This one is dedicated to Niki for her birthday, happy birthday babes, hope you enjoy this!
A semi-humourous, fluffy oneshot. To all my readers – enjoy!
Disclaimer: Do I look like I might own beyblade? The crazy questions people ask these days…
The Joys of Photography
By Stunstar
"Come on Kai, get over here, it's just a stupid photo!"
Kai pointedly ignored his teammate's yells as he continued standing against a tree of his choice with his arms folded and eyes closed.
Tyson fumed as he watched Kai from the distance. He had bellowed approximately twelve times for Kai to join them but all he did was lean against that stupid tree in his usual stupid pose. Tyson was pissed. He stomped his foot in agitation, would it kill the guy to pose for one photograph?
The bladebreakers were currently holidaying in the great outdoors. A van from the BBA had dropped them there along with their bag and baggage and would pick them up in another two weeks. They had been taking a break – so Kai couldn't make them train, which was probably why he was grouchier. Max, who had a great desire to capture their holiday memories in the form of photographs, had brought the entire camera supply with him – complete with all the things required to process the photos themselves.
He had already finished one role, taking random pictures of squirrels, a snoring Tyson, birds, ants, butterflies, beetles, the waterfalls, a leaning Kai (who didn't realise until after the pictures had been taken) etc. etc. He had taken photos of every single one of them (and every other living creature around). Now there was one photo left to be taken before he completed the role and he wanted that one to be a group snap.
When he had asked Kai he had gotten a blatant 'no' (probably because he was still pissed that Max had managed to take his photo without his awareness). According to Tyson he did it because he was a plain meanie. Kai didn't care and was merely content leaning against his 'stupid' tree. Besides, he had another reason to be pissed. Since they had started this 'holiday trip' he hadn't gotten any alone-time with Ray, who just happened to be his new lover. By 'new' it is meant that they had only recently gone over the whole painful procedure of confessions with the ever lasting 'does he love me back?' torment. Now he was going to through 'when will I get some time alone with him?' torment.
Since he had now yelled himself hoarse Tyson saw only one other way of persuading Kai. He was adamant to get Kai to pose for a photo because Max had pleaded with huge, puppy dog eyes, which no human being on earth could resist. Also he had a special soft-spot for Max which he himself didn't realise.
So he yelled again, this time calling Ray's name as he jogged away from the clearing where he was standing to the bank of the stream where he knew Ray would be.
Ray was lying leisurely on his back on the soft grass looking at the clear skies when he heard a certain teammate wearing his name out.
"RAY, RAY, I need your help! Where are you buddy? RAY!"
With a sigh he got up, so much for a 'peaceful' day by the stream. "I'm here Tyson, stop yelling."
Tyson came into view and skidded to a stop next to Ray. "Need. Help. Kai. Photo." He gasped as he tried to regain his breath.
Ray decided to respond intelligently, "What?"
Tyson kneeled down beside Ray and explained, "Max wants to take a group photo. Kai is being an ass as usual."
Ray frowned; he resented it when Tyson referred to Kai in such terms. "So? What should I do?"
"He always listens to you. I don't know what you do or how you do it but it works. Just tell him to take the stupid photo with us so we can get it over with. Max is counting on me."
Ray grinned impishly. "If Max is counting on you shouldn't you be the one persuading him?"
"Ray, I tried like a million times," Tyson said exasperatedly, "The guy won't budge from that spot! I swear if he stands there any longer I'm going to announce his engagement to the tree."
Ray laughed and got up brushing his pants as he did so. "Assemble the others and I'll go get Kai." Then he paused and looking over his shoulder added with a grin, "By the way I think Max really appreciates what you are doing for him. He'd probably like to repay you somehow."
Tyson scratched his head wondering what there was for Ray to grin about in that statement. Poor, naïve, innocent Tyson.
Ray weaved through the few trees that separated the stream from the clearing outside their cabin. He spotted Kai easily, not that he was hiding. He grinned; he knew exactly how to 'persuade' Kai. He walked quickly over to where Kai was standing and came to a stop in front of him.
"Hey Kai, I-"
"No."
Ray frowned at the interruption and tried again, "But Kai I didn't even say-"
"No."
"But I only wanted to ask-"
"No."
"Won't even allow me to complete my sen-"
"No." Kai smirked as he heard Ray huff in irritation. He loved to watch Ray get miffed, since he rarely did anyway. He opened his eyes to see Ray glaring at him, hands on hips. His smirk widened, 'I always knew he was a quick learner,' he thought as Ray did a splitting imitation of his own glare.
