpet of shimmering water seemed to give a calming effect, and at the same time, added to the strangeness of the situation. An array of tiny droplets of water seemed to slowly, very slowly descend to the slim stream of water covering the area, which seemed eternally endless.

None dared speak a word as they watched the older boys intently, wondering what exactly was going on with them. They seemed so incredibly interested in each other. As if there was a piece of them in the other that they just had to seek out and capture. The whole thing seemed so slow and timeless.

Tyson held of face of wonderment, and yet longing. Seemly, he wanted a part of that. He just couldn't figure out what he wanted exactly. He only stared, that being his only option until he'd think of something else. Yet, his mind would not wander from the obvious need to watch with a dull pain deep within his chest. If only he knew exactly what he longed for.

Max knew more of his emotion than Tyson of his. He knew how he felt, and yet a piece of him was angry at himself for thinking such a thought. He would admit it to himself. He was afraid of losing Rei to this supposed beast. Aggressive at heart and dangerous in his ways. He was afraid of losing Kai to this tempting creature whom had possessed not only Kai's but everyone's hearts. He was terrified that his older friends would become lost in his heart that he was struggling so much to keep from shattering as he watched the two. He knew of his pain, yet he couldn't be selfish. He wanted to, but he couldn't, wouldn't do that. Not to his friends, whose happiness was what he wished for. For everyone. He knew his pain, and knew that he was not the only one who felt it.

Kenny held an air of calmness, but he knew he felt lost as well. He was the youngest and depended a lot on the actions and support of his older friends. He felt a strange emptiness surge through him as he watched the two staring at each other with such wonder. He glanced at Tyson, whom looked brave, yet his eyes looked so longing. He glanced at Max, whom looked so sad, the same wanting look in his eyes. They felt the same. They knew of the empty feeling within him, for it was in them too. They all felt it. The thought, the mere thought that either Rei or Kai would be taken away from any of them sent involuntary shivers of regret down their spines.

The air seemed so loose around the two older boys standing in the middle of the watery garden. The air was greatly contrasted to the area surrounding the other boys. Dressed in all white, all of them, the whole scene seemed godly, strangely divine and other worldly. It all seemed unreal. The very fabric of everything seemed so loosely tied, yet they all knew it was true, what they saw. What they saw was Rei and Kai, questioning eyes locked on the others. That's what they saw. That's what was.

Kai lidded his eyes slightly, taking on a somewhat dreamy look. He looked afraid. As if he had found what he had been searching for, but was too afraid to grasp it. To afraid to find the inside of what he'd longed to see. He seemed so very confused, his eyes now searching wildly within Rei's to find anything, absolutely anything that would help him out of his drowning state. It only added to his confusion and needing eyes.

Rei was no better. He seemed so impassive all the time, masking his emotions expertly and only letting people see a fraction of what he really felt. Yet, now, it was different. He needed, longed to know what it was he needed, longed for. He stared, now, desperately into Kai's wine eyes, searching for a relief, but only found more clues to the main treasure. Nothing but irritating hints that kept his from his goal, but kept him on the right track. An endless journey with no beginning and no ending. Both of their eyes swirled into each other, looking more and more desperate with each blink, each twitch of the eye, each breath, each move.

"I... I'm so confused..." Kai whispered. The first few words spoken since the beginning of it all, if there was a beginning. His tone sounded so lost. That was the only thing that could describe it. Lost.

"I... I know..." Rei whispered in response. His voice sound more confident, but still not quite strong enough. He knew, that much was certain, but he still had many things racing through his mind. The only thing he was sure of was that Kai was in just as much turmoil as he.

"I don't know... what I..." Lost. "What could I possibly say...?" He asked, his voice hinting fear of something distant. Maybe that was what he was fearing. Distance.

"I know." Rei whispered again.

"I-I can't possibly understand everything running through my mind right now. It's all jumbled up and strewn about. It's so confusing, and I hate that I don't understand." Kai sounded frightened, yet there was strength in his words. Strong in his knowledge that he had little, if no answers to the questions buzzing in his brain.

