Recollections

-white scarf-

"It's raining." Kai mumbled. He spoke softly, but the wind amidst the pouring rain carried his words away. Kneeling by his side, the redhaired friend, Tala Ivanov, never lifted his eyes from tending to Kai's wound on his arm.

Concentrating, Tala encircled the white cloth round and round the nasty gash inflicted down Kai's upper arm, his aqua eyes trained onto it.

Kai, slightly annoyed, declared once again. "It's raining."

This time, Tala blinked, and a frown took to his lips. "Thanks for the weather report, Kai."

Kai would have crossed his arms if he was capable, but instead, he resorted to frowning back. "We are going to be wet."

"Yes, of course. Rain makes people wet, I know that." Tala, unfazed, continued to tend to the wound.

Kai frowned, his lips stuck out in a firm manner. "You are drenched, Tala."

"Hn, and you think I'm going to fall sick just because of this stupid rain. Yeah right, I'll sooner tell you that Dranzer actually has some power than admitting a drastic weather like this can weaken my immune system. Ha ha, nice try, Kai, but it's not working." Tala responded sarcastically, his eyes still fully focused onto bandaging his friend's arm.

"But--" Kai spoke up, but was interrupted by the older boy who glared at him.

"So you want me to leave you out in this weather to rot while you bleed and die as you make your way back to the abbey? Ha ha, very funny, but this is not what Tala Ivanov does." A strict face crossed Tala's face at first, but an eventual half-grin touched his lips. "Tala Ivanov is not someone who walks out on a friend at critical times, you know."

Stunned into silence, Kai looked to the ground, his eyes searching for something…anything. Then slowly, those cobalt orbs watched those nimble, ivory fingers work their way dexterously on the white cloth, in and out, in and out, round and round…And then he lifted his eyes to stare at his friend.

Even when the temperature was awfully chilly out here with the billowing winds and its pelting, relentless rain, his closest friend in the abbey had chosen to help tend his wounds to prevent infection…instead of returning with the others back to the abbey to get warmth and a good shower.

Tala Ivanov was always like this, Kai thought, a small smile touching his lips as he took a last, quick glance at his friend's concentrated facial expression.

"What are you staring at?" Tala snapped, annoyed. He hated anyone invading his personal space and privacy.

Kai shook his head. "Nothing." He mumbled.

"Argh, there's not enough bandage left to stop the bleeding." Tala remarked, a frustrated look overtaking his face. Hastily, he emptied his pockets for any aid that could help his friend, but chances were slim, it appeared.

"Just leave it. It wouldn't get infected." Kai assured, pulling his arm away, grimacing inwardly at the searing pain.

Tala responded by gripping Kai's arm back, his eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. "How can you be so sure, Kai? Don't act smarter than me, 'cause you're not."

Kai frowned, and Tala smirked a bit. "I'm not taking any chances, okay." The redhaired having said that, began to pull out a white scarf previously hidden beneath his collared shirt.

Cobalt eyes widened into the size of saucers, as young Kai recognized the object. He stared disbelievingly at the older boy. "Tala, you can't--"

"Shut up, idiot." Tala chided him quietly, but his tone held command that expected obedience. Firmly but carefully, he pulled Kai's arm forward, and he encircled the scarf around the rest of the wound.

"B-But, Tala…" Kai sought to refuse. He knew how much that scarf meant to Tala. It had been his final farewell gift from his late mother before he was placed into the abbey.

"I hate people who say 'buts' all the time." Tala said. Already, the scarf around Kai's arm was pooling with fresh blood of the victim, tainting its previously pristine white material. Kai looked disapprovingly at his new bandage.

"Tala--"

"Don't make me knock you unconscious just to bandage your wound, Kai." Tala said this with a hint of light-hearted humor, and his eyes lifted briefly to meet uncertain, apologetic ones of Kai.

Wordlessly, taking from that moment, the white scarf made its way around a certain gash, and two boys stayed in the pouring rain on the grounds of Russia.

"There you go!" Tala announced, triumphant at his successful first-aid attempt. He patted the bandages tenderly. "Remember not to aggravate the wound by any means, okay? I don't want to be wrapping it all over again."

Kai inspected his bandaged arm, before looking up.

"What? Does it still hurt?" Tala asked, worry etched against his forehead.

"No, not that." Kai shook his head vehemently, looking to the ground. Guilt rushed over him when he thought of how he had ruined his friend's only gift from his beloved mother…

"Heh, don't feel bad, Kai," Tala placed a hand on Kai's shoulder, half-grinning, "you're my friend, no?"

"You're my friend, no?"

The words resounded in Kai's mind, before the answer registered in him.

A boyish, honest smile touched his lips as he fingered Tala's scarf on his arm.

"Thank you then," he said quietly, eyes reflecting sincerity, "…my friend."

And the Russian rain continued to pour.

Owari

A/N:

Hmm. I've always likened Tala and Kai to the rain, maybe it's because of the melancholy, nostalgic feel that both emits, you think? And this is my intepretation and idea of how Kai's scarf around his neck came about…that it actually belonged to Tala in the first place. I have another fic with this similar idea, but in greater details and depth, and shall post it asap when I find the time. For now, review, even though you already know I'm continuing with this.

Reviews spur me on! So make my day with just a click away! Cheers!

mysterio000