Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder
Hello everybody! Welcome to my one-shot fic! Hope you enjoy it! Please read and review!
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade. It belongs to Mr. Takao.
Kai sat on the neatly made bed, staring at a patch of carpet below his feet.
"Mm, that's a nice spot of floor. I think I'll goggle at it for a few hours." Tyson narrated his leader's behaviour.
Tyson, Max and Ray's heads could be seen peering anxiously round the door which had been opened a crack to check on the once strong blader.
"There must be something we can do," wondered Max.
"If only there was a way we could turn back time," Ray murmured.
"Look, what's done is done. It's in the past, and we can't change a thing now," Tyson explained. He took off his red baseball cap and ran his fingers through his navy hair. "If it makes you two softies feel better, then we'll check on him in an hour or so. But right now I'm hungry, so I'm off for something to eat. You're free to join me if you wish."
The gang withdrew, leaving Kai to the thoughts whirling round his mind.
Hilary directed her gaze from her frilly, pink skirt to Tyson's eyes. "How is he?"
"Not good. He's still...I don't know." Tyson sat beside his older brother Hiro, who had lowered the Sunday newspaper he was reading to listen intently on the current conversation. "His eyes are empty. There's no emotion flickering in them at all."
"Poor kid." Hiro sighed. "To see him... And then to have him..." He was having trouble expressing what he was trying to say. However, the others understood.
The table silenced and nobody spoke for a matter of minutes, until Max piped up.
"I know it's dreadful for me to think this, but do you think Kai would consider...you-know-what?"
"Of course not! Kai's not daft!" Ray shot at Max.
"It was just a thought."
Tyson began to eat a slice of toast Hiro had retrieved from the toaster.
"Do you think Kai would want something to eat?" Hilary pondered.
"I dunno." Ray leant back on his chair so that only two legs were in contact with the floor. "You could try."
"You're right. He's gotta eat."
Hilary dragged herself up the stairs. She knocked gently on the door.
"I really hope he's okay," Hilary said to no one in particular. She raised her head as the sound of scurrying feet came from inside Kai's room.
She started as the door was flung open.
"Tala?" Kai gasped. But he soon slinked back, disappointment reappearing on his pale face.
"I've brought you some dinner." Hilary spoke softly, placing the plate on a computer desk. The Toshiba laptop that was kept on top was on, Kai's wallpaper attracting her attention. It was a photo that was taken at the beach just a few months ago. Tala had his arm around Kai's neck. Kai looked happier than he'd ever been. Tala wore a grin from ear to ear, while Kai smiled a seductive smirk.
Kai directed his concentration onto Hilary's gaze at the computer screen.
"Do you remember that?" she asked, touching the screen.
Kai lifted his head high, as if searching his memory for that incident. "No."
"Oh really? But you have it as your wallpaper. I thought..."
"Yeah, well, you thought wrong. It was a photo taken by Hiro. That's all I remember." Kai swung his legs onto his bed.
"Do you want your dinner?" Hilary questioned.
Kai shook his head gently, his slate bangs wafting side to side.
"I'll leave it there, just in case." Hilary padded out of the room.
"Did he eat anything?" Max asked.
"No," she sighed. "Not a thing."
Kai looked to his left. The computer screen glared, hurting his eyes. He stepped up to it.
"Of course I remember. How could I forget?"
Flashback
"Cannonball!" Tyson squealed, launching himself into the sea. It failed, however, as he didn't jump far enough, and landed smack on his bottom in the shallow water. "Ow!"
"Let me just ask you one more time, why do you hang around with this bunch of incompetent idiots?" Tala scratched his head, turning to Kai.
"I've told you, it wasn't my decision and I don't have any choice. I'm their leader, and I have to train them and stuff," Kai replied.
"Don't you ever get bored?" Tala wondered. "I sure know I would be!"
"Not really!" Kai chuckled. "I suppose I get pleasure out of torturing them and seeing them sweat!"
Tala and Kai fell about laughing.
"I can be so cold!"
"Spoken like a true ice king!"
Kai lay on his back and used his hands to shield his eyes. "That damn sun!"
