Welcome backkkkk! Well got some good news. WE FINISHED V-FORCE! (Not this chapter, ya'll still got a while to go before ya get there) But in terms of writing, we finished it!
Nother side note: I finally went ahead and changed my email address cus FF STILL wasn't working right for me, so far everything is comin in like it should so fingers crossed it stays that way.
As always, we love everyone's reviews and thank you so much for those. Always makes our days.
In the coming chapters we'll be leading up to the big Saint Shield show down here, so yay! Because this one is another 2 parter, I will have the second part up next week on the 9th for ya'll. Until then, enjoy and we'll see ya then. Take care and till next time.
Grampa Granger looked out the kitchen window and let his content smile stretch along with his old bones as he waited for the kettle to boil. The very early morning sky still pink and the sun still a little way off from waking itself completely.
The whistle on the kettle finally went, and not long after the refreshing smell of green tea filling his nose as he poured the hot water through the strainer. Ahhhh, the little things that made life joyful...
He'd take his tea and sit on the porch, admire his garden and enjoy the small slot of time where he could be alone with his thoughts without one of the little dudes running around causing him worry.
Steaming cup in his hands, he shuffled to the back door and slipped on his wooden sandals, getting ready for dewy grass and flower smell. He quietly pushed the door open, sandals clacking against the wooden decking as he stepped out in to paradise. Oh, what a beautiful-
"Grampa!"
He leapt out his skin, tea spilling over the side of his cup as he let out a silent yelp, ticker going for gold. After the initial startle, his eyes went down to the skinny lump on the floor, red eyes staring up at him.
"The heck are you doing there!? At this time!?" He half scolded.
Kai's eyes stayed strong. "I need your help..."
"With what, and why so early?" Gramps asked as he took in the boy on his knees in front of him.
Kai shuffled on his knees a little before throwing himself on the floor at his feet. "Is your offer of kendo lessons still open!?"
Grandpa's still tired eyes lit up like the morning sun, "You bet it is!" He shouted, dropping his cup of tea as he bent down and yanked Kai up on his feet.
"And we aint got time to pitter patter 'round either, lots of work to be done K-dog so let's get jiggy with it!" He yelled excitedly in his face and dragged him back into the house.
Kai almost flew like a kite as Grampa dragged him, pleased to see something that he did made the old man happy for a change. He got pulled up the stairs and into Grampa's room. He stood awkwardly, feeling like he shouldn't be in there and taking in the simple yet cozy room. He got cut short when a bundle of fabric got tossed over his head.
"Put those on, K-dog!"
Kai held up the blue and navy garments and stared at him. "Okay... How do I-" "Get down to your skivvies, throw em on and I'll show you the tricky bits!" Gramps hurried, turning around already knowing what he was like.
Kai blinked before awkwardly doing as he was told. The top half was simple enough, a lose robe that wrapped over and tied. But the pants... Skirt? How did this thing work?
"Ready."
Gramps was on him, wrapping the long fabric that was joined onto the pants and tying it properly. He stepped back to admire his work and gave a proud nod, dragging Kai to his mirror so he could get a look.
"Suits ya, K-Dizzle!"
Kai took himself in, turning to get a good look. Ooooooh, the bagginess made him look much bulkier. His inner samurai spirit blazed. He was a mighty warrior! It was in his blood! Well, half of it... But the other half was just as badass!
Not giving him another second to admire the view, his wrist was taken up again and was whirlwind down the stairs to the office where Gramps had him sat in a chair and slapped a paper down in front of him.
"Just need ya to sign on the dotted line stating that in the event of some unforeseen incident and ya lose a limb, you'll not hold me accountable." Gramps informed at rapid speed.
Kai did a double take, not knowing when a pen got put in his hand. "Wait what!? How can you lose a limb with bamboo!?"
Gramps flicked his wrist at him, they didn't have time for the harrowing tale. "I'll tell ya at dinner, now sign!"
Kai looked down at the official looking paper... Was just for insurance purposes, surely. Probably some kid got a bruise, or a scrape and some monster mom wanted to sue. It was fine...
He printed his name as nicely as he could and handed it back to him, though Gramps didn't take it back as nicely as he had written his name. With the paper getting shoved and crumpled in the cubby on the desk, his wrist was yanked for a third time and in a blink they were outside, and he was getting bent and twisted like a pose-able doll.
"Now it's important to do your stretches first. You don't do your stretches then you get stitches." Gramps informed, chuckling at his own joke while he fixed Kai's stance around and put his hands behind his head for him and kicked his legs apart.
