Oh my God guys, I am so, SO sorry for completely blanking yesterday in updating. Slightly important: I noticed that FF has been taking out sentences and words from some of the past chapters through this fic. I don't know if it's just a bug on my end, or if everyone is experiencing this happening, but there's not much I can do to about it since it doesn't show up until the chapter has been posted. So I apologize in advance if this issue happens through this chapter and the upcoming ones. Hopefully FF can figure it out and get it fixed, especially if it's something that's effecting other writers and their works. Either way, enjoy!
Anyways, here it is. Thank you to everyone still hanging around.
Season 2, Episode 8.
Staring at the walls for the hundredth time since they'd been dumped off in the Granger's house, Tyson and Kenny gone off for a few hours for school and waiting for their return after another day of being rudely woken up by Hilary just letting herself into their sleeping quarters, the remaining three boys were at a loss on what to do with themselves.
It'd only been three days since they'd all been reunited, three days of hell to be exact though none of them were quite sure where it all stemmed from. It could have been the cramped living space with five people living under one roof, seven if you counted Hilary and Kenny coming over like they had been, or Gramps hovering like a helicopter over every little thing they did even when it was just the three of them alone for the few hours Tyson was gone.
Whatever it was, it was beginning to grate on their nerves collectively.
Their first day of training hadn't gone as smoothly as they all had hoped, and they only had one week before their big match with the Psykicks. But none of them had really kept up with their normal training routine from the year before, they were all sloppy and with Kai almost being the worst for giving up blading himself during their time apart; he hadn't been that great at leading and being the captain he was last year either. Though none of them were really jumping on Hilary's ship as she took the helm herself and tried to don the captains hat in Kai's stead.
Max's head lulled back from where he had it laid on the living room floor, checking the clock as it ticked down to when Tyson would be home from school. They still had an hour left, but that also meant they'd have to deal with Hilary again and for once, Max wasn't sure if he could really take it or not.
He liked her; she was nice… But the way her and Tyson went at it from time to time was grating just like everything else going on. But good lord he was bored out of his mind right now to the point he wanted to pull out all his hair!
His head rolled to the left, taking in Ray who seemed to be doing just that, again. The other teen was just sitting there, legs crossed in front of him, braiding his hair out of his wrap for probably the third time since they came into the living room in hopes of getting out from under helicopter Grandpa and his hawk eyes and constant questions of joining his kendo classes that none of them wanted a part of, even if it would save them from their own boredom.
On the porch of the now empty dojo, Grandpa sat with the shining and sharp eyes of a hawk as he sat with his trusty sword in waiting. Tyson was at school. Ray and Max were inside. Three of the four little dudes were accounted for, but there was one...
His blood simmered under his aged skin. All he asked was that if they were to sleep under his roof, they were to respect his rules. One of those rules was to let him know if they were going out. And K-dog had broken that rule for a second time.
Hours had passed since any of them caught a glimpse. No one knew where he'd gone. He hadn't even had the decency to be back for the lunch he'd cooked for them. 72 hours and he was starting to see why Stanley was looking fatter and grayer.
But be that as it may, he'd promised Stan he'd take care of him and keep a watchful eye on him. If that meant giving his butt a tanning with his sword or a force feeding to put some meat on his bones, so be it.
His ears perked not much longer later when he heard rustling, snapping his head. Lo and behold, the grouchy phantom had decided to grace the grounds with his presence.
"Yo, K-dog, where ya been this time 'round?" He asked as he spun his sword in the dirt of his yard between his feet.
Kai jumped a little, looking around, he'd been in his head and didn't even see him there. "Out." He muttered as he kept on skulking.
"I gathered, but I meant where. Aint I asked you lil dudes just to keep me on the down low bout where ya'll go?" Gramps countered, his mustache falling as his mouth turned into a stern frown at the attitude comin from the boy.
Kai stopped and threw him a scowl. "And aint I told you I don't need a babysitter?" He jabbed back.
Gramps stood from the porch, sword in hand where he kept both hands rested over the top of it, grounding his teeth as his jaw clenched.
This one liked to give lip, he knew that, but enough was enough.
"As long as you're under my roof, under my protection, then I believe I at least deserve a bit of respect when it comes to the rules I've laid out. The other lil dudes can follow em just fine, should learn a thing or two from your fellow man there K-dog."
Kai narrowed his eyes. "I didn't ask to be palmed off. Again." He spat through his own grit teeth, "And I didn't sign up to be here!" Just what was it with the old ones?! Thought they owned him...
"You might not have asked for it, but it is what it is home dog. All I been askin of ya is to let me know before you go scamperin' off. It aint that hard for ya to do, is it?" Gramps asked, lowering his tone, going for a different approach before he set the lil dude off again. Like yesterday...
Kai's eye twitched hard before he blew. "Yes! It is! Because it isn't as simple as letting you know I want to leave the premises! Then you want to know every. Single. Detail! And it's infuriating!"
Well, Kai wasn't wrong there. He did want to know what they were all up to, it was his job, his duty as Grandpa to know what trouble they may be causing or getting into. Not that he thought they were out there painting the town or anything, it was just better to know if something were to happen to one of them while they were gone.
"It aint like that, what if something happened to one of you out there? How would I know where to look first to come and help ya?" He asked, using that same calm tone and hoping Kai would bring his down with him before the neighbors started poking their noses into their business.
Kai's fists clenched. "I don't need any help from you! Just back off!" He yelled before he decided he'd had enough. The old man never knew when to quit, so he'd end it. With a sulky stomp, he took himself through to the back door and slammed it shut.
Gramps sighed through his nose, that could have gone better. Or worse, really, and he was a little thankful it hadn't. But now what did he do? He was near the end of his rope with Kai, and they'd only been there for three days! For the moment, he figured he'd just let the raging, tiny, volcano cool off right now. No reason to keep poking while he'd already erupted. And his petunias needed some watering anyways.
With the slam of the back door in the kitchen, Max and Ray about jumped out of their skin, looking to one another with their own frowns quickly falling on their faces. Kai was home, and by the sounds of it, he was in one of his moods. Again.
Max looked to Ray, expecting him to get up and try his hand at calming him down though Ray just stared back in hopes Max would just stay quiet and not give away their position in the safety of the living room.
Sadly for both of them, to get through to the room upstairs Kai had claimed as his hide away cave, he had to go through the living room...
With the snarl painted on his face and the blackish purple rays of anger seeping out his pores, his feet stamped through, startling again when his eyes caught life forms in the corner of his eye. Screw them. They didn't deserve his voice. They got a grunt.
Ray's once calm eyes narrowed as Max coiled back slightly where he lay on the floor. What did they do wrong?!
"Hello to you too." Ray snapped at him, Max's head whipping around on the floor so fast at the tone Ray had used against Kai.
Did he want to die young?! Just let him go to his cave!
"Oh, what?! I have to report everything to you as well?! Does nobody know what privacy or personal space is anymore?! Why have you always got to be such a fucking busy body anyway?!" Kai bellowed at him, striking at the first sign of movement.
Ray blinked a few times, looking around at the clean and otherwise empty living room. "The hell you talking about, I've been sitting here doing my hair. Max has just been laying there doing nothing since everybody left."
Max cringed, wanting to throw his hands up and cover Ray's mouth. He wanted to be as invisible as possible, not to be dragged into their fight! But no, Ray's mouth was moving again...
"All I said was hi, giving you the same greeting you gave us, just used my people words to do it." He said in a snobby tone.
"Yeh? Well shove your people words up your ass, kitty cat!" He snarled before storming his way to his cave. To hell with them all.
"Why don't I just shove my foot up your ass!" Ray yelled back at him, riled up to all hell. Just what the hell was Kai's deal?!
Max slapped a hand to his forehead with a small groan, why did they never learn when to stop?
"WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU TRY!" Kai's voice screeched from the safety of halfway up the staircase.
Max began to sweat as Ray flipped his hair over his shoulder, moving to stand up. Lunging to stop him before he killed himself, eyes pleading as he caught the long end of his shirt.
"Just let him cool down."
Ray frowned a little down at Max's slightly panicked face. "I can take him." Was all his brain kicked out of him, snatching his shirt from Max's hold and stepping over him to go after Kai.
"Ray!" Max squealed in pure panic as he flipped around on the floor, trying to grab the back flappy end of his shirt.
"Please, he's just in a mood. You know this." He pleaded again as he grabbed hold, being dragged along the floor behind Ray as he stomped towards the stairs.
