Chapter seven

Gatem: Hi! We were on our lunch break.
Rei: She devoured the restaurants food supply.
Kai: She's worse than Tyson, and that's saying something.
Gatem: I didn't have breakfast!
Rei: Is that all?
Kai: You probably want to hold on to any food in your stomach, so we won't go on about all the junk she ate like a—
Gatem: On with the fic, damn it!

'thought to bitbeast'
thought to self
NIGHTMARE
REALITY

Rei's condition steadily worsened as the week passed. Twice, Kai had caught Rei suffocating rather than coughing, his chest going very tight before he spat up whatever ailed him. And Kai noticed the condition of his eyes. Instead of the pupils growing smaller in sunlight and swelling in the night, they did the exact opposite, and it scared Kai because he thought Rei was going blind. Anytime Kai asked him about it, he simply said he was different and things weren't normal for him when he gets sick.

'Driger,' Kai thought on Wednesday morning at the kitchen bar, 'Why do his eyes do that?'

'Being a neko-jin, a symptom to a cold is reverted eyesight.' thought Driger.

'In English please.'

'It's normal, just like he told you Kai. You're his baba, so you have to trust your child, kapeesh?' Kai sighed. 'Yeah. Dranzer.'

'You rang?' the phoenix asked. 'What did you mean when you said it could've been worse?' There was a pause a Dranzer contemplated her answer. 'I meant that we could have turned you into a chibi.' she thought. A faint coughing reached his ears. 'Maybe you wouldn't have gotten sick.' 'Shut up.'

"Rei, are you alright?" Kai walked over to Rei's bed taking his usual spot next to his kitten. But the moment Kai entered Rei only began to cough harder. He finally stopped, tears running down his face as he breathed deeply.

"Baba, I want to go out." he whispered.

"You're hungry?" Kai asked.

"I want to go outside, baba." breathed Rei.

"No. You'll catch your death outside." Kai said.

"Please Kai? I'll be alright—"

"No. I want you to get better not worse. You can't go outside until you've recovered." said Kai, his voice leaving no room for discussion. As he stood up and left, Rei's tears continued to flow, but it wasn't because of his cough.

On Thursday, Oliver and Enrique dropped by. Oliver asked to see Rei, and Kai quietly opened the door to reveal the Chinese boy fast asleep on his back, his mouth hanging open.

"Now what did you do to him?" said Enrique. Kai shrugged.

"He wasn't awake one morning, I went to check on him and he was sick." said Kai.

"Just a fever hopefully?" said Oliver.

"That's the thing. Usually a cold is contagious, but I haven't caught anything from him yet."

"So you've been, extra close to Rei, have you?" said Enrique. Kai glared at him.

"Ever since this time yesterday I told him he couldn't go outside he's been asleep. I'm getting worried about him."

"You sure that's just not his plan to take revenge on you for not letting him leave and boxing him in his room?" smirked Enrique.

"Alright! That's it! You're making me crazy, so get out. When he's normal he'll come to see you." Kai shouted. The European boys were out the door in a flash leaving Kai to fume on the spot.

"Kai." He turned. "Why were you yelling?" Rei asked. He leaned against the doorframe, a shaking hand outstretched. "Why—"

"Rei! Why are you up? You should be resting." said Kai, taking Rei's hand. "Don't worry it was just Oliver and Enrique." Rei looked somberly up at Kai; golden orange meeting lush crimson. He allowed Kai to steer him back inside and he jumped onto the bed, rolling onto his back. "Please don't do that again Rei…please just call me instead, alright?" Kai said.

"Yes Kai…" yawned Rei. Kai smiled. And please call me 'baba' again.

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NIGHTMARE

&((((((&(&(

"Rei! Rei can you hear me?" Kai raced toward Rei's unconscious figure, lying on a raised dais ahead of Kai, his long hair falling over the edge. Above Rei was a death trap, a ceiling of lowering spikes intent on killing the neko-jin. Kai was making his way through a dark labyrinth, running as fast as he could while keeping his eyes on Rei and the falling spikes.

"Rei!" he shouted. "Rei, come on speak to me! Move Rei!" He turned left, ran the length of the maze, turned right, right again, but no matter how much he seemed to gain, Rei still looked as far away as before. The spikes drew closer, closer, until finally Kai couldn't bear to look at how close.

"Rei! No, Rei, move!" Kai ran his fastest and looked up, stopping at the horrible sight that was meeting his eyes. But not a moment later a black pit opened beneath him, swallowing him into oblivion.

