Disclaimer: Nope. Don't own the rigth to Beyblade. Nope. Don't make money with this.

A/N: Hello everyone,
again I'm sorry for the slow updates. I could give you a list of reasons that would be longer than this chapter... But instead I'll just thank you for the support and give you the long awaited next chapter ;)
So Thilbo-Fan2, ranjan597, Littla A Granger, C. B. Magique and Devi: thank you, thank you, thank you for your favs, follows and/or reviews! Your support really helps when I get stuck with my story, self-conscious about or whatever. So... I cannot thank you enough!

Now, enjoy the next chapter! :)

A Promise is A Promise

Chapter 7

Crimson Eyes

Again, hours turned into days and days turned into weeks. The more time passed, the less willing Tyson was to leave Kai's side. He needed to be there when Kai opened his eyes. He had been waiting for this moment for months! Tyson knew that there was a good chance that Kai would wake up while he was either at home sleeping or at school being physically present. Unfortunately, the hospital didn't allow sleep-overs (he'd tried) and Gramps refused to tell the school that Tyson was unable to attend class due to a mysterious and highly contagious illness. He didn't want to pretend Tyson had been kidnapped either and frankly, Tyson was just too scared to skip classes, knowing that Gramps would chase him back to school with a swinging sword if he found out. Running out of ideas, Tyson had no choice but to keep attending school.

At school he spent his time checking his phone for texts from Tala that kept him informed. He and Tala took turns keeping an eye on Kai and sending status updates to the other. Tala went to the hospital once visiting hours started and stayed until Tyson got off from school. Then Tala went to practice and sometimes returned later to stay until either the nurses kicked them out or Gramps showed up to drag their butts home for dinner. At night, Tyson slept with his phone next to his pillow, just in case Kai decided nighttime was the perfect moment to wake up. And the next morning the whole procedure started all over again. Except for the weekends – on weekends Tyson spent every minute of visiting hours by Kai's side.

Tyson had feared that the restlessness he'd felt weeks ago would drive him nuts sooner rather than later. To his own surprise though, waiting had gotten easier. This wasn't because Tyson had suddenly developed patience, no; it was because this time the progress Kai made was actually visible. About two weeks into the wake-up-process Kai's body had started to breathe on its own again. Seeing his face free of the breathing mask and being able to feel the slow and steady rise and fall of Kai's chest had been a huge relief. It had put a silly grin of Tyson's face for days. After this, it had been little things that proved Kai was slowly waking up from his coma, like the occasional flutter of his eyelids or the twitch of a finger. All those little signs gave Tyson the strength to patiently wait. It wouldn't be much longer now.

Just yesterday Kai had slightly moved his hand. It had been the simply closing and opening of his fingers, but it had been enough for Tyson to jump out his chair and bolt out the door to fetch the Doc. After a quick examination the Doc had smiled and said it could be a matter of days now. Ever since then, Tyson had been sitting on hot coals.

For like the five hundredth time today he checked his phone.

'Any changes?' he'd texted Tala.

Now Tala's reply popped up on the screen, 'You're not going to speed up the process by asking every five minutes, Tyson. If there were any changes whatsoever, I'd call you. So chill and maybe follow your lectures for a once. I'm sure Gramps would be thrilled.'

Tyson pouted. In his opinion he was doing a pretty good job only asking every five minutes. Five minutes could be pretty long if one was waiting for something. And he was an impatient person after all!

After sulking for another minute he wrote back, 'Oh I must have gotten the numbers mixed up. I wanted to text Tala – sorry, Hilary!'

Second later he received a 'Fuck you, Granger!' from Tala and, with a smug grin on his face, Tyson put his phone away. For the next five minutes…

After school he waved good-bye to Kenny and Hilary and dashed out of the classroom. In record time he made his way to the hospital. When Tyson burst through the door he found Tala sitting in his usual chair, the nose buried in a Bey-magazine. Okay, no need to ask for changes, Tyson figured, because if there were any Tala wouldn't be flipping through his magazine this calmly. Good, so he hadn't missed anything.

"Hey Tala! Hi Kai!"

Without looking up Tala growled, "Look who dares to show up after pulling such a stunt."

Tyson stuck his tongue out at Tala, even though (or maybe precisely because) the redhead didn't see it.

"You deserved that one. So, anything I missed?"

Tala shrugged.

"Nothing much. Twitch of the pinky finger only a couple minutes ago."

Tyson let his gaze wander over Kai's still figure.

"Could be any day now," he murmured. "How do you think he'll react?"

Tala lowered his magazine for a moment and shot him an amused look.

"Depending on how much he heard either pissed or very pissed."

Tyson's heart leaped into his throat. Relax, he told himself, he's not talking about you. He doesn't know. How could he? You only talked to Kai, so if anyone know, it's Kai. Which didn't mean that Kai wouldn't be pissed at Tyson's confession.
Oookay, better not go there. No, better keep the conversation going and get distraction from this, frankly, terrifying thought.

"Wha-what do you mean?"

"What do I-…Have you been here these past weeks? After listening to Hilary read an entire college prep book to him, Kai now has to endure French lessons! That alone is enough to piss him of royally!"

Tyson chuckled. Oh yeah, the French lessons. Hilary had read somewhere that people woke from a coma with all kinds of new skills and so she had decided not to let this time of Kai's life be a complete waste and started to teach him French. When they had asked her why French she had just shrugged and said it was the language of love and that Kai could use all the help he got in that respect.

