Title: Stand By Me
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine
Rating: T
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: Seeing as I've almost finished 'Boys Days In or Out?' I thought it would be nice to update this one. Made sense? No? Go figure!
Thanks for all your e-mails! I got some very promising leads. I will use them in this story but I have decided to mainly re-write the whole season. It's more fun (and less predicable) that way. Some things will stay the same, but the most of it will be altered. Also, I got rid of Dizzy. I never liked her in English version and I was relieved to find out that she doesn't even exist in the original Japanese version, so her not being here is justifiable.
Btw: 69 reviews for one chapter...I love you all. Marry me?
Groaning in his sleep, Ray turned over, snuggling deeper into the sheets in an attempt to block out the looming morning sun. Despite the heavy drapes that hung from the ceiling before the windows, a very narrow sliver of light always managed to sneak its way through the partition and across the room and directly into his eyes. There just had to be some evil higher power at work here.
"Move the bed," he pleaded, reaching out to touch…nothing. Opening a golden eye, he gazed groggily at the unobstructed view of the dresser against the wall. That side of the bed was empty.
Making an even louder groaning sound, he lifted his head, staring rather drunkenly around the large room but found that, besides him and the unmoving furniture, it was empty.
"I hate mornings," he grumbled, covering his head with a pillow since the light was still blinding him. "I hate alarm clocks. I hate the sun."
"You're beginning to sound like me."
"I hate Kai."
Still hiding beneath his pillow, he felt the mattress sink as someone climbed on it, laying down. The silky soft sheets slid off his bare skin to pool between them, making him shiver at the morning air. Groaning again, he grabbed a handful, wrapped himself within it and burrowed himself deeper into the soft mattress.
"I was only in the bathroom," said the voice in the dark.
"I hate bathrooms."
"And here I used to think that Tyson wasn't a morning person."
Pulling off the pillow, he trained more focused eyes on the bluenette who was lying there wearing only a pair of black boxers, the red eyes still holding on to the last bit of sleep. According to the alarm clock (which he hated so) on Kai's nightstand it was just something past six in the morning.
"I'm not a morning person when I wake up alone," he corrected, curling up against the other teen's side. "Especially when I wake up at seven to find that my boyfriend has slipped off to go jogging."
"Would you rather I stop working out and get all flabby?"
"You can't. You're body is too frustratingly perfect."
"You'd know, wouldn't you."
Ray thought it over for a moment but then smiled, kissing the evenly rising chest before tilting his head back for a more intimate kiss.
Oh, he had been angry with Kai last night. Well, maybe not angry-angry, but it had taken the phoenix more than an hour to get him back to their room. Ray would have loved to claim that even then he'd put up much resistance, but, as always, Kai had him begging within five minutes, naked within ten and positively purring within twelve. And that had only been at around nine o'clock. They had fallen asleep at about midnight.
Had he forgiven Kai? Hell yeah. Truth be told, he would sometimes instigate petty arguments just because the make-up sessions were that damn good. Hn, and here he used to think Kai was unable to apologize. Given his tactics, the bluenette was a prodigy when it came to apologizing. And the best part was always that, right after the intensive love-making, Kai would then pull him close and say in a voice no one other than Ray had ever heard, "I'm sorry." Yes, hearing that little sentence before he drifted off to sleep was even better than the sex, which was saying something.
"When are we going to Tyson's?" he asked softly, stroking the pale arm around his waist.
"He won't be up for another five hours," Kai estimated, eyes contently closed as he held the neko-jin close. "We'll leave around noon."
"Meaning…" he smiled, raising himself up onto his elbows and blowing a bothersome lock of loose hair out of his face, "We still have some time to wait…"
A red eye opened, a knowing smirk on the unpainted face.
"I have to leave when the alarm goes off at 07.00 to go jogging."
"Oh yeah?"
Climbing over the bluenette, he reached behind the stand and with a hard tug he unplugged the timepiece, the neon numbers disappearing from the black screen. Triumphant, he looked back at Kai, who he was now sitting on.
"No alarm. No jogging."
The phoenix rolled his eyes but grabbing the boy by his waist he pulled him down to lie on him fully. A hand gently tangled itself in the long black hair and pulled the grinning face closer until their noses touched.
"You do know that this means that I'm going to have to vent out all my pent up energy on you instead?"
Ray smiled cheekily, teasingly licking the smirking lips.
"I know."
They didn't get out of bed until ten. Kai had gone first to take a shower but Ray, still having some energy to waste, had slipped in once the water had begun to run. So neither left the master bedroom until eleven, actually.
Rubbing his slightly bruised neck with a fond smile, Ray entered the kitchen to get breakfast ready. They didn't have a set schedule on who made their morning meals. It all mattered on who came down first. Sometimes it was Kai, sometimes it was Ray. And sometimes it was neither, but they'd be too preoccupied with…other activities to really care. In those cases lunch would be the first meal of the day. But for today, it was his turn since Kai was making a few calls upstairs.
