Reviews: Warmest thanks to NiennaAngel, Troublesome Aries (second place, but I still love it :P), Lioku, NKingy, kuro shinzui, kai-luver-666, helltenshi and a happy reader!
Aweek has passed since King was welcomed into the Blitzkriegs boy's house, or the nut house as Kai often calls it. King likes this team. They were unlike anyone he has ever met before. They hold no judgment and don't care, at all, what people think of them. They're serious but quirky. Not every day is the same, although Kai and Tala are often fighting. One day Tala startled Kai awake in his room and Kai automatically summoned Dranzer, which result in one soot covered Tala and one blown out window. It was actually quite funny.
Spencer is the oldest and peacemaker of the group. But the main reason that's true is because he is so huge. He can tear two phone books in half. Although really big and strong, he's a softly at heart and that shows through when he is with Bryan. He's timid and peaceful. King has yet to see him angry.
Bryan on the other hand is a real wild child. He's an adrenaline junkie, up for something outrageous and dangerous. But he does have his quite moments, but yet again that mostly with Spencer. Those two really compliment each other. Never one to let anything get to him and has an outrageous sense of humour.
Ian is the baby of the group. He is only 10 years old, yet is an amazing blader. He's smart and inquisitive. A very curious little pipsqueak. He wanted to know how a toaster works so he pulled one apart to look inside it. He was found at the kitchen table with its contents spilled around him. Not that anyone really cared. He is quite affectionate, though a real child sometimes. Whenever someone looks at him the wrong way, which is usually Tala, Ian runs to Kai, complaining.
Kai is the mother hen of the group. Always running around, getting the others out of trouble, making sure they have everything they needed. He is feisty and intelligent. He could be mistaken for one of Ian's parents. He takes no crap nor does he give it out. He's a very patient and generous person.
And then there is Tala. He is a sarcastic, argumentative smartarse. He has a great sense of humour and very bloody funny when he is drunk. He tells some of the crudest and down right wrong jokes that you can't help but laugh at. He and Kai often argue but one does not take them serious. They're quite entertaining actually.
One time Tala called Kai a scrawny toothpick, right in front of his face, would you believe? Well that resulted in Kai chasing him all over the house with a leg he tore of the coffee table. Bryan usually follows with a video camera. Spencer would glance over his paper, shrug and go back to reading. The fights don't usually last long and they go back to whatever they were doing before hand as though the fight never happened.
So in all, King has never met such an odd, quirky group of people, ever.
Suddenly Bryan came tearing down the stairs, trying to get his jacket on.
"OhmygodimgoingtobesolateHiKinghowareyoutelltheguysimgoingtobelatesoillseeyoulater.OhandtellSpencerisaidbyeandloveyalots.Ohchristi'mgoingtobelate!"
A second later he was out the front door and gone. King blinked, trying to figure out what Bryan just said. He tried for a few minutes but gave up. Fortunately, Spencer was in the kitchen at the time.
Spencer smiled at King over his paper as King sat down at the table as well. "Morning, King."
"Good morning. Um, did you hear what Bryan said?"
"Yep, he said: Oh my god I'm going to be so late. Hi king, how are you? Tell the guys I'm going to be late so I'll see you later. Oh and tell Spencer I said bye and love ya lots. Oh Christ I'm going to be late." Spencer said, not once glancing over his paper his voice casual.
King blinked at him. "How in the name…?"
Spencer laughed. "It's a gift."
A few moments went by when Kai walked into the kitchen. He greeted both King and Spencer. "Where's Bryan? Did he leave early this morning?"
"He just left now. He was late, again." Spencer replied, smirking to himself.
Kai nodded and rolled his eyes. "Who hasn't had breakfast yet? I know Tala and Ian hasn't."
"I've had something," Spencer said, folding his paper. He stood up and handed it to Kai. "I got to leave now, too. But only for a couple of hours. Apparently there was a problem at the BBA building."
"Need any help." Kai asked, placing the paper under his arm.
"Not yet. I don't know what's going on at the moment, but I'll give you a call when I find out." Spencer nodded goodbye to the two teens and left.
Kai turned to King. "You had anything to eat yet?"
King shook his head. "Nar, just got up."
"I better go put coffee on. You know what Tala is like before his coffee." Kai said and walked over to the kitchen benched, filling the coffee pot.
King chuckled to himself. Yes, Tala is quite frightening without his coffee. A zombie with flaming red hair.
At that exact moment, the red hair zombie stumbled into the kitchen. He walked over to the coffee pot and watched at the black liquid slowly drip into the glass coffee holder. "Com'on. Hurry up." He mumbled.
King laughed again when Kai sent him a look and shook his head.
Tala suddenly snarled and bang his fist on the kitchen bench. "Hurry up and perk!"
Kai shook his head again and opened his mouth to say something but the sound of the phone ringing interrupted him. He quickly walked pass the snarling Tala and answered the phone.
"Hello? Hey, Spencer. Really? Yeah, I'll be right there." Kai sighed and hung up. "I've have go into the office, apparently the parent of some kid who was defeated by another blader wants revenge. Will you be right here with the living dead? Ian probably won't be up for a while. He enjoys the fact that he can sleep in."
