Hello all!

Thank you to all those who read and reviewed! I really do appreciate it!

I've updated all my main stories this week (seriously pleased with myself. Never happens!) since I'm about to get busy because of the bastard that is being an adult. Writing time is about to become scarce. Which sucks.

It may take a while, especially since I have four stories on the go, but I will get back to this as soon as I can!

I'd also like to thank LuxahHeart for her help with this chapter as well as the upcoming chapters.

If you haven't read any of her stories, I'm sad for you. Go and read them. They're fabulous.

Aaaaaannnnnnnnnnnd on with the story! Please enjoy!

Chapter 13 – Dragging

Kai didn't come home for two days after walking out that evening.

Ray hadn't been concerned. He knew exactly where he was.

He'd gone to his other home...

Kai sat on Mei's bed. Aoba had brought her in to sleep with him, Shou and the baby so he could be comfortable.

He checked his phone every few minutes out of habit to see if he'd sent him anything.

A 'where are you?', a 'sorry', an 'I miss you'...

Or who knew? Maybe something as miraculous as an 'I love you'.

Fat chance of that...

Not that he was any better. He couldn't remember the last time he'd said to him either.

But every time he checked his phone and saw nothing, he felt angrier and angrier.

He'd struck like a snake that night. Sinking his fangs in to his skin and striking so many nerves it paralysed him.

He may well have been sarcastic about Ben, but to say the things he did made him feel like maybe, even if it was a little...there was some truth to it. There was no smoke without fire, after all...he probably did think he was better, that he was everything he used to be.

He threw his phone down on the bed.

That wasn't his fault. He had to change, for their kid. He couldn't carry on like he did before. Walking around doing what was best for number 1 all the time. It wasn't just him any more...he thought that's what Ray wanted from him, anyway...

He flopped down on the bed. He couldn't see this nightmare ending any time soon...

Right on cue, the waterworks came.

Shou and Aoba sat in their bed, both with their backs against the headboard and hanging on to their respective sides as Mei lay sprawled in the middle, fast asleep.

They tensed as their ears picked up crying from the next room.

Aoba turned his head when he felt his husband's eyes on him, meeting them to see a lifted brow.

"...How long are we going to let him stay here, Aoba?" he whispered in a firm tone, to not wake their daughter.

Aoba frowned.

"What? You want to just kick him out?" he whispered back, annoyed.

"That's not what I said...you know I don't mind having him here, but you've got to admit, it's getting a bit much."

Aoba tensed harder.

"Because things are awful at home!" he said as he forced his voice to stay in a whisper, "He's already got high blood pressure from it, I can't just send him back to that! What about his health? What about the baby?"

Shou rolled his eyes.

"How are they ever going to fix it if he hides here all the time?" he countered.

Aoba shifted and went quiet for a moment.

"You know..." he started carefully, "that had crossed my mind...and I was thinking..."

Shou lifted a brow higher, that was always dangerous.

"I was thinking that you should have a talk with Ray...you know, one father to another..."

Shou's eyes narrowed.

"Oh no. No, no. Don't you try and get me involved in this!"

Aoba's narrowed back.

"Why not?! He needs to hear it! Who better than you?!" he protested, "They're not going to figure it out themselves, are they? That much we both know!"

Shou sighed and rubbed his face.

"It is not my place to go tell Ray what to do with his family, Aoba...I know you want to help, I know you want to take care of Kai, but there's a very fine line between helping and meddling and you, sweety, are teetering on the edge of that line..."

Aoba looked outraged.

"I am not! Someone has to be here for him!" he protested.

"Yes, and it should be Ray!"

"I know it should!" he bit back, "but he isn't stepping up!"

"How can he when Kai's always at our place?!"

They both stopped when Mei whined in her sleep, wriggling a little.

They waited until she settled before meeting eyes again.

"...They're both immature and stupid. We can tell them 'til we're blue in the face, but until they come up with it on their own, it's not going to change...let them spend the time together to work it out."

Aoba let out a deep sigh. He didn't agree with him fully, but he did have a point...

The next day, Ray sat with Tyson and the others, all of them panting and trying to catch their breaths after yet another gruelling training session.

Ben sure was militant...but on the other hand, it showed he was taking his role seriously.

Tyson struggled to sit himself up.

"Man...I am beat...and hungry..." his exhausted voice droned out.

Max remained star-fished on the grass.

"Me too..." he panted, "Just...give me a second and why don't we all have lunch..." he said before rolling his head in Ray's direction, "Maybe get Kai to come too?" he said with hopefulness in his voice.

He missed the sourpuss...it had been forever since he'd seen or heard from him.

Ray tensed.

He hadn't told any of them about anything that had been going on...only that he was off training because of health.

He glanced over at the drill sergeant, tinkering with his blade further away from them with Kenny and felt his chest sink.

"Actually...I have to talk to Ben...and I don't think Kai is up to company right now."

Max frowned.

"Is he that sick? Is the baby all right?" he asked, worried. Ray always dodged their questions about him, and he was starting to get more and more concerned.

Ray nodded.

"They'll be fine...just needs rest." he said dully before turning his head and forcing a small smile.

"You'd better get Tyson something to eat before something terrible happens...I'll catch you guys later."

Max narrowed his eyes before shrugging.

"If you insist..."

He called Kenny over to help him carry Tyson home, seemingly too weak from hunger to walk by himself.