Putting on the coffee, Ray turned on the portable radio sitting on the counter. It was his since he loved to listen to music while in the kitchen, especially when cooking dinner. Kai had been against it at first, but they had reached a compromised; he'd listen to music while alone, but the moment they sat down to eat he'd put on the morning news for them both.
His feet tapping to the newest chart topper, Ray sang along as he put together breakfast, plucking items from out of the fridge and cupboards. Despite the larger and more spectacular dining rooms in the mansion, they preferred to eat breakfast in the kitchen where Kai had moved a simple table and two chairs into the center. Setting said table, he thought for a moment before deciding that he hadn't eaten a ham, egg and bacon breakfast in a long while. While preparing the ingredients, he thought back to that time in Russia when the cook-off of all time had gone down between him and Tala. He had won with that omelet his uncle had taught him to make. Still, what really made him smile was the food fight that had happened afterwards. He could still hear Tala's contagious laugher and Natasia's fretful shouts for peace.
"What are you grinning about?" Kai asked, coming up behind him and wrapping his arms around his waist.
"Tala, me and a food fight."
Kai hn'ed, nipping him on the tip of his ear.
"I hope you aren't planning one right now. I don't do clean ups."
"No, you only do me, don't you?"
The arms pulled him flush against the strong chest.
"With pleasure."
Laughing, Ray turned his head to reward the other with a kiss but detangled himself from Kai's embrace.
"If we keep this up we'll be late for Tyson's."
"I wouldn't be too disappointed."
"Kai Hiwatari, if I had know that you were such a sex-fiend I would have thought twice about moving in."
Spying his coffee that was now ready, Kai picked up his cup, which Ray had taken out for him, and poured himself some before leaning back on the counter on one hand, sipping the dark brew.
"You've never complained before," he pointed out.
Blushing, Ray turned back to the stove and turned on the gas.
"Yeah…well…That's besides the point!"
He heard Kai snort behind him but the scrape of chair legs as Kai took a seat around the table. A brief shuffle as Kai opened the morning paper and then the room was silent with the exception of the crackling of bacon and the music coming from the radio. Waiting to turn the eggs in the frying pan, Ray smiled contently, looking over his shoulder at the back of his lover who sat reading the paper, occasionally taking a mouthful of caffeine. The golden eyes slid from one beautiful scene to another as Ray slid his gaze from Kai to the vista outside, courtesy of the large bay windows at the sink.
Though right on the edge of Tokyo, there was no trace of the busy city. The drive way was a mile long and wound down the small hill on which their home was nestled. Acres of trees surrounded the estate on all sides and when in the southern rooms one could see the distant peak of Mount Fuji on a clear day. Somehow, being in the peaceful solitude of the mansion reminded him of his little village back in China. That, and the fact that he shared the entire place with Kai, made him feel as if he had been here for years.
'But I haven't. Before this it used to be only Kai…and Voltaire…'
The small smile disappeared.
A year had passed, yet he could still feel the singing heat…hear the shrill roar…see the horrifying sight of an entire building collapsing around them. He could recall the pain when Tala had 'died' in his arms, when Saskia had been so brutally enclosed in that giant pod, when he had found Kai lying on the cracked ground before him. And what made it worse was that, no matter how deeply he had been scarred by the events, he knew it was nothing compared to what Kai had gone through. Whereas he had almost lost two friends, Kai had almost lost his best friend and his little sister. Whereas he had suffered in the near melting heat of the arena, Kai had felt the burning agony of being bound to the demon he had ultimately defeated for years.
Forgetting breakfast, Ray turned once more, watching Kai.
How close had he come to losing Kai that day? He remembered them readily accepting death, and how they would have had Tala not come to their aid just in time. He remembered Kai tricking him into taking cover with Tala and the badly injured Saskia so that the bluenette could face Dranzer Demon by himself.
'We won in the end…but was it necessary? I was only there for a week. Kai, Ata and Saskia had been suffering through it their entire lives. If it still affects me, then how is Kai coping with it?'
A loud beep made him curse and he spun around. The bacon strips were burned and had triggered the smoke alarm. Grabbing the spitting pan, he stepped away from the stove, almost stepping on Kai's foot as the bluenette had rushed over at the sound of his swearing.
"What happened?"
"I zoned out," he answered, feeling rather clumsy. Without another word he scraped the ruined breakfast into the trash bin. Putting the frying pan in the sink, he paused, then turned to his boyfriend who was standing beside him with an imploring look. "I was thinking…about what happened…"
"Ray, why--"
He hugged the taller teen suddenly, burying his face in the surprised bluenette's chest.
"Everything should be perfect…Everyone should be happy…" he whispered, "I want to make you happy, but I don't know how."
Kai let go a tired sigh, wrapping his arms around the suddenly sullen teenager and resting a cheek on the dark hair.
"I am happy, Ray. You're here with me. That's all I need."
