A/N: Wow, two updates in less the four days. New record for me. I hope you
all enjoy this chapter.
Kai blinked several times as the figure in the doorway flipped on the light. Slowly his vision cleared and he took a step back, trying to keep his composure. Bryan had disappeared not long after the World Championships three years ago and no one had heard from or seen him. Or so Kai had thought.
His sudden reappearance proved that Tala had stayed in contact with him. "Bryan." The lavender haired Russian nodded a greeting and dropped his grey duffle bag to the floor. Kai tried to avoid showing his nervousness. Something about the other Russian did something to his emotions that confused him.
Bryan had changed considerably over the years. His hair was shoulder length and lighter, complementing his moonlight eyes perfectly. He was taller then Kai by four inches and had broadened. Kai licked his lips and was about to say something when the door opened again.
Tala smiled when he saw Bryan standing in front of the door to the living room. "Bry! I'm glad you could come." The lavender haired Russian shrugged. "I didn't have anything else to do. I got vacation forced on me." Over the past three years Bryan's accent had deepened slightly, making him seem even more exotic.
Tala noticed out of the corner of his eye that Kai was staring at them oddly. The redhead smirked to himself. It was about time his friend learned that he didn't know every secret that his loved ones had. Kai looked between the other Russians, trying not to lose his temper. Tala had called Bryan and not even let Kai know.
He growled in the back of his throat and folded his arms across his chest. He was again about to speak when Bryan cut his off. "Where's Rei?" Kai pressed his lips together, mahogany eyes flaring with anger. "Probably sitting at home with someone else."
A single lavender eyebrow rose in question. Tala rested a gentle hand on Bryan's arm, noticing the way his friend's body tensed. He didn't need a fight on his hands. The only way to stop Bryan would be to club him unconscious and the only thing at hand for it would be a lamp.
Bryan took a deep breath and turned to face Tala. "Same address?" The redhead nodded and moved out of the other teen's way. With a final look at Kai, Bryan stalked from the house and slammed the door.
Tala stepped into the living room, a bright smile curling his lips. "Well, have you eaten yet?" Kai didn't answer and left the room, his feet oddly silent as he made his way up the stairs. --------
Rei slowly got to his feet at the sound of someone knocking on the door. "Wha-" He pulled open the door, his breath catching in his throat. Bryan turned at the sound of the door opening, his moonlight eyes softening at the sight that greeted him.
Rei's hair was half out of its braid, fuzzing around his head like a black halo. He was still wearing his black leather pants from work. One of Kai's grey sweaters hung to mid-thigh, making him look lost. Dark circles underlined his golden eyes, accentuating their color. "Bryan."
The neko-jin collapsed into Bryan's arms, tears welling in his eyes. The Russian scooped him up and stepped into the apartment, closing the door with his foot. He sank into the couch, Rei held close. Slowly the younger teen's sobs quieted and his body relaxed, sinking into Bryan's warmth.
"Why are you here?" Bryan ran a hand through Rei's hair, eyes closed. "Tala called me. He told me that you and Kai were having some problems." Rei rested his head on the Russian's shoulder, fingers toying with the buttons on Bryan's shirt. "That would be an understatement."
They fell into silence and Rei relaxed more, eyes half closed. If Kai knew that he had been in contact with Bryan, he would have been extremely upset. Even in three years Kai hadn't entirely forgiven the other Russian. Rei had, the day after Bryan had sent him to the hospital.
Nothing had actually been said, but Rei could sense the guilt radiating off of the Russian. When the Russian had left he had left the neko-jin his e- mail and only that. It wasn't too long after Rei had gotten back home that he had received his first mail. It was short and to the point, but had included several beautiful pictures.
There had also been several phone calls, many of which Kai had walked on in the middle. When Kai had asked about them, Rei had said the first thing that came to mind. He had always told the older teen that it was Li. He had felt guilty about it, but it was better then having Kai yell.
Rei yawned and rubbed tiredly at his eyes. "I'm sleepy." Bryan brushed some of Rei's bangs back and kissed him on the forehead. "Sleep." The neko-jin grabbed a handful of Bryan's shirt as the Russian got to his feet. He sighed in contentment as the soft mattress of his bed cradled him.
He felt Bryan pull away and he blindly reached out, fingers closing around the older teen's wrist. "Stay with me." With a sigh Bryan sat on the edge of the bed and started running his hands through Rei's bangs. A soft purring filled the room and Bryan smiled. Once Rei's breathing deepened and evened out he got to his feet, moonlight eyes burning.