"I-I know." Rei's voice cracked slightly. Something he knew he didn't want to do, but why? He wanted to be strong. Strong for his friends, strong for Tyson, Max, and Kenny. Strong for Daichi and Hilary. Strong for... for... for Kai. Strong for Kai, he needed to be strong for Kai. He needed to show Kai he could be strong. It wasn't something to question. It just had to be done. Once again, he dead ended into a 'why?'. Why did he feel the need to be strong for Kai. Why Kai? He had no answers, hence the reason for his constant stare into Kai's eyes. He prayed that the one confusing him would hold the answers. But there was something wrong.

"I can't seem to find out... how exactly I would phrase it..." Kai said, his tone desperate again, even more so than before. He felt so utterly lost. He needed, longed, wanted, yearned to find what was plaguing himself so. A thought hit him then. Every turn he took in his mind led him to think that maybe Rei had the answer to his need. Maybe Rei had all the answers. Maybe Rei... Rei. That was what was plaguing him so much. His thoughts of how Rei knew everything and could find the cure to anything. This was emotional. Something he seldom let slip. And to show this side of him to anyone was on the lines of a miracle, in its own. To show them to Rei. That was truly phenomenal.

"I know." Rei said, his voice a higher pitch due to the tears pricking at the back of his eyes. He let out a shuddered breath as the two drew nearer.

"How do you always know?" Kai asked, his desperate eyes searching through Rei's once again. Rei looked down for an instant, breaking the eye contact, but quickly, his eyes returned, glossy.

"I don't know, Kai. I could only guess how you must feel. The thought taking over your very soul..." Rei whispered, his voice becoming lighter and lighter, softer and softer.

"How can you not know... Now of all times when I need to hear your voice of reason. Why would you deprive me of what I need so badly. I need answers, Rei, and I know you have them. I just have to find them..." Kai's voice faded as the two moved closer again, their shoulders touching now, with added pressure. Suddenly, neither felt so alone, yet tension of distance plagued them mercilessly.

"I'm looking for answers myself, Kai. I can't give any... if I don't have any... Even if I had any, I don't think I'd be able to understand them..." This was going nowhere... Nothing made any sense. It made no sense.

"This makes no sense..." Kai snarled, letting the fire of the phoenix capture him. He felt angry. Angry at everything that was happening. He wanted to make sense of it all, but he couldn't, and that made him angry.

"Maybe it's not supposed to make sense..." Rei said softly. Not whispered. Said. Kai flinched visibly. Anger still evident on his face, was mixed with confusion.

"What?" He snapped. A soft bite, but Rei still felt it. Even so, he paid no heed. He knew he hit something. A cord that continued his song. The answer was becoming visible. Slowly, but surely.

"Maybe. None of this is supposed to be thought out. None of this is meant to make sense. It's just..." Rei and Kai's faces were a breath away from each other's. Their eyes were even more intense than before.

"It's just..." Kai urged. His need to know was still clear. As clear as the water barely covering their feet.

"It's just meant to be done..." Rei whispered, his face now only a hair away from Kai's. Kai drew in a shaky breath and held it.

"What...? What is just meant to be done?" Kai asked. Yet, on the inside he secretly knew, somehow. He secretly kept it from himself. All that time, he could have relished in the feeling of being complete. He was just to broad minding to realize it.

"You know what, Kai. As do I. We just looked a little too hard, to find the answer that was right in front of us all along." Rei knew it too. Kai could see this plain as day. Rei knew and he knew. They just had to say it.

"What is your answer, Rei?" He asked, his eyes becoming serene. Rei gave a smile. A twitch at the corner of his lips, yet the smile held so much. A small tear formed in the corner of his golden eye as realization took its toll. Kai held his firm gaze. A twitch at his lips and a smile formed on his own face. A rare beyond belief smile, which he'd only made, perhaps, twice in his whole life. One for an unknown cause, and the other for this moment. A moment in his life he'd never forget, for as long as he lived and beyond that. Rei's tear fell slowly, shining along with the other drops of water in the air.

