Author's note: I don't own Beyblade or it's characters.
Here it is, the second chapter to this sequel nobody asked for. But hey, I'm enjoying writing this as it gives me something to do. Hope you all enjoy it, if you do write me a review.
Kai hated hospitals, the smell the cold, the way doctors pretended that everything was alright with their lives while others were suffering behind each closed door. It made him sick, his stomach coil wanting to puke. He wondered why he was even here, then the pain coursed through his body again to remind him. It started in his chest, a strong burning sensation till it ran down his spine to the tips of his toes. It had been becoming too much to bear, the aspirin wasn't working anymore; and neither was the alcohol. The pain stilled his heart, his breath got stuck in his throat. His body built up a sweat, and he trembled uncontrollably.
["Mr. Hiwatari?"] The nurse called to him softly, his head jerking up to face her.
She waved to him, and he stood trying to find his breath past the pain. He followed behind her, to a small room with the standard hospital bed and all the equipment needed.
["The doctor will be here shortly, you can change into those robes there."] She pointed to a folded up plain white hospital gown, before taking her leave.
Kai grunted, starring at the gown on the bed; his nose scrunched up in disgust. With a sigh he started to undress, pulling his jacket off and then stepping out of his pants. Wrapping the gown around him, he clung to it tightly. He wasn't a shy man, he was very proud of his body, he just didn't like hospitals. He made himself as comfortable on the bed as possible, checking his phone for the time quickly when the doctor strode into the room; that smile on his face made Kai want to punch him.
["Mr. Hiwatari… Let's see. Pain in your chest, shortness of breath, hot flashes and chills. Are you a smoker?"] The doctor cocked an eyebrow to him, and Kai nodded. ["Alright, sit up so we can listen to your heart."] The doctor sighed, sitting on the small rolling stool by the bed.
Kai flinched at the coldness of the man's hands and stethoscope as it rested against his flustered skin. The doctor ordered him to breathe in, and out; Kai complied. His patient growing thin.
["You said you had coughed up blood, a few days ago?"] The doctor's smile faded as he rested his stethoscope around his neck, Kai nodded. ["And you've lost a good amount of weight the past two months, it seems."] The doctor wrote on his clipboard, as Kai nodded again.
The nurse came through the door, standing just inside the room as she waited for her instructions. Kai's heart was starting to beat faster in his chest, he didn't like the look the doctor now had on his face. He stilled his breathing, as another shot of pain coursed through his shoulders and back, flinching at the pain he bit his bottom lip.
["We're going to do some imaging tests now. I'll see you in a little bit."] The doctor nodded to Kai before dipping out of the room.
The nurse stepped up to him, wrapping a name tape around his wrist and handing him a few papers to look over as she prepared to have him go down to the x-ray room. He filled the papers out quietly, pausing briefly over the section where it asked for an emergency contact; he left it blank. The nurse gave him a questioning glance once he handed the paper back, but she didn't say anything.
For some reason, the walk to the x-ray room was longer than it really was, his feet were dragging behind him and he stifled a few coughs that tried to escape. The nurse smiled, holding her arm out so he could enter. The room was colder and staler than the others; and the whole hospital. A large machine was in the center, a bed underneath it. She ushered him over, coaxing him to lay down on top as she fiddled with a few buttons and other knobs on the panels. Stepping out of the room, a bright flash lit up the machine taking an x-ray of his chest. It flashed a few more times, making his vision go a bit blurry.
["I'll take you back to your new room, we'll be admitting you for the night till we have your results."] She ushered him out of the room.
"Papa, when's daddy coming home?" Rain moaned resting her head on the top of the dining table, watching Ray finish preparing their dinner.
"He said he has a meeting, it might take a while." Ray answered, giving her a soft smile to his daughter.
"Okay… Can you help me with this question?" She sat back, glaring at her paper. She may have been Ray's biological child, but her glare was on par with Kai's.
"I'll do my best." Ray chuckled, he had never properly finished school.
Finishing the last stirring of the food in the pot on the stove, he walked over and leaned over his daughter's shoulder. A frown crossing his lips as the numbers seemed to blend together, he let out a sigh realizing he had no clue what he was looking at.
"Maybe we'll wait till your dad comes home…" He sighed, slumping back over to the stove to finish their dinner.
"Okay…. I could just not do it." She shrugged.
"Rain. Maxine. Hiwatari!" Ray spun on his heel, wooden spoon clutched in his hand. "You will do no such thing, is that understood? School is important, understand?" He wasn't the one that normally scorned her, but he was the only parent there to do so.
A wash of fear crossed her features, she had never seen her papa so angry before. She nodded her head almost violently, repeating the word 'yes' over and over. Ray sighed again, rubbing his forehead.
"Children…" He sighed, going back to the stove.
