Disclaimer: Beyblade and all its likeness does not belong to me. No profits are being made off this story.
story written by: Glay
LOSING KAI AGAIN
[Chapter 2: A Long Time ]
"See you in a few minutes, Tyson!" Max called as he ran down the hallway to his room energetically. Tyson waved at him, grinning.
The two troublemakers were going to meet in Tyson's room to go through all their stuff. They had packed pictures and other random things to show each other.
Currently, Tyson, Kenny, Ray and Kai were walking down the hallway at a more leisurely pace.
"He hasn't changed much, has he?" The World Champion commented with a smile.
"You're right, but I'm sure he's got a few surprises left." Ray said from his left.
"Who, Max? That guy is like a firecracker!! Explosive, but the fun kind of explosive." They both laughed but it was cut short when a shout came from Kenny.
"OH NO!"
Ray and Tyson turned around to see Kenny frantically searching in his backpack for something. "Don't tell me you forgot something, Chief!"
"Ahhhh!" The short boy fretted, "I think I have! I'll have to go back for it!"
"What is it?" The Chinese blader asked curiously.
"My printer!!!"
Kai, who had been walking in the back, sighed in annoyance. "If this hotel is so high-tech, why can't you use a printer here?"
Kenny shifted his glasses. "I could, but my printer is portable and I like to get your stats printed from time to time. You have to pay to use computer resources here. And if we're going to be here for two and a half weeks it will be more convenient to just go get it…"
"Relax Kenny!" Tyson said, slapping him on the back. "I have an idea. Just call up your mom to bring it over or something."
"What?! Are you out of your mind, Tyson?! My mom would be the last person on earth to entrust computer equipment with!!"
"Wha –" Tyson huffed. "Oh, fine then. Don't use my idea."
Ray poked Kenny in the arm teasingly. "Why don't you ask Hilary? You're always hanging around her."
The Chief blushed a bright red but got over it quickly. "Very funny Ray, but that's a good idea! I'll call her to come down right now. It'll take a while for her to get here…"
By now they had reached the corridor with their rooms. Max was supposedly in his right now, which was the first room on the right. Kenny took out his key card and opened the door on the left.
"Seeya!" He waved, and closed the door.
Tyson, Ray and Kai were left out in the hallway.
As his usual style, Kai leaned up against the wall while looking disinterested. However, he was feeling a little like a fifth wheel when Tyson and Ray smiled at each other.
"Hey Tyson, feel up to a little party tonight?"
The longhaired boy smiled. "You bet!"
Kai's eye twitched at this exchange. It almost sounded as if they were going to go on a… a date or something! Of course, the Team Captain didn't care about what his teammates did in their spare time – even if they were doing it on the first night back! – but…
Deep inside, Kai knew he thought of them as more than just team members. They were his friends. He felt slightly jealous that he just couldn't seem to stop his loner routine.
"Great. Then after you and Max finish whatever mischief you two have planned, swing by my room and get me." He pulled out his key card and inserted it in the door next to Kenny's.
"Wanna crash Kenny's room? Mine's gonna be a zoo after Max and I get through with it." Tyson laughed. Ray chuckled along with him.
"The Chief's not gonna like this!"
"Hey, I've been trying to get him in on our fun forever! It's like a tradition, dude!"
Ray nodded. "See you later tonight then."
"Yeah!" Tyson agreed, and Ray went into his room.
Tyson was left alone with Kai. He turned to face the taller teen. "Is there any chance that you want in, Kai? I know you probably just want to stay in your room all night." He teased.
For a panicked instant, Kai felt his heart saying 'Yes!' but thankfully he was able to repress it. Old feelings were starting to bubble up within him as he looked at Tyson. Ever since he had laid eyes on him at the BBA meeting he'd felt the urge to do something… He just had no idea what.
Why did the World Champion make him feel… good… inside? It was strange. They hadn't seen each other in so long, but there'd always been something that would remind Kai of the other boy.
They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder. The Team Captain supposed he just hadn't realised it.
"I have better things to do…" His response came out of his mouth before he could process it. For once, he hadn't meant to say something so unkind. It was supposed to be a privilege to be on this team again – to lead it – but he couldn't even curb his rough attitude. He'd have to try harder…
But Tyson's lips just turned into a soft smirk. "Same old Kai. Glad to have you back, man." He playfully punched Kai on the arm and chose the room next to Max's.
Kai stared bewildered for a moment, before opening the room next to Ray's and stepping in.
Only one question filled his mind. 'What's wrong with me?'
A piercing pain filled his right side, and he winced. It was going to be a long two and a half weeks.
