Welcome back guys! Thank you all for the lovely reviews last chapter. Here we are with another night in Robert's creepy horror castle, hope ya'll enjoy and we'll see you on the first!
Season 1, Episode 39
The wager had been made, if they lost to the Europeans they would lose their place in the finals and going to Russia for the championship title. To the few of them it was a risk they were willing to take, they knew that with their strength and their bond they had formed over the course of their trip they could win. They would need to, or they would lose more than just the battles they had found themselves in the coming day.
One particular team member, and more importantly the captain, was not thrilled. He had come too far for them to screw this up for him, it wasn't what he wanted but once more he was being out voted by the pack of immature children he had the displeasure of knowing. But while he was left to wonder about the fate of his Beyblading future, another was left with a far greater predicament. The fate of his hair.
After getting an unwanted trim from the sharp blades of a trap door the previous evening, Oliver stayed true to his word, hunting down a pair of hairdressing scissors and insisting the sweating Chinese blader leave it to him. As much as Oliver had reassured, as many times as Ray had repeated in his head that it needed to be done he could not stop the slight trembling of his shoulders. This was the worst day of his life, and he had been left alone to suffer it in Oliver's room.
Where the others were at this point he didn't know and calling out for one of them to be there and support him would probably not work, so he did his best to take it like a man. It was just a trim after all.
The brush in Oliver's hand went down his long locks smoothly, the French man was being gentle and careful and if it wasn't for his nerves having snapped on him he probably would have been purring at the gentle menstruations.
"I don't mean to be a bother, but can you give me one more minute?" He asked as he heard Oliver clicking the scissors together behind him.
Oliver frowned in sympathy, taking a soft, elegant hand and gently patting his shoulder.
"Of course..." He told him in a voice that sounded like he was getting ready to bury the family dog.
Ray took in another shaky breath; it was now or never. They couldn't stay here all night, even if he desperately wanted to.
"Okay." He said, screwing his eyes shut and gripping his pants in his hands tightly.
Oliver nodded, running the comb through a section of hair and gently clamping the split, uneven ends between his two fingers. Like anything of beauty, it deserved the utmost care...
Gently and precisely, the silver scissors snipped, letting a small shower of dark hair flutter to the floor. Ray bit his tongue, why he wanted to scream like Oliver was taking the blades to his skin he didn't know but thankfully he had stopped it in time.
With a few more snipping noises behind him, another shuffle here and there it was done. He was free to go but his eyes didn't open, and his shaking had yet to stop. There was still the weight of it all, pulling at the back of his head, so more than likely it was all there still aside from the uneven ends, but just how much was still there?
"Is... Is it done?" He asked, praying to whoever would listen that this torment was over.
Oliver took a step back, running his eyes over his work to check for perfection. He let out a satisfied grin as he pulled out a small mirror to show him from the back.
"Open your eyes and see for yourself!"
Ray cracked one open, holding his breath before he released it. Honestly, it looked the same as it did before it had met Robert's evil castle.
"Thank you." His other eye opened, his trembling finally ceasing.
Oliver's eyes met him in the mirror, leaning forward and running his fingers through the sides of his hair, flicking it to fall over his shoulders.
"You're more than welcome! I told you I'd take good care of it, didn't I?"
"You did." Ray blushed a little, unsure what to do all of a sudden. "I'm really sorry for being such a big baby over it." He chuckled nervously as he forced himself to stand, just to put up a slight distance from him since he liked to be touchy.
Oliver shook his head with the same serene smile as he continued to run his fingers through it. "Don't apologize... You're like Samson... Your hair gives you strength..."
"Um... Yeah..." Who?! "I um... I'll see you at dinner." He stepped back, just to get his fingers out of his hair.
He waved at him once he was at the door, getting a flutter of fingers back that made him flush a deeper red and skirt out the door quickly. Going down the hall to his room, hand on the handle where he took in another deep breath.
Kai had come in here and holed himself up, clearly pissed at the world again, they hadn't seen him since the Europeans had accepted their challenge of facing them on as a team. Kai hadn't said a word about it, then again he hadn't been around to say anything either.
Finally, steeling his nerves, he turned the handle and stepped in with a slight twirl.
"He fixed it!" He said with a bright smile, hoping to keep another storm at bay.
Kai raised his annoyed eyes to him. "Who fixed what?" He bit, wondering what the hell had happened now behind his back.
"Oliver, he fixed my hair." Ray said in that same cheery tone, they were still on good terms... Right?
"See, look!" He spun around, his hair fanning around him till it settled at the back of his knees in an even straight line. "No more uneven ends!"
Kai's eyes narrowed as they fell to the perfect ends of his hair. "Can't really see a difference..." He replied bluntly.
Ray rolled his eyes at him as he turned back around, giving him a slight pout. "Maybe you need glasses?" He suggested, tossing the hair that had fallen over his shoulder back and got a tickle running down his spine suddenly.
He reached to itch but it was just in the right spot that he couldn't. He eyed Kai on the bed, he wasn't doing anything but reading so he took a running start and dive bombed down onto the mattress beside him onto his stomach, shaking the entire thing as his body hit.
"Scratch!" He demanded, the tickling on his back getting to the point it was now annoying.
Kai's body bounced with the sudden weight on the bed, making him startle a little. "Excuse me?!" He spat angrily.
Since when did he get given orders?!
"Scratch, I can't reach it." Ray repeated, trying to but failing. "And don't you use those spikes on your arm guards either." He added quickly.
His eyebrow twitched. First the entire brat pack went behind his back, and ignored his authority making that dumb stupid deal. Now he was getting ordered to scratch his back?!
"Tough shit! Go rub up on a tree or something, wildling!"
