Mei: I started another story! ::dies:: Now I have three unfinished stories going at the same time… Someone please shoot me X.X
Kai: My pleasure ::pulls out gun:: n-n
Mei: O.O I didn't mean literally! Put that away!
Dedicated: Yes this fic is dedicated to someone… Sunruner!! n-n Without her this story wouldn't even exist! She encouraged me to write it, helped me come up with ideas and she's even beta-reading it for me, even though she doesn't like yaoi or know who half the beyblade characters are… Isn't she a great friend? You're the best Sunny-chan!
Sunny: ::does a little happy dance in the corner:: n-n
Disclaimer – I don't know why anyone would think that I own them… but I don't. Beyblade does not belong to me… And if it did Kai and Tyson would get married and live happily ever after n-n
Warning –This fic contains shounen ai (boy/boy relationship) If you don't like it, then don't read it. Simple.
Kai: On with the story already… The story in which I am severely tortured.
When the Snow Falls
Chapter One:
Shadows danced across the moonlit room, casting contrasting patterns of light and darkness across the wooden floor. Three sleeping figures were illuminated by the moonlight. The first had messy blonde waves, cut shorter than the other two in a vain attempt to keep it somewhat tame. The covers were drawn up to his chin, and a small smile played across his freckled face in his sleep.
The second was a Chinese teen with his long ebony black hair tied back neatly and a calm, peaceful expression across his cat-like features. He slept on his side, fingering his small white beyblade in his sleep, his fingers unconsciously circling around the White Tiger in the center.
The third boy was sprawled across the futon in a wild position, snoring gently in his sleep. His unruly midnight blue hair was unbound, leaving it splayed haphazardly across the pillow and in his face. The blankets had long ago been kicked off and onto the floor and the boylooked very close to rolling off with it.
The fourth futon lay empty. The blankets sat beside it, folded neatly with the small white pillow resting on top. Anyone peeking into the room would think it had never been used. They wouldn't be very far from the truth.
Kai sat outside the dojo, watching the reflection of the night sky in the small garden pond. He was dressed in what passed for pajamas in his mind, which was a plain, over-sized black t-shirt and dark blue shorts. He smiled faintly, remembering his fellow teammates' reactions to finally seeing him in shorts. He had always adamantly refused to wear anything but pants, even to bed. But given the scorching heat at this time of year, he had finally given up.
It was hot, although if he blamed the heat on his recent insomnia Kai would be lying. He toyed bemusedly with the pocketknife in his hands, running his long slender fingers across the blade. It wouldn't be the first time he had "played" with knives, but cutting himself so close to dawn the day before a tournament would be risky. He would be spending a lot of time with his teammates for the next few weeks, and they were bound to notice if he started cutting up his wrist again. There were only so many excuses he could make before they figured it out.
It would probably save him a lot of trouble to just forget the knife and not start that habit again. Just like it would probably save him a lot of trouble to just go and get some sleep…
But he couldn't sleep. Tomorrow was the day he, the rest of his team, and Hilary, would climb on an airplane and fly to the place of the tournament. To the place where all his troubles were, to the place where they'd began, the place he never wanted to back to… the place that was dark, cold and lonely…
Tomorrow they flew to Russia.
The sixteen-year-old dragged the sharp silver blade across the side of his wrist, watching the crimson liquid appear on his pale skin… It matched his eyes, he smiled ruefully. He wondered vaguely what the others would think if they found out about this… Probably pity him.
Kai wasn't suicidal. The point of this cutting was not to kill himself, he wasn't reduced to being that pathetic, yet. Somehow the burgundy-eyed teen found the pain comforting. It kept him from getting too stressed out, taking his mind off other things… Like how a certain blue-haired blader would never return his feelings.
He'd never been able to handle his emotions. He'd never been taught how – he was raised to be a fighter, a warrior, a tool. He wasn't supposed to feel, he was taught that feelings were a weakness, easily exploited by an enemy. So he'd blocked out his feelings along with everything and everyone else. He'd raised an icy wall around his heart pushing away everyone who came near.
But then Tyson came along. The small, cheerful teen had been his rival at first, one that had hardly interested Kai. But he proved to be more formidable than the Russian boy had expected when he shattered his illusion of being perfect by being the first person to ever defeat him. Kai was shocked, but it didn't end there.
After that final battle in the Japanese tournament, Tyson wanted to be Kai's friend. The elder boy couldn't have that. He didn't want friends and he didn't need friends. So he pushed the younger boy away, along with the rest of his new teammates. Eventually the others gave up on him, deciding he wasn't worth the effort, but not Tyson. The younger boy was persistent; he refused to give up on Kai.
His icy wall had started to crack, even melt. He'd felt it coming down as Tyson got closer and closer, and it had frightened him beyond belief. He didn't know why one small, loud, obnoxious teenager could affect him so much, and he wanted it to stop. So he pushed Tyson away even more, creating more of a distance between them.
When he'd been offered to the Black Dranzer in Balkov Abbey, he'd seen it as the perfect chance to push Tyson and the others away for good, to prove to them and himself that he didn't need anybody. But he was wrong. He challenged his teammates on the frozen surface of Lake Baikal and lost. He realized then in a flash of despair that Tyson had been right all along… He did need friends.
It was then that the younger boy surprised him, by reaching out across the ice, telling him to grab his hand, wanting to save him. His wall of ice shattered completely in that moment when Tyson and the others pulled him out of the frozen lake. They had forgiven him, after everything he had done… Kai's rueful smile vanished as he remembered, cleaning the blood off of his pocketknife.
