Okay, considering you all asked so nicely, I'm updating this quicker than I have most other fics. Hope you all enjoy this chapter too. Oh and I apologise in advance for the maths, I just like Kai being a smart ass. (but then his ass any way is nice ^_~)
Kai sighed, looking out the window, not really paying attention in class. It was just maths after all.
What was he going to do about Wyatt? He was finding it difficult to be around him at times and he thought Wyatt was picking up on his discomfort, he looked a bit down when Kai talked to him. But he'd never had to deal with something like this before, retreating and working things out on his own was how he dealt with everything else. But it didn't seem to be working quite as well with this problem.
Kai winced at the word. Problem. It wasn't really a problem, and he hated to use the word, it made his feelings for Wyatt sound like a burden. He loved spending time with the cheerful boy. Unlike the others, he seemed to respect Kai's need for privacy and quiet at times. Sometimes Kai found himself getting so used to the boy's presence he wouldn't even realise he was there until he looked around. Not to mention when he was around Wyatt he seemed to enjoy himself and he found himself smiling a bit more and opening up. It was nice, too nice. Hence the reason for his discomfort. He wasn't quite used to this yet so he drew back a bit. It seemed to hurt Wyatt and seeing the sad look upon the bright face hurt him in turn. He had to figure things out before he did something he'd regret.
"Kai?" He glanced over to see the teacher glaring at him. "Could you answer the question?"
Kai didn't even glance at the board as he coolly said, "Fifty-two."
The teacher frowned. "If you were paying attention could you also tell me the question and your working out of the answer?"
Kai sighed and recited, "A rhombus has diagonals of twenty-six and ten. What is the perimeter of the shape?" Kai just rolled his eyes and the teacher narrowed his angrily. "First off rhombus diagonals bisect at ninety degrees, making this a simple Pythagorean question working out one side and multiplying by four. The sides therefore are thirteen each considering the triangular base and height are twelve and five, making the perimeter fifty-two." Kai looked up at the teacher with a raised eyebrow. "Anything else?"
"Don't stare out the window if you're bored, do your work."
"Done."
The teacher frowned and looked at his book, the frown deepening as he showed his completed work. Kai smirked as he turned away and walked back to the front of the class to finish teaching. He was quite aware of the rest of the class looking at him in shock. Who would have thought that the antagonistic rebel Kai Hiwatari would actually be smart?
As the class walked out, Wyatt caught Kai by the arm and dragged him into a small crevice, waiting for everyone else to pass by. "That was really stupid Kai, antagonising a teacher. You're just lucky you were able to do the question, else you would have found yourself in detention for sure."
"Not the first time," Kai informed him coldly, shrugging his arm away and walking off. He didn't mean to be cold, but the maths class really irritated him. Why couldn't the teachers just leave him alone?
Wyatt sighed and followed him, not saying anything. But, like Kai, he was able to make silence say more than words ever could.
Kai looked at him and sighed. "I'm sorry, okay, I won't do it any more."
"That's nice."
Kai sighed again. "What is it?"
"What's what? Nothing's wrong."
"Yes it is, I know something's up."
Wyatt shrugged and looked at him innocently. "I really don't know what you're talking about Kai."
Kai sighed in defeat. "Sure." They continued to walk towards the dorms in an oppressive silence. Kai walked with Wyatt to his room, desperately trying to find something to say.
Just as Wyatt was about to go inside, he blurted out, "Do you want to train with me?"
Wyatt stared at him. "Yeah, I guess. At Tyson's place again?"
Kai shook his head. "It'll just be us … me and you. Tyson, Kenny and Hilary are on some school trip, Rei's staying with Max and they figured we needed a bit of a break as well. But considering I haven't trained as much as they have, I thought I should do some."
"You want me to train with you?" Wyatt looked at him disbelievingly.
Kai nodded. "Well, more like I'll be training with you, if you want to that is."
Wyatt hesitated, knowing what Kai was getting at. Finally he nodded. "That would be great, thanks."
Kai smiled at him. "Good. I'll see you in an hour in the gardens okay?"
Wyatt nodded. "Sure, see you then." He went inside his dorm leaving Kai in the hallway, looking rather relieved, a faint smile playing about his lips.
"One step at a time, just like everything else," he whispered to himself as he walked back to his room.
* * *
Wyatt looked around nervously, waiting for Kai. He was a bit late. Or maybe his watch was just fast. He looked down at his watch then grimaced. Or not.