Seeing Kai open his eyes, Ray changed tack as his shrewd mind formed a plan. "Fine," he said.
Kai straightened up as he scrutinised Ray carefully, a small frown marring his features, Ray wasn't one to give up this easily.
"Of course," Ray continued slowly, "that really puts a hamper on my plan."
Kai was now fully attentive and not to mention curious. "What do you mean?" he asked.
Ray waved his arms languidly, "Oh nothing. I'm sure you wouldn't be interested, especially since there's no way I can execute it if we don't take that photo. And here I thought you wanted to spend some 'fun' time with me."
He started to walk away and smirked triumphantly when Kai predictably caught hold of his wrist and pulled him back pushing him against the tree trunk on the other side of the tree hiding them from view. He leaned close. "Tell me," he more-or-less commanded.
Ray lifted a long finger and trailed it in a careless motion alongside Kai's face. "You've been complaining about the fact that we haven't been able to 'do anything' in these holidays because of the others. The fact that they don't know about us and we don't have many rooms to spare is a constant hindrance, isn't it?"
Kai pressed closer to Ray. "I'm listening," he said a tad huskily, brushing his fingertips against the stray locks on Ray's temple and locking his crimson eyes with Ray's amused golden ones.
Ray chuckled; his chest vibrating against Kai's causing the older of the two to draw a sharp breath. "Well," Ray spoke, "after the guys take this snap the role gets over. So, what say you and I volunteer to develop the photos?"
Kai moved away from Ray an incredulous expression on his face. "That was your brilliant plan?" he asked irritably.
Ray chuckled again and reached out and grabbed the front of Kai's shirt pulling him back against him. "You are so impatient! Hear me through," he said, "Max has brought all the supplies we need to make a temporary darkroom to develop photos."
Ray placed his hands on Kai's shoulders and bringing his lips close to the other's ears whispered, "You. Me. Alone. Dark-room." With that said he pulled away, the mischievous smile back in place. This time Kai matched it with his own smirk. He definitely liked the sound of that. Then he grabbed Ray's hand and dragged him around the tree. He wanted to get that photo clicked – NOW.
Ray couldn't stop grinning as they walked all the way over to where Tyson, Max and Kenny were waiting. He let go of Kai's hand and bounded closer to the trio. "We're ready. Let's take the snap."
While Max adjusted the camera on the stand Tyson slinked over to Ray. "How did you do that?" he asked in an awed voice. "How do manage to convince Kai every fucking time!" Ray merely smiled. "I wish to God I knew how so I could do it!"
This time Ray burst out laughing much to Tyson's perplexity. What had he said that was so funny? Poor Tyson, if he only knew. Since he couldn't figure out why Ray was in such fits he merely shook his head just as Max called out to them to keep a pose ready.
Kai stood in the far end on the left. Ray stood next to him a little in front. Tyson stood beside Ray and Kenny was at his other side. "Ready?" Max called out. Everyone nodded except Kai who got a particularly wicked thought in his mind right then.
"All right," Max said as he jogged over to stand behind in between Kenny and Tyson putting his arms around both of them and waiting for the camera to click which would take a few seconds.
With a swift look at the other who were smiling, grinning and/or making faces at the camera Kai unfolded his arms and placed them on the small of Ray's back. Ray tensed at first but then smiled. Then with a wicked smirk Kai swiftly moved his hands downwards and squeezed.
The unsuspecting Ray jumped elbowing Tyson square in the face causing him to bump heads with Max who in turn stumbled backward, his arm pulling Kenny back with him in a strangle hold. And the camera clicked.
Tyson massaging his bruised nose and rounded on Ray, "What's the big idea? The picture's probably ruined!"
"I'm sure he didn't mean it Tyson," Max said slightly dazed as he rubbed his forehead, he had no idea Tyson was so thick headed – no pun intended. Kenny was massaging his throat. Kai was silently sniggering.
"Sorry Tyson, I, um, saw a bug. It was orange and purple in colour, it surprised me," Ray said lamely. Tyson 'humphed' but let it be. He clapped Kenny and Max – who packed away the camera – on the shoulder and the trio headed towards their cabin. Once the door slammed shut Ray angrily turned to the smirking Kai. "What were you thinking!" He hissed.
"Don't know what you are talking about," Kai claimed with an obviously fake innocent air.
