Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, and I'm not making any money off writing this… pretty much broke.
Ranma's Author's Notes: AGH! NOO this fic is getting' longer than I thought. I figured I could either finish the whole thing or I could post this now instead of makin people wait. Sorry! LOL but I updated within a week, pretty good for me I think…. Anyway… If the making of this topic non-serious kinda upset you, I'm sorry, I didn't intend that. This is just for fun!
You Can Never Look Too Good
After that first training session at the gym, Tyson and Kai had continued to meet up on a schedule, and the baseball-capped teen was convinced that Kai was a closeted task master control freak.
… Ok so it's not like he'd ever hid that before. But it was just bad this time.
The dual-haired blader easily kept up with the exercises he had Tyson do, and made the shorter blader push his previous times to improve. Tyson complained and joked about it with Kai, but he wasn't seriously resenting the way the older blader was working him. Kai had always motivated him to do better, to be stronger, to go further in his beyblading than he would've thought possible – And if he wanted to get back his top performance to beat Kai in the next championships, he'd be stupid not to follow Kai's regimen! The older teen was doing him a favour, and he wouldn't waste it or their time together… Anything to get out of Kenny and Hilary's looming evil.
While he was doing alright with the exercising part, there was one part of this whole thing that made Tyson seriously consider throwing in the towel.
The diet.
He'd never cared what the heck he ate before, and his Gramps had never had a problem with it either, since they cooked pretty decent and well-balanced meals at home… but what with the old man's new found busy-ness, Tyson was left on his own to make his food and… well… It wasn't his fault he was naturally attracted to the snacks and desert aisles!
Ever since Kai had followed him home after one workout and had torn apart the kitchen getting rid of any problem foods, Tyson hadn't gotten to eat anything with lots of sugar, anything with lots of carbs, or anything that basically tasted good in a week!
The lack of sweets had actually started to give him some pretty funky dreams – the latest one starred Kai with his scarf pulled up over his nose, wielding a celery, aiming to smack him on the bu –
"I know what you're thinking Tyson, and for once… you're in luck." Kai cut into the midnight blue haired blader's thoughts and shot him a sideways glance.
Tyson's eyes widened hugely in surprise, but he kept up with Kai's brisk walk as they continued on their way to the gym. "How do you know?"
Kai snorted derisively. "Who wouldn't with all the expressions you were making just now?"
Tyson smiled. "So you will go out on an ice-cream filled date with me!"
Kai froze and his eyebrows were doing a strange up and down dance as if he wasn't sure whether to be shocked or furious. Finally his former team captain settled on giving Tyson a scathing glare, turning pointedly to stare back ahead of him.
Tyson laughed and Kai reached out and pushed his shoulder, not really meaning it, stalking ahead of Tyson with a slight not-quite-smile-not-quite-smirk on his lips.
Tyson looked after the taller teen with raised eyebrows before he grinned, catching up. "If I'm in luck then that can only mean one thing!... No celery sticks for my snack today! Yeah!" He waved his hands as if he was holding pom-poms.
"Good to know you're so excited." Kai murmured and took something out of his pocket, pressing it into the shorter teen's chest making him reach up to grab it before it fell.
"…." Tyson looked down at the plastic baggy in his hands and then promptly shot the taller blader a pursed look. "Carrot sticks." He said in a defeated voice.
"Enjoy." Kai replied lightly as he opened the door to the gym.
A good forty-five minutes of warm-ups and some minor weight-lifting later, Kai finally allowed them to take a break. Now the two world class beybladers headed over to the treadmill running machines that were lined up against the large windows of the gym. Usually the building was relatively empty around the time he and Kai visited, so Tyson was momentarily thrown to see somebody else already walking on one of the useable machines.
"Hiya." Tyson waved jauntily at the guy, and got just a dismally brief look in return.
The pony-tailed teen felt his hair prickle in righteousness at that. The gym-goer was one of those types decked out in an obviously expensive and matching jump suit outfit. Judging by the ugly grimace on his former captain's face, Kai seemed to dislike the guy's presence too. Tyson's hair calmed down a bit after that.
"You'll start it off slow then work your way up." Kai stated, motioning sharply for Tyson to get on the machine. "Not too long at first either since you've lazed around so much." Kai said with a glare.
The treadmill walker beside him quickly turned and grabbed his water bottle and Tyson heard the guy snicker under his breath. The baseball-capped teen shot him a dirty look. Kai gave the gym-goer's back a long piercing look before sliding his gaze back to meet Tyson's eyes.