"And that's not our fault, he has no right to just come stomping in here and being rude to us for no reason! Now let go!" He snatched his shirt back, giving a warning and pointed look back at Max on the floor.
"Was that a threat, Hiwatari?!" He yelled up the staircase as he stopped at the end of it.
Kai turned around, folding his arms at the top and looking down at him. As he should... "I don't make threats. And who the fuck are you talking to me like that, Kon?!"
"Who the fuck are you talking to us like you did?!" Ray threw back at him.
"I didn't say shit! Was you who had to open your stupid mouth!" He argued back.
"Exactly! You just grunted at us with a dirty look like we stole your face paint or something. What, you expect me to just be fine with that when we did nothing to deserve that?" Ray bit out, jabbing a finger up at Kai on the top of the stairs.
"Deserve what!? What is it you people want from me?! Ohhhhh big deal I didn't say anything! What an absolute shocker! It's not like I've always been that way!"
This was true, sadly, but that still didn't excuse the cold shoulder or the dirty look like they'd done something wrong. Not to mention, this wasn't the first time this had happened in the three days they'd all been back together.
"Fine, whatever! Be an asshole for no reason if it makes you happy!" He threw his arms up, no real comeback on the tip of his tongue.
Kai rolled his slowly watering eyes. "Oh sure! That's exactly what I am! Sooooooooo happy!" He growled as he hot footed it to his cave.
Ray's eye twitched, "Then if something was wrong why don't you act like a civil being for once and just talk to us!"
Kai responded with a loud door slam.
Max flinched in his spot on the floor behind Ray, palming his face again. This was Paris 2.0, without the butcher knife going into the door...
With a feral sounding growl coming out of Ray's chest he pivoted angrily on his heel, going to the kitchen for something to drink for his slightly strained throat. Stomping the entire way.
Why couldn't Kai just talk like the rest of them if something was bothering him? No, that was still too much to ask of him apparently. Would rather have whatever crawled up his ass sit there and fester instead.
Ray got it, he understood that the cramped space of them all being on top of each other was overwhelming but hell, they'd been stuffed in tighter quarters than this last year!
The boat, the trains, all the planes... God there had been so many planes...
Angrily keeping himself in the kitchen with his cup of tea, Max went back to the living room to wait out the last few minutes for Tyson's return. Hoping and praying his best friend would be able to feel the tension in the house and approach with caution during training today.
Ten minutes later, the front door flew open, a familiar face charging through and sliding through the wooden floors on his socks.
"WEEEEE-EEE-EEEEEEE-LLLLL... You know you make me wanna SHOUT! Look my hands jumpin'! SHOUT! Look my heart's jumpin'! SHOUT! Sing with me Maxie!"
Max jolted up at the suddenness, a dumb grin stretching across his face as he bounced up to his feet and rushed over to Tyson.
"Don't forget to say you will. Yeah, Don't forget to shout! Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! Say you will, throw your head back baby! Say you will, come on, come on! Say you will, throw your head back! WHOOOOOOO!"
Tyson grinned back, grabbing Max's hands to jump with him. He opened his mouth to sing some more before stopping short.
"Crud. I don't know what comes next..."
The dumb grin fell to a dumb look, the bouncing stopping immediately. His happy meter sinking back down.
"Neither do I." He laughed, "What else you got?!" He jumped slightly, holding Tyson's hands in his.
Tyson held them tighter, thinking hard. Suddenly it hit him, grin returning stronger than before. "In the junglleeeee, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeeps tonniiiiiiiight!" He sung for him, pausing a moment to see if his best buddy approved.
"In the jungle, in the quiet jungle the lion sleeps tonighttttttttt!" Max sang out, going high pitch as he swung Tyson's arms in and out from their sides.
Tyson grinned harder, turning and placing Max's hands on his hips, walking and kicking to the beat to start the currently two-man human train.
"A-weema-weh, a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh! A-where-is-Ray? A-weema-weh..."
"In the kitchen, the not so peaceful kitchen. The Tiger broods tonightttttt." Max sang back, kicking with Tyson and bouncing from side to side.
Tyson looked over his shoulder, frown in place but still walking and kicking. "What's-the-deal? A-weema-weh..."
"A-weema-weh-I-dunno. A wee-ma-weh-Kai." Was all Max could really give him. He didn't know Kai's issue, but Ray's issue stemmed from Kai, so figured he'd just go with that.
Tyson rolled his eyes. Oooooooffff course... "Well HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-EEEEEEEEEEEE can come and plaaaaaaaay!" He sang to the tune as he head to the kitchen, trailing Max behind him.
As the two man chorus entered, the brooding tiger was already stood with his arms folded over his chest and eyes narrowed. Bunch of wise guys...
"Oh no you don't, out!" He pointed harshly at the doorway they'd just come dancing through.
"C'mon Ray!" Max pleaded as he bounced from one foot to the other behind Tyson, hands on his hips still.
Tyson threw him his cheeky smile. "A-come-on-Ray, a-come-on-Ray, a-don't-be-lame! A-don't-be-lame!"
Ray fought hard not to smile, "That-was-lame. Now get out, I'm not in the mood." He huffed, going back to the table to sit and finish his tea.
Tyson huffed, giving up and pouting. "Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! Come on! You're being a bigger buzz kill than Kai!" He whined.
Ray's head snapped so fast his hair smacked him in his own face. "I am nothing like that arrogant asshole!" He yelled, angrily pulling his hair off his face.
Max shrunk back a little, tugging Tyson's hips to just get them out and leave. It wasn't worth setting Ray off again.
Tyson recoiled a little before recovering, wiggling his eyebrows. "Oh sure. Nothing like him at all. Mm. Kai would neeever turn down having fun with us. Uh-uh. Never..."
"Tyson..." Max whispered, tugging again before they were down a team member. Did he not remember Ray could blow up like Kai did at the worst of times?! They were in a kitchen, there were knives ready to be thrown!
"Then why don't you go ask him!" Ray fumed as he threw a hand out, gesturing for the stairs and Kai's cave.
Tyson pouted harder. "I will, once you're on board the Bladebreaker train! Isn't this what we all wanted!?"
Ray bit into his lip. Of course this was what he wanted! But so far, it was just going all to hell in a hand basket!
"Well good luck with that." He decided to say instead, plopping himself down in the still warm chair he'd been sitting in before they came in singing.
Tyson let out an exasperated sigh, letting go of Max's hands roughly. "Fine. I give up." He said dully as he went to leave. The hell was with everyone?!
Max looked worriedly between Tyson leaving and Ray sipping at his tea, happy meter back down to zero.
"I know it's hard to adjust to all of us again, but it's only been three days. The least we can all do is try." He said sadly, big blues locked on gold as he watched the anger in them slowly dissolve.
Ray nodded back, he wasn't expecting Max to say anything and with his words he felt bad for being put in such a foul mood. The last thing he wanted was to have the golden child reprimanding him, or looking so heartbroken.
"Still got training later, right?" He asked a bit hopefully.
Max nodded back to him, a smile coming over his face. "Yeah, maybe that'll help blow off some steam." He pitched.
"Can hope so... And Max, I'm sorry for earlier."
Max waved it off, "It's fine, just glad no knives were thrown around." He gave off a nervous chuckle, while Ray gave him a confused look.
Knives?
"Y-yeah... Guess so... See you at training then?"
"Yup! See ya!" Max waved as he dashed out to go find Tyson, maybe they could sing another song!
With a few more numbers from the Dynamic Duo in the living room, the front door flew open again. "TYSON!" A screechy, pissed off voice echoed through, followed by a fiery looking brunette.
"You left your homework on your desk, AGAIN!" She scolded as she shoved his math book at him, "And you said you were going to start training as soon as you got home! I don't see how this is training! You do know time is ticking, don't you?!"
Tyson shrank and growled. "Urgghhh! We know that! We were just about to! Who made you boss anyway?!"
"If YOU were capable of doing anything by yourself, I wouldn't have to step in! NOW MOVE IT!"
With hunched shoulders, Tyson and Max took themselves out to the back yard. No doubt Ray and Kai would have heard the banshee screaming through the house and know to come out.
Ray about broke the cup in his hands the moment the ear splitting screeching started, it startling him before making him groan and flop his head against the table. The urge to just slip out the back and run was strong, but the need to protect his babies from Hilary's wrath was stronger.
Slumping his way out of the chair he carried himself out of the kitchen to meet up with them in the front yard, slipping his shoes on by the door with a tired sigh.
