Title: Ten Days

See first chapter for warnings/disclaimer/pairings/etc.

A/N: Few things to mention before I proceed to slam you with Day Two:

1* I fixed a couple grammatical errors, run on sentences and spelling errors this morning, in chapter one, so it should be clear of most of the errors now! (Thank Bljad who proof read it.)

2* Takao may seem out of character in parts of this story, he's not. His base characteristics, the ones that make him who he is, are still there. The fact of the matter is that Takao is ten years older than he was appearing in the beyblade series and in almost all fanfictions, which means I have to add growth to the character. If I had kept him the same way he was at sixteen, it would just be... unrealistic.

Bljad and I both talked about it and we'll probably do a basic break down of Takao's character and post the link on my FF profile before the update for Day Three everyone can see what's different/the same.

3* I said there was going to be an original character you'll hate right? I never really specified why, except that you would? Well no, the reason you'll hate him isn't just because he's in a relationship with Kai... it's much greater an issue. It will come to light in Day Two.

Which is written entirely from Kai's point of view, which I may add he's in a perpetual state of thought all chapter, because I love writing his thoughts.


DAY TWO

So I've got a brand new rubber band for you boy
Go on and give it a stretch, I can see you're itching to
Frustrations on the boil


Yesterday, was undoubtedly a day I would never forget. When I first laid eyes on the small blue haired male that to this day haunted almost my every thought locked in a giant hug with Kenny, Hilary and Max laughing as if he were still sixteen and hadn't left us all those years ago without a word I wanted to do but one thing. Hurt him. It took every ounce of self control I had to maintain my indifferent facade while staring into those midnight eyes his hair and skin illuminated by the fading day. I'm certain had there not been an audience I probably wouldn't have maintained control, I probably would have been sure to make sure he left my presence with a least one bruise.

But I hadn't been able to, nor had I been able to pull him aside to even ask him the one question that played over and over in my mind, the question I had asked myself almost every night for eight long years. Why. Ultimately after I heard him utter my name, I had replied to him as I always had before, with a simple "Hn." before moving to find a wall to rest against, closing my eyes and allowing myself to slip into ignoring all of them. I didn't sneak another glance at Kinomiya but I suppose if I had I would have seen him looking upset, because I was sure I heard him mutter quite dejectedly about how things never changed before his attention was once again drawn to Max and the others.

I felt Gabriel move to stand beside me, I cracked one eye open to see his smile, the smile I had grown to detest before he brushed past me continuing towards my friends. My stomach lurched in disgust, I wanted to pull him back to keep him away from them, from Takao but I couldn't bring myself to do it, not knowing what the results would be if I did. I kept my eye on him the rest of the night while he associated with Takao and the others, pretending he was a decent human being, a facade as well placed at my own indifferent one. At some point in the warm night Enrique had returned, giving me a wary look when he spotted Max sitting beside Gabriel and Takao chatting surprisingly amicably. He tried to mask the underlying emotions but his eyes gave them away, that overwhelming "I told you so." Indeed he had, indeed he had, not that I would ever admit it openly to him that he was right.

I was pulled out of my reverie, if you could call it that by Gabriel's voice while he sat beside me so uncaring, and uninterested in the passers by. He looked at me that disgusting smile gracing his lips before he stood up holding out his hand to me, speaking:

"Your friends flight arrived about ten minutes ago." There wasn't excitement, or happiness, there was nothing in his voice, it was void of all feelings, and I barely heard it over my thoughts screaming at him, for how dare he extend his hand to me in the same way Kinomiya had so many years ago, how dare he even try to replace Kinomiya in my life. But I knew better, he wasn't trying to replace the blue haired male who had changed my life on so many levels, no. Quite the opposite, he was playing with me again, you could tell from those poison coated eyes that this wasn't a kind gesture or an attempt to replace the boy who had for over a decade secretly held my heart in his hands. This was just another mind game he could play, another attempt to get under my skin. Without a word I stood up brushing past his hand shoving my own in my pockets, and moving towards the gate where Rei and his family would be exiting to meet us.