Stepping onto the machine right behind Tyson, Kai took the shorter teen's hands and placed them onto the bars then leaned over to set the digital control panel.
Tyson stood really still as Kai brushed against him, biting his lip and trying not to stare at the back of Kai's head. He was suddenly a bit uncomfortable, and really aware of the older teen's closeness. "I never knew you were into electronics, Kai!" The blue-haired blader joked. 'Argh!' He inwardly withered. 'Who says something dumb like that?'
Kai's gaze narrowed as he punched the buttons. "I wasn't born a thousand years ago, Tyson."
The holder of Dragoon wisely refrained from making a witty reply to that.
"Just hit this button when you feel ready to crash a higher level." Kai said, straightening up and stepping off the treadmill.
"Heh, this is too easy." Tyson bragged as he pressed the start button and held onto the bars.
The dual-haired blader watched for a moment before he began walking away. Tyson's eyes widened and he called out. "Hey! Kai! Where are you going?"
"To check on something." Kai gestured vaguely to the far side of the gym where many more complex apparatus' were set up. "Focus on what you have to do."
Tyson sighed. "Alright alright…!"
Left to his own devices, the pony-tailed teen suddenly felt bored and kinda stupid walking on the treadmill. He glanced over at the gym-goer on the machine beside him and noticed that the guy had upped his speed. At first, they both started out at a fast walking pace, but now the guy was jogging slightly.
Sensing attention on himself, the guy in the bad jumpsuit looked up and frowned. Tyson frowned back and resisted the urge to make a face at him. 'What a jerk.'
Jumpsuit Guy scoffed and pushed the button, increasing his speed and making Tyson feel like he was like some old granny holding onto his treadmill bars like a walker.
After about a minute, Bad Jumpsuit pushed the button again, kicking his speed up another notch, and snootily looked away from Tyson in a pointed manner, a wide smirk obvious on his face.
Tyson felt steam blow out of his ears. 'He thinks he's all that! I used to be doing that sort of thing in my sleep!' The teen grit his teeth. 'I'll show this guy…'
Suddenly, Tyson felt like he had something to prove. He hadn't been 3-time Beyblade World Champion, saved beyblading and pretty much the whole world from Brooklyn 's pain, just to get outdone by some weirdo-health-freak-on-a-treadmill!
Tyson slammed a hand on his own speed button a couple times and smiled smugly as he kept the pace, causing his opponent to look over in irritation. Feeling really good about it, Tyson carelessly punched the button again, this time overtaking the other runner in speed.
Jumpsuit visibly grit his teeth and pretty soon they were punching the buttons with increasing irritation.
Tyson's legs were pumping like crazy, his feet pounding on the conveyor belt and sweat dripping down his forehead. The speed was 15 times what he was supposed to be going at! This was kinda fast… and he was struggling, and he was feeling dizzy and he was starving, 'cause the carrots hadn't done anything for him and – that digital screen is looking kind of blurry…
Tyson felt a major swoon and stumbled on his next footfall. 'OK…! Maybe I shouldn't have taken it so fa-ah –'
Tyson slowly cracked his eyes open, his world spinning badly. Gradually the colours solidified and the tanned teen blinked slowly. How'd he get flat on his back? And why were three Kai's hovering close to his face?
"Tyson." They said.
Three Kai's? The world was in danger! Tyson gave the Kai's a cottony horrified look which the dual-haired blader took as confusion.
"You idiot…. you…blacked out." Kai said stiffly, and Tyson relaxed when it was just back to one former team captain. Kai's face inched closer and his light eyes searched his face with something like concern in his expression. Tyson felt a warm hand cup his round cheek.
It felt as if the whole world was off somewhere else at that moment, and all he could focus on was that tingly warmth on his face, the faint brush of Kai's breath on his nose and a distinct smell of burnt rubber.
The shorter teen stared up into Kai's stunning eyes noticing the lighter flecks of purple in them, he was so close. His lips parted slightly and Kai was suddenly looking at him in a way that if he hadn't been feeling so funny, it would've made Tyson blush. He vaguely noticed some of the gym employees standing around him as well.
He opened his mouth to say something. "K...Ka...ERGH!" Tyson turned fast as lightning and threw up in Kai's gym bag.
"Ugh…" Tyson held his forehead miserably, the cool leafy breeze outside the gym doing little to ease his nausea.
Kai walked silently beside him as they left the building and started down the familiar street. Spotting an ice-cream vendor, Tyson straightened up. "Hey I know what'll make me feel better…"
"No, Tyson." Kai grabbed Tyson's arm firmly.
