Title: Boys Days 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 to entertain.
A/N: Gaaaah! I've noticed that my chapters keep getting longer and longer! Don't think that you guys mind, but it's just freaky.
"You are sick."
"I prefer the word vengeful, if you don't mind."
"It's even worse than the first outfit you bought. How exactly are you planning on getting him to wear that?"
Ata smiled, happily swinging the large shopping bags he was carrying as the two of them walked through the private parking garage towards the elevators. Despite spending the entire afternoon in town, the redhead was lively, fueled by twisted glee.
"There are so many ways, I can hardly choose. As team captain I can threaten to put him on the bench during upcoming tournaments or I can blackmail him with many embarrassing secrets or I can remind him that sacrifices must be made if he wants to get front row seats at your upcoming performance in the club."
Rolling his eyes, Kai shifted his own weight in shopping bags to one hand but didn't make a smart comeback.
"Don't go dull on me now, Kai."
His grin faded, however, when he saw the reluctant, haunted look in the red orbs. Nudging a bare shoulder with his to get his friend's attention, he spoke in a more honest tone of voice.
"You can still back out of the bet if you want, you know. If it bothers you that much."
"How are you feeling?"
The redhead stared for a moment.
"You're asking me how I'm feeling? I'm not the one with the flu here."
"You don't feel strange or…something?"
"I'm about to bring the mighty falcon to his knees. I'm currently in seventh heaven here. What should be wrong with me?"
"It's stupid," Kai shrugged, "but last night while in bed…I had a dream about you."
"And that would be bad because…?"
"Not that type of dream," he snapped. "I saw you lying on a steel table and…and you weren't moving. I called out to you but you wouldn't open your eyes…And I couldn't touch you no matter how far I reached. It was like…"
"Like I was dead?" the redhead filled in, his carefree smile gone.
"You know I don't believe that dreams can predict the future, but it was so real," Kai said softly, staring before him with troubled eyes. "I have never experienced anything like that."
Ata didn't speak, lowering his eyes.
"Ata, is something going to happen?"
"…"
Stepping into the elevator, Kai pressed the button though kept his eyes on the suddenly sober redhead.
"Ata?"
"We both know that something going to happen, Kai," the blue-eyed teen began, eyes averted. "Something really big. When Boris and his goons are ready, we're going to have to fight back. And if we don't give it all we've got and succeed, then we'll all die."
"You've also dreamt about dying?"
Ata nodded.
"It's nothing new to me, though. Ever since I was a child, I've been afraid of dying. Ever since the day that my father told me of how my brother had died. Death just scares me because I don't know what to expect afterwards. Since then, whenever I go to bed at night upset or angry, I always dream of it."
Neither said anything during the rest of the elevator ride. When the metallic doors slid open on the ground floor, revealing the main lobby, another dark glimpse of his dreams flashed before him and Kai faltered in his steps, masking it by nodding to Ata to exit first.
"You're not going to die."
The wolf looked up at his stern words. Walking right up beside the redhead, Kai stared him straight in the eyes.
"We can beat them, Ata. We've experienced more than enough Hell in our lives; I'm not going to let Boris, Voltaire or anyone else drag us back down. When it's all over, we will have pulled through."
The blue eyes lightened at the promise.
"Are you sure that my support will be enough?"
"Who else could possibly do?"
Glad to hear the taunting tone, Ata shrugged.
"You never know, Kai. Maybe you'll have found someone by then. How much do you want to bet that it will be someone from your new team?"
"If I accept that bet, can we drop this one?"
"No trades. But you can still back out."
"And have Bryan hack me into little pieces because I wasted his time?"
"At least you wouldn't have to dance."
You just know that something is wrong with the picture when that sounds like a better alternative.
The loud booms of gunshots, explosions, screams and carnage greeted them as they opened the door. The chaos was coming from the living room just around the corner but both already knew the source.
"Why do you keep buying him those video games?" Kai complained, toeing off his shoes.
"Why do you have that Playstation?"
"Because you bought it."
