Wow, and the reviews keep coming in. Well, I guess it seems like so much more coming in after two weeks all at once, but thanks anyways!
In particular…
Kim: Ehey, we're getting to it. :P All in due time my dear!
SoulSister: glad you found them so amusing, I certainly did. ^__^
Phoenix147: Did you skip from 1-16 or something? Because there were chapters in between last time I checked…
Interlude: thanks for risking it just to read this. ^^; I wouldn't think I'm worth it, but whatever :P
Disclaimer: Red does not own the characters from Beyblade. She just writes painful things about them that they would probably kill her for if they ended up reading. Except they don't exist. -_-;
~~
Two weeks later, Kai was sitting at the kitchen table early in the morning, musing over Claire. She had been staying with them since her rescue, with Mariah's permission. After a few days of taking care of the girl under Mariah's watchful eyes Kai had filled out some forms to allow him temporary patronage of Claire. He and Rei hadn't talked about 'it' yet; in fact, as much as Kai hated to admit it, he was avoiding the subject. If it came down to it, he didn't know how he'd be able to choose between the two. That little girl had wormed her way into Kai's heart and parting with her would be as easy as leaving Rei.
He sighed heavily into his smoky coffee and tried to find something else to think about. Unsuccessful after trying a few subjects, he gave up and sat down in front of the television, picking up the remote control and flicking it on, remembering to keep the volume down.
~~
Kai closed his eyes as strong tanned arms, made gentle by weariness, wrapped around his waist as he stood in front of the picture window looking out over the sparkling night-time city. He felt the solemn weight of Rei's head on his shoulder and sighed.
"What's wrong?" the Asian murmured. He had just gotten home from work; Kai had stayed home with Claire. Mariah was spending time with the girl, usually minding her while the other couple worked, but she had been needed today at the orphanage.
Kai rested his hands on the arms encircling him and slid down their length, reassuring himself of their solidity. He unconscientiously took part of Rei's weight on himself, sensing the other's weariness.
"I think we need to talk about Claire," he murmured, looking towards the door behind which the aforementioned girl was sleeping, on a cot leant by the orphanage.
Rei released a great breath and leaned on his lover.
"Or, if you'd rather wait until some other time, when you're not so tired…"
"No," Rei interrupted, "We better do this now, or we never will. Come sit down."
The arms retreated and Kai regretted their loss. Almost instinctively he turned with them and followed Rei to the couch where they both sunk into the thick cushions thankfully. They were both silent.
"You want to keep her." Rei proved himself as the braver of the two. Chastising himself for not breaking the subject open himself, Kai said firmly: "Yes," and before Rei could say anything he quickly went into his reasons. He was flustered, something that didn't usually happen, even when heading important meetings for his corporation. "I know we'd have to use up more money, and that we'd have to find somewhere to keep her while we're working and clean up the study to make it a bedroom and it'd be a lot of work, but…"
"But you've gotten attached to her now, haven't you?" A small, tired smile curled the edges of Rei's perfect lips. Kai forced himself to nod decisively even though he knew it was hurting Rei inside. The Chinese man sighed and let his head fall back to lie on the back of the couch. Kai studied Rei's braided hair as it fell down the back of the couch, a mass of black on brown, waiting for an answer.
Rei took so long Kai almost wondered if the other man had fallen asleep despite the uncomfortable position, but just before Kai was resolved to leave it for the next day Rei stirred and sat forward.
"I can imagine that making you choose between us would be an evil thing. I love you and I have nothing against Claire. I have to say yes."
Kai sighed and reached out to pull Rei into a hug, which the other fell into gratefully.
"I'll make this work, I promise," he murmured, tucking Rei's head under his cheek, feeling the soft pressure of the raven locks against his skin. "I know you will." Rei's voice was muffled against Kai's chest as Kai gently led him to their bedroom and sleep.
As they both lay together in bed, after Kai had given Rei a gentle massage and made sure his love was known, they were watched by a silent figure in black who smiled softly over them as they slept.
~~
Kai managed to wind his arms around Rei's waist as they stood in the kitchen waiting for Mariah and Claire and asked, "Did you sleep well?"
