A Beyblade Fic
By Sakin-chan
A/N: Thanks to my few reviewers, especially Sora Himura for reviewing every chapter for me. Don't worry, I'll keep writing this till the end. In the previous chapters, I have tried to put in Chinese names, and I'm not really good with those, so sorry if some of the names for the people of Ray's village, and Riku's boyfriend, Xiaou Ming, are inappropriate.
Disclaimer: No, already. I DO NOT OWN BEYBLADE.
Chapter 4: 'The Truth Will Set You Free…'
(A week after old Mori's death…)
[Knock, knock!]
Who could be bothering her this early in the morning? She dragged herself out of bed, and went downstairs.
"Can I help you? YAWN!"
Gaia opened the door to a man who looked like he was from out of town. She noticed his suit, and shrugged. She was curious, but not really afraid. This was a safe town to live in, and if she needed any help, HE would be there in a second. She allowed herself a little smile.
(She could depend on him, but she should also learn to fend for herself,) she thought, attempting to be realistic and not such a damsel in distress. (Rei wouldn't be around forever).
Oh well, at least she could dream.
(Ray…) she thought and sighed, beginning to drift off.
The man brought her painfully back down to earth.
"It's about your grandfather, miss."
Gaia felt a sharp stab in her guts. She tried not to think about what had happened with her grandpa. And trying NOT to think about him, made her think about him, obviously. She remembered the funeral that had happened a week ago, how Rei's parents had actually paid for the whole thing. That had been especially embarrassing, as it showed how weak and small they thought she was. It also made her temper boil, and she hung her head with shame, and meekly accepted their charity. Charity. Just the thought made her mouth taste sour. But then, she didn't have any money at all, so she had no right to complain. The funeral had taken place in the village, and quite a few people had attended. It hadn't been a fancy affair, and people had simply arrived and watched the coffin being lowered into the ground, and Mr. Yung had said a few words, and then they had all gone quickly back to her house for the food. Her grandpa now lay in the small cemetery behind the temple in the farthest part of the village. Gaia had been busy making food and preparing the house all morning for the guests attending the wake, and Riku had been helping her, as well as Mrs Kon. At the ceremony, she had remained stony and dry-eyed, much to everyone's surprise, including her own. Rei had even given her a few worried glances.
When she had gone to the temple to light a candle for her grandpa, however, she had cried. When she made sure she was all alone. Gaia wanted no one to see her tears. No one.
She had cried hard as she had lit the candle, and murmured a prayer. She had cried for her grandpa whom she was yelling at just a few days before, as she placed the little paper boat containing the candle and his favorite pipe in the stream, and let it go. She watched at it floated and bobbed calmly on the stream, the water a fiery orange from the sundown, and floated under the bridge and away from sight.
"Go in peace, Grandfather," she had whispered, tears running down her face. Afterwards, she had put on a brave face, and headed back to her empty house. She had found Rei sitting at her doorstep, much to her surprise, and waiting for her, and she'd taken a seat, trying to understand what had happened to her, to take in her grandpa's death. Ray sat still, saying nothing.
She was truly an orphan now. She had lost her grandpa, whom she had thought would stay with her forever. Gaia laughed at her own, ridiculous naïve view of the world, as she sat in that cold, cold yard. She had thought she was invulnerable, immortal. Now the thought of her own death constantly hovered in her mind.
"Ahem."
Gaia heard the man's voice, and crashed back into the present.
"About your grandfather, miss. I am from Ma Jin Loans, and I am here to tell you that, as you are the sole remaining Mori, this means that your grandfather's debt will fall to you when you are 18; when you are an adult." The man looked down at her smugly, and Gaia felt more than suspicious of him.
"What debt? What are you talking about? My grandpa never borrowed any money from anybody," she said, and frowned at the official.
"This paper signed here by the President Executive Accountant Officer says he did." And with a flourish he handed her a paper with a seal on it and two signatures at the bottom. This is what the paper said:
"I, President Executive Accountant Officer Ma Jin Shao, hereby declare that this Loan Company will loan ¥30,000 to Mr. Sen Mori, plus 5% interest. Mr. Mori agrees to pay back the full amount of 30,000 Yuan to Ma Jin Loans unless an act of God prevents it (e.g. Death), in which case it will fall to the relatives of Mr. Mori."
Gaia gasped. 30,000¥! Where could SHE get that kind of money? Because it was clearly up to her to pay it off.
