[Disclaimer]
Beyblade and all it's likeness does not belong to me. No profits are being made off this story.
[Chapter Four] The One Who Changed Touch To Electricity
I stand with my eyes wide and my heart beating almost as if I'm in terror.
I saw him.
Why is it that seeing the one I'm in love with – so desperately in love with – can instil such fear into me? I guess it's because I haven't seen him for what seems like ages, when in reality it has only been two months. But those were a rough two months because of the lengths I had to go to so that I could find him.
And I saw him.
It was only a mere glimpse of him walking through a gate to board his flight to France at an airport in New York. I knew it was him though. Why he is going to France, I don't know. But I'll follow him, because he is running from something and I love him; too much to let him just walk away from Japan without a goodbye again.
I want to know his feelings - no matter what they are - and let him know mine.
Yet I can't imagine what Kai could ever be afraid of. Like me, he's stubborn and thinks himself fearless. I used to believe in his image of indifference, but now I know. Everyone has a fear, and mine is that I will never be able to find him… To hold onto him… The fear makes me do outrageous things like now, how I am standing in front of the booth and buying the earliest ticket to France.
And it makes me wonder what his fear would be, to make him go such great distances. His fear must be as terrifying as my own.
Shaking those thoughts from my head I take the ticket from the employee and sit down in the waiting area.
He looked the same.
So very handsome, so very silent and mysterious…
If it had been anyone else I would have not paid close attention, because he is a loner, and they are not people who would take my interest.
Yet Kai isn't anyone else, and every bit of the withdrawn person he is, there had always been this lingering sense that told me he cared.
His touches told me.
Kai has always been someone who let actions speak louder than words. I like that about him because for me, words are something that I need to communicate with. His independence from the spoken language lets him speak in much more appreciative ways.
At least I think so.
His touches drive me crazy.
Any and every little touch or brush he ever gave me had run jolts through my body as if I was charged only for him to make me feel that way. No one else's skin could make my head feel like a hot air balloon or my face look like a tomato.
I want to feel that again…
****
Six Months Ago"Tyson, can you come help me here for a minute?"
"Hmmm…"
"Tyson, come here!"
"Hmmm…"
"Tyson?" Kenny wheeled around in his chair to glance at the other teen. He was lounging on Kenny's small bed and seemed to be totally preoccupied with something.
"Hmmm…"
"Lemme handle this Chief." Hilary said smugly, cutting into Kenny's thoughts. His eyebrows rose thoughtfully.
"He's been out of it ever since he got here! How are you gonna snap him out of it?"
"Just watch." The girl knelt down and whispered something that Kenny could not hear into Tyson's ear. The midnight haired teen sat up abruptly, blinking as though he'd just woken up. But he was smiling widely.
Spotting Kenny, Tyson immediately looked embarrassed. "Aw geeze, I'm sorry Chief. I kinda… zoned out there…"
"Tell me about it." The short teen laughed and waved Tyson over to his side, gesturing to the screen. "I've gotten the data for your prototype all set."
"Thanks a million!" Tyson cheered, clapping his friend on the back, which made the bespectacled teen to lurch forward dangerously. Hilary glanced at her watch and grabbed Tyson's wrist.
"Hey, Ty, it's time to go."
Tyson frowned and stuck his tongue out at the girl then smiled at Kenny. "I'll come by with the parts tomorrow, okay?"
"No problem." Kenny watched the two head out his room. "Oh, and Tyson?" He called after them from the top of the stairs.
The young man looked back with a confused expression on his face. "Yeah, Chief?"
"Whoever this person is, they must be really cute."
Hilary laughed and Tyson's eyes became huge, his face turning red within a split second.
"CHHIIIEEEEEFF!!!!"
As Kenny laughed his head off, Hilary held Tyson back and then started to drag him out of Kenny's home. "We're late, catch ya later Kenny!"
"Bye!" The short teen grinned, brushing his bangs away from his eyes for a second before they fell back again. He leant against the wall next to the staircase, smiling as he heard the front door shut.
Was I really that obvious?!
Looking back, I guess I was. On that particular day, I had been daydreaming about… you guessed it.
Kai.
So caught up in the different possibilities and outcomes my mind and heart conjured up, it was hard for me to concentrate on anything else.
Kenny had been calling up specs about my past beyblade designs. Right back to the very first one I ever had.
Kai totally destroyed that one…
In any case, I had a new project. I was going to take every feature I thought would work well together from my past Beyblades to make my own Dragoon! Yeah! Dragoon SS – Super Spin! Kenny said I needed work in naming things. He has always helped me, so I didn't mind letting him help me this time. Heck, I needed his help.
Anyway, what happened that day had been exciting, so let's keep going!
Outside, the two bickering friends raced along the sidewalk.
"Ahhhhh we're gonna be so late!!" Tyson's wild dark blue hair was flying out behind him in his ponytail and he had to hold down his cap in case it flew away.
Hilary pulled harder and they sharply turned a corner, running down his street. "Oh, no we're not!"
Running uncontrollably, Tyson picked up his pace and started to drag the girl instead of the other way around. "Why didn't we leave sooner!?!?!" He yelled between breaths.
"I didn't know you wanted to put your makeup on!!" Hilary yelled back and Tyson glared in return as they ran into the Kinomiya residence at top speed.