Ray stood and felt his heart pound as he met Ben's amber eyes with his own.

He forced himself to stand, feeling his muscles scream as he did so.

Ben smirked as he saw the others leave, but Ray staying behind.

Look at that...he was coming to him for change...

He gently tossed his newly tuned up blade in his hand as he sauntered over to him, smirk still intact.

"Didn't feel like joining them?" he asked casually.

Ray faltered for a second as everything he had said about Ben to Kai came flooding back to him and he blinked a few times, trying to get his brain to work on him.

"Um, no... I actually wanted to talk to you." He got out, trying to get a hold of his voice.

Ben stopped a few paces away from him, looking over his blade rather than Ray.

"Oh yeh?" he asked absent-mindedly.

"It's about the other night, at the bar, I know I said a lot of things to you that were personal... I just needed to make sure that you understood that what I had said was only due to a lapse of judgement and that I don't want you going off and telling everyone what I had said." He explained calmly while his nerves kicked up on him.

Ben stopped tinkering and looked up at him, lifting a surprised brow.

"...What do you take me for? You really think I'd spread that shit around?" He asked, putting hurt in his voice.

"No, that's not what I meant." Ray said quickly, not wanting to offend him, but it was too late. It looked like he already had. "It's just that the village is small and I'm sure the others that were there had heard me, and if they came to you about it I just didn't want them trying to pry information out of you... Or something..."

Ben's smirk came back as he chuckled. "Relax, Ray..." He said as he tapped his nose, "your dead bedroom and dealings with the mental patient are safe with me...and don't worry about it!" He brushed off, putting a comforting hand on Ray's shoulder. "I really doubt anyone was paying attention to us...had their own sad little lives to worry about."

Ray's face burned a little at the touch, he hadn't really expected that. His brain didn't like it but his body was tingling.

"That's another thing..." He said as he cleared his throat a little, "You need to tone it down and watch what you say about Kai."

Ben's brows lifted in surprise.

"Huh?" he let out dumbly, "The hell did I do?!" he asked defensively, "I'm just sticking up for you...'bout time you had someone in your corner..."

Ray sighed, as much as he wanted someone in his corner he didn't think Ben was the right choice if he kept degrading his fiance... That was only his fault though, since he told him too much already and had allowed it.

"I appreciate it Ben, but you're going about it the wrong way. He's the mother of my child, my fiance, it's not very fair to let you keep degrading him." He said, but he wasn't sure who he was really trying to tell. Ben, or himself.

Ben frowned. "...I think he's doing a good enough job degrading himself..." he replied cooly before holding up his hands, "But whatever...you think I was out of line, then I apologise...I'm just sick of seeing you getting shit on. You of all people don't deserve all this crap."

Ray sighed again, he couldn't tell who was right and who was wrong now. He loved Kai, but right now, since he had become pregnant, he just wasn't the same and things had only gone from bad to worse. He had tried, he knew he had even if he wasn't there all the time for him. What else could he do? He couldn't be in two places at once. Didn't Kai want them to win at the next tournament, to see his team do good? "...Thanks..." He hung his head, his neck straining from the work out from hell and he winced a little, rubbing the back of it with a hiss.

Ben looked over him and frowned. "...Did you not stretch?" he said in a firm voice.

"I did... A little..." He answered with another hiss, his neck feeling like it had been trampled on by an elephant and it sent a painful jolt down his spine.

Ben's frown deepened. "A little isn't good enough, is it Ray? What's the matter with you?" he barked as he folded his arms.

"I'm sorry..." He groaned, trying to roll the knot out of his neck while thinking to himself that Ben sounded just like Kai for a minute there...

He rolled his eyes and let his arms dropped, walking over to him. "And you call yourself a pro..." he taunted before walking behind him. "C'mere..." he said before putting a firm hand on his shoulder, while putting the other on the side of his head and gently pushing it in the opposite direction to stretch it out.

Ray jumped a little and his mouth opened to protest but a slight moan escaped him instead as Ben cracked his neck. God it felt a whole lot better.

"Thanks..." He mumbled, the tingling in his neck giving him a pleasurable feeling.

Ben smirked yet again, taking the hand on the side of his head to his other shoulder. "No problem..." he breathed in to his ear as he gently rubbed his shoulders a little before moving away. "But don't let it happen again..."

Ray nodded dumbly at him, his skin prickling from the touch that left a fire in his gut. He rolled his shoulders, and his blades popped a little. "Can you get that for me too?" He asked a bit shyly, his brain scorning his mouth for having runaway on him.

Ben nodded and kept his grin until he was behind him again. He hooked his arms through Ray's armpits and pulled him back against him, leaning back, lifting Ray off the floor a little as he heard what must have been a satisfying crack come from his back.

"Oh God." Ray bit out as his entire back snapped, relieving the pain he felt from his shoulders to his hips.

Ben let out a deep chuckle as he set him down, brushing his hands across his chest gently. "I know...I'm good..."

Ray shivered slightly, his head going fuzzy on him again as he held in a purr as Ben's warm hands brushed over him. He didn't know what to say to him now as his brain finally snapped back into place, what the hell was he doing?! "Thanks... I ugh... I should get going..."

Ben pulled his hands away, but took his time doing so. "Nice afternoon planned with princ-, I mean Kai?" he asked innocently.

