Last chapter: Rei and Kai are confused. They can't be sure of anything anymore, especially when Kai has some strange (but 'nice') thoughts popping into his head.

This chapter: A strange predicament leaves Kai sick with only Rei to look after him and finally, some Rei/Kai action!

Long Day Coming

Chapter 3: Keeping What's Close

"What do you mean, we're leaving tomorrow? I thought we had weeks to..err.."

"You mean laze around? Mr Dickinson said that if we are even going to compete, we need to be prepared, Tyson. We're leaving for some 'special training'", Kenny told them.

"You mean like that Antonio kid from ages ago?" Max asked.

"Not exactly. I have no idea what it is this time."

Kai groaned inwardly. He didn't need to train by their methods. He felt Rei look over at him. This time his gaze was almost calming. He heard him sigh softly.

"Whatever it is, we may as well just go along with it. We don't want to be late or unready for the tournament." Kai spoke for the first time since the beginning of their little lunch-meeting (they had strapped Tyson to his chair while they organised things so he wouldn't bury his face in the food).

"I have to agree with Kai, Tyson " Rei said. ("You would", Tyson muttered to himself) "We haven't done any training while we've been here. And we already had a few months off. Time to get back into it!"

"Yeah." Max joined in.

*~*~*

Kai sighed heavily as he took in Rei's form. He looked so comfortable. Through the window, the sky looked dark and threatening. No one would be crazy enough to go out in this weather. The storm would hit soon. He got up and went to the window, it was open slightly and the cold hard air blew his hair around madly as Kai went to shut it.

Having done that, Kai stared out into the blackness for a moment before heading back to the warmth of his bed. He got in and wrapped himself up to his shoulders in the thick blankets. Rei had rolled over, so his back was facing Kai. A dim light shone through under the door: Kenny must still be awake. Kai watched Rei again. He could see his body rise slowly with his breathing with the faint light that entered the room. He looked so peaceful. Kai wished that he could sleep like that. But Rei was the very reason he felt he couldn't sleep.

"Rei…" Kai murmured.

A few minutes later of silently watching Rei, Kai knew he wouldn't be able to sleep for the rest of the night with all these thoughts of him filling his head. Shrugging on his sleeveless shirt and pants Kai softly headed downstairs past the late night hotel staff and out into the deserted courtyard.

Rei exhaled heavily after Kai left. He could still hear his name echoing from Kai's lips. He had woken up when Kai shut the window. He thought it was understood between them that they were friends, of some sort. Was it possible for them to be more? Rei knew he wouldn't be able to block or hide his feelings for very long. But he was afraid. Afraid of Kai. He could tear himself from Rei forever, being the emotionless, stoic teen he appeared to be and Rei would never see him again. The team hadn't been back together for long, either. He didn't want to lose Kai. Not by telling him what he felt about him, anyway. Feeling cold even in his bed, Rei dragged himself into his clothes, grabbed a coat and followed Kai's path.

~*~*~

He stood now, with his eyes closed and face to the sky, with the rain pouring down on him. He didn't care. It didn't seem cold to him, anyway. Nothing was going to distract him from his thoughts of Rei. Nothing except the raven-haired teen himself.

"Kai." Rei was behind him.

He made no reply, just kept facing upwards.

"Kai?" He stepped a little closer, warily.

At this, Kai opened his eyes and whipped his around to face Rei.

"What?" His tone had a fearsome edge to it.

"Are you alright?"

Kai didn't reply. He just looked down, his fists clenched. His eye twitched menacingly and his lower lip curled.

"You look cold," Rei offered.

Kai mumbled something that sounded like 'I'm not'.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Rei stepped closer again.

"Keep away from me."

"What? You look a bit…"

"I said leave me alone."

"Kai," his golden feline eyes begged. "Please tell me what's wrong!"

This time Kai turned to fully face him.

"You know what, I'm beginning to think that you and the others are just a waste of my time. You're weak, pathetic, obtrusive, annoying…" Kai stepped closer to Rei,

"K-kai. I don't-"

Kai kissed him. Just like that. His hand buried itself in Rei's thick, dark hair at the back of his head.

Rei, still a little shocked, began to respond. His lips pressed harder against Kai's, matching their fierceness. This was his first kiss, and not the soft, gentle one you'd always imagine of. But then, it was coming from Kai. He wouldn't expect it to be like that from him. But he didn't expect Kai to kiss him either.

They both broke apart. Rei was sure his eyes were dancing in happiness.

"Kai…" He drifted off. They leaned back in for another kiss.

This one was more tantalising, more lasting. Rei began to tease Kai with his tongue.

But, as if suddenly realising what they had just done (with rain still drowning everything around them), Kai stepped back, one hand still faintly tracing Rei's cheek. He had a strange, completely foreign look on his face. Rei found it unreadable.

Kai's crimson eyes gave away nothing. He quickly withdrew the hand that was still connected to Rei, almost horrified, then walked away.

It wasn't until he was almost out of sight that Rei realised he'd let him go … Now he had an idea what had bothering Kai before, but he wasn't sure what the matter was now. What was he supposed to do? Someone help him! He'd never been in this situation before, that was obvious, and he doubted he knew anyone who had (with Kai, for that matter).

Rei panicked. He couldn't lose Kai now…

*~*~*

It was early the next morning before any of the others realised Kai was gone. Rei had finally retreated to their room, figuring there was nothing he could do. He was very tense, not knowing what to expect if Kai came back. The sky had turned into a soft, light haze by 6:15, and Kai still hadn't returned. Now Rei was worried.

He rushed into his friends' rooms, asking if they had seen Kai up since last night. Kenny hadn't noticed anything, Tyson was still sleeping (of course) and Max didn't know what he was talking about.

"Is there something wrong?" The blond teammate asked.

