Hello folks! I guess I managed to write even this chapter longer as I first expected. Oh well, you can enjoy reading it till I finish the second part. ;D

By the way, I forgot to put in another warning note at the second chapter, heh. :P

Warning: male-pregn. (though I guess you suspect it anyway) plus deep awkward situation in this chappy (sounds silly to warn about something like that but it's better if you know it, hehe)

Sorry for any little grammar mistakes.

Have a good reading! :)


- Chapter 3 -

Awakening Emotions

(Part I.)


The next morning rose with a beautiful sunshine. A little bird flew on a branch that was close to Takao Kinomiya's bedroom and began to sing...

Just at the very moment the most hair-rising, deafening scream shook the whole dojo that every single feathers fell out of the poor bird and it fainted down from the tree.

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Kai ambled in Takao's room sleepily, rubbing his eyes. He wore a black, loose pants with a white T-shirt, and his two-toned hair was still ruffled. He groaned reluctantly, mentally wondering just what the heck happened in this early morning. Was there fire in the house or what? He looked over at the bluenette who had pressed himself up against the headboard, his face showed a rather appalled expression. Kai then turned to Gou who sat on the other end of the bed and looked extremely shamed and frightened. His crimson eyes wandered confused back at Takao when suddenly he noticed the source of the big panic and his eyes went wide.

'What the blading hell...?'

On the bottom of the sheet there was a huge yellow spot.

"...!" his eyes bulged. Then he noticed that Takao's pants were wet. The only reason he couldn't see Gou's was because he was currently sitting on his heels.

Snapping out somewhat of the first shock, Takao caught Kai's presence and looked up at him. For his big horror his whole face and his ears turned flaming red as the dual haired stared still shocked at him. Then, slowly, Kai's usual cold expression took a comical brightness that Takao had never seen on him before... and he wished he wouldn't have it right now.

"K-Kai..." he stammered.

"Takao... you... you did really...?"

"It wasn't me, it was him!" Takao cried hotly in self-defense and pointed accusingly at Gou, who by that huddled himself up as little as he could.

But Kai didn't pay attention to the boy; his eyes fixed further on the embarrassed Takao, who all of the sudden became the funniest sight in the world. He couldn't hold back any more and his solid features burst.

"I can't believe it! You really pissed your bed?!" Kai burbled with laughter and almost bent double as he held his stomach.

"Kaaaaaiii! No!"

"Oh God... this is too good to be true!" the dual haired gasped and now had to recline a hand against the door frame to hold himself up. His stomach was hurting painfully by the harsh laugh which came out of him uncontrollably. Never, ever, in his life had he laughed so hard.

Takao never knew that Kai had such beautiful white teeth and if it hadn't been him who was being in the most humiliating situation he would have probably found very fascinating Kai's smile. But at this moment he couldn't feel anything else only his cold sweltering face and that he could blow up with pure annoyance that it was Kai who saw him in this situation.

"Kai you idiot! I told you it was not me!"

"Next time we go shopping remind me to buy you a rubber sheet!" the dual haired blader whipped off a tear drop from his eye and lurched out of the room snickering. He saw that the bluenette's head was close to explode, with wrath or embarrassment Kai couldn't tell, but he found it safer if he filed out from the scene now before he lost even his last spark of chance to placate Takao after yesterday. Not that his chances were bigger after this, but he couldn't help it was so funny.

Just as Kai had left Takao grabbed one of his manga stories from the bedside table and threw it at the spot where Kai had stood.

"Jerk." Takao growled, then he turned to Gou with flat eyebrows and added in a dark voice. "If you ever tell this anyone you're in trouble."

Gou gulped and nodded quickly.

* ~ Ö ~ *

There had never been so quiet in the dojo before. If you have ever seen a dragon seething then you know better than to keep a safe distance. So was Takao; you could literally see the grey clouds drifting above his head while he was doing his morning duties. Beyond that he got humiliated and irritated by a certain dual haired balder right early in the morning for the second time (if he counted yesterday), and he was hungry, he even burnt the scrambled eggs twice when he tried to make breakfast. He was growling and grumbling to himself as he was up and doing in the kitchen.

However, in the end they threw together a quite good breakfast when Kai gave a help for him, just to ease somewhat the tense atmosphere, and soften Takao's troubled temper. Though, the bluenette gave no sign of forgiving, mostly because Kai still had the urge to let out a chuckle to himself now and then, which issued in that Takao cast sly glares at him from the corner of his eye, and it did not make him stop sulking.

They ate in silence at the table. Gou was the only one who seemingly chewed joyfully his breakfast while Takao kept glaring hard at his own meal with a slight blush on his cheeks. Kai had serious problems paying attention to his own plate while he tried to keep his upwards curving lips as neutral as he could. Even so, his crimson eyes still tend to wander to Takao from time to time, and each time he did he had this deep urge to grab after his cup of coffee to hide his twitching mouth.