Gabriel's disgusting smile morphing into a knowing grin, another victory for him, I suppose.

I stood by the gate, my supposed love lingering not far behind, preparing his mask of happiness and fondness I was sure, it was when I saw Rei come through the gates and spot me, smiling and waving that I allowed myself the ghost of a smile. Not because I was as happy to see him as I had been Takao, but because his presence meant I didn't have to stand alone by Gabriel Sattiay for a moment longer, when he approached me, his wife and daughter in tow he spoke, quite happily

"It's good to see you Kai." He didn't grab me to hug me, or give me any touch of affection because Rei knew better, he had always known. The only person who could touch me on any level was Takao, with the now exception of Gabriel, at least to those looking in from the outside. I looked up into his golden eyes not really smiling or showing any true emotion to his arrival but I spoke to him finally

"It's good to see you too Rei." Perhaps it was just me regurgitating his response, perhaps the sentiment was lost, perhaps it was empty. Maybe Rei even knew this but he flashed his sharp canines smiling brightly again I'm sure just satisfied that I was actually speaking words and not just giving disgusted looks and grunting. He turned to pick up his daughter, by the time he turned around again the monster had joined us, standing beside me, his white hair giving the illusion of a halo, a halo he surely didn't deserve.

"Hello Rei, Mao." He smiled so serenely, another lie, a lie I had to play along with so no one knew what was happening, so no one knew I had been trapped and tricked, I allowed him to hold onto my arm, clutching it like you see so many women do their lover while walking through a beautiful city. I hated every minute of it, feeling bile rise from my stomach as a result of the false affections. How could I stay in a relationship with a man I detested? Pride, stubbornness, the refusal to let him win. I barely heard the banter between the young family and the Sattiay, I found myself being led out of the airport by my arm, falling into another what you may consider another reverie.

Everyone had taken Kinomiya's disappearance hard, however although I'd never openly admit it had probably hit me the hardest of all. I kept going, remaining strong externally, remaining the cold, collected business type I had allowed myself to become. However internally I was struggling to make heads or tails of the situation. Internally I was trying to figure out who was to blame for him leaving without even uttering a simple word to even his family.

I had never really liked Hiroshi Kinomiya, but I couldn't deny that he was important to Takao on so many levels. I knew his older siblings illness had been eating away at him, but everyday he still smiled that same brilliant smile, never did it dull, never did his eyes deceive him, so upon the older Kinomiya siblings death it rattled me to the core to know what Kinomiya had managed such an amazing mask, how he had managed to hide how much pain he was in. How he never reached out for help from all the people he had given to selflessly. A part of my conscious argued that perhaps he had gotten far too close to me to be able to assume such a flawless mask.

Several months after the blunette's vanishing act I found myself in Italy on business, still trying to keep myself together after a situation that I thoroughly blamed myself for even though there was no justification to do so. I was going though the same old boring motions of meeting with associates in a means to rebuild company reputation abroad when I came face to face with Gabriel Sattiay for the first time. Apparently his family was outrageously rich and pretentious, their investments, and company being valued at an estimated 5-10% of Italy's overall gross national income per year. Making he and his father more wealthy than many entire countries.

When I first met Gabriel Sattiay all I had seen him as was an excellent opportunity. The perfect type of networking to build a positive reputation in Italy and surrounding countries that had also adopted the euro as the primary currency. If I could win over the son, I'd be able to win over the father, so I associated with him, spoke with him, flattered him, but never broke the standard of being a professional. Before I knew it my time in Italy was spent with Gabriel involving myself in playful banter with the man, and although my heart ached for Japan, and the fiery spirit that had left all those months before I found myself able to genuinely numb the pain with the blonde man's company, and so selfishly, I remained in it. Fully planning to return to Italy as soon as possible after making the necessary trips to other countries in Central Europe.

