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Miguel blinks his beautiful sapphire eyes in confusion. "What do you mean you already knew?"
Matilda fidgets uncomfortably under her captain's gaze, slowly tracing invisible outlines on his mobile phone. A light blush adorns her cheeks as her taller, darker skin teammate stands next to her chuckling. "I think it's cute," she mutters under her breathe.
"But how did you know?" Miguel asks again.
Aaron continues to chuckle. "Show him, Mattie."
Shyly, Matilda picks up her phone and scrolls through the menu, picking the photo album option and choosing a picture. "Um, here."
Miguel takes the phone from the young female, his eyes immediately widening at the picture. It's a picture of Kai and he, kissing passionately. After getting over his initial shock, Miguel tilts his head to the side, thinking it's really an incredible shot. Hilary should be a photographer.
Of course, she'll only go after other Yaoi pairings.
Can you even imagine? Hilary stalking random couples, squealing uncontrollably as she takes a thousand and one pictures?
"I didn't mean for you to find out this way," Miguel says, his eyes apologetic as he hands the phone back.
"Don't worry about it," Aaron tells him with a friendly smile on his face. "There are worst ways to find out."
"That's true," Miguel says as he returns the smile. His smile fades just a little when he looks at the two a little hesitant. "You don't mind?"
"Mind?" Aaron repeats, his smile not fading in the slightest. "Mattie here squealed for fifteen minutes when she saw the picture."
The blush on Matilda's cheeks darken a few shades of red and she promptly bows her head to hide it from her friends. "It was just so cute."
"Personally, I think it's hot," Aaron says, a wicked grin appearing on his lips. "Congratulations, Miguel. You've hit the jackpot."
Miguel once again blinks in confusion before a sigh of relief escapes his lips, following a small string of chuckles. "I like to think so, too."
A soft tune cause the teens to turn their attention to the young female of the group who quickly glances at her phone, receiving a message. "Hil wants to speak with me," she tells the boys, folding her hands behind her back subconsciously. "You know, girls stuff."
Aaron rolls his eyes. "I'm sure. Yaoi fan girl stuff is more like it."
Matilda giggles into her hands as she turns and begins to jog in the direction of Hilary's home. She pauses a few feet away to wave to Miguel. "I'll bring you a photo, Miguel!" she promises as she quickly disappears from sight.
A half hearted chuckle escapes Miguel's lips. "I'm never going to hear the end of this, am I?"
"No way in hell," Aaron replies between laughs and slaps him on the back. "Just wait until the next time you see Julia. She won't be able to stop gushing."
Miguel winces at the thought and Aaron simply continues to chuckle. Besides the chuckles and knowing looks from Aaron, they make their way towards the dojo in a comfortable silence. They turn to walk a tree line path that snakes through the park when Miguel pauses for a moment. He presses lips into a thin line, his brow creasing in thought. He can hear something. A noise. It's faint though.
"Miguel?" Aaron stops walking a few steps in front of Miguel.
"You go ahead," Miguel answers him, his eyes looking at his surroundings almost suspiciously.
Aaron blinks his eyes in confusion and tilts his head to the side. "What's wrong?"
"I just thought I heard something," Miguel replies briskly, his head snapping towards a certain direction. "I'll meet you at the dojo later."
"Er, ok," Aaron mutters in puzzlement of his friend's strange behavior. "Later."
"Bye," Miguel farewells his teammate and waits until he's complete out of sight before venturing out into the thick confinements of the trees. He walks in silence for a good five minutes, with each step the noise grows louder. He soon realizes that the voice belongs to that of Tyson Granger, and his practically yelling at either himself, or the world about how things seem to suck so bad for him at the moment.
Miguel hides behind the tree, waiting until Tyson finishes his hating of certain Spaniards and Russians, before throwing himself down on a bench, angrily crossing his arms over his chest, a pout on his lips.
Drawing a deep breathe to compose himself, Miguel pushes away from the tree he's hiding behind and steps out into the clearing. "Tyson."