--------
Tala got up from the armchair when he heard the front door open. Bryan stepped into the room, face impassive. "Where's Hiwatari?" Tala cocked his head to one side, blue eyes questioning. Bryan only called Kai by his last name if he was angry with the other Russian.
"He's on the roof. Bryan, what did Rei tell you?" The lavender haired teen folded his arms across his chest. "No more then you told me. I want to know exactly what happened." Tala tugged one of his bangs and sighed.
"Rei told Kai that he loved someone else and Kai walked out on him." Bryan growled. "Absolutely fucking ridiculous. Didn't he learn anything from the kitten?" The redhead shook his head. "I don't think so."
"I'm going to go talk to him." Tala watched Bryan disappear from the room and contemplated going with him to make sure that Kai lived through the encounter. He sank down on the couch, having decided against going to help his friend. Bryan would leave him in one piece for Rei.
-------
Kai turned at the sound of footsteps on the roof. He was standing at the edge next to a small storage shed. "What do you want?" Before he knew what was happening he found himself pinned to the shed's wall, pale hair and eyes the only hint of who his attacker was.
"Bryan! What the hell is your problem?" Bryan's fingers dug into the other Russian's shoulders, his eyes blazing with anger. "You are." Kai started struggling, hoping to catch Bryan by surprise. The other teen slammed him against the wall again. "Tell me Hiwatari, how many people have you had fall in love with you, only to have you abandon them when things weren't going your way?"
Mahogany eyes widened in shock and when he spoke his voice had a slight quiver. "What are you talking about?" The taller teen loosened his grip slightly, deep voice slightly hurt. "You know what I'm talking about. Think back to the last time you were at the Abbey."
Kai closed his eyes and tried to think back to that time. His memories were mostly of training and the cruel things that Boris had said to him. There were several bright memories, of feather light kisses and softly whispered words.
"Bry, I-" He was cut off as Bryan pressed a soft, chaste kiss to his lips. The taller Russian released him. "How many Kai?" The slate haired teen watched as Bryan made his way back downstairs. He dropped to the roof, his thoughts a whirl.
Kai blinked several times as the figure in the doorway flipped on the light. Slowly his vision cleared and he took a step back, trying to keep his composure. Bryan had disappeared not long after the World Championships three years ago and no one had heard from or seen him. Or so Kai had thought.
His sudden reappearance proved that Tala had stayed in contact with him. "Bryan." The lavender haired Russian nodded a greeting and dropped his grey duffle bag to the floor. Kai tried to avoid showing his nervousness. Something about the other Russian did something to his emotions that confused him.
Bryan had changed considerably over the years. His hair was shoulder length and lighter, complementing his moonlight eyes perfectly. He was taller then Kai by four inches and had broadened. Kai licked his lips and was about to say something when the door opened again.
Tala smiled when he saw Bryan standing in front of the door to the living room. "Bry! I'm glad you could come." The lavender haired Russian shrugged. "I didn't have anything else to do. I got vacation forced on me." Over the past three years Bryan's accent had deepened slightly, making him seem even more exotic.
Tala noticed out of the corner of his eye that Kai was staring at them oddly. The redhead smirked to himself. It was about time his friend learned that he didn't know every secret that his loved ones had. Kai looked between the other Russians, trying not to lose his temper. Tala had called Bryan and not even let Kai know.
He growled in the back of his throat and folded his arms across his chest. He was again about to speak when Bryan cut his off. "Where's Rei?" Kai pressed his lips together, mahogany eyes flaring with anger. "Probably sitting at home with someone else."
A single lavender eyebrow rose in question. Tala rested a gentle hand on Bryan's arm, noticing the way his friend's body tensed. He didn't need a fight on his hands. The only way to stop Bryan would be to club him unconscious and the only thing at hand for it would be a lamp.
Bryan took a deep breath and turned to face Tala. "Same address?" The redhead nodded and moved out of the other teen's way. With a final look at Kai, Bryan stalked from the house and slammed the door.
Tala stepped into the living room, a bright smile curling his lips. "Well, have you eaten yet?" Kai didn't answer and left the room, his feet oddly silent as he made his way up the stairs. --------
Rei slowly got to his feet at the sound of someone knocking on the door. "Wha-" He pulled open the door, his breath catching in his throat. Bryan turned at the sound of the door opening, his moonlight eyes softening at the sight that greeted him.