~*~*~*~
"Hey guys!" A feminine voice called through a hotel room door. Kenny ran to open it.
"Hilary!"
The brunette winked. "I got what you needed Kenny. Your mom had it packed and ready to go." She handed him a bag.
"Thanks a lot, Hilary, you have no idea what a life saver you are." The short boy said with a slight blush.
"Hey, no problemo, even though it did take me a while to get into the city." The girl said before walking further into the hotel room. "Where's the rest of your team?"
"Oh," Kenny said taking out the printer from the bag. "We're not sharing rooms this time. We've all got singles along this hallway, though."
Hilary nodded as she flopped down on the bed. "It's kinda late and I haven't had dinner yet. Do you guys get room service?" She asked with a devious grin.
Kenny sweat dropped while blushing heavily. "Uuuuuhhhhh I don't really think that's a good idea. Tyson racks up enough of a bill with his room service as it is."
At the mention of Tyson's name the girl scowled. "Well, he would."
Suddenly the unlocked door to Kenny's hotel room was thrown open and three noisy boys rushed in laughing.
"Hey Chief!!" An obnoxiously loud voice called, "Anyone hoooooome?" Then the voice died abruptly when the owner saw the girl on the bed.
"You!"
"Yes, Tyson. Me." A vein on Hilary's head was pulsing evilly.
The short boy sighed. "She brought over my printer so I could print the stats, remember?!" Kenny replied testily.
"Hey, it's the cute girl again!" Max said in greeting to Hilary before he and Ray sat on the ground with wide grins on their faces. Tyson sat down with them grumbling "Her? Cute!?" The brunette girl was blushing slightly but looked aggravated at Tyson.
The blonde burst with snickers, "Hey Kenny, oh man, the reason we came in here was because you gotta play with us –"
Ray cut him off. "Yeah! Tyson here says he can do any bet we give him."
Tyson huffed and crossed his arms. "Of course I can."
"So you mean you're playing Truth or Dare?! Can I play too?" Hilary said excitedly.
"Yup." Max said nodding.
"Aren't we a little well… old, to be playing this game?" The boy holding the printer said a little agitatedly.
"Relax Kenny," Ray said, "we just want to see Tyson make a goof of himself like old times. Y'know, it's good to be back together again. Reminds me of when we all stayed up late that one time playing silly games because we'd drank seven bottles of soda!"
"Hey!" Tyson shouted, "Since when am I a goof?!"
"All the time." Everyone else answered without hesitation. Tyson fell over.
"Argh, well just because I'm in such a friendly mood I'll let that pass." He grinned, "But since this is also the first night we're all spending together in ages I say we invoke the Right of Bladebreakerage."
"Right of Bladebreaker-what?!" Hilary said confusedly. Kenny slapped his head in annoyingness.
Ray nodded solemnly and lifted a finger. "The Right of Bladebreakerage."
"The one initiation activity that all Bladebreakers must complete when a celebration ritual should occur." Tyson went on to explain, sounding like a wise old man.
Max began to jump on the bed. "NOW I, THE HEAD OF GAMES, MAX TATE, WILL ESTABLISH THE RULES OF THE RIGHT OF BLADEBREAKERAAAAGE!!!"
"GAH, indoor voices Max! Please!" Kenny pleaded. His attempt was unsuccessful as the blonde still pressed on in a thunderous voice.
"Rule One!! All Bladebreakers must be armed with EXCEPTIONALLY HOT BODIES AND LOOKS!"
Tyson, Ray and Max immediately started making silly poses and giving each other compliments such as, "Dead sexy!", "Oh, baby you make me so hot!", "Shake that thang! SHAKE IT!"
Hilary could only twitch with unleashed wrath. Kenny just looked upwards and mouthed, "Why me? Why?!"
"Man," The Chinese boy said smugly, "I don't think we need to bother with that rule anymore. It's obvious we're all following it!"
"You said it!" The boy with the cap on exclaimed.
Max started bouncing on the bed again.
"Rule Two!! All Bladebreakers must participate in the games chosen by the head of games, ME, or will be subjected to horrible punishment!!!"
"Oh Noooo!!!" Tyson yelled in horror. The only girl present looked at him in disbelief. He looked back and questioned, "What?"
She sighed.
"And finally, Rule three!!"
"Here it comes…" Kenny said quietly, gritting his teeth.
"All Bladebreakers must eat as MUCH junk food as humanly possible. That means… ROOM SERVICE!!!"
With that, Tyson dived for the phone on the small night table near the bed. Max jumped off the bed, which sent Hilary flying off it as well. Ray and the blonde then went ahead to rip the blanket off of Kenny's nicely made bed to make a tent-like contraption on the floor and desk. The girl grumbled, getting back up and hugged a pillow to her chest as she watched them all.
