So, I'm back with chapter two of this wondrous load of crud! This chapter has been re-written (ohmigosh, I went back to a discontinued story!) so hopefully it's a bit better than it was.

Warnings: yaoi, rape, abuse, and other similar themes. If you can't handle it, stop reading now.

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade or its characters.

CHAPTER TWO

The rain came swiftly: unheeded and definitely unwelcome. It had started off as a light shower, but in less than a minute I was caught in a full-on storm. It was late, and all I really wanted was to get home and sleep, but Takao's house was much closer than mine. I didn't think he'd mind much if I went and asked to stay the night.

Takao was the world champion Beyblader. His spirit was impossible to break, he would stand up for his friends no matter what the cost and always stood by his beliefs. And - lucky me - Takao was my boyfriend. I thought he was perfect.

I broke into a run shortly after the downpour started, frequent flashes of lightning illuminating the sky, accompanied by loud rumbles of thunder that almost made me trip over a few times from their suddenness. It wasn't long before I sighted his house.

I didn't bother to knock - he'd always told me not to. His grandpa never minded (he was very laid back, often trying to spend more time with the team than he really needed to in an effort to be "cool" and when he found out that Takao and I were dating, he was very supportive). I pulled open the door and shut it behind me, leaning against it for a moment to catch my breath as I dripped onto the laminate flooring of the dojo. I tugged off my wet jacket and draped it over my equally wet arm, walking through the dojo to find Takao.

Usually, I would have called out his name, but he wouldn't have heard me tonight. You could hear the rain beating heavily down on the roof (the dojo had only one storey) and the echoing thunder didn't help, either.

A smile broke across my face as I rested my hand on the door handle of Takao's room, and I pictured his face when I entered: his elated surprise. I turned the handle and pushed open the door. My grin froze on my face and then completely disappeared, within less than a second. Well, surprised could maybe describe it.

Two pairs of eyes flitted to the doorway where I stood, still clinging to the handle as though I'd fall over without it. The two dishevelled boys - one Takao, one a complete stranger to me - just stared at me, wide-eyed, mouths hung open, entangled in the bed sheets, their breathing erratic. I could tell by Takao's averted gaze that he was trying to think up some excuse for this, but I wouldn't hear him.

I turned and made a run to leave, and I heard him call my name. I didn't stop. I didn't want to hear whatever lies he was about to feed me.

I carried on running, out of the door, down the wet streets, past my own house... I didn't care about the rain any more. The tears streaking down my face were impossible to see through the rain, and I almost lost my way, unable to see, but I still managed to get where I was headed. I pushed open the huge gates and ran up the ridiculously long driveway, and pounded on the door, praying that Kai would be the one to answer. He did.

At first, he couldn't tell that anything was wrong. He stepped aside to let me enter, probably assuming that I wanted shelter from the rain, but he grew concerned when he noticed the redness around my eyes, and my body shaking with sobs. My legs felt like jelly and I almost fell right onto the hard marble floor, but Kai was fast, and he caught me around the waist. He didn't say anything at first, just led me through to the kitchen and sat me down on a stool, walking around the counter to fix some drinks and let me calm down. Practicality over emotions, it seemed, but it did make sense. At least someone was thinking straight.

He walked slowly back round the counter and placed a drink in front of me, but I didn't want to drink it. "What happened?" He asked, his voice quiet, concerned.

The tears came back tenfold and I clung to him, crying into his shirt. I tried to speak, I wanted to tell him, but the words wouldn't come out. So I sat, and I cried, and Kai let me. He didn't hold me; didn't try to comfort me, but just letting me cry without judging me was enough.

When my sobs finally subsided and I'd gained control of my speech again I let go of him. I thought I saw him step forwards, like he didn't want me to let go, but I probably was imagining it. With a shaky breath, I picked up the drink and downed it, a horrible fiery feeling making its way down my throat and I spluttered a little. Kai chuckled and took the seat next to me, "You might want to drink that a little slower." He cautioned and picked up a bottle to pour me some more.

The corners of my mouth tugged into a smile and I nodded slowly, taking a sip. I didn't know what I was drinking exactly, but I figured by the taste that it was alcohol. I hated drinking, but right now I welcomed it. I'd heard of people drinking away their problems before. Somehow it seemed sane right then.

"You don't have to tell me now." Kai told me, "I can wait until you're ready to talk."

His words lifted an imaginary weight from my chest, though the smile drained from my face as I pictured the scene again. How could Takao... "I thought...that he loved me, y'know?" I murmured, my thoughts turning into words.

"...Takao?" Kai asked, unnecessarily. He knew, I knew, whom I was talking about.