"Now ya bend at the knees, do ten of these and make sure to breathe through your nose."
Kai did as he was told, feeling a bit like Hilary when Tyson told her to keep saying "Bit-beast, oh bit-beast." Aka, kind of an asshole.
Gramps got in stance with him, his old and fragile bones cracking the first few times he went down but bounced right back up anyways.
"Now-what-got-ya-interested-in-doin-this-with-me?" He asked as he bounced up and down, stopping once he was done at ten.
Kai's face turned pink a little as he went down and up at a normal pace. "...I want to be strong again."
Gramps nodded wisely as he took in his answer, stroking his mustache a little as Kai went down again. "Through the nose, son." He reminded as he took in the strained face Kai was making.
"And ya know, I'm happy to help ya with anything. But true strength comes from within, don't forget that."
Kai corrected his breathing like sensei said and rolled his eyes. "Exactly! That's the whole point of martial arts, isn't it? It's just as much about mental strength than physical, which is why I came to you."
"Wise choice dare I say, too!" Gramps chuckled, eyes bouncing with Kai as he went back down and up again.
Kai completed his set and stood up. "Do I get a sword now?" He asked hopefully.
Gramp's head threw back in a laugh that lasted a good minute, wiping the lone tear in his eye as he faced Kai again.
"You don't go and give your home dogs their fancy lil spinnin things just after one session of stretches, do ya? Nah, now we run a lap around the yard and then do some arm warm ups. See if ya can keep up." Gramps winked as he took off in a light jog beside the wall of his house.
Kai glared at him. He could keep up with that pensioner! He took off after him. "Then why'd you put me in a skirt if we're just gonna do stuff like this?" He whined.
"Gets ya in the spirit, son!" Gramps hollered back at him, the wind in his hair as he sucked in a heavy breath through his nose.
Kai glared harder. Sure it did... If he wanted spirit, he'd show him spirit... Samurai Spiriiiiitttt!
He picked up speed and overtook him, zooming round the yard. Only to come to a screeching halt as he made it back out front, Grandpa standing there waiting for him with two of his swords placed in front of him.
"What took ya, been around and in and back out before ya even got here."
Kai's jaw hit the floor. "How!?"
"Now if I told ya then you'd know my secret weapon." Gramps winked at him. Pointing with the tip of his sword, he tapped the ground beside him for Kai to come stand with him again.
"Now we just gotta stretch our arms and we'll be ready to go."
Kai waddled over to him in awe. He was amazing. Didn't even see him pass him. "Okay!" With him as his teacher he'd be unstoppable!
After running through their last few arm stretches, Gramps having to remind Kai to breathe through his nose, he was finally fitted with his sword and fixed back around like a pose-able doll before Gramps was satisfied with his position.
"Alright, now listen up. We don't just go swinging these things about all willy nilly. It's not just a weapon, but an extension of yourself." Gramps said in his instructor voice, getting up in his own stance and swung his sword down with a swift swing.
"Think of it also as a form of art! Beautiful and deadly art. One wrong swipe and your canvas can be broken in half!" He swung again, harder this time, making the wind whistle as the sword cut through the air.
"Now you give it a try and breathe through your nose when you strike."
Kai nodded frantically, still awe struck by the master in front of him. He lifted, doing his best to copy the great sensei. In through the nose.
SWISH. He instantly broke his stance to bounce. That was fun!
"Did I do it!?"
Gramps stroked his mustache while in thought, his lips puckered slightly. He may have posed him wrong but was understandable seeing as how his clothes engulfed his entire body. Was hard to tell where those tiny twigs had disappeared to.
"One more try." He concluded as he went back up to him, posing him back around and kicked his feet a bit more apart from the last time.
"Straighten your back and suck in your chest, then bend your knees just a tad." He said while doing it for him anyways and stepped back.
"Now strike!"
Kai glared at the air and swung, trying to keep his arms as straight and the hit as clean as possible. "That time!?"
Gramps nodded; the tiny grasshopper was a fast learner. "We're gettin there, let me do it with ya now." He took up a spot beside him, getting into position and nodded to Kai so they could start going in sync.
Kai buried the squeal. This was awesome! His head stayed turned and fixed on Grampa, swinging with him and grinning at him.
With the two out front going to town with their swinging, back inside the others were starting to finally wake themselves up. The usual 'good morning' being murmured and bounced around as they rubbed the crud out of their eyes and cracked their backs and necks.