Interestingly enough it was in France that I came across Enrique Giancarle, I intended to give him the proper professional sentiments before moving onto the business at hand, if I wanted to deal with his family and their wealth I would simply do it when I returned to Italy, as it were, I had a meeting with the Polanski patriarch. But the blonde man stopped me, grabbing onto my forearm and looked at me with his pale blue-green eyes when I turned back to him my eyebrows raised inquiringly silently why an aristocrat would display such indecency as to touch someone who did not wish to be touched.

That was when I got my first and only warning about Gabriel.

Enrique had led me to the small cafe Oliver had opened up, sitting me down in the farthest corner from everyone looking at me with a serious face and had warned me, not to allow myself to get so close to the Sattiay heir, and doing so could be the most idiotic mistake of my career if not my life. I had looked at him in mild disbelief, an eyebrow arched ever so slightly and enquired further wondering what kind of bad blood between families would instigate Enrique Giancarle a man who was definitely not a fan of my existence to warn me. However he refused to slander the Sattiay name with any details that if in the wrong hands could lead to his own families turmoil, and we finished our coffee's in silence, the subject dropped.

To this day, I still don't know what it is between Enrique Giancarle and Gabriel Sattiay but whenever I enter a room with Gabriel. His acidic green meet apathetic blue-green and for a second it looks like they're at war, for a moment you can see pure unadulterated hatred for one another. One of the few times the mask Gabriel wears cracks. One of the few times he shows any form of weakness. A weakness I'm glad to know he has, considering my current situation with him. I suppose it's some sick sort of joke that the only person who understands my situation, the only person who can give me any form of empathy is a stranger apathetic to my existence.

Again my musings were interrupted, this time by the loud cry of delight when my eyes finally focused we were back at the Kinomiya dojo and the first thing I saw was Rei and Takao do this almost dramatic run and hug with one another. The cries of delight had been Takao's, of course his voice would be the one pull me from my thoughts. Slowly I exited the car, feeling a pang of jealousy hit my stomach as my former team mates all hugged and celebrated, while Takao held and coddled Rei's daughter, pure bliss evident in his eyes. All I could think was that I wished it was me he held onto so lovingly, that thought seemed to melt into thoughts about how lucky whoever he fell in love with truly was. Whoever he ultimately fell in love with, even though they were totally unknown to me right now, I detested them for their future role in Takao's life.

When I finally and silently joined the group, Kinomiya smiled at me, I didn't miss that it didn't quite reach his eyes, I didn't miss that he hadn't been as comfortable around me as he once was. I couldn't make sense of it, he wasn't any different around Max, it had nothing to do with my relationship... unless it had everything to do with it. I pushed those thoughts out of my head, as it was such a stupid hope to hold onto.

Hilary interrupted the hugs and laughter of the true reunion. Declaring that for old times sake we would go have a picnic by the river, everyone unanimously agreed it was a good idea, as the weather forecast for the next few days called for a significant amount of rain. With that Hilary drug away Mao and Max to assist her with all the needed supplies, but not before Max asked me if I could go get Enrique who was last seen in the behind the dojo taking an important business call. I agreed, only because I could no longer stand the pure smile that graced the lips of my unrequited love as he stood holding onto the four year old girl while Rei hovered close just to be sure Takao in all his clumsiness didn't drop his little girl.

I'd been so lost in that smile, I hadn't even realized the monster was nowhere to be found.

When I turned the corner assuming I'd find Enrique alone talking in Italian on his mobile device as I had found him many times before. However, I didn't find him as alone as I had expected. In fact I found him standing staring directly at Gabriel, not even the slightest hint of fear in his composure. I almost envied his ability to stay in control of himself, the fact that even knowing everything about Gabriel he didn't find the male even remotely scary. It was Gabriel who spoke obviously continuing a conversation I had missed the brunt of, and he spoke in that fake musical voice of his, the voice that made me want to punch him in the face:

"I've told you before not to interfere in my business, Giancarle." It was a threat, you could tell from his eyes it was a threat. He didn't have to utter the words for the threat to exist, I knew it, and Enrique had to know it, what amazed me was his response and the corresponding body language from it.