A calm quiet filled the room, Rain's pencil tapping the top of the table as she tried to finish her homework; but it was useless. She stuffed the papers back into her backpack, and ran up the stairs to wash up for dinner. The smell was making her stomach growl, Ray gave a soft chuckle as he watched her bolt out of the kitchen.
As he was finishing pouring the water and noodles into the strainer, his phone began to ring in the pocket of his apron. Setting the pot back on the stove he fetched his phone, a smile crossing his lips as he read Kai's name on the screen.
"You won't believe what our daughter just tried to pull with her homework." Ray chuckled, pressing the phone between his ear and shoulder. Carrying the now strained noodles back over to the pot on the stove, mixing the meat sauce he had prepared over the top.
"Ray…" Kai's voice came through almost broken, and shaky.
"Hey… What's wrong?" Ray's smile disappeared in an instant.
"I'm not coming home tonight, I have too much work here at the office. I'm sorry."
"Oh… It's alright. Do you want us to bring you some dinner?"
"No, that's alright. I'll get some take out." Kai's voice still hadn't picked up, and it caused Ray to ask a million questions in his head.
"Oh… Okay… Will you be home in the morning?" Ray shifted where he stood, forgetting the food in the pot.
"I don't know yet. I have to go now, I love you." Before Ray could respond the line cut off, Ray looked at his phone with question until Rain jumped up behind him.
"What's wrong papa?" She cocked her head at him, almost mimicking a curious kitten.
"Oh, nothing… Daddy's gonna be at work all night." Ray sighed as he pushed his phone back into the apron pocket.
"So, that means I don't have to do my homework!" She beamed, not noticing the concerned look over her father's features.
"Seems like it." Ray sighed, going back to getting the food on their plates.
Kai sat against the lifted head board of the bed, staring blankly at his phone. His hands trembled as they clutched his phone tighter, a cough fighting its way up his throat. He covered his mouth, pulling back when something sticky and wet met his skin. His eyes widened at the sight of the blood, a low growl escaped his lips as he wiped it on the gown he was still wearing.
["Mr. Hiwatari?"] The nurse poked her head into the room, he gave her a nod of recognition and she stepped inside with the doctor on her heel.
["Our tests have come back sir, I'm sorry to say this… But you have stage one lung cancer."] The doctor tried to make his face reflect the sound in his voice, and Kai hated it.
He didn't need false pity, didn't need them too look at him with sadness. They weren't the ones having to deal with this news, it wasn't about them. It was about him and his family, his heart sank as he thought about what would happen once he told Ray.
["We'd like to run through our options, before we set out on one path of treatment."] The doctor began, stepping further into the room. ["Since it's only in its early stages, I suggest we try surgery to remove the tumor. We'll give you some pain medication, but most importantly you must stop smoking."] The doctor continued, but his words fell on deaf ears.
["We can get you into a specialist by next week, how's that sound?"] The doctor looked up from his clipboard, and Kai nodded only having heard partially what the man was saying. ["Alright, we'll get you your discharge papers ready with the specialist's number and your prescription."] The doctor turned and left the room, the nurse on his heel.
Kai didn't move, he sat there starring at the sheets to the hospital bed. He hated looking at it, his stomach coiled with anger but he couldn't take his eyes off it. He had only partially heard what the doctor had said, he was too wrapped up in thinking about how he was going to tell his husband. He knew in the back of his head, Ray would have a complete shut down and try to drown himself in his pills. Kai couldn't have that, he needed Ray to be strong for their daughter. He started mentally making plans, Rain would need a college fund set up. Ray would need a trust fund to lean back on, if worse came to shove.
Stage one, it wasn't that bad, at least that's what he was telling himself. It was in the early stages, he was happy to have caught it so soon. He knew something was wrong, but he would have never admitted to himself, or anyone, that he was weak. He could give up the smoking, it wasn't like he did it that often anymore anyways; not after Rain had been born.
He didn't hear the nurse come back in the room, shuffling around with his papers in her hands as she rambled off his instructions. He nodded, only having caught a few of her sentences. She sat the papers down on the side table by the bed, and taking her leave quietly. The door clicking shut caused his attention to come back, and he stared at the now closed door.
Peeling himself from the bed he began to strip the gown off, settling back into his own clothes. They were cold against his flustered skin, and he picked up his papers without a word. His mind going a mile a minute as he reached the pharmacy counter, placing his order he sat in a chair nearby. He pulled his phone out, texting Ray that he was coming home now.
"Good, just got Rain to bed. See you soon ;3" Ray's text caused a small smile to creep up his lips.
He needed Ray to be strong, wanted him to be strong. He knew he wasn't going to tell him, Ray didn't need to know. He was going to do this, like everything else he had done in his life; alone. As always, Ray was going to be his rock even if he didn't know it.