"I'm sorry this came at such an inconvenient time, miss. Here's my card, and we can discuss this any time you want," he simpered at her, and she snatched his card from his hand, and, muttering under her breath, slammed the door shut.
That day, several others came flocking, like vultures after weak prey, to claim her grandpa owed them some money, but she had had to shoo them away with an apology. She had absolutely NO money, except for some change for bread and milk. Gaia was beginning to wonder whether her grandpa really HAD borrowed it. They had never gone without money before, so she had never asked him where he got it from. Gaia grimaced. As much as she hated to, she had to look through his belongings for… she swallowed a lump in her throat, disgusted with herself… for money.
Rei sat in his bedroom, thinking about the funeral. He sighed, and wondered how she had felt when she watched her grandpa being lowered into the ground. The day had been bad enough, in his opinion, without Lee having to show up.
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(Saturday afternoon, day after Mori's death. The funeral…)
It was after the burial, during the wake. Rei had been ambling around, wearing a traditional black Chinese suit, and looking for Gaia. He saw Kai standing over in a corner by himself, also wearing black, and felt honored. He went over to his friend, and smiled at him.
"What're you so happy about?" Kai growled at his friend, by way of a greeting, and took a big bite out of a cake he had. Rei shook his head.
"Nothing. I'm… thanks, Kai."
The other boy looked surprised. Rei nodded at his clothes, and said:
"Thanks for being so nice to Gaia. And for honoring her grandpa. I really appreciate it."
He glanced at Tyson and Max, who weren't eating at all today, and saw how awkward they looked. He decided to go to their rescue. He gave Kai one last grin, and went off to his other friends. Kenny came up to Kai a little later on, and stared at him. He had a strange look on his face.
"Have you seen Mai Li?" he blurted, and Kai's eyes widened in surprise, and his face went a little red, before he could stop himself.
"Why should I care?" Kai spat, his icy self-control regained.
"Relax. I just wondered. I met her yesterday, you see, after Gaia's grandpa… passed away. When did you meet her, Kai?"
"Same time you did."
Kenny barely suppressed a smirk. Why was Kai lying? Kenny thought he had an idea. He couldn't stop himself.
"But you weren't there. I would've seen you. It was just Rei, Max, Tyson and me. You weren't there, Kai."
In a flash, Kai dragged him out of the room and into the hall.
"Listen, twerp," he said menacingly, letting go of Kenny when some people went past in the hall; "What I do, and where I go, and who I meet is NONE of your business. Don't piss me off. This funeral means a lot to Ray, and I don't wanna mess it up for him just 'cause some little bug wouldn't shut his trap. I mean it, Kenny."
Kai suddenly blinked, realizing he had said more than he should have said already, and stalked off to another room.
The younger boy shook his head and sighed.
(Kenny, you fool. You should have kept your mouth shut.)
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Rei, Tyson and Max were observing the people who came and went inside the living room.
"Hey, Rei." Tyson said suddenly. Both the boys looked at him, wondering what Tyson would say.
"I'm sorry. About that whole donkey-cart thing. And about the old man, too, I guess." Tyson hung his head, blushing furiously.
"Hey, no sweat, I'm alright with it. We all make mistakes. And I think you should tell Gaia that, not me."
Rei looked at his friend, a smile playing in the corners of his lips.
"Why don't you get something to eat? The girls would get very angry if all this food went to waste."
As he watched Tyson and Max's faces brighten up at the mention of food, he felt a little sad about the fact that there would come a day when food would no longer matter to Tyson, or girls to Max.
(Ugh. Best not to get all morbid, now,) he thought, and ambled away.
Max poked Tyson. "I told you it would be fine. See?" he gloated at Tyson. Tyson grimaced. "Yeah. Phew!"
"Rei's a good guy."
"He sure is, Max."
"And his sister's HOT!"
"Nnghf mngh nrghmff!" Max turned and saw that his friend was digging into a droolworthy roasted lamb. He shook his head, and grinned.
(Tyson will always be Tyson,) he thought. What he said, was:
"Leave me some!"
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Kai was walking outside the house, away from the stifling crowds of hungry, insensitive people who came here only for food. It disgusted him how shallow and cold people could be to each other, and then he suddenly smirked at his own irony. He was cold to people himself half the time.