"You can't be happy with those memories. It scares me every time I think of what happened, and it makes me sad because I know what I experienced is nothing compared to what you went through. I know it still hurts you, Kai. I know it."
His fingers glided up until they slid over the back of the neck, moving beneath the hair that Kai had allowed to grow longer to hide the more prominent scar, courtesy of his chip having been forcefully ripped from him. He traced the imperfection, his grip on the phoenix's shirt tightening.
"It still does, Ray. And I can never forget it, no matter what I do…"
Ray let his hand fall lifelessly to his side.
"…But that doesn't mean that I'm not happy."
He allowed the hand to lift his head, meeting the red eyes that stared intently at him through the wild bangs that were still slightly damped from the morning shower.
"I still have the memories. But I still have the people I swore to protect too. I still have Saskia. I still have Ata. And I still have you, Ray. With an outcome like that, why should I be unhappy?"
"…" Ray stared at him, appeased but needing to say more, only he didn't know what.
"I survived all those years with that thing inside me. This past year has been my first real taste of freedom, and I got to spend it with you. And that helped me, Ray. It really has. So, please, stop doing this to yourself."
"Only if you swear that you're alright."
Lifting the tiger onto the marble countertop so that they were perfectly eye-to-eye, Kai fixed him with a steady but honest stare.
"I swear to you, Ray Kon, on my parents' graves: I am not unhappy."
The dark head lowered but he was quick to lift it back, placing a soft kiss on those lips that he had grown addicted to. He wasn't forceful, only putting enough pressure to manipulate the other's mouth to follow his lead. His efforts quickly paid off.
Cupping the head before him, Ray moaned when a hand ran beneath his thigh, lifting it higher until they touched intimately. He broke the kiss with a small gasp, breathing heavily into the mouth but an inch away from his.
"Upstairs…now…" he managed to pant, already wriggling to get off the counter.
"I thought I was the sex-fiend here," Kai answered with a teasing look, helping him off only to pull him back close.
"You still are," he retorted, nibbling on the small golden hoop in his boyfriend's ear, "but I'm too weak to resist."
"So am I. But what are the chances of us making it back up the stairs?"
Both turned, eyeing the stretch of hall, at the end of which stood long staircase that lead up to their bedroom on the third floor, but before that they'd have to walk down another lengthy corridor. It was a journey neither were eager to fulfill. Not now, anyway.
"Kitchen table sounds good to you?" Ray opted instead.
"Fine...after the kitchen floor."
Ray yelped when he was suddenly dragged down, only just able to turn off the remaining stove fire before the already burning eggs incinerated.
The dojo hadn't the changed in the least bit. Mainly thanks to Tyson's grandfather's obstinately refusing to let Tyson use the money he had won from the last two tournaments to make a few…updates, as the dragon called them. Pool tables, swimming pool, indoor hockey ring, central air conditioning, servants; all have been brought up by the younger Granger only to be shot down faster than ducks during hunting season. In a way, Ray had to agree with the dojo master. Neon lights on the face of the building just wouldn't look right. But Tyson never gave up on anything so there were daily arguments, which offered much amusement for the rest of the team.
Grandpa, as they have resorted to calling Granger sr., was no where in sight as they stepped into the neatly kept front yard. The main building was closed but they could hear voices coming from the inner garden. One particular voice cut through the rest when its owner noticed them making their way over, walking side-by-side.
"Where have you been? We've been waiting for almost an hour!"
Stepping into the side room where the rest of the team was seated, Ray smiled apologetically at their friend as he toed off his shoes on the patio, entering on only his socks. Kai did the same but that was the only respectful gesture he showed as he snorted at Tyson's pouting glare.
"You've been up for what? Ten minutes?"
Tyson scratched his chin, pretending to be oblivious to the sting.
"What makes you say that?"
"The fact that you are still in your pajamas."
The Dragoon blader blushed when the others laughed at the accurate observation.
"Don't change the subject. It's almost lunch time! What, did you get lost in the mansion?" An impish look crossed Tyson's face. "Or did you just lose track of time while--"
"Tyson!" Hillary snapped, dealing him a solid blow to the head. "Don't be so perverted!"
"What! It's not like I'm making this up!"
"Well, it's none of your business all the same! Hmph! Boys are so clueless!"
Shaking his head as they got into yet another argument, Ray couldn't help wondering how it was possible that one group of people could change so much yet still be the same in two short years.
Tyson, having just turned 15, had grown a lot in stature. Like Kai, his hair was now longer than ever, though he kept it in a loose ponytail that reached no further than just past his shoulders. Of course, he still wore his 'lucky' cap. Not to mention that he had gotten leaner too, a fact that had stumped everyone, including him, especially since he still ate like the world's food supply was running out. His blading had also gotten better, more accurate. He'd spend long afternoons in the local parks teaching younger kids how to beyblade, though as Hillary had point out, he used the occasion to show off more than actually teaching anything. Temper wise, he was still the same lovable idiot from two years ago. Only now, with two world titles under his belt, his ego tended to over-inflate. They'd usually indulged him but when he became too much Kai could easily put him back in place with a smart remark or two.
