Me: In this chapter we finally get to meet Kai's long lost friend: his scarf XD. Also, a sad!Tyson ;.; Please enjoy!

Kai had been thoughtful all day, and although he was quiet by nature, Tyson was a little concerned about his distance.

As the school bell rang shrilly, and the class stood up from their desks to get ready to go home, Tyson touched his charge's shoulder to get his attention.

The dual haired teen swung his gaze up to look at his angel curiously. "What is it?" He questioned, swinging his backpack onto his shoulder and following the last few stragglers out of the classroom.

"Are you ok? You've been distant and quiet all day." Tyson questioned, he couldn't think of anything that could make his charge so thoughtful, and it was that that mostly bothered him.

"I'm fine." Kai reassured him. Earlier that morning, he had found a photo, stuck behind his desk, of him as a small child. Around his neck was a white scarf his mother had given him. He could remember being quite attached to it and how upset he was when he had lost it. He jolted out of his memories when Tyson nudged him again. Blinking, he was surprised to find himself at the entrance to the school.

"You were daydreaming again." Tyson informed him. "Are you sure you're ok?"

"I'm fine." Kai repeated, a little irritably. "I was just remembering something that's all." His reason apparently wasn't good enough to soothe his angel's concerns and he sighed, deciding to explain seeing as there wasn't many people around. "When I was young, my mother gave me a white scarf. I just miss it I suppose."

Now feeling reassured, Tyson nodded in understanding. "I know what you mean. My brother gave me a hat – I always used to wear it. I think it's still back at my old house." He said, looking thoughtful about it,

Kai raised his eyebrows in mild surprise but didn't say anything. It was a relatively warm day, despite being early autumn, and the dual haired teen was just content to walk alongside his angel in comfortable silence.

Tyson had been about to offer to fly them home, but Kai seemed perfectly happy walking. Instead, he amused himself by walking through pedestrians strolling down the street, earning a half amused, half exasperated eye roll from his charge. Walking past a clothes store, an idea suddenly occurred to the bluenet and he grabbed Kai's hand to get his attention. "Why don't you buy another scarf?" He suggested.

Kai turned hi head to look at the shop in considering manner and, after checking he had his wallet on him, he nodded and let go of his angel's hand to walk into the shop.

"It always amazes me that the shops always manage to have stuff early like this." Tyson commented, raising an eyebrow at a range of new coats.

"It's a little unnecessary if you ask me." Kai replied dryly, his crimson eyes scanning the scarves the two-floor shop had. "Still… it can be useful sometimes."

Tyson wandered over to where his charge was standing. "Fashion's a changed a lot since I was alive." He murmured.

"Fashion changes about once a month." The dual haired teen beside him said.

The bluenet nodded in agreement, scanning over the scarf collection himself. "What kind of scarf did your mother give you?" He questioned.

"It was white, I don't really remember what material… and it had always been too big for me." Kai answered.

Seeing as the scarves were piled high on shelves stretching up the wall, Tyson saw the logic in flying up to scan the top shelves. Hovering up by the new array of scarves, he spotted a white, silky-looking one and took one from the pile, sending a few other scarves tumbling down.

Kai made a face as a few of the scarves landed on his head and he pulled them off in distaste. "What have you found?"

"This." Tyson showed the dual haired teen the scarf he had found, while fluttering back to the ground. "And check this out! It flows in the wind!" He waved the garment around for emphasis, "isn't that cool?"

Kai watched the long, white material float elegantly in the makeshift wind thoughtfully. He did like that one, and… taking a look at the fluttering price tag it wasn't stupidly expensive either. "Right. Let's go and pay for it then." He told his angel, taking the scarf from him and folding it neatly.

Heading downstairs to the till, Tyson said cheerfully, "I remember when my Grandpa knitted me a scarf… or tired to. It had loads of holes and was all different colours because he kept running out of yarn."

Kai smirked lightly as he paid for his new scarf, taking the bag it was placed in and heading out of the shop.

"Do you feel better now?" Tyson asked suddenly, frowning at his charge, "you're not going to be all thoughtful for the rest of the day are you?"

Kai shook his head.

"Well that's good. It's not too fun worrying about you all the time."

"That looks daft." Tyson stated from where he was sitting on Kai's bed.

The dual haired teen in question unravelled his new accessory from around his neck and frowned from his place in the middle of his room. "How would you wear it then?"

The angel didn't say anything, standing up and taking the scarf away from his charge. He swatted Kai's hands away when he tired to protest and wound the scarf around Kai's neck once.