Kai had the sudden feeling that someone was following him, and quickly turned around. His heart leaped into his mouth when he saw who it was.
"Mai?" he almost gasped. Almost. She looked fantastic in a black dress, and with her long hair tied up in a bun, though a few strands had escaped. It brought out her eyes, he noticed.
"You look like you've seen a ghost. Chill out, it's just me."
Kai felt anger surging up inside him. "I'm fine."
She put up her hands like he was holding a gun on her, and grinned. "Don't bite me," she said dryly, which annoyed him even more.
"Where'd you fall out of, anyway? You're always sneaking up on… people." Kai said in the nastiest voice he had.
"Ah, ah, ah!" she shook her hand, and mock-frowned at him; "You are the one who snuck up on ME last time, remember? The score's even now."
"Whatever," he yawned, and walked off. He heard her huffing behind him, and smiled. At last she was going where HE wanted her to go. He stopped when he felt her hand grabbing his shoulder, and slowly turned around.
"What?" he barked. She looked at him, frowning.
"You are SO rude," she stated. Kai fought hard to suppress a grin.
"So what's new?" he said gruffly.
Her face brightened suddenly, and she smiled; and Kai's stomach flipped, his expression softening without him even realizing it. Mai felt a sense of triumph, though WHY she felt like this, she did not know. She only knew she wanted to be with this interesting kid (alright, GUY), and figure him out.
"So…" she glanced at her feet, and then looked up at him;
"Wanna hang out with me?"
Kai simply stared at her.
Then, with a shrug and a shy smile, he agreed.
"Okay."
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"Rei! Haven't seen you in a while!" Rei heard a voice cry, and cringed, hoping it wasn't Clarise. Luckily for him, it wasn't.
It was only Lee Hitoru [A/N: I have not got the slightest clue what Lee's last name is, so I made up one that sounds remotely Chinese], his old buddy and team-mate back when he was in the White Tigers. Except Rei wasn't very happy to see him at that precise moment.
Lee came and slapped his back, and grabbed his arm, shaking it heartily.
"It's good to see you, pal!" he said so earnestly, that Rei even felt guilty for hating him, and swallowed his jealousy.
"It's… good to see you too, Lee. Where has everyone in the White Tigers gone? Are Mariah and them alright?" he asked. Lee nodded, and said they were travelling abroad to see the world, and stuff. His face clouded slightly when Rei mentioned Mariah, and then it was gone. But Ray had noticed the disturbing dark that had moved over his old friend's face, and made a mental note to stay off the topic of Mariah with Lee.
"So… I heard you're getting married, Lee."
Rei regretted his words as soon as they left his tongue. He couldn't stop himself; he felt like strangling Hitoru where he stood. Lee gave him a puzzled look.
"Who told you that?"
"I overheard some old ladies sniggering about it in the market." Ray laughed uneasily. "You know, since you've become rich you're the talk of the town!"
He hoped that sounded believable. It did. Lee gave him another suspicious look, then his face became smooth, and he even smiled. It was all Rei could do not to sigh in relief.
"Yes, as a matter of fact." Lee glanced at his heavy, expensive Swatch, and sighed. "I am getting married. I was reluctant at first, but my father, you see, is getting old, so I thought I might as well obey the old coot."
Rei felt his stomach tightening into a knot of despair.
"Are you sure you're ready for this?" he blurted, perhaps a little too fast. "I-I mean, do you even know her?"
"I've seen her, if that's what you mean. Oh, yeah. That girl is one hottie. Mm-hmm! Have you seen the legs on her? Like black gold, she is," Lee said, and laughed, apparently unaware of the agony he was causing his old friend.
Rei's guts felt like ICE, as he listened to Lee's thorough description of Gaia; it was definitely her, as Rei realized that the things that Lee was saying about her had gone through his own mind before. He felt his face burning in shame of the things he had been thinking, which sounded a lot worse when they were said out loud.
He hurriedly poured himself a cup of cold orange juice, and swallowed before he got a headache.
"And she's like-" Lee made a coke-bottle shape with his hands, and leered at the thought of her body, and Rei began to feel a slow rage boiling in his stomach. This… this FOOL was going to MARRY her?!
(There is no justice in this world,) Rei thought, and crushed the empty plastic cup in his hand.
