Chapter 4
A year had passed since that fateful sleepover at Max's house. Over the year Rei and Max managed to get closer, and Tyson had managed to break through a few more of Kai's barriers but not too many. During this time Hiro gave Tyson his old baseball cap while Max's parents were arguing more and more. Even after all this time Tyson and Max were the best of friends, but now they had three new friends: Tala, Hilary, and Kenny.
"Hiro, is it true girls have cooties?" Tyson said as he walked through the park with his elder brother.
Hiro looked down at his brother and smiled. "No Tyson, girls don't have cooties, and anyone who tells you differently is lying."
"But Hiro!" Tyson tried to shout but it came out more as a whine. "Tala was the one who told me. Why would Tala lie?"
"Maybe he didn't mean to," Hiro offered. "Maybe someone else told him that so he told you."
"It was still bad that he lied to me," Tyson said with pout on his face.
Hiro smiled at his brother. It was times like these that he most enjoyed being with Tyson. If only things didn't go wrong like they usually do when they're together. Smiling he crouched down to Tyson's eye level. "Hey Ty, do you want me to buy you some ice cream?"
The child's eyes widened in delight and he nodded his head excitedly. "Yes please!"
Chuckling Hiro stood up from his crouched position and looked around the park. He was sure there was an ice cream vender around here. Spotting it a few feet away Hiro took one of Tyson's hands in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I'll be gone for a few seconds Tyson, just wait here for me okay?"
"Okay Hiro," Tyson said sweetly. Once sure Tyson wasn't going to run off Hiro walked over to the ice cream vender.
Tyson sighed in boredom. He really wanted ice cream, but he hated how his brother always ran off. They were having such a nice time and he hadn't wanted it to end. If he had known his brother was going to leave him alone to get ice cream he would have just said no.
Something in the back of Tyson's head tingled pulling him out of his thoughts. Looking around the park he smiled when he saw a familiar shadow. He would recognize that shadow anywhere. Giggling to himself he ran towards it, but the shadow ran away. Thinking that it was a new game Tyson chased after the shadow.
He ran through the park, not noticing the distance he was putting between himself and his brother until the teenager could no longer be seen. The further he ran the less people he saw. He was growing hot and tired. Maybe he took a wrong turn? No. He had seen the shadow come this way, he knew it. As the sun beat down on Tyson as he searched, but his efforts came up fruitless.
A strong wind blew into Tyson's face causing him to shut his eyes to avoid the stinging sensation. As the wind became stronger he felt a weight being lifted off his head. Gasping in fear Tyson opened his eyes to see his hat was flying off into the distance. Not wanting to lose his brother's gift he gave chase, but it was always just out of his reach. He kept running though until his legs were burning with pain.
Not seeing where he was going he felt a sharp pain in his foot and was suddenly falling to the ground causing his legs to hurt even more. Tears poured from his eyes as he watched his hat fly away from him, but more tears came when he saw his knees were scraped and bleeding. Not only had he lost his hat but now he was hurt, and since he had run off from his brother in hopes of catching the shadow there was no one there to help him.
He began to sob and let the tears roll down his face. A minute must have flown by before he finally stopped crying. Someone was in front of him and he felt a weight on his head. Carefully he reached his hand up and touched his head and felt the soft material of his cap. A smile spread across his as he looked up to see Kai with a smirk on his face.
"Now go back to your brother," the vampire said in a calm yet commanding voice.
Tyson shook his head and tried to touch Kai who was crouched down in front of him, but the vampire pulled away from his touch. A frown spread across his face as he stared at Kai. "But I want to be with you."
"That's nice," Kai responded, "but you need to go back to your brother."
Hurt stabbed at Tyson's heart when Kai brushed him aside. Pouting and feeling the tears that he had been crying a while ago come back he managed to stutter out, "D-Don't you love me?"
Kai stiffened and looked as if he were trying to decide on something. It looked like he was having an inner battle but in the end he answered. "I'm very fond of you but I can't say more than that at this point and time."
