Happy New Year! Welcome to 2020!
As promised, the rest of their date and then we're on to the last chapter of this season. We do have two chapters that are an in between the seasons before V-Force, haven't got a clue as to when those will be up but at some point we'll get V-Force properly started and then go from there.
Big thank you to Prongsie for the new cover art she did for us, it's absolutely beautiful.
Also, it just hit me but it's Progression's Birthday as well. Last year was when we first uploaded this so it's now a whole year old!
As always, thank you to everyone who has come by, faved, reviewed, followed. It never fails to make our days when we see how much love this fic gets.
See ya'll on the 15th! Bring your tissues!
Max stood up, dramatically pointing at his captain. "FACE. PAINT!"
Ray let out a deep breath, falling back into his chair. Yes, Max. The face paint... That was it.
Tyson's eyes bugged out his head, "NO FREAKIN' WAY! I thought they were tattoos!"
Kai gave him his famous 'how much of a moron are you?' face. "How many fourteen year old's do you know with face tattoos!?"
Tyson gave him his famous grin back, "You'd have been the first. I mean, you were in a gang. So why wouldn't they be tattoos?"
Kai's insides almost fell out his ass as he felt like Tyson had bitch-slapped him. Why!? Why would he bring that up!? And at such volume...
If he didn't feel eyes on him before, he did now. But he didn't care so much about anybody else's. He'd already put a big, black stain on Ray's opinion of him. Now what would he think?
Ray blinked a few times, 'gang'? Were those his 'friends' with Joey? Subtly he took a good, long, look up and down his captain beside him. He could see it, would make sense in a way. That's probably why he had been chosen to be their captain to start with.
"Were you the leader?" Is what his brain decided to spit out at the moment.
Kai kept his eyes on the table. The whispering and judging he heard from the other tables about felt like pin pricks across his skin. But when Ray's question came, it felt more like a stab. He didn't want to do this. Not with an audience. Even if it was karma if Ray, or Max, or any of them got up and turned their back on him, he couldn't handle it.
"He was!" Tyson saw the opportune moment to spout off all he knew; it was only fair. He knew Kai before the others did. "They were called the BladeBaracudas... Or... Something..."
Ray just arched a brow, that was a weird name. But not like they had a better one, or any of them were that well thought out. His ears perked at Michael's arrogant voice behind him.
"Pff! What a stupid name..."
Kai almost let out an audible whimper as he sunk into his seat. DAMNIT Tyson! Part of him wanted to correct the name, but it was probably best to just stay quiet and ride out the horrible moment and wait for a good time to leave.
"What's PPB stand for again, Pathetic Pubescent Boys?" Ray said loud enough the others could hear.
"Hey!" Emily piped in, "I resent that!"
Eddy blinked. How come he kept feeling like he was being shit on without it being directed at him? First the earring, now this.
"Me too!"
Ray bent his head back to look at them, "Then shove a sock in your captains mouth before I do. This is the second time he's said something, and it's pissing me off and none of you have said a damn thing about it! But how dare one of us, makes a comment about your team!"
Michael arched a brow and snorted. "Please, Ray. None of the other teams has a queer lookin', criminally deranged, thieving backstabber as a captain. You bringing him here after everything he did asks for way more than a few digs. And besides, I'm sure Mr. Barracuda can handle it, being such a big, bad gangster and all..." He chuckled out with a mocking smile.
Kenny lifted a nervous finger. "Wasn't it the Blade Sharks?" He said in a tiny voice.
Tyson about jumped from his seat, "That's right! It was the Blade Sharks, they had it written all over the warehouse they kidnapped you in!" He slapped Kenny on the back a bit too roughly.
Max held in a groan, oh God why did he keep opening his mouth? He pulled him back into his seat, shoving a full slice of pizza in his mouth to shut Tyson up.
At their own table Enrique and Oliver were exchanging concerned glances between each other, they hadn't contacted the other two they just happened to show up to the same place. Now that they were there, how did they diffuse this before it got out of hand?
"That's enough Ray, what Michael's saying is true. He took our bit-beasts, even if we have them back now that can't be overlooked." Lee's voice came from the table he and the other three White Tigers were sitting.
"And he helped us get them back, didn't he?" Max spoke up, sweating bullets. This was awful, poor papa.
Johnny looked around, confused by the multitude of things happening at once. "Wait, Kai kidnapped Kenny?"
Oliver slapped his arm, that wasn't important right now. "That's right! He did help you all get them back! Had to go against his family to do so!"
Michael rolled his eyes. "Big whoop! Any normal person wouldn't have even gotten involved in the first place! If my mom said "Hey Mike, how about you and I go ruin people's lives and try and take over the world I'd be like, 'No way, ma. You're spun.' Easy as that!"
"Why don't you get the information you're clearly lacking from Dickenson, because unlike you. All of you, you weren't the ones having to risk your lives to keep the world the way it is. Now were you?" Ray yelled as he pushed back from his chair, flinching as his ankle flared when he put his weight down on it. Having to steady himself with the back of Kai's chair as he faced the others.
"You want to sit there like you know everything about what happened, but you don't because you weren't there! And for fuck's sake, Eddy's ears are pierced you fucking moron!" He pointed at Eddy sitting right beside Michael at their table to the left of his.
Eddy loved Ray at that moment. Cause his brain had given him a line he thought he'd never get to use.
"Yeh. And your sister says she loves it." He winked at his loud-mouthed captain.
Kai felt Ray stand and grip his chair. He swiveled in his seat and wrapped his hand around Ray's wrist. "Hey, it's not worth getting hurt over. Sit down." He said quietly but firmly.
Michael's face turned blood red at Eddy's comment, sputtering on his words as the others seemed to shrink. Part of what the others defending Kai had said was true, he did help stop Boris and the Demolition Boys. They had their bit-beasts back. But was that truly enough? How could they trust Kai, how could his own teammates still trust him?
Ray blinked down at him, "I'm fine." He huffed, turning his glare back at the certain American that was digging his own grave if he kept talking shit.
"Without us, without Kai, none of you would have your bit-beasts back at all. People make mistakes, none of us are perfect, but I'm not going to sit here and let you bad mouth my friend."
Kai's eyes narrowed into a glare. "I said sit down."