"I think I'm gonna be the luckiest guy in the world on my wedding-night. I'll have her all by myself, and-"
"ENOUGH!" The room became suddenly silent, and Lee looked at him, shocked. Rei couldn't handle it any longer. His fingers were itching for something to destroy, and he was sure all the visitors could see his green face. He stalked off upstairs, leaving a stunned audience behind, who quickly went back to consuming the little remaining food.
Safely upstairs, he took a detour to the toilet, and climbed out of the window, and down the pipe, and landed on the ground on all four, catlike. He stood up, then went to find the little garden shed in Gaia's yard, and to go and destroy some pieces of old furniture, instead of killing Lee.
He took a chair, and smashed it to pieces, furious, shouting wordlessly. It made a satisfying crash, and Rei felt his rage abating, but not completely. He was so angry. How could this be happening?! He didn't have a chance, but Lee, Lee got him without even trying! He took another piece, and smashed it down on the remnants of the chair.
This was unfair! UNFAIR!
Rei had thrown it too hard, and felt sudden sharp pains in his fingertips. He gasped, and quickly let the piece of wood drop. His fingers were all bleeding because he had splinters gouged into them. Big, big splinters. The pain and the anger were both too overwhelming to bear, and he felt tears prickling the back of his eyes, as well as shame at himself. He had acted childishly, and now he was going to cry.
Did he WANT to ruin the wake, or what?
Lee was marrying Gaia. Rei let a small whimper escape his lips, and felt his pride cringing. There was nothing he could do about it. Love wasn't the only thing he needed. He also needed hands that were working, not hands that had holes in them, or inch-deep splinters.
He slowly got up, and, biting his lip, walked home.
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Riku opened the door to a bleeding, miserable Rei. She gasped. What kind of trouble was he in now?
"Riku-chan." Her brother was practically in tears. Riku felt something in her stomach twist itself into a knot, and she took his arm, and pulled him inside.
(In her room…)
"What have you been up to this time?"
"Ow!"
"Has this got anything to do with Gaia?" Riku asked, and he looked at her with surprise. "Well, I mean come on, she's always part of the reason!"
Rei was giving her The Stare. She began to feel awkward, but Riku wasn't gonna let up.
"Remember, that time when you lost your bike? That was because you were so eager to show it to her you got nearly run over by Ayu's donkey."
"It was an accident." Rei growled, gritting his teeth because she was squeezing his fingers and it hurt like hell.
"Oh really?" she said, brutally squashing his fingers with her tweezers.
"OW!"
"What about the time when you went to town and came back with a broken leg? And Gary had to carry you back? And when her grandpa took you both fishing, and you got a cold because you had tried to catch catfish with your hands, and instead fell in the river?"
"An accident."
"The hell it was! I could name fifty other accidents you've been in because of her. I've been there to patch you up so you could have another accident time after time," Riku gasped for breath; she was getting worked up, "and you still haven't worked up the nerve to tell her!"
Rei looked down, and admitted that Riku-chan was right as usual. There was no point in asking how she knew; she had eyes as sharp as Kai's.
"I'm so stupid, Riku," he said, and sighed. "It's just…"
Riku tried to concentrate on pulling out the last splinter, feeling a lump in her throat. In fact, she concentrated so hard, that when she found it, she pulled it out too quickly.
"OWWW!" he screamed, and Riku quickly gave him a tight hug, and Ray put his head on her shoulder, trying desperately not to cry. It was terribly tempting.
"I'm so helpless." Rei said bitterly, "Anyone else would have either told her, or given up. But… I'm afraid of what she'll say. I don't want to tell her, only to find out that she doesn't care about me. I'm too scared to take that risk, Riku."
"It's okay. At least you'll know, Rei. After all this time, at least you'll know."
She suddenly began to cry, to his amazement; Riku nearly never cried! "Riku?" he asked, worried.
"What's wrong?" Riku shook her head, sat back and wiped her face.
"It's nothing. Nothing."
Rei looked at his little sister, and it hit him again how grown-up she was becoming. She smiled at him, and shrugged.
"I guess I was just feeling a little emotional."
Riku looked away, plainly hiding something from him. The real reason she was crying was that Tomonari, her boyfriend at the grocers', had tried to rape her last night. She had fought back, and broken up with him. She knew that if she told Rei or her Pa, they would both rip Tomonari to pieces; they would kill him where he stood. That was totally out of the question. She was a woman now, and she must not depend so much on her family to rescue her.