"Then why do you keep it?"
"You're kidding, right? I can't go near that thing without Bryan starting to foam at the mouth. If I so much as touch it…"
Both shuddered at the consequences.
"I'm going to hide these in my room for tomorrow. Gives him less time to shred them," Ata said, taking everything from Kai. "Distract him."
"You can't pry him away from that game with a crowbar," Kai replied though the redhead was already on his way up to his rooms.
Turning his attention to the day's mail, Kai took the exact opposite direction as his friend and soon found himself in the arch that opened up into the living room. Looking up, he could just barely see the violet head seated before the couch.
On screen, the main player was mowing down fleeing enemies with a machine gun. In his bloodied left hand was a head, with the broken spine still attached to it that swayed with each jump and kick. The concrete floor, some dungeon-like setting, was a solid red pool with bullet-ridden bodies lying about. One soldier was injured but trying to get to his feet. The main player turned on him and raising his metal-clad booted foot, smashed the soldier's skull in, allowing brain to ooze out.
"Abbey not bloody enough for you?" he asked out loud.
"They have a bunch of rules against purposefully breaking bones."
Of course, Bryan was sitting on the floor. He had pushed the salon table to the side to give him a better view of the large screen and was avidly following the action, his fingers madly punching the controller. A loud crash followed by desperate pleas for mercy brought a cruel smile to the pale face before the falcon heartlessly slaughtered the people on screen with a machete.
Kai stared blankly.
Did Ata really buy Bryan this game?
"You made it to level nine already?"
Apparently so.
Looking back at the redhead with an incredulous look, he motioned to the fictional massacre with a questioning look.
"Bought it when I was in the mall a couple of days ago," Ata admitted, sliding down next to him on the couch. "Sent it via mail."
"That's why you came so soon," Kai accused, leaning forward to slap the back of the taller teen's head. Hard. "Hn. Medical check-up, my ass."
As usual, the hit didn't seem to register. Bryan was more intent on the new challenge before him, which turned out to be a pack of animated Rottweilers roaming the grounds.
"How you feeling?" Ata asked, turning to the bluenette, leaving their friend to his own devices for now.
"Alright, I guess," he said, shifting through the envelopes with no great interest. "I didn't cough last night. And I managed to eat everything on my plate this morning at breakfast."
"So all systems go for tomorrow night's clubbing?" Ata asked, eyes practically shining.
"Might as well get it over with."
"You want me to teach you some dance moves?"
"Yeah, Hiwatari. How about a sneak-peak before the main event?" Bryan joined in, eyes still glued on the game but a grin on his face.
"Go through yourself in the acid pit, Kutnezsov. Why doesn't he have to dance?" he asked the teen next to him.
"Because he's not part of the initial bet. He's just coming along for the laughs."
"You know, Ata, you should be flattered that I'm willing to do this for you."
"I am, Kai. I really am. But that doesn't mean that I can't take advantage of that."
"If you weren't such a possessive idiot than you wouldn't be in this predicament, Hiwatari."
"Isn't there something you need to kill? Butt out."
"You could learn a thing or two from Bryan," Ata noted. "You don't see him getting into such situations."
"You don't see him go through an entire day without damaging personal property or people themselves, either."
"Speaking of which, you're going to have to replace that Ming vase in the upstairs library," Bryan brought up. "Stupid thing got in Falborg's way while I was practicing."
Kai pretended that he didn't hear that while Tala raised a brow, lying back against the armrest.
"Kai, if you had to choose, who would you prefer I be with; Bryan or James?"
"Who would you?" he shot back and both smirked as they noticed the object of their conversation actually cringe at that.
"Well, I do know Bryan better," Ata considered, studying the falcon. "And he is very easy on the eyes."
"Back off, Tala."
Pretending to be engrossed in a bank bill, Kai was vainly trying not to laugh out loud even as Ata stretched out a slender leg, running his socked foot down their friend's back.
"And he has a good body that I wouldn't mind seeing in all its glory."
