A/N: Hey guys, I'm so glad you've all taken to this fic! I love the idea personally, and it's good to know that you do to. Okay, as for the whole Tyson not being introduced, sorry about that. Remember, this is a KaiRei centric story, even though I am a closeted (sort of), TysonMax fan myself. Don't worry; he'll make his appearance... And no, this is not a foursome. Just the two couples, sorry if my summary confused anyone.

Disclaimer: I do not own BeyBlade.



Crimson eyes followed graceful movements as another made his way closer to his table. Kai growled low in his throat, taking a sip of his drink. He didn't need company. More importantly, he didn't want it. Half these people wouldn't even know who he was if his face hadn't been plastered on every T.V. screen from here to Russia.

It was ridiculous, really. Infuriating. It shouldn't have happened in the first place. None of it should have ever happened. Still it did, and now, even after he'd finally put his grandfather away...the old man was able to ruin his life one more time.

Running a finger thoughtfully over one of the larger triangles on his cheek he watched the other as he came closer. Glared actually, but the guy didn't seem to want to take the hint. So, Kai waited until he was almost directly in front of the table before giving up on being subtle. Abruptly he stood, deciding he might as well leave and at the same time wondering why the hell he'd come in the first place.

"Wait!" the other teen blurted. More out of shock than indulgence, Kai actually stopped, looking up at him expectantly. "I'm sorry," he finished awkwardly. "I don't want to be the reason that you'd ruin a perfectly good night out."

The Russian cocked an eyebrow, looking his admirer over. He was a bit shorter than himself, a Chinese teen, with long raven hair that trailed down his thighs, and striking golden eyes. Considering his options, Kai slowly eased himself back into his chair, watching the other carefully. He seemed sincere...

"I'll leave if you want me too, but if it isn't too much trouble..." he trailed off, obviously feeling like an idiot. "You know what? Forget it. Sorry I bothered you." Kai smirked, if ever so slightly, sipping at his drink.

"I don't mind," he answered softly after a moment. Blinking, the Chinese teen sat, as if in a daze, tipping his head to the side.

"I'm Rei, by the way." He didn't answer. Like the guy didn't already know.

"What?" Kai finally replied, leaning back in his chair. Rei was watching him curiously, as if waiting for a reply. "Don't expect me to answer."

"So I can sit but I can't flirt?" the Chinese teen pouted cutely, gaining a bit of his previously forgotten confidence.

"I didn't say that."

"Then answer."

"No." The other growled through a smirk.

"Why not?" Kai leaned forward, his molten gaze drilling into gold.

"I saw you over there," he answered, gesturing towards the table that Rei had occupied earlier. "Once I turned around you nearly fell off your chair." The Chinese teen blushed.

"Okay, you caught me," he only half joked. "But I wouldn't have made the connection if it weren't for those," he finished, pointing to Kai's face, indicating the four blue triangles. "What are they anyway?" he asked as an afterthought.

"Tattoos," Kai replied casually, reaching again for his drink. His tone seemed offhand, but suddenly Rei felt very small, and he got the impression that he should never bring the subject up again.

"So," he ventured, trying to change the subject. "What brings you here? I mean...this morning you were in Russia weren't you?" Kai nodded.

"I just needed to leave," he answered indistinctly, staring off into the crowd. This time it was Rei's turn to nod. After that...silence.

Abruptly the Chinese teen reached into his pocket, producing a small notepad and a pen, hastily scribbling something down on the first sheet. Tearing the paper away, he slid it across the table to Kai, who chose to merely stare at the black numbers glaring at him from the white surface. He only looked up when Rei stood.

"Well, I better get back to my friend, but if you ever want to pick this up where you so discretely left it," he stopped his sarcastic tone then, smiling warmly instead. "Give me a call."

Kai watched him go, and for the first time in a very long time he smiled. Folding the paper he slipped it into his pocket before suddenly, something occurred to him. His crimson eyes flashed as he pulled the paper out again. Glaring at it, he crushed it in his palm as he turned to watch Rei and his friend leave the club.

