Merry December 15th guys! Time to update this bad boy, two more chapters left. Can't believe it's come this far, blood, sweat, and tears have gone into this on both our ends and you love for it all has been so worth it.
Still we're not sure as of yet when V-Force will kick off, we're working on it best we can.
For those of you who are frequent flyers with me, I apologize sincerely for lack of updates on my end here. I'm working on what I can when I can and hope to have a buttload of updates for you guys before the new year.
Without further ado, enjoy the show!
Also, they are in a real museum that is located in Moscow, the artwork that we describe it real and you can even see it for yourself if you google the Pushkin Museum.
Kai straightened himself up. "Hi!" He burst out before clearing his throat, "I mean, hey..." He said in a cooler tone.
Oliver's eyes went wide and bit his lip slightly, taking in his different appearance. "Ooooooh... Just when I thought you couldn't get any more handsome..."
Kai felt his face flush as the petite, pretty Frenchman stepped closer and scanned him.
"I told you, you were a diamond... Without that paint, it's like you're showing your inner beauty..." He went off, "I like the piercing too... Suits you..."
Kai swooned on the inside. He noticed!
Ray didn't know whether he should agree with him openly or not. He had told him that already before they left! He was the one that told him to leave the war paint, and he noticed the earring first!
Off in the distance, coming through an archway, he saw Enrique coming up looking around as if he was on the look for his lost pixie. Good, meant he could drag him back from whatever painting Oliver sprang out of and shove him back in it.
"Hey, Enrique!" He called to him, waving him over to hurry the hell up.
Enrique caught sight as his stomach dropped once he realized that Oliver had found them, why did they have to be here?!
He walked up to join them as they looked to be still waiting in line for their tickets, it was a slow process and lucky for him he had bought his and Oliver's in advanced.
"Fancy seeing you boys here, you two have a good breakfast?"
Kai arched a brow at him. How'd he know about that? "Good. Thanks." He replied coolly.
"You two looked like you were in a hurry to get somewhere, otherwise I would have waved at you through the window." Ray shrugged a little while he lied through his teeth, "How's your date going?" He asked, making sure to look at Oliver specifically.
Kai's head snapped between them. They saw them!? They were on a date?!
Oliver beamed. "Better now it's become a double one!"
Ray narrowed his eyes, "Mmmm, that's okay. We're trying to keep this a secret from the kids. If there's more people, we risk getting seen and all." His eyes shifted to Enrique, seeing him looking upset.
"Besides, you two look good together on your own."
Enrique's mouth dropped; he was not expecting that.
Oliver stuck out his bottom lip. "But we have our own private room! Would be a shame if you guys didn't get to enjoy the museum like we did!" He said before batting his lashes at Kai, "Besides... Would be nice to have some more beautiful things to admire..."
Ray rolled his eyes, of course they did. Rich bastards... "It wouldn't be very private if we intruded, maybe we can do a double date another time?"
Kai opened his mouth as he spoke. "Sounds good to me!"
Enrique took the opportunity with the slight confusion to grab Oliver by the shoulders, "Then we'll set it for another time, you two enjoy the rest of your date. See you boys around!" He cheered off happily, dragging Oliver away from them again.
Kai watched the green haired pixie go. God, he could do so much better than that Italian asshole...
Ray waved them off with a smug grin on his face and turned back to Kai, pushing him along the line and filling in the large gap that had been made from them being distracted.
"C'mon, we still have a bet to finish."
Kai followed. His ego-booster now gone; he turned his attention back to his other date. And he had a bet to win...
Ray glanced back at him, feeling Kai's eyes on him for some reason and gave him a small smile. Wondering what the staring was all suddenly about, were they in a silent staring contest now?
They moved with the line again, every now and then he'd look away only for his eyes to come back and fall on Kai beside him. Kai didn't realize he was even staring. He just liked watching him looking around. He looked like he was enjoying this? At least, his orangey, amber eyes gave off that he was.
His belly bubbled. Did he just smile at him!? The hell was he smiling at him for? Was he supposed to smile back?
Nah. That'd be weird.
They stepped up again, two people left before them and they finally could get in and then hopefully dodge Oliver and Enrique during their stay. It would be like another game of hide and seek, first they had to avoid the kids and now they had to avoid the Europeans...
"He wasn't wrong... At least..." He mumbled quietly, finally becoming the second in line for the tickets.
"Hn?" Kai asked absentmindedly as he got brought out of his staring.
"What he had said to you." Ray answered, in that same low quiet mumble as he found one of the pillars off to the other side of him very appealing at the moment.
Kai's veins revved up. "He say something? I wasn't really... Really listening..." His voice cracked.
Ray rolled his eyes, was he really going to have to tell him what Oliver said? Wait, he had told him the same thing before they left the hotel! If it gave him brownies points though... No, that wouldn't work. Kai liked Oliver... Right?
"Never mind then, it's not important." He settled on saying, and lucky him they were next to get their tickets and pulled him up to the counter quickly.
Kai swallowed the disappointment. He must not have meant what he thought he had... Welp. Walking bank account he was for the day.
Ray stood back as Kai handled getting their tickets, not understanding a damn thing but loved every bit of the exchange going between him and the burly, gruff, looking man behind the glass and counter. Finally they had them, Kai handing his over to him while he held onto a map of the place.
"Ready to lose?" Ray nudged him in the arm, grinning like mad.
Kai smirked at him. "I'm afraid I don't know what that word means. Not in my vocabulary."
"Might want to make some room then, cause you are going to lose so bad." Ray teased as they handed over their tickets and finally stepped through.
Kai rolled his eyes playfully. He was caught in a funny moment in Italy, granted. But that was because he caught him off guard. There was no way it'd happen again...
Right there in the first room, low and behold was a marble statue of a man in his birthday suit. Several other patrons circling around it, some admiring the busts that were placed against the stairs that sat to the back of the statue. Ray eyed it for a minute, it was too soon to start. Not to mention, something else had caught his attention.