"I can just about see the halo," Ray said dryly. Kai crossed his arms, still smirking wondering if Ray had any idea how gorgeous and utterly fuckable he looked right about then. But he wasn't through teasing his boyfriend.
"You saw a bug, Ray? Orange and purple coloured nonetheless! My, I thought you were more imaginative than that."
Ray moved forward so that they were face to face – being more or less the same height – so that their noses were almost touching and gazed challengingly into Kai's eyes, "You're right Kai. I need to be more imaginative. So what say I use this as a new 'imaginative' reason to not give you some? You can spend the rest of this holiday all by your lonesome." Then he whirled around his tail of hair whapping Kai and marched towards the cabin.
Kai stared for all of two seconds before the full impact of Ray's statement hit him and he ran after the peeved neko managing to grab his hand by the wrist just as he was about to reach the cabin. He dragged Ray to the side of the cabin incase any of the others decided to look out. He let go of Ray's hand once they were out of sight of the front windows. Ray crossed his arms and waited.
Kai looked at him for a moment before saying, "Ray, you once said I had to lighten up right?" Ray nodded warily wondering where this was leading. Kai continued, "That was a little joke on my part." Ray opened his mouth furiously to speak but Kai pressed a forefinger against it and continued, "If you are going to get mad at something which showed the lighter side of me then you are going against what you said to me before, meaning you don't really want me to lighten up and do not appreciate the fact that I did this for you using one opportunity to make a joke which in normal circumstances is quite unlike me."
Ray stared at him, how could anyone possibly argue such logic? He had to admit half of Kai's winded sentence merely went through one ear and came out the other (mainly because he was trying to get over the fact that Kai spoke such a long sentence). Ray wasn't really the type to stay mad for long, especially for something so petty, and especially at Kai. Actually it wasn't what Kai had done that annoyed him (he liked that very much) it was that he had done it in front of the others, what if one of them were to notice? Max and Tyson weren't really much of a threat but Ray had a feeling Kenny knew to some extent. His size should never be a reason to underestimate the little genius.
"Fine," he said throwing his hands up in surrender.
"Knew you'd see it my way," Kai said with smug air about him.
"I so hate you sometimes," Ray pouted. Kai chuckled and kissed the pout. "So how about we go develop those photos."
Ray grinned. And the two proceeded to step inside the cabin. Tyson was sprawled on the mat randomly popping bubble wrap. Max was sitting cross-legged next to him, the tip of his tongue sticking out as he fiddled with his camera. Kenny was characteristically sitting with his laptop in the corner. He looked up when they entered and Ray could swear he saw a sly grin cross the bespectacled boys' face.
He cleared his throat and sat down next to Max. "Say Maxie, how about I get those photographs developed for you?"
Max smiled joyfully, "Would you? It would be so great if we could see them now instead of waiting for the next two weeks. Besides, I am kinda curious how the last snap came. Can you do it? I'll help you set up the equipment if you want."
"Of course, Max. We can use the kitchen as a makeshift dark room."
Max bounced joyfully and grabbed the bag which contained all the things they needed and ran to the kitchen. Ray and Kai followed at a more leisure pace.
"Anything I can do to help?" Tyson asked sticking his head in as Max set the bag on the table and removed the contact printer, chemicals, trays etc.
"Sure Tyson, close all the windows and put the blinds on them and cover them with black drapes," Ray instructed, "Then you and Max can leave. Kai and I will handle the rest." He was all but shooing them out. Doing as instructed Tyson finished and then caught Max's hand and rambled on about showing him something. His voice faded and then was completely blocked out as Kai shut the door and bolted it. The entire room would have been pitch-dark if Ray hadn't switched on a solitary light bulb. He turned to face Ray, a hungry gleam in his eyes. With a few quick strides he was standing in front of Ray only to be stopped from proceeding further by a tanned hand on his chest.
"We need to actually develop the photos or we're going to arouse suspicion," he said and grinned when Kai gave a low growl.
"First I'll need to take out the overhead light bulb and replace it with a red one. Keep me steady will you?"
Ray slipped off his shoes and climbed on top of the table standing on his tip toes to unscrew the light bulb. Kai stood on the floor behind him firmly gripping the lithe waist to keep him from falling. He wondered how long this whole bloody process was going to take before he lost it.
Ray finished screwing the bulb on and jumping nimbly off the table switched it on bathing them in a soft red light.
