Thank you to everyone who reviewed, you guys are awesome and thanks for the info on Tala and Bryan, I'll be using Tala's Japanese version surname, Ivahnov, considering I've used the other Japanese surnames in this … it seems weird, I know, but I guess it really doesn't matter. Um, and to Randomness, I usually just update whenever, though I do try to make it regular (not that it always happens ^^;;)
Anyways, hope you guys enjoy this chapter and yes, you do find out a little bit about the situation Tala and Kai. Just read on, and you'll find out.
Tala panicked, he'd seen Kai and just couldn't face him again. He ran through the complex, hearing someone chasing after him. He knew exactly who it was, but hopefully he was still able to outrun him and lose him in this rabbit warren of a building.
But that didn't appear to be the case. He heard the footsteps getting closer.
"Shit," he muttered darkly and he quickly turned down a side corridor, only realising too late that he'd run down the wrong one. He quickly ran into one of the rooms which he remembered had a fire-escape, not locking the door behind him in his haste. He ran for the window, only to find it locked. He ran to another to find it the same. He turned around suddenly as he heard the door click shut, his eyes open wide.
Kai stood in front of the door, looking slightly breathless but still determined. He took a step forward and stopped when Tala moved back still, even as far away as he was.
"Tala Ivahnov," Kai whispered, still looking a bit stunned at the revelation.
"Kai Hiwatari," Tala countered dryly.
"What are you doing here?"
Tala laughed bitterly. "Didn't you hear? I'm the best whore in the business."
Kai frowned. "Tala," he took another step forward and glared when Tala took another back. "Would you stop doing that? I'm not going to do something to you!"
Tala glared but didn't move again when Kai moved forward to stand before him. "So you're going to be my boss when Voltaire kicks the bucket? Come to have a look at his toys, maybe try a few out?"
Kai glared, hiding his hurt at the sharp, bitter tone Tala had used. "I never wanted this, in fact I had hopes of putting this place out of business once I was in control."
"Well aren't you the noble one now?" Tala laughed bitterly. "Can't stand the fact that you're connected to such a place that you'd put a few hundred people back on the streets to assuage your sense of morality."
Kai's mouth tightened, but he ignored Tala's comment for now. "What are you doing here Tala?"
"I told you, I'm the best around. Want me to prove it to you?" Kai took a step back at Tala's look, at which the other boy smirked. "Oh, right, you're very moral now."
"Tala —"
"Fuck off Kai, can't you just leave me to lie in the hole I've dug myself? Tala glared, though his eyes were moist.
"No, I can't." Kai glared at him. "Fuck, Tala, I haven't seen you for almost ten years after thinking you were dead. I mourned you for God knows how long, and now I find you here, doing … I don't even want to think about it. Did you seriously think I would just leave you be after all that?"
"I was hoping," Tala said quietly. He refused to meet Kai's gaze. "I just wanted you all to forget me."
"Well you screwed that up, I never forgot you." Kai reached out to place a hand on Tala's shoulder, ignoring the redhead's flinch. "How could I?" he whispered. "You were pretty much all I had."
"Yeah, I guess." Tala smirked. "You really needed a life."
"Hey." Kai sounded indignant, but he smiled at the quip. "If I recall you were in the same sort of boat."
Tala shrugged. "Maybe, but then I was happy with it."
"So then why did you leave me?" Kai stared at him intently and Tala turned away again. "If you were happy, why did you leave?" Tala just shook his head and Kai sighed, drawing him into a hug. Tala stiffened at first, then he hesitantly wrapped his arms around Kai's waist and leaned his head on Kai's shoulder.
"You still smell the same," Tala mused quietly. "Just how I remember." Kai smiled faintly then he held on tighter as he felt Tala shaking softly. "Oh, I missed you so much Kai," he breathed, his voice choked with sobs.
Kai ran his fingers through Tala's soft hair. "And I you Tala." He looked down him and smiled gently. "You have no idea how much."
*~*
Bryan was pacing nervously, much like he had before, and, like before, he was growing more agitated with every passing minute.
"Bryan? Won't you sit down?" Rei pleaded from the couch. "You're making me dizzy the way you keep pacing all the time."
Bryan glanced over at the intrusion to his thoughts and frowned. "Sorry Rei, I forgot I do this when I'm thinking about something." He moved over with a sigh and sat down beside the boy and placed his arm around his shoulder. Rei snuggled into the comforting embrace.
"What do you think is up with Tala?" Rei asked quietly.
Bryan shook his head. "I don't know, I haven't seen him act like that ... well ever really. He was always skittish when he was younger and terrified of Boris, but this was something completely different." Bryan's eyes glazed a bit as he thought. "He looked like he was running away from something he never wanted to see again. And Kai ..." Bryan's eyes narrowed. "He looked like he knew."
"He did recognise Tala, even though he's never seen him before," Rei commented.
"Unless they have met before. That might have been what Tala was running from."
"An old customer?" Rei asked, not really thinking that was right.
Bryan shook his head, the same dubious thoughts running through his head. "I don't think so. Someone he knew before I met him maybe, but surely he would have mentioned something."
"Unless he was trying to forget," Rei whispered.
Bryan pulled the boy even closer and Rei accepted the comfort quite willingly. All their pasts were painful, but Rei still hadn't pushed everything from his memories.
Neither has Tala, Bryan reminded himself, knowing that sometimes Tala still cried himself to sleep. He knew nothing of Tala before he met him, only the vaguest hints, but he knew the other's past often haunted him and held some very dark memories for him. Sometimes his eyes were so haunted by something Bryan had to look away. His own life wasn't peachy, but he knew it couldn't have held a candle to what Tala must have gone through.
