Author's note:
Hey, how you doing? Here's chapter two of this spur of the moment fic that popped in my head. The narration will bounce around from Kai to Ray, not in any particular order.
Hope you enjoy this chapter either way.
"So, are you going to be coming then Ray?" Tyson asked, I could seriously see the smile on his goofy face.
"Yeah, I think Rin will really like it." I chuckled back into the phone, God I had missed his voice.
"Awesome, don't be too sore when Makoto wipes the floor with her." Tyson joked, and all I could do was snort. We said our goodbyes from our phone call, not realizing I had been on the phone with him for so long.
Hyper active, bouncy, goofy face and grin, an ego so big he doesn't know what to do with it? All check, Tyson never changes; but I'm glad. It's been a while since I've heard from him, and I'm glad he called; I've missed him, all of them. It was just never the same all these ten years since we left each other. Pretty much after Kai snuck out into the night, we all went our separate ways.
Yeah, they asked me what happened to him. I lied, the heart break I had was too much and I couldn't tell them the truth. Tyson and I have kept in touch here and there, his son will be about seven soon enough, while my own daughter is six. Prime age to start entering Beyblade tournaments, that's what Tyson had called me about anyways.
Rin's pretty small, even for her age, but boy can she blade with the best of them. I'm sure it helped having me as a father and Mariah as her mother, along with the other White Tigers. We are still a pretty small village, all there is to do is blade so I'm not surprised. Tyson has no idea what he just got his son into, I kind of pity Makoto now. This will be the first time she's ever left China, I dunno if she'll be alright or not. She's pretty adaptable, so I'm not too worried.
"So, what did Tyson want?" Mariah asks me as she walks into our bedroom, a smile on her face and her eyes gleaming with question.
"Guess there's going to be a tournament coming up in Japan, asked if we'd like to take Rin." I answered, stuffing my cell in my back pocket.
"Oh, she'll be so excited" She claps her hands together and bounced out of the room. Leave it to my wife to take things in charge and go tell our daughter the exciting news.
With a sigh I sit on the edge of the bed, glancing around my room as if it's the first time I've ever been in it. It's not very big, most of the houses around here don't even have separate rooms like ours, so I guess I shouldn't be too upset. Simple queen-sized bed, dresser in the corner, a reading chair in the other corner by the bed. Everything's accounted for, I suppose. Then I stop, starring at the picture that sits on my side table.
It's of the Bladebreakers, god we were so young. I can feel a smile crossing my lips as I pluck it off the table, eyes glancing over the picture in the simple wooden frame. Tyson, Max, and Kenny in the front, Kai and I in the back. No matter how many times I look at this picture, my eyes always fall over our ex-captain and that serene smile on his lips. Ten years later, married with a child, you'd think I'd have gotten over it all. You'd be dead wrong.
Sure, I love Mariah and Rin dearly, but I know I was never giving my full heart to her like a real husband should have. She was more of a rebound, and it just stuck. Nobody was the wiser, and yeah, I should feel ashamed; but I'm not. What can I say? When you fall, and fall as hard as I did, you just aren't the same after that. I worried, nights on end about him and where he went off too. Our final goodbye etched into my brain so permanently, it made me cry more than I cared to admit.
Was it my fault, I often wondered? Surely it couldn't have been, we were close but never that close until it was too late. Tyson hadn't picked a fight with him for days, so it wasn't that either. I know I mentioned his grandfather, but what could he have done now? Kai never said, just up and left. I should hate him, but I can't.
A small glint of hope somehow made its way into my stomach, what if he came to Japan for the tournament? Nobodies heard of him in ten years, so the odds aren't really leaning in my favor. Not to mention I'm married, but really, I just want to see him. I want to know, NEED to know that he's been alright. A thought crosses my mind, I could call Dickenson, he'd know if Kai would be coming. The man was like a second grandfather to him after all, at least that's how it always looked to me.
Setting the picture back to its resting place I fish out my phone, going to Dickenson's number and waiting for the ringing to die as I place it by my ear. My heart is racing, it's just a simple question, I don't know why I'm acting this way. Then again, I do.
"Ray my boy, it's good to hear from you." Dickenson, you never changed either.