"No touching," Bryan warned, moving away from the offending foot.
"I mean, I've always scoped him out in the Abbey when we were in the showers, but fleeting glances make the over all picture so incomplete. And filling in the blank spaces with my imagination just isn't enough for me anymore."
A large PAUSE appeared on screen and for the second time within 24 hours Bryan jumped to his feet, reaching out in an attempt to grab the wolf. Ata once again made his escape over the back of the couch but Bryan had anticipated that and cut his team captain off before he could make a run for the stairs. Ata quickly changed his direction and instead ran around the large pool table, keeping it between him and his pursuer.
Blocking out the death treats and wisecracking retorts behind him, Kai leafed through the newspaper amongst the mail until he found what he was looking for. The Beyblade section. Scanning the page, he focused on an article on top.
"They've decided upon the tournaments' locations," he announced to both teens, should either be interested.
"Where are they going to be held?" Ata called back, holding a cue-stick in his hands as a weapon against Bryan who was gripping a heavy billiard ball.
"China and America. Championship will be in Russia, of course."
"Any news on that team of yours?"
A solid crack interrupted him before he could answer and the billiard ball traveled an impressive distance across the room before gravity pulled it down to land harmlessly on the thick carpet.
"No baseball inside the house. And don't throw things," Kai admonished Bryan, who was already aiming for the redhead with another ball while Ata waited, cue held like a bat in both hands. "According to this article Mr. Dickenson has announced that he's personally flying in a blader from China."
"Why the hell is he doing that?"
"He says that he's confident that this guy will make the team."
"Any information on him?"
"Nothing. Must be some no-name country hick."
"Hmm…Family of yours, Bryan?"
More scuffle, some cues clattering, a couple of billiard balls rolling across the hardwood floor and footsteps sounded in the back as Ata managed to slip past their friend and dashed out of the room. Bryan, not one to let his prey get away, followed hot on his heels, a trail of Russian curses following him.
Continuing with his reading, and ignoring the sound of what had to be another vase meeting its shattering demise in the hall, Kai's attention was caught by a small article near the very bottom of the page. A black and white photo of a boy flashing a thumbs-up while grinning like an idiot (dis)graced the small article.
THE NEXT CHAMPION?
Tyson Granger, a 12-year-old blader from Japan, has been causing a stir in his community. Not even a teenager yet, he has been steadily making a name for himself as a very bright newcomer with great potentials. So much so that it has been rumored that he will be sponsored by the BBA during the Japanese Regional Tournament. Tyson has already won several qualifying matches and has become a favorite amongst tournament fans.
'If this guy ends up on the team…I'd rather give up beyblading altogether.'
Another article more to the left wasn't anymore reassuring.
AMERICAN TEAM READY FOR ACTION!
Team PBA, America's leading beybladers, are reportedly ready for the American tournaments. Though their strategies and styles are top secret, harbored in the impenetrable PBA research facility, they have guaranteed virtual success. They have disclosed that they have used the art of science to enhance the performances of their blades. The Americans are arguably the most technologically advanced participants in the beyblading world. With an impressive record of victories against fellow patriot teams, team PBA, also known as the All Starz, have issued a challenge to their opponents in the upcoming big event. If they rise above the rest once more they will have earned their spot in the world championships against Russia's Demolition Boys. Many Americans are certain of their team's success and are anticipating a match of, quoting the team's captain, Michael Parker, " gigabyte proportions".
Gigabyte proportions?
Ridiculous play on words aside, this team sounded more flash than substance. If he were ever to have the displeasure of facing them he'd leave the battles over to his new teammates. That is, if they actually made it to the American tournament.
Personally, he wasn't holding his breath.
Someone plopped down next to him, drawing his gaze away from the article to find Ata whose hair was in slight disarray and his cheeks flushed, grinning widely and looking rather proud of himself. Bryan was nowhere in sight.
"Lured him out onto the balcony and locked the doors behind him," the redhead boasted between pants. "Wonder how long I should keep him locked out. It's not cold outside so I think a couple of hours should do."