"Maybe I will," he hissed, finally stuffing the number into his pocket, and downing the last of his drink.



"So," Max started with a sly grin. "How did it go?" The tiger shrugged, slowing down to stop at a red light.

"I couldn't tell you, the guy has some serious companionship issues I'm telling you."

"Right..." Max smiled before yawning, as he glanced at the clock.

1:55

"Do you have to work tomorrow?" the blonde asked sleepily, rubbing his eyes. Rei glanced at his friend as he turned down another road.

"No, this girl Daliela, is covering for me so I can look for a story."

"Good." The Chinese teen eyed his friend suspiciously as he parked, turning the car off.

"Why?" he asked over the hood of the car as they stepped out onto the sidewalk. The American teen pulled his cell phone from his pocket, tossing it to Rei.

"Hit pound." Doing as he was told, the neko raised the mobile to his ear, listening as he walked up the steps to their apartment.

"Message one. Received at, three thirty-three P.M." came the mechanical recording. Suddenly another voice clicked in, almost entirely too happily.

"Hey Max, this is Tyson Kinomiya. I was going over your work this afternoon, and I think you've got some really great stuff. It's just what my studio needs, and I'd like you to come down tomorrow to meet the rest of the team. We'll be in around noon so...yeah. Anyway, gimme a call if you've got any questions, bye!" Shutting the phone, Rei tossed it back to his friend as he was shutting the door.

"Well, he sounds nice enough." The blonde turned, hanging his coat up.

"I guess."

"You guess?"

"Okay shuddup would ya? I'm going tomorrow, I told you I'd take the job didn't I?" The neko nodded.

"Yeah you did so you better not drop this chance."

"I know," the other waved his friend off, heading for his room. "I'm going to bed..."

"Whatever," Rei chuckled, sitting himself down at the table.

He listened faintly to his friends bantering as the American teen muttered to himself while getting ready to sleep. But after the silence fell all he did was sit and stare, suddenly having an irrepressible urge to turn on the T.V. just to see a handsome face. He shook his head, standing to make tea instead. Once he'd put the kettle on, he slipped into Max's room to make sure he was asleep before closing the door softly.

"So...what do I do now?" he mused out loud, throwing open the large window to sit on the fire escape. "I mean, all I need is a good story. The question is, what about?"

Yeah. What about?

"I don't know," he answered himself angrily. He blinked.

Do I really want JUST a story?

"No." Rei didn't even hesitate, the reply simply falling from his lips. "No," he answered again, elaborating. "I want...something more."

To see him again? Hell yeah.

"But, what else?" he mused, leaning back on his hands.

A relationship would be nice.

"Yes," he agreed, smiling softly and feeling like a schoolgirl with a crush. "It would."

Suddenly the teakettle whistled shrilly, shaking him from his question and answer session with his ever understanding self. Jumping to his feet he stumbled through the window, silencing the offending screams hurriedly so as not to wake Max. After all, the guy had a hot date the next afternoon. Well, close enough to one anyway.

Relaxing, the neko poured himself some tea, cupping the heated mug between his palms. Blowing at the scalding liquid, he carefully climbed back out to his perch. It only had a sliver of a view of the city, but the darkness had always calmed him. Sometimes, he wondered if he and Max should have taken the apartment out in rural New York...or what was left of it, where you could still see the stars at night. But city nightlife had always been thrilling; crickets chirping wouldn't have satisfied him.

Nope. And it's a good thing I came here isn't it?

He smirked, his lips brushing the porcelain rim of his cup as he sipped his drink. "Sure was." Suddenly, a thought startled him.

I don't have his number.

"Well," he sighed. "He has mine. Hopefully the feeling's mutual."

And if it isn't?

"Alright, we're throwing the pessimistic out the window NOW, thanks."

But I'm already out the window, he thought wryly.

"Wise ass," he whispered into his tea as he took another drink.

No thanks to you Rei, no thanks to you.



