Wow, most of you loved Ray's speech and the poems, the poems I found on the net and I had a guidline I followed for Ray's speech, but other than that Ray's speech was my creation. :D
Here's the next chapter.
Kai knew from the word 'go' that Christmas an the Granger Dojo was never a quiet matter, but he didn't realise it would be such a noisy affair as it was the first Christmas he had spent with Tyson. For the last six years he would either spend it alone or with Tala, Bryan and Spencer.
If it weren't Kijo bounding in to wish him and Tyson a loud screechy 'Merry Christmas!' it was the now- nineteen-week-old twins inside his belly deciding to practice the can-can at six in the morning that woke him up.
"Heh, I never said married life with me would be quiet." Tyson grinned apologetically.
"The past three weeks have proven that." Kai replied with a wry expression. "Kijo, go and wake up Ray and Max."
"I heard strange noises from their room, I'm not going in there." Kijo was adamant.
"Go and wake up Uncle Hiro then." said Tyson. Kijo nodded and ran out. "Give it a couple of years and that could be ours running in."
"Yeah, I wonder what they'll look like?" Kai thought. Then kissed Tyson, "Merry Christmas."
"Back at ya papa." he teased. "how are the twins?"
"Three words. Self-taught kickboxing."
"Ouch. And you?"
"A little tired, but I can sleep tomorrow." Kai smiled sleepily. "You ok?"
"Married to the world's sexiest man, twins on the way and three times world beyblading champ? I'd say I'm fantastic." Tyson laughed, showering Kai with kisses. Then Dranzer and Dragoon flew in, covered in tinsel and other Christmassy things.
"What do you two look like?" Kai laughed.
"I thought we looked really good." said Dranzer.
"You do, I'm just teasing. Merry Christmas." Kai yawned and stretched. "Come on Ty, or Kijo will be bounding in again any minute now."
"Very wise." Tyson grinned.
Soon everyone was downstairs in the lounge still in their pyjamas and gathered around the Christmas tree trimmed in all colours.
Kijo could barely contain himself, most of the toys he had chosen at the store with Kai and Tyson, Arin had put away for unwrapping later and he couldn't wait to play with them.
"Hey Kai, Max and I bought you this, we thought it would come in useful." said Ray, handing Kai a floppy square package.
Kai tore at the paper and pulled up a floor length navy blue cape and hood. "I can see this being very useful." he stood up and pulled it on, it covered his bump with room to spare. Then he nodded to both Ray and Max. "Thank you."
Kai's next present left him speechless, Tyson had bought him a silver engagement ring, embedded with garnet stones.
"I promised you one, even if I did it the wrong way round." Tyson blushed, sliding the ring to meet the wedding band.
While Kai tried to say something coherent, everyone else opened their packages of clothes, hair wax (Gramps), aftershave, bandanas (Ray), toolboxes (Kenny) and a new pair of New Rocks for Arin.
"There's four left." said Kijo once all their presents had been opened.
"For Brooklyn, Uncle Tala, Bryan and Spencer."
The four of them came round bearing gifts as Arin was checking on Christmas dinner.
Brooklyn had bought a little box of sweets for Kijo and something for Hiro that made the older Granger went red and refused to show anyone.
From the blitzkrieg boys Kijo got a new upgraded beyblade and launcher, Arin was given a Tibetan singing bowl for her collection, Ray got a load of hair products, Tyson and Max got sweets, Gramps received a nose hair trimmer,
"What else can you get an old guy?" Was Bryan's excuse.
Hiro got some designer label sunglasses and Kai got his own picture locket that held four pictures, two of which had been filled. One of the blitzkrieg boys including Ian, and one of his and Tyson's wedding pictures.
"The other two are for pictures of the twins when they're born." Tala explained.
"It's beautiful guys, thank you." said Kai, hugging them. Tala cried out when he felt a small push at his own stomach. "Relax, they're just kicking."