"No, how bout you get up and we leave." Ray suggested in his own firm tone.
Kai could smack him. Insubordinate asshole. "I'm not gonna say it again..."
Ray rolled his eyes at him but did as he commanded, though sat there with a pout on his face.
Kai gave an approving look. That was more like it. It's not like he wanted him to hurt more, or for him to sour any of his friendships on his account. Or leave on his account. As sore as it was, he'd brought it all on himself. They weren't wrong there.
He pushed his chair back and stood himself up, finally facing his mouthy adversary. "He's right. You have no idea what you're talking about. You might be able to say no to your mom, and that's something you should feel fortunate for. But that, as well as anything else you've chirped about is none of your damn business!" He fired at him coolly.
The room was quiet in anticipation for how this could go.
All of a sudden, he felt like he had stage fright. What he was about to do wasn't something he was accustomed to, but needed doing.
"But you do have a right to hate me for taking from you like I did. And betraying you all like I did. What I did was wrong. And for that I'm... I'm sorry." He forced out as he put his head down and went to leave. He'd worn out his welcome there before he'd even taken a step in the door.
As the room was shocked into silence, Ray grabbed him by the wrist to keep him from leaving. At least not without him.
Through the silence Lee cleared his throat, pushing himself away from his table. "We don't hate you, Kai. Ray is right, we don't know everything that happened and my own brother got hurt standing up to Boris and his boys. You also sacrificed Dranzer in the end to stop them. The White Tigers accept your apology. If Ray and the others trust you enough, were willing to give you a second chance, then we all should do the same."
Eddy gave a nod. He liked Lee. "I forgive ya too, buddy. Shit happens."
"And you know we forgive you!" Tyson cheered out.
Emily adjusted her glasses on her face, "If anything, what happened is a learning experience for all of us, something we can take away and apply to make ourselves stronger. I'm not one to hold grudges for long, so I forgive you too."
"Same." Gary's monotonous voice droned out.
Kai squirmed. This was almost as uncomfortable as the hating. He cleared his throat and pulled his hand out of Ray's grip. He needed air. It was suffocating in here.
"Thanks." He muttered as he took off out the door.
Michael felt the eyes of his teammates on him and pulled his folded arms harder into himself stubbornly. He huffed a few moments later. Slapping the table and hoisting himself up out his seat and dashing out the door.
Tyson and the others exchanged worried glances, where was he going and what more was he fixing to say to their already beaten down captain?! The chairs around the BladeBreakers table all squealed collectively as they shot up to follow, Gramps the only one not bothering to get up with his son; this was between the kids.
Enrique pulled Oliver with him, following after the BladeBreakers as Johnny sauntered behind. This would surely be amusing. Mariah only got up to help Ray, though he bat her away again and clung to Enrique instead.
Michael burst out the door, looking left and right with beady eyes.
He caught the blue shade of the back of Kai's head wandering off with his hands in his pockets and let out an evil smirk.
He crouched down, scooping up enough snow and squishing it to make a decent sized ball as quick as he could before he got too far out of range. Bringing it in to his chest, he closed an eye and stuck out the tip of his tongue to aim, lifting his leg in the air and reeling his arm back before letting it rip.
His smirk grew as he watched the white ball burst at the impact at the back of Kai's head, right on target, and even more so when a pale, surprised hand slapped at it and turned looking both shocked and royally pissed.
Kai froze, not just because of the cold drops of snow that were attacking his neck. What did he want now?
Michael tilted his head from side to side, "Eh, all right. I guess now we're good."
Tyson was the first to burst out the doors after Michael, catching the white ball of snow hitting the back of Kai's head just in time. The others just shortly behind, all freezing in place with their jaws almost touching the ground. At least Michael had agreed to forgive him, but now he probably just kissed his one and only life goodbye.
A very childish grin spread along Tyson's face, this would be a good distraction from all the tension and smack talking.
Scooping up a handful of snow in his own hands he balled it up tightly, throwing it at Max standing right beside him.
"TYSON!" Max screeched out as it slid into his overalls. "That's cold!"
Ray let out a small laugh, shaking his head as Max went to return the favor. Pulling away from Enrique to go check on Kai, stopping short and his shoulders hunching up as a snowball cracked against the back of his hair.
"Who threw that?!"
Enrique pointed at Oliver, looking the other way.
Oliver did a double take at the pointed finger and shook his head furiously. "I-it wasn't me!"
Enrique started to whistle as he sidestepped away from Oliver, Ray bent down and was piling snow into his own hands when another snowball got him in the side of the head.
"Sorry Ray, that was for Tyson!" Kenny called in a shaky voice.
Ray let out an irritated growl, piling the snow up in his hands faster and reeled back at Enrique. Oliver puffed his cheeks. It didn't matter if he'd lied, no man-cat was going to ruin that perfectly disheveled blonde hair.
He dropped down and frantically made a ball, pelting it at Ray's face. Ray blindly threw the ball in his hands, it shooting past Enrique's head and hitting Johnny who had been standing around admiring the idiots at play.
"Watch it you feline!" He huffed as he wiped the snow off his face.
Ray smirked as he wiped the snow off his own face, "Whoops." He said innocently, getting pelted in the shoulder. "Kenny!"
"That was my bad Ray." Max waved sheepishly at him before getting hit in the side of his head by Tyson, who was carrying an armful of snowballs and letting them fly out one by one as he ran circles around the other two.
"Ray you're hurt, you shouldn't be out there." Mariah scolded at him as he threw a snowball back at Max.
Enrique did what Tyson had done, gathering up his own neat little pile in the fold of his arm as he threw one at Oliver and Johnny to get them to join the Bladebreakers.
Mariah let out a screech as a cold ball hit her in the side of the face. "WHO THREW THAT!?" She screamed as her eyes slit and her hairs stood on end.
In unison, Max and Tyson pointed at anyone they could. Meanwhile, Kai stood and blinked. Brain making crackling sounds. What fresh hell was this?
For good measure Ray threw another one at her, getting her on the shoulder.
"Raymond Kon!" She shrieked, grabbing up her pile of snow as the others from inside started to flood the sidewalk.
"What's going on?" Eddy asked as he looked around, getting hit by Max.