How was training going to make everything better when she was around?!
Hilary looked over her shoulder, hands on her hips as she oversaw the slackers beside Kenny.
"Hi Ray. Nice of you to join us." She said with a slight bite, "They're just getting warmed up."
Ray held in the growl, though that didn't stop him from lashing out at her. "Nice of you to join us." He snapped back at her in a mocking tone.
She flashed him a smile, his tone going over her head. "Wouldn't miss it! Someone has to lead you guys! Now chop chop!"
Rolling his eyes, Ray went off to join the others jogging around the perimeter of the wall. Grumbling the entire time. Minutes later, Hilary felt a shiver go down her spine. Though there was no onset of clouds, the sky seemed to darken. A sensation of shadows looming. She carefully turned her head to the darkness to be met with demonic red eyes. Her fear left her completely. In fact, her face glowed angelically.
"KAI! Hi! I was wondering where you were..."
He held her gaze for a split second before floating by her, taking himself as far away as possible. He didn't want to take orders from female Tyson again…
But apparently everyone else was happy with her taking the reins. Hadn't asked for him to resume his place... Fine. That was fine. Understandable really. He totally got it; it was fine.
As Kai came up to jog with them, Max sent him a half smile over his shoulder. Though probably knew better than not to at the moment as he could see the angry vibes still coming off him. Ray kept his focus forward, taking up second behind Tyson in the line they'd unintentionally made as they made a second lap around past Hilary.
"Pick it up boys! Faster!" Hilary demanded.
"My legs are already hurting though..." Max whined quietly, sweat pooling under his blond bangs and running down his face.
"No pain, no gain!" She screeched back.
Kai panted hard, feeling like his legs were going to give out any second. He... Did not have the stamina he used to. Coming around for their third lap, Ray held back from flicking her off as he kicked back harder. The sooner they got done the better.
"I can't... Keep going..." Max huffed, falling back behind them all.
Hilary scoffed. "Well someone sure isn't looking like a world class blader right now..."
Kai felt a jolt up his ass, mustering everything he had to keep his legs going. Max followed like a lost puppy, chest heaving and throat burning as his legs cramped to keep up. How had he survived Kai's training was beyond him at the time, but he'd gladly go back to that than having to deal with Hilary's barking any day.
Ray came to a stop once he'd reached where Hilary was stood with Kenny beside him, sweat rolling down his tanned face as his own chest heaved with Tyson coming up behind him a few feet away.
"I'm grabbing a water." He stated more than asked, already heading for the front door.
Kai finally took the others bailing as the opportunity to stop, hopping his way to sit on the side while hissing as his calf muscles cramped. Max continued to follow Kai around, sticking to his side like his shirt was sticking to his sweating back. Plopping himself down on the porch, covering his face with the back of his arm as he fought to breathe properly.
"I don't remember it being this hard when you were in charge. Can we go back to that?" He asked in a whine.
Kai tried to catch his breath, sending him a sweaty glare. "Don't even..." He panted at him in a low rumble.
"I'm serious, I can't feel my legs." Max continued to whine, his arm falling to the side of his head. "And it hurts to breathe."
Kai agreed with him. "You guys... Picked her." He panted gruffly as he tried to pick himself up to skulk off. Was a shame his legs were jelly and rendered him unable to do so.
"I didn't." Max defended, "And I know the others would rather have you back at the helm."
The moment those words left his mouth the others came back out of the house, Tyson bringing out his own water bottle and one for Max, sitting himself down beside his buddy and passing it over to him. Ray did the same on the other side of Kai, holding the extra bottle of water out for him while he sucked down his own water. Kai took it, throwing a tiny nod. Urgh. Thank god he didn't eat. He'd puke.
Hilary came to stand on the ground in front of them, hands back on her hips as they gulped down their water like they had been stuck in a desert for days.
"Alright boys, that's enough lazying about, time to get to training." She announced, clapping her hands to get their attention though nobody moved.
Kai leaned back on his hands, throwing her a glare. "Will you give it a rest?" He shot through slower pants.
Hilary stuttered back, her hands falling to her sides. "We need to train for the upcoming match! You only have two days left!"
"We know!" He bit, "But no one is going to benefit from an injury, are they!?"
"Nobody seems to be hurt." Hilary defended as she gestured at the others, Tyson having gone to laying himself beside Max on the porch as if he was dying.
But, Tyson was a big baby, of course four little laps around the front yard seemed as though he was dying.
"We're not hurt, we're just exhausted. It's hot out and we need to be able to train without falling over from a heat stroke." Ray said once his water bottle had been emptied, still keeping it in his hold.
"Plus there's stretching. You can't just run solid and keep going some more. Get muscle strain that way." Kai added as he necked some more water.
"Oh..." Hilary muttered, kicking the dirty under her shoe. "So... Should we stretch now then?" She asked, dragging her brown eyes up to look Kai in the face.
Kai rolled his eyes, kicking his legs out straight on the porch, leaning forward to put his forehead on his knees. "I am..."
Like a shot, Max and Tyson were clamoring to get up and sit like Kai was, going into the position Kai had put himself in as they reached out to touch the tips of their shoes.
Hilary watched in slight amazement at how quickly they seemed to recover, and Kai hadn't even yelled at them to get into position. Her eyes shifted to Ray who looked like he was debating with himself until he finally set his water bottle down, twisting his body around to throw his legs up on the porch and get into the same position as the others.
Kai didn't notice til he threw his legs apart, looking around before shrugging and going back to his poor leg muscles. He spread his legs as wide as they'd go, leaning down to his left as he held his left foot. He winced. Oooooooo that burned good.
Resisting the urge to fan herself at the manly display, and the flexibility, Hilary continued to ogle Kai as he stretched. His tight shirt clinging to every movement, her mouth slightly watering.
Taking a peek themselves, Max and Tyson quickly shuffled into the new position while Ray was already a step ahead of them with it as his back popped.
Kai was ready as well, rolling up to lunge low, pushing against the wall with his back turned to her. Once again, the others followed suit as Hilary's knees got weak. Finally fanning herself as the heat on her skin got too intense.
That ass!
Pushing on the wall, leg out behind him and getting down best he could, Ray's shoulder blade tensed up and wouldn't pop like it needed to, which hurt!
"Hey, can you push. It's not setting in right." He asked, tapping Kai on the arm beside him and pointed at his back.
Kai's face remained deadpan. After earlier, he should let him suffer. But this was professional. He picked himself up, shifting over on his knees to push down on Ray's back like he'd asked. With a loud pop, it settled back into place, a low satisfied moan following after it.
"Thanks." He grinned back at him, "Since I broke it, it keeps doing that."
Fuses blew in Hilary's head. She'd never seen Kai touch anyone! And so willingly.
"Hn." Was all he got back, turning himself once his job was done to do his own thing.
"Hn." Ray mocked back quietly, rolling his eyes.
Kai shot him a look. Fucking child...
After a little more of stretching glory for Hilary to gawk at, they actually got to work. It had been a better session than the day before, but all of them were still a dim flicker compared to how they were. The sun was setting as they all reached their limit, exhausted and now starving as they called it a day.
Kai staggered to the side of the porch, slumping down. Oh god, he hurt so bad...
"I call dibs on the shower!" Tyson shouted as he dashed for the house.
"NO! You got it first yesterday!" Max called as he raced after him, "And you take all the hot water!"
Ray pouted as the two disappeared into the house. Max was right, Tyson did take all the hot water which left the rest of them shivering and him the most with all his damn hair that needed to be washed. Though, he wasn't in the mood or shape to go running and fighting the two of them for the shower first.
Wiping the sweat still running down his face, he did the next best thing and crawled on top of the porch a little ways away from Kai on his belly. His shirt sticking to his back, his headband soaked through as his whole body ached.
"Well, I'll see you boys tomorrow. Make sure Tyson studies, we have a test tomorrow." Hilary waved to them as she went off with Kenny adding in the last bits of data into his laptop.
Kai scowled at her. Thank god she was leaving... He looked around. Oh good. Now he was left with him. Feeling eyes on him, Ray lifted his head and sighed as he let it fall back down into his arms he used to cushion it from the hard flooring of the porch.
"How long are we gonna keep this up?" He asked, his voice slightly muffled by his arms.
"Keep what up?" Kai asked snootily.
"That." Ray responded dryly, not bothering to look back up at him. His shoulder was hurting again, and he just didn't have the energy to keep this up with him.