The same age as Tyson, Max had also grown. He had gone back to America to live with his mother for a while after the first championship but was now living with his dad for good, always helping out in the store when not practicing or with the rest of the team. His personality hadn't changed at all, though he did tend to flatter and flirt a bit with the female fans. He had developed an air-prove defense that had served them well in recent battles. A few losses weren't enough to dissuade the blond, though he now longer saw the world in black and white. Whereas Max used to have a positive out look on everything, he now approached situations with a more realistic state of mind. Nevertheless, a few newly acquired age-factors aside, Max was still the hyper, happy-go-lucky guy that was always there to give his friends a slap on the back.
Since he was now stuck with Tyson more than ever before, Kenny had matured a lot too. The two were almost always together, meaning that Kenny had to spend as much time keeping Tyson from doing too many brash things as he did analyzing Dragoon's progress. What was noticeable, however, was that he seemed more interested in building his own model blades than ever before. As to why he did so, none of them could fathom a guess, but the boy, the youngest of the group as he was a few months shy of 15, would spend many hours at home, tinkering with different parts and testing the finished blade. But Kenny had always been the team's organizer, and also worry wart. Always fussing about being behind schedule with training, which usually ticked Kai off since the phoenix preferred to train them his own way. Speaking of those short-lived clashes, Kenny was still a major coward. One soft growl from Kai and the Chief would be cowering and apologizing profusely.
And last came Hillary. None of them (meaning Max, Kai and himself) had know what to make of her when they had first been introduced. At first she had been rather loud and demanding, even though she knew absolutely nothing of the sport of beyblading. She'd get on Tyson's case a lot, which had caused much disruption in the group's routine. It had taken an entire year but at last, having gained a new knowledge of blading and the guys, she had mellowed out a bit. But only just a bit. She and Tyson still argued, but they had gotten used to it by now. And she had contributed a lot of good ideas to the team. And, most honorable of all, she supported them. In her own strange, loud way, she had stood by there side through all the battles and had handled it all impressively well. All in all, she had become a permanent member of the Bladebreakers, whether they liked it or not.
'As long as she doesn't try to hit on Kai again,' Ray thought with a grin, watching her chew out Tyson. Seeing as how she was defended Kai and him it was safe to believe that she approved of their relationship and was thus truly no threat. 'If only Wyatt would get the picture.'
"Honestly, Tyson, do you spend your time in your room imagining what Kai and me are doing?" he asked, earning a sputtered denial from the dragon and a 'spare-me' look from his lover.
"Actually…" Max butted in, eyeing the collar of the neko-jin's shirt, giggling, "You guys don't leave much up to the imagination."
Taking the CD he had been listening to out of his Discman, he handed it to Ray.
Studying his reflection in the round disc, Ray sighed when he noticed the object of everyone's scrutiny. A hickey. A very dark one too. Strange, he had worn this shirt for the exact reason that it covered most of his neck, hiding the love bits he had gotten last night and this morning on his collar and lower neck. This one must have been a result from the quick nuzzling they had engaged in when Kai had parked the car outside the dojo. He had wondered why his neck had been tingling in that particular area…
Handing the CD back to its rightful owner, Ray glared at Kai, who was studying his newly discovered handiwork rather proudly from where he sat with his back against the wall not too far from the neko-jin.
"Did you have to pick that spot?"
Kai merely shrugged.
"I don't recall you complaining when I was giving it to you."
"Oh, get a room!" Tyson gagged, pretending to throw-up. "You're making me lose my appetite!"
"You wouldn't lose your appetite even if we did it right here before you," Kai scoffed.
"Can we move on to other issues, guys?" Kenny intervened, blushing brightly at the conversation. Obviously, the Chief was not one comfortable with relationships. Ray wasn't really sure how the small boy viewed the romance between Kai and him, but it was clear that the mere mention of kissing could make the boy squirm edgily.
"Sure thing, Chief. With pleasure," Tyson said, sticking his tongue out at Kai before flopping back on the floor. "So what's this important news you have to tell us about?"
"Well, remember what happened yesterday?"
"Uh…A lot of stuff happened yesterday, Chief. That little pest Daichi showing up; that weird mask dude battling me; Hillary getting upset because Daichi called her an old hag--"
"Hey!"
"OW! What! It wasn't me who said it?"
"No, but you laughed when he did! I saw you! Thanks for reminding me!"
"Anyways," Kenny interrupted loudly, scooting away from the two to sit next to Max. "Max had told us about some important meeting Mr. Dickenson was holding."
"Yeah, it was all over the news."
"Kai wasn't there. Do you know what happened?" Hillary asked, turning to the bluenette who nodded, tilting his head towards Ray.
"He told me about it when he got home."