As Tyson stretched his arms above his head and yawned loudly, he paused for a minute and sniffed the air. Something was horribly a miss.
"Do you guys smell that?" He questioned.
Max gave the air a small sniff, "No?"
"Exactly! Where's our breakfast?!" Tyson whined at him.
"More importantly, where's Kai again?" Ray asked over him as he took in the empty bed beside him for a second morning in a row.
"How is that more important than breakfast?! We gotta find Grandpa!" Tyson shouted in a distressed voice.
"Alright, you look for Grandpa and I'll look for Kai." Ray huffed as he got himself out of bed while the other two scattered out of the room.
"Hold steadier, K-dog! You're starting to lose focus! Step, strike, back, step, strike, back!" Grampa coached.
Kai was starting to sweat a tiny bit. It was still awesome but holding his twig arms over his head so long was starting to burn now. He had to just suck it up and do it. He didn't want to let Grampa down on lesson one! Nor did he want to let Ray and the others down by being such a weakling.
While Tyson and Max scoured the inside of the house for Grandpa, Ray took himself out front to try and find Kai. Not having to go far as his ears perked at the sound of something swishing through the air, dragging his attention towards the pathway from the gates to the house and catching his curiosity.
What the hell was he doing now?!
Peeking around the corner of the wall, Ray poked his head around and like the morning before his jaw almost hit the ground. Wide golden eyes scanned and roamed every inch of the dark-blue fabric that draped off Kai's body, the long sleeves flying through the air with every swing of the sword as he followed beside Grandpa move for move almost perfectly.
Seriously though, what the hell was Kai doing now?!
He waited around the corner of the house, enjoying the sight a bit more than he should have as the two swung their swords through the air again while Kai's chest puffed up and his back curved slightly. It was a little too early for it to be so hot out, but Ray felt a small flush on his skin as he couldn't tear his eyes away now.
"Hey Ray, what are you doing just sat there- HEY KAI! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING NOW?" Tyson's booming voice echoed across the back yard. Max and Ray winced at the loud noise, but the blonde couldn't help but shake his head at his peeping Tom mom...
The voice hit Kai mid swish, making him drop the wooden sword and scramble to grip it again, eyes bolting around and covering himself like he was stark naked.
"What's it look like he's doin lil man? Same thing you should be doing! That's what!" Gramps turned and thrusted his sword up in Tyson's direction, other hand on his hip. "Least one of my boys has showed some interest in this, and not be a lazy toad just sleeping the day away!"
"But it's only nine!" Tyson whined at him as he coiled back some from the sword, even if it was across the yard from him. "And we're hungry!"
"Then go on and make yourself some chow, can't ya see I'm busy?" Gramps huffed back at him.
Kai burned more red with them all staring at him. "It's okay. Better go in now anyway. Thanks." He fired out before trying to summon his inner ninja and make a swift escape.
Gramps turned to him, frowning but nodded wisely all the same. He was getting hungry too, and they had been out there for a few good hours. Needed the rest and the chance to fuel up.
"Alright, well... Same time tomorrow, right?" He asked hopefully.
"Mmhmm..." He nodded, handing him the sword back and shuffling his way back to the house.
"Great! What's for breakfast then?" Tyson asked, not clicking that he'd gone and interrupted something important.
"Go make it yourself, lil dude! I aint your butler!" Gramps continued to shout across the yard, throwing his sword over his shoulder and turned his nose up in the air, marching for the house and heading in. He still needed his morning cup of tea.
Tyson groaned for a second before turning his eyes to Ray, putting his hands together.
"Why you looking at me for?"
"Pleaseeeeee?" Tyson begged as he bat his lashes at him.
Ray just sighed; he couldn't really say no to his starving babies. "Alright, fine." He huffed, heading inside the house again with the other two bouncing in after him.
"Go get dressed and put the beds away." He ordered, splitting up from them as he went to the kitchen to figure out what he'd make them all for breakfast.
Getting into the kitchen he paused in the doorway, suddenly feeling hot again all over as Kai stood by the sink chugging down water like he hadn't had a drink in days and still dressed in his kendo get-up. Ray swallowed a little, feeling like he hadn't had a drink in days either while he soaked up the new look.
"Hey." He sent a small a wave, his voice sounding a bit off pitch but not like he cared completely.
Kai finished his drink and gave him a sheepish nod. "Hello..."
"What um... What were you doing training kendo with Grandpa for?" Ray asked as he came a bit more into the kitchen, slightly remembering he came in there for something but once again couldn't tear his eyes away from Kai.
