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Chapter 3! I hope you like! A bit of swearing in this chapter, and chapters to come actually. Just a warning X3

"Well?" Julia prods her brother, smiling a sickly sweet smile as she awaits his answers, appearing to already know the response. "Who was your first kiss?"

Blushing as red as a tomato, Raul falls silent as a memory dated only a few months back resurfaces in his mind.

--Flash back--

Sniffling, Raul rubs at his eyes with the back of his sleeve, but tears still continue to fall. Thin cuts and scraps cover his petite frame, clothes torn and ripped in multiple places. Clutching his damaged blade to his chest, Raul slowly makes his way through the empty streets, tears continuing to fall with each step of pain he takes.

"Why did that guy attack me like that?" Raul asks himself, his voice hitching in his throat. "I didn't even want to battle."

Poor Raul, a victim of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. An up and coming blader challenged him to a fight, but Raul was unprepared for the deadly extremes his opponent was willing to take. The battle was eventually won by Raul, but not without cost. His blade is badly damaged and so is he.

But he can't go home looking like this. What would his sister say? She'll no doubt scowl him for being weak and a cry baby.

Raul is so deep in thought that he isn't watching where he is going and he foot catches a seemingly well placed stone, causing him to roll his ankle, making him lose his balance and fall towards the hard and dusty earth.

However, instead of hitting the hard and cold concrete, he finds himself falling against something warm and oddly comforting. More warmth encircles him in the form of two arms. Its then that Raul realizes that he had fallen against someone and no longer in fear of hitting the hard ground below.

But who would catch him in such a pathetic way?

"You're safe now," a familiar voice whispers into his ear, causing Raul's eyes to widen with realization.

"Tala?" Raul whispers as he lifts his head and finds himself gazing into a pair of icy blue eyes, eyes that are now casting nothing but blatant concern down at him. Concern for his well being. More tears fill Raul's eyes when he realizes his crush, his long time crush, is worried about him and is now holding him tenderly.

He squeezes his eyes shut and grasps desperately at Tala's jacket. "It hurts," he whimpers.

"What happened?" Tala asks softly.

"I was attack by a street blader," Raul explains through his tears. His tears begin to ease however when Tala tightens his arms around him, holding him in a warm and tender embrace, giving Raul a sense that he truly is safe and protected. A feeling he truly has never felt before until now.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there," Tala whispers into his ear, making Raul shiver ever so softly as his warm breath caresses the bare skin of his neck. Raul isn't exactly sure why Tala is apologizing, there was nothing he could have done, was there?

Pulling back in the embrace ever so slightly, Raul looks up into Tala's eyes, to ask him why he is apologizing, but then he feels Tala run a hand through his hair, caressing him gently and imperceptibly tilting his face towards him. Becoming lost in the moment, Raul feels his head fall back a bit and his lips part in anticipation, his cheeks heating up considerably.

Slowly, Tala's mouth closes over his, and Raul finds himself being swallowed up in a wave of fierce pleasure. Suddenly, there is no distance between them at all as Tala holds him even close to his tall and powerful frame. Tala's tongue teases the corners of his mouth before slipping inside, searching and tasting with such a boldness that is left Raul's heart pounding loudly in his chest. With one last drawn out caress, Tala pulls back slowly, back keeping Raul as close to him as possible.

Panting softly, Raul keeps his eyes shut, trying his best to digest what had just transpired. He has had a crush on Tala ever since he first laid eyes on the Russian during the third world tournament. After sharing such a heated kiss, does Tala like him that way as well?

A gentle caress against his cheek pulls Raul out of his thoughts and he slowly opens his eyes. He gazes into Tala's icy blue orbs, becoming lost in his gaze. No more words are said between them as they are not necessary. Just by looking into Tala's eyes, Raul knows that Tala feels the same way and he wants to protect him in anyway that he can.

And Raul realizes in that exact moment that he wants to be protected by Tala and only Tala.

--End of flash back--

"Well?" Julia prods again, getting impatient. "Who was your first kiss?"

"Julia," Miguel tries to butt in, seeing that Raul is obviously reluctant and embarrassed to say anything. He only wishes Kai would hurry up. No one can change a subject or drop a conversation faster than Kai can. "Maybe you should leave him alone."

"No," Julia says, her lips pressing into a thin line of annoyance. "Everyone else had to answer their question truthfully and so should he."

"Just answer the damn question," Rick gripes, having rejoined the group with an ice pack to his nose. "And let's move on, this is getting dull."

"It's alright, Raul," Ray tells him gently with a reassuring tone. "You can tell us."

Knotting his hands in his lap, Raul chews on his bottom lip. "It was…"

"Yes…?" Julia stresses.

"Tala."

Once again a stun silence fills the room.