Sulking or not, Kai knew Takao for a very long time now to know that the young blader's hot temper faded always quickly away because he was incapable of keep permanently angry at anyone, wherefore Kai always admired him. Even though Kai couldn't not notice how much Takao had changed under the years and had become more mature as he'd met him at the beginning, the blue haired boy was still naïve sometimes and way too confiding towards people than what these days could be call safe. The truth was that Takao had a way too big heart for this world which was just as much invaluable as breakable it was, and Kai had long promised to himself that he would protect this powerful spirit. When he'd come to the decision that he would return and together they re-establish the Bladebreakers team he knew even back then that Takao was that special person in his life who he needed. It was their destiny to meet and he would never leave again to search a much stronger power out in the world because he realized that it was always right in front of him, closer than he'd thought, and it was different what he'd expected.

Okay, so there were times when Kai was convinced that Takao was thoroughly unbearable, indecorous, had a big mouth, and went on his nerves when he wanted to be alone and the bluenette stalked him like a puppy dog. But as much pesky it was, Kai couldn't imagine his life without the bustling teen, not any more.

The rivalry was still there between them but behind that something new and deeper was evolving. Kai couldn't put a word what was it but this odd warm feeling was there, throbbing in his chest stronger and stronger, as if it wanted to break free. He wondered if Takao felt this feeling, too. Thanks to their special bond they often felt the other's emotions and even hear their bitbeasts' voices. At other times, Kai felt like he was thrown to the ground, his soul wounded and weakened, as if the shadow of the darkness came back to tempt him again... but then it came Takao, and his bright smile dispelled every mortifying memories from his head, and made his day better. Just like at every battles in the past, Kai could see, hear, and feel Takao... see his trusting smile in his head, hear his cheering voice that supported him during the ruthless battles against the Biovolt, and feel that hand grasping tightly his own when he sank into the whirling darkness, pulling him up.

They say phoenixes rise from their aches. Kai did rise from his dark past and the Phoenix was flaming stronger and more glorious within him than ever before. That's what kept Kai going and never give up. Takao was his the light in his flame.

He could never betray Takao and leave him alone ever again, and he knew deep in his mind that later he had to make up to Takao somehow what he'd done to him yesterday... even though his pride was protesting and screaming feverishly. Oh well... he could think out something for apology later; after all, that didn't mean he couldn't tease the bluenette a little right now.

It was way too fun not to anyway. Besides, Takao liked pecking at Kai whenever he had the opportunity to play with his nerves, so why not payback for the bluenette for once?

Kai was standing on the veranda, his back pressed against a wood post while his arms crossed in his typical Kai Hiwatari-style as always, and he had a self-satisfied smirk on his face as he watched Takao hung out the washed out sheet on the drying line in the backyard.

"My, my, Takao," he shook his head with feigned grief. "pissing your bed in your age... what a shame. I wonder how would it look like in the newspaper front page: Takao Kinomiya, the three times Beyblade World Champion was caught in a humiliating situation in his own bed." he couldn't hold back and his lips curved upwards gloatingly.

The teen spun around promptly and glared indignantly at Kai with cherry red face.

"Kai shut up! I've already told you it was not me!"

"Tut tut..." hushed him the dual haired with sweet rebuke. "it's not nice to blame something like that on a poor child."

"It's your fault!"

"My fault?" Kai looked at him with pure wonder. "I wasn't the one who brought a kid in my room... maybe next time you think of it twice who do you share your bed with." he snickered.

"Argh, Kai?!" Takao's head was boiling again. Then something hit the nail by the head in his mind and he put a mocking face while crossed his arms loftily. "Oh yeah? I wonder if the old phrase is still true: like father like son."

Suddenly the smirk disappeared from Kai's face and his look darkened. "What do you mean by that?" he rose an eyebrow suspiciously.

"Oh nothing, only that it gives me suspicion that maybe you were in the same shoe at this age."

"I was not." Kai denied hotly.

"Who proves that?"

"I do."

Takao pursed his lips. "Pfh... says the one who wears blue face-paints since he stopped wearing nappy."

Takao was very lucky that he missed the death-glare Kai was throwing at him, which would have scared him to ghost, when he spotted Gou as he came out of the house unawares. He was holding the fluffy cat and something else in his hands.

"Gou!" shouted at him Takao.

The boy looked startled up at him before he ran out of the gate.

"Hey, come back here!" the bluenette cried after him angrily.

Suddenly he heard Max's chirping voice behind him.

"Hey guys! What's up?"

They didn't notice right away the approaching Max, Kenny and Rei. All of them were dressed in their old outfit which they always wore at Grevolution time, just as Kai and Takao.

Kai answered with a simple 'Hn.' as a greeting, like always, before he turned neutral again.

"What's wrong Takao?" asked Rei concerned as he walked up to his friend. He saw that Takao's shoulders were tense again which meant he was angry. His face was gloomy and the way he shouted at Gou made the nekojin frown. "What happened?"

The bluenette told them the whole morning-story while he tried very hard to not blush when Max and Kenny laughed into their fists. When he was finished he added fretfully. "... and this idiot thinks it was me!" he nodded his head towards Kai.

The said dual haired pushed himself away from his position when Takao used that word on him and turned challengingly to him.

"Who are you calling and idiot?"

"You, jerk."

"Dumb."