Kai turned and leaned back against the counter. Bending a knee and resting a foot against the counter door, making the wide, pleated pants fan out.
"I just... I just figured I had more work to do to catch up and be ready is all." He told the kitchen floor, not willing to look beautiful, manly Ray in the face while he wore a man-skirt.
Ray's head tilted, hearing nothing but white noise for a second as he took in the way the pants fanned out. Could fit a whole nother leg or two in there...
"Hn?" He snapped back, blinking a little as his skin felt flushed again even in just the tank top and shorts he'd slept in.
Kai's head tilted back at him. Blue warpaint nowhere on his face but instead the blue fabric wrapped over his chest enhancing his pale skin and red eyes.
"Hn? I said I just felt like I needed to do more to catch up to everyone." He repeated. Had he stuttered?
"Oh. Okay then." Ray shrugged as he took one last good, and hard, look before moving on to the fridge. He came in here for something, didn't he?
"So, how was it?" He asked as he popped the door open, hoping to jog his memory and enjoy the cool air on his still flustered skin.
Kai frowned at him. Weird... "Uh, yeh. Was good..."
Ray nodded and shut the fridge door, mind still not catching onto what he had originally come into the kitchen for.
"Okay, so I came in here for something but don't remember." He huffed as he stared at the door, "You gonna do it again tomorrow then?" He asked just to keep the conversation going while he tried to think, going around to get some tea started up while he was in there.
Kai blinked at him again. "Was it breakfast? Heard Tyson asking you. And yeh, if Grampa is willing, I'll do it whenever he can fit me in."
Ray snapped his fingers, the light bulb finally going off. "Yes, thank you. What do you want?"
"Eggs!" He fired out. Needed all the protein he could get. "Can I help?"
"Um." Ray paused as he looked him up and down. Not that he didn't mind the help, but he didn't want that gorgeous uniform to get messy.
"Might want to change first, and we gotta have something else with the eggs. Maybe we have bacon or ham, can fry that up." He thought out loud, going back to the fridge and stuck his head back in the open door.
"You look nice, by the way."
Kai's face got pinker, biting back the happy little smirk and smoothing out the top with his hands. "Pfff... Nah... Do you really think so?"
Ray's head popped back around the door, nodding rather quickly as it burned without the cool air of the fridge. "Mhmm." He hummed, jumping back behind the door to cool himself down again and look for... Whatever it was he was looking for.
Kai's stomach bubbled, letting the pleased smirk crack as he head out to get changed, pleats swishing as he went. And not before getting a quick glance at his reflection in the window.
"Thank you..." He let out as he peacocked his way out, feeling less bothered by the skirt aspect and more like a badass than he had in a very long time.
Ray snuck a peek as Kai walked away, was still the best part of watching him do that, except it just made his brain fry to the point he ended up staring off into the empty space with the fridge door left open.
"Hey, where's the food?" Tyson asked as he strode into the kitchen a few minutes later, only to find it not filled with beautiful smells of food and just Ray stood with the fridge door open.
He waved his hand in his face, snapping his fingers and finally getting a reaction as Ray leapt out of his skin.
"What?!"
"Dude, you been in here for like an hour! Where's breakfast?!" Tyson whined.
Ray shrunk back a little, he was supposed to make breakfast? "Oh, yeah. On it. Sorry." He stuttered, quickly grabbing the eggs out.
Tyson stood back and watched him get to work, something in the back of his head nudging him slightly. Since they came back from New York, Ray and Kai had been acting really differently but he just couldn't put his finger on it.
"Yo Ray? What's with you and Kai?" He asked dumbly as he stood gormlessly, weak with hunger.
Ray jumped again at the suddenness of the question, the egg he'd been going to crack splattering along the counter as the goop inside oozed down the rim and onto the floor.
"What? Nothing, why?" He asked back in a nervous chuckle.
Tyson looked down mournfully at the fallen homie. He was sure he and that egg would have been soulmates for the entire time he was eating it...
But he had something in his brain. "You just seem different is all. Like you really patched things up. It's awesome. Just wondered what the scoop was."
"Nothing." Ray squeaked back, not daring to face him and wondered when Tyson got this nosy. "We did patch things up, nothing else to it."
Tyson just nodded. "Know what else there's nothin' of? Breakfast!"
Ray's head snapped around on his shoulders, his earlier nervousness gone. "Then get out and let me work! You know I don't like it when you all crowd the kitchen."