"Stand still Tyson!" He had been able to hit everyone but his intended target.
"Can't catch me!" Tyson skipped away as he threw more behind him.
"Hey Robert!" Johnny called to grab his attention and just as he had it, he threw one right at his face.
Ray was backing away from Mariah as she tried to get him, dodging every snowball. The girl was out for blood it seemed. He turned around to runaway fully, only to pause when he caught Kai's eyes and a mischievous grin cracked along his face. Ignoring the snowball hitting him square in the back.
Kai's confused blinks became worried ones as he tensed. "Ray..." He warned, "Might wanna listen to Mariah. That ankle and all..."
Ray held his gaze as he bent down, piling up a good amount in his hands and stood back up. Tossing the ball of snow from hand to hand as a fang slipped through his lips.
"I was being pelted and you just stood there. What kind of knight are you?" He sauntered up to him slowly, batting his lashes innocently. The snowball still bouncing from one frozen hand to the next.
Kai stood frozen. Did... Did he run? Seemed like a dick move when he was injured. "You guys started being all weird! What was I supposed to do!?"
"Run in and save me." Ray stopped a few feet away, chucking the snowball at him as fast as he could. "And it's called having fun!"
Kai jumped and spluttered as it hit him square in the face, wiping it away just as quickly. Despite his skin now being blue, his eyes burned red.
"Haven't I done enough rescuing today!? I hung up my shining armor!" He spat as he crouched down, grabbing a clump of snow and hurling it back.
Ray laughed as he wiped the snow off his face, "But you looked so good in it." He bent back down for another ball, faltering slightly as once more Max had missed Tyson and the blue haired boy came skipping up to him as if he was going to use him as a shield.
"I got like five of them after me now!" He laughed, holding Ray's shoulders as he stood and ducked behind him.
"Tyson, you can't use me as a shield I'm already injured!" He tried to shake him off, taking the snow that was meant for Kai and smashing it into Tyson's face.
Kai was too busy making another ball and finding his next target. Heh... Ray thought it looked good on him. It wasn't even real and still looked better than that dumbass Gladiator get-up...
His eyes narrowed with a mischievous glitter as he checked to make sure no one was watching before pelting as hard as he could in the Italian's direction. A flurry of shrill Italian went off amongst the laughter from the others, Ray and Tyson arching brows in unison at Enrique shaking off the snow on his face.
Where'd that come from? Like Tyson, he hadn't been hit once by his teammates. Though with him shaking like a dog fresh out of a bath, the other Majestics ganged up on him quickly.
Ray shook Tyson off his back, shoving him back towards the other two. Mommy needed to teach Daddy a lesson and he was in the way.
"You didn't have to hit him so hard." He said once Tyson was back on the other side with the others, already gathering up snow in his hands.
Kai looked like a naughty kid who'd been caught taking a cookie. "What? I didn't do nothin..."
Ray gave him a disbelieving look, "Sure you didn't, and I didn't do this either." He said as he stood up, seeing the green-haired pixie fluttering about and aimed. Throwing it back as hard as he could, watching with a satisfied and smug smirk as the snow exploded across Oliver's back.
Kai's jaw fell open as he glared. How dare he hurt his ego massager!?
Oliver let out a high-pitched shriek before his lilac eyes burned. Man-cat... That was twice now. And that was two times too many.
"Nice shot Ray!" Enrique called.
Ray bowed a little at a job well done.
Both Kai and Oliver steamed. The bastard...
Kai grabbed an arm full of snow. His shining armor was back on, his other damsel needed him. Ray looked back at Kai, piling snow in his arms and smirked. That was more like it, though he had a sinking feeling that wasn't to protect him from Max's missed missiles.
He got down, shoveling snow in his hands as quickly as he could, making small ones just to have some kind of ammunition. "Might wanna listen to Mariah, Kai. With my ankle and all." He stood up with his army of tiny snowballs in his arms.
"Shoulda thought about that before you picked on someone smaller than you!" He scolded as he launched a freshly made missile at him.
"Oh he's not that much smaller!" Ray returned fire, laughing as he did so.
Kai dodged it. "Yes he is! Look at him!"
For whatever reason Ray looked back at Oliver, getting smacked in the side of the head by another one of Kai's snowballs.
"That was a cheap shot!" He threw his own, it missing again. "Stand still so I can hit you at least once."
Kai let out an amused laugh. "I don't go easy on anyone, you know that."
Ray only laughed back before he kicked back and jumped after him, he was going to regret that in the morning, but at the moment he didn't care as long as he could get Kai to eat some snow before they had to go back to the hotel.
"I do, and that's why I'm taking you down with me!" He wrapped his arms around Kai's waist and tugged them down into the snow, making sure to grab enough of it in his hands to put in his hair. Almost like back in Vegas with the sugar covered donut.
Kai squirmed hard. That was fucking cold! Not only that, but the snow melting into his clothes. Oliver stopped and slapped Enrique's shoulder a few times and pointed excitedly. Now all they needed to do was kiss!
Kai glared. "You crazy!?" He shrieked, taking a handful of snow and shoving it down the back of Ray's shirt.
"HOLYSHIT!" Ray shot up on Kai's waist, trying to reach around and get it out from under his shirt as it slid down his back.
"That wasn't nice!" He grabbed more, trying hard to ignore how much quicker his body was going colder on him, as he shoved the handful of snow down the front of Kai's scarf and pushed against it to help slide it down into his shirt.
Kai let out a noise no one had probably ever heard come out of him and jolted like he'd stuck 200 volts through him.
"NONE OF THIS IS NICE!"
Ray sat back on his legs, shaking out the snow still rolling down his back. "But it was fun." He said before his brain finally caught up to what had just happened and more importantly, where he was sitting and quickly scrambled to his feet. Wishing he hadn't done that so quickly, his ankle shooting up a painful spark up his leg.
Kai noticed the face and pulled himself up just as quick. Fuck, he'd hurt him! "You all right!?"
"Yeah, I'm good." Ray quickly shook his head, "You okay?" He subtly lifted his bad foot up, trying to keep his weight off it.
Kai jumped to his feet, flapping his shirt and ignoring the awful chill of the snow on his skin as he put an arm around him.