Besides, she had really taught him a lesson he wouldn't soon forget.
"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked one more time. Riku smiled at the worry in his tone. "I'm fine, brother. Really."
"You know you can tell me everything, Riku. I'm here for you."
"I know that, Rei."
(What was wrong with Gaia?) she silently wondered; (Rei was a great guy, and the best brother one could have!)
"I know you're a… big girl, and that you don't need your brother cramping your style," he said, and Riku giggled at his embarrassment; "But I hope you're not too grown up to need your family from time to time."
"Yeah, yeah!"
"I'm serious!"
"Hey, so am I!"
"Coulda fooled me."
"REI!"
Rei got up off her dresser where he had been sitting, and realized he had a lovely neon-blue stain on his butt. Nail-polish! Riku saw the stain, and fell about, laughing. He smiled, embarrassed.
"You know, that stain will never come off!"
Rei's eyes widened. "WHAT?! Ma's gonna kill me!"
"I'm just kidding!"
"RIKU!" he chased after his sister, waving the bottle at her, through the house.
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"Honey, are you sure we did the right thing?" Ma said, leaning on the sink, hands soapy. She vaguely heard Rei and Riku screaming and crashing around the upstairs, and hoped they wouldn't hurt themselves.
"What other way was there?" her husband grunted, and went on reading the paper, or more precisely, the article about old Mori's death.
"Yes, but wouldn't it have been better if we told the child where we got the money?"
"Why bother the poor kid? Her gramps just died."
"I don't think she wanted anybody to pay for her, anyway, but accepting money from Hitoru was shameful. Couldn't you see the poor girl's face?" Ma was angry. "You know Mori-san HATED Hitoru, and especially when he asked for Gaia's hand for his son."
Pa glared up at her from his seat on the floor. "Yes, well, we should never have got involved. If you hadn't been so determined to go and clean up for them, then you would never have overheard-" he paused as his two children chased through the kitchen and out to the backyard. He sighed as they went out of earshot, and lowered his voice.
"Anyway, it's too late now."
"I suppose so. What's done is done." Ma sighed, and went back to cleaning the dishes in her black mourning dress.
(Back to the present, i.e. 1 week later, in Ray's house…)
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"Hey, Rei!"
"Morning, sunshine."
"Look what the cat dragged in!"
"Ha-ha, very funny." Rei came out and sat on a stone in his vast yard, looking blearily at the other Bladebreakers training in a makeshift stone stadium. It was 10 in the morning, and he suspected they had let him oversleep because they were being nice. Kenny came over, and sat down next to him.
Kai stood between Max and Tyson, hand outstretched. "Three…" he said.
Max got ready and smirked at Tyson. "Get ready to eat dirt."
"Two…"
Tyson fixed his cap, and readied Dragoon. "We'll see about that, pal."
"ONE!"
"LET IT RIIIP!" they both cried simultaneously, and unleashed their blades. At once, earth began flying in all directions, and clashing sounds filled the air. They were really going at it!
"Go, boys!" Dizzy piped up. "WHOOO-HOOO!"
"Rei, you're up next with Kai." Kenny announced. Ray yawned widely, and sniffed, blinking. "Okay."
"Actually, I'm busy today." Kai said suddenly.
"WHAT?!?!"
Kenny and Rei nearly fell over. Kai not here for practice because he was BUSY?! The world was about to end. Rei was grinning, but Kenny was mortified.
"My, my. Now I've seen everything." Dizzy said dryly.
"Kai! It's not fair if you get to flake off!" Kenny protested. Rei looked at the pair, and chuckled. What could it be that made Kai NOT want to practice? It must be something VERY important. Max and Tyson came over to see what all the commotion was about.
"I think you're forgetting one important fact – I'm the team captain, so authority rests with me. I am going someplace important, so back off." Kai glared at Kenny, wondering just what his problem was lately. But the short one backed off, and Kai stalked off without a word.
"What happened there?" Max asked Rei, who shrugged. Kenny began typing furiously on his laptop, and Tyson looked confused. What was up with Kai? What could possibly be more important than PRACTICE?!
Kai walked down the street, buried deep in his thoughts. Or, more precisely, in his feelings for a certain healer. He knew that she made him feel… unusual. Different. Mai made him feel happy, and at the same time she made him mad. She was annoying, but fun to hang around with. He smiled. If he wasn't mistaken, then… he actually CARED about her. The exact thing he had promised himself he would never do. He had broken Kai's Golden Rule Number 1: Never Care About Anybody Else.