"Heh, suuuuuuuure he did," Tyson rolled his eyes. "But anyways, big deal, Chief. Why did you call us all here to tell us that?"
"Because what has been discussed in the meeting has not been made public yet, but Mr. Dickenson sent me a tape this morning that will explain everything. I didn't want to watch it until everyone was here."
"Aww, that so sweet!" Tyson teased, going all teary-eyed. "You are so generous!"
"Didn't the meeting have something to do with the championships?" Ray asked, having scooted back to sit next to Kai, leaning with his back on the other's shoulder.
"It sure does. From the note attached to it it sounds as if some major changes have been done," Kenny said as he placed the video in the VCR and pressed the Play button.
The screen was snowy for a moment before the conference room appeared. Seated before the podium were many journalists and reporters. At the front of the room, a long table behind which six men, all in business suits, were seated. At the head was Mr. Dickenson, who cleared his throat and began to speak.
"As you all know, the next Beyblade World Championship has arrived. Since the first championships back in 1975, it has been one of the most watched tournaments around the world. As a matter of fact, more people tuned in to the championship last year that they did any other main sporting event--"
"Yeah, that's because I was the defending champion!"
"Shh!" they all silenced the dragon, who muttered but shut up.
"--For almost thirty years, the BBA has hosted the championships by ways of a steady schedule: Teams would compete in two of the seven national championship countries, either China, Japan, India, America, Europe, Africa or Australia, of which the over all victorious team would then journey to Russia to face off against the reigning champions."
Ray's fingers curled around Kai at the mention of the bluenette's homeland but Kai hadn't flinched, eyes intently watching the screen as if trying to figure out where their manager was heading with this. He did, however, pull the neko-jin closer, resting his head on the now tied hair.
"But times change, and many have asked for a new line-up in the BBA championships. After some heavy debating for over five years, we have finally come to an agreement. And that is why I have called this meeting. Today, we will reveal the new tournament requirements and structure of this year's Beyblade World Championships."
A loud murmur broke out on screen amongst the reporters. Likewise, the group watching the TV looked amongst themselves.
"New structure? What does he mean by that?"
"Don't worry, Maxie; it's not like it will have anything to do with us…Right, Chief?"
"How should I know?"
"Aren't you supposed to know everything?"
"Tyson! Stop picking on him!"
"What? Do you have the answers, Hillary?"
"Quiet."
Ray smiled when they all fell silent at the bluenette's orders. Looking up, though, he frowned slightly at the serious expression on Kai's face. The red eyes were trained on the TV with great concentration and Ray could practically hear the gears spinning at high speed in the other's head. Also, the body he was leaning against was tense.
Slightly troubled, he looked back at the screen as Mr. Dickenson continued.
"We will begin with the teams. It has been decided that, instead of teams of four bladers, this year, there will be tag-team competitions. Each team will have its main tag-team participants, plus a back up pair. The tag-teams will battle matches of three battles; best two-out-of-three. Some battles will require the two leading bladers to battle individually while in others they will have to battle together as a team. In the end, it will be the two strongest bladers of the two remaining tag-teams that will go head-to-head for the title of World Champion Blader."
"Wow! Too cool!" Tyson shouted.
"Teams will register here in Japan but the tournament will span across three cities. The first will take place in Madison Square Gardens in New York City, U.S.A. The second will take place in Cairo Tower Arena in Cairo, Egypt. The final battle will take place here in Tokyo, Japan in the newly built Rainbow Arena.
"We are expecting to break numerous records during this championship. Already many teams have signed up, both known and new-comers. Though many battle for the title, the true purpose of the championship is to bring together bladers from all over the world. The battles are but a fraction of what we hope to teach all bladers. We hope that this year's tournament will truly show how important it is for bladers to, not only train and learn as a competitor, but with a partner as well. Team work is the new theme of the BBA, and we will be doing our utter most best to enforce that. Now then, are there any questions?"
Of course there were, but the tape went black, thus ending their viewing experience.
"This…Is…Going…To…ROCK!" Tyson yelled, jumping to his feet, startling the others out of their silence.
"A tag-team championship…That really is a first," Max mused, wide-eyed.
"Why have they suddenly decided to pair bladers up?" Ray wondered.
"New times changes, whatever Mr. D said!" Tyson, too psyched to really think it over, said, dancing around the room. "And we get to go to New York! I've always wanted to go there! And did you hear what he said? Old and new teams! Who do you think will be entering! Well, us, of course, but who else! Wouldn't it be awesome if we got to go up against the White Tigers again? Or what about the All Starz? I've never taken on Michael. Hey! Maybe we can even face the Demolition Boys off, in a fair battle, for once!""
Behind him Kai shifted but Ray was relieved to see that pensive look gone from the handsome face as the bluenette shot their team mate a flat glare.
"What makes you think that they're even going to enter?"
"Huh? Uh…I dunno…I just thought…"
"Now that's a first."