"Should I take you back!? You need to sit down? Where are your painkillers?"
"I took one when we ate, remember? Might have taken it too late though." He mumbled as he leaned into Kai's side, "We can head back, jump in a warm shower?" He suggested.
Kai froze solid yet again as a look of terror burst in his eyes. "You mean like... Together?" He blurted out. Did he need... Help?
Ray choked on his spit, he really needed to watch how he worded things. "I mean if you want it first." He squeaked back, the color of his face blending in with his headband.
Kai's grip on Ray's waist tightened. Stupid asshole, of course he didn't mean together!
"No, no... Ladies first. I mean men first! I mean... Cat-men first?"
"You're too kind?" Ray chuckled, putting his own arm around Kai's back. "Lead the way."
Kai lit up. It was still kind of early, which meant, hopefully, that the rest of the day would be just the two of them.
Ray leant into his side some, hobbling off beside him as they left the others to their snow war. Not that he really cared, his fingers and toes were frozen again.
"It's actually Nekojin..." He mumbled, feeling his face heat up.
Kai let out a cheeky smirk. "I like cat-man better... Or bird slayer..."
"Let. It. Go." Ray rolled his eyes at him.
He got a small, mischievous chuckle in return. "You shouldn't have told me that. At all."
"I wasn't thinking, besides it got you to stop pouting over your loss to Johnny. Didn't it?" Ray argued back, "Just pretend I didn't tell you, besides that was years ago. I only hunt fish now."
Kai snapped his head to him, offended. "I did not pout!"
"Mhmmmmm, sure you didn't." Ray laughed, "The storm over your head was worse than the one outside that night."
"It was not! I don't do that!" He protested even more. Stupid bird eater making him of to be some kind of kid...
"Okay, okay. I'm sorry. Didn't mean to ruffle your feathers." Ray rolled his eyes, coming up to the hotel. Finally, he could get warm and some feeling back in his fingers and toes. He about opened his mouth to ask Kai to carry him back to the room, quickly shutting his mouth before he uttered a word.
Kai stopped at the steps and bent down a little. "Get on."
Ray did a quick double take over his shoulders before he climbed on, "Really don't have to. I could make it up there."
Kai kept quiet and hoisted him up on his back. Those stairs were icy. Plus... He wanted to be the knight as much as he could before they left.
Ray stayed quiet up to their room, not really sure what to say after the day they had. His bag needed to be packed, his ankle could probably do with an ice pack for a while, but a warm shower was at the top of his list.
"Did you want the shower first?" He finally broke the silence as they reached their door.
"No, go ahead." He offered.
"Thanks." Ray climbed down as they entered the room, hobbling to his bag and snatching it up to take with him. "If I fall down I'll call for help." He said over his shoulder just before the door closed behind him.
Kai nodded, even though he was already gone. He sat on the edge of the bed facing the door like a weird guard dog. He wouldn't fall... Would he?
Ray didn't take long, as much as he just wanted to sit under the warm spray of the water he had to save some for his knight. As fast as he could, without angering his ankle more, he dried off and changed into his normal attire. Finally happy to be warm and cozy again he stepped out, the steam following after him and tossed his bag across the floor before he stepped up to the bed and crawled on top of it.
"All yours."
Kai stayed sat with him. After the hours he'd spent in the bathroom that morning, did he really want to do it all again?
"I'll take one later..."
"Okay." Ray smiled a little, making himself more comfortable beside him until the air got a little too thick.
"So... A gang huh?" He spat out. It had been on his mind since it was brought up, he just didn't know how or when he could talk about it. Kai seemed to be in a good enough mood and decided to test his luck.
Kai's head snapped to him and paled. If it hadn't been for the whole Black Dranzer business, he'd have beaten the shit out of Tyson.
"I don't know if you'd call it a gang..." He laughed awkwardly after a few moments of silence. "That pizza was good, huh?"
"What would you call it then?" Ray asked, ignoring the diversion. "Were these your friends, when you had Joey?"
Kai's mouth closed as he looked away. Could he really lie to him after he'd been good enough to forgive him like he had? But what if finding out he'd always been as shitty as he had during the tournament made him take it back?
"I wouldn't call them friends either... But yeh. Joey was an honorary member..."
"That's kind of sweet." Ray picked up some of his damp hair, playing with the ends of it. "So let me guess, you met Tyson and Kenny first before the tournament. Kidnapped Kenny because he's a little nerd, and Tyson rushed in to save the day?"
Kai raised a brow. What part of this was sweet? "Pretty much..."
"Don't tell them I said this, but that's kind of funny." Ray snickered, "What're they gonna do with you going to private school?"
Kai's brow rose higher. He hadn't given them a second thought since he up and ditched them. His eyes widened.
Wow. Patterns were forming.
"I uh... I don't know."
"Oh... Didn't have like a second in command before you joined us?"
Kai rolled his eyes. "We weren't the mafia, Ray..." He huffed as he folded his arms, "Knowing Carlos, he jumped in and took over. And if that was the case, they've probably all disbanded by now... Idiot."
"It's close enough, right? Mafia's, gangs, same thing." Ray flicked his wrist at him, "What did you do? Like, aside from kidnapping nerds?"
Kai shifted uncomfortably, trying to think of a way to make it sound like they were a gang of do-gooders that actually helped kids learn to read or some shit...
But that wasn't the case at all. And again, after everything that had happened, did he risk coming clean?
He started to sweat a little as he saw Ray's waiting expression. "We uh... We went around stealing or trashing people's blades... Hence the name..."
Ray blinked a few times, that was harsh but it was also in the past now. He hadn't known that Kai, he knew this one now. Sure, the Black Dranzer hiccup wasn't any better but he didn't need to twist that knife any more than it already had been.
"The Blade Sharks?" He questioned before a little light bulb went over his head, "That's why your face paint is like that, it's shark fins!" He snapped his fingers.
He nodded back awkwardly. "Mmhmm..." That and he hardly looked intimidating as a pale-faced runt with a girly waist. Needed somethin'.
Ray didn't know why but a stupid grin plastered itself over his face, finding that whole face paint funny in a way. "Did they all have to wear them?"
Kai glared, "No! Just the boss!" He blurted out, offended before stopping and realizing how dumb that was.
