Season 2, Episode 34.
A fire had been lit, one that didn't seem to be going away anytime soon and not one he wanted to go away either. There was a drive, one that he hadn't seemed to have in almost a year come back and nearly bite him in the ass, and since that drive and fire had come back it'd been nothing but go, go, go for him.
Aside from early morning kendo classes with Gramps to the regular training with the others, the lifting of the heavy boxes and bags of dog and cat food at the shelter, that wasn't all Kai was doing to get not just his head but his body back in the game.
There was still that weight monstrosity that had been set up, that everyone used now, and of course when no one was looking he'd go back to using it more times than was probably healthy for his little twig arms. But he continued to push through the pain, the burn, keeping that fire that had been lit under him and moving forward.
Although Driger was still sealed away in the rock, Zeo was still a possible liability, Judy's rock was still missing, there were still good things and people he needed to protect.
Jackie was making better progress like he was by the day, Ray was staying with them all forever now, Max and Judy were making better strides in their relationship. Things were truly, for once, looking up and now that he felt like he had his head on straight and there was an end goal in sight that's all he saw, and nothing was going to get in his way of that end goal.
Rain or shine, sunrise to sunset, it didn't matter as he was out and about doing something to better himself even if the others were starting to worry and telling him to slow it down.
It'd only been a week and a half since their little trip to the beach, where that once little spark had turned into the roaring fire it was now after the small slip up in the bathroom with Ray had happened, but what better motivator was there but that? He'd made a vow to his King as his knight to get Driger back and come heaven or hell that's exactly what he was going to do.
Sadly, said King wasn't so sure that the warpath Kai was currently taking was the best one as he sat in the kitchen watching the time tick on the oven. Gramps having paced back in to see if Kai had come in yet only to get a small shake of the head back, the two expressing their own sighs before Gramps headed back out to keep a lookout out front for when the wandering teen decided to come home for the night.
This was becoming almost a habit, again, where Kai would just up and leave without a word or warning. Missing dinner with them all only to come back close to almost ten or eleven nearly passing out in the doorway, and barely being able to get to bed he was that exhausted.
Neither of them wanted him to keep doing this, even if it was for a good cause or not, they were of course concerned for him that he may just be overdoing it. Couldn't find the brakes again after fixating on one thing and making it his sole one fixation to 'make him better'.
With the front door closing not long after Grandpa's departure from the kitchen, the back door in the kitchen opened at almost the same time and the weary knight came dragging his feet into the house and straight for the cabinets where the glasses were kept then towards the sink.
Ray sat and waited, not even sure if Kai had even seen him when he stepped in or not but couldn't take his eyes off him at the moment in case tonight was the night he finally did collapse.
Letting Kai fill his cup under the sink, he finally cleared his throat as he traced the rim of his own cold cup of tea sitting on the table in front of him.
"Where have you been?" He asked softly, the concern there in the back of his throat and eyes still on Kai's every move.
Water spat back in to the sink as Kai leapt out his skin. "Jesus! What have I told you about doing that!?" He scolded back.
"Me? You're the one that scares me all the time!" Ray argued before shaking his head, "Don't change the subject. Where have you been, we've been worried about you."
Kai shrugged and chugged some water before he answered him. "Just out."
Ray frowned at him, leaning back in the chair he'd been sitting in for hours now and put his arms around his chest.
"Try again." He bit out.
Kai's shoulders slumped as a pouty teenage sigh left him. "I just had some things I wanted to do that I didn't get time to in training today. That's all."
"And you decided that doing it past ten was a good idea? While skipping dinner, again?" Ray asked with his own sigh and small shake of his head.
He shrugged again, averting his eyes. "Only so many hours in a day..."
"And you only have one life, Kai." Ray reminded, "You need to slow down, before you hurt yourself or something happens out there, and you collapse before you make it home and we don't know where to find you because you don't even tell us where it is you're going."
Kai couldn't help but chuckle a bit. "Whoaaa whoaaa, calm down. I promise I'm not doing anything that crazy."
"It doesn't matter! We never know where you are, and Ozuma and his people are still out there, and you keep going off by yourself in the middle of the night!" Ray argued back, voice rising slightly.
Kai recoiled a little. Damn. He did have him there. "All right, all right, I'm sorry. I'll tell you where I go from now on."
"Why don't you just not go out in the middle of the night by yourself from now on?" Ray shot back. Kai was the walking text book, so why was that idea not the best one he could come up with?
"Because I got stuff to doooo!" He whined a little, too tired for this.
Ray rubbed at his face, was a damn toddler sometimes. He slapped the table, pushing himself away to stand and went to the fridge to grab Kai's plate that they kept wrapped up for him from dinner.
"Go, sit." He barked at him, taking the plate to the microwave to heat up for him.
Kai hunched his shoulders and took the wise decision to do as he was told. At this point he was starving, just too tired to eat.
Popping the plate in the microwave and nuking it for about two minutes, Ray pulled it back out and brought it over to him, sitting down opposite of him at the table even though he should probably go out and tell Gramps Kai was home now, but if he did that then the old man would come in and start laying into him just as badly as he was right now and he didn't really need the both of them going at Kai right now.
"What is it you're even doing?" Ray asked, pulling his cup along the table to his new spot and sipping on it.
"Just getting some extra practice in. Control is a little off and attacks not as precise as they were." Kai out and told him as he picked up his chopsticks.
Ray shook his head again, "So do it during the day, with the rest of us. You're pushing yourself too much, we all see it. And not that we don't appreciate it, you're no good to any of us if you're collapsed and unable to move at all because you overworked yourself." He said a bit more gently to him.
Kai made a face. "And I appreciate the concern. I may not look overly strong right now, but I'll remind you I survived the Abbey as a kid. I'm more resilient than you give credit." He sniffed back defensively.
"And I'm not saying you're not, Kai. I'm just worried about you. If one of us were going like you were, you'd be down our throats about it and telling us the same things I'm saying to you right now. Sure, we may not have gone through what you did and may not be as resilient as you are, but you're still only human and at some point you need to rest."
Kai kept his head down, sulking but somehow hand still moving the chopsticks from the bowl to his face.
"All right... Fine..."
"I'll go get you a change of clothes and a towel so you can just go get a shower when you're done, okay." Ray said, giving him no room to protest as he was already up and out of his chair and dumping his cold tea in the sink before heading out of the kitchen. Not to mention, he really needed to go let Grandpa know Kai was home now.
Kai huffed as he continued on with his dinner. Maybe he had a point... It would be something he'd say to Tyson or the others. Which meant it was right...
Either way, the sun licked the horizon and Kai's eyes were open. His arm muscles twitched. It was that time again.