Ray huffed, that was unfair. "You're right there!"
"And there are trees out there!" He snapped as he pointed out the window.
"I'll get lost." Ray argued, the only reason he had made it safely back to the room at all was because of Oliver dragging him the entire way.
"Ugh, it's annoying!" He tried to reach it again, not only was it being annoying so was Kai.
"...I know the feeling..." He growled as he glared at him, refusing to move his folded arms.
"Ugh, you're such an ass!" Ray cried, flipping on his back to try and scratch the itch he couldn't reach. Wiggling on the top of it to try and get it to go away, messing up the sheets around them.
"Whose Samson by the way?" He asked in between wiggles.
Kai cocked a brow and turned his head to him. Samson? He racked his brains. Was it another damn European blader they wanted to go on a quest to find?
"What?" He bit, unwilling to admit he didn't know some hotshot blader.
"Oliver said something about this Samson guy, his hair gives him strength?" Ray asked as his wiggling died down, the itch still ever present on his back. "Said that I'm like him? But I don't know any Samson..."
Kai's lips turned up in a smirk. "Hn..." He chuckled, "He's from the Bible." He informed.
"Oh..." Ray cocked a brow and rolled back over onto his stomach, "Did he have long hair or something?"
Kai nodded, "He was like the Hercules of the Bible. Super strong and under a vow never to cut his hair, or he'd lose his strength." He said before he shrugged a little, "Then some bitch shaved him."
Ray's skin pricked, "What a witch!" He yelled as he sat his head up, looking horrified. "Oliver only trimmed mine, so I should still have like what. 98 percent left?" He asked.
Kai's brow cocked higher to a teasing one. Fuck him. If he was going to go behind his back with the others and place a wager that high, he should make them sweat...
"Maybe he's your Delilah... Cut your hair... We'll see if it worked if you go up against him..."
"Don't even joke like that!" Ray spat, giving him a small glare. "Now will you scratch this damn itch!" He asked in a huff.
Kai sniffed, "Why don't you get Oliver to do it?"
"Cause he's not in here?" Ray said slowly, like Kai was a three year old.
"Didn't stop you running to him before..." He muttered under his breath as he stubbornly stayed put.
Ray cocked a brow at that, what did that mean? His mouth opened to speak when there were a few soft knocks on the door and a slight pause, before their bedroom door opened.
"Hellloooo?"
"Oliver!" Ray cried out desperately at hearing his voice, actually relieved to see him and his touchy self.
"Scratch!" He begged, pointing at his back.
Green hair appeared in a flash, skipping his way to the bed, delighted to pet the man-cat.
"Sure! Direct me!" He said gleefully as his perfectly manicured nails went to work on the center of his spine.
Kai sat wide eyed. Lost for... Anything.
What was this now!?
"Lil higher… Oooo right there!" Ray guided him, finally the itch being relieved and bit back a purr.
"Thank you, again." He sighed happily, sitting up to face Oliver standing on the side of their bed and then cocking a brow. "But what're you doing here?"
"Ah!" He said as he reached into his pocket and tossed him a small tub. "This is a conditioning treatment. Gotta make sure those ends don't split!"
Ray eyed the small thing in his hands, were his ends split?! "Thanks..."
Kai let out a mocking snort. Of course Oliver was a walking beauty therapist... Probably carried around nail files and a sewing kit everywhere he went, too...
Oliver's eyes followed the snort, his lips curling in to a small smirk. "I'm pretty good with coloring too, if you need your roots done while you're here!" He winked.
Kai suddenly choked on his snort and sat stiffer.
How dare he!
"Fuck yourself! I don't color my hair!"
Ray sat there, trying hard not to laugh at the two he was unfortunately sitting between.
"You know what's awful." He directed at Oliver, grabbing his big wide eyes and attention. "He wouldn't scratch my back for me." He told him in a fake hurt voice.
Oliver's eyes went sad, "...Why not?" He asked, putting him on the spot.
Kai tensed even harder. "None of your business! Now was there something else?!"
Oliver winked again, "Actually, I was wondering if I could borrow those big strong arms of yours to help me with something..."
Ray chuckled behind his hand, still finding it hilarious the way Oliver spoke to Kai. "Careful, he might tell you to go find a tree to use instead."
Kai's ego got stroked too hard to be mad at him. About time someone made him feel needed...
"Uh... Sure?" He said as he snapped his book shut, first paragraph unread yet again as he put it on the side and got himself up to follow the fruity Frenchman.
Oliver let out his own fluttery giggle as he used both his dainty hands to wrap around his pale bicep.
"Got two tree trunks right here..."
Instantly Ray felt a tight twist in his gut, once again Oliver was getting too touchy for his liking. He held down the growl in his throat, narrowing his eyes as he watched Oliver lean into his captain's side.
Part of him wanted to go, but Oliver didn't ask for his help... Whatever it was probably wasn't that important anyways, more than likely he needed help lifting a piece of paper. Kai's face flushed a little, trying his best not to flex, despite sort of wanting to.
He cleared his throat. "Lead the way..."
Oliver let out another flirty chuckle, hands still holding onto his arm as he pulled him towards the door.
"So how often do you work out?" He asked as he pulled him out the door.
Ray snatched up his hair wrap he had left on the table by the bed, making himself comfortable so he could braid it. A slight growl finally escaping him as he tried to block them out and Oliver's flirting, not even sure why it bothered him.
The moment Ray was out of sight, Kai caved and flexed, smirking a little when he got an excited 'ooooooh' from Oliver.
"Ah... Ya know... Train a lot..."
"I can tell!" Oliver told him back as he poked at it, "Going to be real hard fighting against such a beautiful team! A chiseled figure of a man like you, someone as stunning as Ray! Especially that hair! Was like touching liquid silk!" He gushed.
