Chapter 18
Castles in the Sky: I doubt Boris cares about that at the moment. He'll have his fun while he can. Isn't that what he does? ;)
lady snowblossom: Everyone has a human side, however small. And yes, I'm evil. No secret. :p
Chaco and Lily: It really is a cute image, isn't it. Pity I don't know any fan artists that would do that picture, and the one I do know is injured...
Cat in the web: Nice theory. You could be right. And yes, very close call. Probably happens a lot.
Ashla: I'm with you. I'd prefer to die too in that situation. Pray Bryan doesn't think the same and slit his wrists. Poor Tala...
HimekoSukie: [[insert great big evil sadistic grin]]
MyHeartBleeds: My, aren't you violent. Bang bang. :p
Jay Kamiya: Oh yes, that man is completely mad. You can see it by watching the series. Someone needs to put him in a straight jacket and throw him in the loony bin.
DranzerGirl: Yeah. Read. :p You're forgiven.
Reiven: I just want G-Rev. Still no word on the series here. It should have arrived by now, but no word. And the only way to get subbed Beyblade is from Japan. Really expensive...
Bloody Mary: Oh c'mon, give the guy a chance. :p
Kappy Locks: He saved Bryan's life for the second time. At least that we know of.
Mizuyah: That's what I love about the Russian characters, Kai and Voltaire. So unpredictable. So great to write. :D
Werewolf of Fire: Oo. You want me to kill Bryan?
The Valkyrie: Obsession comes in many forms though...
Ramen II: Scared or not you're glad you read it, right? And no, I don't need Bryan to keep the story going. All I need is the BBA searching for Boris. That's all I need. [[evil laugh]]
lilmatchgirl007: Accomplished the impossible? I take it that's good, right?
Yaoi Tiger: Catching up is all that matters, right? Well, hope you enjoyed it.
Do you still all hate me?
Disclaimer: See first page
"Tala?"
Kai peeked around the corner of the door, frowning as he spotted the form stretched facedown on of the bed. Kai sighed, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him, moving almost silently across the space. He climbed onto the bed, lying down beside his cousin and resting his head on his arm, reaching out to trail his fingers over the younger's back.
"The BBA's doing everything they can, Tal. I'm sure they'll find-"
"Kai, don't. Please." Tala let out a shaky breath, squeezing his eyes closed. "I don't need your sympathy. I don't need anyone's sympathy."
"Tala…"
"Admit it, Kai. Bryan's not coming back. I do."
"No. Don't think like that." Kai slid closer, running a hand through Tala's hair, sensing him trembling. "Don't give up on him. Bryan's a fighter, you've said it yourself. We can't let Boris win."
"I think he already has, Kai." Tala looked toward him, sapphire eyes glistening as tears streaked his face. "He died, Kai. I sensed it."
Kai frowned. "Who died?"
"Bryan." Tala swallowed hard, averting his eyes. "Little more than an hour ago."
"You can't be sure."
"It felt as if something was ripping at me, squeezing me until I couldn't breath. I felt so empty, and I just knew." He bit his lip. "It lasted forever, but then the pressure eased and I could breath again."
"That's a good sign. If he did die then they must have revived him."
"Maybe." Tala squeezed his eyes closed. "But how long, Kai? How long can he last? I know what Boris is doing to him."
"Bryan can survive the torture-"
"He's not just torturing him, Kai." Tala opened his eyes, faint anger burning in those icy depths. "Boris rapes him."
Kai blinked, his stomach lurching violently. "What?"
"Bryan told me. Apparently Boris has been doing it since Bryan was eight. Boris did it to try and stop Bryan from protecting us."
"Sick bastard." Kai gritted his teeth as anger simmered to life within him, fists clenching as he growled. "When I find Boris, the first thing I'm going to do is punch that guys lights out. Then I'm going to castrate him personally."
"He threatened to rape me, too. He said he always wondered… what it would be like to… to…"
Kai looked up, noting that Tala was trembling and drawing the younger too him, enfolding him in his arms. "Boris can't touch you, Wolf. I won't let him."
"But you can't stop him from hurting Bryan, can you?" Tala wiped the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand. "I messed up, Kai. I froze Bryan out when I should have been open. I should have never told him I wanted him to change."
"Tala."
"I don't want him to change. I just want him back."
"I know."
"I love him, Kai." Tala squeezed his eyes closed, fighting the sobs and losing. "I don't want anyone to take him away from me. I want to be with him forever."
Kai closed his eyes as Tala sobbed, unable to find anything to say as he fought his own tears. Life could be so cruel sometimes.
[oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo]
"Ian?"
Ian didn't look up, staring into the horizon. "He's out there, Spence, waiting for us to rescue him. And here we are, sitting on our arses doing nothing."
"Nothing we can do til we have a location." Spencer leant against the rail, looking down at his friend. "Why'd you punch out Aizik just before?"
Ian growled, clenching his fists. "The moron was saying how we should all just give up, and that if we were meant to find Bryan we would have by now. That Bryan is probably dead and buried already."
"Hm. I woulda punched Aizik out too." Spencer looked out toward the setting sun, the second day since Bryan's disappearance drawing to a close. "We'll find him."
"I know, it's just…" Ian sighed, shaking his head. "I've got this feeling that the longer we wait, the less chance we have of finding him alive."
"Don't be so negative." Spencer looked to the side. "Have you tried praying?"
"Every moment since Bryan vanished." Ian looked back toward him. "I hate to admit it but I'm kinda scared, Spence. I'm scared that when we find him it'll be too late."
"We'll worry bout that when it happens." Spencer reached out, gently laying a hand on the younger's shoulder. "Have faith. Bryan's probably out there waiting for us to rescue him, like we did a few weeks ago."
"You're probably right." Ian sighed, shaking his head. "I don't know, I'm just worried. I don't like what's going on. I feel so helpless."
"Me too. But we'll make it, wait and see."
"How can you always be so positive, Spence?" Ian looked up at him, crimson eyes rich as he studied the elder. "Everything is so hopeless. You and Kai are about the only ones who haven't given up. Even Tala's quit."
"Tala hasn't quit. He's having a breakdown. It just appears that he's quit." Spencer shrugged. "Kai knows Bryan, and I would like to say the same. Call it a hunch that I have. I just think everything's going to turn out okay in the end."
"Everything okay?" Ian narrowed his eyes. "There's no such thing as 'happily ever after', Spence. Bryan told me that himself not long after I joined the team. And he's right, nothing ever goes as planned." Ian looked away. "Things don't always turn out right in the end."
"This will, I promise."
Ian bit his lip. "It's one thing to make a promise. It's another to keep it."
"You sound like Bryan."
"Bryan doesn't make promises, remember? If he doesn't make 'em, then he can't break 'em."
"Bryan has his way, we have ours." Spencer pulled Ian closer, feeling Ian lean back against his chest from where the younger sat perched on the rail of the balcony. "You never like doing what Bryan wants, do you? What he thinks?"
"No. I tend to defy him."
Spencer smiled faintly. "Bryan would be thinking we've probably given up."
Ian had to laugh, turning and looking up at him. "Can't say you're dumb, Spence, cause you're not. Okay, I won't give up. Now we just have to convince Tala not too either."
"Tomorrow." Spencer smoothed Ian's hair before he took a step away. "See you in the morning."
"You too, Spence. Sleep well. If you can sleep, anyway."
I'm planting seeds. I wonder what will grow? :p