Ray turned around to face him, his eyes meeting Ben's again. "Um... Yeah..." He stumbled a little, he didn't want to tell him that he hadn't seen or heard from him for two days now...

Ben shrugged. Sure he did...

"Well...have fun. Catch you tomorrow."

"What time?" He asked, hoping to stall before he had to go back to an empty house.

Ben frowned at him.

"...Same time as always? ...You OK?"

"Yeah... I'm alright..." He lied in a breath, debating whether he should say anything or not until his mouth ran off without his brain again. "Kai and I had a fight and he ran off."

Ben danced on the inside. He knew something was up...Ray was hardly on form during practice. He made his brow furrow in concern. "Shit...again? Because of the other night?"

"Yes and no? I mean, the bulk of it was because of it but then we fought again after my mom left... After I made him a dinner to try and make up for it." He explained, having lost himself in his rantings. His anger coming forth, he had tried, like always, and it just wasn't good enough for his majesty it seemed.

Ben rolled his eyes and made a sound of annoyance. "I'm sorry Ray...He really is a fuckin' princess! All you did was have a drink with a buddy, it's not like you did anything terrible...you drank a little too much and threw up, it happens..."

Ray's face flushed a little from embarrassment, "Don't remind me, okay?" He said playfully and punched his arm. "I know what I did, and it was wrong."

Ben huffed, "Exactly. You know not to do it again. Case closed...why is he making you out to be a monster for it and torturing you?"

"Wish I knew." Ray huffed as he ran a hand through his damp bangs, pulling them from his face where they had stuck to his skin from training. "I'm trying, aren't I? Why doesn't he see that I'm trying?"

Ben shrugged. "Cause he's a princess and he's milking this pregnancy for everything he can get?" he dared to say before smacking him back playfully on the arm. "Yes, you're trying. This isn't on you..."

Ray heard him, but it didn't feel any better. "What else can I do?" He asked, his voice cracking as if he were about in tears.

Ben's eyes widened as he saw the tears brimming. In all the years he'd known Ray, he'd never seen him like that. What the hell had that chump done to him? And why couldn't Ray see he could do better? He stepped forward and pulled him in to a manly hug, slapping his back. "Hey, come on...get it together...you're the man, remember? Don't let him do this to you..."

Ray lost it, his body shaking as he cried. That was the second time he had cried over this, he never realized it would hurt this much or be this hard.

"I just don't know what to do, for him or us. Everything is falling apart."

Ben pulled away, grabbing his shoulders roughly and shaking him. "You stop crying like a little girl for one..." he said in a stern tone, piercing his eyes. "and when he gets back from his few hours of pouting because you don't wait on him hand and foot 24 hours a day, you tell him to try and relocate his balls!"

Ray choked on a sob as he laughed a little, rubbing his eyes to get the tears out. "Thanks.."

Ben nodded, a smirk back on his face. "Any time, someone needs to be the voice of reason around here. "

"I appreciate it, just wish he would listen to me." Ray sighed, very aware that Ben was still touching his shoulders and it sent another shiver down his spine as goosebumps prickled his skin. It had been a long time since someone had touched him. Ben's smirk disappeared. "Make him listen then...put your foot down. Him acting like this can't be good for your child...you said he ran off?" He added with a voice of frustration.

"Yeah..." He admitted quietly, knowing exactly where he was.

Ben read his mind. "...should I make a wild assumption of who he went crying to?"

"Don't think you'd have to." He growled back

Ben shook his head and tutted. "And you're okay with that?"

"Do I look like I'm okay with it?!" Ray growled again, baring his fangs a little.

Ben tried not to grin...he looked good when he was feisty.

"Then what the hell are you doing? Go drag his ass home and set him straight! How long has he been over there?"

Ray's attitude snapped back, his eyes slightly wide. Kai would kill him if he went over there to drag him back home. Not to mention the embarrassment he'd feel in front of Shou and Aoba... No, if he wanted to keep dragging this out like a petty princess than that was fine with him. He was done trying to grovel for his forgiveness.

"Two days, but let him stay there. If he cared about our family than he'd suck it up and come home on his own!" He snapped.

Ben's eyes widened again. Two days? He hadn't realized that. "He's slept there!? Oh, come on! Aoba should know better than that...I'm a little surprised at Shou, too..." he added reluctantly.

"Yeah, and he hasn't called or text me at all. Granted I haven't either..." He said with a strong voice until it died down a little, maybe he should have checked up on him.

Ben tutted. "Good. Don't. He wants you to beg..." he said angrily. "Wouldn't be surprised if our old friend was encouraging this stupid game..."

"Wouldn't be surprised... The prick..." Ray rolled his eyes as he growled again, Aoba was really getting under his skin. "Maybe I should drag his ass home, just to separate them."

Ben made a face. "I would if I were you...that's one...close...relationship...just sayin'."

"He wouldn't cheat on me." Ray defended quickly, but part of him said otherwise. Ben was right, Kai and Aoba were a little too comfortable around each other. He pushed it down to them being two men who shared something in common though, not to mention Aoba had nothing on himself. Aoba was an old housewife with a husband and two kids while he was young and in his prime, spontaneous and exciting; everything Kai had loved about him.

Ben shook his head a little too forcefully. "Noo...no, of course not...I didn't mean it like that, but it sure isn't helping your soon to be marriage."