"Kai?" somebody said behind him, and he quickly turned around.
Speak of the devil. "Mai!"
She had several heavy carrierbags of food, and he quickly took them from her. "Whoa! Thanks. My back was killing me!" she said, and sat in the middle of the road, panting. Kai had to admit they were pretty heavy.
"What's in these? How come nobody was helping you?" he asked, and instantly regretted it when she said quietly: "I live… alone. I have no family. Must seem weird to a fella like you."
Kai thought about his grandpa, and sighed.
"Believe me. It doesn't seem weird to me at all."
He didn't meet her eyes when she gave him a sharp look. Mai stood up, and brushed the dust off herself, then gave him another warm smile. "Come on. Let's get going."
Finally they reached her home, a humble wooden affair next to an old, dry well, and the farthest from the village Kai had been yet. It had two floors, the upper floor consisting of one big bedroom, and the downstairs serving as kitchen, living room, and toilet. She had a small vegetable/fruit patch, and the rest of the yard melted into the forest. Her furniture was very simple, with two low tables for both floors, and mats for sitting on and sleeping on, a cabinet where she kept all her remedies, and screens for shade. And that was it.
As she led Kai to her home, she knew she would be in so much trouble if another Li from another part of the country came for a visit, and found him here. With her. But at that point, what mattered to her more was whether Kai liked her home. She went red, and began fiddling with her hair.
"What do you think? Do you… ? Is it… uh… alright?" she said, embarrassed. He went over to a little painting she had hung up on the wall, and pretended to study it. In truth, he enjoyed torturing her for once.
"I like it. It's really… homey."
He smiled at her, and put the goods on the low table. Mai smiled back, relieved, and began to remove the food inside the bags and put them in their proper place on the shelves. Mostly it was tinned food, and fruits, and vegetables, with the odd chocolate or two. She had bought no drinks.
When he asked why, she shrugged, saying she'd rather buy milk when it was fresh in the morning, and if she needed any drinks before that, then she had water, and the melons growing in her garden! She quickly produced two cups of tea, and handed one to him. It was all quiet outside.
"So… Kai. What would you have done if I had not dragged you here today, then? Anything interesting?" she said after a comfortable silence.
"Nothing much, really. Just a little practicing with my team, then unbounded boredom for everyone except Ray. He'd pop over to his queen."
Min sighed. "He's real sweet on her, isn't he?"
Kai laughed. "If you can call muttering about her in his sleep 'sweet'! I'd call it 'obsessed'."
"Each to his own," she said, and smirked at him, then sighed thoughtfully. She tapped the table three times with her index fingernail, as if emphasizing her point.
"Each to his own."
Rei was actually about to pop over to his 'queen' right this second. He had finally dragged up the courage to do what needed to be done. He would tell her the truth today.
"Gaia?" he shouted, jumping over the fence like he had done ever since he was tall enough. He went inside, and found her sitting in the kitchen, and poring over a newspaper.
"Oh, Rei! Hi!"
She sounded relieved to see him, and he felt pleased. He sat down next to her, and said "Hi."
Then he got right to the point.
"Gaia, there is something I need to tell you." Gaia saw he was serious, and wondered what could have happened. She pushed away the paper to give him his full attention.
"We're friends, right?" he asked, and she nodded.
This was getting strange.
"You would never hate me, right?" Gaia nodded again.
"Gaia, we've known each other for a long time, and…" he swallowed hard, feeling uncomfortable. This was a lot harder in real life than it appeared on TV.
"…And, I think; no, I know…" here he took her hands, and she felt her temperature rising, and her heart beating faster;
"Gaia, I want to tell you that… I love you."
Rei quickly squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the explosion… but it never came. Her hands were still in his. Slowly he opened his eyes, and gasped when he saw the tears running down her face. His stomach twisted into several knots. What had he done? Gaia was speechless. For that matter, she was breathless, too.
(Oh, my GOD,) she thought, her heart hammering wildly.
(This is… oh. Oh, no, no, noooo! He doesn't know I'm already taken. It's already decided. What should I do? He'll die if I tell him now!)
"What's wrong?" Rei asked her, worried. He was relieved he had finally told her, but he was afraid something would go wrong between them.
The atmosphere in that small kitchen was so tense, it was hard for them to breathe.