"Geez, at this rate it'll be dinner before we get any breakfast..." He muttered as he did as he was told.
"I heard that!" Ray yelled after him, angrily cracking another egg though this time without getting goop all over the place.
Fifteen minutes later of trying to cook while the image of Kai in his kendo uniform swam in his head, Ray summoned the troops to a breakfast of eggs, bacon, rice and salad.
Sadly for him, when the object of his affections re-entered the kitchen, he was dressed like normal with his blue markings well in place... What was he saying? As if that was a bad thing at all... Just... Wow... That guy looked so good in anything.
Fortunately, it seemed their wise leader had learned from the previous morning and paced his breakfast. Eating a normal amount before their morning training commenced. Yet again, more running. More stretching. More weight training and more practice battles. And those god damn boards were yet to be cleared. By any of them.
Sweaty, tired and sore, Grampa finally called them in for lunch. Chicken. At Kai's request. His little kendo apprentice could have whatever the hell he wanted!
Despite being tired, Max bounced in to the kitchen and ate with an air of rainbows and stars. His mom was picking him up in half an hour. They'd arranged to spend the whole afternoon together. She hadn't said what they were doing yet, but anything was fine with him.
Kai too ate his muscle building lunch with his own air of rainbows and stars. He felt good today. Really good.. Training was hard and his body hurt, but for once his head wasn't polluted with a dark fog. There was a clear path in sight.
His team was coming together and working hard to defeat yet another obstacle, which was serious, but somehow felt completely beatable now. Grampa was helping him get stronger. And he was taking massive strides alongside Jackie, the two of them against the demons, lifting a leg and pissing on them one at a time. Last but not least...
Ray said he looked nice... Maybe the protein was working already...
He looked up at the clock and hurried. They had to leave in ten minutes! He didn't care if it was voluntary. He had a job to get to! With a squeaky clean plate, Kai jumped up, hurling himself at the sink to drop off his dishes and charging back upstairs to change in to less sweaty clothes again.
He barreled down again in a long sleeve shirt and jeans. "Grampa! You ready!?"
"Coming K-Dog! And Maxie, looks like your mom just pulled up!"
"I'm coming!" Max squealed, shoveling in the rest and slapped Tyson on the back as he pushed away from the table.
"Bye guys, have a good day, see ya later!" He spit out before shooting out of the kitchen, "Bye Kai!" He didn't forget him as he zipped by.
"Could you tell he was excited, cus I couldn't." Tyson chuckled to cover the sting his felt in his back.
"Nope, couldn't tell at all." Ray snickered back, the slam of the front door going a second later. Leaning back in his chair some he sent a small smile at Kai while he waited by the doorway to the kitchen for Gramps to hurry up.
"Have a good day too."
"Just don't hit me on the back when you leave." Tyson said over his shoulder at him.
Kai smirked and leaned forward, thwacking him on the back before running away holding his dickish giggles.
"Bye!"
"Oh, you ass!" Tyson hissed, the asshole somehow managing to hit the same spot as Max had.
Ray nodded in agreement, that was some ass. He should wear jeans more often.
"Ray." Tyson called as the other seemed to zone out again, his body tilting slightly as if he was trying to look past him at the door.
"Ray." He tried again, Ray's body still tilting more that Tyson checked over his shoulder to see what he was staring at. Half expecting to see Kai peeking back around the wall for a round two at his back, but he was gone.
"Ray, hey man you in there?!" He snapped his fingers, having to jump up as Ray's body near enough toppled off the chair.
Thankfully Ray caught himself just in time, cheeks the same color as his headband, and readjusted himself more properly in his chair.
"What?" He blinked at Tyson; did he say something?
Tyson smirked hard and gave him a look. "I know exactly what you're thinking, man..."
"You do?" Ray arched a brow, feeling a different kind of sweat take over his skin as he sunk a little in his chair. He didn't, there was no way Tyson figured it out. Nope, couldn't have. No way on God's green Earth or hell. But what if he had?!
"Uh huhhhh..." Tyson grinned harder, "So weird seeing him in people clothes, aint it?"
A swing and a miss, but only by a smidge really since Tyson wasn't completely wrong. But weird was not the word he'd use to describe it.
"Oh. Yeah. Looks a bit off with the war paint too really."
"Should I go tell him he looks stupid?" He offered as he gestured at Grampa's car out the door with his thumb.
"If you don't want to live to see your fourteenth birthday." Ray muttered around the rim of his cup he'd picked up to hopefully cool himself down with.