"You." He whispered. "You are my answer, Kai." Rei nearly choked on his own words as he said it. He had to be strong. He had to be strong for Kai. Yet, crying seemed strong enough. Kai's smile widened a margin and Rei spoke again. "And what is your answer... Kai?" Rei whispered, his lips slightly leaving a feathery feeling against Kai's, whose were so close. Kai's smiled faded, his face unreadable, yet, Rei could still see that smile. It never left his eyes.

"You. You... are my answer... Rei..." Kai whispered, his lips doing the same thing to Rei's. Rei looked up and met with Kai's intense gaze. Nothing moved, nothing spoke. It was only them. They found their answers. Each other...

"We needed each other." Rei said, using a voice of reasoning, as if the answer only just now showed. Kai's smile was once again visible.

"We did. We needed... each oth-..." Kai broke his sentence as his lips softly found Rei's in a feathery kiss. hardly any contact, yet it was there. The feeling was there, and it would always be there.

Tyson gulped, his mind screaming to look away. But he couldn't. He had to see this. That's what his heart screamed. His heart seemed to flutter in his chest as his mind replayed every word they had said to each other. Every word, every move, all up to... their lips connecting softly. Almost transparently. Was this what he wanted? He wanted... Rei and Kai to have each other? Why would he want something that had no place for him? He knew now. Because it did have a place for him. He was in their hearts. He knew now.

Max had the same feeling. A part of him said he wanted to be in the middle of the attention they were giving solely to the other, but another part said... he wanted to watch what they'd become. He wanted to have them grow and grow with them. By both of them. If not them separately, then them together. They weren't leaving him. They were merely taking a different path. Yet, the same he was on. The same they were all on.

Kenny let a smile grace his lips. He knew deep down, all along that what he was witnessing was what was meant to be. What was unfolding in front of him was something he could never control, nor understand. And he like that, just the way it was. All three knew the feeling of emptiness was still in their hearts, because a part of them still believed that Kai and Rei were gone forever. But the true part of them, knew Kai and Rei would never leave them. If anything, they'd all become closer, because of the deep bond two of them shared, they knew that bond would spread to the rest of them. Maybe, it was there all along, and just like Kai and Rei, they looked too hard, when the answer was right there, all along.

Kai's eyes slid shut and Rei's followed. Their bodies turned to face each other and found it. This was what they wanted. This was what they needed. Rei's arms slid from Kai's chest to around his neck and his fingers laced in his soft two-toned hair. Kai slid his hands onto Rei's waist and trailed them to the small of his back. Both pushed and pulled each other closer, their bodies molding perfectly. The gods surely meant for this to happen. This moment in time where the answer was simply another with the same question.

Rei pressed his lips more firmly over Kai's, feeling the sharp hot tears run down his face. He drew in an equally sharp breath and exposed his flaming tongue, which Kai took advantage of. Kai let his tongue venture from his own mouth and firmly locked his open cavern with Rei's. He slowly, but surely traveled his earned territory and occasionally felt Rei's probe his own, until Rei let his tongue glide with Kai's in sweet blissful movements. Their bodies were so in tune with each other's, it had to be destiny. Fate. Yes, it was their fate to be bound together. Always. This was their answer.

Tyson smiled warmly. He let out a shaky breath and gave a lopsided smile. He knew.

Max gave a giggling sob. Tears slowly fell from his eyes, in happiness, not fear. He knew.

Kenny gave a sigh and smiled as well. He kneeled down next to Max as Tyson towered over them, leaning on the tree. He knew.

Kai and Rei laughed and smiled, their mouths still seeking the other, their tongues still clashing in bliss, their bodies molding perfectly, their hearts merging beautifully. They knew as well. They knew. And they knew at the moment. Always did. Always will...

THE END

May Be Continued...

That was the most heart felt thing I've ever written. Wow, who knew I could be so... dramatic? Oh, well, and about the "Mei-sama" thing. That's my other pen name and I used that one the LAST time I was on this site. Torii Mei Winters is my name now though. Well, Thank you for reading my story about my favorite couple! Kai/Rei forever! If you want me to continue this, just ask and I will!

By the way... When you get a review, does that go straight to your Inbox as e-mail? How the heck does that work? I just replied e-mail for two people, and I feel like a monkey...