He had no idea what it was, but it took up most of the wall across from the statue in an arch with carvings along it. It was stunning, and odd all at the same time with an iron gate that blocked them from going through it into another room.
What was most odd, was the sudden urge he had to touch it.
Kai stared at the marble wang and dug deep. He couldn't lose within seconds of walking in. It was a replica of Michelangelo's David. A world renowned work of art. Laughing at it would be childish and disrespectful.
...That ball sack though...
He turned to check if Ray had cracked a smile, only to find him wandering off already. He shrugged a little to himself, thinking how poor his game was if he wasn't even going to make a joke about the tiny cock, and followed.
"Do you know what this is?" Ray asked as he gestured at the wall... Thing...
Kai stuttered. He had absolutely no idea. It was an arch. Had some carvings in it...
His feathers ruffled. Not once had he admitted he didn't know something and he'd be damned if today would be the day. Not on the last day!
"It's... It's an arch built buy a very famous Russian architect. Hundreds of years old..." He pulled out his ass while he scanned it, "The figures he carved into it are... Are... Christ's followers and protectors." That sounded good, right?
Ray nodded along, that was good and all. He checked over his shoulder, making sure no one was looking and carefully reached out to touch it.
"RAY!" Kai half squeaked, half yelled as his heart exploded, throwing his hand out to grab his wrist and stop him before they got tackled by security.
Ray gave him a coy smirk, "I just wanna touch it, I'll be real quick." His smirk got bigger as he tugged his hand out of his hold and touched the surface of the arch thing.
Welp... That was boring. "Okay, all done." He put his hand back to his side, carefully glancing around again and seeing the coast was clear.
Kai's face was as white as the naked statue with the carrot dick, heart slamming. What a rebel...
Ray glanced around, seeing another smaller arch thingy behind the stairs, "Oh look, another one." He went to move towards it.
"Ray NO!" He scolded like a dog that looked like it was fixing to pee on the rug, taking off after him.
Ray smirked over his shoulder at him, seeing him get riled up over such a small little thing and took himself up the stairs instead.
"Relax Kai, you're too uptight."
Kai scowled. "You can't touch stuff! It's the rules! Look, there are posters everywhere and that security guard looks like he's killed a man before!"
"You'd be able to handle yourself against him." Ray said as he glanced at the guard, he really did look like he had killed someone before.
Kai stopped and blinked, his boys wondering if now was the time to flex.
Ray thought he was that tough?
At the next floor Ray just kept moving, glancing around at everything and weaving through the crowds. There were more statues in small glass cases and now paintings hanging just about everywhere. It was pretty, a little too crowded, but at least they were out of the cold.
Kai tried his best to keep up, multitasking between looking at the artwork he'd paid for them to see and keeping track of Ray. Too many people for his liking. And where the hell did Ray keep disappearing to!?
Ray paused behind a small crowd that had formed around a small bronze looking statue inside a glass case in the corner of the room, all he could see was the man's face above the heads in front of him. He wanted to see if this one would be it, make sure it was up to par with all the ideas in his head on how to get Kai to crack.
Hopefully he wasn't uptight anymore about touching the arch thing, if he was that might set him back on winning this bet.
Slowly he was able to move up, golden eyes raking down the statue until they stopped. Where was his thing?! It was just an empty space! The poor bastard...
Kai looked around frantically. How hard could it be to find a Chinese dude with hair down to his knees!? Finally, his eyes clipped him. He stopped himself from breaking into a run, walking over and tapping him on the shoulder. So much for a date if he kept leaving him behind!
"They hacked it off, Kai... It's gone." Ray told him in a distressed voice, knowing it was him by the smell of his cologne.
"What?" He bit at him, annoyed he kept getting left in the crowd.
Ray gestured up at the poor sob, "They took it from him, he's a eunuch, and then they put him in here to show off his shame. The poor dickless bastard." Ray held that same, sad and distressed tone.
Kai's eyes went to the glass case and traveled down the bronze statue.
Wow... He was right.
"He looks like an old timey Ken doll..."
"I don't know what that is. Think they ripped it off to save the children's innocence, or too big to fit in the glass box?"
Kai squinted. There was a very detailed carving of a mass of bronze pubes. And a pair of nuts.
"Maybe he's a grower rather than a shower?"
"Where's it gonna grow from? It's not there at all." Ray leaned a bit closer to look at the statue, there was something in its left hand.
"They ripped it off and made him hold it." He pointed out what he was looking at.
Kai frowned and looked at the statues hand. His lip quivered to fight a smirk, "Ray... That's an apple."
"That's what they want you to think."
Kai arched a brow. "You blind!? Look at the girth on that thing! That would split a man in half- I mean woman!" He corrected quickly, hoping no one around them understood them.
Ray looked at it some more and back to Kai, holding in a smirk. "What a way to go."
"Death by dick..." Kai shook his head.
Ray shrugged, "Could be worse." He moved on, dammit. He was sure he almost had him.
Kai followed him, feeling smug. He resisted...
Somehow they found themselves in another room, which looked more like a hall with naked statues galore. Pressed up against the walls or sitting in the middle of the room, there were plenty of small little carved peckers just waiting to be made fun of in there.
Kai's eyes widened. His closeted fantasy... But there were more important things at hand. Like winning the bet.
"Pick one." Ray said, gesturing at the statues lined along the wall.
Kai tapped his chin with his finger. Which was the most ripped with the smallest junk?
"This one..." He pointed out, showing a guy leaning against a tree in a pose that looked like he was trying and failing to pick up chicks.
"Good choice." Ray followed him to stand in front of it, taking a slight step back so his face wasn't directly in front of the guys junk.
He took him in a little, he had a cloth that was carved to make it look like it was draped over his arm instead of where it needed to be. Least he was proud of his little guy.
"Think it shrunk because of the cold, or he saw Boris walk by once?"
Kai shuddered. The thought made his own retract back inside him. "Probably a little of column A, little of column B... You think back then this was considered hung?"