"Pretty good. Hey, I was just on the phone with Tyson a bit ago about the new tournament coming up. My daughter, Rin, will be entering and all… And… I was just wondering if you've heard if Kai has a kid, that might be entering?" I managed to stutter out my question, I hope he didn't notice. Though again, he knew we were all still a bit sore about the sudden departure of our captain.
"I'm sorry Ray, but as far as I know there's no child with his surname entering." He sighed, I sighed.
"Thanks Mr. D. I appreciate it. I guess I'll be seeing you in a few weeks then." I sighed again, hanging up the phone after he gave me a sincere goodbye.
"Ray, are you alright?" Mariah comes back in the room, standing against the door frame.
"Yeah." I lie, giving her a toothy grin to hide the pain in my chest.
"Tyson, Max!" I wave at them as they wave back at me, Max sure has gotten taller.
With a pack slung over my shoulder, Mariah's bag rolling behind her and Rin's pink back pack over her, we're walking towards them from un-boarding our plane. They're standing behind the roped off section, I can see the joy in their eyes as we approach. Tyson and I clap hands together in a friendly manly grip, our eyes locking into the others; just like old times.
"It's so good to see you guys." Mariah beams at them, having to almost break her neck to look up at Max. Damn, he is tall.
"You too." And his voice is really deep. "We got a car outside for us, c'mon." He waved over his shoulder as he turns, leading us out of the dingy airport.
Mariah and Rin's hands are clasped together as they walk behind me, as much as I want to feel happy I can't. Sure, it's amazing to see the guys again, but it's not the same when one of us is missing. It never was, that's why we were always so adamant about keeping him with us. We climb into the car provided by the other two, I'm assuming it's Tysons seeing as how there's food wrappers all over the floor board.
Rin settles down between Mariah and I in the back, Max taking the passenger seat as Tyson climbs in behind the wheel. That goofy grin plastered on his face as he looks back at us through the rear-view mirror.
"Had a good flight?" He asks, putting the car into gear as we leave the parking garage.
"It was decent enough." I chuckle nervously, I hate flying.
"Well Hil and the others are at the house, they'll be pretty stoked to see you guys." Max offers, almost ignoring the nervousness in my words.
The ride to the house, which I was surprised to see it wasn't the dojo, was pretty quiet. Rin had shifted a few times during the ride, I knew she was nervous and rested my hand on her knee to help calm her. She smiled at me and went back to watching out the front window, Max and Tyson had been in their own private conversation while Mariah was busy putting on last bits of make up before we pulled up the drive.
This was it, the same house. My breath hitched in my throat, why would they have held onto this? I could feel my legs weak under me as I crawled out of the car, eyes darting around at the so familiar look of the outside.
"Brings back some memories, doesn't it?" Tyson asks, noticing my expression.
"Yeah." I managed to breath out, trying to regain myself. "Why?"
"Didn't want to let it go, plus it's close to the BBA and Max's new place. Didn't see a reason to move." Tyson shrugs a bit before heading in. "Plus, there's enough rooms for guests." He finishes as we reach the door, without unlocking it he pushes the door open.
The outside was the same, the inside was the same. Everything was the same, aside from new pictures of Tyson and Hillary with Makoto on the walls. Beyond that, it was all the same.
The house was five bedrooms, when you walked in the living room was right there with the kitchen and dining room at the back. The master bedroom was on the first floor, with its own bath. Hiro used to stay in it, but I don't think he's stuck around since Tyson and Hillary got married. The other four bedrooms were upstairs, no doubt they've been changed. Two more bathrooms sat up there, one of them had been the connector between Kai and my room at one point. We let Daichi, Tyson and Max deal with each other's mess back then where they had to share the other. Kenny didn't live with us, he stayed with his parents. Max had stayed because his dad moved back to America, and Max didn't want to leave us and he shared his room with Tyson.
"Oh, aren't you just adorable?" Hilary cooed as she caught sight of Rin. "I'm Hilary, it's so nice to meet you." She smiled, getting eye level with my daughter.
"Rin, say hello, don't be rude." Mariah huffed.
"Hello." My daughter can be a bit… Rude? Yeah, that wasn't a cordial hello, more of a 'I only said hello so you'd get out of my face.'
"Rin." Time to go into father mode, I give her a disappointed look and she gets the hint. Bless this child for not being overly ridiculous, I remember how Mariah used to be as a child. Luckily, she took a bit more after me and is a bit more reserved.
