Title: Boys Day In or Out?
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine
Rating: PG-13
Summary: see chapter one
Warnings: see chapter one
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. Any and all unrecognizable characters belong solely to me and are not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the sole intention.
"Well, I think we've got everything," Ata mercifully announced as they left the neon-lit abyss that was Gothica's Accessories.
"I thought we're going out one night," his less-than-thrilled companion said, eyeing the large bags they carried. "Remind me why I bought almost five hundred dollars worth of clothes, shoes and belts?"
"Because, my fashionably-inept friend, imagine you're in the club, getting down on the dance floor," Both of them snorted at that vision, "and some bastard spills his drink all over your shirt; would you wear that for the rest of the night?"
"I'd bring a spare," Kai answered, lifting his baggage. "But you somehow managed to get me to buy two more outfits."
"You'd change just your shirt?" Ata asked rolled his eyes. "These outfits were chosen to match to the T. You can't go out wearing one top-pants combination, ruin the top and then just pull on another. They just won't match," he concluded as if everyone knew that.
Kai stared at his best friend with a genuinely perplexed look.
"What's it like in there?" he wondered out loud, crimson eyes trying to see right into the other's mind.
"I'd tell you but then I'd have to kill you." Checking his watch, the redhead shifted all his bags to one hand in order to grab the bluenette by the arm. "Come on, I think I'll eat our…excuse me, my pizza now."
"Sadistic prick," he muttered, glancing at his own wrist. "It's only two."
"I'm going out to dinner tonight, remember?"
Damn it. He had been trying so hard to forget that.
"Food court should be…this way."
Ignoring his friend's none-too-pleased look, Ata began dragging him along though they soon fell into an easy pace as, as expected, the redhead could not resist window-shopping. The tables quickly turned and it was Kai who had to be holding onto his friend to stop him from entering every shop.
At least, that's the excuse he gave the redhead concerning his sudden willingness to stay close to him, holding his hand as the blue eyes roamed the display cases, oblivious that they were both attracting the attention of other shoppers, particularly Ata since Kai's cold glare scared off most admirers. A passing teen was gifted with a particularly nasty look when his eyes ran one too many times over the redhead's body.
"What was that for?"
Uh oh, Ata had seen that one.
"He looked like a pickpocket," was the lame defense.
"Need I remind you who the eldest is?"
"By one month, Ata. We're both fifteen."
"You certainly don't act it."
Being best friends had its ups and downs. Of course, the ups greatly outweighed the downs, but the downs were extremely trying. A sort of 'Quality over quantity' thing, as Ata had labeled it. One of these downs was that between friends even the best intentions were often confused or waved off as emotion. Kai was unsettled by the too-intent attention his friend got from older men, Ata felt that Kai was being far too overprotective of him.
'Maybe I should call Bryan…'
Now there was an idea. The falcon had no interest whatsoever in the romance field ("Romantic feelings are for the weak") but never let it be said that Bryan did not care for his friends. He would never sit down and discuss relationships but may the lord have mercy on the unfortunate soul who brought any harm upon anyone the falcon had placed under his protection. For example, should Mystery James turn out to be the creep Kai felt him to be and something happened to Ata Kai would definitely deal out a couple of decent punches, many glares and curses, and would do all in his power to keep the man in jail for as long as his money could afford. With Bryan…well, let's just say that James would be begging for solitary confinement long before the falcon was done with him.
Also, for reasons Kai had yet to comprehend, Ata listened to Bryan better. No one could control the wolf, of course, but the redhead tended to take their older friend more serious 90 of the time whereas he would ignore Kai. Kai was sure that if Bryan was to side with him on this whole James-business Ata would be a lot more approachable.
'Wonder what would happen if Bryan ever fell for someone…'
Random thought there.
"What are you smirking about?" Ata asked, curious.
"Do you think we'd get Bryan to the nightclub?"
The grin that crossed the redhead's face could have sent the Devil scurrying with his tail between his legs.
"I think that our little bet has just become a lot more interesting."