The pony-tailed blader gawked at him in shock. "What do you mean 'no'? C'mon Kai! It's just one little treat… I haven't had anything sweet for a week!"
"You'll just waste that whole escapade in the gym." Kai informed, his lips a cool line at having to throw out his once perfectly fine sports bag.
Tyson wretched his arm out of Kai's grasp, still feeling lousy, and pointed at him in anger. "YOU KNOW WHAT? I have HAD it with this stupid torture program Kai!" The world champ growled and stomped the sidewalk in irritation. "Why do I need to buff up anyway?"
Kai sighed and closed his eyes. "The way you look has nothing to do with it, Tyson." He stated simply, looking up and staring at the fuming baseball-capped teen.
The present chubbiness of the other boy did not disgust Kai. In fact, it was kind of nice to have back the youthful appearance Tyson had sported all those years ago when they had first been the Bladebreakers. But this wasn't about looks – Tyson wasn't being healthy, and he didn't want anything bad to happen to the pony-tailed teen – far from it, actually…
"Yeah right…" Tyson muttered.
With the way Tyson was looking at him now… a year ago he wouldn't have stood for it. He'd turn on his heel and let Tyson do whatever dumb thing it was he wanted to do. But this wasn't a year ago, and he cared more about Tyson instead of beybattling Tyson than he'd like to admit.
"This is about you getting your energy and skill back to 100 percent of what it used to be." Kai stated impatiently.
"I don't need 100 percent to be the best!" Tyson yelled arrogantly and stalked off in a huff.
Kai watched him go, and his face lost whatever displeasure it had held. 'I don't care what you look like.' He thought.
"Stupid Kai… stupid diet…wanna pizza… stupid treadmill… Stupid-STUPID JUMPSUIT."
Kenny wheeled around on his computer chair and looked down at his visiting friend huddled on his bed. "It sounds to me like you're in withdrawal, Tyson!"
The teen in question just glared at the ceiling in response.
The Chief adjusted his glasses and hesitated before starting. "Ahh… you shouldn't get angry at Kai, Tyson. He's just not the type to crave junk food; you should know that he wouldn't understand quitting cold turkey. I mean, nobody's ever going to call him the candy man."
"Puh… Candy Man my FOOT!" Tyson groaned and rolled over on his side on the bed, shivering in a fetal position. "He doesn't know the first thing about this suffering!"
"No…" The Chief agreed thoughtfully. "But he is trying to help you." Kenny patted Tyson on the shoulder in comfort. "I hate to say it Tyson, but you've really let yourself go! You used to have hundreds of fangirls and fanboys! Now hardly anybody recognizes you!"
Tyson wore an outraged expression at that, and the bespectacled teen was worried his friend was going to punch him for the reality shock, but then the rage seemed to deflate away, leaving Tyson looking winded and resigned to his fate.
"I did kind of notice that…" The midnight haired teen answered with embarrassment. "I guess this whole thing caused me way more trouble than if I'd just kept up being fit. Ooh what am I gonna do about Kai!" Tyson howled.
"It wasn't just the food thing though, was it? You flip out, but you don't flip out for THAT small a reason anymore! You're just moping because you totally wiped out in front of Kai!" Kenny looked at his friend for a confirmation of his thesis.
Tyson looked like he'd swallowed a lemon of bitter truth.
Kenny nodded knowingly to himself. "So…" The Chief said after a while, breaking the silence. "Did you really throw up in his bag…!"
Tyson whipped a pillow at Kenny's head. "AUGH DON'T REMIND ME!"
The next day of their gym schedule, Tyson arrived at the gym a couple minutes late. He looked around in apprehension, but then relaxed slightly in relief when he spotted Kai off near the back of the warm-up area, his back towards him, searching for something in a new sports bag.
Tyson squared his shoulders and made his way over to the older blader. "Hey Kai…Sorry I'm late…"
Kai's back tensed at the sound of his voice, before he turned to look over his shoulder, his expression unreadable. "I thought you weren't coming."
Tyson cleared his throat noisily and held a fist to his mouth, trying to will the blush from his cheeks. "Yeah, well… I figured I'd better come – not cause you were RIGHT or anything – I just thought you might get lonely here all by yourself." Tyson smiled somewhat softly. "And we can't have that."
"Hm." Kai stared off to the side, surveying all the empty gym equipment. A small smile graced the dual-haired teen's lips. "Well now that you're here to keep me company, how about we stretch?"
Tyson immediately groaned. "Here we go again..."
Kai gave him a half smirk and pushed him down on the mat. "You'd be so lost without me."
End Part 2 of 3
Next part is the last part I swear. It's coming soon!
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