Like someone was trying to push a rusty wheelbarrow down a bumpy road, a horrible creaking and clanking echoed through the house making Ray's ears twitch in his sleep.
Groaning and rolling his head along his pillow, his eyes peeled open onto the empty one beside his only to roll in his head.
He never listened! This was getting ridiculous now, the sun was barely up let alone the rest of the house and that damn contraption was squeaking and squealing like it was begging to be put out of its misery.
With a hard grunt, he picked himself up off the floor, marching himself off to the training room where the horrible noises got louder even through the closed wooden door. Jerking it open as he got to it, hands going to his hips as he watched Kai working at the machine and making it squeal as he lifted the weights and strain himself so early in the morning.
Ray didn't even say anything to him as he walked up behind him, taking his hand to the back of Kai's head and giving it a swift and hard pop.
Kai wobbled as his hands let go to grab his head, handles and weight swinging. "Ow! The hell was that for?!"
Ray's hands went back to his hips quickly, not even fully awake yet himself but too pissed off to care at the moment and jerked one arm back towards the door he'd just walked through.
"Bed. NOW."
"I'm BUSY!" He fired at him with burning eyes. "Not even tired!"
"Well I am! And that thing is loud as all hell and woke me up, now get back to bed before I drag you there myself." Ray threatened, hand still pointing at the door behind them.
Kai glowered at him. "Urggggh. Fine. But if I can't get myself ready before all this goes down I'll blame you!"
Ray threw his hands up, "Fine by me, blame you for my cranky attitude today because I'm awake at god knows what time right now. And seriously, we just talked about this!"
Kai shifted his feet. "Just trying to get Driger back..."
"And I appreciate it, I really do, but not at your own expense. Please. I don't want to lose you both, so please take a break." Ray pleaded with him.
"Fine. But look! I can lift it way further than before!" He told him as he geared up to go again.
Ray's hand came out before he could even stop it and smacked him on the back of the head again, "I'm serious, Kai, go back to bed or I will carry you there myself!"
Kai whimpered like the bad puppy he was and scuttled right back. It was fine... He could do more during training today.
Sadly, his hopes and dreams were dashed to the wind when mommy put his foot down on that too. Determined to make Kai sit out and actually take a break for once, letting the kids train instead while they oversaw it with Kenny and Hilary gathered round them.
Kai's feet shifted where he stood against the beam of the porch as weird noises hung in his throat. This was an outrage!
Every now and then Ray glanced his way, making sure he stayed where he put him while he stood by the dish with the others. Dragoon and Draciel dancing in circles inside the dish around one another, Dizzi running her scans on them while they clashed in the middle.
"Who do I cheer for?" Hilary asked as she hung over the side of the dish.
"Give me a break, like it's not obvious who you have eyes for." Dizzi quipped back off Kenny's lap.
Hilary kept her mouth shut after that, trying to keep her eyes focused down on the two dancing blades below her in the dish.
"Oh boy, I'd say this one is too close to call Chief." Dizzi said.
"You got that right…"
Coming through the gates, neither heard nor noticed Zeo calling for Tyson as he came through behind them right when Tyson called for Dragoon to come forth from his blade.
"DRACIEL!" Max called, his own beast rising out of his blade.
"What's… Going on?" Zeo muttered, watching with wide eyes as the two beasts clashed overhead.
With it being a practice match, they didn't keep them out long, calling them back in shortly after when a surprised gasp came from behind them all.
"Ohhhh awesome!"
"Hey Zeo, what're you doing here?" Tyson asked, locking onto wide starry blue eyes and long green hair standing there, excitement written all over Zeo's face until he nearly jumped right into Tyson's own.
"Ohhhhh wicked!"
"W-Whaddya mean?" Tyson stuttered, leaning back some from the excited puppy that had crowded his space so suddenly.
Kai's feet shifted even more, teeth clenched and arms around himself tighter with a face made of stone.
"Ya know, those beasts that came outta your blade!" Zeo explained, his eyes getting even more sparkly.
Hilary and Kenny gaped with small gasps of their own. How had he seen them?!
"Oh great, first we have to explain it to Hilary now this." Dizzi piped up in an exasperated tone.
"That's the most awesome thing I've ever seen Tyson! They were like creatures from a sci-fi movie!" Zeo went on, clearly not listening to any of them around him.
"Yeah right…" Max muttered, his own expression a little dumbfounded at the moment at what was suddenly going on and the fact that this new kid had just randomly shown up out of the blue; again.
Tyson stared at Zeo wide eyed for a minute, dusty cogs working some while he blinked at him. "So, you seriously saw our bitbeasts? Honestly?"
"Well duh! And you call em bitbeasts, huh?" Zeo went off again, his excitement not seeming to die down any even with everyone still looking confused as all hell around him.
"Is this some kind of joke?" Kenny piped up next, gaining the excited boys attention.
"Nooo."
"How in the world do you explain that one Chief?" Hilary asked, looking to the little whiz kid beside her. How had he been able to see them, but she had to gain their trust?! It was unfair!
"I don't have a clue…" Kenny answered.
"Hey, mind if I have a look at your beyblade?" Zeo asked next, looking like he was fixing to self-combust from over-excitement on the spot.
Kai held in the growl he felt rising in his chest, wanting to self-combust for another reason and started foaming at the mouth. Not that any of them cared to notice, of course.
Just who the hell did this kid think he was? Coming to their home and demanding they show him anything?!
"Yeah, sure…" Tyson seemed to shrug, digging in his pocket for Dragoon and passing it over like it was no big deal.
Kai nearly saw red, fist itching to go into something while biting his tongue as hard as he could. Just what the hell was Tyson thinking handing over his blade so willingly like that? Did he never learn?! There were people out there trying to snatch their blades left and right and here he was just handing it over!
Zeo's face lit up even more as he took the white blade in his hand, eyes sparkling at Dragoon's chip in the center of the blade and let out an excited 'ohhhh'.
"Hey, that's the beast that came out of your blade!" He turned to Max past Tyson's shoulder, "Max, you mind pulling out your blade for me?!"
Max went ahead and pulled Draciel out of his own pocket, not seeing the harm in this at the moment and held it out only to have to jump back like Tyson had to when the blue eyes appeared right in his face.
"Yeah that's it, the other one!" Zeo nearly shouted, looking around at the last two bladers that had been silently observing the entire time.
"So I'm guessing Kai and Ray have bitbeasts inside theirs too, right?"
At that moment, Kai's head turned to look at Ray to see his reaction. How dare the little twerp ask such a thing in a moment like this! Had he no shame?!
Ray's head went down a little, deciding to remain silent still. Wasn't like Zeo would know, so he couldn't really be all that upset with him, but the reminder that Driger was gone still stung.