"Which balcony?"
"The one outside the third guest room upstairs."
"So basically the room right above us."
"Yeah."
Kai's eyes strayed on their own accord to the right.
"Too bad it isn't cold outside."
"Why not?" Ata asked, eyes closed as he caught his breath.
"Because then we wouldn't have those doors open."
Following his friend's stare, Ata's breath came to an abrupt halt. Then he cursed.
Indeed, the glass doors leading to the large balcony to their right were wide open. The curse came again, louder this time, when legs suddenly appeared from above before none other than Bryan free-fell the remaining distance onto the floor, having climbed down from the balcony directly above. Straightening, he fixed Ata with a look that made both teens shiver.
"Kiss your pretty face goodbye, captain."
And with that he lunged.
Using quick reflexes, and an instinctive need to survive, Kai ducked. Ata, still recovering from the chase, was a bit on the slower side and was not so fortunate. Caught beneath the falcon, the redhead was swift enough to catch both wrists before Bryan could get his hands on him. What followed was a waiting game.
"You do know that I'm going to hurt you once you let go," Bryan warned beforehand.
"You do know that Kai won't let you."
"Is that so?" The lavender eyes turned on the phoenix who was sitting on the carpet. "Is he boasting, Hiwatari?"
"You two have done enough damage to the place," Kai said, looking around at the devastation for the first time. "Just drop it already."
"Gonna have to be more convincing than that," Bryan retorted, trying to pull a fast one by freeing one hand with a sudden twist of his arm and succeeding. Catching both slender wrists in on hand, he sneered down at his captain. "Too bad, Tala. Looks like your mine."
Kai just knew what was coming up next following that statement, but poor Bryan had yet to learn that you simply did not say certain things to the wolf. For once, the falcon was the symbolic lamb that had led itself to the slaughterhouse.
"Finally coming clean, Bryan?"
The light eyes lost some of their victorious gleam.
"Huh?"
Lips curling in a tantalizing smirk, Ata squirmed slightly beneath the other.
"So all this time you've been pretending. If you wanted to get me in this position all you had to do was ask. I'd have happily obliged."
Running a hand over his face, Kai was too weak from silent laugher to intervene. The horrified look on Bryan's face only made things worse.
"That's not what I'm doing!" the falcon denied, pulling away only to have his wrists caught once more, tugging him back down.
"Don't be ashamed," Ata cooed, whispering in the older boy's ear. "We all have our…desires. I can give you what you want, Bryan. You can take me. All of me. Whenever you need me…"
The slight tremor that shook the falcon's body was very conspicuous.
"So is that a yes?" the redhead asked softly with a seductive expression that would have brought a thousand men to their knees. "Right here, right now, Bryan? I'm sure Kai won't mind giving us some privacy. You can stay on top if you want…"
"Ergh! Let go!"
Wrenching himself free, the tall teen scrambled back off the sofa, staring at his captain with eyes as wide as saucers, his breathing labored. He almost fell off the armrest when Ata smoothly got to his knees and began to crawl over, looking like a heat-driven panther closing in on his mate.
"Tonight then?" he offered, sliding up to kneel before the traumatized falcon, placing his hands gently on the other's thighs as he leaned in till their chests touched. Looking up from beneath his long eyelashes, he licked his lips. "I'll be waiting."
And then, in a gesture that stunned Kai though totally freaked Bryan out, Ata caught the teen's lips in a heated kiss and the bluenette would have bet his fortune that he saw tongue. It didn't last long as Bryan pushed Ata back as if he was poisonous, and tried to escape but forgot his limited support, falling off of the armchair in his hasty retreat.
Once again, the two bladers fell victims to near deranged laughing fits. Kai leaned back against the salon table, laughing loudly despite the fact that he barely had any air left in his lungs to do so. Ata was lying full out on his stomach; face buried in a cushion that muffled but didn't silence his cackling though did soak up the tears streaming from his eyes.
"Screw you, Ivanov!"