If Kai is a part of his past, I wonder if seeing him again will bring everything up again for him. Bryan wasn't sure whether this was a good thing or not. He knew Tala still had to deal with many issues concerning himself, but stirring them up so forcibly might well have a very negative effect on him. Above all else Bryan wanted what was best for Tala and he would do whatever it took to make sure that Tala was unharmed.
He looked away, laughing bitterly at himself in the silence of his mind. And I've done such a fantastic job of taking care of him in the past. He could still recall the state that Tala came home in after defying Boris again and again. Nothing he ever did could quell the redhead's fiery determination, so he had to watch again and again as Tala was continually beaten into submission. He tried so hard to talk to him, convince him to let things slide, but it never worked.
But now that he thought of it, if he had curbed Tala's actions before, would he have been the same person he was? Bryan sighed. Maybe not, but it still tore his heart apart every time he saw Tala in pain, no matter what the reason.
The door opened then, distracting Bryan from his dark thoughts. Rei sat up immediately, jumping out of Bryan's embrace quickly in case it was Boris. Displays of affection like that were not looked favourably upon by the director of the company.
Bryan was on his feet immediately after he saw who it was that entered the room.
"Tala," Rei sighed and ran to him, not seeing at first the other person who entered the room. But the moment he spotted Kai he stopped, gulping slightly.
Tala didn't seem to notice, or rather, he ignored the look on Rei's face and moved over to the boy, hugging him briefly and flashing him a reassuring smile. "Sorry about before kitten." He kissed the top of Rei's head gently, which was becoming harder considering Rei was almost as tall as Tala now.
Rei smiled at him and relaxed slightly, hugging Tala back. "No problem, don't do it again, we were fairly freaked."
Tala laughed and nodded. "Sure thing kitten, but how about we head home now? I think we're done here."
Rei glanced once at Kai curiously before lowering his eyes, unable to look at him for any longer. He nodded at Tala's suggestion. Bryan was less afraid of the other man, staring at him and glaring at him slightly, unsure how to take everything that was happening right now.
"Bryan," Tala pleaded.
Bryan glanced at him and nodded. "Sure," he said quietly.
"You take Rei down and head home now."
Rei looked confused then grimaced slightly. Bryan nodded, understanding the subterfuge. "I'll see you at home later." He walked outside, Rei close by.
Tala watched them leave before sighing and meeting Kai's curious gaze. "It would be less suspicious for all of us if you 'took one of us home'. Everyone usually chooses me."
Kai's cheeks held the faint signs of a blush but he nodded. "Right. Shall we then?" he gestured to the door flamboyantly and Tala smiled slightly.
"You never change do you?" he murmured as he passed.
"You'd be surprised," Kai replied. Tala studied him closely as they walked, not saying another word. Maybe Kai had changed from the bubbly thirteen year old he once knew, but Tala wouldn't be able to find out much until they got back to his place.
Tala chuckled once they got outside and walked to Kai's car. "I wondered why Rei was staring so strangely at this car, he must have recognised it."
Kai smiled. "Maybe he thought it was nice," Kai commented.
"If he had thought that, he'd still be here ogling the car. Rei's been bugging us about getting his license for a while now, he wants a car for his sixteenth and his learners permit." Tala rolled his eyes as he got in. "And I'll probably have to take him driving when he does get it. Bryan hardly ever drives our car, he loves that bike."
Kai chuckled as he turned the ignition. They made their way away from the oppressive building and over towards Tala's. Tala chatted lightly the whole way, smiling and laughing about anything that popped into his head. Kai wondered about this briefly before he remembered that this was Tala's way of dealing with situations that he wasn't sure he could handle. He'd just cover up his feelings and distract himself and everyone around him until he was ready to deal with everything.
So Kai played along, smiling when he saw the grateful look in Tala's eyes when he did so. They continued like this until they reached the apartment building.
Tala kept glancing nervously at Kai the whole way up and Kai pretended not to notice anything amiss.
Bryan was cooking when they walked in and Rei was helping him. It was just something simple and rather quick — for one of Bryan's meals at least — spaghetti and meatballs covered in Bryan's own special tomato based sauce. The smells were making Kai's mouth water. Bryan looked out from the kitchen as they walked in and smiled at their expressions.
"Dinner should be ready in a few," he said before going back in and sending Rei out to set the table. Rei grumbled at this but did it, only glancing up once to smile in greeting at them both. He was still rather confused about everything that was happening.
Dinner was a bit strained. Tala was still being overly cheerful, Rei was so quiet it was obvious he wanted to just leave without anyone noticing, Bryan was trying to converse normally, but his eyes would stray to Kai apprehensively and a bit possessively at times, while Kai was trying to ignore that fact that the uncomfortable feelings around the table were due to his presence.
Finally, Rei finished and excused himself, saying something about homework and cleaning his room. Bryan waved him away saying he would do the dishes. Rei dashed off as quickly as he could without actually running and almost slammed the door to his small sanctuary.
Kai's eyes followed him until he went inside the room then he looked back over at the two still sitting at the table. They were looking back at him.
"Time for explanations don't you think?" Kai said quietly.
Tala hesitated, but Bryan looked at him closely. "What do you want to know?"
"Let's start with everything and go from there. No, wait," Kai glanced around once more, his eyes hardening. "Let's start with Rei and you two had better have a very fucking good explanation for that."
AN: Yet another cliffie-type ending, but a necessary one for what I have planned for the next chapter. Still, I hope you guys liked that rather dramatic chapter, cause this is the part of the story that I love.
Well, until next time
Laters.