Even Max had hung his head, hands clenched at his own sides now. Like Ray, he couldn't blame Zeo, he wouldn't have known anything or known what he said hurt, but it did and he kind of wished the kid would just take the hint and leave now.
"Alright, just give it back. I've got to train." Tyson muttered, going over and taking his blade back from Zeo's hold and walking off with his hands behind his head.
Zeo looked down at his empty hand, his face going serious since he first arrived. "I want a beyblade with a bitbeast too." He voiced in all seriousness.
"Don't look now gang, but we created another monster." Dizzi joked, though once more Kai didn't see the funny side.
That was it, over the wall! He was gonna boot this little shit over the wall!
"Oh boy, once I get my own blade with one of those bitbeast inside I'll be the best blader around. So where can I get one, huh Tyson?" Zeo asked, the excitement back in his face.
Unable to keep his tongue bitten for much longer, and since no one else wanted to be the one to tell this kid some hard truths, Kai finally spoke up.
"There's only one way to get better and that's to practice."
"I understand that, but with a bitbeast I'll be number one in no time and nobody will be able to be-" "FORGET IT!" Kai cut over him, making Zeo coil back some.
"You don't have what it takes to handle your own bitbeast."
Zeo stared in shock for a moment, "But… I don't understand…"
"C'mon Kai, don't waste your breath. He'll never get it anyway." Tyson said, hands still behind his head and wanting this diffused before it got ugly like last time.
"Hey guys, let's give the kid a break and at least let him practice with us." Max suggested. He hadn't been there last time, didn't really see a problem with letting the kid in to practice with them, yet Tyson felt that maybe wasn't a good idea.
"No way Max." Was all he gave, heading off to show he meant what he said and giving Zeo the cold shoulder suddenly. Was more for Kai's benefit than it was any of the others though.
"Heyyy, this isn't fair!"
Zeo, not getting the hint tried to rush after them when a tanned arm came out and stopped him.
"Ray?"
"Listen Zeo, bitbeasts aren't toys for playing with in the playground. Just thought I'd tell you." He said, letting his arm come down and followed after the others.
Zeo stayed back, watching after him confused. "But…" Yet, they were all gone and once more he felt it best just to leave where he clearly wasn't wanted.
With the house clear of the others, Tyson late for his appearance at the tournament and Max being picked up by Judy for a late lunch date, Ray wandered back into the house after seeing the last two out the front gates. Leaving him and Kai alone in the house for a change, though given how he'd seen him foaming at the mouth he wasn't so sure if that was a good thing or not yet.
Wandering back inside, his ears perked instantly at the same creaking and groaning that had woken him up so early that morning, his own exhausted groan coming out of him as he threw his head back dramatically.
He was so tired of this, but at this point he was sure it didn't matter what he tried to do to get Kai to stop. The only way he would was when he inevitably did collapse, and even then Ray was sure he'd still insist he train.
Either way, his feet automatically took him towards the training room. Flinching a little as the creaking and groaning got louder and almost ear splitting as Kai was going at it in overdrive this time, Ray practically seeing the steam coming out of his ears as he pulled and lifted the weights as if they'd done him some personal grievance.
Taking himself to the wall beside the weight thingy, he sat down cross legged, watching for a bit with a dull look on his face and hand propped in the palm of his hand.
"Kai."
"Which would you rather!? This or my fist in his stupid fuckin face!?" Kai snapped back viciously over his shoulder as he yanked harder on the handles.
"Neither." Ray answered in a dull tone that matched his expression.
"Well tough shit!" Kai growled back.
"Mhmmmm..." Ray hummed, leaning a little to the side as he watched Kai's back muscles flex as he pulled the weights back up. Least it gave him a decent show, even if the sound was making his eardrums bleed.
"Kids are gone, house is empty, want to do something with me?" He asked, leaning back into the wall. He didn't care how Kai took that, he just wanted him to stop.
Kai leaned against the harness on the balls of his feet as his arms screamed while he flopped his head back to try and look at him.
"The hell did they go now!?" If Tyson and Max had gone gallivanting with that boy, they'd feel the back of his hand.
"Tyson had that tournament to go to, Max went off with his birth mother, and Kenny and Hilary left a bit ago to run through all the data Dizzi collected today." Ray explained, patting the floor beside him in offering.
Kai narrowed his eyes upside down for a second before the handles were let go of, the moody and scowling gremlin skulking to sit achingly beside him.
"You okay?" Ray asked, shifting around to look at him more head on.
"Fine." He huffed gruffly, still with the low growling hanging in his throat.
Ray sighed, shifting even more though went around behind him this time and put his hands to Kai's shoulders.
"How bout now?" He asked, hands and fingers working into the muscles on his shoulders.
The gremlin turned to stone. "Wha-what are you doing!?"
"It's called a back rub." Ray chuckled, working his hands in deeper down between Kai's shoulder blades.
"But why!?" He asked as he tried to look over each shoulder at him.
"Normally helps people relax." Ray informed, hands going a little lower. "And also, with how you've been going your muscles are going to be sore as hell. This'll help keep some of the tension out."
Kai stayed all tensed up a minute. Was this okay? Sure, this was the dream. Having Ray touch him and be all close. But after the make-out session in the bathroom at the beach was this wise?
But as Ray's fingertips hit a sweet spot, a sore one at that, his muscles unclenched and jellified back in to him. Fuck it. He could be a moron for the day and not care.
Ray held in the smirk, going quiet as he let his hands talk for him and work down Kai's back and back up it. Rubbing at his shoulders again, pressing the ball of his hand into his shoulder blades in circles while holding him with the other hand.
"You know, he doesn't mean any actual harm in what he says, right?" He asked in a small whisper behind Kai, hands still going to keep him liquefied.
The muscles tensed a little as he sat up some, but Ray's hold gripped harder and his hand pushed a little more to douse out the flame before it went off.
"You always do that! Stop sticking up for people like that!" He whined instead.
"I haven't done anything." Ray chuckled again, "I'm just saying, he's an excited little puppy. All bark, no bite."
Kai riled, cricking his neck to try and face him. "That's what he wants you to think and you all fell for it! What!? He's Tyson's biggest fan but had no idea what a bit beast was!" He screeched in an attempt to mimic Zeo's voice.
Ray grabbed his head, forcing it back around and went back to his shoulders. "And Hilary didn't know what they were either, and how long had she been with us prior to seeing them? And don't do that, my ears are still ringing from that damn contraption you insist on abusing." He huffed.
"Hilary didn't know jack about the sport! It makes sense that she wouldn't know! But him..." He spat, "Ooooooooooooooohhh I want to cut that stupid braid off his head and shove it so far up his ass he coughs up a hair ball!" He foamed.
Ray had to bite the inside of his cheek so he wouldn't laugh, trying to work his hands into Kai's back a bit harder to get him cooled down again. Almost had him...