Tala had said it was gay.

Tyson had just sat there and thought he didn't really care what language Kai spoke, as long as he would confess his unconditional love to him.

So Kai had been getting French lessons these past weekends. Tyson had tried to keep up – if Kai would ever decide to confess his love to Tyson in French, Tyson at least wanted to be able to tell it was a confession – but Hilary had lost him when they got to counting. French numbers weren't words. They were little math problems and his brain had simply refused to memorize something like that. So that had been the end of French lessons as far as Tyson was concerned.

Tyson snapped out of his thoughts when Tala suddenly got up and stretched.

"I'm going to take Wolborg for a spin," the redhead said. "I'll be back later."

"'Kay. Hey, Gramps said to tell you it's going to be dumplings for dinner and that you're welcome to join."

Tala loved dumplings. Ever since Gramps had found out, they were eating dumplings at least once a week. And Tala never turned down a dinner invitation. Just like today.

"In that case I will most definitely be back," Tala grinned. "Call if anything changes, okay?"

"Will do."

"Later, Tyson!"

After Tala had left, Tyson occupied himself with texting for a good part of the afternoon. Max kept asking about updates at least once an hour. Ray also checked in a couple times a day. How he did that was beyond Tyson; for all he knew Ray lived somewhere far, far away from civilization and thus far, far away from any Wi-Fi. He'd make sure to ask Ray next time they talked. Apart from Max and Ray, many of the other Bladers also checked in on a daily basis. It was lovely to see how much they all cared. Kai was most certainly not the friendliest person around, but he was one of them and Beybladers stuck together!

Once Tyson had finished sending out his daily updates he reluctantly pulled out his homework. Only a couple moths more until graduation…

"Kai is having such a good influence on you, Tyson."

"Gee, I'm sure glad you're back, Tala," Tyson retorted and frowned.

He scribbled the last of his answers in his schoolbook and stuffed everything back in his backpack. Meanwhile Tala made himself comfortable in his chair and picked up the magazine he'd left on Kai's bed.

"How was your practice?"

Tala smirked.

"Well with Kai slacking off like this it's me you're going to have to beat to get the title, Granger."

"Cocky."

"Rightfully confident!"

They looked at each other and grinned. Then Tyson's phone went off.

"Let me guess: someone asking for an update again?"

Tyson checked and nodded.

"Yeah."

"Why don't you just start a group chat?"

"Because I like talking to them. Kai isn't all we talk about."

"Well it's good you think that way. Means I won't be getting any texts," Tala said with a smug face and disappeared behind his magazine.

Tyson shook his head and picked up his texting.

And then it happened.

Out of the corner of his eye Tyson noticed a movement. His head shot up and his fingers froze over the touchscreen of his phone. Kai was moving! It wasn't just the twitch of a pinky, no; he was really moving. Tyson watched his former team captain closely, his heart beating quickly. There, his eyelids were fluttering, too! That moment Tyson was absolutely sure the time had come: Kai was about to wake up. He just knew. Oh god! It was happening. Oh god, oh god, oh god! It was actually happening – Kai was going to wake up!

At a loss for words, Tyson punched Tala's shoulder to get his attention. Before Tala could complain or punch him back he pointed at Kai.

Tala's eyes widened and he tossed his book aside.

"Tyson," he said, his voice filled with excitement as well as nervousness.

"I know," Tyson whispered back.

He didn't know why he was whispering. Hell, he didn't know anything right now. He didn't even know what he was feeling. Excitement, yes. Happiness, too. And there was fear: fear that Kai would get stuck in a vegetative coma, fear that he'd been able to hear everything Tyson had told him and that Kai hated him for it, fear because… he didn't even know the other reasons.

The only thing he knew for certain was that by now he should be flat-out running down the hall to get the Doc. But there was no way he was going to leave Kai's side now. He had been waiting months for this moment; for the moment when Kai would come back to him.

Another flutter of Kai's eyelids.

And then, after weeks of worrying and praying, of losing hope and regaining it, those crimson eyes finally opened.

For a moment it was like time stood still. Tyson's mind was spinning and his heart skipped a beat and when it beat again, it was racing in his chest.

Then it sank in. Kai was awake! After weeks and weeks in a coma he had finally woken up!

Tyson felt so happy, he couldn't find the words to describe it. He had been waiting so incredibly long to see those beautiful eyes open again, had feared he might never see them again... and now, just like that, Kai had opened his eyes. He had come back. To him. To all of them!

Tyson felt a little tear roll down his cheek and a smile spread across his face. He slightly leaned forward so he'd be in Kai's field of vision.

"Hey, Kai!" he said softly. "Welcome back! You really had us worried sick."

For an awful moment Tyson thought Kai wouldn't respond. He feared that Kai would be stuck in his body, wide awake but without a chance to communicate. Vegetative coma, the Doc had called it.

Then slowly, very slowly, Kai turned his head and focused his crimson eyes on Tyson.

When Kai finally spoke his voice was low and hoarse and Tyson was so relieved it took a couple seconds for him to realize what Kai had said:

"Who are you?"

A/N: And thus the second part of this story begins. I hinted in the beginning that the story would take a turn in my favorite humore/romance gerne... well this is it I guess.
I hope this means writing will be easier, thus updates quicker. I haven't planned it all out though. So, what do you think? Anything you'd like to read about?

Take care everyone!
NoEarlyBird