Story: What Dreams Are Made Of
Authoress: Casey Katemera
Genre: Romance/Humour
Arc: 'Never Leave' Trilogy ('Taking Over Me', 'A Thousand Miles' and 'What Dreams Are Made Of')
Rating, Warning: PG - major fluffiness and slash
Other: songfic
Have you ever seen such a beautiful night?
I could almost kiss the stars, they're shining so bright!
The BladeBreakers were finally beginning to settle down after their world tour. Mr Dickenson had organised for a two-story house to be built in the location of the boys' choice – but that idea was scrapped when Kai offered his home in Russia.
Now, the huge, ancient Hiwatari mansion was filled with laughter and running feet, just like it used to be. The Demolition Boys had been offered the chance to live with their old enemies, and since there was now nothing stopping them, they accepted.
Max and Tyson, when paired with Ian and Spencer, were quite the troublemakers. You had to open every doorway, and cautiously check to see if there was anything waiting to fall on you these days.
Bryan, the so-called 'Muscle Man' among anonymous beyblading circles because of his huge bulk, turned out to be Kenny's equivalent in beyblading strategies. The two spent many hours pouring over old battles from both teams (and others) to come up with new ways to keep on top of the competition in the next World Championships.
That left Tala, Kai and Rei up to their own devices quite often. When Tyson, Max, Ian and Spencer would disappear, off to come up with a new prank no doubt, Kenny and Bryan would take their leave to continue their formulating.
Tala realised very early on the relationship between Kai and Rei, and had no objections at all. In fact, he thought Rei suited his old friend perfectly. He also obligingly left the couple alone every now and then for some 'lovey-dovey time', as he put it.
This was one of those times. Kai had a large bedroom in the Hiwatari mansion, and this was where they were at the moment. Off the side of this room was a balcony that connected to Rei's room, quite convenient.
The phoenix and the tiger stood on this balcony at the moment, Kai with his arms wrapped around Rei's waist. Rei was content to lean back into the warm embrace.
Suddenly, Kai spoke. "Have you ever seen such a beautiful night?" he asked his love. Rei smiled. It certainly was beautiful. There was not a cloud in the sky, and all the stars were shining at full strength. There were hardly any artificial lights around, as the Hiwatari mansion was about two hours away from the nearest civilisation.
A little piece of paradise restored to its former glory, if you will.
"No, never. And seeing it with you makes it all the more beautiful."
When I see you smiling I go oh, oh, oh
I would never want to miss this,
'Cos in my heart, I know what this is!
Kai smiled again at Rei's response. "I love you," he murmured.
"I love you too, Kai." And with that, Rei turned in Kai's arms so his head was resting on Kai's chest. He closed his eyes, content for the moment to stay as he was.
"Rei," said Kai urgently. "Rei, look at this!" The neko-jin lifted his head and looked in puzzlement at the crimson-eyed 'blader. Kai lifted his arm with some difficulty, and pointed to a spot in the sky behind Rei. Rei turned back around, grumbling, then was stunned by the spectacle presented to him.
"It's the Northern Lights," came Kai's warm voice.
"It's amazing, is what it is," Rei replied.
"Too true."
Rei sighed in appreciation, and leaned back against his boyfriend again. I never want this to end, he thought.
This is what dreams are made of!
This is what dreams are made of!
I've got somewhere I belong,
I've got somebody to love,
This is what dreams are made of...
The next morning, Rei and Kai woke up before anyone else. Kai made his morning coffee (white with three sugars) as Rei got a glass of orange juice. Rei sat at the large table.
Kai came up behind him and kissed the side of his boyfriend's neck softly. "Love you."
"Love you too, and good morning."
"Want the paper?"
"No... I read it last night just before Max and Tyson got to it. I'd suggest you don't touch it."
"Why not?"
"They were sprinkling some sort of white powder on it, and I'm betting ten-to-one that it's something like itching powder." Rei chuckled as he dipped his spoon into his bowl of Cornflakes. "I'll let Kenny get to it first."
Suddenly the radio blared in the next room. "Tyson's up," Kai noted. Then the station changed, and Hilary Duff began to play.
"So's Spencer," added Rei.
'Have you ever wondered what life is about?
You could search the world and never figure it out!
You don't have to sail the oceans, no, no, no
Happiness is no mystery,
It's here and now, it's you and me!'
An entire verse got the chance to play before Linkin Park began to play as Tyson changed the station again. But it was too late, and everyone would be humming that song for the entire day.
Rei agreed whole-heartedly with songwriter – happiness was right here, right now. With Kai, with Tyson and Max and Kenny, with the Demolition Boys. He could only hope they all felt the same way – if one left, it wouldn't be the same.
Especially not if it was Kai who left.
Max suggested they go outside for lunch today – he had recently learnt how to work the barbeque and wanted to try his hand at it. Tala, Kai and Bryan went rooting around in the fridge in the cellar for some meat, and when it was produced, everyone agreed that'd do them some good.