Rei's hair was half out of its braid, fuzzing around his head like a black halo. He was still wearing his black leather pants from work. One of Kai's grey sweaters hung to mid-thigh, making him look lost. Dark circles underlined his golden eyes, accentuating their color. "Bryan."
The neko-jin collapsed into Bryan's arms, tears welling in his eyes. The Russian scooped him up and stepped into the apartment, closing the door with his foot. He sank into the couch, Rei held close. Slowly the younger teen's sobs quieted and his body relaxed, sinking into Bryan's warmth.
"Why are you here?" Bryan ran a hand through Rei's hair, eyes closed. "Tala called me. He told me that you and Kai were having some problems." Rei rested his head on the Russian's shoulder, fingers toying with the buttons on Bryan's shirt. "That would be an understatement."
They fell into silence and Rei relaxed more, eyes half closed. If Kai knew that he had been in contact with Bryan, he would have been extremely upset. Even in three years Kai hadn't entirely forgiven the other Russian. Rei had, the day after Bryan had sent him to the hospital.
Nothing had actually been said, but Rei could sense the guilt radiating off of the Russian. When the Russian had left he had left the neko-jin his e- mail and only that. It wasn't too long after Rei had gotten back home that he had received his first mail. It was short and to the point, but had included several beautiful pictures.
There had also been several phone calls, many of which Kai had walked on in the middle. When Kai had asked about them, Rei had said the first thing that came to mind. He had always told the older teen that it was Li. He had felt guilty about it, but it was better then having Kai yell.
Rei yawned and rubbed tiredly at his eyes. "I'm sleepy." Bryan brushed some of Rei's bangs back and kissed him on the forehead. "Sleep." The neko-jin grabbed a handful of Bryan's shirt as the Russian got to his feet. He sighed in contentment as the soft mattress of his bed cradled him.
He felt Bryan pull away and he blindly reached out, fingers closing around the older teen's wrist. "Stay with me." With a sigh Bryan sat on the edge of the bed and started running his hands through Rei's bangs. A soft purring filled the room and Bryan smiled. Once Rei's breathing deepened and evened out he got to his feet, moonlight eyes burning.
--------
Tala got up from the armchair when he heard the front door open. Bryan stepped into the room, face impassive. "Where's Hiwatari?" Tala cocked his head to one side, blue eyes questioning. Bryan only called Kai by his last name if he was angry with the other Russian.
"He's on the roof. Bryan, what did Rei tell you?" The lavender haired teen folded his arms across his chest. "No more then you told me. I want to know exactly what happened." Tala tugged one of his bangs and sighed.
"Rei told Kai that he loved someone else and Kai walked out on him." Bryan growled. "Absolutely fucking ridiculous. Didn't he learn anything from the kitten?" The redhead shook his head. "I don't think so."
"I'm going to go talk to him." Tala watched Bryan disappear from the room and contemplated going with him to make sure that Kai lived through the encounter. He sank down on the couch, having decided against going to help his friend. Bryan would leave him in one piece for Rei.
-------
Kai turned at the sound of footsteps on the roof. He was standing at the edge next to a small storage shed. "What do you want?" Before he knew what was happening he found himself pinned to the shed's wall, pale hair and eyes the only hint of who his attacker was.
"Bryan! What the hell is your problem?" Bryan's fingers dug into the other Russian's shoulders, his eyes blazing with anger. "You are." Kai started struggling, hoping to catch Bryan by surprise. The other teen slammed him against the wall again. "Tell me Hiwatari, how many people have you had fall in love with you, only to have you abandon them when things weren't going your way?"
Mahogany eyes widened in shock and when he spoke his voice had a slight quiver. "What are you talking about?" The taller teen loosened his grip slightly, deep voice slightly hurt. "You know what I'm talking about. Think back to the last time you were at the Abbey."
Kai closed his eyes and tried to think back to that time. His memories were mostly of training and the cruel things that Boris had said to him. There were several bright memories, of feather light kisses and softly whispered words.
"Bry, I-" He was cut off as Bryan pressed a soft, chaste kiss to his lips. The taller Russian released him. "How many Kai?" The slate haired teen watched as Bryan made his way back downstairs. He dropped to the roof, his thoughts a whirl.