Author's note: I don't own Beyblade.
Just wanted to say thank you to all who have been reading, reviews, and following. This story has reached almost 500 views now.
WARNINGS: Alcohol use.
I should have the next chapter up in a day or so, as I'm on a roll now with this and it needs to be written before I get writers block. Should only have a few chapters left.
Till next time, enjoy.
Red; the only color he could see. The color of anger, pain, and fear. Red; the color of blood and love, somehow seeming to mix into one being before him now. Throat sore from the screaming match the night before, tear ducts completely dry from crying himself to sleep. Now, red. In a flash in front of him again, much like the haze of his vision the night before. More real and sitting down across from him, red the color of his hair; starring at it made his stomach turn.
Ray stifled a growl in his throat as Tala turned to speak to Bryan in Russian, the purple haired blader gave a snicker; eyeing Ray. Kai's voice broke the snickering as he too said something in Russian, the other two stiffened their backs in their chairs hanging their heads as if they were unruly children being lectured.
He wasn't sure why he had decided to stay for their arrival, it wasn't that he didn't trust Kai; but he felt the need to be there. Kai had offered to send Ray elsewhere for the day, saying Tala coming over was just a formality for his enterprise. Though, when Bryan came strutting in their house Ray had almost bolted out the front door. An uneasy chill ran through his back as he could feel Bryan's eyes on him again, trying to seem interested in his soup on the table before him; Ray kept his eyes low.
The soft sounds of Russian passing over his head as the three talked, the conversation sounded pleasant and Ray forced himself to frown; even though a small smile was creeping his features. He liked how Kai sounded to be at peace, his voice carrying over the others with the same slick tone he had always known. Knowing that he was the one to come out victorious over the red head that sat across from him, the smile had creeped up his features. Though, he didn't like the visions of Tala and Kai wrapped around each other that passed through his mind unannounced, which was causing him to force the frown.
Time had to seemed to pass by him as the dining table had been cleared before him, his half-eaten soup lifted away from him and he didn't protest. His stomach was still turning, making it impossible to hold anything down at this point.
"Ray." Kai had been calling him for some time, and only when his hand came down on his shoulder did Ray's attention snap from the table to Kai.
"We'll be in the study." He gave Ray a calming squeeze on the shoulder before ushering the other two out of the dining room.
The sound of their feet on the tile vanished behind the door to the study, as the door clicked shut Ray let out the air he had been holding in his lungs. His shoulders relaxing as he rested into the back of his chair, watching the house maid going about cleaning the dishes they had used. Feeling as though he needed to be useful he stood and walked over to where she was in the kitchen, offering a helping hand to which she didn't protest.
The house had become numbingly quiet, until a loud crack and the sound of glass shattering caused Ray to jump. His hands dropping the plate he had been drying, causing another loud sound as the plate shattered around his feet.
"Watch your step sir." The house maid about knocked him over, pushing him away from the mess.
He didn't care as he rounded the corner of the kitchen, the door to the study flying open. He was expecting to see fists flying, shouting, something other than what he happened upon. Kai was sitting on his desk, a look of amusement across his face. Tala was laid out on the couch across from him, while Bryan was busy cleaning the broken wine glass on the floor.
"What happened?" Ray gathered his voice, stepping into the room; ignoring the glare he was receiving from Tala.
"Bryan's a bit of a klutz when he starts drinking." Kai said, swirling his own wine in his hands. He motioned for Ray to step into the room, as Ray came up beside him he placed a hand on the small of his back, gently rubbing intricate circles on his skin under his shirt.
Ray did his best to hide the smirk forming on his lips as he watched Tala stiffen on the couch.
"We were about to finish when Bryan tripped. You alright?" Kai asked, whispering his last part in Ray's ear.
"Yeah. I'm going upstairs." He gave Kai a quick kiss on his cheek before shooting Tala a glare, leaving the study before he got reprimanded by either Tala or Kai.