Kai rolled his eyes. "You're the one that made it a thing." He muttered, his own legs and back killing him and feeling like they needed to crack.
"Well maybe next time, don't just come stomping into the house and grunting at us like we did something wrong." Ray said back to him, keeping his tone neutral lest he start another argument with him.
"If something was bothering you then talk about it, it's really not that hard."
"Hn. For you maybe." He continued to mutter, bending a calf over his knee to try and rub out some of the cramping.
Ray sighed into the folds of his arms, lifting his head up to finally look up at him though his mouth closed as he swallowed his comeback, taking in Kai hissing through clenched teeth as he rubbed at his leg.
"I don't ever remember hurting this badly when you were in charge." He said a bit mindlessly.
"Oh-hoooo. Remember me being in charge do you?" He bit through the hiss bitterly.
"Well yeah, was only a year ago." Ray answered, once more in a dry tone as he pulled himself up to sit up, going to crack his back but couldn't again.
"Never felt like I was dying afterwards, this though... God it hurts."
"You all coulda fooled me. And quit whining!"
"I'm not whining." Ray whined at him, "And what do you mean?"
Kai tilted his head, kneading his calf harder as he pouted. "Nothing. If you all think some girl who knows shit all about anything is a better alternative to me then... Well fine, message received loud and clear." He grumbled even quieter, keeping his eyes on his calf.
"I never said she was better, and it's probably why this hurts so much. Is because she doesn't know what she's doing, but none of us want to listen to her scream in our ears if we don't just do what she says." Ray defended, scooting himself closer to Kai's side.
"Don't see anyone asking me to take the cap back..." He pouted as he folded his arms.
"You want it, please, please take it back before we can't walk again." Ray pleaded.
Kai rolled his head over to him, still deadpan. No. They had to all ask nice. He had some pride.
"Might be too late. Whatsherface has made herself at home."
"Hilary." Ray supplied in a bored tone, "And don't say that, it's never too late to just boot her over the wall next time she shows up."
Kai shrugged. "Whatever. I don't care one way or another."
"Pfft, sure you don't." Ray rolled his eyes, "Wasn't born yesterday, ya know." He said as he made himself more comfortable beside him, rolling his shoulder out though it didn't pop again.
"How's your leg, you were looking like it was giving you some trouble." He asked as he nodded down to it sitting beside his own.
"Mmhmm. Sore." Was all he said.
Rolling his eyes again, Ray didn't say a word as he inched closer till their legs touched, picking up Kai's and letting it fall over his lap as his fingers went to working against it.
"Right around here?" He asked, feeling the tight muscle through the baggy pant leg.
Kai's face heat up, though his eyelid twitched at the shooting pain as he touched it. "Yeh. Lower too."
Ray nodded as he moved his hands down, kneading harder. "After this, need you to pop my shoulder again."
Kai rolled his head back. Ooooo that felt good. "M'kay. My back might need it too." He droned out.
Ray smirked, "Okay, only if you do me too though." He said with a cheeky grin, using his knuckles to work out the stiff muscle.
Kai made a noise at the rough handling. "Sure." He breathed out.
"What about your other leg?" Ray asked as he worked his way down to Kai's ankle, going back up slowly and harder until his own fingers were starting to hurt.
Kai lifted it up. It wasn't that bad but...
"Hand it here." Ray motioned for him to just throw it up on his lap with the other, might as well knock the legs out first before he went to his back.
Kai did as he was told. Wait, wasn't he mad at him? As Ray's hands went to work and the almost orgasmic muscle relief started to radiate, he stopped caring.
The cheeky grin turned into a smirk, Kai was like putty in his hands and it was amazing. "Told you, I'm good with my hands."
Kai's fingertips gripped the wooden porch harder. "Mmm. Not kidding..." He let out in a slight moan as his whole leg tingled.
Ray bit the inside of his cheek, trying to focus on what he was doing and not the noises Kai was emitting. Maybe he should stop now, but he really didn't want to stop touching him...
After some more enjoyment, Kai peeled an eye open. "You uh... Want me to do you?"
"Yes." Ray spat out quickly without time to think about how either of what they just said could have been taken.
Kai took his legs back, sad for the loss of contact. He shifted closer to him, awkwardly making him turn. He stared at the hair. Oh god. He got to touch it to move it out the way...
Ray sucked in a breath as he sat as still as he possibly could, heart hitting his chest so hard it hurt worse than his stuck shoulder blade. Kai's hand nervously came up, brushing his hair over to the other shoulder as gently as he could. His fingers maaaayyyy have touched his neck too... Solely for hair moving purposes. A shockwave wiggled itself down Ray's spine, letting the air he'd been holding in out slowly while his skin was already pricking with goosebumps.
Kai shifted closer. He smelled like sweat. But it was so good... His hand went to his shoulder, pushing his fingers in to it.
"Here?" He asked with a crack in his voice.
"Yup..." Ray flinched a little, the spot sore and hurting. "Just shove it back into place." He said, fingers curling into his pants to have something to hold onto.
With a quick, strong push, Kai did as he was asked. May as well not beat around the bush. Biting back the moan best he could, Ray relaxed as he rolled his shoulder and cracked his neck.
"Thanks." He chuckled, a heat racing along his cheeks at the same time.
"No problem." His husky voice answered in his ear behind him, rubbing both his shoulders. That probably hadn't felt good.
Fighting as hard as he could not to melt under the touch, or just the voice alone right in his ears that had sent another shockwave down his spine, Ray sat there and went back to holding the fabric of his pants. The heat on his face only getting hotter, glad Kai couldn't see the burning blush on his cheeks at the moment
Kai stayed quiet as he worked his shoulders a while. Ray was quiet... Was very quiet...
"Is that not good?" He asked after he couldn't take it anymore.
"No, it's fine. Feels good, why?" Ray stuttered out.
"Just asking." He shook his head behind him, carrying on and trying to muster up some courage. "And um..." He started, "Are we good?"
"Yeah, we're good." Ray nodded back as a little moan slipped out of him. "Right there..." He pushed his back into Kai's hands.
Kai's face went scarlet and his pants felt funny. He worked his hands a little harder. "L-like this?"
"Mhmmmmm." Ray moaned happily, head going down where his chin rested against his chest.
Kai bit his lip and kept trying to hit the sweet spot. So much for trying to talk to him... Ray sucked! First he scolded him for not, but when he tried he did... This.
Before he fell asleep like that, not wanting to move but had said he'd do Kai's back for him too, Ray came out of his happy place as his head lifted.
"Want me to do yours still?" He asked as he peeked over his shoulder, hoping the blush had died down a tad from his face.
"Yes!" He squeaked, turning around for him as well. Was pretty hot for this time of evening...
Ray turned around, getting comfortable behind him and cracked his fingers before he got to working Kai's shoulders.
"So, what happened today that made you angry to start with?" He asked once he knew he'd be able to talk now without Kai touching him.
While the question would usually make him tense, Kai relaxed in to his touch, rolling his head forward and feeling almost in a trance under his touch. Hell, he'd answer anything.
"Grandpa got on my case for going for a walk."
"Oh?" Ray questioned as his own head tilted to the side a little, "Was that what all the yelling was about? Why didn't you just tell him you were leaving?" He asked, working his hands down Kai's back to his shoulder blades.
A little moan came out. "Why should I? I'm old enough to go for a walk if I want. Can't even have time to think without telling someone first?"
Ray sighed a little, "I agree, you are old enough, but it's really the only thing he's asked of us to do if we leave. It's more out of respect for him that we do so."
"More like meddling and controlling from where I'm standing... He didn't seem so militant last year when we were going all over the world." He said before he let out a deep sigh, "But then nothing is the same as last year..."
"You're right, it's not..." Ray let out quietly as his hands slowed against Kai's back, "But that's because it's not last year. We have a chance to still do what we want this year, just under... More watchful eyes I guess. If you see it as controlling then I don't know what to tell you, but arguing over his house rules isn't going to get you far."
Kai swiveled to face him, eyes rife with worry and sadness. He didn't care about his spat with Gramps. "I want to go back to that! I don't like this. It isn't the same! Everyone is different. It feels different! It wasn't supposed to be different!"
Ray stared wide eyed and blinked a few times, hands coming down to his lap as Kai seemed to suddenly break on him from nowhere.
"People change, Kai. And not everything is different."
"Yeh it is! Am I the only one that didn't change or something!?"
