Disclaimer: I do not in any way own the series Beyblade or any of its characters featured in this fanfic.

This is a revised and edited version of this fic. Nothing really major has been changed, but everything has been tweaked and cleaned up a little.

WARNINGS: AU, yaoi: Tala/Kai, Rei/Tyson, dark themes and situations, swearing, possible blasphemy, sexual references and situations, violence, non-consensual sexual situations … I think that about coveres it.

Twilight

Light cloud cover settled in over the sprawling concrete and glass city. A light wind from the west brought a dry heat to the air. A young boy took little notice of the wind in his hair as panted heavily, fleeing through the dark streets. Tall, crumbling brick walls filled his vision and stale air was all he could taste in the maze of back streets and alleys. He ran for the light, at the end of an alley, knowing it would be pointless to call out for help from the residents nearby. Ignoring the pain in his side and the scrapes he'd accumulated falling over onto the hard broken paved alleyway streets, he raced on. The tears streaming down his face mingled with both dried and freshly running blood. He did not pause to wipe a grimy hand over his face, continuing towards his goal of the neon light he spotted at the end of the street before him; aiming for the main streets where he knew he'd be safe - in the crowds at least.

I knew I shouldn't have gone down there, he berated himself. It's never safe during the day and it's worse at night. I hate this! I just want to be safe, I just want things to end.

He sobbed again as he heard the sounds of the loud heavy footsteps catching up to him. He chanced a look over his shoulder at his pursuer and his eyes widened at the proximity of the man. Whimpering, he turned his head back, spotting - too late - a rather large crack in the paving. He tripped and scrambled to get up, his breath escaping in short gasps as he heard the echoing footsteps drawing closer. He started running before he was completely straight and fell over again. A rough hand grabbed at his long locks and he yelped in pain. Another hand clasped his mouth, cutting off the sound.

He heard a snicker and he could feel the older man's lust with every slight motion of his hand over his face. "You didn't think you could really get away did you, little one?" The man's voice was nasal and slimy. The young one pulled away in further disgust, but the man had him trapped so effectively that he could not make a move.

Picking him up, the man walked away from the main streets and into a rather large and shadowed crevice around the corner away from prying, or at least caring, eyes. He placed the boy down before him and smiled seeing the fear in his eyes.

"You'd best do as I tell you this time, boy, or I'll do worse to you than I said I would."

The boy whimpered and sniffed. His eyes darted around frantically, trying to find some way out of his situation, but finding nothing to aid him.

Death would be better than this!

With that morbid thought pushing him on, the child tried once again to escape, dashing under the man's outstretched arm. The man struck out with his knee, catching the boy in his stomach. He followed up with a punch to the face that sent the boy flying back into the wall, completely winded. He wiped away a minute trickle of blood from his lip with a trembling hand, gagging at the metallic taste filling his mouth.

"That wasn't very smart, boy," he growled.

The boy shrunk away from him, whimpering. The man grabbed him by the hair and he cried out. A smirk crossed his features at this; he was enjoying every minute of pain he could visit on the small figure. It was only when he began to fumble at his trousers that the boy once again struggled to pull away.

Stunned by a slap to the face, he stopped squirming. "It would be best if you didn't start that again, boy."

The child barely had time to think of a reply before the man was fumbling at his clothes and almost ripping them off in his haste and eagerness. A scatter of tears dripped onto the man's hand, going unnoticed as he pinned the young one against the wall. He turned away, closing his eyes and bracing himself, only crying out once, then biting his lip, the tears still flowing quite freely.

God help me, he prayed as the man continued with his pleasures and the boy's intense pain and humiliation. Please help me!

"What the fuck am I doing out this early in the day?" A red-haired young man yawned and glared at his companion, who ignored him. "Fine," he snorted crossing his pale arms, "but just remember you're the one who dragged me out of bed at noon, you have to deal with my moods later in the night."

"He called us to do something." The taller pale haired man next to him didn't turn around to explain this.

This had the redhead alert and staring at his companion in astonishment. "Are you serious? What for?"

"Another one." A quick lilac glance was all that was needed to convey the aditional information behind the cryptic statement.

The redhead closed his eyes. "Shit," he muttered. "Where?"

"Not far. That's why he called us rather than letting the others deal with it." The pale-haired man turned away, glancing up at the street signs. "Somewhere down these streets." Noticing something, he gestured and led the other man down a dark dirty alley.

Looking around, the shorter man shivered slightly. Places like this always brought out the worst memories for him. "Bryan, have you found him yet?" Icy blue eyes glanced nervously out to the bustle and light of the main streets of downtown.

"No … wait. He's over here Tala." The two of them walked a little further seeing the ripped clothing and the small body lying still on the grimy alley floor. Tala rushed over to him immediately, Bryan close behind, to see if the boy was all right … well, still alive at least and not in any danger of dying. He breathed a sigh of relief seeing the boy's chest moving.

"Let me see him," Bryan said and Tala let him look, considering Bryan had more experience dealing with this sort of thing. He carefully checked the boy over, gently touching parts of his body and gauging the boy's unconscious reactions.

"What's wrong, besides the obvious abuse?"

"Surprisingly little. He may have a headache when he awakes and his face and chest will be rather sore, but bruising and some small lacerations are the only injuries I see. It doesn't seem like his ribs are broken, or that any internal organs were damaged."

Tala sighed again. "Good. What were we supposed to do with him?"

"The usual."

Tala flinched. "Fuck."

"Yeah. At least we're no longer with the others. He'll be a bit safer with us than with them."

"True. Let's get him home then." Tala leaned in to lift the boy up when suddenly his eyes opened and he stared at them in confusion and fright. The boy pulled away from him, struggling and making frantic noises as he pressed against the wall, clawing at it, perhaps, in hopes that he could escape that way. Tala could see the tears brimming and he held up his hands.

"Hey, we're not going to hurt you little one," he said in a soothing voice, a soft smile gracing his lips. "You're hurt and we want to help you." The boy pulled away again, though he appeared hesitant this time. Tala continued smiling. "What's your name?"

The boy shook his head furiously, his dirty mane of dark hair flowing around him. Tala sighed and sat down on his haunches in front of the boy. "I'm Tala," he offered. He pointed to Bryan standing on lookout for anyone. "The stern looking guy there is Bryan. We're not going to hurt you, we just want to get you cleaned up and off to a safe place."

He hesitated again then nodded slowly, not quite moving toward the two young men eagerly. Tala smiled at him and reached out his hand for the boy to take. There was another hesitation, then the boy grabbed onto it with a tight grip and refused to let go. Tala smiled at him and ruffled his hair gently. Bryan walked over and took off his jacket, placing it around the boy's shoulders with a gentle touch. Tala smiled gratefully at him, having forgotten his own jacket for the half-naked and very bruised boy to take.

"If you get tired, just tell me," Tala whispered as they walked out onto the main streets. The boy nodded, managing a small smile for him and Tala grinned at the sight. Maybe things wouldn't turn out as bad as he was fearing.