It is always nice to have a guardian angel watching over you…
The room was silent as the occasional tapping of finger on the keyboard and flipping of pages echoed, bouncing off the walls. Tala continued to type on his laptop, trying to be as silent and discrete as his possibly could as his roommate was tucked in his bed, trying to sleep.
The treatment had been going on for a few weeks now, and every night Kai would be awake leaning over the toilet. His throat started to burn from all the stomach acid creeping up his esophagus, so the doctors prescribed him yet another medication for from to take. Kai now had counted five bottles resting on his nightstand for him.
Tala had gone to the hospital two days after Kai had found out about his situation. Luckily nothing was wrong with the red head and he even brought back a note from the doctors to reassure the bluenette.
And now, Kai had gotten little sleep pondering everything that happened to him, or what he could remember. But he couldn't understand, seeing as how Tala stayed at BioVolt longer than Kai had, and he was perfectly healthy. Why hadn't Tala been affected? What about Bryan, Spencer, or any other Abbey kid? Pulling the covers over his head, a groan escaped his dry throat.
"You OK?" asked Tala, immediately after hearing Kai's groan. Kai rolled his eyes in their sockets and shifted his weight to turn his back to his friend. Tala had become so extremely motherly ever since he found out about the bluenette's condition. Every other second, the Russian was checking up on him making sure he was comfortable and such. Tala even tried to skip classes a few times, but Kai had been quick to protest that.
"Kai, I have a study group I have to meet and then Hayasa wanted to see me after. You going to be OK by yourself? I won't be back until late tonight, but if you need me…" Kai grunted his answer.
Tala sighed and closed up his laptop, grabbing a few book and his car keys, and heading towards the door. Tala opened his mouth to ask again, but Kai launched a pillow in his direction. Tala shut the door in time for the pillow to bounce off.
Alone…all day…Kai couldn't remember one of those days for quite some time. Hayasa would keep Tala out for a long time. The brunette didn't seem to be Tala's type of girl, but who was Kai to judge anyway? Sprawling on his back, Kai looked up to stare at bottom of Tala's bunk.
Quiet…the room was quiet. Eerie and quiet. No Tala bugging him, no teachers lecturing their asses off, no Wyatt trying to justify why he was late to deliver the tapes, and no Tyson and Hilary arguing over god know what.
Growling, Kai got up. He had finally gotten what he wanted, and now… now he did not want it. Would he ever catch a break? Looking out the single window, he watched the snow crystals fall from the sky. Changing as quickly as he could, Kai grabbed his long trench coat and grabbed the keys to the room. Locking the door behind him, Kai walked his way down and out of the dorm building.
The white sprinkling on the ground crunched under his boots, the wind nipping at his red nose. Pulling the collar tighter around his neck, Kai realized he had forgotten a hat and gloves. Jamming one hand into the closest pocket, Kai continued. He didn't know the next time he would get a chance to be alone.
I don't understand why this is happening to me. Why me? What did I do to deserve this? I didn't choose to be stuck at that damned Abbey; I didn't ask to be a lab rat for Balkov or Grandfather. Those bastards. I am sure they knew something like this could happen. Balkov is dead, and Grandfather's in jail. I am free from them, but they are still haunting me.
His walk took him off of the main campus area and down the streets of Tokyo. Even in the snowy weather people were honking their car horns at the traffic, bicyclists were zipping down the walkways weaving between the people. Everyone had their arms bundled up with their heads buried in their packages.
That was when it hit Kai…Christmas. Looking down at his wristwatch, he looked at the date…December 22nd. He had completely lost track of time since he had first gone to the hospital. Then again, he never celebrated the holiday anyway. He never had anyone to celebrate it with.
Before college, he was stuck with Voltaire until the old man was arrested after the Russian tournament. And after that, he had spend the rest of his school years at boarding school.
School. He had buried himself in it. Not the studies, not the classmates, just the idea that he had some place to stay. Wyatt had been the only one who had gotten close to Kai at the prep school. And now…no wonder why Wyatt stopped dropping by, he had gone home for the holiday break. Tala had stayed at the school, because he had nowhere else to go. Mr. Dickenson had gotten him into the college, and the rest of the Blitzkrieg Boys into colleges of their own choices to get their lives on track.
