Disclaimer: Wonderin if this is necessary for every chapter, deciding it is not worth the risk I hereby declare that I do not own the characters, but simply the storyline.

A/N: Hi guys! Imagine an apologetic smile as I poke my head around the corner, knowing full well I've kept you waiting for an eternity, but hoping to get away with it. ;) I'll skip explanations and get straight to thanking all you lovely people out there who are still with me on this incredibly long journey, especially Little A Granger, kaidatinuchan, TyKa's Flower, Random Fan and YinyYinyTia, and also Tyka lover 4 ever and Guest11 for the extra kick in the butt. ;)

And now... it's date-time! Enjoy!

Chapter 25

A Day Out

"Err, Kai?"

"Yes, Tyson?"

"Did you call a cab?" Tyson asked incredulously and pointed at the car that had just pulled up in front of their house.

"Yes, I did," Kai said cheerfully.

"Why would you do that if we could have just taken the bus?"

Kai shrugged.

"Busses don't run regularly today and take much longer. And since you are still underage and neither of us know if I can drive, I thought we could take a cab. It's on me. Well, my grandfather, technically."

Tyson snorted.

"Well in that case, let's waste his money today."

"What do you have in mind?"

"I'm thinking tiny marshmallows and extra whip cream."

"Or we could just buy the place."

"Eh?!"

"Come on, the cab's waiting," Kai just said.

Then he picked up Tyson's bag and walked over to the cab. Tyson scratched his head. He had been kidding right? Huh. Probably.

Tyson shrugged it off and followed Kai.

"After you," Kai said and opened the door for him.

"Why thank you," Tyson said.

He grinned and curtseyed. Then he got in, said hello to the driver and scooted over to the other seat. He was putting on his seatbelt, when his door opened. Puzzled crimson eyes met equally confused hazel ones. Then it dawned on the owner of the hazel eyes.

"Oh. I was supposed to stay on the other side, wasn't I," Tyson muttered.

He didn't need a mirror to know he was turning scarlet red. Kai grinned.

"That was the idea. Stay put this time, okay?"

And he shut the door. Moments later he opened the other door again and slid into the seat next to Tyson. He buckled himself in, told the driver their destination and they were on their way.

Kai turned to smile at Tyson. Tyson wished he could sink lower into his seat. So embarrassing. He obviously didn't know the dating 101.

Kai playfully tugged on a strand of Tyson's bangs.

"You're adorable."

Then he took Tyson's hand in his and looked through the windshield at the road ahead.

Tyson didn't know where to put his face. To hide his deepening blush, he quickly turned to stare out of the window. When Kai gave his hand a little squeeze, he squeezed back, but waited until he was almost sure his color had gone back to normal before he faced Kai again. Kai still had his eyes on the road. He was barely blinking. And suddenly Tyson felt even more stupid. He'd been so absorbed in his self‑pity that he hadn't given a single thought to Kai. Was he okay? Was he thinking about his accident? He had sat in a car before, but Tyson only waited for him to snap.

He gave Kai's hand another little squeeze.

"You okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

Kai glanced at him, then focused his eyes back on the road.

"Is it the accident?"

"Oh no, that's not it. I sometimes get car-sick."

"Eh?" Tyson said.

Then he laughed. How long he'd tried to find Kai Hiwatari's weakness. How it had driven him mad he couldn't. And now Kai served it to him on a silver platter and it was carsickness, of all things.

"I only remembered now," Kai said. "I also recall that I tried to keep it secret, so don't tell anyone."

"Eh?" Tyson said again. "Do you remember anything else?"

Stupid him hadn't even noticed Kai had remembered something else. What was with him today? He really needed to get his act together…

"No, I don't think I did. Oh look, we're here."

Tyson glanced through the front window. Sure enough, there it was, the beach. Kai let go of his hand and handed the cab driver some notes, before he got out. Tyson said goodbye to the driver and got out as well. He shut the door and when he turned, he found himself face to face with Kai.

Oh no.

Tyson buried his face in his hands.

