This is my pitiful atempt at a Kai/Ray that isn't an AU. Hope you like it.
Kai winced at the sound of Tyson forgetting where the doorway was yet again, the boy's surprised yell hurting his gently throbbing head. He rolled his eyes and waited until the three younger boys had left for the canteen. He pushed at the half-closed door, then stepped inside.
He held out a hand to stop Ray from trying to get up and greet him, knowing from experience how tired the boy would be after a visit from Tyson. He sat down on a chair near the door, resting his head on his upright hand and closing his eyes for a brief second.
"Headache?" Kai looked up, shaking off the sudden drowziness that had crept up on him.
"A little," he answered shortly. "It's not bad. Put your mask back on and try to get some rest." He smirked as Ray complied, cursing him under his breath in Chinese. Kai didn't understand Chinese, but judging by the expression on Mariah's face when Ray had used those exact words in front of her, it was definitely obscene. "Did Tyson get your back up again?" he asked with another faint smirk. Ray shrugged, shifting round in the uncomfortable hospital bed until he was facing Kai.
"Not on purporse. It's just...he never seems to notice anything. I'm sure that Max has some kind of stomach bug, he looks awful, and Tyson just never seems to see. He just talks and talks...like he can talk away everything bad that's ever happened...all the arguments...all the pain..." His voice, which had been getting slower and sleepier by the second, trailed off, his eyes fluttering as he fought to stay awake. Kai walked up to him and knelt down so that Ray could see him properly.
"Ray, you know that if you're in any pain you just need to-"
"Press button...I know...I c'n take care...myself..." Ray's sleep-slurred voice trailed off again. Kai reached over and found the button, pushed as far away as Ray could reach. He hesitated, looking down at Ray, who gave him a look of tired resignation, and pressed it. As the morphine took effect, the tight, strained look on Ray's face disappeared. He let out a soft sigh, his breath misting up the inside of the oxygen mask.
"Thanks...Kai..." His eyes drifted shut, a little smile curving his lips.
Kai looked down at the injured blader, who was sleeping peacefully now. Almost of its own accord, his hand slipped from the button to hover over Ray's face. As if in a dream, he picked up a loose strand of long black hair and wound it round his finger, silently marvelling at its silkiness. He blinked, coming to his senses as Ray let out another soft sigh, moving towards the new source of warmth. He tore himself away, careful not to pull Ray's hair, furious with himself.
He had promised himself; no more giving in to these strange feelings when he was around Ray. It was unnatural, he should know that.
Oh yes, he should know that. His grandfather had taught him that, along with other useful titbits, like the most painful bone in the body to break, how to cause physical harn without touching his opponent... He would never do that again. Not after seeing what Bryan had done to Ray.
He sighed quietly and went back to the chair, resting his head on his folded arms and falling into a light doze.
He opened his eyes, wondering what had woken him. Then he heard a slight cough and realised. His senses were hyper-alert when he was asleep. Ray's waking would be enough to rouse him from his sleep.
"Are you all right?" Ray's slightly muffled voice asked him. "I'm sorry if I woke you up."
"It's fine." Kai assured him. He stood up, ignoring the renwed pounding in his temples.
"You didn't ask my question." Ray's sleep had obviously freshened him up. He was fully alert, his clear amber eyes boring into Kai. Kai looked away.
"I'm fine."
"Yeah, and Tyson would walk straight past a buffet table!" Ray said in exasperation. Kai growled in frustration, mixed with an odd kind of pleasure that Ray cared.
"I've got a slight headache, all right? You satisfied?" he snapped. "I'm not the one stuck in a hospital bed, am I?"
No, you're stuck inside your own head! Ray thought bitterly. They all knew that something was bothering Kai, even Tyson had noticed. If you'd just tell me, Kai... he begged silently. If you'd just open up, maybe I could help you...not that you'd ever accept my help...
You're too strong, Kai. You've spent years closing yourself off, until you've reached a point where no one can help you without you knowing about it. And you won't accept help, because that would mean showing weakness, the one thing that you won't do.
Kai saw the sudden look of sadness in Ray's eyes and gritted his teeth against the sudden urge to go over to him and "make it all better", as Max said when he was in a hyperactive mood.
Make it all better? That's a joke.
When has it ever been all better for me? He nodded at Ray in a cursory farewell and left, closing the door behind him.
R&R, please!