"I pity everyone back then, if that was the case." Ray tilted his head, "Maybe he's a grower? Least there's something to grow this time."
"He even chose a baby tree to lean against."
"Had to compensate."
"Could have chosen a bigger tree then..."
"Might have scared whoever he's trying to pick up." Ray glanced at the one to their left, "He probably stole the one he wanted, then put it up between them so he didn't have to look at tiny over here. Should have just covered it up, even if there isn't much to really see."
Kai raised a brow. "I respect him. Happy with what little God gave him. Could have been bitter about it and tried to take over the world. But instead, this guy... Perseveres."
Ray glanced at him; oh it was so wrong to bring that up but Kai had just set himself up there. "That explains it then."
Kai glanced at him a minute before going back to admiring the tiny view.
"How much do you think someone would pay to ride that?" Ray asked in a neutral tone.
Kai tilted his head from side to side. "Well... I mean wouldn't be much of a ride... Now if he was gonna be on the receiving end..."
"It's not the size that matters, it's how you use it." Ray argued back.
Kai snapped his darkening eyes to him. "How would you know?"
Ray blinked at him a few times before he cracked a coy smirk, "I don't kiss and tell Kai." Hopefully he knew he was only playing with him; he hadn't even had his first kiss yet.
Kai's brow twitched. "Like someone back in the village or...?"
Ray pretended to zip his lips closed as he stepped back from him, going off to find another statue to try and win their bet.
Kai huffed. He hated it when he went all smarmy like this. "Fine. None of my business, and not like I care anyway..." He grumbled as he walked away from the poorly endowed statue.
Ray went across the room from the hooker statues to one on a giant slab, it was laying down on its side almost with its legs closed. He didn't want to look at it too hard but the moment he had stepped up to it his jaw almost hit the floor. That thing was huge!
"Found Moby Dick..." He muttered.
"Mhmm." Kai groaned out in a bored tone, pointedly not looking at Ray or the statue.
Ray glanced at him; he wasn't even looking now! "Must be too heavy, it's why he's on the ground. See, it's not all about size after all." That was the best he could do, Kai looked like he'd rather be anywhere else now and he didn't know why.
Kai barely graced him with another 'mhmm'. Oh sure... Ray just had to be Mr. Popular... Look at me and my girl hair, I'm charming as fuck.
Off to the side, coming into the hall Enrique clocked the two of them standing in front of the statue and stopped short of walking in with Oliver beside him. Once more unable to keep him still in their own private room for much longer, he had followed the Frenchman through the entire place in search of Kai and Ray.
He tapped Oliver on the shoulder, directing his attention towards the two and followed him to stand behind them as Ray finished his attempt at getting Kai to crack.
"Pffft..." Enrique blew out, holding his side as what Ray had said got to him and he couldn't hold it in.
Kai's head turned and nearly cracked off his neck, ignoring the strain and using the pain to fuel his glare at the familiar, dickish laugh.
Ray turned to Enrique who had tears in his eyes, arching a brow as he watched him clutch his side as if it was hurting him. It wasn't that funny...
Maybe the guy was trying to get Oliver jealous again because he was laughing at his joke? Ray was not in the mood to play that stupid game again, why wouldn't Enrique just man up?
"It wasn't that funny..."
"You making fun of some historical treasure is hilarious, Ray." Enrique said as he wiped a tear from under his eye.
Oliver made a face like he could smell something gross. "It's awfully immature to laugh at fine art like that..."
Enrique and Ray rolled their eyes collectively, "Good thing you weren't in the Sistine with us then." Ray muttered under his breath.
"Ray's right though, the only thing the poor man can get up is that. Why on earth did they make it so big? Compensating for themselves, I'd guess." Enrique said as he stepped closer to inspect Moby Dick, effectively putting himself between Kai and Ray.
Ray fought a smile, that was actually pretty good.
Kai turned his back and skulked off in a heartbeat. Once again, this just kept on getting worse. Oliver's smiling eyes grinned as he skipped over to him, sliding his hand loosely around his chiseled arm to link with him.
"So... What's your favorite kind of art?" He asked as he followed along beside him.
Ray and Enrique watched them go off, both of them frowning and turning as green as Oliver's hair.
"You owe me a coffee." Ray said pointedly.
"Coffee?" Enrique turned back at him.
"Kai and I had a bet, whoever laughed over a dick bought the other coffee. You laughed, so you owe me a coffee."
"Well then, shall we be off?" Enrique asked as he held his hand out to him like they had done back at Robert's castle.
Ray looked at it for a second before his eyes shifted up to Kai and Oliver already on the other side of the room, taking up Enrique's offered hand with a defeated sigh. Might as well.
Oliver listened to Kai tentatively, his eyes glancing at the blonde hair only for his face to fall flat at the sight of him hand in hand with the man cat and leaving.
His pale face burned as his insides swelled with raging lava. "French art you say!? Well, what a coincidence! The private room we rented out has plenty! Real beauties. LETS GO." He growled in a tone that even startled Kai, making him shrink a little as he got dragged all of a sudden.
"I-I said Italian..." Kai stuttered as he pulled back a little, looking around to see where Ray went.
Oliver's eyes blazed brighter than Kai on a rampage. "I heard French..."
"You really didn't have to buy me a coffee, Enrique." Ray gave him a small look of appreciation at least for his efforts as Enrique sat down at the table with him, two cups of the dark caffeinated liquid in each hand.
"A bet is a bet." Enrique chimed with a grin that lasted a minute, "So tell me, are you two actually on a date or just wanting to ditch the others one last time?"
Ray's face flushed slightly, he kept calling it a date but it wasn't really a date in the sense Enrique was probably thinking. Kai had said he'd take him to the pond before the Black Dranzer issue, he was just making sure he kept to his word on it. That's all this was.
"Not really, I've already told you anyways. I don't like him like that." Ray scoffed as he fought down the blush, leaning back into his chair more as he once more lied through his teeth.
