Asylum
By: Darker Evolutions
Rating: R
Warnings: The rating should be warning enough.
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters.
A/N: It's been so long since I've written a chapter for this story, and I very much apologize for that. I'm on vacation right now out in the middle of no where, and I'm taking this relaxing time to write and catch up on things I've gotten behind on because of school. I hope my readers are still actually reading this.. Please review! Also, as suggested by one of my reviewers, there will be a chapter coming up that include how others feel about the whole situation. I can't tell you how long I've just stared at this chapter, though… Something just didn't seem…right.
Summary: Kai, Tala, Ray, and Bryan are members of the Saint Carolin's High School soccer team with a new student placed as their manager. They're also mutants in which the underground organization Biovolt are after. Will they get at each other's throats before they get a chance to find asylum?
Chapter Eight – Waking Moments
"You don't think we should wake them?" questioned Mr. Tate as he sat down at the dinner table, bringing with him a carved roasted ham to set in the middle of the table. His green eyes watched as his wife, son, and Tyson served themselves a portion of the large bit of meat as well as the other foods at the table.
"I think it would be best if all four of them got as much rest as they could get," responded Judy with a slow shake of her head only to smile at Max and Tyson. "Thank you, both of you, for getting all of their homework from the last few days and the rest of the week. It'll be a great deal of help to them to avoid school until things are settled…which reminds me that I need to get some papers together for the principal to clear all this through with him."
"Welcome Mom." The sing-song voice came from Max, his bright blue eyes dancing brightly. He trusted his mother and her judgment; if she wanted to tell them what was going on she would when the time was right, or she'd allow the others to tell him themselves. "Are they really going to be okay?"
"With a good rest all but Declan should be alright, as he needs to slowly work himself back to normal with the injuries he received. He'll be staying here, unless one or more of the other three stay with Declan at his own home and allow me to visit to check up on him." With a smile Judy waved towards the food and picked up her eating utensils. "Now enough of this, lets get dinner started before it gets cold."
"Someone say dinner?" asked a yawning and sleepy voice from the kitchen's doorway. Everyone turned to see a disheveled Kai standing there leaning against the frame of the opening, the clothes he had gotten from Judy shifted this way and that from his movement in his sleep. Two-toned blue hair hung limply and messily, some strands even sticking up here and there to show clear bed head.
"As a matter of fact, yes. I didn't think you'd actually be up after eating, cleaning the dishes, and going back to bed Kai. Come and join us for dinner," offered Judy as she gestured to the empty seat next to Tyson welcomingly. She was pleased to see that Kai was up and alive, though still partially asleep from what she could see. Upon a slightly closer inspection she saw small bruises and already healing cuts upon the slightly tanned skin, yet she was happy to note nothing was severe.
Before Kai could answer Tyson spoke up, deep blue eyes filled with merry and good natured laughter as he smiled widely while speaking. "Geeze Hiwatari, heard of a comb or brush? We could you that hair of yours for a mop, and those clothes.. Whoa, who knew Kai worn normal worn out t-shirts and soccer shorts. Could this be a new fashion statement for the soccer wonder? I could only hope it isn't going to catch with the public," he snickered.
"You're never going to change, Granger." The statement was given with the faintest hint of a smile, and in truth Kai was glad that the other could break a joke a lighten a mood that had been putting a damper on the last few days. "Anyways, I can't join you for dinner.. On a food run for the others. Rei's awake, just refuses to get up and out of bed. Tala hasn't woken once, go figure.. And Declan woke even before I did trying to stumble to the bathroom."
"He was up and walking?" Judy sounded quite surprised, turning herself more fully around to look at Kai as he stepped forward to retrieve one of the larger plates on the counter only to move towards the stable and dodgingly go about scooping up large servings of everything upon the kitchen table.
"Didn't get very far, so technically no. He fell asleep in the bathroom, actually. Ended up carrying him back to bed, only to realize the sheets were bloody and I didn't change them yet, so I put him next to Tala knowing he wouldn't wake up." A yawn interrupted Kai's words before he continued more wearily. "I went to get something to eat, and Rei found me in the kitchen. Ate, went back to bed, left Declan in the same bed as Tala… seeing as that stubborn brother of mine had ended up hugging the teen in his sleep. Didn't want to risk waking either of them, so just went to sleep."