"And what would your father say if he found you making threats again?" In that very minute Gabriel hesitated, leaving me internally bewildered that the demon who had tortured me for almost seven years now could actually hesitate from such simple words coming out of the taller Italian's mouth, it was a somber reminder that even psychopaths are simply human.

Enrique's attention turned to me, without a word he trekked towards me. I could only assume he was already aware of the plans that had been made for the afternoon. Gabriel turned his head to watch his retreating back but his attention caught on me and he moved towards me. Surely with full intent to punish me later for overhearing a conversation I should have never heard. I knew the minute he brushed by me his skin barely ghosting across mine my guess was as good as correct. Yet a part of me didn't mind, because I got satisfaction in seeing even the slightest shred of humanity, in knowing that at the end of the day, he was still mortal. He wasn't the reincarnation of Dark Dranzer, that though caused me to hesitate, I'm truly unsure why.

Within forty minutes of the confrontation of the two Italian's, I found myself sitting at the river bank letting the spring breeze blow through my hair as I chewed on a simple piece of grass. At first Gabriel had stayed beside me, lingering I'm sure in a way to imply to the new arrivals that we must have some connection that allows him to stay so close to me without me wanting to push him away or something of the sort. However eventually he stood leaving me to my devices content with that I wasn't going anywhere he joined the others as they laughed and joked, I had heard his melodious laugh once before I tuned it out, focusing on only one voice, concerning myself with only one voice.

Currently it seemed from what I gathered from my place at the rivers edge that Max had stolen his bento, dousing it in mayonnaise before stuffing it into his mouth. I hated to admit it but the overly hyper blondes love for mayonnaise would always be one of the few quirks that could bring a smile to my lips, even if only a ghost of one. I closed my eyes, sighing softly and letting the laughter that filtered through the air bring me back to how it used to me. Sure there were additions now, Mao, Rin, Enrique, but nevertheless it was like nothing had really truly changed in the last eight years.

At some point the laughter died down and was replaced with soft chatter I couldn't make out. It wasn't until I felt his presence sit beside me that I allowed my eyes to open and glance over at him. He smiled at me, this time the smile felt more genuine, the smile reached his eyes, a slight sparkle in the midnight blue like stars in a night sky. We sat there for a few moments and I was left curious as to why a certain Italian hadn't come to interrupt the moment until I realized he was trapped in conversation with Mao and Hilary, and silently I thanked their chatty feminine nature because I was sure his skin was crawling just knowing he couldn't ruin the moment for me. Finally after what felt like an eternity sitting with him in out own little private world, much like the one we had experienced in our last world championship he spoke to me:

"You never properly said hello yesterday." I snorted at the remark and I could feel his contagious smile, and I too wanted to smile, however I refrained from doing so knowing very well if I did Sattiay would probably find a way to get over here and ruin the moment, at my first sign of happiness instead I simply tilted my head a little so my eyes met with Takao's before speaking to him in a disinterested voice:

"Yes, but if I had you probably would have had a heart attack, Kinomiya." He laughed at the comment, shaking his head letting his hair fall out of it's loose holder, falling into his face, he stared out over the river speaking again as he threw a rock out into the river, skipping it.

"I suppose you're right. You talking, what a funny prospect." He was still smiling as the rock fell into the rivers deep after several skips. I couldn't totally refrain from cracking an amused smirk from that statement, I know he noticed it because he almost seemed to mimic it before eventually after a minute he spoke again:

"I'm happy to see you again, Kai." His voice was so sincere, so unlike the voice I was used to welcoming me back from business trips, so unlike the voice that had originally dulled the pain of his departure from my life, the voice that eventually became the one thing that made it hurt even more to have lost the person so precious to me. My love life was just another facade like everything else, a ruse that everyone bought into without even one a questioning glance.