Kai's bicep immediately went lax, feeling a shooting burn down his spine.
He could have fixed his hair for him... He'd offered. How hard could it be to snip some hair in a line?! But nooooo, he wasn't as good as Tinkerbell over here...
"So... What did you need me so bad for?" He asked more curtly.
Oliver's infectious little giggle came back.
Almost an hour since Kai had wandered out of their room with Oliver, Gustav had come and collected Ray from his room, the other three already there and following the butler like he was a mother duck. He joined them in the hall and followed him down towards the massive dining room, the others who knew their way around the death trap already sitting there and waiting for them.
As they sat down around the long table other maids came out with silver trays, each balancing on either hand and laid down in front of them perfectly in sync.
Tyson's mouth watered instantly as his was set in front of him, rubbing his hands together. Ray's nose caught the familiar smell hidden under the silver bowl on the top of the tray, though he refused to smirk any until the servants lifted the tops of the trays to reveal what he already knew was their dinner.
"Chili?" Came a chorus of questioning glances at the bowls in front of them.
Robert raised a perplexed brow, sat at the head of the table with his other 'team mates' as he lifted his head from the bowl to Gustav.
"This wasn't the meal you stated earlier today?"
Gustav tensed, trying to hold the arm holding the pristine white cloth on his arm straight.
"M-master Oliver insisted on cooking this evening..." He informed him.
Oliver glanced around with a bashful smile. "It's the least I could do for your hospitality, Robert..." He told him.
Robert's brow lifted higher. "And you traded in high class, French cuisine for street food?" He asked before a sly smirk cracked, "Ah! For the benefit of our guests! How very kind..."
Kai's fists clenched under the table, twisting his napkin.
"Hey, easy there Robert. You know as well as I do that whatever Oliver makes is going to be perfect. Also, they already ate you out of house and home earlier." Enrique quickly defended his friend, the first of the more refined at the table to actually dip his spoon in and inspect it for a second.
"Oliver... Did you cut yourself?" He asked, giving him a concerned look after clocking the oddly shaped onions on the top of his spoon.
Oliver looked touched by the compliment before his face made a rare, hard expression. Him?! Cut himself?!
"No!"
Enrique rose a brow, glancing at the onions again and the chunkiness in them. They looked like he had worn a blindfold and hacked into them like a barbarian. Ray on the opposite side of him bit back the laugh, his shoulders shaking as he sat there between Kai and Max.
Tyson was already halfway through his bowl, trying to speak through a mouthful. "Is really good." He declared, Kenny on his other side trying to hide himself as he ate quietly and clearly embarrassed.
Johnny sat there, staring at it as if it was offending his ancestors. Robert gave Oliver a polite, forced smile as he scooped up a silver spoonful. Hesitating under his French friend's watch before carefully placing the unknown food to his mouth. With the subtle smack of his lips, analyzing it, his face softened.
"Interesting! Flavorful with just enough spice without being overpowering to the palette and a richness I wasn't expecting! Very well done indeed."
Kai's shoulders shifted as his chest filled with self-pride, holding in a giant smirk. Johnny gave Robert an odd look, Enrique was already four spoons in and hadn't keeled over yet so he bit the bullet and took up his own spoon and dipped it in.
He could feel eyes on him; gold, red, and light purple as if in waiting and expecting of him. Why they were staring was one thing and he ignored them as he plopped the food into his mouth.
The sour look he had on his face vanished, he had plenty of Oliver's dishes before but this was incredible for such a peasant dish.
"I agree with Robert, Oliver, it is very well done indeed." He went to dip in for seconds, his taste buds already missing the flavor on his tongue.
Subtly Ray nudged Kai in the side, he wasn't stupid. Oliver didn't make this, and he knew it probably filled Kai's already swollen head with more pride. Finally dipping his own spoon with the rest of the table to eat.
Kai subtly leaned over, "Told ya... Cocoa powder..." He whispered quietly.
Ray smirked around the spoon in his mouth, "You have, once again, proven me wrong." He admitted just as quietly back.
Oliver looked between them and gushed a little as he took his own mouthful. As the table kept eating in content silence Enrique finally glanced up and turned to the only person he ever considered his best friend. How he thought he could fool him was beyond him, but Enrique was more than just good looks.
"So, who really made this?" He asked, setting his spoon on the side to signal that he was done like the refined gentleman he was now that the bowl was empty.
Oliver glanced up, giving him a sly smirk. "Whatever do you mean?" He asked innocently, blushing slightly that he knew his food well enough to know his style.
Enrique gave him a slight huff, "I know you didn't do this, as good as it is. It's not yours." He turned to look across from him at Ray, "You?" He asked, he hadn't seen any of the Bladebreakers since earlier on the tennis courts.
Ray shook his head, but he wasn't going to speak up.
Oliver grinned at him. "Guess agaaaainnn!" He said melodically, enjoying this little game. He wondered how long it would take to figure out it was the gruff one...
Enrique frowned; Johnny seemed to stiffen as they both looked down the line of Bladebreakers. Tyson had been too stunned when it came out, Max looked like he could cook and then the little one on the other end shivering didn't seem likely.
"Max." Both Enrique and Johnny said together.
The blonde looked up, clearly unaware of what was going on as he had been taken to cloud nine with what he had been eating and trying to fight Tyson's spoon to stay out of his bowl.
"Yes?"
"So it was you." Enrique grinned.
Kai bit his tongue while Oliver chuckled at the dopey blonde's expression.
"Was me?" Max cocked a brow, giving them both big confused puppy dog eyes.
"Did you make this or not blondie?" Johnny asked, gesturing at the food.