His name was called and he retrieved his prescriptions from the woman behind the counter, taking the brown paper bag in his hands as he stalked out of the hospital.
"Hey." Ray said sweetly, leaning over the edge of the pool. "What're you doing out here?" He sat on the ledge, letting his feet dip into the warm water.
"Needed to relax." Kai shrugged, pressing his back against the wall of the pool to Ray's left.
He was glad he had opted out of just fencing it in, having made it an indoor pool instead. The lights inside were off, casting shadows along the walls. The moon's light was shining through the large glass windows that outlined the room, and the pool lights made the water glow. Which caused him to look almost ethereal, his pale skin had a light-blue tinge to it and his wet slate hair shone against the light.
"You didn't even come see me." Ray pouted, kicking a bit of water at Kai.
"Just needed to be alone for a little while." Kai sighed.
"That bad of a day, hu?" Ray cocked an eyebrow at him.
"Can say that." Kai shrugged. "So, what did your child try to do with her homework?" Kai needed to steer the conversation, he didn't need Ray to know.
"Oh. Well, your child tried to skip out on doing it. She couldn't do her math problems, and I was no help. So, she was just like 'I could just not do it'." Ray mocked her best he could, chuckling as he spoke which made Kai chuckle slightly.
"Really now?" Kai's muscles relaxed, sinking a bit further down into the water. "Wonder where she got that attitude from." He gave Ray a coy smirk.
"I never half-ass things." Ray pouted, pretending to be offended as he kicked more water at Kai.
With an evil smirk across his features Kai grabbed Ray by the ankle, pulling him into the water fully clothed. Ray jumped out from under the water, sucking in air as his pupils turned to slits. His hair clung to his face, as the ends rested on the top of the water.
"It's a good thing I left my phone in the room." Ray hissed, splashing a wall of water at Kai.
"Guess so." Kai returned his own wall of water at him, but missed as Ray had ducked under the water.
Popping up right in front of him, his shirt pressing against Kai's bare chest. He snuck a hand around Kai's neck, a smirk crossing his lips as he leaned in closer till he shoved Kai's head under the water. Taken back a bit, Kai regained his composure and kicked off the wall. Wrapping an arm around Ray's waist, he draged him down under the water again. Both popping out over the surface of the water, Ray in a fit of laughter as Kai could only muster a smile.
He loved seeing Ray this way, carefree and joyful. Full of happiness and love, he didn't need that to come crashing down because of his diagnosis. No, Ray wasn't ever going to know. He needed to protect him from that pain, pushing past the guilt that settled into the back of his mind he swam closer to Ray.
Ray's laughter subsided as Kai placed a hand on his back, pulling him back into his chest and placing a gentle kiss over his lips. Ray caught the look of sadness that had placed itself in Kai's eyes, and he pulled away.
"What's wrong?" He asked, resting his hands over Kai's shoulders.
"Nothing." Kai shook his head.
"Kai…" Ray spoke sternly, bringing his legs around Kai's waist. "What is it?"
"Just a long day at work, don't worry about it." Kai sighed, hoping his lie was enough to fool him.
"If you say so." Ray shrugged, melting into Kai's touch as he hands had started traveling up his wet shirt that clung to his back.
"Think she'll stay asleep this time?" Kai whispered into Ray's ear, nipping at the pointed tip gently.
"Can only hope so." Ray breathed out, pressing his body closer to Kai's.
He caressed and kissed him, fiery and passionate as if it was the last time he would make love to him. Kai's hands traveled around Ray's entire body, mentally taking in every curve and feature. His eyes not leaving Ray's own, locked onto the other as if he was a hungry predator eyeing its prey. Each touch became hotter, each kiss more passionate. Moans of pleasure and ecstasy echoed through the room, over the sounds of the water rippling with the thrusts of their bodies. Whispers of love and devotion passed their lips, fingers dug into broad shoulders and sweat formed on their foreheads.
Their bodies pressed so tightly together, they almost molded into one being. Ray's head jerked back, Kai's name escaping his lips in a moan as he rode out his orgasm. Kai's coming shortly after, Ray's name passing his own lips as they sunk back into the water. Panting and breathless, Ray nuzzled into Kai's chest under his chin. Kai rested his head into Ray's soaked locks, taking in his scent that was mixed with his. His fingers gently caressing the small of Ray's back, in fine intricate circles. Ray's purring caused his body to vibrate against Kai, the water rippling out from them where they sat on the stairs on the pool.
A calm quiet and peaceful feeling settled over them, though in the back of Kai's mind he knew it could come crashing down on him any second. There wasn't anything in this world that was going to take him away from this, he knew he would fight to survive this. He had to, even if he was doing it alone.