"Headquarters is now complete!" Max cheered.
The Chinese Bladebreaker was smiling, his eyes closed in mirth. "This is gonna rock!"
They had to choose his room to do this, didn't they? Kenny griped. Tyson invoked that stupid right almost every night – even when he was alone! Just for the excuse to eat junk food at night. Now he knew why Kai never bothered with the Right of Bladebreakerage. Then again, no one had ever tried to invoke it when he was around.
He sighed as Tyson got off the phone. "Let the ritual begin!!"
~*~*~*~
Kai looked blankly at the television as it played static.
'Figures.'
He snorted and clicked the off button on the remote. It was relatively calm for his first night back in Japan. Although, a few minutes before he could have sworn he had heard Max's hyper yells.
'Hn. Looks like the guys are having their all-night junkfest.'
The teen frowned a bit, knowing exactly what silliness went on at the parties. Kenny would refuse to participate before being dragged into some sort of scheme, Max would become uncontrollably hyper, Ray would become abnormally lecherous – he giggled a lot too – and Tyson would, inevitably, end up doing something completely and utterly stupid.
Kai's face creased in pain when a familiar stabbing ache washed over his side. Biting back a grunt he clenched his hand over the source of the pain, hoping it would pass soon. It had been happening for a while now. He didn't think it was serious though, probably just cramps from stress and training too hard. He let out a sigh when the throbbing pain slowly ebbed away.
In a way, he was jealous that he never got invited to participate in their immature games, but then again, they always thought he wouldn't want to. Plus, the duel-haired boy figured they thought he'd put a stop to their games by intensifying training.
And they were right!
However, no matter what farce he put on, he would never spoil their fun for them. It was something that they should all treasure.
Sighing, the leader of the reunited Bladebreakers team decided he might as well catch up on the Japanese news. He reached inside the night table's drawer and pulled out the newspaper.
The picture that adorned the front page made his eyes widen slightly before they narrowed in annoyance. The newsprint had a large photo of him, Max, Ray, Kenny, and Tyson all posed ready to do beybattle.
An unbidden smile rose to his face as his sight lingered on Tyson for a while longer. Perplexed at his action, Kai blinked.
He was doing it again.
It had happened many times before and had gotten to the point where he just couldn't repress it. There was just something about Tyson that made Kai feel good inside. That much had been made obvious when he saw the teen for the first time in a long while just earlier that day. When the quiet teen had realised that fact, he had noticed just how much seriously the other boy had begun to affect him.
Whenever he walked into a buffet restaurant with the Demolition Boys, he would prepare for a disgusting sight of gorging, only to be disappointed when everyone ate only one plate.
Whenever he saw a beybattle going on in the many parks of Russia, he'd remember a certain someone and how his voice had cheered so loudly.
Whenever he got depressed, there would be a smile in his memory reminding him of the good things he had and his lips would curl upwards.
Whenever he saw couples walking hand in hand, he'd think about how warm his hand had felt in Tyson's while being surrounded by ice and…
He – He honestly…
Kai hadn't been able to place it for some time. Didn't want to know the answer to why the mere thought of the World Champion would send something shooting through his spine. But it was obvious.
He had developed some feelings for Tyson…
May have even – possibly – fallen in…
No.
He couldn't say it. He couldn't even think it.
For some reason, Kai had grown to really appreciate Tyson. He actually wanted Tyson to run after him when he'd storm off in anger. He liked it when the other expressed worry about him. And… And, for every kind smile Tyson sent his way, he began to wish that something else would follow.
Unfortunately, Kai had been gone for so long that things must have changed. It would be surprising if the dark-haired boy still found it in his right to do the things he used to do with Kai. It was more likely that Tyson had grown out of his over-caring ways – instead of placing a warm hand on a shoulder, the odds were that a carefree punch would take its place.
Plus, the more he began to accept the fact that Tyson didn't care about him so strongly anymore, the more he started to realise that he missed the other boy. Badly.
It was then that everything became clear. Tyson had been the one person who had cared about him so strongly and now… Now, Kai was the one who cared deeply for Tyson, who almost certainly didn't share the same intensity.
And Kai didn't know what to do about it.
Defeated, Kai threw the paper back into the drawer and flopped back onto the soft pillows of his bed. He gazed into the silent night for a long time.
~*~*~*~
I continued it! Every chapter will have more and more Ty/Ka, sorry if the first chapter didn't have any. _ Will Tyson figure Kai's feelings out?