"Why don't you like him, for real? What's he actually done to any of us that makes you dislike him so much?"
Kai glared daggers at the opposite wall. "I think the question is, why do you all like him so much!? He sniffs around Tyson wanting his moves, then infiltrates our home, now he's showing up during training sessions and is just soooooo interested in our bitbeasts. That people keep trying to steal. But yeh, sure. That's not suspicious at all. Nope. Not one bit. Only wants to know everything about us as players..."
"I never said I liked him." Ray chirped back, "And again, all bark no bite. Seriously, I doubt he'd even squish a bug he looks that dangerous."
"Have you learned nothing!? Never underestimate your opponents! I've said it so many times I ought to put it on a damn T-shirt!"
"Cus he's not an opponent, Kai. You keep looking at him like that and he hasn't once challenged any of us to a battle or anything like that." Ray tried to reason, letting his hands fall away from his back as his hands were getting tired.
"Yet." He hissed back.
"Alright, yes. Yet." Ray sighed, "Until then, he's not a threat though. Okay? Getting yourself worked up over it isn't good for you, or the rest of us."
"Who says I'm worked up!?"
"You act like I don't know you or something, which I take insult to by the way." Ray rolled his eyes behind him, putting his hands back to Kai's shoulders.
"And again, you need to take a freaking break. Or I'm going to dismantle this damn thing and throw it in the trash, you hear me?"
Kai pouted and stayed quiet a moment. "...He upset you."
Ray's hands paused for a second before going back, "He didn't know, Kai. I can't be mad at him for not knowing, it wasn't his fault. I'm okay."
Kai shrugged. Like he cared if he knew or not. "Needs to learn to shut the hell up."
Ray smirked a little, pulling Kai by the shoulders into his chest. Tilting his head back, he planted a gentle kiss to his lips.
"So do you sometimes." He smiled at him, letting his chin go. "Now, are you going to come spend some time with me or not?"
Kai turned to goo. Like an owl, his head stayed turned while his body slid around to catch up to it, sitting between his legs with his face right up in his.
"Yes please."
"What do you wanna do?" Ray asked, hiding the smirk again now that his little plan to get him cooled down seemed to work. Why hadn't he just gone with that?!
Kai shifted like a puppy that had to pee. "Um. I don't know. What do you want to do!?"
"Kind of hungry, want to go get something or make something?"
Kai nodded furiously. Whatever the hell he wanted..
"That helps..." Ray sighed, "Been a while since we've gone on a date, so why not go out? Never did get to that Thai place." Ray suggested, getting himself off the floor and holding his hand out to help Kai up.
Kai came over all funny and got to his feet. Going out on a date!? Just like that!?
He snatched up his hand and took off with him. "Yeh! Perfect!"
As he managed to drag him out the door, he did a U-turn, Ray flinging round with him.
"Oh! Wallet!" A few meters later he turned back. "Oh no wait, got it!"
"Well next time warn me before you go and pull my arm out of its socket." Ray grumbled, still trying to find his footing after getting whipped back and forth.
Kai glued himself to his side. "Sorry. Had to make sure I had it though, didn't I? Need to feed my King."
Ray blushed a little, holding Kai's hand a little tighter. "Be hard to do if you broke my arm and all. And I have mine, I can pay sometimes too ya know." He shot back playfully.
Kai scoffed. As if. "You can repay me another way."
Ray arched a brow, "Oh?"
"Mmhmm!" He nodded innocently. "Can read with me... And stuff."
Ray's face went redder, "Oh, OH!" He thought he meant something else... Bummer...
"Yeah, I can do that when we get back?"
Kai blushed too. He figured asking him to kiss his face off would earn him a punch.
"Perfect..."
Setting off in to the comfortable and more forgiving temperature the day had blessed them with, they left the house. As soon as they stepped out of the threshold, Kai felt as if they were stepping in to a different world altogether, with Zeo and the other troubles staying put at the house. Free of the weight, he was lighter on his feet, relaxed and content.
It seemed as though Ray felt something similar, walking quietly and peacefully until someone felt inclined to say something to the other.
The walk ended as the restaurant came in to view. A small little place that luckily did have some free tables.
They went in, greeted by orchids, Buddhas, elephants and all the other Thai themed decor that one would imagine.
"Smells good." Ray commented as they sat down, eyes trying to take in every fine detail around them.
The second he said it, Kai's stomach answered him with a huge growl. He shifted, embarrassed and tried to mask it with an awkward laugh.
"Sure does!"
Ray chuckled a little, trying to hide behind his menu to cover it up so as not to embarrass him further.
"Well, hopefully it's as good as it smells."
"Finger's crossed..." He said back as he hid his face with his own menu. He was starving...
What would be his victim today? Oooooo a classic green curry? Pad Thai? Ooooooo what was this? Maannnn he loved sweet chilli stuff! But then again, the thing with the shrimp looked good... Hmmmm but then coconut rice...
Ray peeked over his menu a little only to hide his face again, as if Kai had gotten up and bolted and left him and was expecting an empty seat across from him.
Heart fluttering a little faster, even though this seemed to be their thing it always excited him whenever they got the chance to, and really it had been a while since they'd been able to just get up and go out like this. It was nice, and a lot better than Kai trying to take out his frustrations out on that poor weight thingy back at the house.
Plus, Kai wanted to build up some muscle again so what better way to do that than get some food in his belly? And in his own as well. It was a win-win.
"Thinking a Pad Thai, what about you?" He asked, setting his menu down finally so he could actually look at his date.
Kai's red eyes peeked over the top at him, ravenous and glittering. "Hmmmm I can't choose. How hungry are you!? Wanna get a few things and have them with me? If it's too much can always take it home?" He pitched.
"Sure, get what you want. Since you're paying and all." Ray sent back in a slight biting tone, though not enough to really dampen the mood. It was all play.
Kai nodded. He was right! "Great."
He called over the middle aged man to come take their order.
"What can I get you boys?"
Kai smiled at him. "We'll have number 11, 15, 18, 23, 25 uh... 36 annnnnnnndddd 38." He listed off, not wanting to sound a dick and mispronounce the Thai names.
"OH! And a Pad Thai!"
With each number getting listed off, Ray's mouth dropped further and further down. Had he accidentally taken Tyson out instead of Kai?! He said a few things, not the entire menu!
"Sure that's all you want?" He asked once he picked his jaw up off the table.
Kai scanned the menu. "OH! I missed out number 29! One of those too please. A-and a guava soda please! What would you like to drink?"
"I'm fine with a water." Ray answered, still wondering who the hell this person sitting in front of him was.
"And a water for him." Kai smiled at him as he snapped the menu shut and handed it back to the waiter who walked off.