But I nodded all the same. "I... He--" I shook my head, confused, trying to clear my thoughts, "He was...with someone else. They were..."

I didn't have to say any more than that. I saw Kai's hands clench into fists, anger boiling up onto his face, "What gives him the right..." He began to say, but cut himself off. He turned his head to look at me, but I was still concentrating on his hands. Did he want to hurt Takao? I was angry, too, but I didn't want Kai to hurt anybody. He followed my gaze to his hands and unclenched his fists, picking up his own drink instead and downing it as I had, only without the choking.

I started when he pounded the table with his fists, and I swirled on my chair, almost falling off it, to see him getting to his feet. He didn't say a word; just headed for the front door...

"Kai, where are y--... Kai, don't!" I called after him, but I don't think he was listening. He walked out into the rain, ploughing on as though it was a perfect summer's day and the rain didn't matter. "Please! Let's just go back!" I had to yell over the rain, but he still acted as though he couldn't hear. I stayed quiet after that, knowing that my words only fell upon deaf ears. The whole way there I hoped that Kai would come to his senses and stop, and turn back, but he didn't.

He stopped at Takao's door, banging harshly on it with his fists and it didn't take long for Takao to answer. The younger blader stepped back when he saw Kai's livid state, "Wh-what's going on..?" He asked unsurely, and Kai walked into the house uninvited, casting his glare at the other boy who was standing some ways behind Takao.

"Who the fuck is he?" Kai demanded, eyes locking back onto Takao's.

The unknown boy edged between the two and looked at Takao, "U-umm... Maybe another time, 'kay?" He turned to me, "I'm sorry, I didn't..." He cut himself off and ran out of the door. Nobody tried to stop him. Nobody cared about him; all eyes were on Takao.

He stared at me, his face an unreadable mixture of confusion and helplessness. "Rei... I'm sorry, it was never meant to--"

"Sorry? Yeah, you're both fucking sorry?" Kai yelled, seething with anger. "This is a new kind of low, Kinomiya. You're worthless; you're pathetic. You will be sorry!"

Takao stepped back again, his eyes narrowing, "This is nothing to do with you! What the hell would you know, it's not like you've ever felt anything other than hatred, you stupid pessimist! Stay out of this!"

I thought Takao's harsh words might have some effect on Kai other than to make him even angrier, but he just lunged forwards, catching Takao completely off guard and his gloved fist connected roughly with Takao's face, sending him to the floor. Takao cried out and clutched his jaw. He didn't move to get up; he just glared at Kai, who glared right back. "You're worth less than the paper your birth certificate was printed on." Kai spat, and turned on his heel, "Don't even think of talking to Rei again."

I should have said something. Kai was being too harsh...wasn't he? Completely confused, I stood, staring at Takao for a while. His eyes were pleading. I knew he was sorry... But that didn't take back what he'd done. I softly shook my head and followed Kai out of the door.

The walk back to Kai's was a silent one. He seemed to be deep in thought and I didn't want to disturb him.

"Thanks..." I said, once we were sitting on a comfortable sofa in his expansive living room. "I don't know what I would've done without you today."

"You would have forgiven him." Kai answered bluntly, "And he would have done it again." He looked into my eyes with all seriousness and I realised that he was right. That was exactly what I'd have done. "But it's okay now."

I nodded and smiled half-heartedly. "Yeah."

He sighed and let his head droop back, and he stared at the ceiling, "I just don't know how anyone could be so stupid."

I stared at him inquisitively, but he didn't see. "What do you mean..?" I asked.

Kai paused and lifted his head to look at me, "Nothing..." He mumbled, confusing me further.

We sat there for a little while, saying nothing, when a sneeze broke the silence. I sniffed and huddled my legs up to my chest. Suddenly I didn't feel so good. My head started to throb lightly and I felt stuffy. Kai lifted a hand to touch my forehead and I unintentionally pulled my head back before I realised what he was doing. I let him feel my forehead and watched as he frowned.

"You've got a fever." He announced blankly, and stood up, "It's probably from being out in the rain so much. You stay there, I'll go and get you some medicine. Best to stop it before it starts." He told me, as though he were the great sage of illness.

But I didn't get to take the medicine. I was already fast asleep by the time he returned with it, curled up into a ball on his couch...

I tried to make it a little longer, but I think I actually shortened it! Well, quality over quantity! The next chapter will be longer, though. I decided to stick to Rei's point of view, because the story is about him, and it gives a better insight to his feelings and whatnot. You can see stuff from his point of view, rather than a narrator's, y'know? Anyways, review, comment, critique! Ideas are always great, as is constructive criticism, but no flames, please!