Chapter six

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'thought to bitbeast'
thought to self
NIGHTMARE
REALITY

Kai rolled over on his bed, his arms thrashing as he neared dangerously close to the edge of the bed. He wound himself tightly in his sheets, arms wrapped in as well as he turned to the other side and almost fell of that as well.

(#(&&(

NIGHTMARE

#(&))&)&&(#((((

"Kai, hurry!"

"I'm coming Rei! Hold on!"

"Kai, I'm slipping!"

"Rei, no! Just hold on!" Rei was barely hanging on to the edge of a steep cliff, water crashing onto the darkness below. Kai could see the neko-jin's hair loose and his strength leaving him, he was somehow badly beaten and he couldn't hold on much longer. Kai was fighting a swarm of darkness aided by flames of Dranzer, but even with her help, he gained no ground in reaching Rei.

"Kai!" Rei called. "Kai! I can't hold on!" Kai stepped back. Gathering Dranzer's power together, he plunged into the darkness that threatened to swallow him. Miraculously, he came out to the edge where Rei was. "I'm here Rei! Hold on!" Kai yelled.

"Kai…" Rei whispered, the last of is strength leaving him as he fainted. His hand parted the jagged cliff just as Kai's hand shot down, a second too late.

"No! Rei!" Kai shouted, the darkness fogging his eyes.

#(#(&)&&((&

REALITY

#((()&&))&)

"Ah!"

Kai rolled off the bed (as predicted) hitting the floor rather hard. But Kai made no motion to get back into bed. He untangled himself from the cover and quietly as possible, he walked to Rei's room.

It was a week since Rei's transformation, but every night he had a variation of the dream he just had. And every night he'd gotten up to see if Rei' was alright. By the third night he just left the door open so he wouldn't make so much noise. But Kai was sure Rie heard him anyway, even in his sleep. Tonight, Kai peered around the door as usual. And of course, Rei was there sleeping peacefully. I hope… Kai thought. Even when he was most vulnerable it was hard to tell what Rei was thinking. Satisfied, Kai withdrew from the Chinese boy's room and returned to his own.

Why am I having these dreams? He's always the same… he's badly beaten, not an ounce of strength left in him, and his hair is always loose. I've never seen it like that before… Maybe when he returns to normal I'll ask him. Kai nodded off again, his thoughts on anything but Rei, afraid of being dragged back into the darkness keeping them apart.

When Kai awoke for the second time he expected to see Rei on the couch watching TV or in the kitchen cooking (it had become rather cold in their area so beybattles were condemned inside, and at a minimal). But Kai found neither statement to be true when he entered the kitchen for a second time. The microwave clock read 9:15. Rei was usually up at seven, give or take ten minutes. Inquisitive, he went to Rei's door and knocked. "Rei?" he called.

"Kai?" Kai pushed the door open and went over to Rei's bed. "Good morning, Kai." said Rei, his eyes not open.

"How do you know it's morning with your eyes closed?" asked Kai. Rei groaned and slowly opened his eyes. "That's my boy." said Kai. Rei blinked and looked solemnly at the bluenette. Kai noticed the chibi's pupils seemed smaller then normal, even with the blinds not open to cause them to shrink. "Rei are you feeling alright?" he asked. Rei nodded. "Then tell me why your eyes are not in there normal position."

"I'm not normal Kai… things are different for me." said Rei. Kai reached out and put a hand on his forehead.

"Nothing is different about a hot forehead." Kai drew his hand away. Thank God it's not heat. he thought. "You're sick aren't you?" Rei closed his eyes and nodded. Kai sighed. "Well, looks like I really will have to take care of you." he said, smiling. Rei opened his eyes.

"You're not mad?" Rei whispered. Kai shook his head. Rei turned away as he set into a fit of coughing. When he was done, he turned onto his back.

"Stay like that." said Kai. He went into Rei's bathroom and grabbed a washcloth as he turned on the cold water. When it was damp he turned the water off and rung the cloth. He returned to Rei's side and put the towel on his forehead. Rei seemed to have drifted back into sleep. Kai sat on the edge of his bed and stroked his bangs. "My little chibi is sick." he said. "But Kai will take care of him." He stroked Rei's face and his small hand held his as he followed the curve of his cheek.

"H-home, Kai." Rei whispered. "Home."

"With your baba?" said Kai, using the neko-jin's native tongue to soothe him.

"With my father, y-you, Kai." Kai smiled.

He spent the whole day keeping after Rei. He left the door open so he could hear his kitten mew when he wanted something. He was replacing the warm cloth on his head with a cooler one when Rei started. "Kai," he said, his eyes opening. "I'm hungry, baba."

"Let me see what I can do about that." said Kai. Sweeping the cover up with him, he picked Rei up bridal style and carried him directly to the fridge, opening the door with his foot. "Any thing you can see you can eat, unless I say otherwise." Rei pointed to a chilled bowl of yellow rice (Kai found out a few days back that Rei cooked an egg in the rice, making egg curry rice, hence becoming yellow). Kai brought it to his hands and closed the door. He asked Rei to reach into the drawer to get some chopsticks. When he was done he made to return to his room.

"Baba, I want to stay out here." Rei whispered. Kai nodded and turned to the living area and sat on the couch. Even through illness Rei still had the appetite of the healthiest person alive and wolfed down the rice. Kai stroked his hair, his mind wandering with his eyes over the glossiness of the chibi's hair. It's almost time for him to turn back, thought Kai, What then? Do I shun my feelings or do I tell him no matter what form? Just then Rei started coughing. Kai grabbed his bowl and put it aside as Rei continued to cough. Tears began welling up in his eyes as he bent double in his cough, Kai rubbing his back.

"Easy Rei, easy…" Kai said. Rei stopped coughing and sniffed, rubbing the tears out of his eyes. "Feel better?" Rei shook his head. "It's time for you to lay down again." Kai stood up and carried Rei to his room.

"I'm sorry Kai," said Rei, his eyes barely open.

"Why's that?" asked Kai, placing Rei on his bed.

"I'm sorry I can't stay out there with you." Kai bit his lip as the mini neko-jin's eyes rolled to the back of his head.

"How about I stay here with you?" he said, getting under the cover scooting next to Rei. He gave a faint smile and nodded as Kai put a protective arm around him.

"I'd like that, baba." said Rei.

"So do I."