Long Day Coming
Chapter 5: Take What Is Yours
When Kai awoke, it was to a pair of shiny round circles. Soon the haze of waking up disappeared and Kai realised it was a pair of glasses.
"Kenny?" He asked druggedly.
"No, Kai. My name is Doctor Enson." Doctor? What was this?
"I'm not that sick. I don't need a doctor," Kai began quickly, and then tried to muffle the sound of a cough.
"Of course not," the doctor replied simply while bending down to a black briefcase beside Kai's bed.
'Huh?' Then why on earth was this doctor even here?
"Then get out of here," Kai responded not too kindly.
"Well see," Doctor Enson said with a strange twinkle in his eye as he bent forward to Kai from his position on the bed covers, "I would but that dark-haired young man won't let me until I've given you something for your health." He paused for a moment. "And Mr Dickinson is worried about you as well."
"You know Dickinson?" 'What kind of evil plot against me is this?'
"That's how Rei was able to get me here. I was contacted by Stanley. Now, say 'Aa'," the Doctor instructed as he put something that looked like a used paddle pop stick on Kai's tongue so he could look down his throat.
Kai didn't seem to want to 'aaa' at anybody, but it wasn't looking like he had much choice.
Then he pulled out a funny looking thing, a light of some sort, to check Kai's eyes.
"I don't see what my eyes have to do with a cold." Kai grumbled as Dr. Enson switched eyes.
"Well, Rei says you had a fever earlier, you seem fine from that now, but I just want to check that nothing else is wrong here." Kai proceeded to list in his head all the things that could possibly be wrong at this particular time. His and Rei's relationship included.
"Well, everything looks fine." The doctor said, folding up the equipment. "Getting ready for the Oceania Tournament? I think you can win this one too. Ah well, after the break you've had, you can never tell." Dr Enson reached inside the briefcase he had brought with him again and thin fingers slipped around a small container of pills.
"Take two a day and that'll stop Rei from harassing us both." The doctor quickly packed up the rest of his things, and with a final somewhat eccentric smile, he stepped out of the room to talk to Rei in the hallway.
Kai looked at the container Dr. Enson had given him. The label had instructions-
"Administer pills of 'Dresches' Day and Night Tablets' with a glass of water; one in the morning and one at night. Continue use as prescribed by your doctor. Medication must be continued after symptoms have ceased/eased to eliminate virus.
Contains: hydrochloric-"
Kai didn't need to know what horrible acids were in the medication. The way the doctor had acted, though, it seemed as though these pills wouldn't make a difference to him, just make Rei feel better about it. Kai smirked as he put the container down on the wooden bedside table. He would just need to keep taking them long enough to keep Rei satisfied.
*
"He's not very ill," Enson assured a worried Rei. "Just keep him rested until you need to. We don't want this cold popping back again." That twinkle in his eyes reflected behind his shiny glasses. "Remember, the symptoms may ease, but that doesn't mean he has completely healed. Another fever would be terrible for his system at the moment, so call immediately if something happens." Rei nodded, taking in the information.
"I'd like to give Kai another checkup once you reach New Zealand. Mr Dickinson is sending me down there for the tournament anyway, so I'll come and see you. Good day, Mr Kon," Enson waved merrily then lifted his briefcase with effort, as though it weighed much more than expected. Rei was reminded of the way he would have to lag his luggage around the airport later.
"Bye, Doctor Enson!"
Now he just had to make sure Kai did get better. And Saturday was looming up. They had to get that flight to New Zealand then or they would miss the Oceania Tournament.
*
Kai casually stepped out of the bathroom, painted triangles back on. He had changed back into his normal baggy pants and black top. He was tightening the white scarf around his neck when Rei saw him.
"Kai! What do you think you're doing?"
"Going off to train." He brushed by Rei as he headed for the door, reaching for Dranzer and his launcher.
"What?"
"I've missed days of training, Rei. I'm going off to do it now," he repeated.
"Absolutely not!" Rei said firmly as he blocked the doorway. "You might think you're better now, Kai, but you could get another fever. You need to be careful." His topaz eyes glinted warningly, but they held concern for Kai.
"Whatever." Kai tried to pass Rei and get out of the room that he had been confined in the past few days.