Ray bit the inside of his cheek before he laughed, nodding along though. "Makes sense I guess. Do you regret leaving them for us?"
Kai sniffed, suddenly not feeling like getting sentimental with Ray laughing at him the way he was. "Least they did as they were damn well told..." He muttered.
"What did I do wrong?" It was Ray's turn to sound offended.
Kai shot a look back. "Oh? Because you've been following captain's orders so well!?"
"I honestly don't know what you're talking about, I've been a good listener this whole time." He folded his arms in a huff, looking away from him with his nose in the air.
Kai's brow twitched. "Wha!? You've always talked back to me! Since we started! I couldn't say anything without you saying I was being too hard on the kids- I mean the others!"
Ray fought hard not to smile again, "Because you were, they're just babies compared to us. Hell, I've lived on my own for as long as I can remember and you're an ex-gang leader. Them, they've had it a lot better than you and I have combined. Not that's their fault or anyone's, but you were kind of a jerk to them when we started."
He shifted around on the bed to face Kai fully, putting his legs up under him carefully. "But I was meaning like recently, what have I done wrong since we've been here in Russia?"
Kai shrugged, feeling the mood drop some. "Forgiven me?"
"Why wouldn't I have?" Ray arched a brow, tilting his head to the side like a kitten.
"Cause I'm clearly a dick!" He argued back, "And I'm fine with that, but why are you!? Why would you want to spend your time with someone like me?"
Ray shrugged his shoulders, "Because Tyson's too obnoxious, Max is too overexcited, and you couldn't pay me enough to hang out with Kenny for more than an hour. And really, sure you're an asshole but you're also a great guy. All day you've made sure I've been fine, you treated me with food and carried me around." His cheeks started to burn at the mention of all that, swallowing around the lump catching in his throat.
"And besides, we all make mistakes, it's not like I could stay mad at you forever. Unless you wanted me to be or something?" He looked up, meeting Kai's eyes. Maybe Kai was just trying to push him away again, didn't want their friendship anymore because it was over with now. The team was done, why would Kai stay around him? What made Kai spend his time with him?
He shook his head, that was a weird thing to say. "No? Why would I want you to be mad?"
"Then why keep bringing it up? We've had a good day, didn't we? It's in the past, let's just move forward from it."
"Because it's not exactly the past! A lot of this is brand new to me!" He fired back angrily before reeling it in. Ray was right, they'd had a good day. Why spoil it with all this?
"Okay, well I'm sitting right here if you want to talk about it." Was all Ray could think of to say, just do what he had been doing and be there for him.
Kai's eyes watered hard and fast. He wasn't angry at Ray, nor was he wanting to ruin their last day together. But everything was so heavy, past, present and future.
"That'd be great if everything could be fixed in a night! But what am I going to do without you!?"
Ray stared, his heart hurting and soaring at the same time. Before he said anything, shed anymore tears, he scrambled off the bed and went to his bag. Keeping his weight off his foot and came back after digging around in it for what he was looking for, coming back to the bed and holding the folded up paper towards him.
"It's my address, that way we won't really have to be without each other... Ya know?" Damn that was corny, but this was also hard to do without them bursting into tears over it all.
Kai sniffed and tried to calm the explosion of emotion that just spewed out of him as he took it and stared at it. "You guys get mail?"
"Yup, so I expect a postcard in a month or two." Ray ordered as he sat back down on the bed with him, needing to keep off his ankle before it got worse.
Kai shrugged and smirked. "I'm sure my stuck up school has a bunch..."
"Nothing will top those we got from the Vatican though, right?" He joked, pulling his hair back over his shoulder and combing through the knots with his fingers. "I'll see if I can find some when I get home to send you."
"I expect you to treasure those historic dick pics..." He told him before he squirmed. "And I'd like that."
"I'll frame them, put them up on my ceiling like the real deal."
"I expect you to think of me whenever you look at them." He chuckled before he smacked himself mentally. What kind of a creep thing to say was that!?
'Look at wieners and think of me.'
"I will, because I believe that was the first time I really heard you laugh." Ray ignored the weird feeling in his stomach.
Kai blushed. That was embarrassing. "It was your fault."
"Are you really going to complain? We had fun, minus the crazy nuns." He rolled his eyes, more at the memory than anything before another light bulb went off over his head.
"Oh! Apparently Oliver and Enrique were there, at the café we went to and saw us. They thought we were on a date." He spewed out before his brain had the chance to tell him not to.
"They saw us!?" He spat out, mortified, "When!?" Oliver better not had seen him when he was wearing Ray's shirt. It clashed with his pants something awful.
Ray shrugged, "Enrique said they were watching us through the window, you were wearing my shirt."
Kai let out a whine and rubbed his face before he had chance to stop himself. Oh god, the shame! The Parisienne Pixie seeing him looking like that!
Ray cocked a brow, "I told him we weren't on a date though, so I mean you still might have a chance with Oliver..."
"Not after lookin' like that..." He muttered mindlessly before choking and glaring with a look of disgust. "And get bent! I don't want a chance with Oliver!"
"Oh sure, really selling it to me here." He looked away from him with another pout, sure he didn't. "And besides you looked fine in it, you could wear a trash bag and make it look good."
Kai brightened up instantly, feeling Ray's fingers scratching behind his ego's ear. "What? Shut up..."
"I'm serious though, did you miss how many people were staring at you today. You got brains, brawn, and looks. Seriously, who did you have to sell your soul to, to get all of that?"
And there went the leg. "Oh, stop it. It was just the paint thing. And besides, you got your fair share of admirers too..."
"Oh yeah, lucky me." Ray shook his head, "I'm starting to wonder why I liked her to start with, she's been nothing but a pain in my ass since I was in the hospital. I'm not that invalid! The wounds will heal, in time, but tell her that and she wants to screech in my ear about 'the doctor said this, but the doctor, don't forget the doctor ordered'. It was so annoying."
Kai's nose turned green. He wasn't talking about her. In fact, somehow he'd forgotten about her.
"You know who I think would be good for her? Enrique."
Ray's nose scrunched up, "Why? They have nothing in common, if anything she'd just want him for his money and not even he deserves to be used like that. If anyone, I'd say her and Eddy would be pretty good together. Besides, Enrique likes Oliver. He's trying to man up and tell him, when I don't know, but hopefully it's sooner than later."