"No." Max's brow rose higher as Ray shot Johnny a dirty look across from the table, one more dirty insult at his golden child and he'd get a face full of chili.
Oliver's grin grew larger. These guys were hilarious. "Guess agaaaaaain..." He said as he leaned his chin on his hand.
The last person they had was Kai, but they couldn't picture him in an apron standing over a stove and making chili for them all. The longer Enrique looked at him though, it seemed like his type of food.
"It's really good, you're full of surprises there aren't you Kai?" He smirked at him and Tyson sputtered down the table.
"YOU MADE THIS!? You can cook and you didn't tell us?!" He yelled, halfway pushing himself onto the table.
Johnny sputtered for another reason, his bowl almost empty and he pushed it away from him as if it really was offending his ancestors now.
Kai resisted thanking Enrique and instead raised an annoyed brow at... All of them.
"Yes, shrimp. Your powers of deduction are outstanding..." He replied sarcastically.
"What's outstanding is this food dude!" Tyson countered, ignoring the name calling since he had thoroughly enjoyed the food.
Ray snickered again, finishing his bowl to the last drop. He hadn't gotten to have it the other night since it had spilled when Kai went to go strangle Johnny, he was happy he got to actually have it all. Even if it meant choking on his shame.
"That's enough yelling Tyson, we're in somebody else's house... Castle... Show some manners."
"Yes mom..." Tyson rolled his eyes and sat down, "Do we get seconds?"
Kai's shoulders went again. For the first time, he felt something that resembled warmth towards Tyson.
Oliver let out a laugh, "There's plenty more! Gustav, would you mind?"
"It wasn't that great..." Came a distorted mumble from across the happy family.
Kai's fiery glare glanced to the source. The fuck-wad of Glasgow...
"S'matter Johnny? Too spicy for ya?" He asked innocently.
Johnny rose a defending brow, "Tasted like dirt." He spat.
Enrique elbowed him in the ribs, hard, "It was not, save your crap for the beydish."
"I'm just being honest, was just sparing Oliver's feelings because I thought he made it." Johnny said casually.
Tyson gave him a scowl, out of all of them Johnny was a real dick compared to the others. Sure, they all had their snobbish noses stuck too high in the air but Johnny couldn't see past his at all.
"You know what dirt tastes like?" He asked in a mocking tone.
"Wouldn't surprise me, he looks like the kind to dine on whatever his nasty feet pick up." Ray chimed in, giving the Scot a glare.
Oliver shot a glare, too. "I also think it's a little rich coming from someone who couldn't work out how to use a toaster..."
Kai sank into himself a little. This was just embarrassing now, all of them sticking up for him like that.
"If he didn't like it, he didn't like it. I'm sure Gustav could rustle up some... Haggis... Or whatever the hell they eat in Scotland."
Ray turned to look at him, giving him a soft look. There went up the walls around him, even after they stood up for him.
"We all know he's lying; his bowl is almost empty." He said.
"I was hungry! And that sounds perfect, Gustav!" Johnny snapped his fingers, "It's a lot better than eating dirt." He sneered at the other fire wielding blader, only to jump in his chair and shoot the glare at the feline who had kicked him under the table.
Oliver and the others gave him a puzzled look for his sudden movement.
"What's wrong?" He snapped
Ray shot him a challenging look, would he tattle or not?
Johnny sat there, all eyes on him as he subtly rubbed his sore leg with his other foot. "Nothin'." He bit and pushed himself away from the table, he had enough of this group.
"As you said, I'll leave it for the beydish. Hope you'll all be able to sleep after eating that slop." He waved over his shoulder as he left.
They watched him go, before Robert looked around awkwardly. Despite them not being his usual caliber of guests, they were guests none the less.
"Forgive his rudeness. I for one enjoyed it." He told him in a monotone voice.
"Yeah, I'm still waiting for seconds here!" Tyson chimed up.
"If you wouldn't mind Gustav?" Max was next to grab the butlers attention.
"I think I could do with another bowl." Kenny added as they pointed down at their clean bowls.
Ray swelled with pride; he had such good little children.
Kai cringed on the inside. It was just a god damn chilli. He didn't need a cheerleading squad. He wiped his hands with his napkin and threw it down, necking his water before pushing his chair back.
"Knock yourselves out. Night."
Ray deflated; they were just trying to be supportive here. He watched the kids deflate with him as Kai swept out of the room, his scarf trailing behind him until it disappeared around the door way.
"What a surprise..." Ray mumbled, shaking his head.
Tyson frowned, "What's his problem?"
"Maybe he's just tired after standing over a stove to cook us this." Max suggested quietly.
Oliver felt bad. This was all his idea after all...
"He's probably resting up before tomorrow! We should probably think about doing the same, huh?" He directed at Enrique for back up.
"Sounds like a plan, you boys make sure you get enough sleep so we don't trash you too badly." He playfully shot at the others.
"I'll follow you Oliver, since we're next to each other. You three be careful." Ray said as he got up, following Oliver as he stood up.
Enrique shot up from his chair, "I'll walk with you!"
Oliver bid the others good night, thanking the staff before leading the way for Ray. Oliver walked down the grand, carpeted halls with a spring in his step.
"I don't care what Johnny says, that was really good! Suits him, doesn't it?" He said almost dreamily.
"It really does." Enrique mused, eyeing Oliver beside him a little. "He made it completely by himself or did you help any?" He asked in a teasing tone, keeping himself between Oliver and Ray as they walked the halls.
"That was all him!" He praised, "I just sat back and watched! And boy... Was it a show!" He carried on in his dreamy tone, "To see someone who seems like such a perfectionist lose himself in the kitchen, going on instinct like that..."