Kai adopted an evil grin of his own. As Ata had said earlier, he should 'share the joy'. Sure, suggesting they drag Bryan into this would not earn him the falcon's side in operation 'Jilt James', but seeing him attempt, and fail, to talk himself out of coming followed up by him suffering alongside the phoenix in the clubs, courtesy of their redhead friend, would be worth the sacrifice.
Seeing as the lunch-break rush had passed the food court was agreeably peaceful; there were no long lines and plenty of tables free. Ata, in the process of dialing on his cell, quickly picked out a table he always sat at. Dumping the shopping on the empty seat, he motioned for Kai to sit while he went to order something to eat, glaring silently at the objecting bluenette until his attention was caught by the voice on the other line.
Bryan had taken the bait by answering and Ata, like any well-rewarded and patient fisherman, had only to begin reeling his catch in. Talking in an innocent tone, the redhead headed off to an Italian fast food place situated in the alcove of restaurants and snack shops before Kai could stop him.
Unable to leave their stuff and not too willing to drag them along, he sat back in his seat, arms folded and eyes never leaving the other teen who was on the other side of the court by now. Some minutes past uneventfully until…
"Hey there."
Not computing that that had been aimed at him, he ignored it until it was repeated. He found its source to be a man who had been leaning a few feet away against the low wall which divided the main eating place from the rest from the food court. Seeing that he had caught the bluenette's attention the stranger smiled, giving him a small wave/salute in greeting, which he did not return.
"What do you want?" he asked coldly.
"Nothing really," was the casual response. The man was handsome but he radiated egoism. He nodded to the bags on the chair. "I see you've been doing some shopping."
"What are the chances of me doing that in a mall?" he countered, resisting the temptation to roll his eyes. "Are you from some charity organization?"
"No."
"Are you selling anything?" Legal?
"Nope."
"Did you lose something?" Like your mind, or will to live?
"Can't a guy just say hi to a sexy thing like you?"
He hated when Ata said it, accompanying the words with a hand on his hip and the other snapping a finger in one's face, but this was one of those occasions where the line fitted in perfectly:
"Oh no he didn't!"
Sexy thing?
Where others would have gone on the verbal offences, Kai did what he always did, spurred on by indignation. He glared with an intensity that could have easily scored a 9.8 on the Richter scale on the other side of the Atlantic. While it didn't really register on the scale, it most certainly did on Casanova whose self-assured grin cracked slightly.
"You kids these days are rather rude to your elders."
"Some elders are too friendly to kids. It's called pedophilia; look it up if you must."
Shrugging, the stranger pushed himself calmly from the wall.
"You'll never get some with that attitude, babe."
And with that he sauntered off leaving Kai to wish that the man's path would cross with, say, a speeding bus or burning meteorite.
And yet, a part of him, which coincidentally was usually dormant until he spent too much time around Ata, wondered if the man was right. No, he wasn't rethinking the man's blatant offer but admittedly his attitude, towards many people, was rather abrupt, if not rude. He tried to imagine how others would have reacted to the man's advances. Naturally, Ata would have laughed it off and do a bit of teasing himself before subtly turning him down. And, while it was tricky to correctly guess her reaction, Natasia's response wouldn't have been all too positive, but neither as hostile as his. Bryan…Not a good example; at least Kai's way had a much less bloodier outcome.
"Honestly, what do you have against furniture? First your bedpost and now the table; are they conspiring against you or something?" Placing a full tray down on said table, Ata took the remaining free chair looking as smug as a cat with a plate of cream.
"I really want to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I have a feeling that you talked Bryan into it," he answered instead, eyes drawn to the hot meal. Return of the irony: the food smelled good but his stomach begged to differ.
"It was rather easy, actually. I just told him the same thing I told you, about James."
Hey, maybe operation 'Jilt James' could still be pulled off. The fact that Bryan, a guy who down right hated large crowds and clubs, would accept the offer to accompany them clearly proved that he didn't like James either, maybe even more than Kai. If they combined their forces they may yet be able to send the American packing.
Yes, Ata had forced him to take those tablets he had found in his pockets and their side-effects were starting up once again, hence this mindless inner rambling/plotting.