Glaring up a storm, Bryan dropped back down on the floor before the couch, grabbing the controller and resuming the game though with a new rage that was vented out on the hopeless fighters in the computer world. His jaw was clenched as he viciously stabbed at the buttons, spraying his opponents with waves upon waves of bullets.
"I'm sorry, Bryan," Ata gasped between giggles, still too weak to sit up so instead stretched out a hand to pat the other's shoulder. "I couldn't resist."
"Don't touch me. Ever. Again."
"One little kiss wasn't so bad."
"It was disgusting."
"You are so immature."
His only response was a rude hand gesture.
Silence fell over them as Bryan was in no mood to talk and the two younger teens were still gasping for air. Accepting this lulled peace, the three watched on as the warrior on screen faced the barricade of Rottweilers who seemed content to just walk around, taking no particular interest in him. Still, a few selection screens later, the player raised an arm, automatic pistol in hand.
"Bryan, I wouldn't do that if I were you," Ata warned, watching with a slight frown. "Leave them alone and just try finding another way round."
Purposefully ignoring the redhead, Bryan aimed and fired, blowing off the nearest dog's head with a perfect shot.
No sooner had the animal's body fallen to the ground when it fellow pack members all turned in unison like only computerized canines can and an ill-omened collection of growls and snarls drifted from the wall mounted stereos. With rabid ferocity, the canines thundered towards the warrior and proceeded to rip him to pieces, shedding blood, organs and body parts everywhere. The screen went black before…
GAME OVER
This time, a stunned silence settled over the teenagers, all watching the blinking white words with large eyes, trying to determine if they had indeed just witness Bryan's character's gory dismemberment.
"Dammit!"
"You don't read about any of that on the packaging," Kai noted.
"I told you not to shoot the damn dog," was Ata's conclusion as he rose from the sofa. "I'm going to make dinner."
Deciding it best to leave Bryan alone for now, Kai followed their friend into the kitchen though with no intent on helping out. He wasn't much of a cook plus Ata did not tolerate others getting in his way when he was in charge of preparing meals. So Kai took a seat at the bar on the opposite side, leaving the entire cooking area to the redhead who was selecting several items from the fridge and cupboards.
"You knew that the dogs would attack him if he shot at them, didn't you?"
"Yeah, but I also knew that he'd do exactly what I told him not to after that little episode on the couch."
"Would you really ever consider being with Bryan?" Kai asked, unable to not raise a brow suspiciously when Ata slowed in his actions, which was putting the pans on the stove.
"Can't really tell. I'm attracted to people who show interest in me. Hell, I'd do you if you weren't my best friend."
"Thanks for sharing."
"Bryan's just…Bryan. Awesome blader and agreeable enough to like having around, but you know how he is. If it doesn't include beyblading, weapons or supplying local hospitals with patients daily, then he doesn't give it a second thought."
"Unless you're willing to engage in bondage…"
"You're really trying to get me to see someone other than James, huh?"
"What about Spencer?"
"I'm not about to date anyone from my own team, Kai. It would make it harder to torture them with training and orders. Besides, I am very happy with James and I am not going to give him up anytime soon," Ata determined, placing the meat in the skillet, the sound of crackling oil emanating from the black pan. "If there is anyone who should be looking for someone it is you. Don't forget the real reason behind the bet: your dancing aside, you are supposed to be looking for potential boo."
"Potential what?"
"Boyfriend."
"Stop using those words. And the real reason behind me agreeing was to keep you away from James."
"Well…that's going to be a bit tough considering that he'll be joining us."
"What!" Kai jumped up and stalked around the counter, breaking the Do-Not-Enter rule without a moment's hesitation. "Ata, I am not going to go anywhere as long as he's coming!"
"I told him about it on our date and he asked if he could come with us," Ata shrugged as if it was no big deal, stirring the noodles in a large pot. "I thought it would be fun. Besides, he'd think that I wasn't being faithful to him if I had told him no. Single young men only go to the nightclubs to pick up others."