"It's going to fall off that way." Kai pointed out.

"I never said I was finished." Tyson replied, twisting the scarf until there was a knot behind the one wind of the garment around Kai's neck. One long tail floated down his back and stopped nearly to the back of his knees. "There."

Kai took a look n the full length mirror on the door of his wardrobe. The style did look good and he nodded his appreciation to his angel.

"Don't you look nice?" Tyson praised with an amused smile. "Very flash." In fact, after staring at the dual haired teen for a while longer, he found himself being attracted to his charge for a few minutes. His blue eyes widened in shock and he tore his gaze away hurriedly. He was not supposed to think of Kai in such a way! Nor was he supposed to feel such things, not matter how brief.

He was so caught up in his personal turmoil that he got another shock when Kai shook his shoulder roughly to snap him out of it. He forced himself to stare into the concerned red eyes of his charge, trying not to look too guilty.

"Are you alright?" Kai questioned, "You looked like you were in pain or something."

"I'm fine." Tyson told him, his voice a little croaky. "Just fine."

The younger teen didn't look too convinced. "You're sure?"

Tyson ran a hand through his hair and sighed, trying to calm his nerves. His heart would have been racing if it hadn't stopped beating a long time ago. "I'm sure, I was just a little spooked by something, that's all." He told his charge, taking a deep breath and smiling at him.

Kai didn't look too convinced as he tired to come with a reason as to why his angel was acting so strange. "Is it about your visit to your family?" He questioned, frowning.

Tyson blinked, a little startled by the question, but a sad expression crossed over his face when he thought about his visit a few days ago. "Yeah, I guess…" he murmured, feeling a little bad for telling a small lie to his charge but he couldn't tell him what he had been really spooked by.

The dual haired teen saw his angel looking upset and his concern for the older teen grew. Sitting down beside his angel, his scarf bunching up on the bedspread, Kai touched his angel's shoulder gently, "what happened?"

Tyson sighed and his wings drooped, the pearly white feathers wings mingling with the material of Kai's scarf. "It's my father…" he said quietly, his blur eyes raised to the ceiling but glazed over in his memories.

"Is he hurt?" Kai cautioned.

"No, ill." My brother was there too… taking care of him. I heard him say…" Tyson broke off as his throat grew tight and he shut his eyes tightly, feeling tears building up in the corners.

Kai had never seen his angel like that before; on the verge of tears it frightened him a little. The blue haired angel was so strong and it didn't look right for him to be upset. He rubbed the hand on Tyson's shoulder up and down the bluenet's arm in a soothing gesture. "What did your brother say?" He probed gently.

Tyson took a deep breath and sniffled a little. "He said that… that Dad was going to die soon…" he said quietly. "I was hoping that they were both going to be there, all happy and well that it was a shock to find out that Dad's going to… you know."

The dual haired teen wasn't sure how to comfort his angel, but he tried. "Dying isn't so bad you know… you're dead aren't you?"

"Yeah…" Tyson admitted, wiping at his eyes, "but it still hurts a little knowing that he's dying."

"He'll be happier when he goes…" Kai pointed out, "he'll be able to see your mother, grandfather and you of course."

Tyson smiled and nodded. "You're right, but it'll be a little weird, talking to him again." He murmured, "I wonder what he's done since I died?"

Seeing that his angel was happier again, Kai removed his hands and flopped back onto his pillows at the head of his bd. "I suppose you're looking forward to speaking with your friends and family again? Even though that's a morbid sort of wish."

Tyson smiled grimly, "yeah, it'll be neat to talk with them again." In response to his lighter mood, his wings perked up and lifted the feathers ruffling before flattening again.

Kai paused before asking, "Are you going to see your father again soon?"

The bluenet plucked at his charge's duvet thoughtfully. "I'm not sure." He admitted. "I will see him again I suppose… but I don't particularly want to go just yet, maybe when I get used it." Tyson replied, shrugging one shoulder.

A heavy silence fell over the tow of them, one that Kai wasn't used to while being in his angel's presence. He knew the bluenet was still troubled over his father and Kai though about what would make Tyson happier. He remembered how happy the angel was talking about his family and he decided to try it with his friends. "Tyson… what were your friends like?" He questioned, watching his angel carefully for a sign of happiness at remembering when he was alive.

To the dual haired teen's relief, Tyson smiled. "They were awesome, you want to hear about them?"