"It's just… He wanted to show me this place that's in this book of his, figured we'd make the most of our last day together."
Enrique's grin came back, "But why alone?" He teased.
"Well, everyone else has family here with them. Saw Tyson with his dad and grandpa and Max is spending time with his mom, so ya know… Worked better that way if we just went off without them." Ray stuttered around his answer.
Enrique nodded a little before his grin turned into more of a sly one, "But you also have your friends from your home, why not spend the time with them?"
"I'll have plenty of time to spend with them when I get back, I don't know if I'll ever see Kai again." Ray answered quickly with a slight frown, "And it's been nice, he's less uptight when it's just us."
"Is that so?" Enrique leaned forward on the table with his elbows, resting his chin on the top of his hands. "You must be very special to him then."
"I doubt it." Ray shook his head, "I mean, you and I sitting here is a pretty obvious indicator to that." He said with a slight bite in his tone.
Enrique's grin got swiped off his face instantly, frowning just as hard as Ray was. "I couldn't keep him still, trust me, I tried."
Ray's brow rose, "Your way of keeping him to yourself, or to finally man up?" He teased back. Since Enrique kept wanting to make him squirm, he was going to return the favor.
"I haven't had the right things to say, every chance I get it gets lost somewhere." Enrique explained in a more saddened tone.
Ray nodded like he understood, feeling for the poor rich bastard. "Don't rush it, when it comes up again I'm sure you'll figure it out."
"And what of you?" Enrique asked while wiggling his brows.
"I told you!" Ray yelled back, quickly reeling it in once he realized he had drawn curious stares towards them.
He shifted in his seat, unable to fight down the maddening blush on his cheeks this time as he played with the ends of his hair that fell over his shoulder.
"I… I actually don't know… I mean… It's kind of weird, if you think about it." He mumbled, avoiding looking up from his fingers because he didn't want to look at the smug grin Enrique was probably wearing now.
"You know, before I would have thought it weird. The two of you, or you with a guy at all to be honest. I even told Oliver that when we saw you back in Italy. The more I've seen the two of you, the more I can picture it though."
"Well… I'm Bi, so… And when did you see us in Italy?" Ray questioned as he looked up at him, his stomach twisting at everything else Enrique had said to him.
"You two were in a café, he was wearing your shirt." Enrique explained vaguely, as if he was having a hard time pinpointing the time he was talking about.
"Same day Tyson beat me, and then Oliver invited your team for dinner. Kai left because of Tyson and then you went after him."
"I didn't go after him, Tyson just pissed me off!" Ray argued back, "…I didn't even know you two were there."
"We were sitting right outside, watching you two." Enrique informed with another smug grin, "Oliver thought you two were on a little date."
"We weren't, he just showed up at the Vatican and Max had left me on my own. So we stuck together through it." Ray explained with another blush, "And we got a drink afterwards, it's not that big of a deal." He shrugged it off.
"So this would be your second date then?"
"I um…" Ray thought for a moment, was that time even considered a date or just coincidence that Kai happened to be there and they went for drinks afterwards?
"I don't think so… This would be our first, since we planned it and all." He squeaked out.
"Ohhh, so you are on a date then?"
"I don't know! Okay?! I… Look, I don't know what's going on but maybe you're right." Ray huffed, looking back down at his lap. "I really don't know…"
Enrique gave him a soft look of sympathy, "It's hard isn't it? Finally getting close enough to him and then having to say goodbye the next day."
"It's not just hard… It sucks…" Ray choked, hoping he could keep his tears at bay. "What sucks worse is knowing it wouldn't become anything anyways."
"Why do you think that?" Enrique asked.
Ray gestured down at himself, "Small village boy, while he's an heir to millions… He'd be better off with someone who's just as smart as him, same background and all that stuff. I have nothing to offer him."
"Ray, let me be honest with you. Even if you had nothing to offer him in the sense of money or possessions, it's what you can offer him outside of all that. You're smart, you're quirky, and someone anyone can just relax around. All in all, that balance is good between the two of you and probably why you and him get along so well."
"It wasn't like that from the start." Ray chuckled, "We were at each other's throats at the start, he was a real asshole."
"He still is." Enrique joked back, "And Kai doesn't look like the kind of guy who cares for stuff like that, even if he does come from money."
Ray shook his head again, even if Enrique was trying to help it just made things worse inside his head. He'd never be good enough for him, not to mention what would be the point? They were leaving tomorrow, probably never to see each other again. Maybe the distance would be good in the end, it'd be able to stomp out these unwanted and sudden feelings he found himself having for his captain.
"Guess it won't matter, will it? We leave tomorrow, I'm going home and he's going to Japan. Probably won't ever see each other again."
Enrique frowned a little, that had to really suck. He and Oliver could easily see one another whenever they wanted, even just as friends they were always together doing whatever they wanted because they had the means to. He didn't know what Kai could do, but he didn't think Ray had that kind of cash just laying around to go off and see him even if he wanted.
"Well, my offer still stands for that trip. If you ever want to just go off and clear your head."
Ray smirked a little, "Are you still trying to hit on me here?"
Enrique shrugged, "You're good looking and a good conversationalist, so why not? And I did offer."
Ray shrugged back, "Sure, maybe some time I'll take you up on it. Until then, we should head back and find the other two."
Enrique nodded in agreement, pushing away from the table and picked up his coffee as Ray followed him. Picking up his own, he could give it to Kai since he didn't drink coffee in the first place.
Kai tried to listen to Oliver talk about... Whatever painting this was. Yet another piece from the French Revolution. It wasn't that he wasn't interested, but as with every time he was left alone with the green haired pixie, it left him feeling a tingle of excitement.
His lilac eyes tore away from the painting to check his audience. His mouth wobbled into a coy smirk as he saw him staring at him instead.
"Sorry... Am I boring you?"
Kai snapped back into the room. "N-no! Not at all! It's interesting!" He stuttered as he snapped his eyes to the painting.