Tyson pouted. "Fine. We'll be bad friends and let him walk around lookin' funky..." He huffed, coming to sit next to Ray on the chair. "Then again, suppose he does usually anyway. Don't seem to bother him any."
"Funky?" Ray questioned as he looked at him with a brow raised, "That's what you call that? You realize, out of all of us, he has the most fans right?"
Tyson spat before bursting out laughing. "As if! I'm the crowd pleaser! He's just got the moody asshole vibe that some chicks like."
"Right..." Ray rolled his eyes, wasn't just the 'chicks' that liked the moody asshole vibe either... Or that ass in general...
"Gonna go take a shower, don't burn the house down." He ordered, setting his cup down and getting himself off the chair.
"All righty, I'll be here looking gorgeous!" He giggled and waved off, knowing full well he was gonna go get a secret snack.
"You do that." Ray shook his head as he left, chuckling a little at the joke as he disappeared up the stairs.
A pack of potato chips, kit kat, handful of grapes and an orange juice later, Tyson sat bored on the couch. This was boring... He hated being alone. Finally, Ray came back, shower fresh. Tyson smirked and wiggled his brows at him. That was one long shower...
"Have fun with Palmella and her five daughters?"
Ray stopped and blinked at him, "Who?"
Tyson grinned and lifted his hand, wiggling his fingers. "Palmella, five daughters.."
Ray's cheeks flushed some, though thankfully had a backup plan and pulled his hair over his shoulder and gestured at it in all its wet and unwrapped glory.
"I mean, they're a bit tired after dealing with all this." It wasn't really a lie, they were tired, but just a little extra tired since Tyson had actually swung and hit the nail on the head for once. But he wasn't going to tell him that.
Tyson snickered at him. "Whatever you say man, nothing wrong with slappin' your salmon... Anyway, come sit down, our talk earlier got me thinkin'."
Ray rolled his eyes but sat down with him all the same, making sure that when he tossed his hair back over his shoulder it smacked Tyson in the face.
"What's up?"
Tyson spluttered, wiping the beads of water off his face. "It's about Kai. I think I know how we can really help him out."
Ray gave him a look, sitting back into the couch and waited for him to continue. Wondering what Tyson had up his ball cap this time.
"You said he has a ton of fans right? Well one of 'em has to be spun enough to fall in love with him! Think about it! He got all weird and clingy with you, right? He needs the affection, man! But not the kind you gave him. With like, smoochin' and stuff! He'd be right as rain in no time!"
Ray choked on his spit at the wild idea, why hadn't he just thought of that? That was brilliant!
"Are you serious?" He said in almost a bored tone as he gave his oldest a look over, clearly he was. "Ty, he's not ready for a relationship like that." He informed in a tone mixed with hurt and understanding. Because if anyone who understood that better it was him.
"He's just now really starting to find himself again, and that's great for him. Throw in some girl and he'll just cling to her without working on himself like he has been." At least that was what Gramps had said to him, he still had his reservations about it but had agreed to wait for Kai nonetheless.
Tyson's face hung and took it all in. Wow, Ray was wise. "Huh... I guess... That makes sense..." He mumbled out; sad his brilliant plan had been shot down.
He shifted awkwardly, feeling his face blush slightly as he cleared his throat. "Are... Are you?"
Ray cocked his head some, "Am I what?"
"Ready for a relationship like that?" He asked as he tapped his thumbs together.
"Oh..." He settled back into the couch, going into thought a little.
"I thought I was, but I know there's some things that I need to work on myself so I can be better for him. But you know, it's one of those things where you're never one hundred percent ready for. Just like life, you can't be ready for it all the time. You take what you can and go through it, learn along the way and make changes and adjustments as you go."
Tyson's eyes bulged out his head. "HIM!?"
Ray's lips twitched a little, whoops, but figured it was better late than never the kids knew.
"Mhmm. I'm Bisexual, are you okay with that?" He didn't have any inclination that Tyson would have a problem with it, aside from him not having known first.
Tyson shook his head. "Y-yeh whatever, but dude! Does Mariah know!?"
"Nooooo." Ray shook his head slowly, "None of them do and they aren't to know, okay?"
Tyson looked like he'd just been told Ray had murdered 4 people and hidden the bodies. "Dude... She is not gonna be happy when she finds out you're after her brother and not her. That's some daytime TV shit right there..."
Ray held in his laugh at that one, though again Tyson wasn't wrong. Maybe he could really blow his mind, just because he was bored.