"I was supposed to wait, wasn't I?" he murmured into his hands.

Kai's low laugh reached his ears.

"We'll try that again next time."

Tyson dropped his hands.

"I'm sorry, Kai. I'm an idiot."

"If only there were a way for you to make it up to me," Kai said.

The smirk on his lips reminded Tyson of the old Kai a lot. Or maybe it was Tala's influence. Then again, Tala and old Kai were two peas in a pod in that regard.

Tyson quickly glanced around. No one was paying attention to them. Why would they. They were disguised perfectly with their thick scarfs and hats. And without Kai's blue warpaint it was much less likely anyone would recognize them anyway.

So Tyson stepped closer to Kai, cupped his face in his hands and place a light kiss on Kai's lips.

"How was that?"

"That barely covered getting into the cab. I think you have to step it up."

Cheeky bastard! Either there had been more of the old Kai left than he'd thought, or the old Kai was steadily resurfacing. But that was what he'd been waiting for, right?

Tyson grinned. Then he kissed Kai again - not light this time, but demanding. Kai responded instantly. He wrapped his arms around Tyson and pulled him against him. Kai clearly wasn't bothered by the fact that they were surrounded by people. As the kiss went on, Tyson forgot about them as well. The only thing left on his mind were Kai's lips and the delicious prickling sensation every touch by them caused. When they finally pulled apart, they were both breathing more heavily than they'd had before, and their cheeks had gained color.

"So how about it?"

"You're forgiven."

"Gee, you're so kind."

Hand in hand they strolled across the sand towards the water. The air was cold and clear, and the sand beneath their feet frozen and harder than usual. The waves were continuously lapping against the shore. It was a peaceful sight.

"What's that?" Kai suddenly asked, pointing towards the end of the beach.

"Oh, that the peer. There's a small harbor over there, too."

"Can we go there?"

"Sure. It's not very pretty though."

"I know. That is, I think I do. …I feel like I've been here before," Kai murmured.

"Woah, your brain's on a roll today. Have you told the Doc about your memories starting to return?"

"I don't give him updates by the hour, but I always tell him when I see him for check-ups."

"Is he happy with your progress?"

"He's called me a miracle of modern medicine."

"So that's a yes then."

They walked in silence for a while. A miracle of modern medicine. Kai's words brought back the image of Kai lying still in the hospital bed, so clearly as if Tyson had just been there. He swallowed hard. A miracle. By definition something surprising, something unexpected. Tyson was one again reminded of how close it had been… He'd been so close to losing Kai. He grit his teeth, determined to keep away the tears he felt were about to shoot into his eyes.

"Earth to Tyson!"

"Huh?"

Tyson's head shot up.

"Sorry, lost in thought. What did you say?"

"Just pointing out that I'm about to lose circulation."

"Circulation?"

Kai pointed at their joined hands. Tyson suddenly realized how hard he was clasping Kai's fingers. He loosened his grip, but couldn't bear to let go of Kai's hand completely. Not now, with the hospital image so vivid in his mind.

"Sorry Kai."

"Was it something I said?"

"No, it just brought back some images."

"Hm." Kai nodded thoughtfully. Then he said, "Thank you for not giving up on me! I think you saved my life."

Tyson smiled.

"Didn't anyone tell you? I'm pretty stubborn."

He gave Kai a quick peck on the cheek.

"Now, how about a more fun topic?"

"Like what?"

"Hmm… oh, do you see that girl over there? Who wears high heels to the beach?"

"Despite my amnesia I am going to make the bold assumption that I have never done that."

Tyson laughed.

"What about him?" Kai then said, nodding at a man some distance from them. "Tala in twenty years?"

"That guy is bold," Tyson pointed out.

"I know."

"And chubby," Tyson added.

"He is indeed," Kai said, his lips curving into a wicked smile.

"Wow, you are so you right now."

They continued along the waterline like this until they reached the peer. Tyson looked around. It was as ugly as he remembered. But it wasn't his memory that mattered here - it was Kai's. He watched Kai critically examine his surroundings. He didn't look like he'd been smacked with a bunch of memories just yet. Kai walked back and forth for a bit, then stopped and stared towards the end of the peer.

