Numb

A/n: Hey again! Glad to hear you guys liked the first two chapters, and thank you everyone who reviewed them, I really appreciate it. Sorry for such a late update but busy-ness in the form of homework and reading fanfics consumes my time. Plus it didn't help when I went around for a week or so blank-minded, a.k.a. lack of inspiration. Thanks again for all the wonderful reviews, please continue!^_^

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Hours had passed, and I was busily observing the various beybattles between Max and Tyson, on top of the long hours spent with Kenny making upgrades. It was all beginning to get on my nerves. I couldn't really stand to be near people all that often and a full day of it was enough to push me over the edge of sanity. Growling, I snapped at Tyson whenever he decided to screw up or purposely annoy me.

"Hey Kai, don't you get tired of being such a jerk, or does it just come naturally?" Tyson ventured.

Well he certainly didn't want to live long and launched into a few snippy insults and comments that just agitated the annoying boy even more. It didn't take long for me to end up pounding Tyson into the ground. I smirked as I tackled him hard and gave him a few good punches. He was coughing after that, though it shut him up for a while. Max sweatdropped and grinned a little saying that it kinda was his own fault, but comforted him when he received a glare from the beat up boy.

After that, I took off, hardly worried that I might just kill Tyson that day. Another thing that slipped into my mind concerned Rei's whereabouts. He hadn't been around since lunch and it was now past dinnertime

I went past Kenny as I headed towards the front door. The cool wind blew in my face and the sun was falling low in the sky, it's warmth falling with it. Rei, being the nature lover he is, was likely to be at the park or the connecting woods. I made my way to the closest one, I'd often seen him training there during the weeks we'd been living in this area, he liked to be near the river.

After a few minutes, I found myself touching the edge of the thicket of woods, looking around for a certain raven-haired blader. I began making my way throught the thick brush towards the river near the centre of the fores, finally I reached the stable path and trekked across the acre of land. It wasn't long before I heard the sound of rushing water just up ahead, I must've gone further than I'd intended all the way up towards the waterfall. Somehow I felt drawn to that area, and vaguely wondered why. I received my answer as soon as I stepped out of the trees.

Rei was there, eyes focused, fixed with a concentrated look over his Asian features. His long, tied back hair was flipping about in the breeze and he was in his fighting stance, keeping his beyblade spinning on top of a peaked rock within the water. Looking down from where he was standing, I could tell it was a long way down to the bottom of the waterfall. I smirked at the progress Rei was achieving through the disciplined exercise and felt a pang of pride rush through me. I crossed my arms and continued to watch his concentrated form. He was lean, but he had some muscle on him, he was no pushover. That would be an excellent tool for the next battle. On top of that, he appeared fierce when he battled and that gave him some edge as well.

Lost in a daze, I didn't realize Rei had stopped blading and was now coming towards me. Rei looked a bit concerned, though when I came out of my daze I assured him it was nothing. He went to grab his blade and I headed back towards the forest. A few minutes later, through little communication, we were on our way back to the rented house. I resumed my cold, independent exterior and made no sound in communication to Rei. The silence being accustomed to both of us, I knew Rei was usually deep in thought, or absorbing his surroundings but prefering to keep his thoughts to himself. He never really showed who he truly was, I wasn't even sure he knew. However, I wondered if I was similar, afterall I kept to myself as well, though I wasn't afraid to snap at others, but that was about it.

Rei rested his gaze on the gentle forest surroundings, how quaint, I thought. What is the likelihood of all this being reality, sometimes I wondered if our entire world was a dream, but I dismissed the childish thoughts, as being the best was the only important thing to me. Everyone else is an obsticle, something preventing me from achieving my best. Rei was no different. He was definitly an obsticle in achieving the pinnacle of perfection, he with his kindness, beauty and timid nature. It was all so alluring that sometimes I just wanted to step out of my own vision of how my life was into what joy everyone else wanted me to experience. I knew that if I ever did that, I would never return to my uncomplicated, emotionaless, yet perfect world. It would trap me in joy and happiness, and I would never achieve my goal. Boris drilled that into me, as it was very different from when I was a child. I was young, free and, dare I say, happy. But he showed me through various examples that it leads to nowhere, I would always be average, like one of those pathetic nobodies that had no choice but to pretend to be happy with what I was. Unfortunatly I would never be happy in that state, so I vowed to never leave the world Boris brought me into. One of discipline, power, dominance and, above all, perfection.

** ** ** Can't you see that you're smothering me Holding too tightly Afraid to lose control 'Cause everything that you thought I would be Has fallen apart right here in front of you ** ** **

Rei, as though sensing my disturbed thoughts, filled with bits of morbid wonderings, decided to break the perfect silence that encompassed us.

"Why'd you come and look for me?"

I paused, and answered, "The rest of the team was annoying me, I needed some air."

He looked at me uncertain for a moment, but deciding not to press the issue, he nodded.

"Why do you train differently than the rest of the team?" I asked suddenly curious.

Rei tucked some loose dark strands behind his ear and said, "I prefer to train alone. It keeps my head focused and I am not distracted. When I go to my training spot, I like to just clear my mind of thoughts left over from interactions with everyone and I can train with a clear head."

I nodded, understanding him perfectly, though being the team leader required more of my time than it did of his, so for that I envied him.