Both Enrique and Ray shot him a look, neither looking like they cared for his swooning. "I think we get the picture there Oliver." Enrique said in a slight jealous tone.
"Oh ho... You have to see it to believe it!" He carried on, "Who knew someone could make chopping look so... Rugged and masculine..."
Ray choked on his spit, his face slightly flushing. Thinking back on the night before, what Oliver was describing was exactly what he saw. Enrique continued shooting him a dirty jealous look.
"I bet I could do it." He interjected quickly and Ray rolled his eyes, was he really fixing to jump in and try to out shine Kai now?
Oliver gave a musical laugh. "Oh, Enrique! You would have cut your fingers off!" He joked before turning and winking at him, "But you have so many other strengths..."
Enrique sputtered, his face turning red with embarrassment before he blushed at the compliment. "Thanks... You too."
Oliver turned his head back and arched a brow out of sight. "So many things to impress the girls..." He said innocently, "Oh! And the arms on him!" He added suddenly.
Ray bit down on his tongue hard. Sure, they could be impressed all day and night, would do none of them any good. For some reason that made a weird sense of relief wash down his back.
"Yes... We've seen them..." Enrique said bitterly, finally reaching Ray's door. "Welp, here you are. Good night."
Ray gave him a weird look, why he was getting bit at he didn't know but he waved at the two and left them to their little lovers spat.
"You okay?" Ray asked as he stepped into the room after shutting out Oliver and Enrique on the other side in the hall, listening the two of them go into Oliver's room since Enrique said he thought Oliver would like the company.
Kai sighed out his nose as yet again, he was stopped just before he was going to finally reach the second paragraph of his damn book.
"Peachy. Why?"
"Cus I know that look." Ray said as he sat down beside him on the bed, making himself comfortable beside him against the mound of pillows. Minus the one they murdered the first night there.
Kai slammed the book in his lap and snapped his head at him angrily. "Oh, you don't know shit!" He fired at him.
Ray held a neutral face, "Then why are you yelling at me when I've done nothing wrong this time?"
Kai let out a slight laugh, "Nothing wrong?! Well, looks like I'm right again! You don't know shit..."
Ray shook his head, "Well, care to share with the class?"
Kai glared before he picked up his book again and ripped it open. "What the hell is the point... Never listen to me anyway..." He grumbled.
"Oh, you mean like how you didn't listen to us earlier?" Ray finally bit back, two could play at that game.
"What are you yammering about now?" He snapped as he forced his eyes to burn holes into the book instead.
"We all liked what you made, all of us did. And the second the others stood up for you, trying to support you, you shut them down and walked out." Ray explained.
Kai rolled his eyes, "How is that not listening, exactly? And for god's sake, I really don't care! You guys didn't need to make a big deal about it like I would cry over it!"
"Because you didn't answer them, didn't even stick up for yourself when you know it was good." Ray explained as he pulled his knees up to his chest and put the side of his head on them as he looked at him.
"And you do care, obviously. I saw your reactions the second asshole opened his mouth, and we weren't making a big deal about it. We generally liked it."
"Because he's an all-round asshole!" He answered him, "I didn't need to stick up for myself. I have a bigger score to settle with him! Him liking my cooking isn't even on the radar!"
"Okay, so settle it tomorrow?" Ray casually said, trying hard not to smirk at seeing him direct his anger at the asshole they both disliked.
Kai growled a little. "Ah yes... The brilliant idea of taking them on as a team that I had no part in..."
"There it is!" Ray clapped his hands together as he sat back, "Now we're getting somewhere."
Kai blinked at him as his shoulders flinched, startled by the clap. "The hell is with you?!" He asked.
"Nothing, just glad we're not gonna sit here till the end of time trying to get you to tell me what's bothering you. If it was an issue, why didn't you speak up earlier?" Ray asked, holding back the stupid grin that would surely end his life if he let it crack.
Kai scowled at him. "Oh god, not this bullshit again..." He grumbled as he snapped his book shut... Again.
Would he ever know what happened after the first page?!
Ray blinked at him a few times, "What bullshit?"
"This bullshit!" He yelled as he gestured between them, "You keep acting like we're the best of pals! Like you know me soooo well! It's infuriating!"
"Aw, you know you like me." Ray nudged him in the side a little, "You wouldn't have almost gotten impaled and then made me chili if you didn't like me." He chuckled.
The air vanished from his lungs as he tensed. "I... See! This is what I'm talking about! I can't let you die, would be a member short! And I made it so you could eat your words after!"
Ray bit the inside of his cheek a little to stop the laugh, "We also walked through the palace of dicks together, gave the kids coffee flavored burgers. Hmmm, what else?" He pretended to look to be in thought for a minute.
Kai's face turned as red as Dranzer. "...Cause I didn't want you to get lost and because you ruined my scarf!"
"But I fixed it, didn't I? Good as new as I promised." Ray said with a fanged smirk.
He narrowed his eyes back, "You're only alive because you did..."
Ray nodded, "Good thing I'm good with my hands."
Kai's face deepened to an impressive color and stared back silently.
Ray leaned into his side again, eyeing the book he had kept trying to read. "Gonna tell me what you're reading?"
Ray's eyes going to his personal belongings snapped him out of it. "No! Now will you leave me alone already!?" He shrieked.
"Okay." Ray sighed and pulled away from his side and rolled off the bed, might as well put that glamorous shower to good use.
The moment Ray pulled away, he felt like he could breathe again. Going back to his book.
Finally... Finally some progress...
His eyes scanned the first sentence again...
Then got hit by a pang of guilt.