"Nothing is!" Ray yelled again, looking exhausted. "Like I've been saying, I tried to make it up to him and he shoved it in my face! I know he's not been an easy guy to love, but seriously?! After I broke my back cleaning the house and then making him dinner he just up and left for HIM?!" He yelled, his pupils quivering.

Ben startled as he saw Ray get more and more riled. Perfect...

He shrugged. "Guess he's getting what he wants elsewhere..." he said, knowing what that sounded like, but he could bend it to be innocent.

Ray's eyes narrowed dangerously at him, his pupils having fully slit. "Like hell he is!" He spat and spun on his heel, his hair wrap snapping against his legs. Ben lit up like a kid at Christmas. This was going to be good! Part of him wanted to follow and enjoy the show...but he thought better of it. He didn't try and stop him and let him go.

Kai groaned as he waddled back in to to the living room, holding his back.

Oh my god...it was killing him...

Aoba glanced up from his book and gave him a soft smile.

"Backache hasn't eased up?"

"Nope..." Kai said tiredly as he eased himself down in to the seat beside him, wincing as he did and fighting with himself to get comfortable.

Aoba smirked as he watched the clumsy display and chuckled, putting his mark in his book and setting it down.

"Turn around, lean forward...well, as far as you can." he joked, knowing he wouldn't get far before his belly touched the couch.

Kai snapped his head towards him and cocked a brow.

"Why?"

Aoba winked at him.

"Trust me. I've worked with enough aching pregnant people over the years to know a few tricks...now, turn!"

Kai awkwardly obeyed, swivelling himself to turn his back to him and leaning forward a little.

He felt Aoba shift closer, but startled when he felt hands on his lower back, thumbs working his spine.

"Hey, what are yo-ooooooooooh God..." he groaned as his body relaxed, Aoba's hands starting to hit sweet spots, sending relief and tingles of pleasure up his spine.

Aoba smirked at the reaction. Lord knows he knew how painful those backaches were.

Ray's had stormed his way through the village, fists clenched at his sides as he feet carried him quickly towards the little house. His anger had only doubled the closer he got. He reached the door, trying to calm himself, he didn't want to run the chance of scaring Shou or his daughter if they were to open it for him. He lifted a hand to knock and froze, his eyes slitting instantly as he heard Kai's voice groaning.

"Oh god...right there..."

Ripples of anger coursed through his veins when he heard a second, familiar voice chuckling.

"There?"

"Mmm, yeh...right there, harder..."

A moment later, more drawn out groans echoed through and his body shook, to hell with trying to do this calmly.

He kicked the door in, it heaving against the force and snapped open and like a wild animal he shot into the house.

Kai and Aoba leapt out their skin at the loud smash that boomed from the other side of the door.

"The hell do you think you're doing?!" Ray's voice boomed as he caught them on the couch looking like deer in the headlights.

Aoba frowned and glares daggers. Who the hell did he think he was coming here like this!? "What does it look like!? I'm rubbing his back!" He hissed, trying not to yell with the kids upstairs. Kai glared at him back, staying quiet,

Ray froze for a minute, it sure as hell didn't sound like a back rub to him. "Well, the party is over. You're coming home Kai." He said as he shook himself mentally, he had a mission he was on and he wasn't going to leave empty handed.

Kai shifted awkwardly to swivel himself back round, holding his stomach, but glare getting more powerful. "Excuse me?! Who the hell do you think you are bursting in here and talking to me like this?!"

"I believe I'm your fiancé and father to our child. You've been gone long enough, let's go." Ray said, not backing down even with Aoba staring at him.

Kai shifted to the edge of the couch and made himself stand up. "I'll come home when I'm damn well ready, Ray!" he yelled back. Aoba glanced between them. Both of them with staring each other down. This could get ugly...he wasn't going to let it. Not in his house. He stood himself in front of Kai and pierced Ray's eyes with his own. "I think we all need to calm down a little here..." he tried to reason. The last thing Kai needed was more stress.

Ray folded his arms over his chest, who the hell was he tell him what to do?

"I am calm, he needs to come home. Now."

Kai leaned from behind Aoba, gritting his teeth. "I don't need to do shit!"

"You plan on having the baby on the couch then? I'm pretty sure Aoba and Shou have their hands full already with their two kids, they don't need two more." Ray said, then turned his attention on Aoba. He hated what he was fixing to do but he knew Kai would listen to him, which only angered him more.

"You want to fix this then come home, don't you think that's the best option here Aoba?"

Aoba's breath caught in his throat as he hesitated. He could feel Kai's eyes looking at him through the back of his head. Shou had said the same thing...and part of him knew they really needed to work it out. But at the same time he didn't want to send Kai back to that...

"D-don't drag him in to this!" Kai yelled at him, panicked when he felt Aoba hesitate..

"I didn't." Ray said as he narrowed his eyes harder at Kai, "You did."

Kai clenched his fists. "Well then maybe if you weren't such a prick, I wouldn't have to!" He yelled furiously as angry tears prickled. Fucking hormones...

Aoba turned around instantly and rubbed his back. "Shh...let's just calm down, hm?"

Ray's blood boiled, how dare he touch him in front of him! He hid it best he could, a growl stuck in the back of his throat, "Yeah, me making dinner for you as a way to start over and try and get our shit together was a prick move. Bad Ray."

