Alluring Boys, Gorgeous Times
Alluring Boys, Gorgeous Times
Summary: Tala and Kai are juniors at Warwick high. But they're not together. They're best friends. In fact, Tala feels that he's been single for too long. Like, WAY too long. So thanks to the appearance of a new sexually appealing student (don't you love how convenient this is?), Tala's nosy, messed-up friends, it makes up for an interesting year. Multiple pairings, multiple scenarios.
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of the characters.
Warnings: Mature themes, a teensy bit OOC, and rated for teenage boys and their dirty mouths!
A/N: Drama, drama and more drama! Thank you to all my reviewers, you are beautiful, magnificent people. I would go through each review one by one, but it would take up quite a bit of space and I may slack off and not write as much. Thank you again! Back from vacation, so updates are back! Tokyo is friggin brilliant, I dare each and every one of you to go sometime in your life.
Chapter Ten-Adoring
Tala ran down the street, wind blowing in his hair. It was already dark out and he could just make out Kai's shape in front of him. He could barely see Miguel in front of Kai, if it weren't for the streetlights then he would've missed the Spanish boy completely. The night was surprisingly chilly, the breeze cold but not unwelcome. Any other night it would've been nice. Any other night it may have been even beautiful. Tala saw the shadows cast by the other two and couldn't help but think that this was such a photo opportunity.
They reached the library, slightly out of breath. Actually, Tala was slightly out of breath, the other two were just fine, stupid, athletic soccer players.
A woman with dark rimmed glasses stood at the doorway, locking up. She turned to the three teenagers and gave them an unreadable look, "Boys, the library closed fifteen minutes ago." She wasn't unattractive, maybe a trophy wife of some sort. She had a nice smile though, and even Tala could appreciate that.
"We know," Miguel said desperately, "But my friend, the redhead? Well, he's got orange hair, but it doesn't matter! He's-he passed out? Like, inside the library? And this other guy was with him?"
"Oh, yes, him," The woman nodded, "Tall, dark, handsome?"
Tala had never heard Garland being described like that, but what the hell, it could work. "Yes, them, now where are they?"
The woman turned to him, "They're at the hospital." Her voice was clipped and unkind, "The ambulance picked them up a few minutes ago."
"Which hospital?" Kai demanded, "We need to go see him."
Her eyes narrowed, "Shouldn't you be asleep?"
"No, goddamnit," Miguel swore, "We should be seeing him now. Which hospital?"
Seeing that the three boys were serious, the woman's eyes softened slightly. She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, "Warwick General Hospital."
"Thank you," Tala said gratefully, turning to go.
"Hang on!" They turned back to see the woman regarding them with a sad smile on her face, "I hope he's alright, and…Good luck."
Kai was already heading down the sidewalk, Miguel at his side. Tala shot the woman a smile and shrugged, "Thank you." He repeated and raced after the two. They stopped at the sidewalk of a major intersection and looked at each other.
"Uh…" Tala started, chewing on his lip, "How are we exactly going to get to Warwick General?"
"Shut up, I'm thinking." Kai snapped, then reached his arm into the street and waved it around.
"What are you doing?" Miguel asked.
"I'm doing the hokey-pokey-what the fuck do you think I'm doing? Flagging down a taxi."
"They're hardly ever around this time of night!"
"Do you want to hitchhike?" Kai snarled, "Because I'm sure, Miguel, some perverts wouldn't mind having a taste of either your or Tala's ass."
That shut him up. Suddenly, by some divine miracle, a taxi stopped right in front of them. "Hop in gentlemen."
They all squeezed into the backseat. Kai could be such a hardcore badass when he wanted to, but in the end he'd always be the wuss who only sat in backseats of cabs.
"Where you boys headed?" The driver asked, a cigarette in his mouth. Tala coughed softly, hoping he'd get the hint and ditch the smoke.
He didn't. Instead, he took another puff and exhaled in the mirror, misting it up so all Kai could see was the top of his head and a square jawline.
"Warwick General Hospital," Miguel told him, trying to catch a glimpse of the man's license. Just in case anything unjust happened in the cab. But the driver's license was too dirty to read, all Miguel saw was his photograph, his head of purple hair and small, narrowed eyes.