Ray's eyes bounced up and down Kai's person as he pursed his lips together though kept his comment to himself at the moment.
"Okay, so what's changed about me?" He distracted instead.
Kai shrunk. "I don't know. But it feels like we lost something and I don't know what or how to fix it!" His voice wobbled out.
"I mean... We have been arguing again a lot, but that's not really that big of a change given how we were when we first started out last year." Ray offered; not sure what else he could really say to him. He didn't feel like he'd really lost anything with him, if anything, he'd gained more than he bargained for when he fell in love with him.
Kai pouted. "Oh it is! And anyway, what's with the arguing!? We're not supposed to be arguing! Why are we arguing!?" He all but yelled at him, "This wasn't how it was supposed to go!"
"Because it's been a while since we've had to deal with each other face to face like this. Because we're all in each other's faces twenty four seven, sleeping in the same room as one another instead of being able to get away on our own like before. The beds a little thin, so can't sleep properly so then we're all cranky because we didn't sleep good." Ray started as he counted off on his fingers, going into thought for a minute before continued.
"Because you like to be an asshole even though we've not done anything wrong, probably because of the thin bed or Tyson's snoring that I'm surprised I can even sleep through. The fact that you're captain but not really captain with Hilary taking control of our training. People trying to steal our bitbeasts, again, and probably everything else. So, we just clash at the moment because we haven't found a rhythm again yet. It's only been three days."
Kai pouted harder. "We were always in each other's faces, the beds always sucked, Tyson has always snored, people tried stealing our bitbeasts before and I've always been an asshole! Still was better before." He countered before he looked in thought.
"Must be Hilary's fault..."
Ray snorted, "I doubt it." He shook his head with a chuckle, "And not all the beds were bad, that one at Robert's awful castle was nice. The one in Russia too."
"But for the most part they sucked." Kai reminisced. "But anyway. That isn't the point! I waited a year for you. We were really excited. And then from the second you landed everything I thought was gonna happen hasn't! So... What gives!?"
Ray stared again; he really didn't have an answer for that because he didn't know what Kai was expecting from him.
"Like... What?" He asked as fuses slowly started to blow in his head, the cogs turning backwards slowly. There were plenty of things he wanted to do to him, but he doubted Kai wanted to do the same things back.
"Well..." Kai stuttered, trying to think of a way to verbalize his shit show of a thought process. "First was the airport. Our first meeting wasn't like it was supposed to be! Didn't really get one. Do you think it messed everything up?" What if that bad first meeting had cast some bad juju on their friendship!?
"No." Ray said plainly, "Because we already fixed that, we had our moment alone once we got here and you stopped being a stubborn ass."
"Well if you'd come to me first..." He muttered before shaking it off and sighing. He couldn't explain apparently. And Ray clearly wasn't getting it. "Just forget it. Guess it's just me that feels like this anyways..."
"I'm trying to figure out why though." Ray said as he put a hand to Kai's shoulder, "Because nothing's changed between us, not from where I'm standing. You're still my best friend, even if we argue and butt heads."
Kai hung his head a little. "I guess I just didn't picture it would be like this. Made me wonder if we'd drifted apart." He replied with a voice laced in hurt.
"No, I don't think so. Like I said, it's just going to take some time readjusting to what it was before." Ray offered, hoping that was good enough for him without setting him off again or worse, breaking him. "Doesn't mean my feelings about you have changed though."
Kai shifted further in to his personal space. "But that's what I don't understand! What is there to adjust to!? I wanted this. You wanted this. Tyson and the others wanted this." He added for fairness.
"Just because we wanted to be back together doesn't mean it's going to be easy, and not what we didn't want." Ray started, trying to think of a way to explain it to him best he could. "I guess it's like this... Amongst the happiness that we're all back together, I think it's getting shoved out of the way right now because we only have a few days before our first match. None of us are near enough ready for it, on top of once again trying to remember what it was like being around each other again like this.
"It's been months since we've seen one another, and because we are on top of each other a lot more than what we were when we were traveling last year, it's hard to adjust to so much going on so quickly. None of us have been able to really properly breathe since we got here. That's not really anyone's fault, just a collective of things. I'm sure once this first match is over we'll be able to click back."
Kai tilted his head, cogs turning and dusting off cobwebs as he processed the information. "So... You're saying once those matches are done we can go back to normal?"
"I wouldn't see why not." Ray shrugged his shoulders at him.
Kai lit up. He could live with that. Just a few more days. "Okay!" He bounced before flopping on to his belly, "As you were!"
Ray chuckled while shaking his head, hands and fingers going back to working on Kai's back. "You know, change isn't always a bad thing." He said, kneading into Kai's shoulder blades where he felt a knot and tried to work it out.
Kai sighed. "In this case it is!" He protested, "I'd just gotten you all how I liked you. Now it's all off again."
Ray arched a brow, "What do you mean?" He asked, working down Kai's spine and putting some pressure on it till he felt it pop under his hands.
Kai let out a deep groan. "Ooooohhhhh that was a good one. Little lower too please!" He begged in to his arms, "And I mean after Russia, after I came back things finally made a bit more sense. Everything fit together and that was perfect and how I liked it. But we got separated pretty much straight after and now it's all jumbled up again and I don't like it at all! That isn't a good thing!" He whined.
Ray did as he asked, working lower to the hem of his pants and rubbing into his hips. Ignoring the noises coming from him as his own face warmed up again.
"Oh..." Was all he could really say back to that, still slightly confused on what Kai was meaning at all. He hadn't really seen a change in Tyson and Max yet, they seemed to be the same as last year. Tyson was a bit more on edge but he could only chalk that up to Hilary being present now.
Maybe Kai was right, it was her fault... Nah, she just needed to find her place in their little family and then things would be okay between them all. He just hoped it was sooner than later.
"Change still isn't all that bad, though. Like I said last year, you started liking us and that was a big change from when we first started out. So things are a little off right now, it happens, but it won't be like this the whole time."
Kai's head turned to look over his shoulder. "And what if it doesn't? What if we lose and things get worse? What if we keep annoying each other and arguing so much that we end up breaking up!?" He fired as he rolled and scrambled himself up again, grabbing Rays arms.
"And then what would I do!?"
"Well one, we're not going to lose." Ray said, carefully prying Kai's hands from his arms and going to holding them in his.
"Two, we're always going to annoy each other. Or did you forget who our oldest is?" He asked in a light joking tone, hoping to keep Kai from breaking again. It never stopped!
"We're not going to break up, I promise. If we were able to stand each other for months going from one side of the world to the next and not breaking up then I'd say we're pretty unbreakable."
Kai stared at him, gripping his hands harder. They all had somewhere to go if this all went belly up. What the fuck would he do? What was that weird thing he did at the airport to make the promise binding? Oh yeh.
He pulled a hand out and held out his little finger. Ray was weird. But screw it. "You promise?"
Ray looked down at Kai's pinky finger being held up to him, smiling as he hooked his to Kai's. "I promise."
Kai nodded at him. Well, now there was a binding contract, he felt much better. Unwrapping their pinkies from one another, a grin on Ray's face he figured it was time they headed in and grabbed a shower themselves now some time had passed and hopefully there was a tiny bit of hot water left for them.
Standing himself up, he held his hands out for Kai to take to hoist him to his own feet. Reveling in the peaceful quiet for the time being. Kai took them gladly, pulling himself and his baggy pants up from the floor to follow Ray inside. As the two stepped in to the house, they wished they hadn't.
"A-weemah-we, a-weemah-we, a-weemah-we! HEY-KAI-AND-RAY!"
Ray's grin turned more dumb at the conga line lead by Grandpa, Tyson and Max behind him holding onto each other's sides as they bounced and kicked out their legs on either side as they danced around the living room.
"And you said things changed." He said over his shoulder at Kai who had more of a dumbfound look on his face than an amused one.
Kai turned to walk out again. "Some things haven't, I guess."
Ray snatched his hand, halting him from leaving as his legs bounced him up and down a little. A playful glint coming to his eyes as he tugged Kai towards the others.
"A-weemah-we, a-weemah-we. Don't-be-such-a-sour-puss."
Kai tried to pull his hand away, "Ray!" He scolded in a whispered hiss. If the others saw, they'd pile on him.
Brown eyes exploded. "HEYYYY! ALL ABOARD THE BLADEBREAKER TRAIN! Grandpa! Make a stop at Sourpuss Station!"
Ray tugged Kai again when he felt him trying to pull away again. If he wasn't such a stick then he'd probably be able to get away, but since he was he couldn't.