Tyson snaps his head up at the sound of his own name, quickly glancing to his left to see who's there with him. An immediate scowl appears on his face, silently telling Miguel that he's the last person he wants to see right now.
Well, tough, Miguel retorts in his head as his eyebrow twitches in annoyance.
"Miguel," Tyson growls his greeting, before snapping his head away from him, his nose childishly pointing to the sky. "What do you want?"
"Hating me won't help this situation any," Miguel tells him bluntly, gritting his teeth to control his anger somewhat.
"It helps me."
"Stop acting like a child," Miguel scowls. "Kai is not a possession to be owned, you know? He craves freedom and understanding above all else, and with you constantly trying to control him, wanting to know what he's doing 24/7, doesn't improve your relationship with him."
"I wasn't trying to control him!" Tyson snaps, jumping to his feet to glare hatefully at Miguel like he's the lowest thing to ever grace this planet. "I was just looking out for him! He's my friend!"
"He's your obsession!" Miguel snaps, revealing his anger and frustration. His curls his fist by his sides as his body shakes with suppress anger. "Stop trying to control him! He can make his own choices without screwing up! You have to accept the fact that we're dating!"
"Listen, I don't need you telling me that I don't have a chance with him, ok!?" Tyson hisses at him, curling his hands into fists and bringing them in front of him as they shake with anger. "Stop rubbing it in my face!"
"I'm not rubbing it in your face," Miguel tries to tell him calmly. He unclenches his fists and lets his eyes slip close as he draws in a deep breathe through his nose. "I'm trying to make you see the consequences of your actions. What you did to both Kai and Oliver is something no friend should ever do! You obsessed over Kai and used Oliver as a free meal. You act like everyone is your friend, but you don't take the time to listen to what they have to say. You don't even take the time to get to know them at all. It's all about you, you and you. That's it. The only reason you're here listening to me now is because I'm talking about you."
The words hurt like hell and Tyson finds himself reeling back in shock. An array of different emotions appear within his chest. It's a sickly feeling of anger, disbelief and utter humiliation. He feels physically ill and swallows thickly. The only thought running through his mind is; how dare Miguel say such a thing!
Opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water, Tyson stands there in a stun stupor for endless moments and Miguel begins to wonder if his words are having an impact on the world champion.
"How dare you?" Tyson growls and Miguel feels his frustrations grow more intense. "You're acting like this is my fault somehow. Of course I listen to people. It's not my fault Kai didn't want to tell me that he was in love with you! I didn't force him to sneak around like a snake behind my back!"
"Stop being so self-centered!" Miguel yells at him, before taking another deep breathe to help calm himself down. "If you were acting like a true friend and wasn't always accusing him of every little thing, Kai would have told you. But you never listened to him or anyone else for that matter. If it isn't about Beyblade or you being the best there ever is, you simply don't listen until it's too late. I doubt even now my words are getting through that head of yours."
"No, I don't get what you're saying," Tyson replies harshly. "Kai could have easily told me what was going on with him but he chose not to. Why? It's because of you. Tell me, what's so bloody special about you?"
"I don't know what Kai sees in me," Miguel answers honestly, immediately his anger subsiding when the image of his feisty lover appears in his mind. "I mean someone like Kai deserves to have the world on a silver platter. But for whatever reason he choose me, and I couldn't be happier."
Despite his utter anger and the irrational hatred for the blonde before him, Tyson finds himself blinking as those humble words from the heart pass Miguel's lips.
A smile graces his lips as he says, with nothing but love and sincerity in his voice, "I love him," Miguel says. "He's the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I refuse to let you ruin that. I will fight for him, no matter what."
"Fight for him…?" Tyson repeats in shock, his eyes widening a fraction.
"Yes, fight for him," Miguel repeats as well. He glances at Tyson, a worn expression on his face, an expression that says he is sick of arguing with him. Sick of hiding from him. And most importantly, sick of hiding his feelings for Kai. "I love him, can't you see that?"