"Ha ha, very funny."
"But when do we have to register, and where?" Max asked, taking the attention off the two glaring bladers.
"Mr. Dickenson said that the details will be made known today. What we should be focusing on is preparing our team for the championships," Kenny muttered, opening his laptop, fingers already flying over the keyboard. "This means that we're going to have to completely change our tactics. We're going to have to choose pairs with matching game plans and practice side-by-side blading. Argh! They should have told us this sooner!"
"Calm down, Chief. It'll be a piece of cake. We've been a team for two years now. As for teams…well, we've got one pair already," he tossed his head in the direction of the two older bladers, "And Maxie and I train a lot together. It's as simple as that."
"Don't be so shallow, Tyson. Chief knows what he's talking about."
"What do you know about blading, Hill? Besides, Maxie and I will make a great tag-team, right, pal?"
"You bet!"
The four began to argue, trying to get their point across.
Watching them from where he had yet to move, Ray felt strangely compelled not to join in, as he would have usually done since he was the team's mediator. Well, he was very comfortable here with Kai, but that wasn't what was holding him back this time. Resting his head back against the chest behind him, he chewed over the new rules.
Tag-teams? And only one main pair…plus a back-up team. Meaning that, from this group, only two of them really had a shot at the championship title…
"Thinking about it?"
"About what?" he asked softly, reaching over his shoulder to play with a short lock of dark blue hair.
"About what Mr. Dickenson said."
"…Kinda."
"Fine then! We'll prove it! Come on, Maxie!" Tyson shouted before them as he ran out into the yard, still wearing only his pajamas. "Let's show the old hag that we can blade as partners!"
"I'll get you for that, Tyson!" Hillary yelled, jumping to her feet and chasing after the retreating dragon.
Laughing, Max followed the pair, dragging Kenny with him to analyze their match. Their excited voices soon faded to the back of the dojo and though they could still be heard, the room was a lot quieter.
"You're tense."
Ray pulled away from Kai and got to his feet and began to pace. He could feel his boyfriend's crimson eyes on him as he did so.
"It's just…I…"
"Ray."
"…Even though the entire team has battled in the past two championships, Tyson is the one recognized as the world champion, isn't he? He fought in the final match against the top competitors."
"And this bothers you," Kai easily figured out.
"I joined this team hoping to have a shot at the title myself. When Tyson won it the first time…back in Russia against Tala…I didn't really mind. I felt as if it was a victory for the team. But…Doesn't it get to you, Kai? Tyson is a great guy and I love having him as a friend, but…I just feel like I'm being held back for his sake."
He stopped, looking outside with his arms crossed, expression uncertain. Behind him Kai didn't speak, his own eyes gazing down though Ray knew he was listening.
"I'm tired of living in Tyson's shadow, Kai. And with these new rules…only two members of this team will have a real chance. And…and I just know that Kenny will chose Tyson as one of the main competitors, meaning that Max will go too. I don't want to just sit on the side-line and watch them. I'm a blader. We both are." He looked down at the bluenette. "…Don't you feel the same way?"
Sitting up straighter and stretching his back, Kai didn't seem to give it much thought.
"The Demolition Boys were the reigning champions for four years, remember? And it was the team, not one blader, who was recognized as champion material."
"But what about the need to prove yourself the strongest? The spirit of a true blader?"
Kai got to his feet and walked over to lean with his arm on the doorway beside the neko-jin. The high afternoon sun glared down onto the yard, washing it with a pale shade though the skies above were a brilliant blue. A typical summer day in Japan. Watching a fluttering butterfly make its way over the wall to hover above a bush near the path, Kai weighed his answer more carefully this time, though he was never anything but honest to the golden-eyed teen.
"Ata and I both lost to Tyson for one reason: because we had planned to. Tyson beat me in the regional championships because I needed him to be on this team for the world title. You may not have noticed it, but Ata practically gave Tyson the match during their battle. If Ata had actually put some effort into it then Tyson would never have had a chance. But Ata had to throw the match, otherwise Biovolt would have won. We couldn't let that happen. Me, Ata, Bryan, Spencer and Ian knew that we'd be sacrificing our group's title without a decent battle, but we were willing to do anything to stop those old bastards."
He took out Dranzer, studying the sharp edges of the blue blade, so different from the fragile wings of the butterfly a few feet away. Ray watched him toy with the beyblade, waiting for him to go on.
"I know that I am the strongest," he said quietly. "Every blader claims to be the best there is, but I know that I can beat anyone who challenges me. It's what I've been raised and trained to do. Last year, before the championships in Russia, was the first time I've ever walked away from a dish without victory; all for the sake of bringing Biovolt down. I didn't like it, but I managed because I knew that in a real match I'd win."
"Has there ever been a person who has given you an actual challenging battle? What about that one match with Johnny?" Ray questioned, smiling at the cynical scowl that memory brought to the bluenette's face.