"Ata, it's either him or me," Kai insisted, unmoved. "If he doesn't trust you when you go out with your friends then it just proves that he's a…a…"
"Genuinely caring boyfriend?"
"Anything but that."
"Fine," Ata sighed, gently pushing past him to get some butter from the refrigerator. "I'll call him and tell him bad news. But that means that I'm going to have to make it up for him on Saturday."
"I give up."
"For now," was the added response. "By tomorrow morning you'll probably have dug up some criminal record of him so I won't count my blessings yet."
Watching the other work, Kai folded his arms, a puzzled look on his face. Feeling the prickling sensation of the crimson eyes, Ata looked up from tasting the broth.
"What?"
"Seriously, why do I put up with you?"
"You don't have a choice. Admit it, Kai. Deep within, you're a bridled nerve of testosterone and it takes you every ounce of self-control not to be all over me so you just have to settle with watching and longing from a moderate distance."
"Damn it, you saw right through me," Kai said sardonically, rolling his eyes as he reached over to pluck a piece of cooked chicken from the plate.
"A guy can dream," Ata retaliated, smacking away his hand with a wooden spoon. "Don't spoil you appetite. Did you take your medication?"
"Yes."
"Stop lying."
"Seriously, I did take them. Was kinda hoping that they'd knock me out and spare me from dealing with the puppy slayer."
"I'm going to nuke the whole damn pack," Bryan promised, stomping into the kitchen and throwing himself carelessly onto a barstool. "Filthy flea-bitten mutts."
"Pack members must defend one another; I happen to think that they reacted very natural," Ata shot back, adding over twenty different spices to one pot.
"You would, wolf."
"Crap! That reminds me. I have a photo of James to show you!" Ata suddenly cried out, making his friends jump. Handing Kai the whisk he had been using, he disappeared into the other room. "Where did I put it…?"
"What the hell did I say?" Bryan asked, bewildered.
Kai only shrugged, not really sure himself how the American had managed to weasel his way back into the conversation. Dumping the whisk into the sink (though Ata might still need it) he was about to steal another piece of chicken from where it sat tantalizingly on the plate when Ata returned.
"Left it in my coat pocket," he grinned, walking to Kai. "We took it in the restaurant last time. He sent it to me this morning."
"How considerate," Kai muttered, already glaring at the picture that was being held in the slender hand as if it were a world treasure or something. "What makes you think I am interested?"
"Oh, come on! You mean to say that you are not even the slightest bit curious of the guy who has stolen my heart?"
"Most certainly not."
"Too bad."
Before he could object the picture was placed in his hand, leaving him no choice but to look at it though not without an agitated growl. Looking down at the face he just knew he was going to hate, the red eyes widened, however, in shock spawned from disbelief and, soon thereafter, anger.
Hell no…Hell freaking no!
Perhaps too intent on the cooking, Ata failed to notice the phoenix's reaction.
"Handsome, huh? Told you so."
There had to be some mistake…It couldn't be…
"Bryan, check out your competition," Ata plucked the photo from Kai and tossed it onto the bar.
Glaring at the redhead, the falcon picked it up nonetheless, violet eyes that expressed at first boredom suddenly flaring as he went over James' features.
"What the--!"
"How did you manage to break the vase in the library?" Kai cut in, shaking his head at the Falborg blader from where he stood behind Ata.
"Huh!" was the blank response. "Screw the vase! Isn't this--"
"That thing cost a fortune," he disrupted again though quickly walked over to where the tallest of the three was staring him down as if he had truly lost it. "Don't think I'm going to let you off just because it was an 'accident'."
"It didn't bother you so much a while ago," Ata reminded suspiciously, looking between the two as Kai dragged Bryan off his seat.
"Late reaction," he brushed off, shoving Bryan ahead of him towards the stairs. "You were with me when I bought it. Natasia will have a fit if she comes home and finds it broken. I'm going to have to order a new one."
"So why do you need Bryan?"
"We'll be back soon."