Kai wanted to hurt him, so leaned in to Aoba more. "You think you lifting a finger for once is going to fix everything!? What about your beautiful speech about how much you preferred to be with Ben over me!?"

Aoba shot his head to Ray and glared hard.

"You mean what I said sarcastically? Because you never listen to reason? That's really the only thing you heard, after everything else I had said? That explains why you think that me 'lifting a finger one time' is all I'm going to do for you, since I told you that I was going to help out more so you can stay off your feet. But once again, Kai doesn't listen to Ray. You got corn in your ears do you?" He asked, trying to look unfazed by Kai's slight jab of leaning into Aoba, the asshole.

Kai shook with anger. But he had him there... He couldn't give a shit. "All I got is a pain in my ass, which is you! So fuck yourself, Ray! If you want to help then leave me the hell alone!"

"Been there done that, now let's go." Ray answered back bluntly, not looking amused.

Kai scoffed. He couldn't believe this asshole. "Now who isn't listening!? I said no! I-" Aoba cut him off by holding his hand up.

Ray was calm...angry, but calm. It was Kai yelling. He really didn't want to, but he knew he had to.

"...I think you'd should go with him, Kai."

Kai stared at him stunned, feeling betrayed.

Ray stayed quiet, if he spoke now it'd probably ruin everything. He shifted a little where he stood by the still open door, watching Kai look between him and his 'savior'. God it pissed him off to no end.

Kai shook his head at him. "I don't want to go with him..."

Aoba's chest clenched. Part of him didn't want him to either. Ray was bound to set him off at some point and rile him up.

"I know...but you've got to give him a chance. Figure something out and get some common ground before she gets here." He said softly as he ran a hand over Kai's belly.

Kai knew he didn't have a leg to stand on. And deep down he knew Aoba was right. He just didn't see how they could. He shot Ray another look before pushing past him to go get his things from upstairs, leaving Ray and Aoba to stand awkwardly.

Aoba leaned to look at his kicked in door. "...you better fix that too, as well as this mess..." he said bluntly as he folded his arms.

Ray looked at the door, it was fine aside from a muddy foot print on the wood and he scoffed before turning back to him. "Touch him again and I'll do more than just dirty your front door." He said in a low rumble, careful not to raise his voice lest someone overheard.

Aoba raised a brow, unfazed. "Maybe if you did your job, I wouldn't have to..." He spat back

"Don't act like you have the slightest idea of what's going on." He hissed, his pupils slitting. "Go rub your filthy hands over your own mate." He spat venomously.

Aoba's brow raised higher. "You jealous there, Ray-Ray?" He patronized. What an idiot...

"Why the hell would I be?" He said as he tightened his grip over his arms, "Last I checked you were already married, mighty improper of you to be feeling up on another man."

Aoba started to laugh. "I am married. Happily. And how I use my hands on him is none of your business...but what you saw was nothing like that immature brain of yours is thinking...last time I checked, you had a pregnant fiancé who's getting pains from carrying your child. So how about instead of being mad at me for doing what a friend, and a midwife would do, why don't you stop winding him up just to get the last word in and actually be a half decent partner?"

Ray faltered, just for a split second, before his back tensed up on him. It didn't matter that Aoba was a damn midwife or a so called 'friend', he knew that they were just trying to get under his skin more. He was a decent partner, why Aoba thought differently was only because Kai came running flapping his gums about the petty shit that didn't actually matter. He had tried and this is what he got? He was starting to question why he had even tried to bother to come and get him if this was how he was going to be treated, by the both of them.

"That's why I'm here, isn't it?" He answered after a short pause between them, he really didn't care what he and Shou did in their spare time, as long as he kept his hands where they belonged they wouldn't have any more problems.

Aoba's eyes softened. "...I'm not the enemy here, Ray. I want you guys to work it out. But if he needs to get out of that house for whatever reason, I won't turn him away..."

Ray's back tensed on him again, causing a slight pain that he ignored, "So what, I'm the enemy? Is that it what you're saying? Did you not see what happened here? He doesn't listen to me, about anything. But hell, you bat your eyelashes at him and he just does whatever the fuck you say. Don't act like I haven't tried Aoba, because I have, over and over. And don't you dare think I don't love him or our child."

Aoba sighed. "You told him that recently?"

Ray blinked a few times, no he hadn't but did he tell him that? It probably wouldn't do him good to lie so he shook his head a little, looking worn out.

"No... We've been fighting too often to really say that to each other..." He mumbled quietly, "Doesn't mean that I don't love him though..." He breathed out, not sure if he was trying to convince Aoba or himself of that.

Aoba tilted his head. "You're not the enemy. I didn't say that. But if you're mad because he listens to me and not you, maybe you should have a good look at the way you talk to him...it's not what you say, it's the way you say it." He tried his best to advise."...actually telling him you love him might be a good place to start."

Ray nodded numbly at him, his anger and nerves slowly subsiding. What Aoba was saying wasn't bad advice but it was easier said than done, he knew Kai better than anybody else... At least he used to.

"What is taking him so long?" He changed the subject, though Kai had been gone for a while now. Maybe he was stalling, the prick, or maybe he needed help.

"Mind if I go?" He asked as he pointed to the stairs, looking back at the foot print he had left on the door. "And I'll clean that before we leave." He said sheepishly.

Aoba nodded. "Of course... He's in Mei's room. Second on the left."