Kai nodded. He wasn't too interested in Tyson's friends in truth but was more concerned in seeing his angel happy, like he should be. Getting himself comfy, he settled down to listen.

The bluenet beamed at Kai's nod and his wings floofed up in joy. "Who should I with then?" He murmured tapping his chine. "I know! I'll start from the one I've known the longest to the shortest. So that means I'll start with Chief."

"Chief?" Kai repeated.

"Yup! My oldest bud." The angel nodded. He went on to explain how the glasses-wearing boy was always interested in technology and things, and had dreamed of owning a computer (very new back then) of his very own. Kenny had always worn large, round glasses and when they were taken off (normally by a school bully), he tottered around like he was dizzy. Hence, he had decided to call his dream toy, 'Dizzy'.

Kai snorted in amusement. "That's a stupid name." He stated.

Tyson nodded with a smile. "Yeah, I know, but it was funny to watch him go ga-ga over anything electronic or scientific. He was though, and he helped me out with my homework a lot because he's like, a genius." The angel said, "He was really short though. He never grew past my shoulder, and I'm not even that tall. We suggested platform shoes once."

"I'll be taller than you." Kai interrupted suddenly with a smirk.

The bluenet huffed. "Not if I can help it!"

"Anyway." Kai said, waving a hand, "was his actual name Chief or something?" he questioned, tone sarcastic.

"Oh no, his name was Kenny, we just him the Chief because he beat us all in practically anything knowledgeable." Tyson explained, looking amused. "Moving on! My next friend was Max, I remember when here moved here from America still."

Kai raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Did he speak Japanese?" He questioned, knowing that both languages were pretty different from each other.

"Yeah. His mother was American, she worked over there as a scientist, and his Dad was Japanese who owned a hobby shop here." Tyson explained.

The dual haired teen frowned. "That must have been hard."

"I think it was for the first year." The bluenet replied, "Judy, that's his mum, got her break as a scientist when she was living in Japan, so she went to live in America. Maxie used to spend about half a year with each, doing school here and flying over to America in the holidays." Tyson smiled at a memory. "He was the only one in our school that had naturally blond hair and light blue eyes, the girls used to love him."

Kai was about to point out that the angel's eyes were blue as well when he realised they were dark and kept quiet.

"Of course, he only ever really had eyes for Hilary, even though he flirted with a few other girls too. They got together a few months before I died, I wonder if they're still together?" He murmured, looking thoughtful for a moment.

"Who's Hilary?" Kai questioned.

"She was our class president. She was never the most beautiful girl but I think max just appreciated she was natural and didn't trowel on loads of make-up." Tyson replied. "Hil was kinda like an older sister to me, we were always arguing and stuff but she was nice, and she always used to help out when my heart went all wonky."

"She was good at nursing?"

"She wanted to be a midwife." Tyson explained. "I remember her practicing on plastic dolls and doing stuff with mine and Rei's hair."

"Rei?"

"My Chinese friend. We both had long hair so it was 'perfect to practice on.'" The bluenet tugged on his navy ponytail for emphasis. "Rei's was much longer though, it nearly came down to his ankles."

Kai raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"I know." Tyson nodded. "He came from a tribe in rural Chine called the White Tigers and there they used to let their hair grow as long as it could. I bet Rei beat everyone with his hair length." He commented, smiling in amusement.

"Why did he move to Japan?" Kai asked.

"He wanted to learn things, about cultures, different people and stuff." Tyson explained. "He never forgot his origins though, he always used to wear Chinese outfits, plus he was the best cook ever." Tyson daydreamed for a while about his friend's cooking before Kai poked him with a toe. "He always missed his tribe and his childhood friends there, plus Mariah."

"Mariah?"

"The girl he liked. He asked her out after a few years though, and then they got married back home at White Tiger Hills. I couldn't go because of my heart, but they brought back a nice video for me to watch." Tyson said.

"You had a few friends that moved here then, I see," Kai commented.

"I had other friends, but they didn't really know me as well, and lot's of them started treating me different and stuff when I got ill – like I was going to break." Tyson replied with a shrug. "I guess I got on with Maxie and Rei so well because they were different and more interesting, plus they didn't treat me as fragile so much."

"Weren't they just worried though?" Kai pointed out.

"Maybe, But it was annoying. I would do all the stuff I used to do when I got ill and stopped when it started to get difficult. Of course I couldn't do a lot once I got worse which was a bummer, but I had fun while I could."