A bout of confidence from Kai was all he needed to seem bolder towards his 'rival'. Tala was of course, in his home, and he didn't feel like he should have to hide and cower away from him any longer. As his feet started past the door a word caught his ears, he spun around; his hair wrap snapping behind him as his eyes turned to slits.
"Excuse you?" Kai gave him a bewildering look, Tala's words going unnoticed to him and Bryan.
"Whore." Was all Tala responded with as he straightened his back against the couch he had been lounging over.
Ray started towards him, fists clenched, before he made it to the side of the couch both Kai and Bryan were standing between the two. Tala slowly stood from the couch, setting his now empty wine glass on the table beside him.
"Got something to say, whore?" He sneered.
"Get out of my house!" Ray shrieked, lunging forward only to be caught by Kai's arm across his chest.
"Your house? Last I checked this is Kai's house." Tala laughed, placing his hands on his hips.
"Tala." Bryan hissed.
"No, really. Unless Kai wishes us to leave, I'm staying." Tala pointed to himself and gestured to Bryan on his left.
"If you both don't start behaving, you can leave." Kai growled, still resting his arm over Ray's chest.
"You need to get over it Tala." Ray bit back, one hand coming down on the arm Kai had over his chest. "If you insist on doing this, be my guest." Ray took a threatening step as far as Kai allowed him, and gave a warning glare to him.
"I do insist. You're a used-up whore and you know it. Everyone knows what you did to Mariah." Tala sneered through a slight chuckle, his words sending a cold shiver down Ray's spine.
"Tala." Both Kai and Bryan hissed.
"W…What did you say?" Ray took a step back, flashes of his encounter with Mariah coming back full force. Through his entire time with Kai, he had suppressed the memories and now they came through like a flood circling around in his head.
"Everyone knows, and your little stunt almost caused Kai half his standings in his Blading company. Just so you know." Tala's glare turned to ice as his eyes seemed to bear down on Ray.
"Enough Tala!" Kai spun on his heel as Ray had backed away, posing no threat now. "You want to point fingers, while you yourself are not without sin." Kai spat, his eyes burning with a rage.
"I never tried to prance around like some saint." Tala defended.
"What happened to Ray is neither true, nor your business. So, I suggest you leave." Kai sneered, fists clenched.
"You can keep protecting him all you want. Eventually you'll find out that you're making a huge mistake."
"He doesn't need my protection, but I'd gladly give it to him if he wishes. Now, get out." Kai stepped to the side, pulling Ray next to him; still too stunned to move on his own.
"Pffft… Whatever." Tala rolled his eyes as he walked past the two of them, giving Ray one final cold stare before disappearing down the corridor.
At the sound of the front door clicking shut, Kai let out a sigh and motioned Ray to the couch Tala had been occupying. Ray sat, eyes unfocused on the room around him as he tried to still his shaking hands.
"Don't pay him any mind." Kai brushed a gentle hand over Ray's cheek, before turning to his cabinet on the right of the room.
He shuffled through it, digging out a glass with light amber liquid. He pulled a small matching glass from the cabinet and pour two drinks, handing one to Ray who ungracefully took it. Kai didn't like seeing Ray like this, it reminded him how he had seen him after he met him in Hong Kong. A broken shell of a man he knew was stronger than this, knowing the pain Ray was going through he let out a sigh. This wasn't about him, and he kept his tale to himself as he sat down beside him. He wanted to see Ray's eyes light up with happiness again, not the cold unfamiliar off distance looks they now held.
His beautiful eyes held sadness and distraught in them, something Kai wasn't used to seeing. There was always something in Ray's eyes that had drawn Kai to him, wanting to be lost in their never-ending pool of gold joy. Yes, he had been smitten with Ray from the get-go. He took longer than he wanted to admit it to himself, the world, anyone who may have asked. Though, he knew he wanted to be with him. Ray gave Kai something Tala never could, and he saw it now. With a hand resting on Ray's knee he took a quick drink, downing its contents as it burned the back of his throat.
"Ray." Kai called softly, placing his empty glass on the table to his left.