I was about to respond to his sentiments but as he was patting around the river bank looking for another rock to throw his hand suddenly came in contact with mine, in that moment there was a jolt through my entire body and all I wanted to do was recoil away from him. I looked away suddenly my hair shadowing my face to hide the formation of what very well could have been a blush. When I glanced at my companion through my hair he looked as if he'd been touched by a ghost and not by myself, it took him a minute to recompose himself enough to finally stand up and rush off mumbling something about helping Hilary pack up because the sun was starting to set. I couldn't understand why he would react so negatively to my touch.

Suddenly the warm spring breeze felt like a winter storm lashing at my skin leaving it red, suddenly I felt as alone as I did that day so long ago on the ice and I realized then and there, just how much of an impact Kinomiya had on my very being.

I stayed frozen in my place as I heard the group of people start to move towards the Dojo, a few of them called my name but I remained in place, I'm sure they took it for my typical moody self, it was when I heard a certain Italian accent say he'd get me that the rest of the group left without another word knowing they'd see us when we returned. He stood there, not saying a word to me, not speaking, not moving, he just stood there, off in the distance waiting.

I had ignored Enrique's warnings to keep a distance between myself and Gabriel, what had started as a form of networking and developed into a way to numb the pain of my loss had turned into some whirlwind romance where I had for a while almost forgotten about who held my heart. For several months of our relationship it had been kind, his eyes soft and caring, he gave me distance when I wanted it but he was always close enough to be at my side if I wanted or needed it. I had truly for a while thought I found someone that I would be able to spend the rest of my life with and not hurt should I ever find Takao again with a lover and children.

But slowly those kind gestures and words started to morph into something sinister, after I had bore my heart to him and told him about things in my past only one person before had ever known his intentions changed from innocent to malicious. Soon his kind touches and sweet comments turned into physical violence and remarks that would over and over again reaffirm how useless I was, words that would manipulate my reactions, control me, play with me and make me hate myself more and more with every passing moment.

Enrique had warned me, and I had ignored his warning as if it weren't important, it was amazing that even though I had refused to listen to him, even though I didn't heed his words nor ever value his opinion that he would stand here by the rivers edge with me, and wait for me, just to give me a few more minutes away from the man who would have something to say once everyone had fallen into slumber later, and although I would never openly express my appreciation I'm sure he knew that I did appreciate his actions. His act of absolute apathy to my existence was ultimately the act that would give me enough time to recompose myself after Takao's accidental touches and inadvertent affections to deal with whatever Gabriel had to dish out later for the obvious reaction I had to someone who wasn't himself.

I suppose what I never said was that, as the days progressed and Gabriel's kindness morphed into maliciousness, I couldn't help but see my grandfather in him.

And I wasn't about to let the old man win again.


But then I see my damn reflection in your eyeballs
And I want nothing more to do with all
The things you've made me think I am


And now it's extremely apparent why you should hate Gabriel, additionally if anyone can guess what it is between Gabriel and Enrique that they dislike each other so evidently, I will give you major props and maybe some internet cookies. (pun intended) Just be aware that it isn't an ex-romantic situation as that would contradict my design for the Max/Enrique dynamic. (which if you're curious to know about drop a review mentioning it logged in to an FF account and I'll reply and explain it.)

(...or maybe I'll just write a one-shot about it. MOVING ON.)

D-Did I actually finish a second chapter in a timely manner?

I think this will come back to bite me in the ass because Day Three isn't going to be easy to write. I decided post this one right away because I know I'll probably be a week or two before the next update.

Basically, Day Three is where stuff starts happening, and it needs to be perfect.

Also this chapter is a little longer, well almost 1000 words more than day one, but the first two days are more me setting the plot and general mood of the story. I'm aiming for about 6,000-8,000 words per day/chapter now. (wish me luck, lul.)

Reviews are loved. They really do inspire me to work harder on chapters.

Maybe enough of them will actually make me work a miracle on Day Three. (haha, I can hope.)

Also for those curious about the song lyrics used at the beginning and end of each day I'm putting them all in my profile as I update, but I need to admit right now, they're all by the same artist, whose music is one of the inspirations behind this fanfiction. (The main song also being called: Ten Days)