Grandpa's eyes sparkled a little as he directed the train towards the other two, "Choo choo! All aboard my lil homies!"
"I prefer to fly..." Kai grumbled as he continued to try and pull. When did Ray get so damn ripped!? Seriously! Was like a Chinese Terminator over here! With tanned hands grabbing his wrists, his pale ones were forced on to Max's sides.
"Alright dogs! Now it's a party!" Gramps near enough shouted, leading his little dudes around the house again as the singing commenced as they danced and kicked their legs out side to side again.
Ray squeezed Kai's tiny waist and hips in his hold, moving them since all he was doing was walking like he had something up his ass.
"You're supposed to dance too."
Kai fired a vicious look over his shoulder, "I'm gonna get you back for this..." He growled.
Ray grinned dumbly at him, his fang showing. "Is that a threat?" He asked, maybe in too much of a flirtatious tone but wasn't like the others could hear him over their singing/yelling.
Kai wasn't seeing the funny side. "Yes! Why do you always ask that!?" He hissed harder as he continued to drag his feet.
"Because you know they never work on me." Ray answered in a giggle, squeezing his sides again as he tickled him.
Kai let out a high pitched sound as his body spasmed like he'd been hit with a cattle prod, letting go of Max's hips and slamming them on Ray's hands to stop them. Ray blinked a few times as his tickling stopped, that playful glint coming back to his eyes as the others continued on without them towards the kitchen; something about dinner needing to be made.
Flipping his hands in Kai's hold, he lifted their arms and spun Kai around where he caught him with his right hand around the back.
"If you wanted to dance with me, all you had to do was ask." He chuckled as they faced each other.
Kai froze solid, feeling blood both drain from his face and fill his nose.
"Though, I'm not very good at it." He continued to grin, pulling Kai into his chest as his hand ran down to hold his lower back before he dipped him.
Kai's knee came up automatically, along with throwing an arm round his neck as his heart slammed in his ribs and all he could hear was white noise.
"Take dancing classes by any chance?" Ray arched a brow down at him, having expected Kai to just act like a limp noodle in his hold. He had no idea what he was doing, though that seemed like a flawless move to him.
Pulling the two of them back up, Kai following his movements still flawlessly, he twirled Kai away from him only to bring him back into his chest. Kai's face stayed gormless as he shook his head. He wasn't supposed to like this. He was a manly, masculine, man with testosterone and manliness. But he wanted to keep doing whatever the hell this was...
"Neither have I." Ray laughed, spinning Kai back out only to bring him back in again and down into another dip. "But I haven't dropped you yet, so that's a plus."
A stupid giggle left Kai's throat as his knee came up again along with the arms round his neck, excitement pulsing through his veins to make him tremor slightly.
Pulling them back up to a standing position, Ray finally let him go and just in time as Max came back into the living room. Ray wasn't sure if it was just the slowly setting sun catching his blue eyes, but there was a twinkle in Max's eyes that he didn't like seeing.
"Gramps is just ordering some pizza for dinner, but said you two need to clean up before it gets here." Max announced, trying not to just shove them together again.
"Oh... Right, okay." Ray nodded back, thankful that's all he wanted to say to them.
Kai shifted awkwardly, pretending to admire the painting on the wall. That wasn't weird at all...
"You can go first..."
"Okay." Ray shrugged his shoulders, "I'll try and leave you some hot water." He said as he wandered to their sleeping quarters to grab his bag and a change of clothes.
As Ray disappeared from view Max smiled at Kai, though didn't say a word as he happily twirled around on his feet and went back to the kitchen.
Everything was going to be just fine.
Kai felt himself curl in to himself as he was left stood like a lemon in the living room. That was fine. Tyson and Max danced together. Apparently best friends danced together? Maybe he could get him to do that again sometime...
With the last two getting washed and cleaned up for the night, Tyson and Max had started to build a pillow fort out of the cushions to the couch and sheets in the living room, the pizza that Grandpa had ordered was delivered and set down on the coffee table for them to just have at what they wanted.
Grabbing a slice each, the two younger ones settled down in their fort as Grandpa took a seat on his chair with a plate of hot pizza in hand.
"I ever tell ya boys bout the time I was almost arrested?" He started, cutting in over their own conversation.
Tyson choked on his lump of crust. "YOU!? ARRESTED!? COOL!"
"Almost!" Grandpa corrected with a crooked grin, "But they weren't ever gonna catch me! But that didn't mean they didn't try." He laughed.
Tyson and Max hopped forward on their knees, picking up another slice as they looked up at him bug eyed and expectantly for the story.
"It all started when old man Tanaka got onto my homeboy Yoshi, we'd been playing ball and it went straight over Tanaka's fence and bam! Smashes right into his front window. Yoshi scrammed so fast I aint even notice he was gone at first, old man Tanaka came out wavin' his newspaper 'bout in the air screamin' and hollerin at me so I took off too." Grandpa continued, gesturing theatrically through his story telling.
Tyson's face fell, "That's it? You broke a window?" He asked, disappointed.
Grandpa stopped mid-sentence as his arms were ready to go back outwards as he was ready to continue.
"What'd you think I did?"
Tyson slumped. "I dunno. Something good. Took on a gang of unruly thugs or something..."
As soon as the words came off his tongue, Kai walked in. Shortly followed by Ray. Kai narrowed his eyes defensively. Did someone say gang? What gang!?
Gramps rose his brow at his little dude, "I was gonna get there!" He huffed at him in a slight pout, catching on the other two just standing awkwardly behind the couch.
"Pull up a magic carpet and some chow boys!"
Tyson was suddenly back on board, waving for them to come sit. Kai was still wondering what the hell this conversation was as he came to sit on the floor, freshly washed and in his baggy sweat pants and long sleeved shirt for bed.
Ray followed after him, grabbing a slice of pizza before sitting beside him and dragging a blanket over his legs and flipping his loose hair off his shoulder.
Grandpa cleared his throat now he had a full audience, planting both hands on his knees as he dramatically stared at each of the boys before cracking another crooked grin.
"So, back to where we were." He started, leaning back in his chair as he got his arms at the ready.
"I was runnin' for my life, old man Tanaka chasin' after me, aint no clue where Yoshi had gone off an slipped too but I quickly realized I was on my own. Now I aint gonna run back to my mother, she'd hand me over to Tanaka without battin' an eye!" He exclaimed in great exaggeration, arms flailing wildly.
"So I kept runnin', as fast as my legs could take me until old man Tanaka gave up the chase. I thought I was safe, slippin' between some buildings to hide it out, when I hear sirens comin for me next!"
Kai blinked. "What? Wait, back up, what did you do?" The fuck was the old man talking about!?
Gramps paused again, arms coming back down to his lap. "My buddy knocked a baseball through Tanaka's window." He answered.
"So, why didn't you just apologize?" Ray asked around his mouthful of pizza.
Gramps blinked a little before he shrugged, "Yoshi scrammed on me, so I scrammed too."
Kai's eyes widened a second before he smirked. Oooooh, Mr. Rules and Regulations suddenly wasn't the picture of respect and citizenship...
He scooched forward, wanting more juice.
"Am I good to continue without ya'll interrupting me now?" Gramps asked, eyeing the four of them and getting nods in return.
"Good. Anyways..." He stroked his mustache as he went into thought, "Them sirens were comin' for me, so I knew I had to get outta town. So, I grabbed the first bus and hitched a ride! Ended up the next town over, no money in my pockets and just the clothes on my back. I wandered the streets for three days before I bumped into this fella named Kenchi.
"He asked me what a scrawny kid like me was doin round his turf and I told em what had happened and how I had to skip town cus the cops been called after me. He thought that was pretty cool so he took me in."
Kai arched a brow and snorted. "You left town cause you broke a window?" He asked, unimpressed. Hell, Carlos was more hardcore than that.
Gramps shot him a dirty look for interrupting again, "Course I did, aint gonna go and tell my ma' what I'd done so did the only rational thing I could think of. You don't make the most rational of decisions when you're nine."
Ray about choked on his slice of pizza, nine?! "You were just a kid, surely she would have been a bit more understanding."
Gramps shook his head, "Not my ma', she'd go an hang ya by yer ears if you so much as looked at her funny."
Max's eyes went sad, "That's kind of harsh..."
Kai's brow lifted higher. "You slept on the streets when you were nine?"