Ray shifted his gaze to Kai's, gold meeting red. The haze still holding fast to his sight, his head starting to pound with a headache. He forced a weak smile, taking a sip of his drink.
"You should know something." Kai began, his hands clutching Ray's tighter. "The reason I chose you over Tala." Kai waited for Ray to respond, but Ray sat motionless.
"I never loved him, we only found comfort in each other because of the hell we went through. He may have loved me, but I could never return those feelings. Yes, we officially dated… All the while he was laying with Bryan on the side. I knew, but didn't say anything because I honestly didn't care. To me, what we had was just a simple need for interaction. We broke each other, with every touch, every kiss we shared; a piece of us kept chipping away. That's why I had broken up with him, even though we continued to see each other." Kai paused for a moment, checking to see if Ray had taken in his words. Ray nodded, taking a drink from his cup.
"I won't lie, when I first found out that Tala was sleeping with Bryan on the side, it hurt. I didn't know why at first, but I chalked it up to the fact that I didn't like being made a fool and used. I realized that I was going to do the same to you, and I couldn't bring myself to do it. You had meant too much to me in the past, to put you through something like that. After what happened with Mariah, I wanted nothing more than to protect you from others who may do the same. Ray… I… I love you, I always have. I'm really sorry for how this all started, I should have never pulled you into this without disclosing everything to you." Kai's hand had pulled away from Ray's during his speech, and he held them together in his lap.
Ray sat there for a minute, absorbing Kai's words in his head. A small smile crept up the corner of his mouth, as his mind registered Kai's words of love. Something he had been craving to hear for so long, now that he had them it flushed the memories and pain of Mariah from his mind. Kai had loved him from the beginning, just as he had loved him. He understood the history Kai and Tala shared, and there was nothing he could do about it, but now he held the power. Kai had chosen him, said so himself. Those words boosted his confidence, and he gulped down the rest of his drink. His stomach was warm from the alcohol, and the revelation that Kai was his and no one else's. Even through his happy emotions, a small nagging sat in the back of his head.
"What are we going to do about your Blading company? I don't want to be a problem for you." Ray's voice was dry, from having the alcohol burn his throat.
"That's my problem to worry about now." Kai ran a hand through his disheveled bangs with a sigh. "If everything falls apart, I still have Hiwatari Enterprises." He gave a weak smile to Ray before standing, cracking his back as he stretched out. His body wrecked from the tension that had been caused, and the alcohol in his system was causing him to get sleepy.
"I'm sorry." Ray trailed, putting his glass on the table beside him.
"I told you not to worry about it, so don't." Kai shrugged.
"What are you going to do about Tala?"
"What do you mean?" Kai cocked an eyebrow, leaning against the front of his desk across from Ray.
"I'm not trying to tell you how to run your business, but do you think it's best he stays employed?" Ray fiddled with his hands in his lap, he didn't want to over step but he wasn't going to just let Tala stay so close.
"I can't just fire him over our personal problems. Believe it or not, he is useful for the company." Kai sighed. "He won't be stepping foot back into this house, I promise you that."
Ray nodded his understanding, and looked up with a large smile plastered to his lips.
"What?" Kai asked humorously.
"I love you too." Ray gave a toothy grin, and a slight tinge of pink flushed over Kai's face for a brief second.
The days and months had seemed to blend, Kai kept his promise and Tala and Bryan had never returned. A small aching feeling always found its way into the pit of his stomach when Kai had to meet them for business elsewhere, but he trusted Kai. He had to, there was nowhere else for him to go to now. He had ignored his old teammates pleas and calls daily, until Kai had bought him a new phone and number that he only gave to Max. The unsettling lie that Mariah continued to play had done its damage, Judy no longer strived to have Kai's company merge with hers. Ray and Kai had become breathless over their constant apologies and words of not needing to apologize. Eventually all it took was for Ray to give him a look of pleading, and Kai would respond with a sigh in response to his silent apologies.