Tala shuffled next to him. "You could always come back to the Demolition Boys. There's a place for you there, and it's where you belong."
Kai twisted his head to look at Tala. "I know. But, your team holds so many bad memories. I don't think I'm strong enough to face them."
"We're here for you. We'll back you up every step of the way. You just need to believe in yourself," Tala encouraged him.
"I know." Kai gazed into Tala's icy blue eyes. "Thank you."
Kai and Tala leaned forward pressing their lips against the others.
"Thank you," he repeated.
Tala blushed, his cheeks turning as red as his hair, grinning from ear to ear. "You're welcome!"
"Guys, come on!" Hiro had stepped up to them. "We need a memento."
Tala swung his arm around Kai's neck and pulled his closer. The flash dazzled Kai's eyes.
"Hey! Turn it off next time, eh?" He staggered around.
Tala giggled, shaking his head. "Can't take you anywhere!"
End of Flashback
Kai felt cold drops trickle down his cheeks, smearing the face paint triangles he had just painted on.
'I told you I wasn't strong enough. But you were. No, are. You even fought for your last breath, right there in my arms. And I told you it was all going to be okay. But it isn't okay. You're not here. You're not with me anymore. I don't feel your warmth at night. Your tender lips pressing against mine. I'm alone, Tala. There's no one who can help me. No one who I can love more than I did you. What am I to do? I see your ghost across the street. In the corner shop. Even across the other side of the Beystadium. I imagine you're there, launcher in hand, sneering at me in a reassuring way I can't describe.' Kai sighed, choking on tears. 'What do I have to do to be with you? I'm sinking further and further into depression. I want to be with you forever and always. For eternity. But I can't, can I? Or can I?'
He stumbled into the bathroom, and stared at his image in the mirror.
"Mirror, mirror, on the wall," he whispered. He opened the medicine cabinet.
"I'm really worried about Kai," Ray said suddenly. "We haven't heard him."
"He'll be laid in his bed, I suppose," Max replied.
"He should've gone to the doctors. They could've given him some sort of anti-depressants."
"I'll go look." Hiro got out of his chair and dragged himself upstairs.
'I'll be there soon... Wait for me... Just a little longer...'
Kai took the razor and sat on the end of the bath, holding his arm out. He made six deep slits in his right wrist, each one getting deeper and deeper each time. He stared blankly as crimson liquid came pouring out. He repeated the slits on his left wrist.
"Kai, are you alright?" Hiro's head peered around the door, only to find Kai wasn't laid in his bed like usual. Then he noticed the bathroom door had been shut. 'I'm sure that was open before.'
Kai rested his head on the tiled wall behind him. He was getting dizzier and dizzier. The white tiled floor was now stained red from the blood gushing from his wrists.
There were voices outside the bathroom door, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. He was just focused on dying, joining his beloved Tala in Heaven, where he would find eternal peace.
He closed his eyes and smiled.
The door's lock broke off and swung open, revealing an unconscious Kai.
The sirens filled the street. People came out of their houses to see what the commotion was. Hilary was hysterical, Hiro comforting her. Max and Ray were staying strong, but at the same time, felt huge sorrow for their leader. Tyson was stood in the doorway, tears streaming down his face. They had been too late by the time they had found Kai.
Kai stepped through the huge golden gates, dressed in a white robe. He lifted his head high, searching for the one he loved.
"Tala, I'm here!" he called.
A bright light caused him to shield his eyes with his arms. In the distance was his boyfriend, Tala.
Tala stepped forward, advancing towards Kai. As he got closer, Kai noticed the stab wound still in his chest. He turned his palms towards him, seeing the twelve slits he had caused. But that didn't matter now. He was where he belonged, in eternal peace.
But his mind did often wander back to his team. And he paid them a visit sometimes, but stayed out their way. They couldn't see him, but he felt satisfied knowing they were still well. He frequently visited his own grave, as he knew they would be there regularly. And he answered their prayers, and allowed them to let him go, for if they held on to him, their lives would be filled with bad memories, just like his was. And he didn't want them to be a failure like him...