"Thas what I been tellin ya, aint it?" Gramps snapped, "Now you want me to finish this or not?" He asked with a slight grumpy face.
"But like, how? Where did you sleep!?" Kai pestered, angry at nine year old Grandpa for worrying him like that.
"I slept in a box for the first night, second night I found a park to sleep in, third night I slept at Kenchi's place with his boys. And that's when things get real interesting cus ya see, they were part of this gang and I aint want no part of that but cus I was so small they thought I'd be useful.
"We started off rippin' off corner stores, chips and soda, that sorta thing, and since I could run so fast they'd always make sure I was the one carrying the loot. But this time, I aint tied my shoes right and I fell, splat on my face while the store clerk was comin after me."
Kai's face didn't know what to do, going from shocked and stunned to rife with worry. "Why didn't you just get the bus home!? Where was your mom in all of this!?" He barked.
Gramps waved his hand in Kai's direction to shush him, the other's too stunned to say a word as their pizza had gone cold in their hands.
"Bah, she was busy runnin the shop, aint got no time to worry bout me. As I was sayin' though, I fell flat on my face and here comes the store clerk after me. So I bounce up, drop the loot and take off." He hit his hands together before pushing the top hand off the other in a sweeping motion.
"Ran as fast as I could, hopped on another bus and took that another town over without lookin back."
Kai's brow twitched, feeling himself age. Why didn't he just go home!?
Tyson blinked and sank. "Grampa, was great grandma really that mean?" He asked sadly. His family was always a nice one, wasn't it?
"Hm?" Gramps blinked a little at Tyson before he nodded back, "Oh, she was right as rain! Lovely little lady once she was in her seventies."
Max put a hand down on Tyson's shoulder, trying to comfort him.
"That brings me to the next part, see I grabbed a bus without checkin' where it was goin', took me right back to my home town so of course I finally went home. My ma' hadn't even noticed I was gone! My room was in the same state as I had left it, and she'd been makin' my school lunch and leavin' it on the counter for me." He howled with laughter.
Ray wasn't sure what was so funny about that, what was with these mothers and being terrible to their sons?!
Kai shifted. Sounded about right. Voltaire didn't know he'd been gone a week either. If there was any problem with the cops the lawyer was the one who got called to deal with it while he got on with his stuff. He probably didn't know half of it.
Tyson tilted his head, "So who had been taking your lunch?"
"Nobody, was sittin' there in little brown bags beside each other. Only been gone a week." His grandpa explained, "Smelled somethin' ripe though, but anyways, aint the point."
Ray blinked a little, there was a point to this whole thing?!
"When you do somethin' wrong, you should own up to it. No amount of runnin' off is goin to fix yer problems, runnin' only causes more problems. And if the people that care bout ya don't know where ya been off too, then how do they know where ta look to find ya? My ma' aint even know I was gone, anything could have happened to me, so when I ask ya'll to at least let me know where ya gonna be headin off to, it aint me breathin' down your necks, it's me wantin' to know that you'll be safe out there."
Kai silently let out a whine and sank like the bad puppy he was. Oops...
Tyson snorted. "Yeh, Kai..."
With a sigh, Max pulled his hand off Tyson's shoulder and quickly smacked the back of his head.
Kai glared and turned his nose up. "If people don't care, what's the point in wasting your breath?" He muttered under his own.
Seriously. His mom hadn't seen the untaken bags? The huge mansion full of staff and personal tutor hadn't noticed he'd been gone? Hell, Mr. D could care less as well.
"Well my lil dudes, that's all I got for ya tonight. Maybe tomorrow I'll tell ya bout the time I wrestled an American alligator." Gramps said as he pulled himself out of his chair, "Sleep good my home dogs!" He called as he left them, carrying his plate back to the kitchen.
"Night Grampa!" Tyson called through his next slice of pizza. Man, he was awesome! "I can't believe I know an ex-gang member!" He gushed, feeling tougher by association.
Three heads snapped in unison towards him, each with their own dumb look.
"You sure that's the only one you know?" Ray asked carefully.
Tyson frowned, thinking it through before he clocked Kai's face. His eyes were closed, but he saw the annoyance.
"Pfffffffff... Silly me." He giggled as he tapped Kai's shoulder, "I guess I forget since you're such a softy!" He said in a baby voice.
Max giggled a little, "Our big bad softy." He gushed.
Kai's fiery eyes snapped open and glared hard at him, but stayed quiet. He didn't... Have the muscles any more to back him up. Sigh...
"Know what else is soft?" Max asked through a cheeky grin, nudging Tyson in the shoulder.
"What?" He asked with his own grin still in place.
Max didn't answer, holding Tyson's eyes with his own he snatched up the pillow he'd been sitting on and smacked him in the face with it.
Kai snorted and let out a small, amused laugh, Golden Child having caught him off guard.
Tyson's eyes glinted. "Ooooooh you done fucked up Maxie..." He grinned evilly as he loaded each hand up and hurled himself at him, windmilling.
Max grabbed a pillow quickly, having to snatch it out from under Ray so he had something and held it up like a shield in front of him.
"No, that's fine. Wasn't sitting on that..." Ray grumbled as he rubbed his now sore ass from bumping on the hardwood floor.
Kai sent him a small smile, oblivious to Tyson and Max rolling over each other behind him. "Remember the castle?" He said nostalgically.
Ray nodded as chewed on his slightly cold pizza, of course he remembered that horrid place! Took his precious hair!
"That poor pillow..." Kai sighed.
Ray arched a brow as he looked at him, "What pillow? Was my poor hair that got hacked off!" He cried in a distressed voice.
Kai grinned harder. "And that poor pillow got clawed up for no reason. Feathers everywhere..."
Ray's brow reached higher, cogs working overtime before it clicked. "Because you tried to kill me with it!" He continued in his distressed voice.
Kai's nose wrinkled, amused. "I know!"
Ray didn't look amused, quickly snatching the pillow Kai had been sitting on out from under him like Max had done to him, lunging forward as he shoved it onto his beautiful and amused looking face.
"Least the paint won't rub off this time." He laughed evilly.
Kai shifted his head to the side, giggling, "No, but Gramps will kill you if you claw this up!" He warned in a sing song voice.
"I won't." Ray grinned back, pushing down harder as he settled his weight over Kai's legs.
Kai squirmed to fight back, gripping the pillow and trying to wrestle it from him. Ray could only laugh evilly again as he felt Kai squirming under him, last year he'd already been flipped on his back and pinned down. What a shame...
"You yield?"
"Never!" He pushed harder against him, getting nowhere.
...WHEN did Ray get this strong!? Was he that weak now!?
"Well, then I think I'm just going to lay right here then." Ray sang back as he kept the pillow down over Kai's face, shifting himself around where he laid between his legs with his head coming down on the pillow.
"Hn, not too bad actually."
Kai let out a growl. Really!? Was it not bad enough some random girl had taken his place as captain!? How he had to show just how low down the totem pole he'd dropped by displaying how weak he'd become!? Fuckin asshole!
He grabbed the cushion and yanked with everything he had, ripping it out to the side before quickly realizing his error when Ray's head smacked in to his.
As the back of Ray's head came down and smacked into Kai's, he quickly scrambled to get off him after the damage was already done, blood seeping out of Kai's nose.
"You okay?!"
Kai held his nose. Fuuuuuuuuck that shit hurt! "Mmhmm" He breathed out muffled. That was as bad as the hospital wall. Cause Ray had such a god damn thick skull!
"If you wanted to bust your nose up, there are plenty of walls around here." Ray said dully as he picked himself up off the floor, "Stay there, I'll get you some tissue." He ordered and went off to the bathroom.
Tyson and Max froze, open mouthed and horrified.
"Oh yeh, it's MY FAULT!" Kai screeched nasally after him.
"Duuuuude, you okay!?" Tyson asked, cushion still pressed to his head.
"FINE!" He screeched back, embarrassed.
"What happened?" Max asked as he had Tyson pinned below him as he sat on the pillow on his head.
"He had the pillow on my face. Lay on the pillow. I pulled it away. Head smashed my face" He explained briefly wishing they'd leave…
"Ouch." Max cringed a little, "But, why would you go and snatch the pillow if his head was on it?"
"Because none of your business! That's why!"
Ray sighed as he came back into the living room, carrying a roll of toilet paper with him. "Stop yelling at the children, not their fault you got yourself hurt." He said as he plopped down beside Kai's head, tearing off some tissue and handing it to him.