Kai rested his chin on his hands and stared at his company. "This was a great idea."
"Mhmm, sure was." Ray nodded back, fighting really hard not to crack a joke about him reminding him of Tyson right now.
"Nice to finally get out of the house too, feels like forever since we've been able to."
"Yeh, really has. I've missed it." He blurted out.
"Me too." Ray smiled back at him, adopting a more dreamy look in his eyes as he stared back at him.
Hell, as much as he liked this, why didn't they just stay at home and suck each other's faces off? That was just as good too, right? He missed that just as much too.
Kai mirrored his look of endearment. "...Let's go to Thailand."
Ray arched a brow, "Like, right now?"
Kai giggled. "If you're down, I am... But I just meant whenever."
"Oh, well. Yeah, maybe after all this nonsense is done with. Can put it on the list of places we can go on that vacation?" Ray pitched a bit bashfully.
"Mmhmm..." Kai nodded as he swung his feet a little. "Gorgeous beaches, drinking out of coconuts..." He listed off.
"No kids." Ray added with a coy smirk.
Kai's eye twinkled. "Nope. Just you and me."
"Plan on paying for the whole thing too?" Ray asked with his smirk.
Kai shrugged. "Don't see why not?"
"Ugh, why do I bother with you?" Ray groaned, rubbing at the side of his head as if he had a headache. "I can pay for some things too, okay? Like seriously. Let me pay for something here."
Kai blinked at him. "Is... Is that a bad thing?" The cogs turned and came up blank. Why wouldn't Ray be happy if he paid for everything?
"No, not really. Just, I can. You spoil me too much. What if I want to spoil you back?"
Kai tilted his head. "You do?"
"Not if you're the one paying for everything all the time." Ray huffed back at him.
Kai shrugged. "Spoiling doesn't always involve money."
"I know that, wasn't saying that. Just, feel like that's all you do though, and you don't have to." Ray argued back, "Not that I don't appreciate it, because I do, that's not it."
Kai snorted. "Well, not so good at the other kind so its lucky I happen to have it."
"I guess, yeah..." Ray nodded back, not sure what else to say to that.
And Kai was grateful for it. "Its fine, Ray. There's nothing else I'd rather spend my money on than having time like this with you and making memories."
Ray just sent him another bashful smile, still unsure how to respond as their mound of food was brought out to them to help cut the weird vibe he'd gone and thrown them into suddenly.
"Might need to take some of this home..." He muttered as plate after plate was set down on their little table before them.
Kai on the other hand, looked like a kid at Christmas. "Hoooollllyyyy crappppp look at this!"
"Mhmm, I see it..." Ray said, still eyeing it and felt his mouth watering as all the smells assaulted his senses at once. How the hell were they going to remotely get through half of this?!
Kai picked up a fork, almost salivating. "Which should we try first!?"
"Kind of want that... What was it, number 15?" Ray asked, already diving his fork into the plate of rice.
Kai dived right after him. He wanted to try it all together. "I don't remember! This is coconut rice though and ooooo I smell ginger!" He lit up before shoving it in his face and floating out his chair.
"Oh damn, that's good." Ray said around his mouthful, fork going into another plate of noodles that looked as if they'd been drowned in some kind of sauce.
Kai went along with him, clearly in the throes of food passion and enjoying the foreplay. But now he needed more. With some noises and wiggles, his fork got a life of its own jumping from dish to dish.
Between the two of them, the mountain of food slowly turned into a little hill as their bellies grew. The beautiful and exotic tastes from each plate blending together on their tongues as they bounced around, the coconut rice the first victim to be completely devoured and gone.
"Oh my god... I can't..." Ray sighed, leaning back into his chair. He couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten so much in his life.
Kai nodded, though fork kept moving. "Almost there myself... Oh my god, this place needs Michelin stars."
Ray just nodded back to him lazily, sipping at his water in hopes it'd get the slight ache in his stomach to go away. They were gonna have to roll themselves home after this.
"So. What's been your best meal with me?" Kai asked he popped some more chicken in his mouth.
Ray stared at him for a minute, that was a weird question. "I'm not sure? Like, food wise this was pretty good, but I liked the atmosphere at the diner back in America a lot better than here." He answered, looking to still be in thought before it seemed to hit him over the head, and he snapped his fingers excitedly and jolted in his chair upright.
"When you first made your chili back at Roberts horrible castle!"
Kai went off dreamy. "I wonder how Tony is..." He drifted off until it sunk in what he said.
"Really!? Your first chilli?" He smirked smugly and bashfully, enjoying the ego stroke.
"I mean, aside from almost getting impaled and having my hair hacked off. Yeah. Think that's probably at the top of the list." Ray nodded back.
A smirk crawled up his face. "Told you back then it was going to rock your world, didn't I?"
"Just always have to be right, don't you?" Ray playfully sent back.
"Mmhmmm... It's not my fault. Just a gift."
"Lucky me?" Ray chuckled back, "And should we get the rest of this boxed up and take home or not even bother?"
Kai whined at him. "Not done yet."
Ray just stared at him, the urge to bite his tongue like earlier getting the best of him. "Slow down there, Tyson."
Kai stopped with the fork in his mouth and glared. "Frine! 'Ox id up!" He mumbled with the fork still there. He could eat it later...
"No, no. By all means, keep going until you explode of your pants." Ray laughed harder.
Kai pouted and shook his head, putting the fork down. "I'm finished."
"Pfft, you know you said the same thing to me before. Right?" Ray huffed with an eye roll.
Kai still turned his nose up in sulk. How dare he...
"Pout all you want; just glad you ate something in all honesty." Ray said with a dumb smile on his face that probably deserved getting punched off.
Kai scowled at him, making the food baby in his belly kick. "What? I eat."
"Talking about before." Ray waved off, "You weren't before and now you are, that's all. Didn't mean anything by it."
Kai shifted in his seat and shrugged. "Well, was too miserable to be hungry before."
"I know." Ray sighed and then gestured at the food, "So if you're still hungry, eat."
Kai looked at it then back to Ray. "Nah. Actually if I keep going it won't end well. Finish it off later."
"Okay. Got some sun light left, want to walk it off or just head home?" Ray asked.
Kai gave him puppy eyes. "Weren't you gonna read with me?"
"Well yeah, but normally do that when the kids are tucked in bed and asleep." Ray answered.
"Oh... Okay..." He slumped. He didn't want this to end. But at the same time, he may over did the food and didn't want to move any more than he had to.
"Alright, so get this boxed up and go for a little walk before heading home?" Ray pitched, "I'm just trying to keep us out longer before having to go back right away where the others might be home already is all." He said, trying to perk him back up.
Luckily, it worked. "Good. I want this longer too."