"That had to have been the most painful 'defeat' ever. Damn highlander. Blame Ata and his stupid bets for that one. But along that line, the only person who could ever give me a decently challenging battle is Ata. But, like me, he doesn't feel the need to prove anyone. We know that, when pushed, we push back three times as hard, three times as fast, three times as devastating. Having that power, and having banished Dranzer Demon, the world championship title doesn't really hold much for me. Making a name for myself isn't on my priority list. But…"
"…It is on mine. I have to. I have to prove to myself that I can be worthy of the title, even if just once. I left my village to become the best blader. I wanted to make my friends and family proud. They were proud when I joined the Bladebreakers, but when I went back there, before I moved in with you, I felt like such a let down."
"Is that how they saw you? Did they call you that?" Kai asked, eyes narrowing.
"No. But they had asked me why it was Tyson whom everyone was talking about. They asked me why I hadn't been in the photo in the newspaper. When I told them about my battle with Bryan and how I ended up in the hospital their smiles had faded a bit. I could tell that they were trying to be supportive, but I just know that they see me as having failed. I abandoned them…and came back empty-handed."
"Ray, you not only survived a match against Bryan Kuznetsov. You won."
"Winning a pre-arranged match isn't something I'm proud of," he reminded.
Kai chuckled at him.
"Your match? Pre-arranged? Do you honestly think that Bryan would willingly let someone beat him? He had downright refused the idea. Beyblading is his passion and he will never hand anyone the victory, not even for the fate of the world. He went into that battle with all intent on beating you, Ray."
He was surprised at the revelation. For the past year he had been living under the presumption that Bryan had surrendered the match to him, all for the sake of the revolt against Biovolt, thus rendering his victory worthless.
"But…if you knew that he was going to come at me with full strength, why did you let Spencer beat you? If Bryan had beaten me afterwards then all your plans would have gone down the drains."
A warm smile, one of the precious few Kai ever granted.
"Because I knew that you would win."
"Oh, come of it!" he rolled his eyes.
Pulling the former White Tiger closer, he pecked him on the cheek.
"I'm not flattering you, Ray. I was the one who told Kenny to let you battle instead of Max. I had studied your technique during the other tournaments and I knew that if anyone on this team could ultimately beat Bryan at his own game, it would be you."
"Wow, I actually defeated a Russian blader all my myself?" he gasped, fanning himself in fake shock. "Who knows, maybe I'll mop the floor with you next."
"Well, we've already polished the kitchen floor…"
"Kai!" he blushed, looking around to make sure no one had heard that.
"And the hall way."
"Stop it!"
"And the back patio."
"Don't--"
"Not to mention all the tables on the second and third floor, plus most of the bathroom walls, the book shelves in the library, as well as the pool table and the desk in my office."
He smirked at the shorter teen who was trying to stare menacingly at him though the cute blush across his nose bridge didn't really enhance that.
"And, just to sum it up, remember the pool?"
Swallowing nervously, Ray's blush deepened.
"I knew you would."
"It's not my fault you're such a tease."
"Me?"
"It was your idea to go skinny-dipping!" he hissed, ineffectively trying to detangle himself from the embrace.
"Who was the one who got frisky once in the pool?"
"If you hadn't been pushed me under--"
"Uh…guys?"
They turned back to find Kenny, red-faced and nervously looking anywhere but at them.
"What?" Kai asked in a cold-voice as if they hadn't just been discussing a rather private experience.
Ray pinched him. Hard.
"What's up, Kenny?" he asked friendly, ignoring Kai's pained curse.
"I…um…I'm doing some data…and…uh…Can you come blade…uh…yeah," he finished with a mumble. Not waiting for their answer, he quickly walked back the way he had come from.
"Now look what you did to him," Ray accused.
"He'll get over it."
"Just like how he got over walking in on us while we were making out on the couch?"
"He should have been more careful."
"It was in his own house!" Ray laughed, remembering the stunned expression on their genius's face at finding his two friends half-naked in his living room in a terribly suggestive position.
"That doesn't excuse him for wrecking the moment."
"I still can't believe you managed to get me to undress in someone else's house."
"Want to see if I can do it again? We could try Tyson's bedroom."
"You can't just snap your finger and have me laying beneath you, Kai."
"Worked last night, didn't it?"
Remembering his lover's rather dirty trick on him in their bedroom, he finally broke away, stepping back with a cross look on his face.
"Now that I think about it, I don't think that I have forgiven you for that one."
Kai smirked lazily, leaning against the door frame as he watched the neko-jin head off to the backyard to join the rest before following, eyeing the slight sway of the ponytail and hips.
"So I suppose I'm going to have to win back your forgiveness again when we get home."
Tossing a sly look of his shoulder, Ray winked.
"I'm looking forward to it."