He could feel the redhead's doubtful eyes on him as he walked out, entering the den on the other side of the kitchen where Bryan, clutching the photo that was now basically crushed, stood waiting with indignant anger.
"Never push me again," was the first thing he growled as the bluenette neared. "And what is wrong with you. This--"
"Shut up!" Kai hissed, ignoring everything his friend had just said and pushed him towards the stairs. "Up stairs to my office. Now. And don't say a word until we get there!"
Of course, Bryan was not easily appeased but Kai's determination won out this time and, many curses and threats later, both were inside his second office. His favorite was to be found within his private chambers but this was where he usually welcomed business associates and others since it was larger. His desk stood before eight comfortable yet elegant chairs that formed a half circle on the Oriental rug. It was in one of those chairs that he sunk down, running an angry hand through his hair. Another reason why he came to this room was because it was completely soundproof, which he knew would come in handy.
Sure enough, before he could even say a word…
"Have you lost your bloody mind! Again, never push me again. Try that one more time and I will break your wrists! I busted your leg once before, Hiwatari. And what the hell is this all about!"
He threw the wrinkled photo at the bluenette's feet. Kai could only look down at the crumpled image of the two smiling males. On the right, Ata, whose blue eyes sparkled almost as bright as his smile, the red head resting on the shoulders of James who had an arm around the blader's waist. The possessive gesture reflected in the man's eyes and though his face was handsome there was an underlying tone of egoism that Kai could never mistake.
"That's the same jack-ass I had to save you from when I got here!" Bryan snarled, grabbing him by the collar. "Why are you keeping this from Tala?"
James…James…was nothing but a fraud. A man who simply grabbed left, right and center at any teenager he could get his hands on. A man who had attempted to get him, Kai, to go out with him on two separate occasions. A man who had been hitting on another guy, while Ata believed him to be The One.
"I didn't…" he started when Bryan released him roughly, "I don't want Ata…I don't know how to tell him…"
Bryan gifted him a WTF-stare.
"You don't know how to tell him what? If you don't have the balls to do it then I will."
"No!" Kai grabbed the taller teen as he turned to leave, pulling him back. "You don't get it, Kutnezsov!"
"Get what!" Bryan sneered, using his height to his advantage.
Knowing that he had to speak fast to prevent severe blood loss, Kai let the arm he had been gripping go but stood his ground, glaring up at the other with unwavering intention.
"You'd better believe that I am even more enraged at this than you are, but we cannot tell Ata! At least, not yet. Don't you understand? Ata's is head-over-heals for this guy! If he found out who James really is it will break his heart!"
"Really?"
Resisting the urge to slap the other upside the head, Kai rolled his eyes.
"Figure of speech, you idiot. I do not know what to do yet, but you are not going to utter a word to Ata! Slip back into your I-don't-give-a-damn attitude and just go back to playing games and wrecking my home; I will deal with this myself."
"You can't tell me--"
Within him the demon roused once more and his eyes flashed.
"This is not going to be easy, Bryan," he growled, making the falcon actually take a step back at the sudden chill that seemed to be seeping from his own body despite the flaming eyes. "You will keep your mouth shut. If you screw up and hurt Ata than all your daggers and training will not be enough to defend you. Get it?"
There was only one thing that scared (or at least unnerved) Bryan and that was the knowledge of the beast that resided in his teammate. The violet eyes widened as if having sensed the stirring monster within the bluenette and the falcon finally nodded.
"Whatever."
Blinking away redness, Kai took a deep breath, a hand unconsciously drifting to touch his chest that trembled so slightly before falling still as the dark phoenix returned to its slumber.
"I will tell Ata," he said, somewhat breathlessly. "And believe me, James better enjoy the ability to walk as much as he can because the next time I see him I will put him on crutches."
"With your defense?" Bryan doubted, cynicism back in his voice since Kai was in a less threatening state once more. "Stick to Tala. I promised that bastard that I'd finish him off."
"Then we'll share."
A loud succession of knocks made them turn and a voice called out from the other side of the door.
"What on earth are you two talking about? Dinner's ready!"