"I mean, was after both of them for a while." He shrugged his shoulders like it wasn't that big of a deal.
Tyson made a face. "Shouldn't play people like that, man... The heart is a fragile thing. It hurts when the person you like clearly is in to someone else. And someone you know..." He said with some more bite.
"Neither of them knew, especially Lee. So it's not like I did anything wrong here." Ray interjected quickly, "And really, after all I had said before, the one thing you set on is the 'him' part? Did you even hear anything else I had said to you?"
Tyson looked confused. "Course I did. But who else would it be? You only know us really. Thought you'd go after Salima if I'm honest with you- OH IS IT KANE!?"
Ray wanted to smack himself in the face, "Don't worry about who he is right now when clearly you're bothered by something yourself, so out with it."
Tyson's face went red. "No, no! Come on! You first! Tell me who he is! Do I know him?"
"No, and no. There, I answered your question, now you answer mine."
Tyson pouted and sighed, slumping in his seat. "If you're pretty sure you like someone, but have a feeling they like someone else, what should you do?"
"Find out if that feeling is actually the truth, otherwise it'll just eat at you not knowing the whole time. Even if the feeling is right, and they do like someone else, at least you can put your mind to rest about the what ifs." Ray offered as he gave him a sympathetic look.
He'd been in that boat before, only to find out that the person Kai liked turned out to be him. Which was a relief, but when Kai had avoided telling him that time it had hurt, hurt worse than anything he could remember and had even inflicted that same kind of pain on Kai by keeping the truth from him too.
How Tyson's situation played out, he couldn't really say since he didn't have much else to go off of, but he wished him the best either way.
"And how am I supposed to find that out!?" He fired back, "I can't ask because it might come between me and... A friend at school."
"Do you think this other person has interest in the same person you're interested in? And who does Kenny like?"
Tyson tilted his head. "What does Kenny have to do with it!? And probably Dizzi! And I have no idea if he likes her back! It's impossible to know if that asshole likes anyone on a basic friendly level! Let alone... Girl stuff!"
Ray's eyes widened, "Are you talking about Kai?"
Tyson turned a deep shade of red and curled in to himself, avoiding eye contact a moment before he couldn't help but get in Ray's face desperately.
"I know it's wrong! I know he has bigger things and he needs his friends now more than ever, not a drama about a girl! But she hangs off him like he's God's gift and raves about him all the time a-and it's not like they even talk or hang out or connect! But oooooh he's soooooooo dreamy with his... Frickin'... Cool hair and height and good looks and badass vibe!" He reeled off, going from red to green.
Ray bit his lip, trying hard not to laugh but was no easy feat. Was sort of cute in a way, little boy jealous over his gay papa. But that wasn't for him to tell and he had to think fast and quick for a way around it.
"Look." He started, gently easing Tyson back onto his butt. "Who hangs out with Kai the most?" He pointed at himself to hopefully make this easier on Tyson.
Tyson nodded so hard his neck nearly snapped. "EXACTLY! You gotta help me! Do you think he does? You think she has a shot with him? I-I don't know if I can deal with that! OOOOH WHY!? He could pick any girl, grunt at them and they'd turn to goo! So why her!? Me too! Seriously why her!? She sucks!"
Ray blinked a few times, trying to process all that as fast as Tyson had spewed it out at him. "I can tell you, with the upmost certainty, that Kai may be your rival in blading but that's all he'll ever be. He doesn't have any feelings for Hilary. And me being the guy he clung to for months, take my word for it, okay?" He put a hand back on Tyson's shoulder in hopes to calm him down some.
"And why does she suck all of a sudden? She's really not that bad."
Tyson folded his arms and huffed. "Because she's loud, annoying, opinionated, is always yelling at me, thinks she knows everything.." He listed off before the rest caught up, making him glow, "And REALLY!?"
Ray gave him a look, "Ty... You are all of those things and then some. But instead of focusing on the negative, there's obviously something there that made you like her like this, right? So what are they?"
Tyson's eyes got all big and shiny as his fists came up to his chin. "She's real pretty and always smells nice! She's kind and always tries to help us no matter what. She never gives up! Even if it does drive me nuts, she's strong but sweet at the same time and I just like her a lot!"
Ray refrained from putting his hand to his heart. Awww, his baby boy was in loveeeeee. They grew up so fast.
"So tell her."
Tyson choked and reeled back. "Ew! Don't be stupid!"
"What's stupid about that?" Ray defended, "Look, I know it's terrifying, I've been there, but would you rather try, and it fail or not try and it fail anyways?"