It was a rather cold summer day as Kai had started to pack his things for a trip to America, he was going to try and smooth things out with the PPB and BBA. Ray had found himself exhausted from the fight that had ensued moments before, resting his head in the crooks of his arm as he laid flat on his stomach, on their bed watching Kai go about collecting his things.
"Quit giving me that look, I told you you're not coming." Kai didn't spare him a glance as he walked past the bed.
"I just want to go with you." Ray mumbled into his arms.
"You don't like flying." Kai mumbled as he pulled out some files from the bookshelf.
"I'll manage."
"Just stop… Please." Kai sighed, tossing the files into his open suitcase that sat on the edge of the bed by Ray's feet.
"What am I supposed to do when you're gone?" Ray whined out his question.
"I don't know. Figure something out." Kai slammed his suit case closed.
"Hmmm." Ray began to muse aloud, burying his forehead into the mattress below him. "I could start college." He shrugged, peeking over his arms to see Kai's reaction.
"If you want." Kai didn't look to fazed by his words. "What is it you want to do?"
Ray shrugged, unsure himself. He had just really said the first thing to pop in his head, though the more he thought it over he liked the idea. He didn't want to become too much of a burden on Kai, not having a job himself and using Kai's money. He had wanted to join Kai's Blading company, but he was never good with numbers or paper work.
"Maybe some cooking classes." Ray said aloud, though it wasn't really for Kai's ears.
"I don't care, whatever you want." Kai shrugged as he pulled his suitcase off the bed, piling it with the others that sat by their bedroom door.
"Three weeks then?" Ray pushed himself from the bed, walking over to where Kai was looking over his luggage; mentally checking off his list of things he was sure he needed.
"Yeah." Kai sighed, shoulders slumping forward. "If everything goes well." He shrugged.
"It should, I don't see why not." Ray gave him a weak smile, knowing that Mariah's lies had caused a good amount of damage already.
"If anything, I lose all credibility and everything I've worked for." Kai said with a slight chuckle. "Don't." He held a hand up, seeing the look in Ray's eyes that hinted he was about to apologize once again.
Ray's mouth shut so quick his teeth clicked, a small pain shooting in his jaw. He gave a sheepish grin before wrapping his arms around Kai's neck, pulling him close as if this would be the last time they would be able to touch one another. Kai rested his head on Ray's, taking in his scent as his arms held him tighter. A lump was forming in his throat, but he fought the urge to shed a tear. He had never felt this way before, a part of it was unnerving to him but he had accepted the fact that he was in love and this was normal. Even if it went against everything he had been taught at the Abbey, love was a weakness but he didn't give a damn.
Slowly they pulled apart, skin brushing gently as they stepped back. Their eyes met and held for a moment longer till the butler appeared in the door way, taking Kai's bags out to the car. Kai brushed the stray tear from Ray's cheek, giving him a quick peck on the corner of his lips before following the butler. Ray stifled his sobs, biting his bottom lip as he watched half of his heart, his life walking away.
"Three weeks. It won't be forever… Calm down." He mentally repeated to himself. His hearing heightened by his neko-jin blood, he heard the front door click behind Kai and the butler.
Ray spun on his heel, heading for the bookshelf in the corner of the room. Absently minded he plucked one from the shelf, resting against the headboard as he thumbed through it.
He wasn't sure what time it was when he woke up, the book he had previously been reading opened on his knee. Looking around the room he yawned, stretching his back out as he stepped off the side of the bed. He plucked his phone from his back pocket and checked it, the time read 4:00 pm; he had slept for 2 hours. No new messages had appeared. Kai's flight would have been landing by now, he sighed as he stuffed his phone back in his pocket. Feeling slightly hungry he started down the stairs to the kitchen, as he passed the front door a loud knock sounded.
He paused for a second, staring blankly at the door as if he was unsure of what to do. Another knock sounded, jolting him from his daze. Ray crossed over from the bottom of the stairs, pulling the door open. Wind swept in the pouring rain into the foyer, as Bryan shoved past Ray's shoulder. His face was red, eyes puffy. Ray backed away from him, as he dripped water onto the tile floor.