#(((&&))&)&

REALITY

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Kai opened his eyes and sat up. That dream, he thought, was the most deadly of all… He felt a cold drop of sweat run down his face. He turned to the window on his right. Pounding rain drummed on the glass, making a rhythmic pattering sound. As Kai got out of bed and walked over to it, he saw a flash of lightning. It was instantly followed by a clap of thunder. Kai turned and left for Rei's room, yawning as went down the practiced route.

"How's my Rei?" said Kai as he opened the door entering the chibi's room. He heard no reply. "Rei?" He stopped at the foot of the bed and saw that the sheets had been ripped off and thrown to the floor, but still no Rei. Kai walked to the closed bathroom door. "Rei?" he said, tapping on the door. No reply, but he opened it anyway. As he suspected (though he didn't want to) Rei wasn't there. Now Kai was worried. Rei shouldn't be out of bed, not without telling me, thought Kai. He walked out of Rei's room and went to the kitchen. He listened for any sound, possibly a ragged breath or a sniffling, but Kai knew that Rei would be the only one to hear such quiet sounds in this weather.

Another flash of lightning flooded the kitchen with light. Kai turned around and walked to the living room, which was so open, he could automatically tell that Rei wasn't there. His eye caught the billowing curtain to the balcony. He didn't… Kai walked over to the curtain and pulled it back, expecting to see Rei there. Thankfully, he was wrong. He walked back down the hall to his bedroom. It was then he heard his crying kitten.

"Rei!" Kai shouted when he saw the small Chinese boy huddled on his bed. "Kami, Rei!" The chibi looked up into the furious face of Kai.

"K-Kai, I—ah!" Kai had slapped the mini neko-jin, sending him to the floor. Rei held his red cheek as tears ran down his face.

"Damn it, Rei, don't do that again! You had me going crazy, why did you do that?" Kai shouted. Rei pointed at the window as another lightning bolt forked across the sky, followed by a sickening crash of thunder. Kai gasped. "You were scared?" Rei nodded. "Oh Rei. I-I just was worried… about where you were. And you're sick, too. I'm so sorry." Kai kneeled down next to Rei and tried to gather him up in a hug. But Rei would not have it and began to snarl through is tears and he bit at Kai.

"Y-your just like the other one! How c-could I call you baba? You don't love me! I was never loved by any one!" And before Kai could stop him, Rei got up and ran out of the room, knocking Kai over. "Your just like the other one!"

"Rei!" Kai shouted. He scrambled up after the chibi but by the time he got to the living room, he was gone. Thinking only of Rei's safety, he grabbed his 'blade and his scarf and left the hotel room. When he got to the lobby, people moved out of his way seeing the urgency in his face. I must find him, Kai thought, I must.

Rei had escaped through the balcony, making a wide leap over the railing to the next rooftop. Never slowing down, he ran from roof to roof as far as possible. When his legs began to quake under the strain, he climbed down the back of the building into the heart of an alley.

"Well, well, well. Look who it is." said a voice behind Rei. He quickly turned to see Rafael. But he wasn't alone. He'd brought a few gang members with him, all at least twice his size. "I told you I'd be back. That's the one, boys." said Rafael.

"He don't look so though." said one boy on his right. At that moment, Rei started coughing. He fell on all fours, his bangs hiding his face as warm tears welled up in his eyes. "You see what I mean?"

"Then why was he able to split my 'blade in two?" He's got the real alleyway training, but while he's here, were gonna teach him a lesson." said Rafael. The surrounding boys grinned as they cracked their knuckles.

"I…I, can't…beybattle." whispered Rei. "I'm sick."

"Were going to beybattle kid. I have to get my title back, and you need to be taught some respect." Rafael said, as the boys made a ring around him while he trembled, teeth clenched in anger.

"He told me not to beybattle while I'm sick!" said Rei. He looked up and pounced at the boy in front of him. He staggered as Rei started viciously punching the boy's face.

"Get him off!" the boy shouted through a bloody nose. Two others came behind Rei who he heard and a second before they reached him; he kicked off his punching bag and left him to be tackled. Rei gracefully landed on his feet, but as he turned, something hard struck him across the face. He fell back and before he could get up a rough hand grabbed him around his neck and held him up.

"Now pay attention." they boy said. "Your in our territory, so you'll play by our rules. So do we have a beybattle or not?" Rei warily opened his eyes.

"No." He waited. The next thing he knew, his back was in the brick wall and the boy left him fall. He curled over coughing up blood.

"Were done here," said Rafael. "But we'll be back. Your easy to spot." He signaled to his gang and they walked away laughing.

Rei's small trail of blood mingled with the rain, going down to the mouth of the alley and into the drain. I'm sorry, Kai, Rei thought, his breathing coming shorter and shorter. I'm sorry I have to leave you.