"Really? When did that start?" asked Bryan.
"At the wedding reception." said Tyson.
"…Can I feel?" asked Bryan and Spencer in unison. Kai rolled his eyes.
"If you must." he took their hands and placed them on the side of his bump, "Sometimes they do it non-stop, others they're picky."
Turns out it would be the former and both Russians cried out in surprise.
"Does it hurt?" asked Tala.
"Not really, it's more of a quick pressure and it feels weird as hell. When they both do it though, it hurts a bit." Kai explained.
"When I was pregnant I thought I had an entire football team inside me, but it was all my little squirt." said Arin, ruffling Kijo's hair.
"Mama!" Kijo growled, he had become like Ray in the sense of keeping his hair neat.
"Shouldn't he have started school by now?" asked Bryan.
"He's starting in January. And dinner's ready guys." she announced.
"Doesn't it annoy you that you're the only girl in the house?" Brooklyn asked all of a sudden.
"No, the guys do their fair share. When they're not playing new computer games on their laptops!" she raised her voice in Kenny's direction.
"Huh? Sorry babe did you say something?" Kenny asked dumbly, Arin anime fell.
"We see what you mean." laughed Spencer.
Dinner was punctuated by the bangs from Christmas crackers, Bryan declared that they were rigged when Kijo won against him and Kenny.
"Yeah right Bry, you let him win." Kai grinned, pulling one with Hiro and winning, he pulled out a small screwdriver set and a pink paper hat. "Here chief, they'll do you more service than me." He laughed, placing the hat on his head, it didn't suit him at all. Arin traded her red one for his.
"We know you're gay Kai, don't need to be camp with it." she laughed.
"I've only been interested in one guy, that doesn't make me gay." Kai protested. Then he smiled. "And now I'm married to the big oaf."
"Love you too Kai. And watch who you're calling big." Tyson teased.
"I'm sleeping 'til New Years." Kai told Tyson and the latter carried Kijo to bed, he had been sitting between them watching Max's new copy of 'American Dad' and fallen asleep about three episodes in.
"Not if Kijo remembers that you said you'll play with him and his new geo-mag set tomorrow."
"I did say that didn't I?" sighed Kai. "But I'm getting my lie-in." he added as he opened Kijo's room door.
"Of course."
The white tigers had done a good job, they had painted the room mainly blue with a wide horizontal border of silver, red, purple and green stripes. Kai pulled back Kijo's green jungle themed duvet as Tyson laid him down.
"Kai tuck him in, I need the bathroom." Tyson dashed out of the room. Kai shook his head with a sigh, before lifting up the covers and tucking them around the small boy. Kijo had to choose then to open his eyes.
"Uncle Kai?" he asked groggily.
"Yeah Kij, it's me. Go back to sleep." Kai whispered.
"My night light." Kijo told him. Kai nodded and switched it on, knowing that one of the kids at the orphanage used to scare him at night. "Will you stay with me Uncle Kai? 'Til I fall asleep?" he asked.
"Don't you want your mum or Kenny?"
"It's ok, you're good."
"Cheeky monkey." Kai smiled, the boy was so much like his mother it was scary. "So, what do you think of Kenny?" Kai regretted the question when Kijo sat up with excitement in his eyes.
"He's awesome! He said when the snow melted, we'd build a rocket and send it off into space!"
"Does sound like Kenny." Kai mused. "You two get on together really well then?"
"Yeah, he's like… like a dad." Kijo faded off. "You know what I mean, don't you uncle Kai?" he asked.
Kai sighed sadly, he couldn't bring himself to lie to the boy.
"Unfortunately Kijo I don't, I don't know what having a dad feels like, or have anyone that felt like one. You're a lucky one Kij…" he sniffed then he frowned at Kijo. "Look we shouldn't be talking about this on Christmas Day, and you should be asleep."
Kijo crawled out of the covers and hugged Kai to his tiny chest.