He called the waiter, getting their plates ferried off and returning a few minutes later with a bag of containers for them.
As promised, Kai paid for the feast, holding the beauties in the bag as he held the door for Ray.
The second they were both out the door, Ray grabbed up Kai's free hand in his. At this point in time he really didn't care if they weren't meant to be doing it, it felt right and of course he wanted this more than anything right now and keep it for as long as they could. Was the only time they could, too.
"Thank you, for coming with me." He smiled over at him, squeezing the hand in his a little.
"As if I'd ever say no." He squeezed back. "But thank you, too. That was amazing. And it's so close we can go any time."
"Mhmmm, but maybe not so soon. And not so much next time." Ray huffed a laugh, rubbing at his swollen belly some. "Gonna feel this for a while."
Kai let go of his hand and reached to pat Ray's pudge. "We'll name this one Zeo."
"Oh please." Ray playfully pushed Kai's hand off his belly, "He's not that horrible, now stop it before you rile yourself up again."
"Was joking. Don't worry. But you're right. Good stuff only. Will you live with me?"
Ray did a double take as his walking stopped, "I already do?"
Kai stopped with him and blushed. "Yeh but not like this. I mean once all this crap is over... Will you come live with me?"
Ray stared for probably longer than he should have, his face going as red as his headband and all he was able to do was nod back to him as his throat had closed up on him.
Kai panicked and decided to backpedal. "I mean, don't gotta! Just an idea!"
"It's a great idea!" Ray spewed out, face still burning and blood red. "Are you sure you want me to though?"
Kai made a face. "Wh? Are you being serious right now? You are what I want! Why would I run off to Paris with you otherwise?"
Ray's shoulders came up to his ears, "I dunno! But really if you want me to I will. Same reason I'd run away to Paris with you!" He squeaked and squawked back at him.
"Yes I want you to! Would I ask if I didn't!?" He cawed back, "We could have our own rooms and stuff..." He clarified. He shouldn't have said it. He didn't know what really possessed him to ask. But he just wanted him!
Ray's head tilted a little, "Why would we have separate rooms?"
Kai blushed harder and rubbed his puny arm. "Cause... You know... The bad thing..."
"But... That's not supposed to last forever, remember? And if we're living together, then it wouldn't be a 'bad' thing anymore right?" Ray blushed again.
"I-I know, but with how things got before, I figured if I offered you your own room, you'd be more likely to say yes... Have your own space."
"I... I guess, but I want to live with you either way!" Ray squawked again, "And would be cheaper to have a one bedroom, right?!"
"Well we need room for the other cats too..." Kai pondered as he tapped his chin.
Ray made a face, but he guessed he did owe him and nodded. "Yeah... So there, they can have that room, we have ours. Works out."
Kai nodded at him. "So... Should we start looking for somewhere?"
Ray's shoulders went back up to his ears, "I don't know! Should we just go and get married too while we're at it?!" He squeaked, hair nearly standing on end.
Kai stared his Kai stare. The one where it looked like he either overheated or there were no lights on upstairs.
"We legally have to be eighteen."
"It was just an idea!" Ray shot out, turning on his heel and going to leave but his legs suddenly felt like they were made of jelly and his whole body felt funny. The hell did he just say?!
Kai trotted after him. "That's only a few years away!"
"OKAY!" Ray shouted back at him over his shoulder, he needed to find a tree to climb and hide in for the rest of his life!
Kai stopped, dark cloud forming. "Why are you mad?"
Ray spun around, "I'm not mad! Gave you that idea?" He asked, hand on his hip.
"You're yelling..." He told him with sad eyes.
Ray stuttered out, face still in the process of cooling down. "Just a little flustered, that's all... But you also didn't even really answer me, so maybe a little mad."
"I was just telling you we can't for a few years! I don't know what you're used to!" Kai pouted back.
"I didn't say right this second, not like we can move out till then either... Can we?" He asked, head tilting again to the side. Shit, he didn't know what they could or couldn't do out there.
"I don't know. Apartment wise, I'm sure I can find a way?"
Ray threw his head back dramatically, once more not getting an answer for his original question.
"Okay, fine. Whatever. Figure it out." He waved at him, turning back around to head home.
"Raaaaaaaayyy!" Kai whined hard. This was supposed to be a nice date and now he was all pissy.
"Kaiiiiiiii!" Ray called back to him, a smirk curling up his face as he kept going.
Kai trot back up to him with the whimper thick in the air with him. "Waaaaiiiit! Don't be like that!"
Ray took his hand back up, showing him no harm was actually done. "I'm only messing with you."
Kai squeezed it back. "I mean, already have the rings..."
"True... But not like it'll fit on my finger." Ray laughed, the blush coming back. "And really, we don't have to if you don't want to. Was just an idea, that's all."
"We can go shopping for one!?"
"Right now?" Ray squeaked.
Kai's brain imploded. "If you want?"
Ray didn't really know what to do, feet still working but that funny feeling came back all over his body again.
"Maybe a little closer to when we're 18?" He suggested just in case Kai changed his mind later.
"Oh... Sure. I think it's meant to be a surprise anyway." Kai nodded as his poor brain tried to handle the situation.
"I think so?" Ray nodded along with him, "Pretty sure that's how it's done, least what I've seen in the movies."
"Same... Okay... Guess I'll figure it out." He shuffled on.
"O-Okay..." Ray stuttered as he followed this time, hand gripping a little tighter.
Kai went quiet, glancing over at him every few seconds. In all honesty, if the money he had could buy their way to a home together, get married so that they were committed to each other for life, he'd do it right here and now. But. They were fifteen. They both knew this was too big talk for their age. But still, the notion made him feel a way. A good one.
That good feeling, having encompassed the both of them the entire way back home, seemed to almost snap in half as the familiar walls and gates came into view. The spell was broken, leaving the fantasy world in exchange for reality and everything else they were dealing with currently.
Ray's fingers slipped out of Kai's before they even made it halfway to the gates, just to be on the safe side in case Grandpa was home early from BINGO night. Didn't need to take a wooden sword to the back of the head.
Kai looked down as he slipped through his fingers. Again. Back to pretending he wasn't in love with him. Keep a certain distance at all times...
His mood dropped. Weird conversation there included, that afternoon had been exactly what he needed.
He put his arm out to stop Ray from taking another step and gently lifted his hand to tilt Ray's face to him. As tenderly as he could, he kissed him. Something to ease them back in to the other side of the rabbit hole.
Ray's body lit up, legs turning to jelly again, and eyes falling closed as a small surprised squeak came out of him before pressing into it but keeping it gentle and tender the way Kai had set it.
He didn't really know why he'd gone and kissed him but wasn't like he was going to complain any about it. But of course, as soon as it started, especially with being out in the open like they were, it ended just as quickly.