They raced all the way to Tyson's room and skidded to a halt, panting from their exertion.
Tyson wiped his forehead in horror. "I'm sweating!!"
"No time to take a shower, idiot!" Hilary said digging through Tyson's closet and flinging various articles of clothing about the room. "Just go and wash your face! I'll get your outfit!"
"Okay! Okay!" The midnight haired teen threw off his cap and quickly left for the bathroom.
Hilary bit her lip as she picked through Tyson's clothes, searching for a good match. A week ago, she'd lightly suggested to Kai that they all go out for a movie – 'All' meaning him, her, Kenny, and Tyson. He'd agreed and the date had been made for today. However, what Kai didn't know was that Hilary would 'cancel' and Kenny would be too busy with 'work' to go.
Tyson had been fantasizing about it all week. They'd gone to Kenny's because the world champ had to sort out some information about the beyblade he was making. She didn't expect time to move so fast.
Tyson ran back into the room, his shirt already off, trying to brush his hair and take off his pants at the same time. Hilary blushed embarrassedly and looked away.
"Put these on!!" She flung some clothes at him and checked her watch. "You have exactly six minutes before Kai is supposed to get here!!"
Just then, Grandpa walked in and surveyed the frenzy. "Hey, little dude, and my fly sistah, what're you two up to?"
He eyed Tyson's nearly undressed form and the clothes strewn around the room.
"Grandpa!!" The young man said, annoyed and frantic. "Get out!! I'm getting ready for a da-!!" Tyson immediately cut himself off and shoved his old man out the door. Hilary slipped out of the room as well.
"Woah! My little man's got a date?!" Grandpa's responded, muffled from behind the door.
Hilary sweatdropped. "It's not really a er… um a date, Grandpa."
"Who's he gonna paint the town with then?"
"Kai."
The old man nearly had a heart attack. "SAY WHAT?"
The doorbell chimed making Hilary and Grandpa exchange frenzied looks.
"Pretend I'm not here!!" Hilary squeaked as they ran to the front door. "I was supposed to have 'cancelled!!'"
Hilary hid behind a wall, looking pleadingly at the old man.
"All right! All right!" Grandpa said, smoothing a wrinkled hand through his silver hair. He smiled. "I may not get why the heck Tyson wants to date Kai but I ain't gonna ruin it for the kiddo! Now get down!"
Smiling with happy tears in her eyes, Hilary nodded and ducked down, out of the way as Grandpa opened the door.
Kai's finger was poised to ring the doorbell again. He dropped it and crossed his arms casually. "Hello Grandpa."
Nodding in greeting, the old man ushered Kai in, making him sit on one of the couches.
"Are the others ready to go?"
Grandpa opened his mouth to answer but was cut off by Tyson's cheerful voice. "Hilary cancelled and Kenny had work."
He bounded into the room, his ponytail swinging. "Bunch of spoilsports, huh?" He grinned. "Guess it's just you and me, Kai."
The slate haired teen didn't say anything for a moment and Tyson became instantly self-conscious. Kai was wearing his usual clothes, but Tyson looked out of the ordinary decked out in a plain button up white shirt with a pair of his dark grey jeans neatly ironed. But what made Tyson feel the most naked was that Hilary had stolen his baseball cap. He smoothed back his hair, not unlike how his grandfather had done so before.
Tyson coughed and looked away. "Ready to go?"
Kai seemed to shake himself out of whatever stupor he'd been in and nodded, standing up. "Yeah, before we miss the show."
Smiling, Grandpa wiped away a pretend tear. "Don't stay out too late, little dude. Oh, and take a jacket. Spring's just started, y'know!"
"Grandpaaaa…" Tyson sighed, sweatdropping.
"It's okay, I've got one in case he gets cold." Kai said, gesturing to the one he was wearing overtop his tank top, his scarf was draped over his neck and shoulders as well.
The pony tailed teen blushed slightly, angling his face away so that Kai couldn't see. "See ya Grandpa!" He and Kai walked out the door.
Hilary peeked out from behind the wall and Tyson's old man glanced at her. "Man, Tyson's pretty darn obvious, isn't he?"
She nodded in embarrassment. "You have no idea. But then again, I think Kai's just as bad."
"You don't say?" Grandpa's smile turned into a smirk. "Well, little dudette, how about we order some pizza and wait for the details when the T-man gets back?"
Hilary grinned. "Sounds good."
They had gone to the cinema in good spirits. Tyson didn't even know which movie they chose because it had all been a blur. Kai's hand had touched his in the dark theatre as they watched samurais slice each other open and ate popcorn. And then, Kai's arm rested on the back of Tyson's seat, making the smaller teen stare at the film screen, unseeing. His whole body felt hot and tingly and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. This was an electric storm…
And as Tyson turned to look at Kai, watching flashes of the movie playing out on that pale skin, he felt the burning need to kiss him.
Slowly, he tilted sideways, leaning into Kai's side as much as the seats' armrests would allow. Their long bangs intertwined a bit when Kai's head tipped slightly to rest closer to Tyson's.
"Tyson…" Someone's head must have been cut off because the entire screen went red, sending Kai's pale skin into a vibrant shade making him look as if he was blushing. Kai turned so that he was looking at him out of the corner of his eye.
Tyson's heart stopped.
"…I'm out of popcorn."