"You left those two in a bed together? Dude, they're going to rip each other's heads off when they wake up. If you haven't noticed Tala doesn't exactly like Declan, and well.. Declan simply defends himself and acts like mister tough guy to get him to back off to an extent. But hugging you said..? Ha! We need to get a picture of this." Rising from his seat Tyson pushed his chair back, stepping towards the kitchen's exit that lead into the hallway. "Maxie, where's your camera?"
"Do whatever you want, but it's your funeral Granger. Just don't take any pictures of me and you'll be fine." With a shrug Kai put a roll into his moth and with both hands he picked up the large plate of food and carefully maneuvered his way past Tyson and down the hallway. It was hard to miss though as Tyson and Max followed behind him only to pass into Max's room to search for the Camera.
Shifting the plate of food to balance upon one hand, playing his fingers to help keep the plate steady, Kai used his now free hand to turn the door knob and slip back into the hazy lighted room as a candle had been lit on one of the nightstands. "I warn you," commented Kai as he set the plate down upon the very same nightstand and turned his crimson eyes to Rei, "that Tyson is going after Max's camera.."
"It's not like he's stupid enough to try taking a picture of you, as I'm sure you've already warned him verbally." There was a yawn as Rei sat up and crawled over to sit near the nightstand, sniffing at the food as he watched Kai chew at the roll in his mouth with tired amber eyes. "I take it he wants a picture of Tala and Declan… It would only figure, which means he's just as dead anyways. Oh well, we'll just have to go to his funeral."
Just then a bouncy Tyson came bounding into the room, nearly tripping over the corner of the air mattress in front of the door on his way to the other side of the room. It didn't take long through for him to snap a picture of Rei sticking a piece of ham into his mouth before this time very well tripping and landing over the corner of the bed in the room. There was another flash as Tyson took a picture of the still sleeping Tala and Declan, and much to Kai's relief they both remained sleeping and unaware of the flash that just occurred. However as Tyson moved to push himself up his hand came down upon the bloody sheet, a sudden calmness coming over him as he pulled the appendage away from the sticky and drying substance.
"I think it's time you go back to eating dinner, Granger. Wash your hands off before you go back to the kitchen." Kai had been watching all this come into play, sighing as Tyson slowly rose to stand and stare at the blood upon his hand. "Look, Tyson.. All of us are alright, no need to worry. Just leave so we can get some rest.. please."
"Who..?" whispered Tyson as his deep blue eyes turned to Kai sadly. He knew they were all okay and living, as Judy was a healer, but the whole play of events was unknown to him leaving him out of the loop and unsure. The hand holding the camera fell to his side, no longer interested in taking pictures. It almost seemed he was going to go into tears.
With a sigh Kai rose from the floor, stuffing the rest of the roll into his mouth before peeling off and rolling up the soiled and ruined sheets on the bed. Holding them under one arm he guided Tyson out with his other hand, smiling to Rei as he saw the other watching him as he went. Once out in the hallway he led Tyson to the bathroom, shoving the sheets into the trashcan there before giving the navy-haired teen a push towards the sink.
"It was Declan," Kai finally answered as he watched Tyson set down the camera and start to scrub soap onto his bloodied hand. "Biovolt got ahead of him; we got him back. As always there was a fight, hence all the blood and why we're so damn drained. Just don't worry about anything, and if you want to help keep other people from suspecting anything. Judy can help us take care of things from here."
"Me, Maxie, and the others.. We got you four covered. We have to stick together, us mutants.. Don't be afraid to ask if you need any of us to help, we'll always be there if you need something. I'll make sure the others know not to go wandering around alone no matter how strong, to always keep in another's company no matter what." Splashing water onto his face Tyson closed his eyes slowly. "If Biovolt messes with one of us, it messes with all of us."
"You may be an air headed jokester at times, but you never cease to amaze me when you're needed to be serious Granger. Go back to dinner, and take that blasted camera with you." With a grin Kai gave Tyson a light shove. "When they're developed I want several copies of the photos you took, one for each of the four of us." Slipping past the other Kai went back to the bedroom and shut the door behind him.