He was wearing sunglasses now, and it didn't make him look any less like a rapist.
"So you boys sick or what?" He asked them, peering at them through the rear view mirror. His gaze stopped at Tala. He started the car and nearly drove right into a Chrysler. Really, not the safest way to start a fare.
"No," Kai said shortly, and that was that.
The cabbie hummed along with the music playing in the car and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. "Going to see a friend?"
Kai looked around. Realizing that Miguel and Tala were both too wimpy to answer, he grunted and didn't say anything more.
"That one okay?" The driver asked, running his hands through his violet hair and nodding towards Tala. He was ridiculously pale and had this expression of oncoming diarrhea on his face, so obviously he looked a little sick.
"He's fine," Miguel snapped, grabbing Tala's wrist. Then, softer, "You are okay, right?"
Tala nodded, his face still blank and his body stiff, staring ahead.
"It's because your cab smells like somebody just took a piss in it, that's why," Kai said.
The car took a swerve as the driver switched lanes-dangerously. "Well, most cabs do smell like that." He picked up an issue of The Warwick Post and scanned it, his eyes completely off the road. The cab did another swerve and somebody honked them.
He dropped the newspaper and resumed his present task like he wasn't just putting three precious lives in danger. "So…" Some corny love song started playing, "What are you boys into?" He looked back at them and the car did another sharp turn.
"Look-dude, goddamnit!" Miguel snapped, "Can you keep your eyes on the fucking road?"
Rolling his eyes, the driver stuck his hands in the air in a mock surrender pose, "Sorry, man. Seriously."
They just sat in the back of the foul smelling taxi for a while, while the cabbie picked up a battered copy of a porn magazine and started flipping through it.
Oh Jesus. Miguel tightened his grip on Tala's wrist, in some naive hope that if he grabbed onto him hard enough he wouldn't go flying out the front window if the car was suddenly stopped.
"So you guys get laid, or what?" The driver looked back, a slightly wicked smirk on his face. He pushed his hair even farther back on his forehead. His tall, lanky frame looked cramped and uncomfortable in the small car.
Tala shot Kai a horrified look as the blue-haired male answered dully, "No, I jack off to The Beatles. It suffices."
"The Beatles?" The driver sounded interested, "So they're a talented group, right? Well, except Ringo. He-"
"Shut up, please." Kai snarled, annoyed and irritated.
After what seemed like an eternity, the car finally stopped in front of Warwick General at the emergency entrance. Kai threw him a fifty without even waiting for change. The three climbed out of the car like their lives depended on it and Godzilla was going after them on the other side. They watched the car drive off in a satisfactory silence and made their way into the hospital. It was getting later and later, but the hospital just got busier and busier.
They pushed past groups of people to the front desk of the ER. "Excuse me?" Kai asked politely.
The secretary looked up, "Hello." She was middle-aged, possibly Tala's mother's age, only nowhere near as kind-looking or attractive. "How can I help you?" Her gaze swept over them, almost as though she was looking for bullet wounds.
"We're here to see somebody?" Kai said, "Brooklyn Kingston. He probably got here a little while ago, he passed out in the library."
The secretary typed Brooklyn's name in the computer. It beeped and her mouth twisted up into a scornful smile, "Ah yes, Brooklyn. They've moved him upstairs now, room 408. He showed up with his friend Garland."
Tala's stomach tightened at the way she spat out the word 'friend'.
Kai glared at her, "Garland's his boyfriend." He said this carelessly, but his eyes were challenging.
"Kai," Miguel muttered, "Come on, let's just-"
"He's a little young to have a boyfriend," The secretary sneered.
"But not a girlfriend."
"No." She shrugged, "It's a little early to figure out if one's a…A faggot or not, right?"
Tala and Miguel had to each grab one of Kai's arms to prevent him from leaping over the counter, bristling like a wildcat. "Kai!" Tala said, eyes flashing, "Don't. It's not worth it." He yanked on the shorter boy's arm desperately, "Let's go." He had to admit, he was a little scared. When Kai got angry, he got angry. A little hot-headed and somewhat passionate, he was capable of moving mountains be it he was in the right mood.
"Hitting a woman?" She looked surprised at the outburst, "Not nice, boy."