Watching his angel reminisce in his memories, Kai sighed softly, happier now that th bluenet didn't seem sad anymore. Sitting up, he looked out of his bedroom window at the browning leaves on the trees outside.

Tyson followed his gaze. "Life can be odd." He murmured.

"Why?" Kai questioned, taking his gaze away from the window to look at his angel, "everything's born and then it dies. One big loop."

"There are all sorts of other little things, though." Tyson replied, "Like illnesses and stuff. It's a lot more complicated than just growing old and dying."

"I suppose." Kai said. "But it isn't good to continue thinking about it. It's not exactly healthy to keep on thinking about it."

The angel sighed but didn't reply. He leant against the wall and continued staring out at the garden below silently, his expression almost forlorn.

Kai regarded him sadly. Despite his attempt to cheer his angel up, he could tell that the bluenet's thoughts were still mainly centered on his dying father. Reaching out, he grasped Tyson's hand and held it loosely. "I think you need to stop putting yourself through so much turmoil." He told him quietly.

Tyson turned his head to blink at him. "Turmoil?" He repeated. Ok, maybe he had been putting himself through a lot lately, but so what…? He had only just come to terms with the fact his father was dying and didn't feel ready to accept it just yet.

Kai watched as tears began to build in those dark blue eyes again and his heart wrenched painfully at the sight. Leaning forwards, he wound his arms around his angel and drew him into his embrace gently.

The blue haired teen shuddered before hugging his charge back tightly and burying his face into his shoulder and crying quietly. He could feel the dual haired teen's hand running up and down his back slowly and running through his feathers soothingly.

"You'll be able to see him soon, his spirit, and then he won't be suffering anymore and it'll be ok." Kai told Tyson quietly into his ear. He couldn't se himself giving such reassurance and comfort to anyone else and it only served to hit home just how important Tyson was to him.

Tyson nodded and sniffed quietly, drawing back his head slowly and wiping his eyes with one hand, the other still looped loosely around Kai's waist. He smiled softly at his charge, "thanks chibi."

Kai nearly cringed at the nickname but composed himself, taking his arms back from around his angel to rest in his lap. "Better?"

"…Yeah." Tyson nodded. His wobbly smile grew amused, "looks like out roles got reversed huh?" He said quietly, laughing a little and hiccupping because of his cry.

The dual haired teen shrugged at him with a smirk. "Who said that our roles couldn't be reversed?" He questioned, earning a delighted laugh from the bluenet.

Kai felt his heart lighten in his chest. His angel was happy again.

Staring out of that same window, Kai's fingers absently stroked through the feathers of the wing that rested along his lap. The stars twinkling in the late night sky were reflected in Kai's red eyes and he sat there, in his pajamas, content to just relax under the moonlight.

His angel lay sleeping his side beside him, one wing curled over him like a sort of blanket while the other had stretched out, resting on Kai's lap. The bluenet had decided, after some probing on Kai's part, to visit his father soon. Whether that meant during the week, month or next few days Kai didn't know.

Needless to say, he was relieved to know that Tyson wasn't fretting over his dying father anymore.

Kai wasn't sure why he wasn't able to fall asleep for the rest of that night, despite having dozed earlier. Sleepiness wasn't tugging at his eyelids and even though he knew he would be struggling to keep awake during school for the first part of the school day tomorrow, he wasn't trying to hard to drift back off.

Switching his gaze from the starry sky to look at his angel, Kai cringed as he thought about how Tyson would probably scold him for not sleeping well at night at the morning and sighed. Not wanting to get on the blue haired teen's bad side too much, he gently eased the wing off his lap (which folded automatically as Tyson sighed in his sleep) and stretched out to lie beside Tyson on the bed.

The older teen immediately wrapped his arms around Kai like a teddy bear and snuggled close, the wing covering him moving to stretch over the dual haired teen as well. With a fluffy, feathery blanket covering him, and the soft, sleepy smell of his angel, the sleepiness that had been absent began tugging insistently at Kai's eyelids.

As the pale lids slid closed over Kai's eyes slowly, and he moved closer to Tyson's warmth subconsciously, he became very aware that his angel's chest was silent. Apart from the soft exhales as he breathed, there was no steady thump of a heart beneath his ribcage and Kai was slightly disappointed as he drifted off slowly.

A heartbeat would have soothed him straight off to sleep instantly.

Me: I couldn't have their roles the same all time, could I? Tyson doesn't always have to be Kai's reassurence, Kai can be his too! Review please?