Unable to resist, he grabbed the long ponytail before gently reeling the other in and planted both hands on the hips that had been tempting his a few seconds earlier. With the other in his vast grip once more, he lowered his head and with experienced smoothness, he broke the light defense and soon he felt the hot touch of the Chinese blader's tongue stroking his. Pressing his koi up against the wall, he nipped the lower lip and grinned down rather predatorily, sending a thrill down Ray's spine.
"How about I start now?"
"RAY! KAI! GET YOUR HORNY BUTTS OUT HERE NOW!"
Sneering over his shoulder, Kai straightened and mumbled something in Russian, cracking his knuckles as he glared in the direction where the shout had originated. If there was one thing he hated it was being denied of his kitten, especially when Ray was also in the mood for some foreplay.
"But first, I have to make sure there won't be any more distractions."
"You do that," Ray nodded, also leering at the approaching figure of Tyson who had come to look for them, just in case they had gone deaf and hadn't heard his call.
"Dudes! What's taking you so long! You keep this up and there's no way we're going to make…it…to…the…uh…" Tyson faltered, noticing the twin sets of rather angry eyes. "Oh…um…did I interrupt something?"
"Ten seconds head start," was the only answer Kai gave him.
This hadn't been the first time this had happened so Tyson was smart enough to yell in pure horror before dashing out the room, yelling something about 'angry horny Russians'. Ten seconds later, the taller form of his boyfriend disappeared out of the room as well, long scarf flaring out behind him. All three knew that Kai would catch Tyson soon enough. He wouldn't really hurt Tyson by beating him into the ground (Ray had managed to get him to drop that habit) but he'd probably do something even worse, like hang Tyson from a tree branch by the back of his underwear, or strip him of his clothes and lock him out of the dojo, leaving him to bang on the wooden gates while surprised passer-bys stared.
His mind no longer on his boyfriend's knee-buckling kisses, for now, he thought over what they had talked about.
He knew Kai was right; Kai had nothing to prove. Not anymore, anyway. Maybe when they had just started out as a team his lover had battled to prove himself to them, strangers at the time, a worthy captain, one who expected his team to follow his every command, but now Kai rarely battled, preferring to leave the tournaments over to them, stepping up only when the situation was dire or when the battle had someone turned personal. Kai had retired once for blading, and though he came out of that retirement a few months later he had shown no real intent on seriously taking the sport up again. The many businesses and corporations took up most of his time and free time was spent either with Ray or traveling to Russia to visit Saskia and the rest.
Ray still had to discover just how far he could go. He knew that he was more than just another blader. He was more than just Tyson Granger's fellow blader. He was the strongest blader in his village. It was he who had been chosen to master the mighty Drigger. He had left his village and loved ones to find his place in the rankings of the beyblade work and right now he knew he deserved to be higher up than where he was now.
'I may never be as powerful as Kai and Tala, but if I am given the chance…If there is a way for me to go against Tyson…Then I know I'll win. If anything, I want to be able to prove to everyone, including Kai, that I am strong in my own rights. All I need is the chance. But…as long as I am part of this team, I'll never get it. As long as I am a Bladebreaker, I will just have to let Tyson go first.'
It was a thought that he couldn't bear.
'So this means that…in order to reach my goal…I have to leave the Bladebreakers.'
He had left one team to become a better blader. Could he do it again? He had almost lost his childhood friends because of that choice. The White Tigers had forgiven him, but was it smart to test his luck a second time? What matter most; his friends…or his dreams?
"Yo-hooo? Earth to Ray?"
"Huh?"
Max smiled brightly now that he had his attention. The freckled blader had been waving his hand before the older boy's face for almost a minute.
"I asked if you're coming. Tyson and Kai won't be back for a while so I thought that maybe we can practice together."
"Yeah, sure," he smiled, shaking away the excess fog. "I've been slacking off lately, though."
"Nothing a good backyard friendly competition can't fix," Max beamed, draping an arm over his shoulder. "I bet you! If I win, you have to buy the entire team ice-cream. If I lose, then the treat's on me!"
"You've got yourself a deal."
As they walked to where Hillary and Kenny sat waiting, a standard beydish in the middle of the yard, he sighed mentally. He knew what he had to do. He knew where he had to go. At least he was assured that his old friends the White Tigers would be thrilled to see him back…
But how was he going to break this to this group?
A sudden realization struck him, leaving him cold.
'If I join the White Tigers again...then I'm going to have to leave Japan to train with them, but...what about Kai?'
Tbc…
This chapter is more intent on establishing the relationship between Ray and Kai and the rest than developing the plot, but now we know what the new rules are and how they are beginning to affect the team, including Ray. Again, I am really trying to not make the relationship between Kai and Ray all lovey-dovey with over-used 'I love you's and 'We'll be together for ever' dialogue and moments. Am I doing a good job at that?
Next: Ray's decisions, Tyson's reaction and more Kai/Rei moments.
Read & Review, please.
P.S: 'Sinners' will be updated sometime during the upcoming week. I hate it (sorry, but I really do) when people review a story just to ask me when other stories will be updated.