Chapter 18

Bluumberry: Would you believe I hardly ever use the phone? I usually SMS if I need to contact someone, or email. Or most often go and see them. Easier that way, and cheaper to boot. And yes, I'm learning Japanese. It's harder then it looks.

Prozacfairy: A long way indeed. :p

Kai Rei Yin Yang: New name?

Tariki Rania: They are immature. And don't worry, I'm not exactly mature myself. :p

KuronekoHikage: No sign of your email, no. You may need to send it again. And yes, lovely moment.

TNTiggris: I shrunk when I got scoliosis, but grew again after my operation on my back to put the rod in to straighten. Not the best way to grow. Your friend at better check her back.

Koneko no Rei: Yes, Joey is Seto's puppy all right. I love that pairing. I'm a puppy-shipper through and through. I've actually started a Joey/Seto story, but I doubt I'll ever finish it. And I do like Yami Marik and Yami himself. I love the bad boys.

Chibi Kyo-chan Very hard language, but I'm going back. I'm looking forward to being able to go to Japanese fan sites and understand what is on them. Or even the main beyblade site itself.

keisan: The 'Honesty Series' is thick with New Age stuff, as you will see when you read the others. And locking them in the closet and throwing away the key is tempting... but too easy for me. :p

animeandraia: I'm actually planning a fic where Kai, Tala and Bryan all smack their head on a doorframe because they were looking back while walking forward. ((snigger)) You may be right about the subconscious thing. Freaky.

huh: Symbol of power indeed. And he loves it. And I'm glad this eases the stress.

Ashla: Tyson and Maxxy are in this one. I'm 5'4" inches myself. We could look each other in the eye. :D

kissybear: The interaction is coming. Have to space it out for this fic to work though, but I assure you, it is coming.

GemGemJoo: I will admit I enjoy writing scenes with Ray and Lee interacting. Eclipse and Frozen were where I really went to town with that, and Centrepiece is heading that way too. :D And that relationship between Kev and Lee evolved heaps.

KaiWaiiRei: Nope, not writing the scene where Kev and Lee hook up, and I'm not intending too either. You'll just have to imagine it... for now. :p ((ideas for a vignette start floating around JPC's head))

lilmatchgirl007: Witty conversations? Are they? That's pretty much how I talk. My teachers think I'm eccentric and tell me to my face, and I can get people laughing easy. They think I'm from another planet, but still. And Kai will grow... not as much as Tal and Bry but...

If anything can be said for this story, it actually features beyblading.

"Three… two… one… Let it rip!"

The blades slammed down into the dish, Max sighing and shaking his head. Why did Kai have to pick this day to train? Max had spent the entire night thinking about what he and Tyson would get up to, looking forward to having the chance to 'do it' again. But then Kai had showed up at breakfast and told them it was time to train.

Max frowned, watching as Tyson and Ray went head to head. Max had a feeling that the reason Kai had wanted to train had something to do with Ray. The neko-jin had begun to seem a little absent over recent days, and Kenny had caught him staring at the picture of the young White Tigers, or rather, staring at the image of Mariah.

Max rubbed his jaw. Mariah, that was it! Ray was feeling guilty over what had happened with Mariah, and Kai was trying to get him to take his mind off it. That could be another reason why Kai spent a lot of time around Ray; he was making sure that Ray didn't try anything stupid.

Max definitely had to run this one by Tyson next chance they got-

"Max."

He looked up. "Yes Kenny?"

Kenny dropped onto the bench beside him, setting Dizzi down. "Is there some reason why you and Tyson have been avoiding me?"

Max blinked. "We have?"

"Yeah. You have for a couple of months now."

"Wow. I never realised that." Max smiled sheepishly. "Sorry bout that."

Kenny nodded his acceptance to the apology, but the serious expression never left his face. "So why have you been doing it?"

"I really have no idea." Max shrugged. "I guess it's just that you've been so busy with your research that we decided to leave you alone so you wouldn't get angry with us like you did that day at the museum."

Kenny's cheeks reddened faintly as he looked away. "Yeah… I was a little harsh. You guys were making so much noise it was hard to concentrate, not to mention you were bothering the other patrons."

Max shifted. "We were bored. Ty and I never were into that kind of thing anyway. Unless of course it has something to do with beyblades and sacred spirits."

Kenny smiled. "Typical."

They looked up as they heard Tyson let out a growl, Dragoon bouncing on the concrete beside the dish as Ray laughed. Kai moved forward to speak with them, Kenny turning back to Max.

"So what's with you and Tyson?"

Max blinked. "What do you mean?"

"You've been acting weird lately."

"Kenny, Tyson is always weird."

"True, but you both have been acting weirder than normal."

Max frowned. "I still don't know what you mean by 'weird'."

"You've been very secretive."

"Have we?" Max blinked. "I don't know what for. Can't help you there, Kenny. I didn't even realise we were doing that."

"Riiight." Kenny looked up as Tyson and Ray went to go again. "Kai and Ray have been acting weird too. Ray I can understand, but Kai?"

"Two words, Kenny: court case."

"You have a point." Kenny nodded, standing and picking up Dizzi. "Well, I better get back to my data."

Max watched him go, crystal blue eyes following him as he moved closer to the dish. So Kenny was suspicious, was he? Just meant he and Ty had to be more careful. And Kenny had noticed the Kai and Ray thing? There wasn't even anything going on there… yet.

Max returned his attention to the battle, frowning. Yes, he certainly had a lot to talk to Tyson about.

((------------------------------))

"He what!?"

Max raised a hand, trying to calm the other. It was the day following the training session and they had just snuck back into the apartment. Now that they were alone, Max had related to his lover what Kenny had said.

"Easy, Tyson. I was able to cover it up, so it's all taken care of." Max shrugged. "I've even covered Kai and Ray thought there's not even anything going on there. I don't know what Kenny has seen or anything, but hopefully he should leave us alone for now."

"You always were good at talking yourself out of corners." Tyson rubbed his jaw, frowning. "Having Kenny suspicious is the last thing we need."

"I agree, but lets not worry about it for now." Max frowned. "Oh, and I think I know why Kai wanted to train yesterday…" he explained his theory over Ray feeling guilty and Kai wanting to gets Ray's mind off it.

"That makes perfect sense." Tyson nodded. "You've gotta admit it, Ray was the one Kai made do all the work yesterday. And he was certainly tired by the time training finished. I wouldn't be surprised if Ray was asleep before he even got to pull the blankets over him."

"So you agree?"

"I do." Tyson looked around them, raising an eyebrow. "Now, the reason we decided to come back to the apartment wasn't to talk, now was it?"

Max felt his cheeks warm as Tyson raked his gaze over him. "Your not very patient."

"Hey, I've already had to wait one day longer than I needed." Tyson pulled Max to him, nuzzling his neck, lips brushing his ear. "So what do you want to do?"

Max shuddered, smiling. "Absolutely anything."

Kenny's asking questions. Think Max talked his way out of it?