I'm being an pain by giving you TWO chapters to read, feel the love runs around giving you chocolate. This chapter was partly written at the godly hour of 11 pm to 1am the past few days. No coffee was involved.

WARNING! I can't remember the rating of my story, which is not very good. But just in case, this chapter has some swearing and taking God's name in vain. So if you are a devout Christian that can't handle blasphemy, then you may have to skip those paragraphs.


Kai woke up the next morning with a headache. Even though he had not been drinking with his parents, he found that the smell in the house was nauseating. The mixture of cigars and alcoholic concoctions filled his nose.

Pushing himself up onto his elbows, he looked out his small window. Outside in the small park was a child and his mother playing on the swings. His blonde hair going with the wind that rushed past his ears. At the top of his arc, he would call back to his mother, "Higher mummy higher! I wanna touch the sky mummy!" Then she would push him higher just to hear him squeal with delight.

He looked down on the laughing pair. A small flutter made itself known to him and he longed to be loved like that child. Rolling over onto his side, he stared at his door. The grooves and corners looked so harsh and dangerous that they appealed to him. Getting up ungracefully, he walked over to the door and ran his fingers along the edges. They were not sharp, but the edges sent shivers up his spine. Still he slowly dragged his fingers over the corners.

Finally coming back to his senses, Kai opened the door and trudged down the stairs. Already, his parents were laughing loudly and it was not even ten in the morning. Looking at his watch, he found that it was actually 12. Blinking, he ran down the stairs and found his grandfather at the table.

"Well look who finally woke up. Its lunchtime you know and you are the only one has not had a drink. Something must be wrong with you Kai, its not everyday that you sleep in till lunch," Voltaire had turned his attention from his shot glass to his grandson.

"I hadn't realised the time when I woke up. Study comes before sleep in my routine. As a result it had to catch up with me in the end I guess," Kai looked down at his feet to avoid the stare that his grandfather had fixated on him. He could feel several pairs of eyes pouring over him and trying to find the real reason. Study had taken up most of his time in the afternoon, and then his drunk parents the rest till he had to lug them to their rooms in the night.

"Kai get us another boottle of voodkah, this one's empty. That's a boy," his father said as he poured another shot for Voltaire, his wife and himself. He looked up and inclined his head in acknowledgment. Walking over to the pantry, he pulled out the last bottle that they had and placed it on the table.

"Papa, this is the last bottle. I can't get you anymore cause I'm under age. Plus I'm going to see a friend. I'll be back later," he trudged back up the stairs and found a pair of pants in his cupboard. They were baggy blue pants and he looped a black belt through it to hold them up. Fossicking through his wardrobe, he found a black cargo shirt and pulled it on. Standing in front of his mirror, he found that his hair still looked as though he had just woken up.

Finding a brush in one of his many drawers full of stuff, he pulled it out and set to work at trying to tidy it up. After 20 minutes of hacking, he managed to get it into its usual style of everywhere. Kai sighed and pulled on a pair of blue sneakers. Grabbing a pair of sunglasses, he grabbed his house keys, wallet, phone and shut his room door.

Just as he touched the front door knob, his father yelled out from the kitchen, "KAI, DO WE HAVE ANYMORE VODKAH?"

Kai shook his head and yelled back, "NO, THAT WAS THE LAST BOTTLE!" With that he walked out the door and closed it behind him. The fresh air washed away the awful smell of his house quickly and he filled his lungs with it. Looking back quickly, he ran down his street so that he was not asked to do any errands for the drunks.

As he reached the end of the street, he stopped and turned right. His heart was slowing down quickly and the thumping no longer resonated in his ears. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he found his phone. Staring at it, he debated whether he should turn it on or not. What if they want me to pick them up more alcohol? I wouldn't be able to take them any, but what if Rei messages me? In the end, Kai turned it on and put it on lock. Shoving it back in his pocket, he heard it ring and ignored it. He knew who it was, but didn't want to talk to them.

Walking on, he found himself staring down Rei's street. The large apartment building was one of three that had appeared in the small street. It was close to the school so it was the perfect place for single parents with one child and Rei. He lived on his own for some reason and Kai guessed that he might never know that reason. Shrugging his shoulders, he turned down the street and walked to Rei's apartment. Walking up the 14 flights of stairs, Kai found himself at Rei's door.

Sighing, he knocked quietly, just in case he was still asleep like he had been. On the other side, someone was rummaging around and cursing. Kai let a smirk grace his usual expressionless face; it made him look positively evil.

Opening the door, Rei looked out, "Kai? Why are you here? Didn't you see the time?" He let out a rather lard yawn exposing his long canines and his mouth of rather sharp teeth.

"It's now one in the afternoon Neko and I'm here to see my friend."

"Holy shit, it is too. So what did I do to deserve a visit from the silent Hiwatari?" he chided. He knew that it got on Kai's nerves when he called him that. As a result, a moment later, he was rubbing his arm, "Ouch, I'm still recovering Kai."