Confused by Kai's answer he nodded his head and accepted it nonetheless. Turning around to leave he quickly glanced over his shoulder and looked at his friend. "You'll follow me right? I don't want to be alone if I get lost."
Seeing Kai nod in agreement he smiled and ran off in the direction he had last seen his brother.
X.X.X.X.X.X.X.
Kai frowned as he silently watched over Tyson from the shadows. He knew he shouldn't have followed the boy to the park. He knew if Tyson saw him he'd try to get his attention, and now because of that the bluenette was separated from his older brother, who was probably having a heart attack.
He was also still shaken by the boy's earlier question. He didn't lie when he said he had grown fond of Tyson, but the thought of loving the boy was new to him. He had never thought about love before, but Tyson clearly thought Kai should feel such feelings for him. It was strange, he didn't want to disappoint the boy he had grown fond of, but he truthfully didn't know if he could ever love the boy, and if he did would it be the kind of love the boy wanted?
"Tyson!"
Kai's thoughts were interrupted by Tyson's older brother shouting in both anger and relief. Like always he watched the two brothers.
"Hiro!" Tyson shouted as he ran into his brother's arms.
"Tyson don't ever run off like that again!" Hiro berated his younger sibling.
Kai smiled sadly at the two brothers. I must admit I'm a bit jealous. It must be nice to have someone who cares about you so much.
X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.
"I'm tired of this!"
"You're tired of this! I should be the one who is tired! I try to be a nice person and every time I do you do something so it looks like I was in the wrong!"
"Did you ever consider that maybe you are!"
"Maybe to you, but I'm just trying to help!"
"And you're doing a splendid job."
"Shut up!"
"Make me!"
Max tried to push the voices to the back of his head. His parents had been fighting like cats and dogs for months now, and it was tearing him up inside. It's all my fault. Maybe if I helped out more Mommy and Daddy wouldn't be so angry with each other. If only was able to help them, but I'm too little. I just want to help them so they'll stop fighting. Please stop! Please!
The need to do something filled Max's being. He couldn't just lie in his bed like had been doing, but he couldn't go downstairs and talk to his parents either. Using what little strength he had in his frail body he crawled out of his bed and over to his window. He always did find comfort looking out his window. Maybe it was because it was the place he first met Rei.
Salty tears formed behind his eyes as he looked out at the night sky. He felt so alone and abandoned. Slowly the tears fell from his eyes and stained his cheeks. As more tears fell he felt someone hug him. Without hesitating the he buried his head in the person's chest. A little chuckle left his lips as he heard a soft purr being emitted from the one who was holding him.
"It's okay Max. It's not your fault. Your parents are just going through some hard times," The person holding him said soothingly as he rubbed the small boy's back.
"Thank you Rei, but that doesn't help," Max said with a hiccup. The tears were still flowing down his face, and as hard as he tried to act brave and not cry he couldn't stop them. "We are they fighting? Why don't they stop?"
"I wish I could tell you," Rei whispered into Max's ear as hugged him closer.
"Then why don't you?" Max asked as he clung on tighter to Rei. He couldn't take it anymore. He felt so lost and confused. His chest ached in pain even though no one had hit him there, and he hadn't laughed in a long time so why did it hurt so much? Why did it hurt, and why did he feel so hollow? He had never felt like this before.
"Because I don't know Max." Rei moved one of his hands from Max's waist and began to brush away the blonde's tears. "I do know this Max. Your parents love you and they never would want to see you hurt, so for them please endure this pain a little longer."
"Endure?" Max asked.
Rei smiled at Max's confusion. "It means to stay strong and not give up." Max was silent for a minute as he let the information sink into his head.
"Rei?"
"Yes, Max?"
"I'll try to endure this."
Rei smiled down at the boy in his arms and hugged him as hard as he could without killing him.
X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.
Akira: Feel the fluff. X3