"Asshole."

"Nitwit."

"Arrogant."

"Numskull."

"Wet-blanket."

"Immature."

Max and Kenny sweatdrooped.

"Man, I never knew they can battle with words so heatedly as well." the blonde grinned comically.

"Max, please..." said languidly Kenny as he rubbed his forehead tiredly. "This is not the right time to make jokes. We should separate them before they jump at each other... Em, guys! Please, don't argue."

"STAY OUT OF THIS!" cried Kai and Takao in union, making the two boys jump back.

A glare match started now between the two rivals. Their eyes were literally shooting lightings to each other.

"Well, hehe... it's seems they don't wanna break it off." marked Max with a wary smile.

"No really." shook his head Kenny. "I wonder if someday they notice how childish this eternal rivalry is. It would really about time for them to move on or else there will never be concord in our team."

"You're right Chef... Hey guys, what if you pin up the white flag, or drain the peace pipe? You know, like the injuns did, and from now on we would live in peace and harmony beside one other." Max put together his hands and smiled jovially at them.

"Hmpf!" the two wrangling teens turned their back on them with a turned up nose and crossed arms.

Max gaped with pure disbelief. These two were really incredible; once they fought like cats and dogs, then again, none of them could survive without the other.

"Way the go Max. They have definitely overcome by your heart-warming speech." noted dryly the bushy haired boy.

"I thought this would work." the blonde wilted down disillusioned.

However, there was someone who didn't find this whole situation so funny; Rei had been overly quiet thus far. He was standing with crossed arms, wearing a serious expression, and he seemed rather displeased, as if he was brooding on something.

"What's wrong Rei?" looked at him Kenny.

Even Takao and Kai had forgotten their little quarrel for a minute and looked wonderingly at the raven haired.

"I just don't understand how can you stand here and bicker about such stupid things like two school brats and forget the most important thing!" Rei's sudden harsh tongue-lashing shocked Kai and Takao. "For god shake, Gou is only four years old and has just run away to who-knows-where all by himself but none of you care! It clearly seems that you don't know anything about how does a child feels without his parents!... If a kid pisses in bed it means he is going over some agony! He must have gone trough something terrible that causes him distress. But all you can think of is your inflated ego and rival with each other while he is out there somewhere all alone and maybe suffering in pain! Or worse, he might be in trouble!" Rei narrowed his cat-eyes which made him look rather scary and none of them dared to contradict with him, mostly because he had right. "I must say that shame on you both!... And if I were you then I would go and search him now!"

Uncomfortable silence settled in the air. Even Max and Kenny fidgeted awkwardly on their places, their head hung, though they hadn't done anything bad.

Then again, Takao felt much worse; he didn't dare to meet Rei's eyes and stared hard at the ground while he rubbed his arm nervously, his limbs going cold and stiff. How could he be so selfish? He remembered back the scene when he'd yelled at Gou and stinging pain stung in his chest... he knew how did it feel being hurt, betrayed and all alone by yourself. Takao had gone through the same feeling when Kai had rejected him... Yeah, no one but he knew it the best how did it feel like. Suddenly, his mahogany eyes overcame with emotions as resemblance hit him... Gou was like him, even though outside he looked very much like Kai, but inside he was just as sensitive.

From outside it was hard to notice but the sore true hit even the cold Kai Hiwatari. Even though he tried very hard to hide his emotions, his neutral expression couldn't lock out everything... He was looking everywhere but Rei while he was standing so rigidly on his place as if he had been stuck to it. Usually, he never felt sorry for anything he had done, or the way he ignored other's feelings, but under the years even that had changed in him somehow. He couldn't walk off so easily from people, uncaring if he hurt them or not... not anymore with his friends. And again, there was this familiar ache around his heart he felt on yesterday, too, when he looked into Takao's tearful eyes. He only felt this discomfort when it was Takao... then why now? Could that mean that he wasn't completely indifferent towards Gou after all? Something cramped in Kai's stomach, and he cursed to himself. Damn nekojin was making him feel guilty.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to look for Gou." declared Rei purposefully after he'd let off the steam from his head.

"I'll come with you." offered abruptly Max.

But before any of them could make a move, or say more, Takao had long come to decision to himself. Without a word, or even taking a look at his friends, he spun on his heels and hurried off towards the gate. Maybe Gou wasn't his son but it was his fault that he had run away and he had to find him. He wouldn't forgive himself if something happened to him. And this time, he wouldn't ask his friend's help, but mostly not Kai's. The recent events still stung painfully within him and he didn't think he could talk properly to Kai right now. He was also devoured by anxiety that maybe their friendship had just rushed into danger? Could they fix this somehow again?

Just the pure thought affected him as if thousands of needles had stabbed into his stomach and Takao quickly shook his head. No, he shouldn't think this way. First, he had to find Gou, he could talk to Kai later, and with that he put on the pace.


Continue comes...

Okay, the next one is already in process. I hope you liked it and till then I gladly welcome your nice reviews. And I wanna thank for you all who were so nice and gave me tips, help, and nice comments, thank you, thank you, thank you! You're sweet! See you guys soon again! :)