Rei, Max, Ian and Spencer all had found roller-blades secreted in places around the mansion – it seemed that Voltaire had had a secret hobby. It was slightly disturbing, however, to think of Kai's stiff-as-nails grandfather as a roller-blader, so they just dismissed it and took the blades.
"Wow, Rei – you're really good!" exclaimed Max as Rei bladed rings around the other three. Spencer kept falling down, disorientated by the speedy-Rei.
"Thanks. I just have good balance," Rei brushed aside the compliment as if it was nothing. Tyson laughed as he watched Max fall yet again. Max crawled over to Tyson, and yanked him down onto the ground as well, even though Tyson had been sitting on the bench.
Tala and Kai were sitting at the same table, digging in to the first batch of sausages. "Not bad, Max."
Max glowed. "Cool!" He was having a bit of fun before getting back to the cooking.
Hey now, this is what dreams are made of!
Hey now, hey now, this is what dreams are made of!
Open your eyes, this is what dreams are made of!
Shout to the skies, this is what dreams are made of!
Kenny sat with Bryan, still working on a formula for a special ability for Wolborg Tala had dreamed about the night before. Dizzi was offering helpful comments:
"You're doing it wrong."
"96 divided by 3 is 32, not 23, Chief."
"Are you sure about that?"
"What are you doing? That'll never work," and so on and so forth. Kenny was getting a bit irritated.
"Dizzi – don't just tell me I'm doing it wrong, tell me how to fix it!" he shouted eventually.
"Sorry, Chief."
Rei suddenly shot off over to Kai, and 'fell' gently into his lap. "Pay attention to meeeee!" he laughed.
"But the sausages are far more interesting to my stomach," Kai whined. Rei whacked him softly. "What was that for?"
"For not loving me..." Rei pouted, and Kai pecked him on the lips.
"Better?"
"Much."
When I see you smiling I go oh, oh, oh
Yesterday my life was duller,
Now everything's technicolour!
Kai woke with a start on the floor, sweating. He had had the dream where Voltaire had come back and tried to kill Rei again. He swallowed hard.
"I'll never let that happen. Never," whispered Kai fiercely. Rei had been the only one to stand by him the entire time when he had been going through the ordeal of Voltaire's trial. There was no way in hell Kai was going to let Rei slip away again. He was just too precious.
Kai stood shakily, and stumbled to the bathroom to have a shower. He glanced at the clock on his was past the mantle – 7:36am. Not bad – usually the nightmares woke him up much earlier than that.
Later that morning, after breakfast, Kai sought out Rei. When he found the neko-jin, Kai kissed him firmly, just to make sure that Rei really was Rei.
"What was that for?" asked a surprised Rei after they parted for breath. "Not that I'm protesting," he added as he slipped his arms around his boyfriend's waist.
"I just wanted to let you know that I love you, and I never plan on letting you go. So if you want to leave, do it right now – before I do anything I'll regret if you leave later on."
Rei frowned as Kai made this statement, and seeing how much it took him to say that, kissed Kai softly.
"I'll never leave you! I promise." Kai looked as though he didn't believe him yet, and Rei shook him slightly. "Kai! I promise... I swear... I vow to you, on the honour of my family, that I will never leave you! If I ever look as though I will leave, I want you to hit me hard and snap me out of it!"
Hey now, hey now, this is what dreams are made of!
Hey now, hey now, this is what dreams are made of!
I've got somewhere I belong,
I've got somebody to love,
This is what dreams, dreams, this is what dreams are made of!
Kai smiled softly as he looked down on the sleeping neko-jin. All of that seemed like it had been far, far in the past now; though it had been only a few years.
Max and Tyson had gotten together a year back. Everyone agreed that those two were perfect for each other. Now the two troublemakers were trying to get the other two mischief-makers together. Ian and Spencer were warming to each other, it was true – but it might take a few more years yet.
Kenny and Dizzi had finally gotten the recognition they deserved – Kenny now ran, with the help of Dizzi and Bryan, one of the largest BeyBlade training facilities in the world. It was the wish of every novice beyblader to one day train under those three.
Tala had dominated the beyblading circuits for three years now, after Kai and Tyson retired. No-one would challenge him, for fear of getting a smashed up 'blade. Tala led a quiet life at the mansion when not touring the world with Wolborg.
Rei and himself had also travelled the world – but as tourists, not beybladers. The mansion was getting a bit cluttered with all of the junk they had bought on their travels. Here and there, though, there were a few things they had picked up that they could never let go – just like they could never let each other go.
We strangely met, like not so many,
Yet still my love be true as any,
In the Old Ones' choice,
My soul does rejoice,
And no gift could express,
The love for thee I do possess.
So love them in thy heart,
Whose forever joy thou art,
And our love will know no end,
My dear and sweetest friend. – Traci Harding
'The Ancient Future: The Dark Age' (chapter 12, pg 256)