Ray wandered towards the bathroom door, undoing his even hair from his wrap as he went quietly. If Kai wanted to be left alone he'd let him sit there alone with his book, even if it slightly hurt that what they had before, what progress he had thought he had made, was falling apart suddenly and without warning.
Kai's eye twitched furiously as a little squeak left his throat. "Arggghh... You should have discussed it with me first!"
Ray stopped short at the door, turning over his shoulder to look at him with a raised brow. "We were doing it for you." Ray told him in a calm tone.
"Well I didn't ask you to! Did we band together to avenge anyone else's losses? No! So why make a big deal cause I lost one!?"
Ray shrugged his shoulders, "Because it bothered all of us, not just you. When one of us loses a match the next person behind works just as hard during their match, you've seen this through what we've already done. It's okay to let us care about you."
He let out a growl. "I don't need it, all right!? And that's another thing! How dare you all go over my head with something like that!? You didn't think maybe the captain should have a say on something as risky as gambling our place in the World Tournament!?"
"You could have spoken up." Ray shrugged again, "You were right there when they laid that out on the table, you didn't say anything."
"And lose face in front of those assholes!?" He argued back.
"Then that's on you, not us Kai." Ray sighed, "We know this is risky, which will make us fight with everything we have. We won't lose."
He growled again, "You'd better not... And the sooner we get to Russia, the sooner I can be done with you fucking clowns for good!"
Ray nodded; he didn't know what to say with the random sting of tears in his eyes suddenly. "I'm gonna take a shower..." He turned on his heel again to leave him, part of him still not understanding what had happened between them again.
He let him go, holding his stern composure, but feeling the same guilt in his gut. That hadn't been what he'd intended to say...
Ray fought with the knobs of the shower for at least ten minutes till he had figured out which was the hot and cold knob, getting the temperature right before he stepped in. He had put the little jar Oliver gave him in there and uncapped it and smelled it, it didn't smell bad but it was definitely fruity.
As the water rushed down his head, soaking and matting his hair, the more he got lost in his thoughts and what Kai had just said to him. He knew, had known all along, that their team would end after the tournament. He was going to lose them, have to say goodbye.
It wasn't just the hurtful things Kai had said that fueled his tears, but the fact that he was going to have to say goodbye sooner than he had been expecting. He had fought them, best he could, to keep from slipping down his face and the harder he fought to keep them in the more it made his shoulders shake and finally he gasped out with a sob.
Kai lifted his head at the third sentence and felt his chest ache. He'd been called all the names under the sun over the span of his short life. But now was a rare time he actually felt like an asshole.
He deserved it though, he reasoned to himself...
He'd warned them all to leave him alone. And Ray in particular hadn't...
Ray rubbed at his eyes, trying to get the tears to stop falling. Why he was feeling this way he didn't know, he still had his friends back in the Village. He and the others were on good terms, he had a home... A family already...
But that's what he had with them, just another family that he had grown to love and take care of even if they grated on his nerves at times. Were too immature for their own good. Maybe somehow they could still stay in touch, just because they had to say goodbye didn't mean he had to lose them for good.
Running the stuff Oliver gave him through his hair he took his time, just so his eyes weren't blood shot from crying like a mother fixing to empty her nest; even if that's exactly how he felt.
As the water got cold, the asshole could freeze for all he cared at this point, he finished up and stepped out. Rubbing himself down enough to put his clothes back on and get his hair dry enough he could braid it.
He checked himself in the mirror, he didn't need Kai to make fun cus he had made him cry, satisfied he stepped out after brushing his teeth and wandered back quietly to the bed and flopped down. Keeping his back turned to him and pulled the covers over his shoulder. Kai didn't want him to talk, so for once he was going to give him what he wanted.
Kai froze and gripped the book hard as he watched him come out. The thought of a grown... Kid... Crying usually made him feel sick. But this was different.
How? He had no clue. And it bothered him to no end. Ray bothered him to no end. In all kinds of ways. For once, he was on the receiving end of a cold shoulder. It was awful. Despite the chill, he felt hot and something like a sweat.
"...It's um..." He stuttered, "It's supposed to be about the devil appearing in Moscow... But I can never get past the first paragraph so..."
"Your autobiography?" Ray asked in a mutter and a slight smirk.
"Oh, har har..." He bit.
Fine... If he was just going to make fun...
"Sounds interesting though, is it written in Russian cus I couldn't read it back when I snatched it in China." Ray said as he rolled over on his back.
The simple question made bile churn in his stomach and the sweat break out again.
"It is... There's a talking black cat in it!" He interjected, wanting to divert the subject.
Ray sat up a bit more on the pillows, suddenly Kai looked sick and it alarmed him. Why, after he was an asshole, did he care he wasn't sure.
"Is he and the devil friends?" He asked, going down the path Kai had gone.
Kai shook his head, "I don't know yet!"
Ray frowned a little, "Oh... You okay?" He asked, shifting a bit uncomfortably beside him.
He really hated how much he cared about them all, if he hadn't he wouldn't have been reduced to tears a few minutes ago.
Kai looked down at the book again, Ray had said something a while ago that bothered him; another simple question.
"Have you ever been to Russia?"
He had no recollection of ever going, and yet...
He could read this as naturally as anything in Japanese, but why? Of course he was somewhat nervous about the tournament, a lot was riding on it, but as they got closer, it didn't feel like nerves any more. He wanted to go to win, but he didn't want to go there. Every time someone even said "Russia", it made him feel sick.
Scared...
"Ray?" He asked, ignoring his question as the nausea kept building.
"Yeah?" Ray blinked a few times; he didn't like how that sounded coming out of him.
He turned his pale face to him, "H-how far back can you remember?"