Shit... Why was he such a deranged asshole? Maybe he really was too arrogant... Couldn't expect him to stroke his ego every time...
"I thought you'd like these..." Oliver continued as he gestured at the powerful scene framed in front of them. "It's powerful, majestic, victorious and strong... Just like you."
Kai's lips curled into a smirk; there it was... He leaned closer to the painting, "You're right... I do like these... Always did have a soft spot for French works of art..." He let out in a husky voice as he looked back from the boring painting to the much more eye pleasing company.
Ray's ears perked as he and Enrique stepped into the gallery the other two were in, clearly unaware of their presence behind them. His grip on his coffee tightening as he saw Kai lean his shoulder closer to Oliver's as they inspected the painting together, what fresh hell was this?! If either of them took one more step towards each other he was gonna throw hot coffee on both of them.
Luckily Enrique had a more civil approach, "There you are Oliver!" He said excitedly, promptly squeezing himself between the two as if the glare Kai was giving him didn't seem to faze him in the slightest.
"We were getting worried about you two, wondered where you'd ran off to." He smiled brightly, slipping his arm through Oliver's before he could protest.
Kai jumped out his skin and carefully turned around. Where there was an Enrique there was probably a...
Yup. There was Ray. Well this sucked. He looked annoyed and he only got an ego pat rather than a full stroke.
Oliver turned his nose up and weakly tried to pull out of Enrique's hold. "Enjoy your coffee?"
Ray tried to smile at him, though his lips only turned upwards slightly when they caught each other's eyes briefly until he saw Kai's going down to the coffee cup in his hands. It was for him, but then again Kai had ditched him for the pixie.
With a more smug grin he put the cup to his lips and held his breath, he hated it but it was his turn to be the asshole for once.
Kai raised a brow. That sure smelled like coffee. "You sure you wanna do that?"
Ray eyed him; no he wasn't sure but this was what Kai got for ditching him on their date. "Mhmm." He hummed, taking a sip and fought hard not to cringe at the terrible bland taste that greeted his taste buds.
Kai smirked and his eyes glittered mischievously. "Good?"
"Have no idea." Ray forced out, taking another sip of it.
Kai rolled his eyes. "Why didn't you just get tea like you usually do?" He bit, throwing a shady glance at Enrique. Stupid asshole didn't even know he liked tea and that he hated coffee...
What a loser...
Ray shrugged as he turned to walk away, "Dunno, that was the bet though. Thought about giving it to you." He said mindlessly as he glanced around at the few pieces of artwork he hadn't really gotten a chance to look at yet.
"Hn..." He huffed, "Don't want anything from that jerk..." He muttered under his breath.
"So you don't want it?" Ray asked as he held the cup out to him, it was still pretty much full. Two sips wasn't enough to really take much out of it.
Kai blinked. Yes, he wanted it! He hadn't had coffee today. He'd been a gentleman and taken him for that Russian tea this morning. Because that's what his... Company liked. But fine, if Enrique-poo was sooo much better.
"No, no... You enjoy it." He told him in a sweet, polite voice. He hoped it tasted as bitter as he felt.
"You sure?" Ray gave him one last chance, stepping up to him and batting his lashes like Oliver did, just so he could pull it out from under him.
Somewhere off to the side Enrique had pulled Oliver away from the two, not that he really cared.
Kai's bitter face fell a little as the eyelash batting softened him up like butter. He wouldn't make Ray suffer through it. He knew he hated it. He'd continue to be the gentleman Enrique wasn't.
"Well... I mean... If you don't want it..."
Ray's hand moved to put the cup into Kai's awaiting one, just before their fingers brushed he pulled back. The smug grin on full force on his lips as he spun on his heel, throwing back the cup and downing a good portion of it.
"Mmm, nah. Think I'll keep it since I won and all."
Kai blinked before he frowned. "I think you'll find you won against Enrique! Wasn't even who you made the bet with! But whatever! Hope it burns your throat!"
"Aw, is someone a sore loser?" Ray teased over his shoulder, showing off his fangs through his smirk. He was so cute when he was angry.
Enrique's head shot up at his name being yelled across the other side of the room, looking back between the two quietly. His own smile coming to his lips, was Kai jealous of little old him?
Kai's brow twitched. Screw all of them... Apart from Oliver. But his ego-booster was currently indisposed with that dickwad and he wasn't exactly going to hang out with Ray now...
He turned and skulked off. What was the appeal of that dude anyway!?
Ray saw him leaving, again! Out the corner of his eye he saw Oliver detach himself from Enrique. Oh no, no, he was not getting his little Frenchy hands on him again! He sent him a glare, his pupils slitting and let out a feral sounding hiss. Quickly rushing to catch up to Kai, he didn't care if he got yelled at for it, Oliver was allowed to do it why shouldn't he be able to? And slipped his arm around Kai's.
"Where we going now?" He asked excitedly, the pit of his gut swirling with something.
Kai's own belly wriggled. Since when was Ray touchy? But he didn't deserve to touch his prized guns just yet... Not after that stunt.
He yanked his arm away, "I'm going to see the imperial Russian stuff..." He told him in a snooty voice.
"Oooo." Ray sounded more excited than he felt, trotting after him and checking over his shoulder one last time to make sure the pixie knew his place.
That was his captain.
"You can tell me all about it right? Since you're so smart." He figured, at least, he did need to make amends somewhere with him. Inflate his already oversized head some, in a way he was just like Tyson in that sense but he wouldn't dare say that out loud; he only had one life left.
Kai let out a snort. "Of course I can..." Wait, wasn't he trying to make him go away? How was he invited now?
Enrique smirked as he watched the two leave them, until it finally clicked in his head what Ray had done a minute ago. "Did... Did he hiss at you?" He belted out a laugh.
Oliver blinked and touched his chest, worried. "Is that what that was? I thought he might be having a stroke or something..."
"Oh no, I think that was your warning Oliver." Enrique hit his knee, oh man this day just kept getting better. "Should we follow or let them go off?"