Kai had tried to resurrect the wall around his heart, but Tyson was always able to bring it down again. He had taken away the wall, and over last two years he had managed to steal Kai's heart along with it. The dual-haired boy had always wondered if there was any possibility that Tyson might return his feelings, but he knew it was wishful thinking.
Just like hoping that he would never have to back to Russia and face his grandfather was wishful thinking.
"Oh boy!" cried world champion Tyson Kinomiya, bouncing around the waiting room in the airport, "I can't believe we're going to another tournament! This is gonna be so cool!" He was especially excited to be going to another tournament; it had been awhile since he had competed.
"Calm down Tyson," laughed Ray, "With all the stuff you ate this morning and that bouncing, you'll give yourself a stomachache."
The bluenette pouted, but complied and sat down beside the others, watching Hilary wringing her hands together nervously, "Are you sure you boys don't mind taking me along? I mean, I've never been traveling before…"
"Hil, that's the whole reason we're bringing you!" said Tyson exasperatedly. He and the others had been shocked to discover that their friend had never left Japan, or even Bay City. 'Man, even Kai gets out more than that girl,' he thought looking towards his team captain.
The storm-eyed blader had to admit he was worried about bringing the older boy back to Russia. He knew Kai hadn't had the happiest childhood growing up there and he didn't want Kai to go through anymore stress by having to go back. The elder boy had been quieter than usual in the weeks prior to the tournament, and it had Tyson more anxious about him than ever.
Presently he stood up and went over to Kai, who was leaning against the wall in his typical detached pose… and looking damn good while doing it too. His eyes were shut and his arms were folded across his chest, his head hung slightly so that his bangs fell cutely into his face. Tyson could have stared at him all day if they hadn't been in public…
"Hey Kai!" he called, eager to try and make conversation with the older boy. It had never worked before, but he wasn't about to stop trying, "What're you doing?" When the other didn't answer he simply kept talking, "So what do you think about this new tournament, Kai? Are you as excited as we are? I bet you'll make us train a lot, won't you?"
Kai sighed, "Don't you have something better to do?" he asked, cracking open a single crimson eye in annoyance.
Tyson was slightly hurt by Kai's attitude, but he ignored it, "What could be better than chatting with my favorite team captain?" he asked cheerfully, 'maybe having him as a lover…' The fourteen-year-old felt himself blush at the thought, "Man it sure is hot today," he said laughing nervously, "How can you wear that jacket?" he pointed to Kai's long-sleeved black jacket.
Kai hesitated, evidently annoyed, "Its cold in Russia," he stated tersely.
"Yeah, but we're not in Russia yet," said Tyson fanning himself, "Aren't you hot?" he blushed for the second time upon realizing the double meaning behind his words, but Kai didn't seem to notice.
"Hey Tyson!"
The bluenette whirled around to see the Chief calling him over, "Uh, well, talk to you later Kai!" he didn't see the older boy glance at him longingly as he ran off. Kai stared at the floor dejectedly for a few more minutes before trudging off to the bathroom.
"Man, Ty. You would have flirted with him all day, wouldn't you?" asked Max, punching his best friend playfully on the arm.
He and the others grinned as their dark-haired friend turned a rather interesting shade of magenta, "Flirting? I wasn't flirting!"
Hilary chuckled at his protests, "Oh please Tyson, I'd recognize a flirt anywhere, especially one that obvious."
"Yeah," chimed in Dizzy, "but apparently she doesn't recognize when "a flirt" is flirting with her," she didn't get to elaborate because Kenny promptly snapped his laptop shut. Hilary stared at the computer genius and his trapped bit-beast, puzzled.
"What was Dizzy talking about?"
"Uh… Nothing! Nothing at all…" muttered the small bespectacled boy, reaching over and pulling a silver beyblade from his bag, "Hey Tyson!" he said, changing the subject abruptly, "I upgraded Dragoon for you."
"Really?" asked the Champion, bounding over to inspect his blade, "Wow, Chief! This is totally wicked! Thanks a bunch!"
"Kenny!" whined Hilary, poking the short boy impatiently, "Turn Dizzy back on! I want to know what she meant by that comment!"
Ray snickered, knowing exactly what Dizzy had meant, but Max just frowned.
"Hey guys, the plane's here," called Tyson excitedly, seconds before the announcement of their flight came on.
"Great," said Ray getting up and picking up his bags, "The sooner we leave the sooner we get there!"
Tyson nudged him and winked, "And, the sooner you get to see Mariah," he grinned emphasizing the words suggestively.
"Oh shut up," muttered Ray, his face taking on a pinkish tinge, "I'll be glad to see all my friends in the White Tigers."
"Yeah, I know… Especially a certain pink-haired girl…"
"Tyson!"
Kai slipped out of the bathroom, sliding his knife back into his pocket. He'd figured out that once they got to Russia he could get away with wearing long-sleeved shirts, and the others would never know about his little habit. The sooner they left for Russia, the sooner they could get it over with.
Mei: I'm sorry that this chapter was so boring… X.X Hopefully it will get more exciting next chappie… I'm hoping to make this my first dramatic (non-sarcastic) ficlet! I know the whole thing with Kai cutting himself is over-used, but I just couldn't resist throwing it in :P Besides, it works well for this fic, I think. Hehe… I'm so mean to Kai-san…
Tyson: You are! This isn't going to be centered on him is it? ::pouts::
Mei: No, the others are in it quite a bit. The main pairing is Kai/Tyson, but there's also going to be a lot Ray/Mariah and Kenny/Hilary/Max on the side if I can fit it in n-n
Kai: In other words, this is mostly going to be a sappy romance, isn't it?
Mei: Well… I wouldn't put it that way…
Sunny: Yes you would.
Mei: -.-;;