The words were on the tip of his tongue but given everything he wasn't sure if he could say them, was allowed to say them anymore. Would it actually hurt anything if he did? What exactly were they even hurting anyways?
"I love you." He breathed out, hoping that he just didn't undo their entire date.
"I love you too..." Kai breathed back with his light grip still on his chin and keeping his eyes on him.
A little dopey smile came over Ray's face, a dreamy look in his eyes as he nearly turned to goo in Kai's hold. Could they just fast forward to when they were 18? He was pretty damn sure this was the one he wanted for life, so why did he need to wait so damn long?
"Still want to read? It's pretty nice out tonight, can sit on the porch?" He finally voiced.
Kai nodded back, gently releasing him. "Always."
Ray's fingers itched to take his hand back but had to keep his hands to himself again as they left the fantasy world behind and stepped through the gates and back to reality.
"Why don't you go put those in the fridge, I'll get the book?" Ray suggested, pointing out the to-go bag in Kai's hold they'd brought home from the restaurant as they made their way up to the door.
Kai nodded, taking himself to the kitchen with the sense of gloom starting to form. They still had some time left...
He made his way back outside where Ray was waiting for him in the dim patch of sunlight.
Ray wiggled in his spot a little with bubbling excitement, he couldn't remember the last time they'd done this either. Seemed like it'd been forever really.
"Ready?" He smiled up at him as Kai came closer.
Kai plopped himself down next to him, taking his book like he was taking some sort of crown from him with a weird sense of pride as always.
"Yeh. You good and comfy?"
In all honesty, he'd be more comfy curled in his lap getting pet like an actual house cat... Yet decided to nod and scooch just an inch or two closer, till he could feel Kai's warmth come from his shoulder.
"Mhmm."
Kai smirked and opened the book, finding the familiar spot where they left off and started to read.
As he started, his full belly begged him to lay down, getting himself on his back with Ray following and curling in. After half a page, the full baby insisted his eyelids get heavier. Few more paragraphs later, the book flopped down on his chest.
Ray wasn't far behind him, having curled into his side his eyelids had closed long before Kai's did as that heavenly and thick accent had lulled him right off. The hardwood of the porch not the most comfortable thing to lay on, but the warmth and closeness beside Kai even in sleep was worth the bit of back pain he'd suffer when he woke.
The next day, lo and behold Zeo was back at the dojo, not that it surprised any of them this time around but the kid had a face that looked like his dog had just died and so they all agreed to hear him out this time around.
"I want to apologize for the way I acted before." He started off with everyone, including Kenny and Hilary around the beydish they'd all been around the day before.
"I didn't realize that your bitbeasts were so personal. And now I understand what Ray meant when he said they weren't toys." Zeo explained, his head hanging low along with his eyes as if he could barely look them all in the face till he found a bit of courage and looked over to Ray.
"Sure, they make you better bladers, but you have to earn one first. I hope you're not mad at me. It's just that I saw Max and Tyson's bitbeasts and I got sorta jealous. I figured if I had a bitbeast I'd be the next world champion, and maybe one day I'd even join up with the Bladebreakers!" He went off, all the while the others listened to his excuse.
"I messed up." He bowed down to them; eyes closed as if he was waiting for them to start yelling at him.
Kai, although having listened just like the rest of them began to formulate a plan. This kid was good, almost too good… The more he pushed, the more the kid came running back, the more Ray got on his case and was angry at him.
He wanted to keep them all safe, keep their bitbeasts out of the wrong hands. So, why not go with the age old tradition of keeping your friends close but your enemies closer?
"You don't need a bitbeast to join us. As far as I'm concerned you're already one of us." He nearly choked on his own words, having to walk away before he took any of what he said back and just kick the little green-haired twerp over the wall.
Zeo, out of all of them, looked more confused than he'd ever been. Eyes wide at the back of Kai's head as he walked away.
"Oh…"
Tyson just chuckled and grinned, throwing his hands back behind his head. "Okay, time to get down to a little training."
"Hey Zeo, you mind training with me?" Ray asked, feeling all sorts of conflicted at the moment but like he'd been saying all along; until the kid did something wrong he wasn't going to boot him over the wall just yet.
Zeo's face lit up, at the same time still looking confused as all hell at the offer.
Ray noticed, holding up his blade with a smile trying to ease the kid into their little group a bit easier than what it had been now that Kai was gone.
"C'mon, what're you waiting for?" Ray urged, Max and Tyson chuckling behind him to let the poor lost puppy know no harm had been done.
"Yeah!" Zeo smiled, rushing over and taking a stance on the opposite side of the dish with his blade.
As the others got on with training, Kai walked off back into the house with a smirk on his face. Pff. Loser. As if he was ever going to be a member of the team. It was the 5 of them. That was it!
...And Hilary. But that was different.
While the others gathered round their 'new member' Ray's gaze followed after their leader with a slight frown now that he was done dancing circles around Zeo in the dish.
That couldn't be it, not after all the explosions and yelling and just... Kai being Kai over Zeo breathing in their general direction.
There was something going on. Either Kai had a plan, or he'd gone and hit his head into a wall one too many times and finally lost it. Whatever the reason though, he was going to find out and trotted off after behind him.
Luckily, he caught him slipping through the back door to the kitchen, grabbing a glass from the cabinet.
"Spill." Ray demanded, shutting the door behind him and leaning against it.
Kai kept his smirk on his face. "Whatever do you mean?" He asked innocently.
"Don't even." Ray huffed, peeling himself off the door and getting up in Kai's space and near enough pinning him to the counters.
"After all the back and forth I've done with you over him, you honestly can't expect me to just believe that you're welcoming him in with open arms now."
Kai's eyes glinted, smirk still in place. "What? You opened my eyes! He's not bad..."
"I know that, but you really don't. So what're you really doing?" Ray challenged, "Unless, of course this is you admitting I am right."
"Oh, absolutely. Totally right. So right it's fRIGHTening..."
Ray didn't look amused yet backed up to give him some space. "You're such an asshole sometimes, you know that right?" He chuckled lightly, "But whatever, you do you Kai."
Kai rolled his eyes. "Can never win with you, can I? You lecture me about being nice to the twerp. So I do what you want, and it still gets me in trouble!" He sighed.
"Cus I know you, yet you still act so surprised when I know you're hiding something from me. Don't even know why you bother either, so here we are." Ray countered.
"If you're going to be nice to him, like generally nice, then great. Perfect even. Saves me all the headaches of the back and forth we've been doing since he's come skipping along into our lives. But if you're just pulling his chain Kai, how fair is that to him? When again, he's actually done nothing wrong to any of us?"