Something was placed before him and he blinked to find a small bowl of soup and…bread sticks? Solid food? Could it be?
"You actually put up with me dragging you all over the place," Ata explained with a chuckle when he caught his friend's disbelieving look. "I figured some reward is necessary."
"Thanks," he said.
They are silently for several minutes before a sinking feeling began to settle in Kai's stomach (none-medicine related). As dear a friend as Ata was to him, he knew better than to underestimate the wolf's motives. He looked over to where Ata was writing something on a napkin.
"What's that for?" he asked.
"Measurements."
"What type of measurements?"
"Bryan's."
He was silent for a while before…
"No."
"Come on, Kai. You've got to be fair."
"I am not going to spend three more hours in the mall shopping for Bryan's outfit."
"You have to."
"Give me one good reason why I should."
Ata sat back in his chair, blue eyes gleaming and mouth curled into a smirk.
"Because, my dear Kai, you left the house without your keys and I have the only other set."
Did he mention how well he knew Ata, and how the redhead knew him even better? Yes? Well, did he say how much it drove him insane?
"My back and feet are killing me," Ata moaned, dropping his shopping load on the sofa before collapsing in a large recliner. "We've must have walked up and down the mall at least twenty times."
"I feel so sorry for you." Not. Serves you right.
"Stop being such a sourpuss, Kai. It's not my fault you locked yourself out of your own home."
"If someone had just given me his keys then I would have been able to come home earlier."
"A minor detail."
Purposefully dropping his bags on the resting wolf, Kai entered the kitchen, heading straight for the cabinet. More medication; you'd think he'd learn by now. Still, hope springs eternal.
Ata, having extracted himself from the small mountain of brand-name shopping bags, came up behind him, taking him by the shoulders and turning him around to face him.
"Did I push you too far?" he asked, studying the bluenette's face for any signs of over exhaustion.
"Don't go tonight."
"What?"
"Don't go to that dinner."
"Kai"
"I don't trust it one bit."
"Don't you trust me?" Ata responded somewhat accusingly.
"Don't turn my words around." He grabbed the first painkillers he could find, popping two into his mouth and swallowing them dry. "I don't care that you're older than me. I don't care that you're more experienced. I don't care if you are going to some fancy restaurant, that James has a respectable job and that he's from America. I quite honestly don't give a damn. However, I do care about you."
The rebellious determination which had been manifesting itself in the clear blue eyes ebbed.
"I know you do, Kai. You tell me that every hour, everyday and it's on my mind all the time. But if you really cared for me then you'd understand that you can't do this to me."
"Do what? Protect you?"
"Smother me, Kai. You said it yourself last night. You said you would never smother me because you cared for me. Weren't those your exact words?"
He looked away, pretending to be searching for a glass.
"I'm going out tonight, Kai, and you can not stop me. You know that I love you more than anyone on this earth, but I have the right to look for love elsewhere."
That was it. That was what he had known and hated. Ata was not his. He never was and never would be; they both knew that, but Kai loathed accepting it. Somehow, he had believed that neither of them would ever go their separate ways on any topic. Ironic it was that the very thing they both treasured, their love for one another, was also forcing them to spend time apart and search for more in others.
When he gave no response Ata stepped back and, wordlessly, left the room, climbing the stairs to get ready for his date. Kai noticed but didn't acknowledge his departure until the footsteps were gone. Turning to find the kitchen empty, he stood there for a few minutes, leaning back against the counter and trying to piece together what it was that had just fallen apart.
He didn't get very far since the phone rang. Checking the caller ID, he answered.
"Natasia," he greeted.
: Kai, how are you doing? I got Ata's message. I'm so sorry for not calling sooner but we just got back. Have you contacted the doctor? Are you dressed warm enough? What are the symptoms? Have you... :
"It's okay, Natasia," he assured, rubbing his temple: side-effect number one. "The worst seems to be over. Inga has initiated her viral scanner so it will go away soon enough."
: Thank goodness. When I got the message my first thought was to come back home at once but… :
"Saskia," he agreed. "I don't want her exposed to this."