"Christmas or not, I don't like seeing you upset. Even though you didn't have a daddy, you're gonna make a brilliant one."
"You think so?" Kai asked, who better to ask than a child he had actually spent some time with?
Kijo let go of Kai and sat down in his bed.
"I know so Uncle Kai, I've told you before. Both you and Uncle Tyson." Kijo said it in such a way Kai couldn't bring himself to argue and felt his spirits brighten.
"You know what Kijo, your mama is very lucky to have had such a little miracle for a son and I can see why she loves you so much." Kai looked towards the door as he heard a flush from the bathroom. "Come on, I'll stay with you until you fall asleep." Kijo got up again and pecked him on the cheek goodnight, then he laid down for Kai to tuck him in. He reached a hand out for him to take, Kai smiled and held the small warm fingers in his own.
"Night Uncle Kai." he yawned.
"Hm. Night Kijo." Kai whispered as the boy began to doze off already, brushing his thumb over small fingers.
"Got your bag?" called Arin, hastily buttering a slice of toast.
"Yes!"
"Pencil case?" she took a huge bite of it in her hurry.
"Yep!"
"Lunch?" quick glass of OJ.
"Yes Mama!"
"Shoes and coat on, teeth cleaned, hair combed?" She stopped to swallow the whole lot down.
"Again, yes times four!"
For those that haven't sussed it yet, it's now January and Kijo's first day of school and Arin was more nervous than Kijo.
"You guys are enough to wake the dead." Kai grumbled, dressed in a shirt and jeans that were once Spencer's. Around the waist, Kai was as big as Spencer so he had to turn the ends of the jeans up about five times. Spencer was tall and built like a brick house, Kai couldn't believe he was in the guy's old jeans...
Or that the guy had jeans in the first place.
"Uncle Kai! will you tell my mother that I'm fine." Kijo pleaded
"Arin, he's fine. And you are going to be late if you don't hurry."
"Crap we are n'all!" Arin cried, pulling on her boots. "Kenny! Come on!"
"I've been standing at the door for five minutes!"
"Can't we ride on Dragoon or Dranzer? Or even Driger!"
"Not today Kijo, we don't want kids hassling you because you live with the bladebreakers." said Kai. "You really should get going. Have fun."
"Bye Uncle Kai!" Kijo called as Arin finally got herself ready and shoved them all out of the door. Kai shook his head.
"I think Arin needs to 'find her centre' a bit more often. And what are you doing up Mr Hiwatari-Granger?" Kai turned around to see Tyson standing in the doorway in pyjama trousers and dressing gown draped over his otherwise bare shoulders.
"Arin interrogating poor Kijo as to see if he put his t-shirt on the right way."
"Say no more." Tyson chuckled. "You've got a scan today." he added in a sing-song voice.
"Mm-Hm."
"What would the book say about the twenty-first week?" Tyson asked, knowing Kai had flicked through a book Mathilda had leant him.
"Don't know and whatever it says I'm sure Mathilda will tell us." Kai went over to the bookshelf where Dranzer was happily nesting with Kai's scarf warming in her aura in front of her. "Did you decide to warm this for me Dranzer?" the phoenix nodded. "Thank you…" he kissed her on the crest and stroked her throat, her feathers were warm and Kai wished he could be embraced in them.
"Feeling broody again?" Tyson asked, Kai nodded and sat on the sofa next to him as he tried to read the paper. Tyson the fool left his glasses upstairs. "Just under four months to go, can't wait!" He exclaimed with glee.
"I know, it's going by so fast, it's kinda scary."
"I'll say." said Dragoon, flying into the room.
"Where have you been?" asked Tyson.
"Flying." Dragoon shrugged. "What's with the nest Dranzer?"
"Well Driger got a cat bed for Christmas so I thought I'd make myself a nest." Dranzer replied. It was a nest of twigs lined with fur and feathers that had moulted from Driger and herself, who knew that sacred creatures had to moult?
