I am so totally peeved right now! I wrote the update for this story, saved it on my memory card and then … accidentally deleted it! F! My life is so messed up right now: as if it couldn't get any worse, right? Stupid stupid stupid! Now, it was either rush this one and see if I can remember what I had previously written so that I could update ASAP for you or take my time yet again to come up with the best last chapter that I can think of…
Based on reviews it think the former is the best. F! Let me breathe for a moment…shit! This totally bites! I am never gonna store any stories on my stupid frickin lame stupid really stupid memory card! NEVER EVER! Stupid…
Sigh anyway here it is… SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG… If I weren't male I'd cry … shit!
"So…" Ray trailed off; unsure of how to sum up everything he'd been told. "I just take a small drop of this stuff and…?"
Tulanti offered him a small smile. "Every morning," he explained again, "you just add a small drop of this Flower of Time extracts into whatever it is you prefer to drink with your breakfast." He handed Ray the small vial, "It won't make much of a difference where physical conditions are concerned at first but after a few days you'll find your body reacting properly to everything."
"Reacting?" Kai asked suspiciously. He tightened his arm around Ray's waist instinctively. Tulanti looked at him and nodded slowly.
"Yes. At this moment Ray could be feeling as though he's ready to pass out. Say…next week…Tuesday he'll be well enough to jog around the block."
Ray studied the vial with an impressed smile. "Wow. So this Flower of Time really works…" he quickly pocketed it. "Thank you Tulanti. And I'm sorry about your garden all those years ago. It wasn't deliberate, I swear."
"Don't worry, Ray. You may not realize it but you actually created a new medicine that's healed many scrapes and cuts. It seems trampling on several rare flowers and accidentally combining their extracts was a great help in the end."
"Oh…"
Kai smiled at Ray's rather … intelligent response (ahem). Though he wouldn't admit it openly he was relieved and grateful to Tulanti for saving Ray's life. He loved the Neko-Jin and would've traded his own life to ensure Ray lived.
While the Neko-Jins continued with pointless conversations he glanced around in search of the Demolition Boys. When he couldn't see them he frowned, curious to know where they disappeared to. It was several moments later and a light tap on his arm that he realized Tulanti had walked away. He turned to look at Ray.
"Yes?"
"What you looking for?" Ray asked. He drew his brows together in self-frustration. "I mean, what are you looking for?"
Kai smiled. "Not what; who. The Demo Boys… have you seen them since yesterday?"
"Uh…" Ray tilted his head slightly. "No, I haven't. Where do you think they are? We should find them!" He started to move away from Kai's embrace but the Russian would not let him go. "Kai! If you're not gonna let me go then walk with me! What if they've gone?"
"Ray," Kai said gently. He studied the youth's features but hid his frown of concern when he noticed the paleness of his skin. He quickly searched his mind for a suitable plan. "We'll find them later. I'm sure they wouldn't leave without saying goodbye. Lets go back to the bunk for a moment."
Ray nodded and they walked to the bunk together. By the time they reached it Ray was leaning on Kai, his eyes lidded.
"You tired?" Kai whispered and Ray nodded, stifling a yawn.
"Yeah. I think I'll just lie down for a moment. Then we can go and look for Tala and the others."
"Ok." Kai helped Ray to lie down and covered him with the sheet. Ray snuggled into his pillow and smiled at Kai.
"Love you," he murmured softly before closing his eyes and drifting off. Kai smiled; his plan had worked. He kissed Ray on his temple, whispered, "I love you too," and then left the bunk. He walked around the entire village (which wasn't really that big) but came up empty handed. Tala and the others were gone. But where? And when had they left?
"I saw them leaving early this morning before sunrise."
The sudden voice made Kai spin around and he came face to face with Tulanti. Despite everything he found the elderly man weird and he was suspicious of him.
"Why would they leave without telling me or Ray?"
Tulanti shrugged and looked out into the distance, admiring the rolling green hills and the bright blue sky. "I wouldn't know. But I'm sure once you return to your home you can ask them. How's Ray doing by the way? He's still rather pale."
Kai narrowed his eyes. "Yes. But as you said the side effects will take time to go away. And…at least he's no longer in pain."
"Very true!" Tulanti met his gaze. "I'm surprised that he chose you," the man said randomly. Kai raised a brow.
"Chose me for what?"
"His partner! Originally he was supposed to marry one of the daughters from the neighboring town. He never once claimed to disapprove of such a promise that his parents made."
"Then what changed his mind?" Kai wasn't particularly interested but decided to humor Tulanti nonetheless.
"Love."