Ray nodded, the 'thanks' on the tip of his tongue but he couldn't get it out and practically bolted for the stairs. When he reached the door he gave it a gentle knock.

Kai tensed on Mei's bed. Since it wasn't a hard banging against the door, he assumed it was Aoba. "Yeh?"

Ray felt his anger bubble up again, willing himself to stay calm. "You need help?" He asked carefully through the door.

He felt a cold shudder. "No!" He called out quickly, hoping he'd go away.

Ray rolled his eyes, he couldn't start up another shouting match with him in Aoba's home with the kids just down the hall asleep. "Then let's go."

His heart pounded. He didn't want to. He couldn't bear to step foot back in that house and the toxic air it had.

"...I really ought to clean the room up." He blurted out, not able to think of anything else to stall.

Ray had it and stepped into the room, hands on his hips as he looked around the room. Kai hadn't even packed his things in the bag and the room looked pretty clean to him.

"Okay, you sit there and I'll do it." He said bluntly as he stepped into the room more, grabbing the bag and sat it on the bed beside him.

Kai didn't move as he watched him come in and call his bullshit. He felt nauseous. Ray was scaring him almost. Why, he wasn't even sure. He just was. Ray ignored him for the most part, gathering his clothes and folding them up to fit them all in the bag not realizing he had packed so much; how long had he been planning on staying there? He got a bit rougher with his things, his anger getting the better of him until he just started tossing them inside haphazardly. Once the bag was packed he zipped it closed and put it beside the door, taking a quit look around the room again. Not much looked out of place but the bed needed to be made, if anything.

"Get up." He ordered, hands back on his hips.

He jumped, but silently did as he was told. Ray walked around him, fixing the sheets and pulling them tightly around the bottom of the top mattress and rearranging the pillows. When he was done he walked back to the bag he left by the door and picked it up, slinging it over his shoulder.

"Alright, it's clean. Let's go home." He said over his shoulder, waiting by the door for him to go first.

He tensed. This felt like a convict being led to the electric chair. He stood himself taller. "I don't want to..." his voice shook.

Ray smirked at him, a fang showing. "Do you want me to get Aoba?" He asked as if he were talking to a child.

He folded his arms and willed himself not to cry. Why he felt himself going to he didn't even know. "Rather him than you..."

"Hn, have it your way then." He said as he shrugged his shoulders and sauntered down the hall to the stairs to fetch the golden boy. Even if he was livid he didn't let it show, at least this would give him the time he'd need to clean the door before they left... Which he did feel bad for.

Kai stood stubbornly as he left. Sitting himself back on the bed only to have Aoba appear in the doorway a minute later lifting a stern brow with his arms folded. Kai smirked. He was more of a momma than Ray was...or used to be at least.

"I know..." He said before he even said anything. Aoba actually looked stern with him for once.

"Give him a chance...it works both ways..."

His smirk vanished as he sighed.

"I know..." He said sadly as he pushed himself off the bed and followed him downstairs.

Ray had already cleaned the mud off the door when they reached the first floor and held onto the dirty rag he had used. "I'll wash this and bring it over later." He told him as he stashed it into his back pocket, lifting his eyes to him with all the guilt he felt.

[And I'm really sorry, for everything. I promise to make this better. Thank you, for being here for him.] He said sheepishly but held Aoba's gaze with his to let him know he truly meant it, having gone to speaking their native tongue.

Aoba smiled at him. He was finally coming round.

[It's fine. Just make sure you do. And remember what I said, huh?]

Kai looked between them and felt annoyed. Why did they switch to Chinese!? What was Ray saying about him?!

Ray smiled a little at him and nodded, [Of course, thank you again.]

Kai frowned at Ray's smile, and even more when he glanced at Aoba's...they were fuckin' buddies now!?

Ray turned to Kai and held his hand out for him, he wasn't really expecting him to take it but at least it looked like he was trying in front of Aoba.

Kai narrowed his eyes at him and looked at his hand as if it was covered in shit. Aoba cleared his throat and gave him a nudge after the few moments of awkward silence.

He tensed. Fuck that.

"Thanks for letting me stay Aoba. See you tomorrow..." he said quietly as he pushed by Ray and went on ahead, leaving him hanging.

Ray shrugged his shoulders again, "Thanks again." He said as he started after his angry princess, the bag slung over his shoulder. This was going to be interesting once they got home... Kai tried his best to waddle as fast as he could to keep a good distance between them. He couldn't believe Ray had come to bring him home like a naughty child...and he was going. And what was that friendly bullshit with Aoba!? He came in by kicking the door in, left all smiles and chummy! That was HIS friend. He had Ben. Wasn't that enough!?

Ray kept the distance Kai had put between them as they wandered down the path back to their home, clearly seeing the steam coming out of his ears and he almost laughed at the sight. Kai was so pissed and he was so dead. With how fast Kai had waddled his way home they made it in record time, Kai shoving the door open and already heading for the stairs. Ray quickly grabbed him by the shoulders and moved him to the couch where he forced him to sit down.

"Don't move." He ordered.

Kai tried not to show he was out of breath as he glared at him. First he ordered him home, now he ordered him to sit like a dog.

He growled at him. "Will you get out my fucking face!?"