Kai's face changed. "Yet." He cracked. "I know there's something off with that guy, Ray. I don't care what any of you say, something aint right and I will not sit back and let anyone else fuck with my team, okay? If you all want to adopt some fucking loser, on your heads be it."
"And there it is!" Ray clapped, "See, don't know why you bother hiding anything from me. Know you too well babe, so next time let's not. And again, if there is anything shady or he does anything to harm our family I will personally boot him over the wall for you. Deal?"
"Yeh sure you will, after training with him and showing off every move, weakness and trick up your sleeve..." Kai bit back.
Ray held his hands up, "I'm not going to. So. Don't bite my head off here, I've been a good boy."
"Hey Zeeeooo! Wanna come train with me!?" He mimicked back in a high pitched Ray voice. "Stop it..."
"Didn't mean I was gonna show him any of my moves." Ray smirked back at him.
"Sure, sure. I wonder if Tyson and Max are the same?"
Ray shrugged his shoulders, "Dunno. Go bite their heads off if it makes ya feel better. But listen." He held his hand up to hopefully keep him quiet for a minute.
"I'm not picking fights with you just for the hell of it, or that I care for this kid or anything like that. I care for Tyson, and since he's gone and made this kid his friend, the least I can do is show my support with their friendship by being friendly with the guy. Nothing more, nothing less. Because in the end I know it would mean something to Tyson, and that matters to me."
Kai pushed his hand away from him. "And why the hell do you think I'm being like this!? I never particularly warm to any of Tyson's groupies. Or any of yours! But whatever, nothing to do with me!"
"I don't know, because aside from saying you know something is up with the kid without actual proof, you haven't really said anything else otherwise. So why not tell me what it is?" Ray asked in a calmer tone.
Kai almost ripped his hair out. "Done nothing wrong!? He's blatantly asked Tyson for his moves, techniques, asked to see our bitbeasts that are constantly in danger, treated Tyson like some kind of show and tell at his little blading school to make himself feel bigger and better in his sad little life than he is, TOTAL dick move by the way, I'm astounded none of you have reacted to that more, and he's just awful! He's playing on his sheltered little lamb act to get away with it! You never heard of a wolf in sheep's clothing!?"
"And by the sounds of it he'd already been put in his place by Tyson for your first point, about the moves and techniques. He doesn't know that our bitbeasts are in danger. Yeah, what he did was a total dick move doing what he did but let's not even pretend Tyson's ego didn't love every second of it. And yes, I have." Ray ticked off each of his points, even counting on his fingers.
"But again, until he's done something actually malicious and horrible to one of us what do you want us to do? Hate him for something he hasn't even done yet, or possibly won't even do? He apologized for his behavior earlier, what more do you want from the kid?"
"Well that's just it, isn't it? Cause none of you are listening to me, as usual, I'm just going to have to find another way round it. You're right, the more I actively go against him, the more it annoys Tyson and the more it pushes him to his new friend that suddenly deserves more loyalty than I do." He snapped bitterly.
"And if you mention Russia, I'm going to choke you with your own ponytail!" He added, "So. I figure. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer."
"Like to see you try." Ray chuckled at the threat, "But okay, that's all you had to say earlier anyways. But just keep in mind what I said about what it could mean for Tyson too. Okay?"
Kai shifted uncomfortably a moment. "Sometimes showing love isn't doing what the other person wants, Ray. You of all people should know that."
"I get that, but... Given how the past few months have gone, I think I kind of owe him this." Ray answered, "I've already hurt him pretty badly, I don't want to do it again."
Kai shook his head at him. "Fine. You do you. I'm fine with him being mad at me if it stops him or any of you getting hurt a lot worse in the future."
"Okay, I guess." Ray sighed, seeing no way around this with him at all. "But do you really think the others bought any of that either?"
Kai shrugged at him. "Probably not. But as long as Zeo did I could care less."
The second Ray's mouth opened to say something back, the door was flung open and their bouncy baby boy came barreling into the kitchen with them with stars in his own eyes.
"Oh my god that was one of the best training sessions to date, guys a little rusty but he'll get there, but that was so awesome of you Kai! You're the best!" Tyson shouted as he pirouetted around the two of them on his tiptoes.
Kai fought the face palm. Of course...
"Bout time someone acknowledged that..." He muttered dryly.
"Oh don't even." Ray muttered back at him, though kept his eyes on Tyson still dancing around like he'd just come back from dance class.
"Seriously dude! I never thought you'd finally see the light! Once you get to know him it'll all be fine! I told you, didn't I?! This is gonna be great! I promise!" Tyson shouted with glee, finally coming to a stop next to the two of them when his face suddenly changed into all seriousness.
"And if it's not, and I'm wrong, then you have every right to tell me so till the end of time. But really, it's gonna be okay. You'll see!" He slapped Kai on the back a few good times before dashing back out the door.
Kai let out the breath he was holding and blew it out. "Fuck sake..."
Ray, despite his best efforts, couldn't hold in the laughter that came rolling out of him the second the back door was closed. The hell was that?!
"Well then, s-solves that!"
"I don't knooooowwww." Kai groaned, "He's on his own damn planet! Which is why he needs a father, not a friend!"
"Then go do your job, daddy." Ray shot back with a stupid grin, hands going out to the door.
"Oh my god, that's what I'm trying to do here! You don't listen either! THEY GET IT FROM YOU!" He foamed.
"Oh no, that boy of yours gets his stubbornness from you." Ray quipped back, "But Max has my eyes, don't you think?" He bat his lashes at him, stupid grin getting even stupider.
Kai tilted his head. "No?"
Ray huffed a sigh, "My humor is wasted on you sometimes. Go on, out. I need to make dinner." He shooed at him, putting his hands on Kai's back and shoving him towards the door.
Kai grumbled under his breath and did as he was told. Oh, sure! He would leave! But only cause he wanted to! He was the man of the house!
...After Grampa.
"And I need to train! Alone!" He shot over his shoulder.
Ray paused for a second in his shoving him out the door, "Uhhuh, and where would that be?" He asked in a motherly tone.
Kai turned, 'none of your business' on the tip of his manly tongue. But the wife had a spoon...
"...The pier!"
Ray gave a firm nod back to him, "I'll have one of the children come get you for dinner then, and I expect you to be here for it. You hear me?"
Kai gave him a defiant look. But it vanished quickly. "Yes, dear..."
Ray's lips curled into a smile, pecking him on the cheek. "Be careful, okay?"
Kai warmed up, sour turning to sweet and smiled pitifully back. "Oh, I will. Don't worry about me!" Maybe he could bring back a deer.
Ray continued to smile at him as he shoved him out the door. He said not to worry about him, but of course he did. He always worried about him, worried about all of them. And honestly, all the times Kai kept going on about Zeo, he was starting to worry a little bit about him too...