"…Kai." Rei's tone of voice made Kai look up at him and stop trying to get Rei away from the door. The black-haired teen was worried, he could see that. 'But he doesn't need to be', Kai told himself. 'He doesn't.'.
It was then Rei realised Kai had painted his triangles back on. 'There goes the dream 'good' Kai' a voice in the back of his head said.
"What…?" he murmured softly. His fingers gently traced Kai's cheek. "Why did you put them back on?"
The sudden, unexpected feel of Rei's hand on him, his body so close, was too much. Kai stepped back, showing a face of anger.
"Well, I'm better, aren't I? Now let me out!"
'No…Oh Kai…' Why do you seem so kind one second and change to the cold-hearted bastard the next? How can you be like that? How am I supposed to be able to match that?
Rei stubbornly shook his head.
"No, Kai. I won't let you take the chance of getting sick all over again. Get back in bed."
Kai growled.
"I've been in bed for the past five days! I don't need anymore rest! Let me get out of here!"
The force in Kai's voice made Rei suddenly feel hurt. Like all the countless 'leave-me-alones'. What was it about Kai that made him feel… like this? He was so intense… Just like Dranzer, a powerful flaming force, ready to attack any second. //Ready to kill// Rei stepped back, away from Kai, hurt and almost fearful. He would never be able to control Kai…much less tame him. He was just going to stop. But something didn't allow him to just let Kai go like that. He wouldn't let Kai just go outside and get sick again.
"No." His voice was weak at first, almost like an echo. But the strength grew in him, and he found he was able to stand against Kai, to stop it hurting. "No!"
"What?"
"Kai! I'm not going to just let you go out like that! You're not going to get sick, you're not going to get hurt!"
"You're hurting me now," Kai grumbled in reply. Rei's arm was hard and firm on Kai's shoulder, trying to keep him back, but he wasn't sure if that was what Kai meant.
It would be so easy, so simple to just ask in a quiet voice how he could be hurting Kai… Then the 'good-Kai' would surface and proclaim to the entire world how much he loved Rei, and everything would be fine… But that wasn't going to happen. Somewhere, both of them realised that it could never be that way.
"Rei! Just stop it! You can never leave me alone! You're always there, annoying me. You can just never go away. This was your way of 'looking after me'" he muttered in disgust," why don't you just disappear! I'm sure everyone else would be glad if you did." He spoke with such venom and hatred; he was so caught up that he didn't see the effect his words were having on Rei.
So... That was the way Kai felt about him.. If felt… well, it hurt. Rei felt as if he were swimming. No, floating through all his emotions, and all his memories of Kai. What. Why? Yes, there it was. The dull pain of reality wasn't really fading, it was getting stronger. And as he drifted closer and closer to the source, he found two flaming crimson orbs …
'No, Rei. I didn't mean...' Those words should have been for himself, not Rei. He hated himself. Hated the way he could never make Rei happy, how he would never be a caring person, how he was of such little worth, and how-
"Ok, Kai." Rei spoke with a soft voice. Kai was unsure of the determined look on his face. What? "I'll leave you alone. I guess I'll see you at the tournament."
Wait! Rei! He wasn't really leaving, was he? Rei was the only reason Kai had come back, to rejoin with the Blade Breakers. And how could he survive without Rei taking away the annoying effects on Tyson, his warm smiling dawning on him his hard features.
"Rei! Don't-"
The door slammed. Rei was gone.
*
It was almost as if Rei's voice was in his ear, softly, gently, but with a curve of such hatred… Hatred for him. 'This is what you wanted…You said so. All the time. All the 'Just leave me alone's..'
Kai fell into a miserable, faceless state. It was as though there was nothing left to him. Rei is gone. Rei left. All your fault. He hates you… Why couldn't you change? Why…
*
It was night and this time it was Rei who would be out in the rain. At least he was the one with sense, Kai thought bitterly. He was the one that had thought to take a coat the first time. He could do it again. Kai worried himself about Rei, but told himself off. Rei could take care of himself. And why should he care, anyway? But he knew why he cared. The ache in his heart… wouldn't go away. That was the proof. Still miserable, Kai wiped the triangles from his face with the last of his paint remover and decided to get changed. But his black top needed a wash. He would have usually worn that to bed. The only other thing was…Rei's shirt. Kai hesitantly picked up the soft white material and shook it out. Everything seemed to be purposefully reminding him of Rei now, and the way he had forced Rei from his heart.