"Shut up." Ray barked at him, sliding the bag off his shoulder by the side of the couch and grabbed the coffee table, pulling it up towards him and plucked a pillow off the couch and sat it on top before grabbing Kai's legs and put them on top of the pillow. He pulled off his shoes next and his socks, not missing the indents they had made around his ankles that were swollen like balloons.

Kai flinched and gently kicked his hands away. He wasn't an infant for god's sake! "Get the fuck off me!" He growled even more viciously, "who the hell are you trying to kid with this bullshit!?" He asked as he held his underbelly. Had a fuckin' stitch...god, how did he get so out of shape...

Ray looked up at him with a hard glare through his bangs, he had meant what he told everyone, he wasn't a liar and he damn well wasn't going to start being one now. He straightened himself up, hands back on his hips as he held his glare for a second longer and swept past him to the kitchen where he got him a glass of water. He came back, holding it out to him.

Kai scoffed at it and turned his nose up. "Not thirsty..." he spat as he pushed the table back to where it was and stood up. He was gonna go hide in their room...and lock the god damn door.

Ray put a hand on his shoulder, pushing him back down and slapped the glass into his hand. "You might not be but the baby probably is." He shot him another glare before moving the table back towards him and put his legs back up on it. "And you're feet are swollen as all hell, you need to alleviate them, laying down isn't good as it'll just cut the circulation to the baby."

Kai stared at him stunned as he manhandled his legs. He had a point... But since when did Ray have a point? He silently took a sip of water before struggling to lean over and put it back on the table. Sitting awkwardly as Ray hovered.

"When did you eat last?" Ray asked with a softer voice.

"Few hours ago..." he grumbled, shifting. This was horrible, even though he was actually being good for a change.

"Okay." Ray said with a small smile and retrieved the TV remote, handing it to him before he walked back to the kitchen to make something for him.

The second he left he tossed the remote to the end of the couch. Fuckin' asshole... What was with the Jeckyl and Hyde?

As Ray got a few things to make something small for them he pulled his phone out to text Ben, quickly typing 'Mission accomplished' before hitting send and stuffing his phone back into his pocket. He made them some light stir fry with pork, bringing the bowls back and handed Kai's out to him.

Kai took it. What was the point in saying he wasn't hungry? All he'd get was 'the baby probably iiissss'. He didn't have to say thank you...or talk to him though. As they ate in deep silence he glanced as he heard Ray's phone buzz. Glancing over to see him look at it and laugh silently.

Ray sat his empty bowl down on the table so he could use both hands to type, feeling Kai's eyes on him but knew with the angle he couldn't see what he was typing back to Ben.

{Oh yeah, he's fucking pissed. Was nice knowing you.} He chuckled to himself, god he was hilarious sometimes.

Kai's eyes narrowed suspiciously. He knew who he was texting...and he had a niggling feeling what he was laughing at. He sat himself properly, setting the bowl down before flinging his arm out and ripping it out of his hand. Ray didn't flinch as he watched Kai's face turn redder with anger, his eyes dancing over the text quickly and could see his fingers digging into the phone harder.

"Find what you're looking for?" He asked slightly amused.

His eye twitched furiously as his anger bubbled to overflowing. His eyes welling up and as close to blowing as his rage was. Of all people, he gossiped about him to Ben. He slowly turned his head to Ray. Too angry to talk and not wanting to cry.

"Oh don't give me that look, you confide in Aoba I confide in Ben. It's no different than you running off for two days and refusing to come home." Ray said as he rolled his eyes at him.

Kai felt himself snap. There was a huge difference. Aoba wasn't trying to take his place. Aoba wasn't making Ray's life hell and hiding it from everyone's view beautifully. Aoba wasn't a...PRICK. He grabbed the bowl and yelled out, hurling it against the wall in a fit.

"Feel better?" Ray asked dully.

"NOT YET!" He yelled as he reeled his arm back to throw his phone after it.

Ray was quicker, grabbing his arm in a gentle hold and snatched his phone back. "Oh no you don't." He warned and let him go once he had the phone. "You need to calm down, you know the stress isn't good for the baby." He said as he pushed himself off the couch, taking up his bowl from the table.

He heaved himself off the couch and blocked his path, fighting the urge to strangle him. "I knew this little act of yours was bullshit! I knew it! Why didn't you just leave me there huh!? Stress isn't good for the baby and the only one stressing me out is YOU!" He screamed.

"No, I'm not." Ray answered in the same dull voice, "You're stressing yourself out over nothing, now go sit back down or I'm hauling you to Tao's." He warned, his golden eyes narrowing.

He wasn't going to play these games with him. He was trying. So what if he talked to Ben? He was the only one that seemed to get it and support him. Now he had Aoba watching him like a fucking hawk and had promised to do good, why couldn't Kai see that?

His body shook as the stupid tears spilled. "I'd like to see you fucking try!" He raged back. "I can't do this! I'm going back to Aoba's!"

"And tell him what exactly? That I made you sit and rest, that I made you some food and gave you something to drink? That I talked to a friend?" He stressed, not getting what the big deal was.

He trembled harder. He was so close to punching him it was dangerous. "Why are you doing this!? Why are you messing with me like this!? You're fucking sick!" He cried angrily.

"What on Earth are you going off about now?" Ray sighed shaking his head slightly, "Why am I trying to take care of you, like I said I would?"