"Where's Kai?" Bryan breathed out, he was shaking slightly but Ray chalked it up to the cold rain he had been in.
"He left a few hours ago for America…. What's wrong?" Ray rose an eyebrow to him, realizing that the water dripping down his face wasn't rain water.
"Call him!" Bryan shouted, the tears spilling down his face. "He needs to get his ass home now!" Bryan yelled, teeth and fists clenched.
"He doesn't have service in the air, what's going on?" Ray stepped back again, an uneasiness feeling rolling in the pit of his stomach.
Bryan shook his head, biting his bottom lip. Ray offered a hand towards the living room, gently nudging Bryan's back to make him walk. He wasn't fond of the lavender haired Russian, but something wasn't right. He needed to get him settled and dried off before he caught a cold, and so Ray could pry for more information.
Bryan took the towel Ray handed out to him, with a snatch and a weakened snarl he took it. Rubbing down his hair and resting the towel on his lap, staring blankly at the floor under his feet. His boots were muddy and had tracked a substantial amount throughout the house, and he didn't care if Kai broke his legs for doing so. Ray sat on the other end of the large black leather sectional that sat on the far right of the room, giving Bryan a quick look over before speaking.
"I just tried his cell, he's still not able to answer right now. What's going on?" Ray said softly, afraid that if he spoke louder Bryan would lunge at him in a fit.
"Tala…" Bryan trailed, eyes darting around the room trying to focus on something before he started to cry again.
"You two have a fight?" Ray cocked an eyebrow, it wasn't like Bryan to be crying over a petty fight. Even he didn't cry when he and Kai lashed out at one another.
Bryan shook his head, his knuckles turning whiter than the towel he held in his hands. Tears escaped without his willing them to, and he bit his bottom lip again.
"Is… Is Tala alright?" Ray shifted in his seat, the uneasiness in his stomach getting tighter. He didn't like the way Bryan was acting, crying. It made him sick, and his arms started to tremble.
A silence filled the room around them as Bryan had yet to subdue his crying, his sobbing the only noise in the room until Ray's phone started to ring. Quickly he pulled it to his ear, with a shaky breath he said hello.
"I got your message, what's going on?" Kai's voice was slightly off as he spoke.
"I don't know… Where are you?" Ray stood, leaving the room quickly as he gave one last look down at the broken man on the couch.
"I just landed in Warsaw to make my connecting flight. What's going on?"
"I don't know, he won't say anything… I think… I think something happened to Tala… Kai he's crying in there." Ray swallowed the lump in his throat, trying to calm his nerves.
"Alright, I'm coming back." Kai said before the line cut.
Ray checked his phone for the time again, it would take Kai a good three or four hours to get back. Stuffing his phone in his back pocket he started for the kitchen, carefully glancing into the doorway of the living room before finding the kettle. As he came back with two mugs of hot tea he handed one to Bryan who gave him a small weak smile in appreciation to the gesture, taking his seat back on the other side of the sectional.
"Kai's on his way." Ray said as he sipped at his tea.
Bryan nodded, clasping the mug in his hands staring into the liquid. The silence that befell them did nothing to calm Ray's nerves, his heart was loud in his head as it raced in his chest. He jumped at the sound of the front door flying into the wall as it opened, and within a second Kai was standing in the doorway of the living room. His hair clinging to his face from the rain, his clothes sticking to his body. He looked weak and tired, as if he already knew what was going on. Sad red eyes glanced over and met Bryan's as they started to crumble before Ray, Kai slumping down the door frame of the living room holding onto his right arm.
Ray's mouth gaped open slightly, his mug falling and shattering against the floor beneath his feet. He had never seen Kai cry, not once. A single tear years ago on Lake Baikal, but not this. Uncontrollable sobs, tears streaming down his pale cheeks like a waterfall. The knot in his stomach was trying to force his tea back up but he held it down. The weight of the tension crashing into him like a ton of bricks, and his own tears spilled down his cheeks as understanding swept across him.
