Wow this only took ages, the funny thing is I have had the first half written for months but only found inspiration recently to continue writing. From now on things should move at a more steady pace since I think I finally know how to continue this. But mianly I just can't wait to finish it since I have already written the end and I love it!

Anyway this is quite a bit shorter than my normal chapters but that's because I wanted to make this as to the point as possible being as it was Kai's catalyst to stop being as asshole. Hope you enjoy!

Oh and the italics still mean an emphasized point, dream or flashback, and again sorry about the spacing but the line breaks piss me off in the middle of a story. three dots to end a scene three dots to begin one.

Beyblade does not belong to me as usual

Chapter Five
A Loose Thread

"So, is that a habit of yours?" asked the uniform man as he opened the barred door, "throwing rocks at rich snots windows to get their attention." The officer continued letting out a brief chuckle. "Believe me man, I don't blame you, those assholes sit up their on their high grounds watching us ants, if you may, go about our daily lives working for our dimes, while they await life on a silver platter." The cop seemed to be lost in his own thoughts until he looked around at his scenario. "Don't let it get to you." The officer smiled at Kai, waving his hand in a suggestion of dismissal, at least we known that they'll end up in the fiery depths of hell someday." The man laughed wishing Kai a good day and good luck before shutting the door to the station behind him.

---

Kai felt like a royal asshole. A supreme selfish bastard. He wondered vaguely if Rei was worried about him and felt a pang of guilt at the thought of making the poor neko jin worry. He had enough on his plate without Kai fucking things up even more. The early mornings of Moscow were cold and empty. The streets were just beginning to fill with red eyed coffee cravers, as Kai to stumbled upon a corner café and fell into line.

Those around him wore ties, suits and jackets of fur, glowering upon his ragged wardrobe. Kai shook off the glares no longer concerned, staring at the menu.

"I'll have a double espresso shot latte," Kai told the woman who asked for his order.

"That will be seven dollars and eighty-six cents," the attendant told the bluenette in a bored manner.

"What!" The slated haired man exclaimed, "Eight dollars!"

"Yes sir, please pay and move along there is a line forming," and there was as people behind Kai were looking around strained and frustrated craving that early morning douse of caffeine.

"How can you charge that much for a cup of coffee?" The Russian continued as if coming to terms with the real world, a world where money was not a play thing he could throw out the window. This was a world where money was needed to survive and support himself… and Rei… and Sakura. "Keep your exclusive caffeine!" Kai glared flipping up his left hand in an angry certain digit gesture as he exited the now up roared coffee house and made way to reality in the cold air.

Sighing he breathed in the refreshing wind that was playing through the now a wake city. It was the least he could hope for the cure the hangover that was mildly pounding at the back of his mind. His thoughts drifting away from the snobby coffee drinkers with their high class tastes to Rei. How could he make it up to him?

"Kai, no honestly I'm Okay." Rei told the bluenette for about the millionth time, "I don't mind as long as you love me I don't care if no one else does." The neko jin smiled at Kai trying his best to cheer up the older boy who was frowning with frustration and glaring at the ground.

"I'm sorry he treated you that way Rei," Kai again told his companion.

They had just come from the Hiwatari mansion where Kai's presence had been requested in accompany with Rei's. Kai had insisted that Rei not come but the neko jin wouldn't have it, he didn't want to have to see Kai go alone.

Now, they walked the streets of Moscow together not really paying much attention to their surroundings or where they were going, just both alone in their own thoughts yet together at the same time. It was Kai's eye that had been caught by the simple necklace that hung in the store window. Rei hadn't thought much of it and kept walking but the bluenette insisted on entering the store and enquiring about it.

It wasn't anything fancy, just the Japanese kanji character for tiger formed from a deep shade of gold. Kai was not usually one for buying gifts for Rei since their relationship was never about possessions but something about the necklace…

It had been too expensive, and Kai had always regretted never being able to buy it for Rei.

"Stupid necklace." Kai growled reminiscing from his teen years and how he had spent them broke, his finances constantly controlled by his Grandfather. He had tried so hard to break away from that, but had he? Sighing he remembered how ashamed he was that he couldn't give Rei what he wanted and now he would repay him with something.

It was a painting this time that caught his eye. The painting expressed a white Bengal tiger in the depths of his nature, eyes of a haunting gold that seemed even in the painting to know all that looked upon it. The colors were of midnight blue and greens, the tiger of ivory and obsidian and a glow, that seemed only there if you stared at the portrait long enough, of crimson that surrounded the beast.

The piece captivated Kai and caused him to enter the small store that held other paintings, but none of the quality of the tiger.

"May I help you?" A voice came disrupting Kai from his thoughts.

"Uh, yea." The blue netter replied. "The tiger painting?"

"Beautiful isn't it?" The store keeper asked, a middle aged men who held little regard for anything more that the artworks that surrounded him.

"It reminds me of - a friend," Kai stuttered having found he almost referred to Rei in an intimate way.