Julia stares at her brother in completely disbelief, completely and utter shock taking her whole. She thought her brother hadn't kissed anyone before so that's why she asked. She didn't expect her brother to have kissed Tala of all people.

"What?!" she cries in disbelief, immediately climbing to her feet to tower over her slightly younger brother. "I can't believe it!"

"Julia…?" Raul whimpers softly.

"No," Julia shakes her head abruptly. "You're lying, you have to be. No, Tala, he's forced you, didn't he?"

Raul immediately springs to his feet at the accusation. "He wouldn't do that!" he cries, tears already threatening to fall from his eyes.

"How do you know he wouldn't?" Julia snaps, her face holding an expression of sheer anger. "For Christ's sake, you've heard what he's done in the past."

"Yes I have, and I don't care!" Raul exclaims, steadily becoming more emotional with each outburst. "It's in the past, it's doesn't matter now."

"Doesn't matter?" Julia repeats, a look of sheer disgust mixing with the anger. "You've lost it. How do you know he won't change back?"

"I just know!" Now tears a freely falling from his eyes, rolling with steady streams down his cheeks.

"How?!" Julia demands.

"I trust him, ok!" Covering his face in his hands, Raul stands there in the middle of the room, sobbing into his hands. A moment later he drops his hands to hang by his sides, limply at first before curling into fists. "I love him and there's nothing you can say or do that will change my mind!"

Turning around abruptly, Raul runs out of the room, into the hallway and out the front door, not realizing that it is now raining heavily in torrents or that he had to push past the disgruntle Russian team, the Blitzkrieg boys.

"Raul?" Tala says in surprise as he watches the tiny circus star rush past, stumbling over his own feet, desperate to get away. Then he saw them, streams of crystalline tears flowing freely down his flustered cheeks.

Bryan raises an eyebrow in concern. "Was he crying?" he asks out loud.

"He was," Tala mutters, in concern before that concern melts away into anger. "Dammit! Did something happen?"

"They were playing truth or dare when I left," Kai explains, also glancing in the direction Raul just disappeared in with concern. His concern soon turns to anger as well as he abruptly snaps his attention towards the dojo. "They may have found out about your relationship."

"And they fucking turned on him?!" Tala snarls dangerously, bearing his fangs. "Grr, I don't care what they say about me, but to gang up on Raul like that?"

"Go on, Tala," Kai suddenly orders, giving Tala a push on the shoulder. "Follow him; I'll take care of everything inside."

Tala seems to hesitate for a moment, a part of him so desperately wants to find and comfort Raul, but another part him, the more dangerous part, wants to go inside and go on a complete and utter rampage. "You sure?"

"Oh yes," Kai replies, his eyes mirroring the anger Tala feels.

Tala smirks, knowing that no one will get away from Kai when he's like this. "Just leave some for me."

Kai abruptly turns on his heel and starts to walk inside. "I won't make any promises I can't keep."

Tala quickly turns around and darts out the gate, into the blinding rain, the name of his sweet and gentle lover on his lips. Spencer watches Kai's back with a critical glance. He opens his mouth to question the young enigma when the front door opens again and a certain silver haired martial artist makes an appearance.

"Oh, Kai," Garland mutters in surprise, his shock growing when he spies two more with him. His blue eyes widen when they collide with a pair of emerald green orbs. Despite his concern for his fellow blader, he can't seem to stop a light blush from appearing on his cheeks as he stares into Bryan's eyes. He, however, quickly shakes his head and turns a concern glance at the Russian's before him.

"Did Raul pass through here?" he asks.

"Yes," Kai answers sharply, still glaring hatefully towards the dojo's entrance behind him.

"Want us to come?" Spencer suddenly asks, motioning to Garland as well. "Or help Tala find Raul?"

"Spencer, you stay here to restrain me from getting physical," Kai orders in a no nonsense tone. He then places his hand in his pocket and pulls out a set of keys, throwing them over his shoulder for Bryan to catch. "Bryan and Garland, you two help Tala find Raul and then take him back to my apartment to get cleaned up."

"What?" Bryan says in surprise and a hint of irritation as he effortlessly catches the keys. "But I want to see the blood bath."

Knowing that Kai is in no mood for any compromise, Spencer takes Bryan by the shoulder and pushes him through the front entrance and out into the rain. "Now, Bryan."

Bryan huffs and folds his arms over his chest in a pout. "You're no fun," he mutters but does as he is told. He waits for Garland to move beside him before the two of them dash out into the rain soaked streets. Bryan suppresses a shiver when he realizes how cold the rain really is. And he's wearing a jacket. As he recalls, Raul is only wearing a shirt with jeans.

"Dammit," he mutters as he quickens his pace, trying to catch up with Tala, Garland easily keeping pace. "He'll freeze to death out here."

Aw, poor Raul. Mustn't worry, Tala will make him feel better. And Kai is going to let the fur fly in the next chapter!

Please review.