"I disagree! Maybe you should set it up! Why would you get in the way of love, huh?"
Ray's other brow rose to meet the other, "Set Mariah up with Enrique? Because he likes Oliver, that would be getting in the way." He explained before another light bulb went off, this one glowing bright green.
"Ohhhhh, so you want Mariah and Enrique together so you can have Oliver? Very sneaky Kai, but I won't be your wing-man in trying to pull those two apart."
Kai's insides somersaulted. That wasn't what he'd meant! He wanted those two slime balls to meld together so they'd keep their grubby, nasty paws off his king!
"That's not it!" He squawked.
"Then what is it then?" Ray asked as he put his arms around his chest again, sitting up straighter. "Because you're really confusing me here."
Kai sniffed. "Well if you want the pink panther and Gladiator harassing you all the time then be my guest! Enjoy the pestering and the yacht rides!" He screeched as he pouted.
Ray's face turned red again, "That- I- I'm not going on a yacht with him! Seriously, not my type Kai! I don't even like him like that, he's just a good friend..." He's body shot back down, squirming where he sat.
Kai's face darkened. Why only mention half of the pests!? "Ohhhh I see... Don't mind going back to China and playing happy couples with her though?"
"Like I have a choice..." Ray felt himself shrink even further into himself, "I don't even really want to go back, I like it out here..."
Kai pulled his arms in tighter, "I'm sure if you asked her, she'd go somewhere with you."
"No thanks." Ray shook his head quickly, "You thought the kids were bad to travel with, she's worse. Not to mention, we wouldn't be allowed to do that again. Sure, they're out here now but it was only temporary. Once they have Driger and me back, I'll be lucky to ever leave again."
Kai paled. "What!? Why!?"
"It's just how the village is." Ray shrugged, "Doesn't mean we can't try to change it, because I would like to leave again. But these things just don't change overnight, it could take years to convince the Elders that it's not as bad out here as they assume it to be."
Kai tapped the pads of his thumbs together. He couldn't wait that long... "You uh... Wanna runaway?"
Ray looked up at him, was he serious? "With you?" His voice squeaked.
Kai felt a bubble of excitement. It was nuts. But why the hell not!? "Yeh! I don't wanna go to that school, you don't wanna go back! Mr. Dickenson is in charge of my money, but I'm sure I could find a way round that!"
"Where would we go?" Ray asked, unsure of himself at the moment. Though the idea didn't seem so bad, he really didn't want to go back. But how could they just up and runaway, and why would they runaway together?
Kai bounced on the bed, turning to him excitedly. "H-how about Paris!? Your uncle is there, could probably start us up with jobs!"
"But how do we get there? If Dickenson has your money, I'm more than dirt poor."
Kai waved it off, "I told you! I'll figure it out!"
"Why would you run off with me though?" Ray questioned before he could catch it.
"Why not!? We'd have a great time! A new start!"
Ray nodded; they would have a good time. They'd be able to still see each other, not worry about the mail or anything else.
"We could ask Oliver to help, he should be going back there right? At least help us get there, and then we can figure it out ourselves."
Kai's face glowed. That's right, they could stay with Pixie! Even better. "Exaaaaaactly!"
Ray deflated again, "But what if we can't get jobs? Or my uncle can't keep us with him? Then what do we do?"
Kai was too busy going on to the fantasy in his head. He and Ray could run around Europe and do all kinds of cool stuff together. They hadn't been to a whole bunch of places! He could show him everything and see some new stuff himself too!
"Stay with Oliver..."
"Unlike you and me, he has parents. Don't you think that might be weird?" Ray questioned, as much as he really wanted to just run off with him they had to be sensible about this.
They were just kids! Already they had been chased back and forth by otherworldly creatures, been from one corner of the globe to the next but this would be different. It would be harder to do.
Kai shrugged. "Maybe they're like... Absent parents? We could pretend to be staff! They wouldn't know!"
Ray gave him a dull look, "I've played waiter before, I'd rather not do it again. Thanks..."
Kai huffed and rolled his eyes. "Then what kind of job are you expecting to get at our age?"
"One, if we went there and pretended to be the staff, we probably wouldn't get paid. Or be able to just come and go if we wanted, wasn't that the whole point of running away to start with? So we could just go and do what we damn well please? On top of that, if I got a job with my uncle it'd be under the table, because of our age."
Kai waved him off, despite feeling himself sink. Why was he such a smartass!? Couldn't he just be bowled over by his rare spontaneity and go with it!?
"Like I said, if I can get around Mr. D, money won't be a problem! Could have our own place!"
Ray let out a sigh, "Kai... As much as I want to just run back to Paris with you... We can't."
Feeling his chest hurt, he flung a hand out and grabbed Ray's wrist, eyes blazing. "Why not!?" He yelled at him angrily. It was completely doable. He just needed to... He sighed. Ray was right. They couldn't.
"I'm sorry..." He muttered as he let go of his wrist.
Ray quickly grabbed him back, "It's not that I don't want to! Anything would be better than possibly being stuck back at the village till I'm old and gray, you don't have to apologize though. It was a nice thought at least."
Kai's shoulders tensed. Yeh, it was farfetched... But he didn't have to lie to him. "You don't have to lie to me."
Ray's hand pulled back like he burnt him, looking more hurt than he had all day. "Why would you think I lied?"
Kai gave him a hurt glare back. "I'm not stupid, Ray! You don't need to spin the whole White Tiger story to tell me you don't want to come with me. Your uncle is doing just fine in France!"
Ray coiled back some, why was he yelling at him? After everything... "It wasn't always like that! He had no choice!"
He huffed and turned his nose up. "Yeh right..."
"He was banished Kai, they kicked him out. That's why I've been on my own, they wouldn't let him take me because they'd rather have him booted out because of what he did instead of worrying about where I would go. This is why I don't want to go back, but I really don't have much of a choice! But of all things, I would never lie to you." Ray explained in a breath, not even sure why he was hurting all of a sudden as tears pricked at his eyes.
Kai blinked at him. His mind conjuring all kinds of images. What did his uncle do? Kill a guy? Fuck the Elder's daughter?