"Heh, fair enough, oh Mathilda should be at the door now." said Dragoon.
Tyson got up and opened the door, just as Mathilda was about to knock.
"Hey Mathilda, how was the spa weekend?" he asked as the petite girl stepped inside. He distinctly remembered Kai mentioning they had gone the weekend just passed.
"It was brilliant, we all enjoyed it, thank you."
"How are the others?"
"Let's just say things between Lee and Julia are getting cosy. Miguel's fine and Raul and Mariah seem ok. Hows you two, did you have a good Christmas?"
"Yes we did Mathilda, thank you." said Kai.
Soon Tyson and Mathilda had fixed up the machine and hooked it up to the monitor.
"Do you want to know what sex they are?" Mathilda asked as she moved the instrument over Kai's gelled stomach.
"I dunno, shall we Kai?"
"Why not." Kai shrugged.
"Go for it Mattie." said Tyson. "Oh I'm so stoked!"
"You're a loud mouth too." Kai chided. Tyson just grinned and kissed him on the head.
"Am I telling you or aren't I?" asked Mathilda checking her watch.
"Go for it." said Kai.
"You are proud fathers of… a boy and a girl." she announced. Tyson grinned and started dancing around.
"In a hurry?" asked Kai, noticing her distress as she hastily pressed a couple of buttons and switched off the monitor.
"Yeah, sorry, Miguel phoned me on my way here and he sounded pretty upset. He had to assist in putting a Cheetah to sleep at the zoo and I think it rattled him a bit. If I can catch the bus I might be able to make it there before he attempts to drive home."
"If the bit beasts are up to it I'm sure they'll take you, I wouldn't mind getting out of the dojo for a bit." said Kai.
"Yeah, you haven't left it since the week before Christmas." said Tyson.
"I'll do it." volunteered Dragoon.
"Right, but please can we hurry?" asked Mathilda.
"I'll grab our coats."
"Get my cape instead, and I'll get my wallet." he told them, grabbing his scarf from Dranzer. "Tell Ray and Max where we are should they wake up today Dranz."
0o0o0
Soon the three were riding on Dragoon's back as he wound his way through the air. Tyson in front, Mathilda then Kai.
"Kai, haven't you wondered where the uterus Boris implanted you with came from? Or why he put it there in the first place?" the pink haired girl asked.
"I know it's an artificial one. Boris's goal in life was to create the perfect blader and that he covered as many options as his sick mind was willing to create in order to do so and went behind my grandfather's back to do it." Kai replied, the notes had told him as much before he burnt most of them. But it did raise the question of Boris still being out there.
A bridge he'd burn when they got to it.
"No one should go through the pain you and the others did."
"Well, we've moved on with our lives." he added as they approached the zoo entrance.
Miguel was sitting with his head in his hands when he heard Mathilda's worried voice. "Miguel, oh Miguel are you ok?"
"I'm fine… I've just got to learn to detach myself." Miguel replied, raising his head. "Tyson, Kai."
"Hey Miguel, that Cheetah huh, tough break."
"Two years into the course and I flake out at putting down a cheetah with deformed front legs."
"Hey, it's just a one off Miguel." said Mathilda.
"Is it?"
"Miguel, you will learn to detach yourself, it comes with the territory."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Just trust me on this one." said Kai, thinking of the abbey with a mental shudder. "You'll make a good vet in time."
"Well if Kai Hiwatari says so it must be true." giggled Mathilda. "I mean Hiwatari-Granger."
"You don't have to take my word on it Miguel."
"No Kai you're right, thank you."
"Come on Miguel, I'll drive you home. Thanks guys."
"Thanks again Mathilda." said Tyson as the European couple headed for the car park. "Want to have a look around the zoo? Might as well since we had to pay to get in." he asked Kai.