Tyson was probably at the dojo right now. Kai could just head the Dragon and his grandfather arguing over something rather pointless while kendo katanas went flying around. Kai let out a sigh; at least Tyson had someone to go home to, somewhere to go. Kai had no clue where he was going to go; he had pondered going to Europe. It was far enough from his past to start a new life.
That was if he lived to graduate college. That was if he lived to see the next Christmas. He was no fool and all his own personal research on lung cancer had told him the survival rate for one year was incredibly low and after that one year, it sunk lower and lower.
Gritting his teeth and shutting his eyes, Kai walked faster, his hand becoming numb as he held onto his collar. He could feel his lungs swell and another coughing fit dawning. No…no…no…no…he would not give into it.
The next thing he knew, Kai was one the ground lying on his back to face the snow falling on his face. A load of bags and boxers were covering his boy. With his lungs winning, Kai couldn't cease his coughs. He tried to look up, but the Phoenix couldn't see over the boxes.
"Oh my god! I am so sorry. I'm just in a…Kai?" His frozen ears twitched at the sound of Tyson's voice. The smaller man quickly gathered his packages off of Kai. Setting them aside, he offered his hand to help up his coughing former captain. Kai took him up on the offer and stood up.
"Thanks…" he mumbled, finally shoving his faze back to the ground.
"Geez! Kai! Your hands are frozen!" stated Tyson, still holding his one hand. Kai rather quickly retracted and jammed it into a pocket. "Here." Tyson took off his own pair of gloves and offered them to the taller man.
"I am fine," Kai shrugged off, coughing a few more times into his fist. Tyson cocked his head to the side and gave a worrisome glance. "What?"
"You aren't coming down with anything are you? That sounds like a nasty cough you got there…should you be out here in the snow?" Kai gulped. He didn't want Tyson to know. Kai didn't want to be treated differently by his former teammate, so he shook his head. "Take the gloves, Kai." Tyson once again shoved them into Kai's face.
"I told you, I am fine. I don't need them. What's with the boxes?"
"Oh! Christmas shopping of course! Lets see, Gramps is going to get his present when he gets back home from that cruise Dad and Hitoshi got him…Rei's…Max's…Kenny's…Mr. D's…Tala's…Wyatt's…Zeo's…Kane's …a few guys at the college you don't know… oh and of course yours!" Tyson smiled mysteriously. Kai rose a brow; he hadn't gotten a present since…err…well forever.
"You didn't have to…give it to a charity or something," he coughed.
"NO! I got it just for you!" exclaimed Tyson reaching down to gather all the boxes in his arms that he could. Kai bent down and picked up the rest of the bags. "Thanks Kai. Do you think you could help me take them over to my car? It's juts over there!" Kai grunted, walking over towards the Dragon's car.
Settling everything in, Tyson shut the trunk and shook his hair, letting all the snowflakes loosen of his hair and infamous hat.
"Thanks again, and sorry for bumping into you!"
"No, problem," he coughed again. Tyson frowned.
"You sure you aren't sick? Come with me! I'm going back to the dorms anyway! I'll make you some hot chocolate!"
"That's OK, Tyson. I am fine-"
"I won't forgive myself if you get sick!"
But I already am…
"Please Kai! Pretty please?" Tyson have the elder chibi eyes. Kai just narrowed his own at Tyson, who continued to give him the same look.
"You aren't going to give up until I agree…" Tyson nodded his head. Kai just glared and opened the door.
"Yippie!" Tyson slid into the driver's seat.
"You haven't changed," growled Kai staring out his window. Tyson blushed and started the car. Kai then remember he never sat in the car with Tyson driving before. He just prayed they would not crash.
You're going to die anyway…no matter what the doctors say…"You haven't changed either, Mr. Sourpuss! Well, expect when you turned evil in Russia that short time all those years ago…" Kai folded his arms as Tyson backed out of the parking space.
Russia… the Abbey…"Lets not go there," he growled.