Rose: YAY new story
Rina: Based on my fave book "No Strings Attached"
Rose: It's a romance! Major Kai/Julia with lemony goodness to come! Other Pairings Implied
Rina: DUH! Again no spell check, I don't own beyblade and 'No Strings Attached' belongs to Alison Kent. And if you feel like flaming, let me get a hoze first...
Julia Fernandez stepped inside the Doorway of Breakerz' Half Time, cringing at the confounded blast of noise. What was it about team spots that turned civilized people into a loutish milieu, complete with the roars, growls, honks and snorts of a teeming jungle habitat?
The primitive racket ricocheting off the sports bar's walls had her longing for ear plungs or cotton balls. Either would do, as long as she had SOMETHING to dull this damned noise! And she'd trade eight of her best bras for a can of air freshener right now!
Fanning at a plume of cigar smoke with one hand, squinting into the gaudy neon glare, Julia searched the crowd for a pair of shoulders worthy of Tarzan. If Kai Hiwatari wasn't here, she was going to kill him. She's never met a man with such nerve! Refusing to return her phone calls, forcing her to resort to this stupid extreme... she was ready to cut off his balls for this one.
It was July, a gorgeous, Saturday afternoon... So what if it was -as spelled out of the parking lot marguee- the NHL season Opener, and Breakerz' Half Time was an NHL's hot spot? She had better things to do with her time than dodge rabid fans, and certainly better places to put her feet than a floor littered with cork beer coasters and whatever sticky stuff was gumming up the soles of her fifty dollar NIKEs. What in the world drew people to this place? Julia gave an arrected shudder and blew out a loud puff of wind.
Men... They can be such children when it comes to Hockey... She thought, even as a feminine shriek of excitement cut through the dim lighting as Philly scored their first goal.
Okay... So this place was coed...
The women where one thing, standing by their men, rooting for his team or often one they loved themselves. And, yes... there were women out there who came to Breakerz' Half Time for no other reason than the love of Hockey... Those women didn't factor into Julia's aversion of athletic fanaticism.
The women didn't stir up memories of being sidelined for no other reason than being a girl... a girl who would've gladly given up her secret stash of hockey trading cards for the chance to strap of a helmet and join in a game with her brothers...
The women didn't bring back memories of those damned dresses she hated so much, or the cold metal bleachers where she'd sat so lovely at her father's side... Daddy's littler girl... there only to watch her brother compete, never to herself...
The women didn't leave her heart hopelessly hollow... no... that was left for the clueless males of the species who -in Julia's books- preferred their women in the kitchen, between the sheets, or three steps beind. The brunette shook her head, ridding herself of her thoughts. The whole concept of love was going to hell in a handbasket!
"Hey sexy babe, wanna beer?' A slurred voice cooed from behind her.
Julia sighed and gazed lazily to her left. An ex-jock eh? Nothing but muscles gone to fat and drunk to boot... He smirked at three of his buddies at a nearby table. 'Pass.' She answered sharply.
'Pass? On a beer?? The hows 'bout I give ya the best night o' yer life?'
Puh-leez! 'Not interested...'
'C'mon Babe!' He leered his way down the front of her new jersey. 'If I could see ya naked, I'd die a happy man.'
She quirked one slender brow. 'Really?' She reached out and poked his beer belly. 'If I saw you naked, I'd die laughing.'
The Ex-jock's mouth dropped as whoops and sympathetic groans errupted from his friends. She turned her back on them and went in search of some breathing room. Men... All so predictable. At the first sight of breasts, they turn into boobs... no pun intended. Keeping an eye out for the bluenette she was searching for, she moved away from the common room back towards the entryway, and searched the bar from that point.
What the world needed was another Cary Grant, a real ladies man and a true romantic... Julia may only be nineteen, but she'd spent years devouring the favourite movies of her long dead mother... the one she'd never had the chance to know... She couldn't help but wonder if her mother had been compelled by the romantic movies' image that man repersented... The one she'd never experienced?
Was that why her mother so adored romance classics? Or has she simply been a film buff? One that watched for no other reason than the love of a great story? How Julia wished she could ask... and listen...
She longed to learn the truth about the relationship her mother had shared with her father. The very man who'd enshrined her memory and held her up as an example of the type of woman Julia should be, but would never come close to... no matter how much she tried. Maybe if she understood what made her parents' marriage such a heavenly success, she could duplicate it... Relationships was something she'd never been good at. It was all restless sex for her and no attachment.
Sex Julia knew about. Sex was easy. Sex was power. It was that crazy little thing called love that got her so damned confused...
'Hey sweet thang! What's your name?'
Julia turned to face her newest accoster. He looked like a toad... That was putting it nicely. 'Ice Princess.' She retorted coldly.
He only laughed and moved closer. 'So what you do for a living? Besides playing hard to get that is...'
She smirked smoothly. 'I'm a female impersonator.'