"All right time to get started," he declared rubbing his hands together. Taking that to be his cue Kai grabbed hold of him and kissed him, only to have Ray wriggle away. "I didn't mean start that we have photos to develop first, remember?"
"You're not serious?" Kai asked incredulously.
"'fraid I am. I promised Max. How would it look if we were in here the whole while and didn't develop a single photo?"
"I don't see why we had to go through this elaborate procedure we could just order the others out!"
"Yes we could, but not without raising their suspicions. And Kai, you were the one who said you weren't ready to tell the others yet. Besides, you have to admit sneaking around and finding such elaborate means of being together is more challenging and fun."
With that conversation ceased for the time-being as Ray set to work. Kai leaned against the counter impatiently. After sometime he pushed himself off the counter and wrapping his arms around the other's waist from behind began planting small, teasing kisses at the back of his neck. Ray though immensely enjoying himself shooed him after a while because Kai was being a hindrance (that's what he told Kai – for some reason he got a perverse pleasure in pissing Kai off this way). After what seemed like eternity, Ray pulled out the photo sheets one by one from the chemical container and set it to dry.
"Done! Now all we have to do is wait now while it dries. It could take a while," he said.
"Whatever do we do while we wait?" Kai asked mock-thinking.
"Here's a suggestion." With a seductive smile Ray hooked two of his fingers in the hem of Kai's pants and pulling him flush against himself kissed him. Kai lost no time in intensifying the kiss and soon his tongue was lazily massaging Ray's, licking and sucking at it.
"You do realise we can't go all the way," Ray murmured breathlessly as Kai broke the kiss to caress his neck with his lips.
"Mmm I do. But that doesn't mean we can't have fun," Kai replied. One hand reached up to tug Ray's headband, while the other undid his sash. It was done in mere seconds and he flung them aside. He sucked teasingly at Ray's earlobe as his hands moved under the shirt to form teasing patterns on the smooth skin.
'My turn,' thought Ray as he pushed Kai against the kitchen counter and started to remove his scarf. He struggled with the blasted thing for sometime, the fact that Kai's naughty hands were breaching the barrier of his pants and his lips and tongue were at work near his ears was of no help.
Kai smirked against the soft skin of Ray's neck as he heard the grunts of frustrations mingled with moans every time he did something. With a triumphant sound Ray finally managed to get rid of the scarf and flung it…somewhere. Hands worked over shirt buttons as the two somehow found themselves on the floor. Strangely enough for the time-being the photos were totally forgotten…
-----
Kenny looked up as he heard the kitchen door lock clicking, signaling it to have been unlocked. According to his knowledge that photo processing had taken way too long. And he had heard certain noises he was sure wouldn't normally be made during such a task. Silently he made his way to stand just a little outside the door just as it opened and Ray's voice floated out in a whisper.
"-Gods Kai, did you have to bite so hard? What if th-" He stopped talking abruptly as he came face to face with Kenny. Kai and Ray exchanged looks – how long had Kenny been standing there?
"Hey Kenny," Ray said nervously while one of his hands working unconsciously, moving to smooth out tell-tale wrinkles. "Here, we, um, finished developing the photos."
Kenny took the photos, and then smiled. "Don't worry. I won't tell. But guys…did it have to be in the kitchen?" Ray blushed a very healthy shade of red and shuffled his feet, hands behind his back while Kai suddenly found the ceiling extremely fascinating.
Before any more words could be exchanged, Max and Tyson came in. "The photos are here? Cool! Give them to me Chief," saying so, Tyson grabbed the photos from Kenny's hands and sank down on the mat in the living room to study them, the others following him.
"You took a photo of me when I was sleeping?" Tyson questioned Max horrified, "Do I really have that big a mouth?
"No!" Kai exclaimed in mock shock loud enough only for Ray to hear who chuckled.
The very last photo featured a mortified Ray, a dazed Max, a miffed Tyson, a choking Kenny and a smug Kai.
"How come Kai is the only one who's come out well in this?" Tyson complained. Still grumbling he walked away, Max trailing behind him. Ray got up as well, hoping to catch the sunset by the stream where hopefully enough he and Kai could sit together without being discovered.
"Ray." He turned just as Kenny passed by him, an uncharacteristically naughty smile on his face. "In case you and Kai are interested, I think there is another role that Max is about to finish and needs developing…"
The End
A/N: The rest is up to your wonderful imagination people! And Niki leave me a review rambling about what a great friend I am :grins: then you can go 'play' with your neighbour :winks:
Please leave a review, CC is of course happily welcomed.