The punching bag before my fist demolishes into dust and straps of leather, the metal chain popping off the ceiling as if attached by blue-tack.

"Bryan…?" Kai asks, looking at me. I can sense him follow my movements across the private gym and he stares at me as I lean my head against the wall. "What's got you so angry?"

"Kukoro." I spit. I say nothing else, but you know what they say- actions speak more than a thousand words… I smash my fist against the wall, leaving a hand-sized crater at least a quarter-meter in depth.

Kai frowns as I wander around the room again, fingers rubbing my temples. "It was all a plan, Bry. He didn't mean all that stuff he said."

"Not all of it." I retort. I stare at him. "What gives him the right to barge in here and spill my secrets? It may have been his plan to tire me out with my so-called 'powers', but could he have done it- oh I don't know- less fucking obvious!"

"Bryan, calm down." Kai orders, laying a hand upon my shoulder in an attempt to soothe me. "Listen, what has happened has happened; you can't change the past."

"I know!" I hiss. "I know…" I look down at the ground. "What is wrong with me?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm falling apart; becoming weak… I'm becoming tired, losing faith, giving up easily, letting emotions take over… I cried, you know… when I attacked Tala and realised what I had done, I cried… for the first time in my life, I cried…"

Kai pulls me into a hug. "And how did it feel?" He asks; I do not answer. "It's good to cry sometimes, you know."

"I've almost killed Tala twice now… letting the monster take over me; vampire instincts and then rage… maybe it would be better if I-"

"No." Kai answers firmly, pulling back and staring me in the eyes. "He needs you. And what you're doing now is weak; the other things aren't- not at all. To beat Ehoin we have to stick together, you hear me? You hear me!"

"I hear you…" I mutter, settling myself against his chest and wrapping my arms around his waist, burying my face into his shoulder. "…thank you."

"Hn." Kai replies with a chuckle, hugging me back. "You know, two years ago you would even do this…"

"Around two years ago," I try to remind him humorously, "we were shoving our tongues down each others throats to annoy Tala; I think we did hug a few times, thanks."

Kai laughs; not one of his annoying and sardonic laughs, but a true laugh. "I suppose, but you know what I mean."

"Indeed I do."

"But now you're doing it with Tala, instead of me."

"Actually, we've only kissed about three times." I correct.

"Smart ass."

"Love you too."

We stay like this for some time. Who would have thought it? Kai Hiwatari hugging and holding Bryan Kuznetsov; we're supposed to hate each other, not swat spit and share body-heat.

I sigh and nuzzle his neck. "Do you think me weak, Kai?"

He chuckles, rocking me gently. "No."

"Hey!" We look over to the door of the gym to see Tyson and Tala, standing there with amused mock-glares on their faces. Tyson continues- "That's my boyfriend you're nearly kissing."

"Ditto." Tala adds, meeting my gaze with a sneaky spark in his clear eyes. "And I thought you were supposed to be training."

"We did." I state, letting go of Kai, and enveloping Tala in my arms as he walks over. "We just got a little… side tracked."

"Hm…" Tala hums, trailing a finger up and down my clothed chest- in a rather deviously-suggestive manner, might I add. "But we've been thinking- Tyson and I."

"Will wonders never cease?" Kai mutters, earning a glare from his boyfriend but the Phoenix just stops him by pulling the Dragoon into a searing kiss.

I roll my eyes and look down at Tala. I force him to look back at me via a finger under his chin. "And what did you think about?"

"Hm, well, the next Tournament is coming up and we thought it would take your mind off things while Kukoro does his magic."

I frown. "That will only cause more trouble." I say. "Ehoin will follow and all the other bladers will be in danger. More could then-"

"Shush!" He places a hand on my lips. "You shouldn't think about those things. Beyblading will take your mind off things and it'll help you grow stronger." He smiles. "Trust me?"

"I trust you, Tala." I whisper when he removes his hand. "Have done all my life…"

His look sends fuzzy-tingles down my spine… hm, who would have thought? Me saying 'fuzzy'? It's against all natural code for me to say that word…

But the look he gives me isn't one of sexual desire, but neither of scorn. It's a simple smile, but to me, it's as beautiful as the setting sun.

I must have said the word out loud, since Tala asks, "what's beautiful?"

I cup his cheek , massaging the skin beneath his eyes with my thumb. "You are…" I say, rubbing my nose against his.

"Heh heh," he stutters, a blush painting his cheeks, "I don't have a comeback; sorry."