Gaia suddenly stood up, and ran upstairs, Rei following hard on her heels.
"Gaia, stop!"
She raced blindly through the hall, passing each room without stopping. Finally she turned around when she reached the balcony, a small platform built with railings into the back wall of the house. It was thirty feet into the air. There was nowhere else to run to.
Despair in her eyes, she watched Rei getting closer, until he suddenly took her arms, and pushed her against the rails. She gasped; he had never once used force on her before. She began struggling, and he kept telling her to slow down, to chill out and tell him what was wrong.
"I can't… I can't…" she said, trying to find a way to tell him as gently as possible; "Rei, I'm sorry, but… I'm already spoken for. Lee Hitoru is going to marry me soon." Gaia said, and looked down, hating herself.
"I know."
She looked up, and blinked, not understanding.
"I already know. He told me, but I knew of it from before."
Rei let her go, his hands accidentally stroking her arms as they released her, and backed off. He leaned on the rails next to her.
"Do you…" he cleared his throat; "Do you want… to marry him?"
Gaia shook her head hard. "NO."
"So, then… do you… is there anybody… in particular… you…?"
He spoke with great difficulty, and was very red. Gaia thought about it. Who was there in her life except him?
"No, I don't… no."
Suddenly, he pulled her close to him, real close, and she saw the fire in his eyes, and the pain there that had always seemed to be part of him, and felt suddenly strange. Her stomach felt weird, and her spine seemed to have gotten itself lost. Rei took her hand, and laced her fingers with his.
"Rei… what are you doing…?" she asked, her breathing labored. He looked at her face, amber eyes burning with wanting. His arm went around her waist, and Gaia was beginning to get scared of the way Rei was behaving with her, and the feelings running through her own body, her own soul.
"Don't ask me, Gaia. I… I don't know." he whispered, his lips brushing her ear. Her skin tingled, and she shivered, and closed her eyes. She felt like she was having a sensory overload. A soft sigh escaped her lips, and she blushed at herself.
Rei felt like he was on fire. Literally. He had to calm down, or he'd be ripping off her clothes next.
"Gaia," he sighed heavily, and pulled back to see her eyes. Two pools of darkness stared back up at him.
"I love you. I've always loved you, ever since you hit me that day your parents died. I've been too scared to admit it. Too afraid you would say you wanted no part of me. That would have killed me, Gaia. It would have killed me."
She knew she was crying, but she didn't give a damn. She was finally happy. Afraid, but very, very happy. She stood on tiptoe, and kissed him, a passionate, painful kiss that they had both been waiting for their entire lives. As their lips met, they both felt a sharp stab in their guts, and a tingling all over like they had been electrocuted. Rei ran his hands through her hair, and Gaia just savored the feeling that she was melting in his arms, the need to be as close as possible to each other. As they broke apart, she gasped that she loved him, she loved him, she loved him, and that she wanted nobody but him.
Rei was amazed, but mostly relieved at the way things had turned out, and hugged her, holding her as hard as possible because he knew he had to let her go when he went back home, and he didn't want to. They kissed, and just held each other all that day, and when it became sundown, Rei left her for his own home, though he felt that it was with her that he belonged.
As she waved him away from her door, Gaia smiled, blushing. Her life had suddenly taken a turn for the better. Rei actually loved her (she felt a shiver at that word), and with him around, she could easily tackle the world, and the 30,000¥. As they say, "no matter how deep the darkness, light shines within".
Rei walked backwards into his house, waving and grinning like an idiot, and feeling quite different. Lighter. Like a load had been lifted off him. He went through the door at the same time Kai was about to go out, and neither saw the other until they hit each other.
"Ow!"
"Watch it!"
Rei hit the ground, and looked at his captain, amazed. Something was different about him today. Kai straightened up, and then headed back inside without a word. Rei just watched him go; he didn't care about Kai's rudeness, he was much too busy with his head up in the clouds. He went inside, a wide grin plastered across his face. Oh, yeah!
(Gaia is finally mine!) he thought happily, smiling;
(And I will always be hers.)
A/N: What do you think? It's real long, I know. 36 pages! I finished playing Final Fantasy 10 today, so I was in a terribly soppy mood. God, the ending is so… so… there is no word beautiful enough to describe it. I was practically in tears today. Sigh. Anyway, R&R as per usual.
Gracias.