Ray met his eyes for a second before they went up towards the ceiling, crossing his legs and shifting under the covers. "Some memories are fuzzy and some blend, my earliest memory I do have that is pretty clear I would say I was around five or so." He answered as he looked back down at him.
He listened to his answer and nodded his head. "Right..."
Ray arched a questioning brow, "What about you?"
Kai stared at him. "Uhh..." He stammered.
Five!?
He tried his best to rack his brains, but there was nothing until a mere few years ago.
"Like... A few years ago?"
"Okay." Ray blinked again, his brain trying to figure out why this was the sudden topic of conversation.
"Can you tell me when you got Dranzer? Do you remember when you got her?" He settled on asking.
Kai stared hard at him, absorbing his question and trying to find an answer for him. When had he gotten her? And from where? She'd just always been there. But she had to have come from somewhere. His mind drew nothing but blanks. Why were there huge chunks of nothing?!
His skin paled a little more as he shook his head. How could he not remember getting her?
"I have no idea..." His voice cracked out quietly.
Ray rose a brow, he looked really upset about not knowing but he didn't have any ideas on how to help him.
"Have you um... Have you ever been in an accident or something? Like hit your head really hard? Or, told anyone this? That you can't remember things." He asked carefully for fear of upsetting him more.
Kai's eyes kept boring into him. Like somehow he had the answers. He thought hard. He couldn't recall ever being in an accident. But what other explanation could there be?
He shuddered.
His grandfather took that cane of his to him enough... Maybe one time he got a bit too heavy handed?
"No..." He answered to all of what Ray said, "I don't think so?"
Ray nodded with a heavy express of air, "Anything else you can't remember?" He asked, he had no way of really helping him except sitting there and listening to him.
"Did you not listen?!" He snapped, "Nothing before a few years ago!"
Ray sighed again, putting the side of his head in the palm of his hand. "That's not what I was really asking. I was trying to see if you had short term or long term memory loss."
Kai scowled. "I'd say a decade was fairly long term..."
Ray nodded, "Yeah, guess so. But just wasn't sure if you remembered other things or not, like current things. Never mind I guess..." He huffed.
"Like what?" He asked in a less bitter tone.
"Like where we went to back in Italy, or what happened when we were in China. I'm only asking because if you can remember those things then it's just a part of your memory that's not there." Ray explained. "I'm not a doctor or anything, but it's possible that you did hit your head or something and that's why you can't remember anything before the past few years."
Kai nodded at him. "Yeh. I remember all that..."
Thinking about that made it worse. Everything up until a few years ago was sharp and clear. Almost every battle he'd fought he could remember and took something from it, minus a few hazy nobodies on the streets who were a waste of his time and not worth remembering. Then why was everything before blank?
When did he first pick up a beyblade? What made him get in to it? How the hell did he get to be this good!? Where the hell had Dranzer come from!?
He looked down at the damn book again. Why the hell could he understand this!? He wasn't Russian... Was he? His name was Kai Hiwatari. Nothing Slavic there in the slightest.
"You okay?" Ray asked, watching his face as he seemed to get lost suddenly on him.
Kai ignored that question. "I don't know why I can read this..." He said quietly as his eyes bore into him, holding up his book.
Ray's brow rose higher, "Because you know the language?"
"But why!?" He asked, not to Ray specifically.
Ray's concerned eyes widened, "Whoa, hold up a second Kai. What the hell is going on? Really, you can tell me." He quickly said, hoping to keep him from doing... Something...
Kai shook his head at him, "That's just it! I don't know! I don't know why I know this, and I don't know why I feel like we've got to watch our backs!"
Ray's skin pricked as his stomach twisted, "How long have you been feeling like this?"
"I don't know!" Kai yelled at him as his eyes prickled.
"Hey, hey calm down. It's okay." He reached out without thinking and took hold of his arms in a gentle hold. "It's going to be okay; we've made it this far unscathed... Ish..."
He breathed a little harder. "That's just it! So far! So many god damn detours! You all never listen to me!" He shrieked as he gripped onto the sides of Ray's shirt back. "But no more! Please! We have to go in, get it done and get the hell out!"
Ray's mouth dried at the sudden grab and the way Kai had completely lost his usual stoic composure. He looked really frightened, over what he still wasn't sure but nodded back all the same.
"Okay, in and out and that's it. Sooner we get done the sooner you won't have to see us anymore. I get it."
He gripped the fabric harder, "That's not it!"
"Then why don't you tell me what it is?!" Ray finally yelled back.
He shook a little as his eyes brimmed harder and the grip got a little more desperate. "The sooner we get out, the sooner I know you're safe!"
"But why aren't we safe Kai?" Ray asked firmly, "Dickenson wouldn't let us get hurt, you and I know we won't let the others get hurt or stand to see each other get hurt."
"I don't know!" He said for the hundredth time, "I know it's insane but you have to trust me!"
"I always have Kai."
Kai's knuckles turned white. Even though he wanted him to, part of him thought he was stupid.
Ray flinched a little as Kai's fingers dug a bit too tight into his sides, "You um... You gotta let go."
Kai tore his eyes away from him, releasing his hold like he was touching hot coals.
"Sorry..." He breathed out, unable to look him in the face.
He still felt shaken. He still felt afraid. The mystery of why only making his anxiousness worse, but he hadn't meant to malfunction like that.
Ray sat there for a minute, his brain still working overtime to process what had just happened there. His hands that had been in a lax hold over Kai's arms moved up and around his neck, he was probably risking his last life doing this but Kai looked like he needed it and pulled him into a hug.
"We're going to be okay; I promise." He said as he gave his back a friendly pat.
He clammed up, staying perfectly still for a moment while he too tried to work out what was happening. He owed him this at least, perhaps. He nodded into his shoulder and patted him back, like he was doing to him.