"No need to be."

He sighs peacefully. "So are you coming to the tournament with us?"

"'Us' being…?"

"Ian, Spencer and I, of course. Kai'll go back to the 'Breakers." He replies, looking over to the side to see that Kai and Tyson have gone. "So…?"

"Fine… by the way…" I frown in thought. "Do Spencer and Ian know about me being… a vampire?"

Tala shook his head. "No… do you want them to know?"

"I don't know." I place my head upon his shoulder. I feel fatigue and weariness bearing down upon me… and another feeling too…

"You haven't fed in a few days, now." Tala whispers, rubbing my back- he must be a mind reader… "And I'm not talking about normal food."

I grunt. "Your point?"

"My point is…" His lips brush my temple. I feel his smirk. "I think you know what I'm talking about…"

"That reminds me. I never thought you to be a masochist."

"Masochist?"

"When I bit you, you sounded like you were gaining pleasure from it. Normally, or from what I know from past experiences, you should have been in pain."

He shrugs. "Whatever. I didn't know you cared about all that. Would you rather me be in pain or-"

"You talk too much."

I silence his reply with a burning kiss. It holds most of my gratitude and most of the emotions I hold. I push him up against the wall, still holding him and still within our liplock. He groans faintly, muffled by the kiss, and lets my tongue enter his warm mouth. I feel one of his hands fist in my hair while the other is tangled in my sweat soaked t-shirt. He starts to pulls it up, breaking the kiss momentarily to pull it over my head; he is then attacked once again by my lips against his silky neck.

He moans, soft fingers caressing my scarred and scabbed back, tracing the long indent that went over my shoulder and down to the end of my shoulder blade, created by the damned and cursed vampire, Ehoin…

"Bryan…"

God, the way he says my name could drive me insane, if I had no control…

My hands grip his hips so hard that I bet he'll have bruises tomorrow. I continue to kiss his neck, nipping every so often until I reach the two red circular marks. My fangs grow with the promise of blood and I feel him shudder as they graze his skin, before pushing gently into his neck, piercing his vein and letting his life-juice free to flow into my awaiting mouth.

After I pull out and heal the puncture wounds, he collapses against me.

"You… okay?" I ask, licking my lips where drops of blood had fallen.

"Yeah…" He groans.

I chuckle. "Come on, then." I pick him up, carrying him in a bridal-like lift out of the gym and up the stairs to the 3rd floor. I kick the apartment door open, since Kai had left it unlocked, and carry Tala into his bedroom.

He gazes up at me from the bed and gives a little dopey giggle. "Better?"

I roll my eyes. "Anyone could swear you were drunk, Tal."

"Hmmm…" He hums, reaching up with a somewhat shaking hand.

He runs his fingers through my fairly long hair before pulling me down into a long and avid kiss. I allow him to have control over the kiss. He pulls me down on top of him and wraps his legs around my hips in an attempt to gain more contact. His fingers glide over my sweat glistened back once again, following sunken scars and recent healed-over wounds.

"He's not going to get you…" I whisper with a trembling voice after I pull away. "He's not going to ever hurt you…"

He gives me a reassuring smile. "I know…" He murmured in reply, his breath tickling my lips. "But he's not going to hurt you either… I won't allow it…"

"Tala…" His eyes open with confusion at my serious tone. "Tala, I could die for you-"

"And I for you."

I place a finger to his lips. "I could die for you," I repeat softly, "but I want you to promise something… if anything should happen to me, you have to carry on living."

His eyes widen and shine with tears. "But-"

"Tala, promise me!" My eyes feels moist too and a droplet of water falls onto his cheek. "Even if we were to die at the same time in the same way, we won't be in the same place! Just… promise…"

"Nothing's going to happen, Bry." His voice shakes. "That sage showed you our future! I promise but please…"

I sigh and place a soft, feathery kiss on his lips, also kissing away the tear that had fallen from my eye onto his cheek. "We'll be together… I just wanted to be certain… Tala, I may never say my true feelings but I want you to know that I'd do anything for you; all that I need in return is you."

"You have me, Bryan…" He whispers, pulling me against his chest and running his fingers through my hair soothingly. He kisses the top of my head and sighs. "You'll always have me…"

If only I could agree…

Spazzy McGoo (AKA, Me) is not dead. Sowwy for late update. For deatils of my absense, please read my DA journal.

Well, only two chappies left of this fic T.T...

But you won't like the next chappie XD