"I should have dinner ready in about an hour, why don't you all go settle in. Tyson, go show them their rooms. How rude." Hilary puffs before walking towards the kitchen. She hasn't changed either.
"Yeah, c'mon guys." Tyson sighs before turning to us, showing us up the stairs. The one that creaks still does and I smile. "For nostalgia purposes, here's your room Ray." Tyson opens my old room door, it doesn't look like it's changed either.
Sure, I took everything I owned with me when I left. But the furniture that was there is still in place, a single bed in the left corner of the room, a desk and chair facing the window with the dresser against the all that boarders the bathroom.
"Rin can take the room through the bathroom, so that way she's close by." Tyson suggests, and my heart drops a bit but I nod in approval anyways.
Once we got settled into our rooms, our things stuffed in the dressers that matched in their respective drawers Mariah and Rin bounced down the stairs in search of Makoto. Setting on the edge of the bed I sigh again, this was starting to become too much.
I was happy to be here, don't get me wrong. Like I had said before, it just wasn't the same, no matter how much nothing seemed to have changed. It would never be the same, that's exactly what I told myself ten years ago to; and no truer words had ever been spoken.
Heading to the bathroom to do what needed to be done, I caught sight of myself in the mirror. I'm not narcistic, but I like what I saw. Tall and proud of who I was, I was able to smile back at myself. My hair is still long and wrapped in a wrap, for today I wore a blue one. Simple white shirt and black pants that cuffed around my ankles, guess I never really changed that much either.
I figured that while I was in there, I'd unpack our toiletries. Taking the smaller bag out of Mariah's bag I set it on the counter, pulling out our odds and ends of shampoos and tooth brushes. Setting some of our stuff in the medicine cabinet to my right when something catches my eye. I reach in and pull out the small glass bottle, I recognize it. It's Kai's cologne, still here after all these years. I chuckle a bit holding in my hand, I can't believe I didn't see it when I left.
Don't judge, but I uncapped it and took a sniff. Yup, that was his scent all right. Capping it back up I set it where I found it, no sense in doing anything else with it. Though, I do wonder why it's still here. Surely Hilary would have thrown it out at some point? Maybe, but I'm kind of glad she didn't.
Taking one last look at myself I head back out of the bathroom, time to mingle with the others I suppose. Even if my heart is breaking at the seams; yes, it's corny shut up.
Tyson doesn't look all that different, his bangs are a bit more tamed and swiped to one side of his face with the back pulled into his normal pony tail down to his shoulder blades. Hilary has rather, filled out? She got a bit taller, just below Tyson's chin now. Her brown hair is down to her waist, just hanging loosely around her frame. Max, the seven-foot giant that he is towers all over us. Seriously, how did that happen? His blonde hair is all over his head, the longer pieces hanging around the nape of his neck. I haven't seen Daichi or Kenny yet, when I do I'll give you an update on how they look. Makoto, Tyson's son, is the spitting image of what he looked like from the pictures I've seen. He even sports the same baseball cap Tyson used to wear, that thing is so old I'm surprised it's not badly faded.
Mariah looks the same as she always has, she may have grown an inch or so over the years, while I know I stand at a good 5'9". Tyson is about 6'2" So yes, he's taller than me now too; damn. Rin looks like Mariah, a lot. Pink hair, bright yellow eyes while mine are gold. She has my complexion though, tan up and down. She's rather cute either way.
She wasn't planned, by no means. Remember how I said Mariah was the rebound? Yeah, stupid me forgot to wrap it up. So, when she told me she was pregnant I did the honorable thing and married her. What can I say, I'm a saint, I know. I don't think I would have changed it though, I rather enjoy being a father.
"Need any help?" I offer Hilary as she's hovering over the stove, it used to be mine. The whole kitchen was dubbed my domain, and for some reason I was a bit peeved she was in there now.
"No, No. You go sit, I have this taken care of. You're our guests." She shoos me away with a wooden spoon, and I don't feel like getting whacked with it so I comply.
I find myself on the couch in the living room, there is another identical one to the left of it where Max is sitting. Mariah is sitting with me while the kids had gone outside to play, I can barely hear them even with my neko-jin blood, but I know they're getting along. Tyson is across from me in an overstuffed armchair, Kai's chair. He's busy flipping through channels on the tv, at least they upgraded to a bigger one since last time.