Before he could respond, she brushed him away, leaving the bar's entryway and walked briskly towards the restrooms. Men... all duds and bores... her patience with them had grown paper thin already. Where in the hell was Hiwatari?!
She entered the door marked Jills, stumbling over a drunk coming from the one marked Johns. Nodding at a short blonde, Julia proceeded to splash water on her face. What in the hell was she doing here tonight? What did she hope to accomplish really? What was she thinking? She was looking for some damned man when she had five amazing girlfriend she could count on anytime, night or day? They understood her better than any man ever would. Who needed men anyway??
Sighing, Julia left the bathroom and headed to the one place she hadn't looked for Kai yet. Biting her lip, Julia wove her way through the common room and up three short steps onto the glossy hardwood floor of the bar's more... intimate pub. Fortunately for Kai, she knew she'd find him here. The black Ford Mustang GT with the plates the read HALF TIME in the back where hard to miss, and definately his. It was a hot-shot car, an extension of his male ego... his large, excessive male ego.
With proof of his whereabouts, and a firm resolve, she wan't about to let him blow her off in person like he had her phone calls. She wasn't going to be deterred from her mission. She needed a man, and only Kai Hiwatari would do. He was as close to perfect as she was going to get, and she could deal with his attatude! She had before, while paired with him for a month-long scavenger hunt designed by one of Julia's best friends, and buisness partner, gAL-gEAR editor Mariah Wong, for her monthly gAL-gAMES column.
She caught sight of her victim behind the bar, as Kai sidestepped behind one of his own best friends, Ray, to pass a man his order. A smile touched Julia's mouth, during the month they'd spent on the scavenger hunt, they'd shared dinners, drinks, dirty jokes, and one fucking hot kiss that made her wet just thinking about it. Taking a deep breath, she headed to the bar.
Kai turned then, walking towards her. His own grey jersey hugged him snuggly around his braud shoulders. The man's body was a piece of work, hard and fit. Propping herself on a stool, she studied him. He really was drool-worthy with that butt, and that white-teethed smile she'd only seen once before, when they'd both gotten drunk and she'd tickled the living daylight out of him. Damn he was hot with a capital H and he had dimples in both cheeks! He'd trimmed his unruly two-toned blue hair just a bit, to give him that bad boy edge the ladies all loved. And then there was those deep crimson eyes and...
'What?' He shapped, knocking Julia from her sudden fantasy of seening him in a Tarzan styled lioncloth...
Julia smiled sweetly, trying to remember her extremely whitty opening. Having forgotten everything she was going to say now that he was here and so close. She ended up holding both arms out to the side and swiveled back and fourth on the stool. 'You like my outfit?'
'No.'
Be damned if he'd say a word about her cross-trainers, or her black jersey. It was the hottest thing going right now... according to the salesclerk who'd watched, tounge lolling, while Julia had shimmied the jersey down over her body and let it hug her hips in the middle of the store earlier that very day. She stamped her foot in frustration, waiting for him to put her phone calls he'd avoided together with her laughably out of character ensemble. It didn't take him long to do the math.
He backed up a short step, yanking the blue towel printed with a red Breakerz' 'B' from his shoulder, and whiped his tanned hands. 'No.' He glared.
She knew this wouldn't be easy, but she hadn't counted on a dead end so soon. 'How can you tell me no when you don't know the question?'
'No.' He repeated, shaking his head.
'I'm crushed.' She pouted, trying her hardest to look let down.
'I have customers waiting.'
He was blowing her off? Just like that? 'I'm sitting here, at your bar, so serve me.'
The towel went back to his shoulder. His expression never changing from its usual, stonic stare. 'What do you want?'
This wasn't going as she planned, but she had only herself to blame. He'd spent a month in her company, no ammount of acting would make him forget her tendance to be aggressive at times, assertive at others, or her potty mouth which was right below her bad girl rep she needed Kai to save. She couldn't afford not to play this game his way. 'What's good here?'
'Ray, cosmopolitan.' He called over his shoulder, his eyes never leaving her emerald ones. This was it, no way was he getting involved in her proactive, career-saving plan. But Kai was such a big part of the plan, she took a small sip from the drink when the black-haired neko-jin braught it over, and smiled as a peace offering.
Kai had been standing back, waiting. Ray winked at him as he moved by to get another order, recieving a glared from Kai as he did. Turing his attention back to the dangerious brunette, he watched her take another sip from the drink he knew all to well she hated and something snapped. He pulled the glass roughly from her hand. 'What are you up to?'
She shatched the drink back. 'Wow, five words in one sentence. That's a record.' She retorted, sipping from the horrible tasting drink again.
'You're up to something.'
'I am female.'
'Exactly.'
'You know me Kai. If you agree to my plan, I'm not going to leave you out in the cold.' She smirked again, downing the rest of her fowel drink in one great swig. It took everything she had not to make a face at the terrible taste lingering on her tongue. 'Or did you forget that tequila kiss that heated you up plenty, if I recall correctly.'