Oliver looked hurt. "What did I do!?"
Enrique thought about whether or not he should tell him, before he shrugged his shoulders. If Oliver hadn't figured it out on his own, who was he to spoil the surprise?
"Don't know."
Oliver pouted. Hadn't Enrique cared that he was sweet talking the attractive, rugged Adonis!?
"Just... Let 'em go I guess..."
"I'm sure we'll see them before they leave." Enrique said as he held his arm back out to him, time to be the hero. "Let's go find somewhere to eat, anywhere you want."
Oliver latched on like a koala. "...Anything?"
"Anything." Enrique confirmed in a smooth tone, pulling Oliver closer to his side.
In return he clung to him tighter. "I could really go for some Italian..." He said softly as he bat his lashes.
"Your wish is my command." Enrique guided them out of the gallery, intent on putting a good distance between them and the other two.
Ray bounced on the balls of his feet, his ankle shooting up painful sparks that he ignored. If he took another pain pill he'd get tired, he didn't want that right now since they were finally alone again. He pointed out another painting, having already gone through a history lesson on three others since they had entered the gallery.
"Tell me about that one!" He jumped excitedly beside Kai.
Kai's tail wagged furiously. Ray had been hanging on his every word and his person since they left the other two.
Fuck you, Enrique...
The only problem was, he had no clue about this one. Couldn't let him down though...
"Ahhh... This is an... Early 1900s... Piece by... Bullshitavich..."
Ray quickly bit his lip to keep from laughing at that terrible name, oh the poor sob! "It's stunning! I really like what he did with the... Paint." He cocked his head to the side, which meant it went onto Kai's shoulder that was attached to the arm he had been clutching to.
"I wanna touch it."
Kai's face flushed. "Yeh... It's a painting style typical of... Him." He bullshitted. Thank god Ray came from the middle of nowhere...
He looked down at the shiny hair resting on his shoulder. "I wanna touch it too..." His voice cracked.
Ray craned his neck to meet his eyes, his fang slipping through his mischievous grin. "Do it."
Kai's heart slammed. He wasn't serious. "You nuts!? We'll get arrested!" He hissed out in a whisper.
Ray peeled himself away from Kai's shoulder, his free arm reaching out to touch the frame of the painting hanging up in front of them. They really should rope these things off if they didn't want people touching them.
"Shhh, we'll be fine. Besides, they'll have to catch us first."
Kai spasmed in panic, throwing his arms around his waist to drag him back.
"Ray NO! Bad Ray!"
Ray's cheeks warmed up considerably as he was yanked back, "You're no fun." He pouted.
"How are you gonna run with a busted ankle!?" He scolded.
"You'll carry me, duh!" Ray laughed.
Kai's eye twitched. He wasn't about to be thrown in prison with Voltaire because Ray wanted to touch whoever the fuck's painting!
"Actually, could you carry me? My ankle is hurting." Ray winced a little, unable to ignore the sharp pain shooting up his leg.
Kai immediately dropped the scolding face and flapped. "It is? You all right? Wanna sit down? There's a bench right over there!"
"But we weren't done! I was enjoying the history lessons!" Ray pouted.
Now Kai was conflicted. Make him rest some and take him home, or actually carry him and get to show off...
He caved. "All right, fine. But behave yourself." He warned as he turned and bent his knees for him to climb on.
Ray couldn't stop the little squeal of excitement, why he thought this was the best day ever he didn't know.
"My knight in shining armor." He did as he was told, throwing his arms around Kai's neck as he climbed up.
Kai flushed hot. "Just... Don't get used to it! Or tell anyone...!" He snapped as Ray climbed him like a tree, wrapping himself around him.
"What happens if someone just sees us?"
"I throw you off. You'll have to stay alert." He warned, his hands trying not to cop a feel of the thighs he was holding.
He cleared his throat, "Where to?"
"You throw me off and I kick your ass." Ray said, tightening his grip some around Kai's neck. "I'm kinda hungry again." He mumbled.
The Russian rolled his eyes. So much for history lessons... At least he wouldn't need to pull more stuff out his ass.
"And what is his royal highness hankering?"
"Italian, do you have Italian here?" Ray asked.
Kai shrugged mentally. Hell if he knew. His memory had come back, but hardly made him a local. He wouldn't tell him that though. He racked his brain. Didn't he see a place on the way here?
"Of course. That's what you're feeling?"
"Yup, onward noble steed!"
He let out a smirk. "I thought I told you, I went rogue."
"You sure?" Ray smirked back, "Could have fooled me."
"I'm very sure. I'm just a generous rogue."
"And I greatly appreciate it." Ray chuckled, fighting the blush that had been spreading along his face and thankful Kai couldn't see it.
Feeling like a pack horse, Kai trotted his way out the museum, past the stone gate thing and having to walk an extra safe distance when he felt Ray reaching out to touch it again.
He ignored the stares the locals were giving as he piggy backed the chattering Chinese boy through the snowy streets. He made sounds like he was listening while frantically scanning the streets for signs of pasta. His king needed him. There had to be something... Somewhere.
Ray enjoyed chatting his ear off about whatever came to his head, keeping his chest pressed into Kai's back. His personal heater for the day, felt like he was laying on a hot rock and before he could stop it a small purr slipped through his throat.
Kai stopped in his tracks. "Are you... Are you all right?" He asked as he felt and heard the vibrating.
It cut off the second Kai said something, his face burning despite the cold air. "Sorry..." He didn't know what else to say, how could he even explain that to him?!
Kai shook his head, despite him not being able to see it. "No, no... I kinda like it."
Ray's brain came to a standstill before the cogs began their backwards turning. He liked his purring?! He liked something about him? One point for him and... However many Oliver had now, either way he was still losing.
"You do?" His voice cracked, "I ugh... I like your hair..."
Kai's face turned deep red. He did!? He hated it personally...