"Taking care of me!? By laughing about me with HIM behind my back!? By poisoning the only friend I have against me!? Making it look like your Mr. Perfect when actually you're just putting on a show so no one sees what a prick you are!?" He cried, getting more upset with each sentence.

"Oh, so only you're allowed to run off and talk bad about me? I didn't get the memo apparently. You were gone, for two days Kai. Who else was there for me? In my corner? Not you, not Aoba, not even my own mother until just recently. I'm sorry that I need a little support here from the outside. And in case you forgot, Aoba is my friend too, I've known him a lot longer than you have so don't try that." He said as calmly as he could, Kai really knew how to dig under his skin but he didn't want to keep setting him off. Trying to take Aoba's advice and watching how he talked to him, but it wasn't working. Apparently Kai liked Aoba better...

"I'm really not putting on a show Kai, I'm really not. I'm doing this because I love you. The both of you, and I just want to make sure you're taken care of."

"Well I hate you!" He screamed as loud as he could. "Don't you dare give me any of that! You have plenty of people in your corner! Just leave me with mine! What the fuck did you tell Aoba about me huh!? I know he wouldn't have sent me back with you otherwise!"

Ray didn't look amused and another sigh passed his lips. "Really? Who has been in my corner? Because I haven't spoken a word of this to the others, the only one I've ever talked to about this is Ben and because of my mistake the other night my mother found out. Aoba only knows because you went there, and I didn't say anything bad about you to him. Do you think he would have sent you home with me if I did?" He asked, keeping the calm even though he was burning.

"I told him I was sorry, for what's been going on and kicking in his door like I had. He told me that I needed to fix this and I told him I would, and then thanked him again for what's he's done for you because I haven't."

Kai couldn't handle this any more. Ray's calm was getting under his skin more than if he was yelling and screaming. "You have everyone! You know everyone here! You have the white tigers, your family, you have Tyson and the guys so why the fuck did you have to pick him!?"

"Because he's a friend that I've known for a long time, and he's easier to talk to than the others. I don't know what else you want me to tell you Kai." Ray said and moved around him to the kitchen to put his bowl in the sink.

Kai turned around. Mouth moving before brain engaged.

"THAT YOU'RE FUCKING HIM!"

Ray dropped the bowl and it shattered inside the sink, it took him a minute and he grabbed the front of the counter to steady himself. There was a tense silence between them for the longest time before he finally turned his head, looking over his shoulder at him with his eyes slit to such a fine point they almost vanished inside the color. He bared his fangs, a hiss escaping him as his claws chipped the top of the counter.

"What did fuck did you just say?!"

Kai felt himself tremble from his head to his toes. Face tear stained and still flowing. "You heard me! Stop playing dumb! I see you both! Is this why you're torturing me like this!? Trying to get me out the picture!?"

Ray snapped, not even looking at whatever it was he grabbed onto and threw it across the kitchen where the glass shattered against the wall and across the floor. He stormed over to him, standing toe-to-toe with him.

"I've had enough of this stupidity of yours! You hear me?! I don't know what fruit truck you fell off of but this ends NOW!" His voice rose to a level neither of them had ever heard before, his own body trembling with pent up rage.

"I love you, only you and it will always be you! How dare you say that I am unfaithful, I'm not some cheap ass whore Kai so you best get that in your head right this second! Ben is a friend, a GODDAMN friend, that's it! What I said the other night was wrong of me and I regret it and I didn't mean a word of it! If you really want to keep thinking that I'm screwing him behind your back then by all means, go ahead and knock yourself out!" He seethed, his own face turning red.

Kai startled at the glass smashing and recoiled as Ray burst in to a rage he'd never seen before. His heart raced against his chest. He couldn't really think of a response, so just cried instead. This was exhausting...

"I don't believe you...I don't think you do any more."

"Believe what you want Kai, it doesn't matter what I say anyways!" He roared again, pushing past him towards the living room to grab his own shoes and slipped them on quickly in his blinding rage. His pupils were still slit and they were starting to hurt his eyes and head but he pushed past it, he couldn't get them under control right now with how angry he felt.

"I warned you." He said as he got his shoes on, hands on his hips.

Kai panicked. "Where the hell are you going!?"

"It's not where I'm going." Ray hissed, not able to stop it as he marched back over to him. He wasn't sure how to do this without hurting him or the baby, that was the last thing he wanted to do.

Kai suddenly clicked and instantly backed away from him.

"You want to do this the hard way?" Ray asked as he backed him into the wall.

"Don't you fucking dare!" He cried, fear in his streaming eyes and knowing he'd fucked up.

"Oh, now you want to believe me?" Ray asked in a patronizing voice, a slight laugh in the back of his throat that sounded more menacing than friendly.

Kai cowered against the wall, he was scaring him now. "Ray, stop!"

"Why? Why should I? Huh?! You never listen to me when it matters! Why should I stop trying to take care of you and our baby? You want to act like an idiot and then expect me to lie down?!" Ray yelled, only causing his headache to spike. God he hoped his eyes would go back to normal once he settled down, this fucking hurt.

Kai smacked him in the chest. "You're the one doing it!" He cried desperately.

"That's right, I am!" He said and snatched his wrist hard, his hold like a vice grip and he tugged him away from the wall, Kai digging his feet into the floor.

To Be Continued.

End of Chapter 13

Oh dear, oh dear...

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!

I'll do my best to update soon!

As always any comments would be appreciated!

Take care and see you next time!