"Nobody said anything about hitting a bitch." Kai spat, his eyes blazing.
The secretary recoiled as though he'd just slapped her. Taking advantage of this, Miguel and Tala grabbed Kai and pulled him away. People were staring at them, some pointing and whispering. "Ignore them," Tala heard Miguel murmur softly. They strolled to the elevator and pushed Kai inside first, in case he would try to make a run for it.
"What was that about?" Tala asked as Miguel pressed the '4' on the elevator.
"You didn't see that, Tala?" Kai asked incredulously, "That homophobic bitch, she just-"
"We know," Miguel interrupted softly. He wasn't angry, he understood where Kai was coming from, "But you shouldn't have attacked her."
"I didn't attack her!" Kai hissed, "I just-did you hear her talk about Brooklyn? And Garland too, the faggots, she said."
"But that's what we are," Tala said sadly, "We're just faggots."
"Don't say that," Miguel whispered. The two other teenagers looked at him. He was slumped against the back of the elevator, looking worn and vulnerable, "Don't say that, Tala." He shifted uncomfortably, looking all too young and inexperienced.
"It can't be helped," Tala insisted, but his voice was softer, "We have to learn to deal with this. There's going to be people who hate us. Well, me, since both of you are straight."
Kai and Miguel shared a look, both a little uncomfortable.
"What?" Tala asked wearily, stepping off the elevator when the doors opened with a ding.
"Well, actually, Tala, I'm not straight." Miguel confessed softly.
Tala looked at him, "What?" He looked at Kai, "Don't tell me you two turned each other gay."
Kai huffed out a laugh, "No. But uh. You know I've never been…Well….Completely straight. And now, I think. I'm. Bi."
Tala stared, "Okay." He turned his gaze towards Miguel.
The blonde flushed, "Some stuff happened over the summer, that's all."
"Okay," Tala said desperately, "How come I never hear about this sort of stuff?"
"Forget it," Miguel said quickly, changing the subject, "Let's just go see Brooklyn."
Kai was looking down the hall. "Four oh eight, four oh eight," he muttered, brows furrowed in concentration. He started walking down the hall, "Hey, I think it's over here."
His companions following him, Kai finally stopped in front of room 408. When he entered, he realized it was a single room and Brooklyn wasn't sharing it with anybody else. He was grateful and a little reproachful about it at the same time. Did they move him because he was gay? He shook his head. That was a little impossible to imagine.
Garland was sitting at the edge of the bed, talking in a soft voice. Kai couldn't really make out what he was saying, so he just walking inside and cleared his throat, Tala and Miguel at his heel.
Garland's head snapped up and his neck cracked when he turned to look at them. His wince soon turned to a look of surprise, then elation as he registered what was happening. "Kai!" He went over to him and gave the shorter boy a giant hug. He looked over Kai's shoulder, "Tala! And Miguel! You got a hold of them after all, huh?"
Miguel laughed, walking into the room, "Yeah, we really couldn't get here fast enough." He looked over at Brooklyn, who was laying in bed, a tired smile on his face, "Brookie boy! How're you doing?"
Brooklyn struggled to sit up, but Miguel stopped him, "Don't," He warned, "You'll just break something."
The slender boy laughed, a hoarse sound, but still familiar and pleasant, "I can't believe you guys are here." His voice sounded like he'd been screaming at walls for the past few nights.
"We can't just leave you stranded with this irresponsible bastard!" Tala joked good naturedly, giving Garland a jab in the ribs.
Garland gave him a weak grin and yawned. The night had definitely taken a toll on him. Tala felt bad, he should've gone to the library with him. "Anyways," He said, standing up, "I just have to go use the pay phone, tell my mom I'm, you know, still alive."
In the hallway, Tala put a quarter in the payphone and dialed his home phone. His mother picked up after two rings.
"Hello?" She sounded worried.
"Hey Mom? Promise you didn't call the cops."
Tala heard an exhale, "No, I didn't, but I was worried sick! Where are you?"
"At the hospital."
"At the hospital?!" She shrieked, "What's wrong?!"
"Nothing, it's-it's Brooklyn. He passed out in the library and now he's here."
"What's wrong with him?" His mother demanded.