"Yeah I know, I know. So why are you sleeping in all of a sudden? You're usually up with the sparrows," Kai leaned on the wall that held the door.

Rei yawned again, "I guess I was up late last night trying to get my study over and done with so that I didn't have to worry bout it for the rest of the weekend. Come in Hiwatari, that wall doesn't look like it could support your weight forever."

"I guess not, but it could always try," Kai picked himself up off the wall and walked into the apartment. As per usual, it was clean. Nothing was on the floor, mail was sitting in a small pile and his dishes were no where to be seen, "You still are obsessive compulsive aren't you. I thought that you'd grown out of that."

Turning around to face his friend, Rei smiled weakly, "I didn't grow out of it Kai, I just found that I had to get used to some mess. But I guess that you can still tell that it lurks beneath the surface though." Kai nodded.

Sitting down on a stool at the bench, he watched his friend move around his small kitchen. Rei moved like water around it, he was in his element there and flowed from one end to the other. There was no thinking involved with any of it. As a result, Kai became mesmerised with the fluid movements and swaying hair that he didn't realise that he was staring.

"Kai do you want some hot chocolate? Kai?"

"Huh what?"

"Do you want some hot chocolate? If you want I can put some mint in it."

"Yeah, that'd be great Rei. That hint of mint gives it that personal touch you have," he started to smile. Rei smiled back and pulled out two mugs and some drinking chocolate.

"So what were you just staring at?"

"What do you mean staring at? I wasn't staring at anything," Kai became nervous as he found that Rei had noticed him staring at him. His hands began to play with the tip of his belt.

"Well, your eyes were following me yet you didn't blink. Not blinking is the first sign of staring. That plus the far away look in the person's face. Sorry if you didn't notice it," Rei picked up the kettle and poured the hot water into the mugs. Then he added a touch of mint and milk. Taking it over to Kai, he nodded in thanks.

"Hmm, do you usual study people's faces so intently Neko? That is the first time you have let your psychic abilities be revealed," he took a sip of the steaming mug that sat in front of him. The sweet taste of the chocolate filled his mouth, then the light after taste of mint.

Shaking his head, Rei sat on the bench top, "Most of the time I do. Usually I do it to avoid getting into a fight with Mariah. Her face is like a book; one glance and you know what is bubbling underneath just like Tyson, Max and Kenny. Lee on the other hand hides his a little better, but he is just as readable. However, with you it's a different story. At first it's like a different language, then you start to realise that it's in the way your eyes move and the way your lips are." At the last bit, he turned red.

"Oh, so that's how you can tell when I'm in a rather bad mood and ask. That really explains it. The others believe that you have this sixth sense and that you can feel the person's psyche change when they are not happy," the Russian took another sip. He felt his body relax this time.

He nodded, "I also know that there's another reason why you're here Kai. That wasn't hard to pick up." Kai looked up and nodded, he had been found out. "Look, I don't want to talk about it."

"But Rei, it's not Spencer, its Balkov that has me confused."

"Why are you confused? He almost cherishes you and him. At least Balkov doesn't continually pick on you to study and see how you react when asked to do 30 push-ups, which I can now do," his muscles tensed up, he was getting edgy.

"Rei, Balkov did that to me too! Don't think that you're the first," Kai was getting annoyed again. However, this time it was different.

"Kai, you're like the golden child in his eyes. I'm that little-weak-kid-that's-not-gonna-win-in-a-fight-so-let's-pick-on-him guy!" Rei's eyes were turning red and they glistened in the light, "it's killing me Kai! First Balkov takes me and almost kills me every HPE lesson, and then I have Spencer breathing down my neck for schoolwork. I can't take it anymore!" Rei grabbed a chef's knife and waved it in front of him.

"Holy shit Rei! Put that goddamn knife down, you're gonna hurt yourself or me!"

"Of course I'm gonna hurt myself, it seems the only thing to do. No one loves me, that's why my parents disappeared when I was little," the knife was slowing down and nearing the bench top again, "no one has ever loved me." The knife went to Rei's wrists.

"Put the knife down Rei. I can tell you some people who would give their life to save you, to keep you here," Kai's voice was cracking with the emotional strain that Rei was putting on him.

"People love me? I'm a bloody solitary jerk Kai! How do people love me and who?" Rei's eyes were streaming rivers of tears down his cheeks. The paths reflecting the light of the sun outside and of the candles that Rei used.

"Mariah loves you, you should hear what she said about you actually, and you would laugh."

"Really? What did she say?"

"She said that you were her's, that you always were, since you were little. Lee loves you too, Tyson, Max and Kenny all love you."

"Really they do? They don't really show it my Russian friend. Tyson always punches me in the arm, Kenny makes fun of my lack of computer skills, Mari always yells at me, and Max always asks for help but never returns the favour," Rei pulled the knife away from him again, this time it reached the table, "but what about you? Do you love me Kai?"