"Oh?" The shop keeper continued though not really interested. "It costs well over a thousand dollars." He retorted lethargically, bringing Kai to the realization of why he didn't care that there was a potential buyer in the store. It was that Kai did not look like a potential buyer for anything, let alone something that probably cost a whole months salary in this strange life. He was a nobody, not the type who could just come in and hand out money as a child would in a game, budgets were required. Ha, to think that the word budget even now existed in Kai Hiwatari's vocabulary now was a revelation within itself.

"Thank you for your time," Kai smiled politely, "and yea, it is a beautiful painting." The bluenette only looked at the painting once more before leaving the streets of luxury and expenses behind.

---

Kai didn't get home until late that afternoon, and it had been a difficult journey. His car had been impounded the previous night for it was discovered that he had been driving drunk and therefore was without transportation. How would he explain that to Rei? He had found little change in the thin wallet that he carried in his back pocket, in fact only enough to allow him to catch a bus to the outskirts of the suburbs, from there he had walked, now knowing that long gone were the days of luxury.

Jail, no coffee, a bus, walking and being regarded as inferior all in one day. Kai realized that this was rock bottom however for some reason a weight was lifted off his shoulders from his previous life. He almost looked forward to Rei's reaction when he finally got home. What he wasn't expecting however was Tala.

"You fucking asshole!" Was all Kai heard, before a solid force landed to the side of his head. "Who the fuck do you think you bloody well are? You take off for days on end, are gone over night, and now come home with that idiotic smile on your face!" The very same smile which had been replaced with a glare, as again another heavy force was slammed into his chest. Kai scowled shoving the other Russian away from him with equal force to that of which he had been punched with. "You don't fucking belong here! And you sure as hell don't deserve Rei!" Tala yelled after him.

"Rei." Kai calmly stated, ignoring the infuriated red head and making his way into the living room where Rei cowered on the couch. There were no signs of Sakura. "Rei?" Kai asked the huddled neko jin softly trying his best to pretend that the red headed Russian that had just entered the room and looked about to kill Kai wasn't there.

"Kai?" Rei replied, his voice quivering, "Where were y-"

Rei didn't finish his question Kai had gathered him in his arms and was pressing the neko jin close to his chest longing for the man to relax in to the embrace and purr the way he had in the old days.

"Uh- I-" The neko jin was lost for words.

"Rei." Kai cut him off not wanting to hear anything that he had to say. "Fuck Rei. I'm suck an idiot and Bryan and Tala might be right. I don't deserve you, but I'm sorry." Kai refused to let go of the ebony haired man who remained limp in the embrace.

"Kai, why?"

"Because I'm a fuck up! I'm a fuck up though Rei, not you. Not this life! Its me!" The bluenette almost shouted holding Rei tighter now and shaking as he spoke. "I'm the idiot for everything!" At this Kai grabbed Rei's shoulders holding the boy at arms reach and staring deep into his amber eyes. "Rei you are everything right, but you could have been more. Its my fault you aren't more."

"Kai I'm happy with the way things are. I like this life." Rei replied trying hard to keep his eyes focused on the older man's fierce scarlet gaze.

"Rei look me in the eyes. Things were once different and you wouldn't be weak like this! You are strong and I know it even if you don't know it about yourself! We can change this lifestyle around."

"But I don't want to Kai I like the way things are. I just want you to be happy." Rei smiled though the tears that stained his features. I want my Kai."

Was he really Rei's Kai? The bluenette pondered watching the neko jin intently. How long since the neko jin had been Kai's Rei? How long since they had been together? How much longer until he could be Rei's Kai?

"Rei?" Kai finally enquired letting his grasp go of the obsidian haired man. Kai looked down all of a sudden rather embarrassed, as he dove his hand into his pocket and pulled out a thin chain bearing the kanji for tiger. He unclasped the back of it and wordlessly placed it around Rei's neck before latching it.

"Kai." Rei smiled brightly at the gift his eyes flashing the memory that was at once ignited in the golden pools.

It was not gold and it was not expensive. The chain was second hand and was of a cheap tarnished silver alloy. The kanji though clean and well cared for also seemed worn, however appeared of a slightly richer value than the chain. Kai had bought it from a second hand pawn shop, but the thought of it was enough to know that he had to buy it for Rei.

Kai smiled at Rei before turning to depart upstairs. He smirked at Tala in a mock wave and exited the living room. Upstairs he entered the small girl's room that was unoccupied, that didn't bother him though for he reached again into his pocket and placed Dranzer on her small desk also pulling out a used launcher and rip cord he had also purchased at the pawn shop. Smiling at the phoenix he left that room too in search of a warm shower to wash away his thoughts.

Please read and review

Oh and the thing with Sakura, I know not exactly necessary since this story is suppose to revolve around Kai and Rei but its cute and I thought it could work. Kai's going to teach Sakura how to beyblade