"Nothing-at least, I don't exactly know. Uh…I'm just calling you to make sure you know I'm okay, alright? I'm probably coming home later than usual, okay?"
Mrs. Ivanov was silent for a moment, then she spoke up again, "Fine, just be careful. Be back before one."
"Okay Mom," Tala chuckled, "I promise."
He hung up the phone and started walking back to Brooklyn's room. He heard Kai's voice, explaining what had happened downstairs with the secretary. He rolled his eyes. God forbid Kai doesn't mention this little bit of information to a sick boy.
"…And then I called her a bitch." Kai concluded.
Garland was staring at him blankly, "You called her a bitch?"
"That's not the point," Kai insisted, "You're missing it. The point is, she treated us like crap and called you guys faggots!"
Garland shrugged. He was lying on the edge of Brooklyn's bed with the red head in his arms. He pulled him closer and buried his face in Brooklyn's hair. The act was affectionate and slow, so romantic it made Tala's heart ache. Suddenly he wished that Brooklyn would get better soon, if it could just take the worry off of Garland's face.
"It doesn't really bother me, Kai," Garland shrugged again, "I've been dealing with this all my life. You saw how my family took it."
Kai nodded, he had been there when his friend came out of the closet to his family. The majority of his sisters already knew, his mother was shocked but grew to accept it. However, his father was disappointed in his youngest son and Garland had a falling out with his oldest brother. It was less difficult after that, but still reminiscent of something like growing pains.
"Well, I think I should be heading home," Kai commented, stretching.
"Oh won't you stay a bit for tea?" Garland asking mockingly. Brooklyn curled closer towards him.
"What about you?" Kai said, ignoring the question, "Are you going to stay here all night?"
He shrugged, "Possibly. Unless Brooklyn's mother comes by, if she ever does. Then I'm really going to have to stay with him."
Tala looked at the slender boy in hospital clothes, eyes half-closed and mouth slack. "You sure they're going to let you stay?"
"It doesn't matter," Garland replied casually, "I'm not leaving. I'll scream and cry and throw tantrums."
"Because that's going to work," Miguel muttered.
Tala reached over in a crazy rush of affection and placed his palm against Garland's forehead, "You're a little hot."
"Actually, I think I'm a lot hot," Garland replied, smirking.
Ignoring him and rolling his eyes, the redhead shrugged off his sweater and handed it to him, "Keep this, the hospital keeps their a/c pretty low."
Garland took the sweater with a look of registered shock on his face, "Are you serious? You're giving me this?"
"No need to thank me."
"No," He shook his head, "it's that I don't know if you noticed, but we're. Completely. Different sizes."
Tala scowled, "Give it back, then."
"No, no, no!" Garland pressed the sweater against his chest like it was a life-saving device, "I'll keep it, I'll keep it!"
Sighing, Tala stood up, "I'm going to head home too. Miguel, you coming?"
The Spaniard shrugged and got up, "Take care of yourself Brooklyn." Brooklyn yawned and nodded. Tala saw him walk up to Brooklyn and whisper something in his ear. The other boy nodded seriously.
Kai went over to where Tala stood and faced Garland, "Take care of him," he said in a low voice, "But I swear to fucking God, Garland, take care of yourself first."
Garland nodded and bit back a yawn.
"We're going to get out of your hair," Tala murmured, giving him a hug and brushing his lips against his cheekbone, "But Goddamn get some sleep, okay?"
He nodded, yawning completely now and sank into the pillows, "Safe drive home."
Tala followed Miguel and Kai out the door, but not before looking back one more time at the couple lying on the bed, like a pair of lit matches on a snowy night.
--
TBC
Well, that's the tenth chapter! Methinks this story is slowly coming to a close (D:), so I'm just doing the last little bits of character developments, which I hope ended up okay. I also hope the ridiculously copious amounts of GarlandxBrooklyn fluff didn't make anybody throw up and that the zomg!drama wasn't too bad. I'm just trying to put these gentlemen through hell. Also, the cabbie made a comment about The Beatles saying that Ringo was the only one without talent-well, I had a teacher who used to say that. Ringo was always my favourite Beatle, though.
Brownie points for whoever can guess who the cabbie was! Thank you for reading, and please review!