"Of course," Rei chuckled and turned to face him, smiling. Most traces of the last night's exhaustion were worn away by a well-slept night and a restful day home alone. He had also made sure to point out that his views remained unchanged on the subject they had spoken of the night before when Kai returned home from work.
Now they were just waiting for Claire and Mariah to make it official.
~~
Mariah stepped into the door and called out. Rei stuck his head out of the kitchen and called out to the two.
"I made Chinese food for supper, would you like to stay, Mariah?"
"Oh, thanks, sure I would!"
Rei grinned as he ducked back into the kitchen. He had known his childhood friend wouldn't be able to resist his cooking. Claire flew in the room after him and latched onto Kai's legs, throwing him, and the plate of food he was holding, off balance.
"Whoa, watch it!"
Rei grabbed Kai's plate from him before it could fall to the ground and set it on the table as the blue-haired man leant over with a grunt to pick up his little girl.
"Come on, you little thug, we've got food on the table all ready for you."
As the little girl was placed in one of the wooden chairs around the table Mariah smiled as the small child cooed over the food ("Wow, did Rei-Rei make all this food? It smells so yummy!") and Kai and Rei held hands briefly under the table, sharing a secret look.
The women of the world certainly lost something when those two found each other.
~~
They were just finishing the meal when Kai cleared his throat and wiped his mouth with a paper napkin, glancing at Rei before speaking.
"Mariah, Claire; Rei and I have come to an important decision."
Everyone was looking at him intently as he sighed quietly, feeling the air bristle with that familiar feeling of tension before a point of especial significance in his life, a cornerstone of his fate.
"I, Rei and I, would like to adopt Claire as our own daughter."
Mariah blinked and the child in question just stared.
Finally, Mariah cleared her throat and said: "You two have talked this over? It's a very important decision and it's not like you can get out of it later if you don't like it."
"We've talked about it," Rei answered, standing up and taking his dishes to the sink and started the water. Kai's eyes were on Claire. "Do you understand what this means, Claireie?" he asked softly. "You could stay and live with us, until you're of age when you're 18. You'd be our daughter."
"I'd get to stay with you? Here with Rei-Rei?" she asked, bright blue eyes looking up innocently into Kai's crimson depths. "Yes," Kai smiled at her seriousness as she sat in a little blue frilly dress, her little feet not even touching the floor.
"Then I want to be adopted," she whispered.
Kai then looked to Mariah for official approval.
"Well, I don't think there'll be any problem with you two adopting Claire. If you come down to the office tomorrow then I'll let you in and we can do the paperwork then." She smiled briskly, feeling slightly like the intruder in this new happy family.
She quickly embraced Claire and walked over to the sink where Rei had gotten through most of the dishes and hugged him as well, working around the soapy hands. "Thanks for dinner, Rei; Good luck," she murmured in Chinese.
Kai escorted her to the door and watched as she collected her purse and coat before leaving. She was out in the hallway where Kai finally said, "Thank you Mariah. This means a lot to me."
The pink-haired caretaker turned and smiled at him happily. "I'm glad you and Rei worked out so well, and I think Claire will be much happier with you than she could be anywhere else. I should be thanking you."
Kai gave her a smile as she passed down the hallway and he shut the door behind her. When he walked back into the kitchen Rei and Claire were figuratively flicking soap bubbles at each other.
"So, who wants dissert?" he asked cheerfully, feeling much lighter than he had for a long time. Another chapter of his life was over, and another was just beginning.
~~
[1707 words, written to Apocolyptica and REM over about 2 hours one day and ½ hour now]
Nyah, that ending is a bit (XD a lot) clichéd, but what can ya do, ne? I was in a relatively good day today so I managed to get up the courage to get this finished. I like this chapter, it's pretty good by my standards of myself, if insanely clichéd, stupid and overdone, but whatever. If you people ever want updates on my working schedule, I'm posting notices on my profile thingie relatively regularly, so you can read there what I'm working on.
Review review review, dahlings, and I will love you forevah!