That ache wouldn't stop.
Kai turned over, the moonlight hanging through the window. It shone a dead light on Rei's ready-for-sleeping--made bed.
"Rei…" Kai whispered his name, as if even uttering it would cause (more) terrible things to happen. Kai rolled over again, pulling the thick covers up to his neck. He wouldn't sleep tonight. He couldn't block Rei out. Over and over, he saw how it was all his fault that Rei was gone.
Rei halted, his quiet feet no longer padding across the carpet. Kai was in bed, with his face to the wall, covers tucked around him. There was that sudden, crazy idea of wanting to snuggle next to him again. 'Argh!' Kai just wouldn't let go of control over his thoughts. He suddenly –
"Rei?" Kai rolled over again to face the other boy, his eyes hollow and tired.
Rei froze. The moonlight shone in through a gap in the curtains.
"Yeah. Just getting Driger."
"Oh." Came the quiet response.
Rei paused before continuing to his things to rummage in the darkness to find his beyblade. He finally found Drigger in the darkness. Rei stood up. Kai was back facing the wall, his back to Rei
He stood still for a moment in the silence, before deciding to head for the door.
"I'm sorry."
"Kai?" Rei asked, shocked.
Kai didn't make a sound. But he didn't need to.
Rei let out a breath, and then went back to plonk down on the bed. He leant down with his back on top of the covers. There was a long pause, like this call for silence between them would be the frayed lengths of their relationship being tied back together.
"Me too."
"What?"
"Sorry. I'm sorry too."
"Oh." Kai blinked. He pulled back the blankets and went to stand over Rei, who was lying in bed.
"Look, Rei, I-"
"Zzzzz….Zzzzz…"
Kai burned for a moment. But this was Rei, his Rei. Not Tyson, not- anybody else. Smiling softly, he cuddled up to Rei under the covers. His snoring sounded more like purrs.
*
Rei awoke, feeling warm around around his middle. He was slightly surprised to see two arms wrapped possessively to his body, but smiled when he saw it was Kai. He reached up a hand to Kai's cheek. The gentle guesture brought him out of his half-asleep state.
"What?" He grumbled. Rei grinned.
Kai looked sleepily down into those golden orbs. He moved his arms to Rei's neck.
Kai's gaze was…warm. Incredibly warm. The White Tiger felt his face burn.
"I was going to tell you last night, but you feel asleep half way through my sentence."
'I did? Heh... Oops.'
"… I love you."
Wait. 'I love you'? Those three words, right from *kai *? Rei's eyes widened. Very much In Like with Kai, yes, but love him…?
He shook his head. He thought Kai needed his mind to be fixed. Blame it on the fever. But – he shouldn't be complaining, right? Rei leant in and placed a small kiss on Kai's nose. He smiled in return.
*
'Come on!' Rei called, trying to drag Kai along behind him. He turned around to see Kai staring inside a Beyblade Parts shop. 'Argh.. Can't you just, for one minute, forget about beyblading? We need to get this plane!'
Kai blinked, as though he hadn't known Rei was there at all.
'Ugh. Why do I even bother-'
Kai kissed him firmly, with a gentle hand placed on Rei's cheek.
Rei blushed furiously, smiling all the same.
'That's why.' Kai took his hand and lead them both through to the other side of the airport to where they were meeting Max and Tyson.
'You know, you can't just be sweet sometimes and expect that everything's alright between us. I lost a lot of sleep because of you! If I collapse during the tournament, then it can only be your fault..'
Kai let him talk on, listing his several complaints. He knew everything was going to be ok.
There were the others, happy to see then. Rei grabbed Kai's hand and laughed. He had long since stopped listening to Rei's talk about Kai's faults. But he was glad Rei had stopped. And that warm smile on Rei's face? That was for Kai. He couldn't help the curving upwards of his own lips.
This was going to be… fun?
Fin.
A/N: Hi folks. Sorry this took so long. I apologise to all those people that were really wanting the next chapter fast. Originally this wasn't going to be posted as late, and originally this wasn't the last chapter. In fact, I don't really like the ending, but oh well. I hope somebody's happy with it. At least I can say I didn't leave all my projects unfinished ^_^ Well, you might see me around here again, so keep a looksee out. Thanks to all reviewers -
Ta ta.
Munku-JGSPTV ^_^