"We're coming," Kai answered, granting Bryan a final glare. In a softer voice, he said, "Not a word."
Scowling, the falcon looked down at the photo that had been left on the carpet. He picked up and looked like he wanted to tear it to pieces but instead he tugged at it with quick jerks, smoothing it out. Once satisfied, he glowered at the man's image.
Schooling his own stormy thoughts, Kai opened the door just as Ata had raised a hand to knock again. The blue eyes fixed on him, suspicious but unable to pin anything on either teens, as Bryan had come up behind the bluenette.
"What's going on?" he asked/demanded.
"I'll tell you later," Kai answered.
He knew it was of little use to lie to Ata. The redhead could see through him like a sheet of tracing paper. It was best to just put off the subject for now until he could think up a suitable way to approach what was bound to be a very hard and painful confrontation. Ata knew he was hiding something, but whereas he could decipher the bluenette's lies, he could not contradict the other's honest answers.
"You'd better," was all he could say after a while and turned on his heels, saying over his shoulder, "You know I hate it when people keep things from me."
"Ironic," Bryan muttered and got a hard elbow in his ribs. Leering at Kai, he didn't retaliate though but shoved the photo into his hands and merely walked on ahead, following the redhead.
Kai leaned against the doorframe, not really looking at anything though James' condescending smile goaded him in his mind and he sneered.
He knew it. He had just known that something was wrong with this James of America! How many others had caught the lecherous man's eyes? Did he just ring up another unaware guy when not with Ata? Was the wolf just another prize that he used to show off to his friends and colleagues? Sitting so smugly in the restaurant, his filthy hands all over Ata, touching the redhead and kissing him. No wonder he was so compliant to bringing Ata home early that night: He could have easily called someone else to go out with later!
Kai had hated his stalker as it were. Now that the stranger had turned out to be his best friend's crush he was on the verge of full fury. He could hear the screech in his ears as his chest trembled, just barely restraining the phoenix within.
'I don't know who you think you are,' he looked at the picture. 'But if you think that I am going to let you hurt Ata then you are dead wrong. I'll make sure of it.'
Before he could stop himself, he walked back over to his desk, pulled open the top drawer and picked up the silver lighter he kept there. Ripping the picture in two, he held up James' half over the empty trash bin and stared at it dispassionately. With blazing eyes, he flicked the lighter, sparking the orange flame that reflected in his eyes and held it up beneath the fragile picture. The fire quickly spread, eating away at the image that began to curl and smoke. Not until the last second did he drop it into the bin where the final inches burned to mere flakes, leaving a scorched spot at the bottom.
'Unless God is truly merciful, you will suffer the same fate, James.'
Not looking back, he walked out and slammed the door behind him.
Tbc…
A/N: The whole scene with the video game dogs killing the character is based off of a real life experience. I was over at a friend's house and she was playing Shadow Man (or something like that) and had reached the stage where she was confronted by a pack of dogs that weren't really paying her any attention. However, I asked her what would happen if she shot at them. No one really knew so she fired a shot and killed one…and was consequently mauled by the whole pack of them, thus ending her adventures in the shadow world and my rights to ever be around her while she's playing video games. But hey, it was worth many, many laughs. Since she was a good sport about it in the end, I dedicate this chapter to her.
Incase you're wondering, WTF stands for 'What the fuck'.
Soooo…WTF! James is the guy who was hitting on Kai all this time! Yup. Didn't think that I was just going to leave him as some off-screen character, did you? So he's been in this story much more often than you'd initially thought.
The story is nearing the end. Yeah, I know that it is short compared to the rest of my works, but I had never planned for it to be long. Right now there are only two chapters left. Once this is done I can focus more on Stand By Me. But don't worry; I'm not going to rush the remaining chapters. Like I said; these chapters just keep getting longer.
Next chapter: the big night out! Will Kai get the chance to talk to Ata, or will he be too tied up with saving his dignity as well as planning James' demise? In any case, Bryan will have a good time
Read & Review, please.