"Let's go there," Tyson suggested. "We can sit down and let our feet dangled above the waves for a bit."

Kai nodded. His eyes were still darting about. He looked like he was trying to etch every single detail of this place into his memory. Tyson suddenly felt very nervous. Was this it? Was this place going to trigger something? Was he going to have his old Kai back before the end of the day?

The end of the day maybe, but the old Kai didn't resurface by the time they reached the end of the peer. The sat down at the edge and Tyson pulled a blanket from his bag that he wrapped around them.

Kai nodded a thanks. He thoughtfully looked out onto the sea.

Tyson wanted to ask so badly. Did he remember anything? What did he remember? Did he feel any different? He gnawed on his lower lip to give his mouth something to do. He wrapped the corner of the blanket around his finger, then unwrapped it. He counted the waves that crashed against the peer. 1… 2… 3…

"Do you remember something?" he suddenly burst out.

There was no helping it. He was simply a curious person.

"I'm sorry, I tried," he added.

"Tried what?"

"To give you some space."

Kai didn't take his eyes off the water, but Tyson could see a little smile tugging on the corner of his mouth.

"Thanks. There's definitely something about his place, I can say that much. But nothing concrete…" he turned to look at Tyson and his voiced trailed off. "Hold on! Last time I came here it had to do with you."

"Me?"

"Yes, I had to think about something. It was difficult…"

Kai's eyes suddenly went wide.

"I left you! Last time I was here I decided to join another team! Why didn't you tell me I ditched you? This is horrible – I'm horrible!"

It was Tyson's turn now to stare wide-eyed at Kai. Kai finally remembered something about him, and it had to be that? Honestly, that guy…

"Tyson, I'm so sorry. I can't believe I am such an ass! Why didn't you tell me my old self is an ass?"

Kai seemed seriously shaken by this. Tyson grabbed Kai's hand and stroked the back of it with his thumb.

"You're not an ass. Didn't you just say it was a difficult decision? You came all the way out here to think it through. An ass wouldn't do that."

What he didn't say was that it had hurt like hell when Kai had left. That he had wanted to punch him, yell at him and cry at the same time. He'd put a lot of thought into it, and at some point thought he'd actually understood Kai's motives. He'd accepted it. And then Kai had returned to him – well, to them, but 'them' included him. That had somewhat healed the wound. Tyson hadn't thought about it anymore since… since he'd had other things to worry about. Hearing Kai say it had been a difficult decision to make made him happy, though. Kai was a good guy after all.

He rested his head against Kai's shoulder.

"You're a good guy, Kai," he repeated his last thought out loud.

Kai's low growl told Tyson he didn't agree.

Tyson lifted his head again and turned it so he could see Kai's face. Kai kept staring at the horizon.

"Trust me," he said. And with a grin he added, "I know you better, don't I."

Kai sighed and finally looked at him.

"Guess you are right."

"Hey Kai?"

"Hn?"

"What do you think about treating me to hot chocolate now?"

"With marshmallows and extra whip cream?"

"Yeah."

"I guess I could do that."

Tyson grinned. He pressed his lips against Kai's. It was supposed to be a quick kiss. Kai had other plans though. Before Tyson could pull back, he felt a hand at the back of his neck, keeping him exactly where he was. The warm, fuzzy feeling that spread through him now was enough to make him forget all about his freezing butt. And so it was a while before they went to little Café by the beach to warm their cold bodies with hot chocolate – dark chocolate for Kai, and tiny marshmallows and extra whip cream for Tyson.

A/N: First date could've been worse right? Ou, maybe I should write a series of one-shots about first dates gone wrong. Not before I finish this, promise.

So, good news is I got started on the next chapter. Bad news, I'm not entirely satisfied with it. So I can't really tell you what's expecting you ... so far: cloudy with a chance of memory. Gosh, that was bad. I'll go now. Write. Have a lovely day/night and take care, everyone! ~Bird