"And I love you, too."
The two teens whip around in time to see Kai's silhouette appear from the shadows of the tree line. He steps into the clearing, a small smile on his lips, his eyes gazing intently and warmly upon Miguel.
"Kai?" Tyson mutters, surprise in his voice at how casual Kai said he loved Miguel. It also surprises him how obvious it is now. The warm looks they give each other. The small smiles when the other's name is mentioned.
Maybe they're right. Maybe he is a little oblivious to the world around him…
"Kai…" Miguel whispers as Kai walks over to him and wraps his arms around his neck, nuzzling his cheek into his chest. Miguel sighs and holds Kai close to him, resting his chin in his hair.
"I heard everything," Kai says against his chest. "I left as soon as Aaron told me. Don't worry, you don't have to fight hard for me."
"Kai," Tyson says to grab Kai's attention, a hint of annoyance in his voice, his throat tightening with emotion. "What-?"
"Tyson," Kai cuts his off, reluctantly pushing away from Miguel to walk towards Tyson. "There's nothing between the two of us. Sorry to be blunt, but that's the way it is. You're a friend of mine, and nothing more."
Once again, Tyson reels back at the bluntness of those words and visibly winces. "But why?"
"Tyson," Kai says again with a sigh and a shake of his head. "I know you're a good person inside, but you've let your ego cloud your judgment. The reality of things is, things won't always go your way. Your determination is what drives you, but it also blinds you to the truth around you. I don't love you. I love Miguel and he loves me. Oliver did love you, but you unintentionally played with his feelings and you lost something special. Something you will never experience if you don't lose the ego."
"…" Tyson says nothing and simply looks away.
"After everything you've done, I should beat the crap out of you," Kai continues. "But I won't. I just hope you can finally see the consequences of your actions."
Miguel moves to stand beside Kai, resting his hand on the small of his back. Kai tilt his head back and they take a moment to silently communicate through with their eyes. "We know you're very angry with us right now," Miguel says with a small sigh, turning his attention to Tyson. "Which, I guess, is understandable. We should have been honest from the start."
Kai, too, turns his attention to Tyson. "But how can we if you don't listen?"
Tyson squeezes his eyes shut and presses his lips together in a thin line. There is a moment of awkward silence between the small group, but then Tyson releases a sigh and continues to look away. "What do you want me to do?"
After hearing those words, a sense of hope fills both Kai and Miguel. Could it be that he is finally getting what they've been trying to tell him?
"First, I want you to apologize to Oliver for your behavior," Kai tells him, nodding his head just a little. "I don't know where he is at the moment, but I'm sure he's hurting. The next thing is to try and listen and be more observant. I mean, actually listen to someone when they speak and not brush them off so quickly."
"You understand what we're trying to tell you now, Tyson?' Miguel asks the million dollar question.
"I guess…" Tyson answers softly as he continues looking away from the two.
Kai and Miguel share a look, a little hesitant in believing him. Pressing his lips together in a thin line, Kai breathes deeply through his nose. "Okay," he says, moving to grab Miguel's hand in his. "We'll catch you later."
"Kai?" Miguel questions as Kai begins to lead him away.
"Lets leave him alone for a while," Kai answers his silent question, glancing over his shoulder to see Tyson move to sit down on a park bench, his head in his hands. "I think it's finally starting to seep into that brain of his."
"I hope so," Miguel says as he pulls Kai closer to him.
Do you think Tyson is beginning to understand now? Hmmm?
Oh, if you're reading this, Christina Haney, you really should try a Yaoi pairing. A unique one, too, please! Oh, I don't know, maybe a Miguel/Kai? -hints before gets shot at- If you have any questions, hints and just feel like a whinge, feel free to email me. I won't bite X3 That goes for everyone.
Oh, and is that Jackass still hanging around? You know, the spammer? Me think it's a troll. A sad excuse of one, at that. There's a lot of those around, actually. Anyway, please review!