He held his thumb and forefinger a millimeter apart. 'We were this far from drunk.'
'Just think what might of happened of we were rip-roaring.' She commented, sitting the empty glass on the counter. Her mouth burned with the after taste.
'No.' Kai was back to rearranging the bar. There were times Julia was sure he was simply toying with here. But the responce she's recieve from a certain part of him during that kiss assured her otherwize.
'Ray!' She called, suddenly thinking about leaving. Surely she had no face left to loose. 'Can you bring me a bottle of water?'
Hands shoulde-width apart on the bar, Kai hung his head. 'Don't do this...'
'Do what?' She asked, she really wanted to know why he was so set against her plan.
'...Pretend you want something from me you can get from any other man.' His head came up sharply then, and he gestured beyong her at the men drinking it up. 'Go ask them.'
'No.' She stated stubbornly. 'I want you, and I know you want me. Don't deny it.' Ray arrived with her bottle. Julia thanked him and opened it up and downed it, trying to get rid of the cosmopolitan's nasty after taste. Ray stopped long enough to whisper in Kai's ear. 'Julia's slamming. Don't push her away too.'
Kai snorted and shook his head. He waited until Ray was busy then leaned forward until his temple hit hers. 'I deny nothing.'
'Blame Mariah.' She whispered, her eyes locked with his. 'Her scavenger hunt ended up having repercussions I don't think she's ever dreamed of, and not just you and me. Hilary split from Tyson.'
He stood back. 'I know.'
She studied him as he went to tend to another patron. She'd grown up the only female in a household of five males... not counting her father. Kai Hiwatari could do his best to wear her down, but there wasn't a question in her mind she would win the battle of wills. He's admitted to him wanting her already. All she had to do was keep from revealing too much too soon.
Because he was so entertaining, she drove a final nail into his coffin. 'Who's winning?'
He raised a prow, his attention back on her.
'Without looking, who's winning the game?'
He finished filling the patron's glass, then slammed his towel down on the counter. 'You have my attention. Happy?'
'I'd be be happier if you heard me out.' She played with the tip of her water bottle and smiled up at him seductively. He stayed immobile, which told her he was waiting for her to continue. 'I don't really have anything you need. But you have something that would really help me out...'
'A favour?' It was more a conclusion than a question. Wearily, he rubbed a hand down his handsome face.
'It's about work... and my reputation for savouring a good expletive.'
'You mouth got you in trouble again... didn't it?' Ray snickered. The pair glared at him. 'What? It's not my fault you talk loud!'
'Anyway...' She continued. 'My mouth isn't the biggest part of it... it's perfectly acceptable when it's partners-only situation, like when we're having late night meeting at gAL-gEAR Corp., or when we do our thing at Mariah's loft... Make that Hilary's loft, since 'Riah is in throes of cozy bliss with you're ease-dropping friend Ray over there. It's when I... forget myself at that office that Judy gets bent out of Shape.'
'Judy Tate?' He repeated in disblief.
'Yeah, yeah, I know. You can't imagine Judy getting bent out of shape over anything, but she takes buisness very seriously. That encludes how each of the partners' actions and reputations reflect back on gAL-gEAR. It's not just my language... but my dating habbits...'
'You mean the men you go through like bras?' Ray retorted. Kai glared daggers at him. The neko-jin chuckled nervously, sidestepping as he did. 'I'll just go over here.' He finished off, pointing towards the opposite end of the bar.
'As I was saying... my dating habbits aren't up to... company regulations. I need a man I'm compatible with to help me out. Someone I can trust...'
Kai raise a brow. 'Me?'
'We've spent a month digging through each other's baggage and we're still talking... that has to be a good sign! I need your help!'
'And?'
'I need an escort.' She stated flat out, hoping the shock value would knock him off balance and into capitulation.
'So?'
'I want you to be my escort!'
He stared at her unmoving, his face still unchanging. Damn he was hard to read. The first unconfortable twinges of failure stung the most. She wasn't sure any longer. Not with him looking at her like he was. She reached for her wallet, intending to pay for the cosmopolitan and water. Men... never again... Her mind screamed. How stupid could she be, thinking she could get Kai Hiwatari of all men to help her out. She was such a fool, even after all these years. She stood up in a furry and slammed the money onto the table.
His hand on hers stopped her from paying, and leaving. The pressure was rough and tight. A jolt of electricity shot up her arm and into her back. Her eyes shot to his, only to find their dark crimson depth burning with desire. Three words fell from his clenched mouth and she knew she was well on her way to accomplishing what she'd set out to get. 'My office... Now.'
Well there you have it... My first story in a while...
Hopefully this time, I'll finish it. -
Pairings: All my main faves I can fit in (Check my profile for fave beyblading pairs)
please be kind and review I world hard for 3 and a half hours on this!
For Mikaera cause she seems to miss my stories so much! I love you onee-chan!
Dong-Chun-Mei...