"You got a kid Maxie?" I ask, I didn't see a ring but that doesn't mean anything these days.
"Nah, never found the right one." He answers, a slight chuckle in his words.
"Sorry to hear that." I offer.
"Nah, don't be. I like my freedom." Max chuckles again.
"Are Daichi and Kenny coming?" I turn to Tyson, he would know.
"Not tonight, they'll be over tomorrow." He answers and groans as he's realized there's nothing to watch.
"What have they been up to?" The only one I, barely, stayed in contact with was Tyson.
"Daichi's the new DJ for the tournaments, Kenny works for the BBA development team." He answers, still dead set on finding something to watch.
"How about you guys?" I look from Tyson to Max.
"Tyson trains the new kids at the BBA, while I took over my dad's shop." Max answers, and sighing as he watched Tyson grumble again. "Dude, there's nothing on."
"I know…" Tyson turns the T.V off now, resting further into the arm chair. I can't be too mad, it is his house after all, but I don't like him sitting there.
"How's Hiro?" I manage.
"He's off with my dad and Brooklyn in Egypt excavating." He shrugs as if he doesn't really care.
"Brooklyn?" I raise an eyebrow. I didn't really care for the guy, always acting so superior than the rest of us. Kind off putting with that unnatural smile, not to mention he almost killed Kai and us all. He's got some serious mental problems, that's for sure.
"Yeah, him and my bro hooked up a while back." Tyson says it like it's no big deal, but to me it is. I've been hiding in the closet for so long I've made friends with the moths and have names for them.
"No way." I know my mouth just hit the floor, and everyone's giving me questioning looks.
Tyson shrugs like it's really no big deal, but I feel a bit ecstatic now. I'm not the only gay guy we know, I don't feel so alone now. I close my mouth and a smile crosses my lips, they give me another questioning look.
"I'm happy for him." I'm not lying, I really am. He was able to be himself, while I've been living a lie.
I felt Mariah stiffen next to me so I looked down, she had a slight scowl on her face and I cocked an eyebrow at her. What was with the sudden change of mood?
"It's a bit disgusting, don't you think?" She whispered low enough so only I would hear, which I was glad for. We were in Tyson's house, and I stiffed against her words. I wasn't expecting that, but then again, we come from a very secluded village. Part of me wanted to laugh in her face and come busting right out of the closet in glitter and rainbows, but I simply shook my head at her.
"What, you don't think so?" She hissed, still in too low of a whisper for our human friends to hear.
"If he's happy, who are we to judge?" I whisper back, shaking my head still.
"It's unnatural." She offered, crossing her arms across her chest. "They won't ever have kids."
"Max doesn't have kids." I retorted, I was really on the verge of yelling but for the sake of my friends I kept my voice low.
"Whatever." She huffed and stood, I guess that was the end of that then. I didn't bother stopping her as she stormed out of the house to the back yard.
"What was that about?" Max, you never miss a beat, do you?
"Nothing." I shake my head. "Must be tired from the flight." I offer, hoping it's a good enough excuse.
"Dinner's ready!" Hilary calls from the kitchen, my kitchen…
We stand, Tyson going out and sticking his head through the back door to call the others in for dinner. We sit at a new table, it's not as big as the old one and so we're pretty cramped around it. Though dinner was nice and comfortable, Rin and Makoto were getting a long like old friends. I must say, Hilary sure learned how to cook; I'm still better at it though.
After diner we said goodbye to Max, and parted for our rooms. Tucking Rin in her bed, Kai's bed. Heading back to our room, Mariah took a shower while I sat on my old bed. It was still as comfortable as I remembered it. It'll be kind of hard to fit us both on this twin mattress, maybe I'll take the floor. I don't really feel up to being beside her right now anyways, not after her small-minded words from earlier.
"Ray, why are you on the floor?" She asks as she comes out of the bathroom.
"Not enough room on the bed." I manage, resting on my stomach in my make shit bed.
"Oh, you're such a wonderful husband." She coos and places a kiss on the top of my head, slipping down into the sheets of the bed.
My stomach gets tight and I roll over on my side, we have a while before the tournament. Tyson and Max said we'd all go hang out tomorrow with Daichi and Kenny, I can't wait to see them. I've missed them. But, it still isn't the same. I let out a sigh before drifting off to sleep, hopefully my back doesn't hate me in the morning, this floor is hard.