After the sobbing from the three men had subsided, Ray had found himself curled into Kai's side. Trying to comfort them both as Bryan looked more broken with every word that slipped from his mouth.
"I haven't been able to see him yet." Bryan trailed.
"I'll go with you, when they allow us." Kai's voice was dry from the crying, his words still shaky. "Did they get any kind of surveillance from the area?"
"If they have, they haven't disclosed it to me. Said that I'm not considered family. Damn it, he has no family we're all he had!" Bryan shouted as tears forced their way back to the corners of his eyes.
"I'll see if I can pull some strings, get this going faster. We can't always count on the Politsiya to do their job." Kai strained as he fought back his own tears.
"I shouldn't have let him leave…" Bryan trailed again. "I knew he was too drunk…" He shook his head.
"It's not your fault." Ray spoke, barely above a whisper. His own throat was dry from having cried, and he still shook against Kai's body.
The revelation that one of his rivals, friends, was now dead had caused something within him to stir. He may have had his differences with Tala, but over the course of the months leading up to tonight he found it within him to forgive and forget. He hadn't seen him since Kai kicked them out of their home, but he knew that sooner or later Tala and Bryan would have been welcomed back with open arms. He wasn't one to hold grudges, and now he felt unsure of his own feelings for the red head. He was gone, broken apart by the wreck he had caused in his drunken stupor. Ray wanted to blame him, but part of him blamed himself. Kai had mentioned that Tala's drinking was getting out of hand since their last confrontation, and he couldn't help but feel responsible.
Kai's arms around his shoulder tightened, as if he knew what Ray was thinking. Giving him a silent reminder that he was not the one at fault, but it didn't help to stop the new tears that were rolling down his cheeks.
"Stay with us for the night, and tomorrow we'll go down to see him. Get things straightened out." Kai began as he pulled his arm away from Ray's shoulder.
Straightening his back as he stood from the couch, sleep was creeping up on him. Something he desperately needed now, but fought the urge by going to his study to ram shack his own alcohol cabinet. Bryan glanced at Ray for a second before he let out a sigh, there was no reason to bring up the past. Bryan and Tala had a good comfortable life together, even before Ray came into the picture. He knew Kai had known all along, and he didn't care. All that mattered was him waking up to the beautiful blue eyes and disheveled red hair, thinking about it made his eyes water more. Ray shifted under Bryan's look, opening his mouth to say something but his words were lost on him and he closed his mouth.
After another uncomfortable silence, Bryan nodded his head to Ray, before taking his leave to the spare room on the second floor. Ray shifted again, alone and unsure what to do. He heard a loud crash come from the study and jumped to his feet, rushing through the kitchen into the study shoving the door open with all his might.
Kai was standing at his alcohol cabinet on the other side of the door, his back turned to Ray and shaking. Heaving in heavy sobs as he stared at the several bottles on the floor around him, his head was hung and his hair covered his eyes. Ray reached out, silently stepping into the study until he pulled Kai's back into his chest. Kai placed a hand to his own face, as if trying to hide his pain as his body shook with each sob. Ray let out a low soft purr, his body vibrating against Kai's in an attempt to soothe his lover. Kai's shoulders relaxed, but only for a moment.
"I'm so sorry…" Ray trailed, biting his lower lip to keep his own crying under control. He didn't want to be this weak when Kai needed him to be strong. His arms wrapped tighter around Kai's waist, his purring growing stronger as his vibrating started to lull Kai to sleep.
Wrapped within the warmth of the other's arms, Kai had fallen asleep the second his head hit the pillow and Ray watched over him quietly. A part of him was glad that Kai had fallen asleep, but another felt guilty for having his lover wrapped securely in his arms while Bryan was left alone. Suffering alone in the room down the hall, he could hear the soft cries through the walls. His heart breaking with each cry and sob, he buried his head into Kai's hair trying to block it out.
"I love you…" He trailed, before sleep took hold.