"Why was he banished?"
Ray shifted where he sat, of all the things Kai wanted to pinpoint to it was that. "It happened a little after my parents died, so I don't remember all of it that well and he doesn't like to write about it. But, he was trying to raise me and he was lonely. He met someone from the outside, we used to be able to go out there but only when you hit a certain age, well he wanted to bring her back and she was fine with that but the Elder's said no. But he didn't want to just give up what they had, so he let them banish him.
"I didn't get my first letter from him until I was ten, but he said that it eventually didn't work out between her and him and he couldn't come home because the Elder's wouldn't let him. The only thing he could do was stay in touch with me."
Kai frowned. "So why didn't he come get you?"
"Because Lee's family had already taken me in, wouldn't let me go because of how valuable I am to them. It's why I have Driger and why Lee doesn't, he chose me over Lee. That's how I ended up here though, I took him and left but I didn't tell anyone. It's why Lee called me a traitor when we were back in China." Ray explained, going back to playing with the ends of his hair.
Kai gave him a pleading look. "Well there ya go! You've done it once! Let it run in the family!"
A chuckle left his throat, shaking his head at him. "I really wish I could, but my uncle was twenty. We're fourteen Kai, it's different and would be a lot harder to do for us than it was for him."
He shrugged for the millionth time. "You've got mad survival skills. Plenty of birds in Paris."
"Will you please let that go!" Ray smacked him on the arm, "Seriously, stop it! It's not funny anymore."
He got a rare, dumb chuckle in return. "Yeh it is..."
Ray snapped his eyes to his, no it wasn't. That stupid joke had outstayed it's welcome long enough. He shifted slightly closer, putting his hands on Kai's chest and shoved him off the side of the bed.
"No it's not!"
With a thud, his ass hit the floor. But luckily for him, like Rome with the cock ceiling, something had possessed his body and set him off.
"It really is! Did you get some for the kids as leaving presents?"
Ray peered down at him on the floor, fighting hard not to smile back or laugh. "You're an asshole, tell me why I like you again?"
Kai rolled a little, gripping his stomach. It was starting to hurt. "Cause my bit-beast looks appetizing?"
Ray sat up, snatching a pillow off the bed and threw it down at him. "I swear to God Hiwatari, it's not funny!"
He caught it and stamped his feet on the floor. This was really starting to hurt; it wasn't even that funny. But he couldn't stop.
"Better watch it, or I will put a dead bird in your bag." Ray muttered as he sat back on the bed, crossing his arms over his chest with a pout on his face. What a dick.
"Aw. That means you love me don't it?" He heaved out as he tried to reload his lungs.
A jolt of lightning surged up Ray's back that made a squeak come out of his throat, his entire body going stiff and red at the same time. Kai Managed to calm his laughter when he saw him go quiet. He'd gone too far, it seemed.
"All right, all right. I'm done..." He panted as he let himself go limp on the floor.
The overheating cogs turned again in Ray's head, shifting himself on the bed and spared Kai a look down on the floor. "Good... Prick. And you can sleep down there tonight."
Kai's giggling started up a little. "Sure you wouldn't be more comfy curled up on the floor, kitty?"
"No, it's cold down there." Ray bit back, not looking amused again.
"I'll keep ya warm." He blurted out before his stupid grin fell from his face. He didn't mean to say that...
He didn't need to since Ray's body started to burn on him, "Not when you're on the floor you can't." He mindlessly said back.
Like a magnetic pull, he pulled his ass off the cold floor. Ray watched him for a second, the cogs turning backwards and working overtime again until it clicked.
"Oh, no no no. Your king says you sleep on the floor." He laughed as he shot up to his knees, going to block the bed with his own body.
"Hn. And your knight has been carrying you around the kingdom all day." He smirked back.
"You were also being rude to your king, should strip you back down to stable boy."
He arched a brow. It didn't matter if he'd used it before. "Well maybe if my king weren't so damn catty..." He smirked.
Ray narrowed his eyes, refusing to move from the side of the bed. Though inside he was laughing just as bad as Kai had been. They really were just two big dumbasses.
"You did, and your king appreciates it. Now, back to the floor with you. Peasant." He shooed at him playfully.
Kai playfully narrowed his eyes, defiantly continuing to crawl on to the bed on all fours. "And what will his highness do if I don't?"
"Strip you back to stable boy, like I said." Ray suppressed another laugh before it got the chance to break free, grabbing him by the arm to try and push him back off the bed.
A dirty chuckle left his throat as he saw a chance at overthrowing the monarchy. He moved his wrist to pull away, quickly wrapping his hands around Rays wrists and pushing with all he had, finding the other just as quickly to limit any chance of fighting back. With a heave, he pushed his king on to his back, pinning his arms down with him.
"I thought I told you, I went rogue."
"You keep saying that." Ray smirked up at him, his body burning again as he lay under him. "But we both know you don't mean it."
Kai arched a brow. "No, you're right... I don't want to be rogue anymore." He said as he lowered himself down a little more with an evil smirk. "I want the crown."
Sparks went off in Ray's head, fighting with himself not to become too tense. Another jolt went down his spine, causing a squeak to come out of his mouth again. The already overheated cogs in his head lost their power, burning out and stopping altogether.
"Can arrange that." Somehow he was blessed with words, though with the way his heart was beating so hard they were hard even for himself to hear at the moment.
Kai tried to resist the urge to bite his lip as he felt weirdly powerful... Just what ticked his boxes. "I didn't think you'd yield that easily..."
"I didn't say that, just that we can arrange it. Every good king needs a queen." His mouth moved, kicking his words out of him before he really registered what he was saying.
Kai's playful glint died as he blinked. Taking in what he said and reeling back away from him as his face transformed.
"And what the fuck is that supposed to mean?!"
Without the closeness it was like the cogs came back to life, blinking back at him almost in confusion.
"You want the crown, there's what. Three traditional ways to do that, right? Either marry the standing king, dethrone the king, or abdicate. Unless you plan on dethroning me, that leaves you with one option. Marriage."
Kai's hands angrily went to his hips as they jut out to the side. "And just who the hell are you calling a queen!?"