Kai raced through all the streets with forum shops and restaurants, beyblade shops and clothing stores. He saw no sign of Rei. He guessed that he might be in an alley but he had hoped to find him somewhere in the open. But with that plan coming up scratch, he set his sights for the alleys.

Rei, what have I done? thought Kai, why was I so difficult with you? I've turned you against me all because I couldn't listen. You don't deserve to be loved by me, but I do love you, you are loved. And now more than ever I fear for your safety, knowing you, what's happened to you can only be expected. Kai made a sharp left and ran the length of the alley, the occasional flash of lightning illuminating his path. He turned to the right and stopped, leaning against the brick wall as he panted, taking a break. Something caught his eye in the drain on his right. Something besides water reflected on its surface. Something he prayed he would not see. Blood.

Kai raced up the sloppy alley, trusting his gut to guide him straight up instead of the winding paths that branched out on either side of him. "Rei!" he called. A flash of lightning struck over the alley. Kai quickly scanned the area. "Oh no." Kai kneeled down next to Rei's beaten and bruised form. Just like in my dream. Kai thought. "Almost…" He reached out to Rei's ribbon and pulled it off, the long raven mass spilling out. He reached for the red headband, letting the bangs fall. Except for his size, he was exactly as Kai saw him every night in his nightmare. "What does this mean?" Kai whispered. He gently scooped Rei into his lap and held the chibi close, his head leaning back over Kai's arm. "Oh, Rei…" Kai said, his eyes filling with tears. "I'm so sorry." He kissed Rei's cheek and then brushed his lips over the neko-jin's. Rei's pale form shuddered and fell motionless, chest tightening by the second.

Have hope, Rei! I will not let you leave me. Kei stood up and raced back to the hotel. He stayed around back going up the emergency exit stairs, one for speed and another to avoid anyone to seeing him with Rei in such a state. He could barely get the key card in as he watched Rei, whether alive or not. When he got in he slammed the door and rushed to the couch, gently lowering Rei on the cushions as he threw his ribbons on the table and raced into Rei's room. His bedside clock read 11:58 pm. Kai moved into the bathroom, opening the medicine cabinet as he thought of a Russian legend he was told from when he was a child. /The children may fall to Death, but they will leave at midnight/ How coincidental… Kai thought. He threw stuff of the shelves as he looked for anything that might bring Rei back to consciousness, as well as the long cloth bandages he always wore. He came back with the items, the clock now reading 11:59 pm. He went back out to Rei, who had not stirred in any way, and only seemed to have grown paler.

"Rei, c'mon stay with us." Kai said. He had not sat down on the couch when all through the room, the clock alarms sounded midnight. "…You can't leave…we need you…" Kai said, sitting beside Rei. "I…need you." One by one, the alarms shut off. Kai closed his eyes as silent tears came down his face.

"Kai?"

"Rei!" Kai looked into the face of full-grown Rei Kon. He still had all his injuries but he was wearing his blue-and-white Chinese outfit that was as beat as he was. And his hair was still loose. Kai reached to touch it as Rei's hand slowly moved to his face. Kai closed his eyes. He felt a sudden sting on his face as Rei slapped him. "Ow." stated Kai simply.

"I'm sorry Kai," smirked Rei. "Let me make it up to you…" Using Kai's scarf, Rei pulled his face closer to his and brushed his lips against Kai's. "I can't walk on my own Kai. Will you help me out?" whispered Rei. Kai grinned as he picked Rei up and put him over his shoulder. He kicked the door open as he walked over to Rei's bed, half-throwing, half-lowering him.

"Tyson and the others will be back soon…We'll have to go back to sharing a room."

"Just ask outright if you want to spend the night with me, in which case the answer is 'yes.'" said Rei. Kai kicked off his shoes and joined Rei in bed, once again putting an arm around him, only this time, Rei was facing him. Kai drew him closer and pulled the neko-jin into a kiss.

"I love you, Rei."

"I couldn't tell."

"Was I that obvious?"

"Through your cold demeanor, only the neko-jin can read your mood. You had love in the corner of your mind for a while." Rei licked at Kai's bare cheeks, flustered with a crimson tone. "I changed my cold captain into my koi." Kai stroked Rei's raven mass, pulling the hair between his teeth. Rei purred deeply, his face caressing into Kai's chest.

"Koi might not come close…"

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

Kai: I was too soft.
Gatem: You've always been like that for Rei.
Rei: Deny it and I'll start crying.
Kai: I am not soft for Rei.
Rei: K-Kai, I-I thought y-you cared… (Big tears well up in his eyes)
Kai: Kami, I hate how you do that…(hugs Rei)
Gatem: Teach me this.