Ray chuckled a little, "Hey, while you're back there scratch."
A spark went in his head. "Um... Here?" He asked awkwardly with his chin still on his shoulder as he gently moved his nails on the back of his shirt.
Ray shifted a little, "Nah, a lil higher."
He lifted his hand a little. "Here?"
"Yup." Ray sighed happily, arching his back into it. "Thanks." He chuckled again and pulled away from him, hoping to god the burn he felt on his cheeks was because he had a sunburn and not because he was blushing like mad.
Kai blinked at him again. What the hell had happened? He'd made Ray cry, then suddenly he went weird... Then he was being hugged and scratching his back?
"You okay?" Ray asked as he finally let go of him, Oliver was right. Those were some arms...
He rubbed the back of his head. "Yeh... I don't know what that was so..." He said, feeling like an idiot as another 'sorry' rested on the tip of his tongue.
"Pre-battle jitters." Ray shrugged it off.
Hell, he didn't know either but it wouldn't do them any good to go back to that. He didn't need the both of them breaking in the same night.
"Sure... I guess." He brushed off back.
Hardly something he wanted to admit to. But then neither was a sudden freak out.
Ray nodded, flopping back down onto the bed and pillows. "Why don't you read me some of your book?" He asked, hoping to keep this.
Kai arched a brow, "Why?"
"Bed time story?" Ray chuckled, "Cus it sounded interesting, and I can't read it."
Kai blinked at him, "But... You won't understand it."
Ray shrugged under the covers, "Can't translate while you read?"
He flushed. "Oh. Right. Yeh... I can do that."
"Okay." Ray smiled and pat the pillows beside him, getting himself more comfortable where he lay.
Kai settled down next to him uncomfortably. He'd never read to anyone...
What if he didn't like the book? What if he did a shitty job at translating?
He cleared his throat again and opened the book. "You ready?" He stalled.
"Yeah." Ray nodded, looking at the book and up at Kai beside him as a weird tingling sensation swirled in his gut.
"Okay..." He shrugged. This was such a weird thing to do.
"Part one. Never Talk to Strangers..."
His eyes ran over the Cyrillic and tried to mentally translate as fast as he could. "At the sunset hour of a warm, spring day, two men were seen at Patriarch's Pond..." He said before looking down at Ray.
Ray looked back up at him expectantly, he looked nervous but hell this was fun.
He sunk a little and reluctantly went back. "Uh... The first of them, aged about forty, was dressed in a grey-like... I mean grey-ish summer suit. He was short, dark haired, uh..." He paused as he wondered what the right word was, "Well-fed? And bald..."
Ray snickered a little, "All I picture is Dickenson."
His brain stopped translating as his comment caught him off guard. Just like in the Sistine in Rome and his chest moved in a chuckle.
He caught himself and reigned it in, forcing his eyes to continue to the next page. Unfortunately, it was no better.
"Shit... Next line is he wore a hat and round glasses..." He giggled.
"Oh no. It is Dickenson." Ray laughed.
"Well, that's the book ruined for me now..."
Ray laughed harder, "It was just getting good. What's the other guy look like?" He nudged him a little to keep him going.
He held in his smirk and went back to it. "Um... The other was a broad-shouldered young man, with curly red hair wearing a tartan shirt and... Worn out white pants."
Ray nodded, nobody really came to mind except asshole so he kept his mouth closed and fought to keep his eyes open.
He went on, "The first was none other than Mikhail Alexandrovich Berlioz..." He translated, the name bringing out a thick accent he'd never used before.
Ray felt a shiver run through him at the sound of his voice. "Mhmm..." Was all he could get out as his face warmed again, just to let him know he was still listening.
Kai nodded, "He was the editor of a high-brow literary magazine. And manager of one of the biggest literary clubs in Moscow... His young companion was Ivan Nicolayich Poniryov." He continued as the heavy accent and rolling R sounds streamed out of him.
Ray shifted a little, something about that voice getting to him and he didn't know what it was that bothered him. He liked it... Wanted to keep listening to him as long as he could keep his eyes open.
"He was a poet who went under the pseudonym 'Bezdomny'..." He read on.
He felt himself get a little excited. Almost the next part... The so far unread realms...
"Does that have any meaning?" Ray asked, fighting back a yawn as he tried to blink the sleep away.
Kai stopped short of the goal. "Uh no, just a name."
Ray nodded, "You may continue." He giggled.
Kai obeyed with a smirk, "Reaching the shade of the two budding lime trees, the two writers went straight to a kiosk labelled 'beer and minerals'."
Ray's eyes slipped closed; he was still listening but he couldn't keep them open any longer. Unconsciously he moved closer to the warmth beside him and the deep voice that was lulling him to sleep.
Kai's head snapped down again, flushing at the closeness. "Uh... There was an oddness about that terrible day in May which is worth mentioning. Not only at the kiosk but along the whole avenue parallel to Malaya Bronnaya Street there was not a person to be seen. It was the hour of the day when people feel too exhausted to breathe, when Moscow glows in a dry haze as the sun disappears behind the Sadovaya Boulevard. Yet no one had come out for a walk under the limes, no one was sitting on a bench, the avenue was empty..." He drifted off. He loved those sentences.
As he looked down again, it was clear Ray was asleep.
"Hn..." He smirked.
He hoped he hadn't bored him to sleep...
Yet again, didn't make it to the unread territory... Oh well, one more night wouldn't hurt. He closed the book and carefully set it aside, switching off the lights on the switch on the bedside table.
"Приятных снов..." He said quietly with a hint of sadness as he settled himself down under the dark covers.
Now that he was alone and the room was dark, his head went back to earlier, circling over the niggling questions.