Tyson sighed heavily. "I get that just... Not right now. I need her around and if she turned me down and ran off, I don't know if I could keep my head together for the Saint Shields..."
"Well I wasn't meaning right this very minute, but at some point. When you're ready, of course, just try. And, word of advice. Be a little nicer to her. If you like her this much then you should show it, not yelling at one another all the time." Ray advised.
Tyson blinked. "But chicks dig that, right?" He waved it off, he was a delight, he didn't need telling otherwise. "So come on Kai's best buddy, dish the dirt. Who does he have eyes for? Is there someone? Is he even aware there is such a thing?"
Ray gave him a dull look, "No, Ty. Nobody likes being yelled at all the time or treated badly. And really? You think I'm going to dish any dirt on my 'best buddy'?" He mocked at him with a roll of his eyes.
"Tell ya what though, yes he is aware. Everyone is aware. Why do you make him out to be some kind of ice wall? He's really not like that. You saw how he was worried about you, in a dream, so yes. He knows how to care. How to love. All those things."
Tyson shrugged. "I know that. I'm not meaning it in a mean way. Just, he isn't that great with the concept of friendship, his people skills are... Mm... So I just struggle picturing him having those kinds of feelings when he seems to resist basic platonic feelings, ya know?"
Ray shrugged his shoulders back; he couldn't really blame him when he put it that way. Was only a year ago that he was sure Kai didn't have any feelings either, but oh boy was he wrong, and was he really wrong for ever thinking they'd never get along.
"Yeah, but there's a reason for all that and we know that. If you take the time to get to know him, he's really different. He's kind, caring, protective and oh my God he's smart." His eyes lit up a little as he shifted up, almost like Tyson had to him earlier.
"When we went bowling, he decided to tell me that half of the Earths fresh water is trapped in glaciers. Then when we went to that aquarium he told me some scientists put jellyfish in space, which is weird and I have no clue why they thought that was a good idea, but he's like this walking talking encyclopedia or something."
Tyson took in everything he said and cocked a brow. "Yeh... He did tell us all about worms and stuff that time after Wyatt died too..." He agreed as he smirked at him, "You sure your mystery man isn't Kai there?" He grinned as he nudged Ray's side.
"I'm sure that my mystery man isn't a mystery to me but will remain a mystery for you and everyone else." Ray nudged him back.
Tyson belted a laugh. "All right, all right, I'm just playing. Can't picture you two together anyways."
Ray cocked a brow, knowing he was supposed to be hiding it all but felt oddly offended by that.
"Why?"
Tyson breathed out the last of his laughter. "What do you mean why?" He asked, taken aback by the offense.
"Like, why can't you picture it?" Ray pressed.
He blinked at him again and let out a chuckle in thought. "Uhhhhh cause you're Ray and he's Kai? Hardly a match? Wouldn't you say?"
"I don't follow but will take your word for it, I suppose." Was all he could really think of to say to that. Was that even a real answer? What did it even mean?
Tyson didn't seem to know either. "Do.. Do you think you'd match?"
"Why not? We already spend all our time together. Know just about everything about the other. Somehow managed to get you three across the world, with a few scrapes but that's not the point. But really, who better than him with me or me with him?"
Tyson went into thought and stared at him. "Well, I mean, if that's your deal, I'm pretty sure Kai is... Ya know."
"Ya know what?" Ray pressed again, getting a little tired of the guessing games.
Tyson shifted. "You know... Not like meeeee... Maybe not exactly like yoooooou..." He tried.
Ray arched a brow, "And why would that be a problem if it was me?"
Tyson rolled his eyes. "I'm saying, if you think you and Kai are so compatible then I'm pretty sure he's the same way as you in terms being into both. So. Just skip over the heartbreak and hassle and settle for him. He likes spending time with you and is probably too useless to go get anyone else." He shrugged.
Both of Ray's brows went up a little, shocked that's what Tyson had come to conclude. Sadly, to save Kai's skin, he had to go and crush Tyson's hopes and dreams.
"Well. Sorry Ty." He pat him on the shoulder in mock comfort, "Even if we are great friends, he's not interested in guys. And he's my best friend, it'd be like if you and Max dated. It'd be a bit weird." He took a breath, all this talking and he needed something to drink.
"And besides, I like Enrique anyways." He threw out a name that was easy to him, hoping Tyson would take the bait and run with it while he got up off the couch to run off and get something to drink.
Tyson's jaw fell to his lap and scrambled after him. "Enrique!?"