Looking up as the door closed Rei watched as the Russian teen settled himself down in front of him looking tired and worn yet still hungry enough to eat before falling asleep. "I take it Tyson is alright." When a nod greeted him Rei glanced over to the other side of the room, though he couldn't see the two that were still sleeping. "He always pull through when someone needs him, and with Max at his side those two could set anyone straight."
"I think we should separate Declan from Tala before one of them wakes up and they start going at each other's throats. Besides, both need to eat at some point." Shifting Kai moved to get up again only to have Rei pulling back down and shake his head as he rose instead. Kai watched with weary eyes as Rei slipped across the room silently, kneeling down out of his view for a few short minutes before standing against with a sleeping and clingy Declan in his arms.
"Now you can go wake Tala up, or let him sleep himself away. No doubt he's rather…confused" Sitting back down and leaning his back against the side of the bed Rei settled Declan in his lap, allowing him to just sleep as he pleased for the moment. "Better to have only one of them awake at once, though. We'll let Declan sleep for now, but Tala needs to get up already…take a shower at that. You hear me over there, smelly? Go slither into the shower, Tala."
"Oh bite me.." rumbled the sleepy voice of Tala as the sound of moving could be heard upon the other air mattress. Moments later a head of head hair appeared, chilling blue eyes warmed by the haze of sleep and already falling asleep again. "Is that food over there I see and smell? Fuck I'm hungry…" With a grumbled yawn Tala rose from the mattress and stumbled sleepily over to where the food was, plopping himself down right in front of it and helping himself to the warm entrees.
"And so the sleeping ice monster wakes from his slumber only to demand food.. then to fall back asleep again. Don't eat all of that Wolborg, not all of us have ate yet. We figured we'd let you wake, eat, then go back to sleep first before we wake Declan to eat. Oh… And Tyson took a picture of you sleeping," informed Kai with a smirk.
"He is so going to die for that.. Who the hell goes around taking pictures of people as they sleep anyways?" With a yawn Tala shifted his tired eyes to the only sleeping teen in the room, chewing on a piece of ham thoughtfully before swallowing and speaking again. "How's he doing, anyways? I could've sworn that you told me to go back to sleep this morning when I wasn't even really awake…though I could've been dreaming it all."
"No dream, that was definitely me telling you to go back to sleep, only to find out it was the kid here already awake and trying to get to the damn bathroom… ended up falling back asleep on the tiled floor in the middle of washing his face. As for how he's doing it's hard to say, but he's going to live for sure. He's been asleep since then, and hasn't eaten anything yet," answered Kai as he forked a bit of stuffing into his mouth.
"Up and moving before any of us.. that's insane and stupid. And what, you think I'm going to bite his head off if he's awake while I am? I may not be nice to him most of the time, but I'm not going to do anything to him.. though it's not like I ever actually touch him in the first place. Besides," yawned Tala, "the sooner he eats the better."
"He probably saved out lives.. all three of ours. Three against four we're no match to Biovolt's cronies.. But four against for we have a chance to fight back and possibly finally get somewhere with protecting all he mutants around here. We're strong ourselves, we already know this, but we've never really come together like we have with him around. Call him glue, but he's holding us together," suggested Kai with a faint nod only to receive a warm albeit sleepy smile from Rei to show he was right.
"Alright, so yeah he's good, but he has no control what so ever. He was angry last night, maybe desperate, which is why he had some sort of control but not a whole lot. He's going to end up getting us all killed if he doesn't get some control over that power of his; it's deadly to no end," argued Tala even though he knew it was pointless to do so at this point.
"Bite yourself, Wolborg. He's good, and you know it as much as we do. Anyways, we can work on control later, when he's ready. Otherwise I'm going to be asking Coach Tate to make some changes.. I want Declan on the team. He'll be a good addition, and it will put some respect into the other players for him." With another yawn Kai laid back down, stretching his legs out carefully before rolling over to end the conversation. "I'm going back to sleep."
