Chapter 10
Desi2: Kevin really is messed up, and I must say a mature Tyson freaked me out too. But they are growing up. As for Lee...
russle: Just watching Kevin in the series you can see he's a fighter. All the White Tigers are, even Gary. And yes, Ian is a ladies man. Nice little plot twist... ^_~
obsidian fate: So few fics update, that once you've read them all... well, what's to read? Sorry about the slow update by the way.
Castles in the Sky: Tyson still has his moments. After all, his clumsiness is one of the reasons I like the show. :p
LadyOrient: Without it going right over his head you mean. Heh heh. ^_^
Senko-sama: Or so we hope, anyway.
Saiyan-Chang: Mock Lee? You're not going to like some of my upcoming stories then. Lee gets his own back, but. He always does. ^_~
the tigris: The way you phrased your review I thought you didn't know. Sorry. But anyway, what it has to do with the story is this: Max and Tyson cannot go without each other for an hour, so being in different countries is driving them insane. The phone sex is how they're getting around it, as you'll see in a later chapter.
Kappy Locks: I'm lucky that I'm the oldest. And I hope you continue to enjoy this story.
Chibi Wingzero: Thanks for the new word for my vocab. I'll have to remember that one so Tyson can use it to drive Kevin up the wall. ^_^
Rayz Kitten: Everyone's letting things slide with me of late. How did I insult Ray? And truth is, I like both Kevin and Bryan equally. They're my two fave characters, with Kai, Tala, Ray and Lee right behind them. But don't think I don't like Ray. I adore him. And Bryan is scary. That's what's so appealing. #^_^#
Avril Fan: Vodka mixers? Geez, I can't even have a sip of a Vodka Cruizer without going funny. I admit it, I can't hold my liquor. No one in my family drinks, not even me.
Ashla: Always the way. I've got a mark I have to appeal at the moment. I questioned my teacher over a comment she made and she told me she didn't understand some of the terms so she had to guess. I'm going to take it to another teacher for a second opinion. You'd think they'd ask before they graded, wouldn't you. _
Here's a question for everyone: what makes a good Beyblade fan fic? You all seem to think mine a pretty good, and I'm curious as to why.
Well, Lee found Kevin, but will they get along?
Lee watched as Kevin and Tyson exchanged goodbyes, Kevin setting his rubbish on the tray before standing, Tyson saying one last thing and causing Kevin to laugh, saying something back that had Tyson beaming, giving him the peace symbol that Kevin returned, still chuckling as he moved to join Lee.
"So you found me then."
"You could have called."
Kevin shrugged, stepping past him and out the door, leaving Lee to follow him as they stepped into the street, sky already darkening.
Lee sighed. "Don't you even want to know how I found you?"
"Not really."
Lee's eyebrows rose at the bluntness. "How about I just skip to the chase and say that foresight works."
Kevin glanced at him out the corner of his eye. "Are you admitting that I was right?"
Lee frowned slightly. "Yeah."
"Heh." Kevin looked ahead again. "See, I'm not as stupid as you think I am."
Lee blinked. "I never called you stupid."
"You give the impression that you think I am." Kevin glared at him. "I'm younger, yes, but I was never 'dumb', alright? Stubborn, conceited, and eager to please maybe, but never 'dumb'."
"I never called you dumb."
"Oh really? I quote: 'I preferred it when you were a dumb, irritating imp', unquote."
"Okay, so maybe I did call you dumb. I was frustrated. I wasn't thinking."
"Well that's nothing new."
A spark ignited within him. "What!?"
"Since when have you ever thought anything through, Lee?" Kevin scowled. "Hey! Lets all go challenge the evil and possessed Kai despite the fact he defeated all of the All Starz at once and stole their bit beasts! There's no way we can lose. What can go wrong?"
Lee looked away, scowling. "There's nothing wrong with having a sense of honour."
"It is when it turns everything into a 'lets ignore Kevin' fest. You made me look like a fool, Lee. You always made me out to be the fool."
"That's all in the past. Things have changed since then."
"Yeah right." Kevin widened his step, causing Lee to quicken his own pace. "For a while there I thought maybe things had changed. Now I'm not so sure if they have."
Lee frowned, feeling his stomach twist, not liking where this was going. "Kev, come on…"
"When will you realise that I have grown up? When will you realise that I really do have feelings? That I am capable of looking after and thinking for myself." Kevin stepped into the hotel foyer, hitting the button on the elevator. He turned toward Lee. "I'm not a kid anymore, Lee. You don't need to look out for me."
"But I do have to look out for you." Lee followed him into the elevator, a sense of helplessness washing over him. "We look out for each other. It's all part of having a relationship."
"Well having a relationship don't mean you call all the shots. You're my boyfriend, not my father, but lately it's getting hard to tell the difference."
"Kev…"
"Look Lee, how bout you just leave me alone, okay?" Kevin stepped out of the elevator, moving to their door and opening it, admitting them both inside. "Oh yeah, and don't look for me tonight, cause I'm gonna sleep on the couch."
As Kevin headed for the bathroom, he left Lee standing in the middle of the apartment, dumbfounded.
~~~~*~~~~
The darkness surrounded him like a shroud. Sighing, he rolled over, hand reaching out to touch the space in the bed beside him, the coldness sending a shiver through him. It was borderlining on five months since he had last slept alone, and Lee had grown so accustomed to the smaller form curled against him it felt wrong for him to not be there.
Sighing, he rolled onto his back, staring up at the roof. Where had he gone wrong? He felt as if Kevin was pulling away from him, and the more Lee reached out to grab him the more the Monkey slipt further away.
Sure, Lee had said some things he shouldn't have. They both had. Maybe he should have taken more notice, taken more time to simply sit and talk. Kevin was so worked up over the whole Mariah thing that it was turning him away, making him close Lee out. Ray had once commented that Lee had never been a good listener… maybe Ray was right.
Lee remembered how, back when they had been staying with the Blade Breakers, his and Kevin's only dispute had been who would be able to make the other scream out in pleasure first. Lee had won, the memory of Kevin shouting Lee's name into the night as he arched against him should have made Lee smile, but it instead brought tears to his eyes.
Rolling over he slammed a fist into the pillows, hating how he felt helpless, hating how he felt as if someone was tearing him apart from the inside. His grandfather had once commented that Lee and Kevin were soulmates, so if that were the case, then why was Kevin slipping away?
He loved him. Wasn't that enough? He'd told Kevin that, many times. He'd taken him out to restaurants, they'd walked hand-in-hand through parks and along beaches, they'd simply sat and watched the sun rise, curled in each others arms.
They'd been through the greatest trial that could ever be placed upon a couple: the risk of losing their love as one was torn from the other, forced to marry another against their will. They should be happy now that threat was gone, but instead there were only harsh words and heartbreak.
There was a time Lee wouldn't have cared about fighting with Kevin, but that time was long gone. He didn't want to fight. It pained him to fight. And yet that's all they seemed to be doing of late.
Curling up into a ball, Lee hugged himself, shivering. What had gone wrong? Where had they gone wrong? Could they ever fix it? All he knew is that he wanted to try, but it seemed that Kevin didn't want to.
For the first time since his breakdown, Lee cried, only this time there was no one to comfort him.
Oh, poor, poor Lee. *Hugs him*
Lee: -_-;;