Chapter 27

Bonus chapter since I've been unable to update.

Time for a couple to take another step in their relationship.

Ray lay awake, staring up toward the ceiling of his room. Next door he could hear the barely audible pants and grunts, the low moans of his teammates as they made love in the night. He had to smile, wondering what Kenny would be making of it all as he tried to sleep across the hall. Kenny probably couldn't even hear them.

Ray sighed. The night before he had lain awake, struggling in his mind with the decision, with the guilt. Should he go home or should he remain? Should he return to help Mariah, or should he stay and train with his teammates, with his friends, with… Kai…

A small smile played across his lips as he thought of his captain. In his dreams Kai had been so tender, and now Ray knew it to be true. The memory of Kai's kisses sent a shiver through Ray, the memory of his touch, of his soft breath that was a caress on Ray's bare skin…

Moaning, Ray shifted, flopping onto his side. He could still smell him, taste him. Kai overrode all other thoughts, other desires. Ray… wanted him. He needed him. He longed for warmth, for those strong arms around him, protecting.

Unable to take it, Ray pushed himself up. Unlike the night before, Ray knew that he could do something about it…

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Kai drifted in and out of sleep, wondering just when life had begun to move so quickly. Two weeks ago he had lain his eyes on Ray and fallen for him, and now he had every right to say that Ray was his.

He had expected Ray to pull away in the car, to punch him, or even for Ray to open the door and climb out, walking away and leaving Kai to regret having ever done anything. Instead, Ray had kissed him back, the two amused as the cars on the inside lane tried to push each other faster, wanting to get a better look as the captain and the neko-jin held each other tightly, lips locked in a battle for dominance neither would win.

Kai chuckled as he remembered the shocked expressions of his teammates as he and Ray had kissed upon entry, none more memorable than the expression of Kenny. The youngest member of the team had been stupefied at first before it had slipped into pure and utter disgust, Kai's statement only adding to his anger.

Biting back a yawn Kai stretched, rolling onto his side and smiling faintly. He would have to ring Bryan, update the Falcon on what was going on. Of course, there were some things he would not tell the elder Russian. It was an unspoken agreement that certain details would be left unsaid. Not once had Bryan gone into detail of the goings on between him and Tala in the bedroom, and Kai was only happy to return the favour.

Kai knew that Max and Tyson had noted his attraction toward Ray and vice versa the very moment they had seen each other at the airport. The two younger teammates had tried prodding the elder two into a relationship, but it had taken Ray's leaving for Kai to realise just how much he needed Ray.

They probably didn't realise it, but Kai had seen that high five Max and Tyson had shared as he had left to retrieve the neko-jin. Kai was going to have to talk to them about that-

Hearing the sound of a key in the lock of his bedroom door, Kai's eyes blinked open. It took him but a moment to remember how Kenny had shown them the spare keys hidden in the hallway, just in case of an emergency. Obviously someone had taken that key and was using it to come into his room.

Kai closed his eyes, listening as the door opened and someone entered, closing and locking the door behind them. Soft footsteps moved across the floor, a familiar and welcome barefoot tread that brought a small smile to Kai's lips. The key fell onto the bedside table before the other hesitated beside the bed, Kai's eyebrow raising ever so slightly, unseen in the darkness.

Hearing a long breath, Kai felt the blankets shift before the mattress moved, the other sliding between the sheets behind him. Kai smiled as the other shifted closer, but lingered just out of touch. Grinning, Kai rolled over, reaching out and finding the other, drawing him closer.

Ray was slightly startled by Kai's movement but accepted the invitation, wrapping his arms around Kai and pressing his head to his chest. "Thought you were asleep."

"Too much on my mind," Kai answered just as softly. "What are you doing out of bed, Ray?"

"But I'm in bed."

Kai could feel the smirk. "You know what I mean."

Ray sighed, pressing himself closer. "I was cold."

Kai pressed his face into Ray's long hair, breathing in his scent. "And are you still cold?"

"Not really." Ray held Kai tighter. "You're warm."

Kai nodded, then stiffened. "Ray…"

"Mm?"

"You do realise that your feet are cold." Kai blinked. "Not to mention your hands."

Ray grinned devilishly. "I might have."

Kai couldn't help but jump as Ray slid his icy fingers up under his shirt and across Kai's stomach. Kai shrunk back, Ray pursuing the other and reeking more torture, chuckling. Kai's eyes narrowed as he reached up, finding the place Max had discovered during a game and beginning to tickle the neko-jin.

Ray let out an involuntary gasp before he began to giggle, pushing Kai away, his own torture forgotten. It was Kai's turn to smirk as he followed him, Ray now laughing hard as he struggled, trying to fight himself out and away from Kai's attack.

Reaching up Ray caught Kai around the neck, kissing him hard. Kai's revenge was immediately forgotten as he kissed him back, all other thoughts floating away as they lost themselves in the moment-

"What the…" Kai looked up, scowling. "Great. Just great."

Ray pushed himself up on his elbows, looking toward the door. "So Max is a screamer, hm?"

"So it would seem." Kai sighed, head drooping. "I knew I should have never said they could sleep together."

"It would have happened eventually." Ray reached up, trailing his fingers over Kai's face and smiling. "And you never know, one of us might be a screamer."

Kai smirked. "True." He leant down, kissing Ray gently. "Maybe now we can get some sleep."

"Yeah." As Kai settled back down Ray curled up against him, content and secure in Kai's embrace.

Kai blinked as a new sound filled the air, replacing the noises of their teammates: a low rumble. Kai focused, trying to pinpoint the direction… until he realised. Smiling faintly, he ran his hands through Ray's hair, kissing his forehead. "Comfortable, hm?"

"Yeah." Ray sighed dreamily. "I can try and stop if you want."

"It's fine, Ray." Kai smiled, closing his eyes. "Your purring is soothing."

"I've never heard it called that before." Ray grinned before yawning, shifting and getting more comfortable. "Kai?"

"Mm?"

"I love you."

Kai sighed, a smile once more tugging as his lips as sleep slowly caught up with him. "I love you too."

The very first time they realise Max is a screamer. Tyson must be very good in bed, methinks. And Kai and Ray finally said 'I love you'.