Ray eyed him a little, "Well we can't have two kings..." He stopped and looked to be in thought, "Well I guess we could." He shrugged where he lay.
"Damn right there could be..." He grumbled huffily as he changed to folded arms, looking offended.
"Well, are you gonna ask me then or not?" Ray asked as he nudged his leg with his foot.
"Ask you what?" He snapped as he threw him a shady look.
"To marry you, for the crown and all."
The shade turned red. "I... Well... Would you?"
"I don't know, you haven't asked me yet." Ray giggle, it was all harmless fun anyways. Not like they'd actually run off and get hitched, even if part of him of wanted to.
Kai huffed. "Well I'm not gonna ask if you're just gonna say no!" He grumbled, taking the 'game' a little too seriously.
Ray rolled his eyes at him, "Fine then, no crown for you." He stuck his tongue out at him, wiggling himself to get more comfortable where he lay.
"And I didn't say I'd say no." He muttered.
"Why am I the one that's gotta do the asking anyways? Doesn't the king usually pick who he wants?"
Ray arched a brow, "I thought I already picked you? Made you my knight and all."
Kai rolled his eyes, his hip jutting out further. "Knighthood ain't no ring though, is it?"
Kai was right, they'd need rings!
He jumped off the bed, going to his bag on the floor and rummaged through it for a makeshift 'ring'.
This was probably one of the dumbest things he'd ever done, but it filled his gut with weird butterflies and they only got worse when he found an old attack ring from Driger at the bottom.
He clutched it in his palm and stepped (hobbled) back up to the bed where Kai sat, dropping to one knee with a stupid grin on his face where Kai sat in front of him.
"Kai, my noble night, would you do me the honor of becoming my king?" He asked in a very 'royal' fashion as he held up the attack ring.
Kai's clenched fist went to his chest as he stared and blinked. He felt oddly moved despite knowing he really shouldn't be.
"Yes!" He breathed out before clearing his throat and forcing an element of sourness to come back to his face. "I mean, on the condition that I'm regarded as an equal!"
Ray's smile reached from pointy ear to pointy ear, "Of course, till death do us part and all that good stuff."
Kai grabbed hold of the hand offering the makeshift ring and let his head lower so his bangs fell in front of his eyes.
"Good. Then my first act as king is to forbid you from leaving tomorrow..."
Ray's heart clenched a little, he hadn't been expecting that at all. Something in the air changed around them, forcing him to stand and gently tugged Kai to his feet to stand in front of him. Their hands still held together.
"No no, you're not crowned yet so no rule making. You need to ask me now, so on your knees." He playfully said, though his heart slammed into his chest.
Kai kept his eyes locked with his as he dropped to his knees without time to blink. The ache had come out of nowhere and spoiled the silly game they were playing, and now it was taking over again.
His eyes watered a little as he wrapped his arms around Ray's hips and buried his face in his belly. "Will you stay with me?"
Tears pricked in Ray's eyes, a hand coming around the back of Kai's head where his fingers gently brushed through the blue locks.
"Yes..." He choked out before he could really think twice about it, but truly he didn't want to leave him. If they could, he would run off with him right then and there, but that nagging feeling in the back of his head kept telling him it was just impossible.
Then he felt guilty for having even played this game so far with him, he shouldn't have said anything. Shouldn't have led them on like this when it crushed not only his heart and Kai's, but his soul at the same time.
Kai's hands gripped the back of Ray's tunic as he relished in the touch and the answer, even if it wasn't to be reality. He forced his hands to move up, helping him climb up onto his feet to come nose to nose with the equally damp eyed object his happiness depended on.
The cogs stopped again as Ray shifted on his feet with how close they were now, the weird change in atmosphere and his heart slamming in his chest being disrupted by a shooting pain rushing up his ankle and through his entire leg, making him hiss and try to stand off it where he about fell back from lifting hist foot too fast.
Kai's face fell with the look of pain crossing over Ray's, the heartache being replaced by panic as he gripped him around the arms and turned him back to the bed, forcing him to sit to get off his feet.
"You okay?"
"Yeah, sorry." Ray shook his head, rubbing at his eyes to get the tears out of them with the back of his arm.
"Here, this is yours." He held out the old attack ring, dropping it into Kai's open palm where his pale fingers curled around it.
"Um… One sec…" Kai said, looking around for his own bag and diving for it to find one for Ray.
Coming back like a flash, he held his own attack ring out from Dranzer and placed it into Ray's open palm while leaving the one Ray gave him in his bag.
"You need anything?" He questioned, feeling frozen to the floor in front of him now as Ray held the 'ring'.
Ray shook his head, "No, I'm fine." He sighed, lying right through his teeth and shuffled his way to the headboard of the bed. Trying to think of a way to get the heavier air that had seeped over them to go away now, grabbing Kai's book off the side table beside the bed as he shifted to Kai's side.
"Would you?" He questioned as he held it up, pocketing his own 'ring' in his pants.
Kai sank. "We're never gonna get to finish it though..."
"I know..." Ray sank with him, "You can though, and then write to tell me how it ended and if the devil and black cat become friends."
He tilted his head. "I can write you about it..."
"That's what I said." Ray chuckled, how was it he had brains for days but seemed to get stumped over the littlest things?
"In a month, if I don't get a letter in a month I'll have to send a search party for your ass." He warned in a playful tone.
Kai thought about it. Was he serious? Cause that would get him out of the village... And he'd go right to Mr. D, who'd direct him right to him.
Kai took the outstretched book from him, staring at it a moment before smirking at him. "Does this mean I can sit on the bed now? I'm not banished to the cold floor like a bad dog?"
"Yeah, yeah." Ray huffed, getting under the covers and held up the side for him. "Need your warmth anyways, beds too cold without you."
Kai didn't need asking twice. A little weird and too cozy? Perhaps... But screw it. He dived right on in, wriggling himself in to get comfy with the book in his hand. Tears brimmed in Ray's eyes. If only they could have runaway together, he wasn't looking forward to going back and sleeping on his makeshift cot by himself. It was something he had no control over though, just wasn't meant to be. The only thing he'd have to look forward to now were their letters, but that was even if Kai wrote to him.
He let out a content sigh, for now he had this. He still had a few hours of daylight left to enjoy beside him, before the real heart break set in.