Rei kept glancing at me, though he looked away when I met his gaze with a questioning look. Maybe I looked odd today, I didn't think so, but Rei, being perceptive as he is, would be one to notice even a dismal thought. Finally I couldn't stand it anymore, I wanted to ask him why he kept giving me that look. I wondered briefly if there might be any loopholes of that making me appear weak, seeing none I proceeded to ask.

"What are you doing?"

Confused, thought I knew he knew what I was talking about, he asked, "Huh? Nothing. I seem to be walking with you."

Wearily, I gave him a knowing look.

Looking down, as though a little embarrassed, he began slowly, ".You seem distracted..and a little agitated..and even a little depressed, almost morbid."

Shocked, I wondered if he could actually read my mind. That's another thing he is, I thought, very intuitive.

I crossed my arms and kept walking, "Nevermind, forget I asked."

He looked a little hurt but I didn't really care, someone else sensing my well hidden feelings, made me feel unnerved, as if it could eventually be used against me.

Shortly, we arrived back at the rented home and made ourselves comfortable; everyone turned in for the night early. The others did ask us questions of our whereabouts, but I kept silent and Rei said nothing more than what was necessary, apparently to keep them from worrying.

I sat up late that night, pondering about the events that had occurred that day, they were mostly about Rei though. Rei was a puzzel in a human form, he was unusual and alluringly perfect.well almost, nobody's really perfect, I would be soon though.

Hours must had have passed, as a cold chill woke me during the night. The odd thing was, we shut all the windows when we went to bed. I subconsciously shrugged away the cold chill that went right down into my bones, and searched for the source of the problem. The small balcony was left open slightly, just a crack, but enough to chill the room. I calmly sat up, came to my senses and looked around for any sign of life.

When my eyes landed on Rei's empty side of the bed, relief tried to make itself present on my face but I wouldn't let it. I crawled out of bed, and stealthily made my way to the open door. The chairs on the small bit of pavement were the same as they'd always been, however, at the end of the piece of land was a small form, who we knew as the White Tiger of the team. Rei was curled up on the chair gazing up at the dark sky scattered with tiny white stars. He was grasping his bare feet and his shoulders and arms must've grown accustomed to the cold because they did not shake. His silky raven hair loosely tied was slipping gradually out of it's bindings and flew wildly about in the light wind. Sighing, he seemed content.

I stepped quietly out onto the balcony, knowing his sensitive hearing would've caught any small noise made and certainly caught me. I tried to spy out what had captured his interest, and finding nothing I would consider particularly interesting, crept towards him. I was beside him in a moment and he looked at me with a small smile, but turned back to his star-gazing. His skin seemed to glow, its natural deep tan projecting most of it, but it glowed with contentment as well. Sitting there gave me a strange desire to throw everything away and just revel in the joy of content life, but I quickly pushed that to the back of my mind.

Minutes seemed to slip by in silence, and minutes soon turned to hours. Before I knew it, the sun was touching the horizon and began its dawn onto the inhabitants of the planet. I wondered if I'd even slept for two hours, despite feeling the relaxed laziness of the morning enter my system, and having a lingering, warm feeling in my left hand. I looked to the left of me, and saw that a beautiful sight was awaiting my waking. In my left hand lay the Chinese blader's right hand and its warmth made its way to my cheeks. Content, I felt like reveling in the touch all day but responsibly I pulled my hand away and left the balcony.

The neko-jinn must've woken up soon after, because when I left the shower room, he was there detangling his long, silky obstinate strands from their loose binds. Ready to leave I went to my drawer to retrieve my bey blade, and started to leave the room.

I snuck a quick glance at Rei before I left and saw his face clouded with thoughts. He seemed to be putting the dark locks into more of a tangled mess, and a thought came to me. Calmly I put down my blade on my bed and made my way over to Rei, who was currently facing the mirror in disarray. I carefully took the brush out of his trembling hands, and began the task of pulling through the tangles, as gently as I could. His eyes, very surprised, soon took on a relaxed state and closed as I combed through the mass.

Somehow, we both ended up sitting on the floor, I was still brushing through his hair and he was propped up against my chest, seeming very relaxed and letting out an occasional purr. I was content just doing the menial task for all eternity but soon the downstairs was bustling with whining bey bladers. I sighed and continued to comb, allowing my hands to touch the fine strands when I thought Rei wouldn't notice. I think he did though, he smiled everytime I let my hands travel down his mane and sometimes brushed his neck or back. I thought I'd almost lost it, but an exceptionally loud crash from downstairs jolted me out of it. I quickly put down the brush and started to get up. I would have gotten out of that room as fast as I could if Rei hadn't grasped my hand before I stood.

"Please stay," he said softly.

Heart wrenching in my chest, I swallowed and stated firmly, "No."

Rei tensed up again and nodded wordlessly.

Regretfully, I bitterly stood up and left the room with Driger cluched in my trembling hand.

** ** ** [Caught in the undertow/ Just caught in the undertow] Every step that I take is Another mistake to you [Caught in the undertow/ Just caught in the undertow] And every second I waste Is more than I can take ** ** **

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A/n: So sorry again for such a long wait, you probably expected much better than this chapter after such a long time to update, but I tried. Well it's midnight now so I should be going, I hope this chapter was at least worth a second of your time, if it wasn't I appologize once again. A review would be nice if you think it's worth that, heh. Anyways, an update will appear soon, I hope, so keep a lookout. Thanks again so much for everyone who's reviewed so far, I really appreciate the encouragement! Ja!

Keisan