Suddenly he heard someone approaching. He looked up to see Kai running towards him.
"Sorry, Rei called for something."
"No problem." Wyatt grinned at him, looking somewhat apprehensive. "Do you want to get started now then?" His tone clearly said that the idea really didn't appeal to him that much.
Kai studied him closely and nodded. "That would be the idea," he answered with a grin, trying to ease his anxiousness. It didn't seem to be working very well. Kai sighed. "Okay let's just start then."
Wyatt nodded and pulled his blade from his pocket, his hand shaking a bit. Kai noticed this and grabbed a hold of Wyatt's hand before he could raise the blade and launcher. "Why don't you use Dranzer?" He held out his blue blade and launcher, to Wyatt's immense surprise.
"Are you serious?"
"Perfectly." Kai placed the launcher in Wyatt's hand and smiled reassuringly. "She won't intimidate you, in fact knowing I gave her over willingly with the expectation that she'll be returned, she'll trust you. If she trusts Tyson, she'll definitely trust you."
Wyatt chuckled softly. "You really trust me then? You must if you'd give me Dranzer to train with."
"I do."
It was those simple words more than anything that gave Wyatt the confidence to set up the blade and bring his hands up to launch. He paled and took a deep breath, shaking slightly, but trying to look determined. Just as he was about to let the blade fall to his side, he felt warm hands grasp his own. He looked around in surprise to see Kai holding him close, looking stern, but kind.
"You have to have faith that you can do this. I do."
Wyatt nodded and smiled. Kai's hands did not leave his, instead staying and giving him comfort and strength.
Taking another deep breath, Wyatt concentrated and pulled on the rip-cord, sending Dranzer flying to the ground in a strong launch. Wyatt grinned seeing this and turned slightly.
Kai smiled seeing the look upon Wyatt's face. "See? Faith."
"Yeah." Wyatt looked bashful. "Thanks Kai."
Kai nodded, staring at him more. His smile slipped slightly as a thought flitted across his mind. He looks so cute like this, and I'm close enough to kiss him.
Wyatt sensed the sudden change in Kai's emotions and looked at him quizzically. "Kai?"
Kai smiled at him again, though hesitantly and slightly false. "You did well. Do you think you could do it on your own?"
Wyatt swallowed but nodded. "I'll try."
Kai removed his hands, sliding them up Wyatt's arms to rest on his shoulders. Wyatt shivered slightly at the slight touch, not daring to look around at Kai. He instead focused on the blade that had returned to him and set it in the launcher. He hesitated again, but the reassuring touch on his shoulders was all he needed and he launched.
Dranzer spun faster and with more force than his last launch. Seeing this, Wyatt grinned and turned around. "Did you see that Kai! How cool!" Without warning he grabbed the other boy in a tight embrace. Kai's eyes widened but he smiled and drew Wyatt closer, returning the embrace.
"Yeah, I'm proud of you. It takes a lot to overcome your fears and you've already come such a long way."
Wyatt drew back and smiled up at him. "Thanks to you. I don't think I'm quite that ready to blade yet and I know I'll even be hesitant to pick up a blade, but now I won't be totally afraid. Maybe soon I'll be able to blade again, because of you."
"I didn't really do much, I just …" Kai trailed off as he once again noticed the extremely close proximity between the two of them.
Wyatt didn't seem to realise the reason for his silence. "No, you're wrong, you helped a lot."
Kai nodded, not trusting himself to say much. He pulled away and somehow managed not to wince as he saw the confusion and hurt crossing Wyatt's face as he did so.
"Is something wrong?"
Kai shook his head and cleared his throat. "No … I …" He stared at Wyatt, suddenly fearful, he took another step back. It was too much to deal with right now. He shook his head and muttered, "I'm sorry," before dashing away.
Wyatt stared after him, looking close to tears. He heard the sound of Dranzer hitting the ground behind him and he turned back, retrieving the blade. He stared at it clutched in his hand.
"I still don't understand you, and you're still as confusing as ever, but it never hurt until now Kai." Wyatt turned away and headed back to his room.
* * *
AN: Oh, I know, slight angst, but I promise things get better. Next chapter will be the last however. This was only meant to be a short fic, originally a one-shot. Now it's kind of late so I apologise for any small mistakes and stuff.
Hmm, 4 am, quite a way to end the last day of official schooling.
Laters.