Max threw random articles of clothing over his shoulder as he searched for the perfect outfit.

"REI!" he wailed. "I'm gonna be late!"

The Chinese peered around the door, pausing to dodge a pair of socks as they were hurled at his face. The room was a mess, the closet completely empty, as were the drawers of the bureau. Rolling his eyes, Rei ventured cautiously through the sea of junk. Finally reaching the other side he grabbed the blonde's shoulders, spinning him around and giving him a good shake.

"Max, it's only ten o'clock. You have PLENTY of time. CALM DOWN," he articulated slowly as if speaking to a small child. Nodding, the American teen flopped down on his bed, blinking innocently.

"Okay...so what do I wear?"

"Clothes?"

"REI!" he whined, pouting as he turned wide, sapphire eyes on the tiger. The Chinese teen visibly winced. Sometimes it scared him that even at nineteen, his friend could STILL perform puppy dog eyes to get what he wanted. With a look like that, he could take over Hell in a day.

"Okay," he consented, waving his hands to assure the other that he'd surrendered. Kicking piles of clothing over, he pulled out a bright blue T-shirt, while searching for other pieces to the outfit he was slowly concocting in his mind. Max just smiled happily, looking like a toddler who had just been given a lollypop.

"You're hopeless," Rei muttered, receiving a frown in return.

"Am not, I'm just..." he trailed off, turning to face the door, sober again. "Just..."

"Nervous?" He nodded. The neko smiled reassuringly. "Don't be."

"I'll try." Grinning, the raven-haired teen tossed his friend a pair of khaki's, the bright blue T-shirt he'd uncovered earlier and a thick, mahogany belt.

"Well try that first," he suggested, leaving the room. "And be home by eight!" he laughed, shutting the door.

"Ha, Ha. Very funny." The blonde muttered, pulling his pants on. Suddenly Rei thrust his head through the door, causing Max to yelp. And promptly fall on his ass. The neko regarded him, mockingly serious.

"I wasn't joking."



The apartment was clean, Max was gone, and the imaginary fish had been eaten by the imaginary cat, who had been thrown out into the imaginary snow where awaited an imaginary dog. Thus there was no more reason to take care of his imaginary pets. Rei was pleased with his accomplishments.

Which amounted to absolutely nothing.

With a sigh he scooped himself a bowl of ice cream, sitting down heavily at the kitchen table to re-read the paper for any good leads on a conveniently promising story. He really didn't expect there would be anything, but he needed something to do. Suddenly the phone rang. Putting the spoon in his bowl he reached behind himself to pick up the receiver off the counter, never taking his eyes off the paper.

"Hey," he started absently, still reading one of the articles. Bringing his spoon back up to his mouth he finished before taking another bite. "Rei here, Max's out."

"You gave me your number and you're living with someone?"

Rei nearly choked on his spoon.

"Kai?" he managed, but was only rewarded with silence. "It's not like that," he mended quickly. "Max is my friend---"

He was cut off by a cold, "whatever."

Swallowing the lump in his throat, the Chinese teen opened his mouth, but the Russian's smooth tenor shut it again.

"Meet me in the lobby of the Athenee Plaza Hotel at four." The neko glanced at the clock.

3:45

"Sure, what's up?" he asked nervously. This didn't sound like your average get-together. The other just growled softly.

"Are you coming or not?" Weighing his options, Rei decided not to let the opportunity pass.

"Yeah, see you in a few." With that the line went dead.

The neko just sat for a moment, listening to the dial tone before turning off the phone as he stood to grab his jacket. Kai hadn't sounded happy, nor entirely to pleased with even talking to him. Even last night there was more to his tone, and he hadn't said very much.

Sighing as he slipped on his shoes, Rei locked the door on his way out into the hallway, leaving his ice cream to melt on the table.



A/N: Thank you so much for all your kind reviews. And please, don't hesitate to tell me that I've done something wrong or if something I did can be better. It really does help me in the long run, and you won't offend me I promise. Anyway, I better get going on the next chap. Cliffhangers are nasty things...