As Tala turned his blue eyes to Rei the Chinese teen help his hands up defensively, grinning lightly before shrugging. "Don't look at me; I didn't put the idea in his head. But he's right, Declan would be a welcome addition to our team. Might actually have less trouble winning if we do."
"Mmn.. Be quiet, please. Just want to.. sleep." It was the sleeping Declan who spoke, curling himself up more against Rei's form and bringing his hands to grasp the fabric of the t-shirt Rei wore before drifting off into a deep slumber again. Sighing Rei shook his head. "He's going to sleep and keep on sleeping though eating if he has anything to say about it. I would like to go back to bed myself, but he's attached himself to me."
"Go ahead and go back to sleep then, Drigger. I'll make sure he gets something to eat before you and Kai worry to death that he's going to starve himself , as you two have had less sleep than I had. Just switch me shirts.." Peeling his own loose t-shirt of Tala tossed the cotton article at Rei, watching as the Chinese youth shrugged and carefully pulled his own shirt over his head before depositing Declan into the Russian's lap.
"Look, I know you two don't see eye to eye, but with the state he's in and with what has happened I think you should try your best not to agitate him. Now I'm not saying that you were going to.. But it has become a habit of yours, one that should very well be broken. Anyways," yawned Rei slowly. "I'm going back to sleep; Goodnight." With that the raven-haired teen curled up back under the blankets, giving a pleasant purr as he slipped into a quick slumber.
With a sigh Tala gathered Declan in his arms, not bothering to put the shirt on that he was clinging to as he rose quietly to his feet. It irked him how light the other was in his arms, and if he never saw the teen eat then Tala would've been convinced he had an eating problem, yet he seemed to eat just fine…if not consuming more than he should. Moving back to his own air mattress on the floor Tala lay down the youth in his arms, moving back over to grab the plate of food before sitting down himself on the mattress.
"Is that food..?" The murmured question caught Tala off guard, as he had though the other still very well asleep, yet as he looked closer he saw the partially opened cerulean eyes peering at the plate he was holding with a hint of sleepy interest. The Russian made an affirmative noise, watching as Declan moved to sit up in slow, sluggish movements. And he just watched, kept on watching as the other struggled to stay sitting up, yet never once asking for help.
Grunting unhappily Tala set the plate of food aside, shifting himself carefully to sit behind Declan. This allowed the other to sit up with support, while it was also comfortable for them both with the smaller of the two settled in between the red-head's legs in almost a slouched position. However he didn't protest to the support, merely reaching out for the food as if it was the only thing he was interested in at the moment.
"I know this may not be the time to ask you anything," started Tala slowly, making sure to keep an eye on Declan as he spoke for any sigh of the topic not being a comfortable one. "But I'd still like to know anyways.. There's no time like the present. I don't really see.. I mean I can't put together why.. You.." He wasn't sure how to really word this without sounding ungrateful…he truly was.
"Why I saved your life and called you a friend..?" finished Declan before stuffing a small piece of ham into his mouth with an appreciative hum for the food's wonderful flavor; he'd need all the nourishment he could get after what had happened. "I may not seem like the most friendliest of people, Tala… Yes, I do agree I need to tone it down when I'm at school.. But that doesn't mean I'm going to let anyone kill another person--Biovolt in general. The organization.. It has no care for the life that people carry in them, the pure spirit and soul they have. I do, Tala.. I may be dark, evil if you insist of calling me that, but I don't kill like they do."
The only response that Declan received was silence, that and a pair of arms circling his waist. He was too tired to do anything about it at the moment or to think about whatever the action could mean, if it meant anything at all. For now he accepted it as a mere thanks, that and support to keep him from further sliding to the side against his own will. His body was weak, and it needed food and rest.. More of the latter.
Pushing the plate of food away, though he had only eaten half a biscuit and some ham, Declan shifted and yawned slowly, already falling back asleep sitting up as he was. He knew, even as he started to fall into a slumber, that he had lost a lot of blood, which in turn with the help of his energy depletion made his tired and in need of several days of rest. He was grateful when Tala silently moved him and pulled the covers over his only to rise and turn the light in the room off. Even as Tala crawled under the blankets he could tell that Declan was already asleep, yet he felt at ease with the teen for now; they had an understanding with one another.