Kai felt his heart stop for a moment. He turned to face his friend with his normal steely expression. However, it failed, as his eyes were full of love for his friend. He had come so close to using that knife on his wrists that it had frightened Kai to the core. His hands still trembled in his lap.

"Rei."

"Yes Kai? You look somewhat happy, are you alright?"

"I'm very happy at the moment and will stay happy if you don't touch that knife."

The neko-jin looked down at the knife and pulled his hand right away and put it behind his back. A small grin crossed his face, creasing the perfect tracks that the tears had made. "Okay, I won't touch it."

"From our friendship, I have grown to love you Neko. The others are the same. Tyson punches you only in the arm like I do, it's only as a jest. Max doesn't return the favour for you helping him because he doesn't know how. Kenny's just a pain in the arse when it comes to computer stuff, he knows that I can't use a computer, but unlike you, I'd punch him if he said it. You didn't mention Lee, but his love for you is like that of a brother, it may not seem like it's there, but he feels a strong bond with you that goes deep. My love for you is more open when I'm alone with you because, you showed me that I don't need to be shut off when I'm with close friends."

"Is that true? You all love me in those ways?"

Kai nodded, "Yeah Rei, we do. Now I know you don't like talking about it, but Rei, how did Spencer get to you? What made him corner you?"

The teenager's eyes held fury in them, "Not now Kai. This is the weekend and I'm not in the mood now. He's been after me for a while."

"But Rei, I need to know. Once he tastes you, he keeps going back like a vulture. I want to help you kitty, I really do. Don't block me out," he stood up and put the knife away so it was out of Rei's reach. He turned to leave the kitchen, but Kai blocked his way.

"Kai, please don't call me kitty and don't go into it. It's not you that he wants but me. So drop it!" he turned to face the Russian. He pushed him out of the way toward the front door. "Spencer already plagues my daydreams with bloody fists, I don't want my dreams to be filled with more blood shed."

"But Rei-"

"No buts Kai, now can you leave? Just leave me alone, please," Rei begged. His body was trembling and he held his stomach with his left hand as if in pain.

"Okay, I'll leave to make you happy. But Rei, remember that I want to help you. I would protect you-"

"-With your life. I know Kai, I know. Can you please leave now? I have recovering to do before I go back to Hell on Monday." Rei shut the door behind Kai and soundly locked it. Kai sighed. A heavy feeling had settled on his heart again. However this one was also painful.

Turning around, he walked back down the stairs feeling heavy. So much emotion had run through the last few moments of that discussion that its presence could still be felt on the stairs. Something else is bothering him, I know it! He yelled internally at himself. The thing is that he has to open up to me, I can't barge my way in. Kai scuffed the carpet before leaving the building. His phone was off, as the battery had died sometime ago by the look of it.

Looking out of the front door, Kai turned to go home. The journey home felt as though it was longer and lonelier then the trip there. Somehow the air of the trip was denser and his spirit was heavy. This was not the best feeling in the world for him to have as it brought down all aspects of a day, even if it was the best day ever.

Kai found himself running down his street to his house. Pulling out the key to open the door, he opened it and sprinted up the stairs. He didn't even notice that his parents had passed out on the floor and his grandfather on the table. Slamming his door, Kai locked it and collapsed on the navy rug that sat in the middle of the room. Trembling all over, he found that all he could think of was the knife that had gone within millimetres of Rei's skin.

"Stupid Rei Kon! How could he have even thought of doing that? Of all the things that he could do, he drew it out with me there. He knows that I would have stopped him in the end and would have stayed by his side as long as it took till he got better. If only I hadn't brought up the subject of stupid Balkov. That would never have occurred," Kai berated himself, "then I might never have seen my kitty again." What did I just say? Kai thought just after he said.

"My kitty? What the hell is wrong with me?" he yelled at the roof.

"KAI SHUT UP! SOME OF US ARE TRYING TO SLEEP!" it was his grandfather. Obviously he had woken up when he yelled. That was to be expected since he could feel it through the floor.

"WELL SOME OF US HAVE PROBLEMS TOO YA KNOW!" he yelled back. He hardly ever did that but he was in a bad mood and couldn't help it. His grandfather would let it slide as he was usually good and didn't cause any trouble.

"IF YOU DO THAT AGAIN I'LL BEAT YOU BLACK AND BLUE KAI HIWATARI! MARK MY WORDS!" He could still string a few words together, which was a good sign. They must have passed out a few hours ago and the effects of the alcohol must be wearing off.

"Stupid grumpy old man. He doesn't understand," he mumbled to himself. It was going to be a tough night at the Hiwatari residence and Kai was not going to be spared a single second of good healthy dreams, but nightmares of death, murder and torture. His dreams were not the best omens in the world.


Please review so improvements can be made to the story line.

Wolf-chan