"I live with enough animals, including you." Kai smirked at Tyson's mock glare. "Come on, I'll even buy you an ice cream if you're good."
"Yes Papa." Tyson replied. Kai just rolled his eyes, then glared at the hyena that was leering at him.
"You let Tyson drag you around the zoo?" asked Ray as Tyson and Max were in the lounge.
"Ray, I'm getting fat and I needed some fresh air. We took Mathilda to the zoo to sort out Miguel, and we hung around to get our money's worth. Plus it wasn't that bad." Kai told him sipping his weak coffee at the kitchen table.
"You really have changed, there was a time you would refuse on the spot to go somewhere like that." Ray mused.
"Well, that was three years ago." Kai sighed, rubbing his bump, it had now become a habit he didn't need to think about.
"So uh…" Ray nodded to Kai's stomach after noticing the gesture with a smile. "How'd the scan go today?"
"Really well actually, we even know what sexes they are now." Kai smiled.
"Really?"
"Uh huh."
"Boys or girls?"
"One of each."
"Congratulations!"
"Kai! I just heard, congratulations!" Max came running into the room to hug the tall bluenette. Kai gave Ray a pleading look as Max was cutting off his air supply.
"Come on bubble-bun, Kai needs to breathe." he sighed at his blonde boyfriend as he let go of Kai.
"Heh, sorry Kai." he turned to glare cutely at Ray. "And don't call me bubble-bun!"
"Whatever you say sugar-tot." Ray smirked.
"Bubble-bun, sugar-tot? I'm actually glad Tyson only calls me-"
"Papa!"
"See? Yes Tyson?"
"Can you read these for me? I've left my glasses upstairs again." said Tyson, handing Kai the post.
"One for Ray from China, a couple for Kenny, one for Arin… And one addressed to the bladebreakers." Kai read out, opening the last mentioned and scanning the contents. "Dickinson wants to host a press conference with us before they do a 'bladebreakers; where are they now?' Stint."
"Well we do odds and ends for the B.B.A when required." said Ray, reading the letter from his home village. "At least my village is doing well."
"We can't do it because of Kai, if people get wind that he's pregnant than we'll never get a moments peace, especially him." sighed Tyson.
"Tyson, I'm still in the room." Kai frowned.
"I say we do the conference, but restrict what the reporters ask us." said Ray.
"Or we three go, Kai stays here and we say he's off doing his own thing." suggested Max.
"Oi! You're talking like I'm not in the room, I am quite capable of making a decision for myself!" Kai raised his voice and stood up to make his presence known again.
The three bladers realised their mistake.
"Sorry Kai, we were being a bit insensitive there." said Ray.
"Thank you, just because I'm expecting, doesn't mean I'm invalidated." he added in a calmer tone. "And I say screw the reporters and let them speculate."
"I was acting like that earlier at the zoo wasn't I?" asked Tyson, he had been asking Kai if he wanted to sit down or eat every five minutes. Kai looked at him as if to say 'what do you think?'
"We're back!" called Arin as she, Kenny and Kijo stepped into the kitchen with groceries.
Kijo placed his bag on the floor and held his arms out for Kai to hug him.
"How was school?" he asked.
"It was ok, basically went over what the orphanage taught me… oh I drew a picture."
"Did you?"
"I drew Dranzer and Dragoon."
"Cool. Can't wait to see that."
"Make any new friends?" asked Max.
"Not really, ate lunch with Monica." Kijo shrugged, then jumped when Kai's bump gave a small jolt.
"Sorry Kijo, they're kicking again." Kai laughed feebly.
"Are you ok Uncle Kai?" Kijo asked.
"Yeah, why shouldn't I be?" Kai asked "I'm fine Kijo."
Well now you know what the twins are in terms of gender. :D I might be a while in updating after this, the next month or so for me is absolutely manic, and I've posted all the stuff I've written beforehand. So bare with me:D
Kijo; Please Review!