"Um... Thanks..." He made himself walk, feeling an awkward silence fall. Having gotten used to the chatter, he hated it.
"You know, back when I was with my old... Friends..." He decided on, not wanting to tell Ray about his gang days, "There used to be a stray cat at the warehouse we trained in. He purred like that. I used to feed him and stuff. Named him Joey." He blurted out.
"Wait, you had friends before us?" Ray asked in a teasing tone, "And here I thought we were your firsts. But that was sweet, hopefully your friends have kept him fed for you."
Kai tensed. 'Friends' wasn't exactly the word, but he'd already fucked up so bad, he didn't want Ray to think even less of him.
"Might be hard to do. He died."
"Oh..." Ray's smile fell, his fingers clutching Kai's shirt some. "I'm really sorry..."
"Ah, it's all right. Circle of life and all that..." He shrugged off. All gang activity was postponed for 3 days after Joey died. Couldn't cause havoc with a tear stained gang leader.
Ray agreed, but still, it was terrible to think about and Joey must have meant something to him for Kai to mention him. Another purr slipped through, small and subtle but with his chest against Kai's back he'd be able to feel and hear it again. His own way of comforting him, even if Kai might not have wanted it.
"Need to eat so I can take a pill..." He mumbled, somehow feeling drained suddenly. Maybe it was because of the how the conversations had gone downhill, but he felt like he got hit by another one of Bryan's attacks.
"Oh. R-right!" Kai jumped back into life. "Hang on!" He picked up his pace, taking off down a busier looking street. There HAD to be an Italian place somewhere.
A few more left turns and then a few right turns later, he saw a glorious green, white and red flag that made his heart leap out his throat.
L'ULTIMA CENA
Ray took a look at the place, who cared what it looked like on the outside. It was what was on the inside that mattered.
"Can throw me off now, I should be able to get in and sit on my own."
Kai tore his eyes away from the sign, 'The Last Supper' as if they needed to be reminded about tomorrow after everything. He would have protested, offered to take them somewhere else but his hold on Ray's legs had gone lax and he was already shimming his way down off his back.
His arms went out in case Ray wasn't steady yet, he didn't know how badly his ankle was giving him problems but Ray put his weight on it without really flinching too badly and they started for the doors.
It was warm, the smells of Italian cuisine hitting them in the face along with the sounds of familiar, boisterous, voices and an uncomfortable jolt shot down Kai's back.
"Sounds like another party." Ray mused as the hostess approached them.
"Two more for the party?" He asked in a thick Russian accent.
Kai wanted to grab him and leave again; he really didn't want to have to sit around all those faces two days in a row.
"Yes please." Ray spoke up before his brain could pick and choose what to do, getting tugged by the sleeve of his jacket to follow Ray and the hostess to the far back where the voices got louder the closer they approached.
Apparently it was just another after party and the second they stepped through the archway, all eyes fell on them and the voices died down to low whispers.
"Who invited him?" Came a voice from near the back of the crowd.
Ray frowned, that sounded like Michael but he wasn't completely sure.
"Yo! Kai, Ray over here dudes!" Tyson's arm shot up through the sea of multicolored hair, waving it about.
Ray went to step, still clutching Kai's jacket sleeve to go join their kids at the table they had snagged with Tyson's father and Grandpa when a bright flash of pink hair had shot up in front of them.
"Come sit with us Ray, you look exhausted. You shouldn't be up and moving with your injuries, the cold isn't good for you. The doctors told you this." Mariah scolded as she grabbed his other arm, sending a slight glare past his head at Kai.
Ray's hand that had been holding Kai's jacket snapped away quickly, hoping nobody had been paying that close attention to detail. If anything, he was hurt and using Kai as a crutch to walk with.
"I'm fine Mariah, and I'm gonna go sit with the others. I'll see you tomorrow." He directed at her before sending Kai a pleading look, hoping he could see it and get him to the others.
Kai saw it. "Yeh, Tyson and Max probably want to get some time in with you before we go."
Mariah puffed her cheeks out, "But what about us?"
"I'll see you tomorrow." Ray repeated, nudging Kai to move so he could follow. "I won't see them again." He said over his shoulder as Kai started to go and he went after as quickly as his damaged ankle could take him.
Sadly, Kai heard that. Adding to the already huge shitty feeling of everyone looking at him the way they had. Well, so much for a perfect last day.
He kept his head down as he walked through the chairs, feeling the glances and stares.
"Come sit here! They're bringing more pizza out soon, but you gotta try this one! It's got mackerel on it! Russians are weird man! ...No offense, Kai." Tyson ranted on as he made it over.
Ray snickered a little, thankful for Tyson being... Tyson for once. They sat down with their family, side by side like they had been all day at the large round table.
"You three having a good day?" He asked them through a yawn, just to lift the tension he could feel in the room.
"YEH!" Tyson bellowed, "We went to some stupid art gallery with Kenny, make up for the Louvre. But luckily, it was too busy and he got claustrophobic so we didn't have to stay long. THEN we went to some park. Froze my nads off! THEN we went and got hot chocolate to warm up and THEN we got called up to come for a pizza party!"
"What have you two been up to? We tried seeing if you wanted to come with us, but nobody answered and we figured you had already left or were sleeping in." Max chimed in next.
"Sounds like fun." Ray mused as he plucked his pill bottle out, getting one out and grabbed the water that had been sat down in front of him. "And we've just been... Sightseeing." He shrugged as he took the pill he needed, chugging the water after it.
"Just the two of ya?! Where was our invite!?" Tyson demanded.
"What time did you wake up?" Ray asked as he sat his cup down, grabbing the fresh pizza that was laid out in the middle of the table for them.
"Like... Ten?"
"Exactly, that's why we went ahead so you could sleep in. Had to rest after that battle, right?" Ray said and turned to Kai, of course he had gone quiet and wouldn't say anything now that there were others around.
"Here, you need to eat too." He grabbed him a piece and plopped it down on his plate in front of him, giving him a look that dared him to protest.