Kai's eye twitched. "Me!? If you weren't being a colossal pain in the ass like always this wouldn't have happened!" He bit.
"And what did I do exactly?" Ray asked back in a slightly amused tone, "You should have yielded." He dabbed at Kai's upper lip for him since he wasn't going to do it himself it seemed.
Kai growled at him. "Fine! I fuckin' yield! Are you happy now!?" He yelled at him before snatching up the tissue and taking himself to the kitchen.
"Yeah, sure." Ray rolled his eyes, and here Kai was worried things had changed. Nope, still his fault no matter what he did or didn't do apparently.
"Well... What now?" Max asked up on his perch of Tyson's head.
Tyson shrugged, "Ray, go apologize." He said flatly as he sat up and rubbed his face.
"For what?"
"Headbutting him in the face and laughing at him?" He offered.
"I didn't laugh." Ray corrected, "And I didn't headbutt him on purpose."
Tyson shook his head wisely. "We must always own up when we've done something wrong..."
Ray stared at him dumbly, "I didn't do anything wrong!" He defended in a weird high pitched tone.
Tyson rolled his eyes. "Just do it will you!? I swear that's all I ever hear between you two!" He spat back firmly.
"Fine." Ray groaned, if it made the baby happy. Whatever! He picked himself off the floor, again, going after his wounded king into the kitchen.
"Hey, you okay?" He asked, his entire demeanor changing the moment he stepped in with him.
Kai turned his tissue stuffed face to him. "Just peachy." He muttered.
Ray bit the inside of his cheek, not wanting to laugh in his face at the tissue paper wadded up his nose.
"What'd I tell you last year, don't clog it." He sighed instead.
"How could I forget, you're a pro at injuring me." He answered back huffily.
"I didn't the first time, you did that on your own." Ray countered, "And all the other times you went off and hurt yourself on doors or walls."
Kai frowned at him. "Usually as a result of you doing something horrible to me."
Ray cocked his head to the side, "Like what?"
"Like shove a pillow on my face comes to mind!" He bit, "Or trying to rile me up! You're always trying to rile me up!"
"No I'm not, you just have a short fuse." Ray chuckled back, "Like right now, I haven't done a damn thing and you're already yelling. I'm sorry you got hurt, I didn't mean to fall on your face with my thick skull."
"Why wouldn't I yell!? I'm angry!" Kai asked back.
"I noticed. But why?"
"You headbutt me in the face! And keep doing shit like that in front of the others! No wonder they haven't rushed to ask me back to be captain yet!"
"I don't see how the second part is my fault, am I not allowed to play around with you now?" Ray asked in a small hurt tone.
He was able to last year, didn't Kai want things to be the same? He'd gone off saying things had changed when they hadn't, but now he was having an issue with what they used to do? Was it too much to ask that he just make up his mind on what he wanted?!
"Of course you can! But do you really have to keep highlighting how fucking weak I got!?" He yelled harder with hurt in his tone as well.
"But... I haven't?" Ray coiled back some, if he had he hadn't done it intentionally.
Kai rolled his moist eyes, mostly from the smack to the nose. "Oh sure. That's why you're throwing me over your shoulder like a sack, or pinning me down knowing I can't get you off!"
"If it bothered you then you should have said something, but I didn't do it to hurt your pride or anything like that. It's how we were before, that's all."
Kai folded his arms. "Pfff. As if! It's me that throws you around!"
"Yeah... I know..." Ray said sheepishly as he rubbed at his bare arm, "But... You can't now..." He said sadly as he looked away, "But that's not my fault."
Kai's eyes fired up. "And I suppose it's mine is it!?"
Ray shrugged his shoulders at him, "It's your body, Kai." He didn't think he had to point that out to him, but at this point everything he said was just going over Kai's head.
The fire burned out just as quick as it had come, shrinking back. He was right. But it wasn't as simple as that...
"I know that..." He grumbled back.
"Okay... But I really didn't mean to hurt you, or upset you this much from playing with you. If you want me to stop I will."
"I don't want you to stop. I like it. Just not in front of them." He gestured at the other room, "I know I'm not what I was last year, I don't need any attention drawn to it..."
Ray nodded back, but that was going to be hard to do seeing as how they were living on top of each other now. It wasn't like last time where they could go off to their own room for the night and get away behind a locked and closed door. But if it made Kai happier than he'd try not to play with him around the others anymore.
"Okay." He repeated, still nodding.
Kai shifted. Now things felt bad again. "Sorry. I know that wasn't your intention. Just if it isn't getting called a softy, it's getting pinned down and hit in the face."
"I didn't mean to hit you in the face, you shouldn't have jerked the pillow!" Ray defended, "And I never called you soft either, that was them!"
Kai groaned. "Exactly! I'm getting shit on from all sides here!" He pouted.
Ray palmed at his face, they were just going to go in circles with this and it was getting late.
"I'm sorry, I don't know what else you want from me for what they said. I can only control what I do and don't do, you don't want me play with you around them I won't. Okay?"
Kai shifted again. Was right again. What did he want from him really?
"Yeh... Fine." He sighed as he rubbed his eyes, "I don't want anything from you. Just tired and feeling kinda shitty I guess."
"I'm sorry." Ray said, "How's your nose?" He asked as he eyed the wadded up and bloodied tissue in Kai's nostrils.
"Still on my face." He shrugged as he pulled out the tissue, "Still bleedin'?"
Ray leaned up, taking a closer look, "Nope, looks good now."
"Urgh. Thank god." He sighed as he tossed his tissue in the trash, "Wanna go play now?" He said mindlessly.
Ray gave him a weird look, "Kids are still out there and awake, but really we should all be getting to bed. Tyson has that test he never studied for and I'm beat from that training from hell."
"Oh..." He sunk. "Yeh, sure, totally."
"Got tomorrow, Tyson'll be gone for school and Max said he was going to his dad's shop for the day." Ray pitched.
That worked. The kitchen seeming to light up. "Really!?"
"Yeah, It'll just be us and Grandpa, but he's got his kendo class to teach."
"Why didn't you tell me this sooner!? We have to plan! What do we do!?" He bounced. Surprise day with Ray!? For real!? Oh boy oh boy oh boy!
"Didn't cross my mind?" Ray shrugged, "And I don't know, play it by ear?"
Kai grabbed him by the wrist and tried to drag him. "Then what are you standing there for!? The faster we go to bed, the sooner we wake up!"
"Okay." Ray chuckled as he followed him back out into the living room, the other two back to wrestling on the floor with their pillows, the fort knocked down from their rough housing.
"Well, put them to bed." He directed at Kai, standing back to let him have at it.
Kai flashed him a smile as if he'd just given him a rose before stepping forward and yanking the pillow off Tyson as he raised it in preparation to smack Max with it.
"Bed. Now."
"B-but it's not even midnight!" Tyson pouted.
Kai tilted his head. "Oh I'm sorry, does it look like I give a shit?"
"W-well... No..." Tyson answered a bit dumbly.
"C'mon, I'll race you!" Max distracted as he bolted up, tagging Tyson on the shoulder as he rushed past him to the bathroom.
As the kids ran off, Kai spun back to Ray looking incredibly proud of himself.
Chewing on his bottom lip, Ray gave him a grin back. "Still got it."
Kai's coy smile came back. This time feeling like he'd been given a 100 red roses.
"Oh, was nothing..." He brushed off with a pink hue on his face.
Ray chuckled, peeling himself off the wall he'd gone to leaning against. "Well then, help me clean this up and get their beds set up."
Kai skipped to work, closing the pizza box holding his share that he hadn't touched and gathering plates.
Working around him to put the cushions to the couch back just before the other two came out of the bathroom, they had the living room fixed and neatly put back together before going off to the dojo and spreading out their futons just in time as Tyson came sliding in on his socks along the floor before diving onto his bed.
"Oooooh Mister Sandmaaaan! Bring me a dream! Bumbumbumbum! Make him the cutest that I've ever seeennnn!" He sang as he bat his lashes.
"Give him two lips like roses and clover. Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over" Max sang along with him as he twirled his way into the room, his night cap about falling off his head as he did so.
"Mr. Sandman, I'm so alone. Don't have nobody to call my own. So, please turn on your magic beam. Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream." Ray sang next, smoothing out his sheets on his bed before crawling under them as he rocked his head back and forth, humming the tune.
Kai looked around, bewildered. The hell was that song? He shrugged, sliding under his own blankets next to Ray's bed and stared.
...Maybe the sand guy would direct him his way.