: Oh, I have a very good medication in my bedroom which will help your recovery greatly. :
"What are the side-effects?" he asked warily.
: That's why it's very good: only drowsiness. But bed rest is what you need anyways. Did you get enough sleep today:
"Uh…no. Um, I went out to…run some important errands. Ata went with me." If she found out that he had left the house to go do shopping she'd have a fit. "But I'm going to bed right after I bathe; we've been out all day."
: You poor thing,she laughed softly. But you're strong so I shouldn't worry too much. I just can't help it. :
"Yeah…Is Saskia there?"
: Yes, one moment. :
He waited for a few seconds before…
: Hi Kai! I hope you get better really, really soon:
A smile crossed his face at her encouraging tone of voice. There was some silence and he bet his fortune that Natasia was signing something to her. Sure enough, the small voice piped up, excited.
: Natasia took us to the fair, Kai! There were ponies and goats and candy and games and clowns. I went on a pony ride all by myself! And then we had a picnic and I played with another girl and we played hide-and-seek and then we found a spider and then we screamed and we ran away because we're afraid of bugs and… :
His smile broke into a soft laugh. Leaning against the wall, he went listening as she continued to describe the day's events. It was a vaccine on its own, hearing her voice. It was one, if not the only, thing that was always guaranteed to, even if but temporarily, chase away his troubles when Ata could not.
Having come to a conclusion, Saskia bid him goodnight. Phone conversations were always a bit awkward for her as she could not hear the other's response. Kai was the only person she'd 'talk to' over the phone because she knew that, no matter how insignificant or trivial the topic, he never mind and would sometimes even answer even though the words were lost to her.
: Night, Kai. I love you. :
"I love you too, Sassy," he whispered to himself.
: Get a good night's rest, Kai,Natasia said, having been handed back the phone. That's the best medication. :
"Wish you told me that sooner."
She laughed.
: Good night, dear. And tell Ata 'good night' for us as well. :
"Yeah…"
: Kai:
"Hm?"
: Is there something wrong? Other than the cold:
"Nah, I'm just tired."
: Okay then, if you're sure of it. Please call me the moment you need something. Anytime of the day or night. :
"Will do. Good night, Natasia."
: Good night, Master Kai. :
Hanging up he sighed. Natasia only addressed him as 'Master Kai' when she felt that he was lying or keeping something from her. Nevertheless, he wasn't going to start up on the subject again. Turning off the lights, he headed up the stairs towards his own room.
His steps slowed on their own accord as he passed Ata's room. He could hear the shower running from within and his fists clenched but he restrained himself from barging in there and physically forcing the redhead to stay in tonight.
Tbc………..
A/N: Yeah, I kinda felt that Ata was getting all the attention so I generously (snicker) wrote that scene between Kai and the stranger in the food court. Also, I was DYING to use that line (Oh no, he didn't!) in this fic since, seeing as half my family (and myself) are black, I hear that line practically everyday. The hand on one hip while snapping the fingers of the other hand is something my mom does a lot when saying the line. Notice how my mom has a lot of influence on my writings? Love you mom! (Even though she'll never read this since she doesn't even know what fan fiction is…)
Many of you have probably picked up that Ata is a bit different than his character in 'Untold Truth' as in, while he is still sarcastic and witty (lots of reviewers use that word: I think it's really cute!), he may seem a bit more…flippant at times. And yes, he wasn't such a fashion officer in 'Untold Truths'. I can explain this: when I first introduced Tala , or rather Ata, in 'Untold Truths' I was taking a risky step since he was so different from the Tala we know from the series, while everyone else was in character. I didn't want to overdo too much, too soon so I limited his actions and emotions to more of a laid-back, care-free attitude to gauge how you guys would react to my characterization of him. Since Ata (I tend to make a separation between Tala and Ata) is such a success amongst you guys, and plus that this is a fic about his close relationship with Kai, I've decided to expose more sides to him. Hope you guys are okay with this. Don't worry, I won't make him into some unbearable drama queen.
Ata's important date! Coming up!
Read & Review, please.