"Uh…no, I um…"

"Good, can you help me get Tyson up? Kenny said we're gonna have to leave soon - in about half an hour to get to that tournament. I don't know if he'll wake up by himself before then." Max seemed oblivious to the anxious look Rei was sure was plastered all over his face.

It was when they started yelling about Dragoon being stolen and breakfast already eaten that Tyson jerked out of bed.

"What? Who took Dragoon! I want breakfast! I can't have missed out on it!"

Kenny looked in and sighed at Tyson's antics.

"C'mon guys, we need to get ready to go…" He peered around inside the room, noticing one member of their team was missing. "Where did Kai go?"

The bluenette conveniently took this moment to barge down the hallway to his and Rei's room, still looking a bit damp from the rain last night. Rei rushed out after him.

"Kai! Wait-"

"Go away." Rei ignored that completely.

"Look, I'm sorry. If I did something wrong, then-"

Kai turned and faced him. The look in his crimson eyes shocked him. He looked almost…

"No," he said softly.

'You could never do anything wrong, Rei,' Kai thought to himself, looking at him. 'What's wrong with me? I have the chance I always wanted and then I just destroy it myself?' Kai started coughing violently, raising a hand to his mouth.

Rei hurried over, worried for the other teen and put a warm hand on his shoulder.

"Are you sick? It was really cold and you stayed out in the rain all night! You should have taken a jumper or something."

"I don't get sick," Kai said gruffly, cold once more, shrugging Rei's hand off him.

"You'd better lie down. Did you get any sleep at all?" Kai looked at the concerned frame of his friend.

"I told you, I don't get sick!"

"Oh Kai! Come on, you have to rest, here, get in bed, take your wet things off." After Kai did nothing for a little while, Rei started again.

"Look, you've got to-"

"Rei? You ready to go?" Max poked his head in through the doorway.

"Uh…" He replied.

"Tyson come on, we have to leave now!" They could hear Kenny's muffled voice through the wall.

"Ok, let's go," Kenny was dragging Tyson by the collar, who was busy trying to scramble for some breakfast. They stopped outside Rei and Kai's door.

"Kai's sick." Rei blurted. Kai glared at him.

"What? But we have to go now."

"Aww, just leave him behind. We don't need him to win this tournament, he's only a sub. half the time anyway." That was Tyson, obviously. "C'mon Chief, lemme go!" He flailed his arms around madly, trying to get out of Kenny's grasp.

"Look, you guys'd better go, we'll meet up with you later once Kai's better."

"I'm fine." Kai repeated menacingly.

"But we all have to leave now or we'll miss our flight!" The Chief said frantically.

"Well, can't we just get Mr Dickinson to send them some more tickets for after Kai gets better? He's got to have Rei to look after him, of course." Max winked at Rei and he flushed. 'Damn you, Max,' but he smiled anyway, embarrassed.

Kenny sighed worriedly, but gave in.

"I suppose, but you'll have to leave no later than Saturday or we'll miss signing in for the tournament."

"No problem."

Kai twisted uncomfortably. He kind of wanted to spend more time with Rei, but after their 'kiss, not kiss', he wasn't so sure he could handle having Rei constantly around him. 'Doesn't anyone care that I've said I'm not sick?' He thought exasperatedly.

"I-" He began quickly, but was cut off.

"Ok. Good. We'll see you in a few days, I guess." Kenny sighed again. "Come on, Tyson." He said to his friend, who had been completely ignoring the little scene ever since he had found a chocolate in the smallest part of his bag.

"Hope you get better Kai," Max called, and he winked at Rei again. 'Grrr… He must know I like him…' Rei went red again, and it took a few seconds before he could look at Kai again.

"So...umm."

Kai groaned in response.

"I suppose now you're going to make me get better," he said.

"Yes. Get changed out of your wet clothes. Here, here's one of my spare shirts," Rei chucked one over to Kai, their kiss now forgotten. He heard Kai mumble something incoherently before getting some shorts from his bag and going to the bathroom to change.

Rei sighed, but it was with the thought that he could now spend a lot of time alone with Kai that he smiled to himself and went out of the room to find something for Kai to eat.

A/N Hope you like it. I wanna thank all you readers; reviewers and non-reviewers. But remember, I'm looking for improvement, so tell me how to make it better. I hope this chapter is better (now with some sort of a plot and everything). Tell me if you think it's a bit disconnected from the last chapters or anything.

A shoutout to reviewers (if you can bother to read this):

Sedi: I'm glad you like it. Hope you keep reading ^_^

Shadowshi13: well I have continued, and I'm already half way through writing the next chapter!

Riki: Well here's more! Keep reading if you want

Darkness: oooOOO you make it seem like my fic has gotten better ^_^ And I'm trying to weave my way through the many chapters of yours! (gets back to reading)

Phantom: Yay! Another person who liked it! (or at least was a person who was polite enough to pretend they liked it)

Shortsnout: You really want a mini fire extinguisher? Ok… *hands over very delicate object* Courtesy of Munkustrap Protection Services. But I don't think you'll need it. ^_^ And, yes, the duck and rabbit show. I have come to a theory that any BB fic wher they're watching tv cannot exclude the duck and rabbit show. *sigh* oh the impact of fanfics.

Rei, Oliver and Kai are da bomb: another person who reckons I shouldn't have let Rei let Tyson have Kai's toothpaste ^_^ lol. Hope you keep reading.

Reen: well, you certainly seem to like it. Hoped you liked the Rei/Kai stuff here.

Chibi Kitty: Ah! I got writing! And I've done more, please review for me!

Seraya: yes, I let Tyson have the toothpaste. Unfortunately, I think Kai can just go out and get some new toothpaste. Alas, we cannot torture him forever *winks*

Melanie: I hope you keep reading!!!