Kai nodded in thanks and waited for him to look away. He wouldn't be surprised if someone poisoned it. Maybe he could sneak out the back...
"What're you doing after this?" Max asked, watching carefully between the two of them as Ray started eating his pizza and Kai watching his go cold.
Ray shrugged, "Probably go back and pack." He said after chewing his mouthful, "Have you guys packed yet?"
Tyson shook his head. "Just the one bag! Won't take long! Boy, am I gonna be glad to eat some rice when we get back home!" He said as he shoved another piping hot slice in his mouth.
Ray just smirked into his next bite, enjoying the time they were having even if he could feel the judgmental stares at their table again. As he grabbed a second piece Enrique and Oliver sauntered up to their table.
"Glad to see you two could make it, sorry we would have called if we had your numbers or something." Enrique started before he fidgeted slightly where he stood.
"How you feeling Ray?"
Ray arched a brow as he turned to look at him. Honestly, he was worn out but with the day they had it wasn't that much of a surprise.
"Fine, why?"
"Well... That coffee you had earlier, I accidentally switched the cups around and you had one with espresso in it. Didn't know if you're feeling off because of it." Enrique explained sheepishly.
Ray just blinked at him; the hell was espresso? "No, I'm fine."
Kai let out a snort. That's why Ray talked out his ass and bounced like a kangaroo the whole time. Ray looked back at Kai, what was that noise for? Maybe he missed something, somewhere. His eyes went down to the plate and untouched pizza.
"Eat." He commanded in a stern tone, narrowing his eyes at him.
Kai narrowed his eyes back. Feeling Enrique and Oliver glancing between them.
"It's already been paid for; don't worry about how much you eat." Enrique quickly piped up, not sure what else to say with that look he was getting now.
Kai's brow twitched. Did Enrique think he was cheap!? "Just not hungry..."
Ray frowned a little, great their day out was ruined now. "It's really good though." He bat his lashes at him, like back in the art gallery. "Please eat something."
Kai pursed his lips and looked away. Damn that look. He wouldn't give in...
Moments later he felt the pull and looked back. Damnit...
He picked up the still warm slice and forced a bite. Ray gave him an approving smile, going in for seconds as Enrique and Oliver scampered back off to their own table with the other Majestics. Max, once again, seemed to be looking between them closely for some reason.
"Something seems different here." He deducted, grabbing the others attentions.
Tyson looked at the other two, Max was right. Something did seem different, but he couldn't put his finger on what it was.
Kai felt uncomfortable. It wasn't something to do with him and Ray, was it?
Tyson held his chin and examined them closely before his eyes went wide and snapped his fingers. "Got it! Ray's hair is different!"
Ray chuckled, "Not really... It's just out at the moment. Didn't want to fight with it this morning."
"It's your clothes!" Max shouted next, "You look good in red, Ray." He beamed brightly.
Grandpa shook his head. How was he nearing death and still had sharper eyes than these kids?
Tyson waved his hand, "That's not it though..."
"Thanks." Ray blushed a little, this was weird but at least now the tension he had been feeling really was gone from them.
"You always did look stunning in red, Ray!" Mariah's voice echoed through the room and he felt himself shrink in his seat. The weirdness intensifying.
Kai shot her an icy glare before he could control it. It didn't matter if she was right.
"Your ear is pierced?" Came a random question from Emily a table over, able to see the stud when Kai had turned his head.
Tyson squinted before his eyes went huge. "HOLY CRAP SINCE WHEN!?"
"Pfff... You know what they say..." Michael whispered cruelly before Eddy gave him a look. He had his pierced too?
Kai squirmed in his seat, feeling all kinds of uncomfortable and angry. Ray's head snapped around, sending his own glare at the American Baseball player. What an asshole, he was lucky they were able to get their bit-beasts back for them.
"I've been thinking about getting mine done." Enrique shot out in the crowd, "Think I'd look good with it Oliver?"
Oliver gave him a warning look, "I think you'd look fantastic." He Lied through his teeth, hoping he could read his mind. He'd look ridiculous, but for the sake of the situation, he'd go along with it.
"But it's not just the earring..." Max mused quietly, leaning forward on the table as if getting closer would pinpoint what it was that seemed off about his captain.
"You can do it, Maxie... I believe in you." Grandpa said almost sarcastically.
Oliver let out a musical laugh, "You really don't see it?" He asked, amused.
"You were wearing a smile before you came in!" Max concluded, slamming his hand down on the table as if he had solved a crime. "I saw you through the windows!"
Tyson choked on water. "He was!?"
Ray choked on his food; he was also carrying him on his back. Did Max see that too?! Did the others see that?!
Kai choked back. "Was not!" He protested, worrying the same thing as Ray.
Max frowned, slumping back in his seat. "Then I don't know, but something seems different." He pouted.
Ray hit his chest, trying to dislodge the pizza from his throat. His face burning with embarrassment, at least Max didn't mention the piggyback. But boy were their children dense.
Tyson stared hard. "I feel like it's just staring me in the face..."
Ray tugged on Kai's jacket; he couldn't get the damn pizza out from inside his throat. Today had been so good too. Stupid Italian restaurant, he should have picked something else.
Kai looked before doing a double take at the color of his face.
His king!
Ignoring everyone looking at him, he leaned him forward a little, reeling his arm back and giving a hard whack across the back. Ray choked it up, able to finally breathe. Tyson and the others all shot up from their chairs, asking if he was okay at lightning speed as the crowds attention turned back to them with worried and stunned eyes.
Ray could only nod, damn this was embarrassing. "I'm fine guys." He sputtered out some, taking a drink to cool the burn off his face.
"Thanks..." He gave Kai a small smile, his knight in shining armor. "Almost lost my last life there."
A deep red flush burned across his own face. "Don't mention it..." He muttered back.
He glanced to see blue eyes staring him down before they got excited. "I GOT IT!"
Ray's head shot up, oh no... No. No he did not get it!