"No, I'll be all right. Besides once Tala gets some coffee into him, he should be reasonable." King said, then laughed when Kai raised an eyebrow at Tala. He shrugged and bid him goodbye, also leaving the room.
"Yes." Tala hissed. He finally has enough of the black liquid gold to satisfy him. He pour himself a cup and drank the liquid quickly.
"Didn't it burn?" King find himself asking.
"Nah." Tala said, the effects of the coffee already kicking in. "I'm use to it."
King blinked. "That must be some good coffee."
Smirking, Tala replied. "Kai makes the best coffee. He makes it so Bryan wouldn't fall asleep while he was drinking it."
King laughed again and remembered a few mornings ago. He walked into the kitchen and found Bryan asleep at the table, his coffee mug just out of reach. The poor thing tried so hard.
"You want some?" Tala asked, holding up a mug of coffee.
"I don't know. Will I be bouncing off the walls if I have some?"
"I'll keep you busy." Tala said, suggestively.
King blushed heatedly and looked to the floor. Was he just teasing me or was he flirting? King asked himself, silently hoping that he was flirting. He was then horrified with himself. For heaven's sake! Tala is probably going out with Kai. Although I've never seen them kiss or act like Spencer and Bryan. But…
"Here." Tala said, suddenly, placing a mug a coffee in front of him and a plate of buttered toast. "You better have something to eat. You know what Kai is like. He can skip meals but heaven forbids if you do."
Nodding mutely, King looked at the food and wrapped his hands around the coffee.
Tala smiled at him, stood up straight, stretching. "I better go check on Ian, I guess. Won't be a minute."
King nodded again and watched as Tala left the room. King swallowed the lump in his throat and let out a shuddering breath. He mentally cursed himself for the way he was acting. It was no surprise really. Tala was hot, so it's all his fault.
Suddenly there was a knock at the front door. King put down his drink and walked over to the front door. He turned the handle and pulled open the doors. He suddenly gasped and tried to shut them again, but wasn't quick enough.
"Here you are, you little brat. Think you could get away from me, did you?" The tall, bulky man pushed open the doors with such force that he threw King to the ground.
King scrambled on the floor, trying to get away. "No, please."
"Get up!" The man ordered, grabbing King around the neck. "You're coming with me."
"No! Stop it! Let me go!" King screamed when the man jerked him to his feet. He felt hot tears slipping down his cheeks.
"Stop squirming you little punk! I said you're coming with me." He snarled. Suddenly another snarl was heard. The man looked up to see a very angry red head.
Although Tala was shorter than the man before him he was too angry to care. "What the hell do you think you are doing?"
The man threw King to the ground by his feet. "What does it look like? I'm taking back what belongs to me."
"He belongs to no one, especially not to a bastard like you." Tala snarled, his eyes narrowing into slits.
The man suddenly threw a punch at him. Tala merely caught it in his hand. He wrapped his hand around the man's fist, crushing the bones in his hands. The man grimace and gritted his teeth. Tala finally let go.
The man cradled his hand. "You little bastard." He hissed.
Suddenly he felt a larger, stronger hand painfully grip his shoulder. He was lifted off the ground and thrown a good 10 feet away from the house. He hit the pavement with a crack. He hissed in pain and looked over his shoulder. He had to crane his head upwards to look into the face of the tall, bulky blond who had just threw him.
Spencer narrowed his eyes at him. "Leave." He said.
The man scrambled to his feet and took of running, but not before throwing another glare at King. Who was standing in the redhead's arms, being comforted by a little short guy. Little bastard. He thought. I'll get him for this.
"King? Are you all right?" King shook his head. He clutched the fabric of Tala's shirt. His body shook as he tried to suppress the tears and sobs that are threatening to escape.
"Tala take him inside. I'll call the others and tell them what happened." Spencer told Tala, ushering everyone inside.
Ian went with Spencer as he went to make the phone calls. Tala lead King upstairs to his bedroom. He sat King down on the bed, keeping his arms around him. King furiously wiped at his eyes, getting rid of the tears.
"King," Tala started. "Who was that ass-, er guy?"
King sniffed and took a shuddering breath. "My foster father."
"King…" Tala paused. "He's abusing you, isn't he?"
Nodding, King took another shuddering breath. "He would just throw me and Queen around. He would hit us where the bruises wouldn't be seen," He whispered.
Tala suddenly pulled King into his lap, holding his close. "He won't hurt you any more. I won't let him."
"…Tala."
"I will protect you."
King looked up at Tala, feeling tears in his eyes again. He opened his mouth to say something when suddenly Tala placed his mouth on his, silencing him, the words forgotten. King felt his eyes widen then slip shut, plunging him into darkness. He grasped onto Tala, timidly returning the kiss. Tala slipped a hand into his hair, pulling his head closer, deepening the kiss. King groaned into the kiss. The need for oxygen grew annoying so they parted.
"Well, this is a surprise." Said a voice from the doorway.
King whipped his head around to see a pair of red eyes looking at him. "Kai?"
A tiny little cliffhanger. I'm in a strange mood today.
Tala: You're a strange person, so what's the difference?
There's no need to be rude.
Next chapter: A secret revealed.
Read and review, please.