The single word made Kai's eyes widen. He regarded Tulanti skeptically. "What are you getting at? I know he loves me but- "
"Do you? You realize he gave up an entire heritage for you?" Tulanti did not let Kai answer him. "Many believe he was punished for disobeying his late parents' wishes. They are convinced the gods themselves gave Ray that infection. But I think it was merely a test! Ray gave up a lot because he loves you; and he was infected to see how much you loved him. Apparently it's enough."
Kai growled. "You're telling me that the Flower of Time was all a joke? This entire thing – Ray nearly dying – was all some test?"
"No! The Flower of Time is what healed Ray. But only a fraction. Your love is what saved his life! Ray is a Neko-Jin and therefore a gift from the gods that have watched over and protected us since the beginning of time itself! If your love had not been strong enough then perhaps Ray wouldn't have made it. He's special…and the gods know he deserves nothing less than the best!"
Kai frowned. He allowed what Tulanti had told him to roll around his mind. He opened his mouth to reply but-
"Kai is the best."
The voice was soft and filled Kai with warmth. Both turned to see Ray standing a few feet away. He was looking at Kai but spoke to Tulanti.
"I gave up everything for Kai because I love him and I knew he loved me too. You're filling his mind with pointless information. So what if I was infected for the sole purpose to see if Kai was the one? I don't care what the gods think; I love Kai and that is enough for me! You say I…I lived because Kai loved me but that's only half the truth! I lived – I fought! – because I love Kai and I want to wake up every morning and see him there, smiling at me and not just a memory!" He looked at Kai and smiled. "Kai. Nothing – especially a stupid infection – could take me away from you. And nothing is going to take you away from me!"
Kai returned the smile and closed the short distance between them to embrace his soul mate. Ray readily wrapped his arms around Kai's waist. "Can we go home?" He asked Kai softly, not wanting Tulanti to hear him.
Kai kissed the top of his head. "Of course. As soon as we return to the bunk I'll call the BBA and ask Mr. Dickenson to send us a chopper to take us back."
Ray looked at him hopefully. "To Russia? To your mansion…?"
"Anywhere!"
Ray sighed with contentment as he shifted on the lounger that stood just outside the mansion's main backdoors. He was just dozing when a soft chuckle broke into his journey. He opened his eyes to see Kai.
"What?"
"You shouldn't be lying out here."
"Why not? The sun is hidden behind the clouds."
Kai seated himself on the lounger by Ray's legs. "You don't need the sun to burn. The snow is just as bad and there's a light breeze as well."
Ray sat up, and planted a soft kiss on Kai's cheek. "Well then where can I lay that isn't infested by teammates and Demo Boys? I was just dozing in the library when Kenny decided to study and the sitting room has been plagued by eager teens ready to battle one another on the play station you just had installed and," he took a deep breath, "Tala and Bryan were in our room doing things someone like me shouldn't be seeing!"
Kai held back a chuckle at Ray's unimpressed expression. "I can understand how you'd be scarred from a sight like that. But I don't think a cherry-red Neko-Jin is a good thing. Lets go inside; you can take a nap in the study while I 'work'" (A/N yeah right as if Kai would work! He's so rich he doesn't even need to think about lifting his finger). Ray sighed but stood up nonetheless.
"Alright. But I'm going to sleep! If you talk to me I'm going to ignore you…"
They started into the house, hand in hand, smiles in place.
"Ray! Get your sorry ass in here! I wanna beat it to a pulp on this new game!"
Ray groaned at Tyson's cry but released Kai's hand and rushed into the 'house'. Kai watched him with a small smile, relieved beyond words that his love was okay. It had been two weeks now and Ray was no longer pale or sluggish in his movements. He was back to being his enigmatic self; with an addition to being more slightly rambunctious – for lack of a better word (A/N in truth I can't think of the word right now. Its very late: 03:43am :and my single brain cell has fallen asleep).
"Kai! Come watch me knock your boyfriend into the ground!"
Kai sighed to himself and rolled his eyes. He muttered "children" under his breath but complied, promising to glare at the annoying rat as soon as Ray proved that he was no pushover. Kai smiled distantly. Yes. Seeing Tyson's expression when Ray would win would be priceless.
With this thought he hurried into the house, eager to make fun of the dragon-blader. And eager to give Ray the reward for winning…
the
first
chap
was
better…
Short and direct – I'm sorry but lunartigergurl has asked me to help her write a new story called 'Out of the Blue'. A story you should find in the Misc. section soon enough if we can get an adequate amount of chapters done. And it features … dun dun dun … my actual name!