Summary: When Rei gets sick, Kai's left playing nursemaid, but do either of them really mind? KaixRei.

Awww, I love you guys. Especially you, Mi-chan! I'm in SUCH a writing mood now, and it's all because I'm determined to kick your ass!

Yeah, sorry about the wait and shortness again. This is the second version of this chapter; originally it was actually only about Max and Tyson, since I felt like being mean, but then I realized I didn't actually care what Max and Tyson were doing. So here we go!

Chapter 5:

Needless to say, the gesture took Rei completely by surprise. Okay, so their little fight had been somewhat intense at times, but that was not what he'd expected to happen. Maybe it wasn't even what Kai had expected to happen. He was being surprisingly gentle, though; Rei had always imagined him as a rather rough, passionate kisser. Not that he'd been thinking about kissing Kai.

Against his own will and better judgment, Rei found himself responding to the kiss, tilting his head to make it easier and mewling softly as Kai, who had at some point snaked an arm around his waist, pulled him closer, showing some of the possessiveness Rei had just known he'd have. He was just that sort of person; he found it difficult to get close to people but when he did he wasn't about to let them go again.

Rei had to force himself not to roll his eyes, though, as Kai's free hand moved down his back. In a typical dominant, sexually frustrated fashion, Kai was doing for his ass, and not exactly subtly. Still, as Kai deepened the kiss, Rei found it difficult to care. He hadn't kissed anyone in so long, and experimental pecks with Lee and Kevin were nothing in comparison to this.

Kai's hand was still moving downwards; something that was unnerving Rei slightly as it moved towards a certain part of his anatomy that made him feel rather uncomfortable. Surely Kai wouldn't… hang on.

His sudden realization had been noticed, however, and Kai took advantage of Rei's slightly slower reaction time to grab the comic, blocking Rei with an arm across his chest as he attempted to retrieve it.

"That was cruel, Kai," Rei muttered, doing his best not to sulk about losing after the fight he'd put up, and not to seem disappointed by the loss of contact.

"You didn't seem to mind," Kai said dismissively, although Rei noticed that he gave him a glance to check that he was okay.

Rei shrugged, "A guy's gotta eat."

He achieved his goal; Kai paused to give him a rather strange look but, unfortunately, the book was still out of Rei's reach. Sighing, he nodded reluctantly.

"Alright, you win. I can't go further than that."

Smiling slightly as his victory was acknowledged, Kai opened the book. As Rei watched with a distinct feeling of impending doom, he turned the first page, as Rei had done, and his eyes narrowed slightly as he saw just what it entailed. Another page, but his expression remained unchanged. Rei tensed, ready to restrain a possibly murderous Kai from killing their teammate. As Kai turned another page, however, he simply rolled his eyes, and Rei bit his lip somewhat nervously as he waited for the next one. He couldn't be that bad, right? Surely even Kai would stop short of murder. Maiming was possible, even probable, but that had to it… although it was pretty freaky. Why would Tyson have something like that? And where could he possibly have got it?

Kai turned the page. His reaction, however, was not one that Rei had even considered. He wasn't murderous, enraged or even slightly annoyed; he simply arched an eyebrow and- something that scared Rei even more- kept reading, apparently less than bothered by it. Less bothered than Rei, even.

In fact, he managed to read the whole thing before calmly handing the book back to Rei.

"Never would have guessed Tyson was a yaoi fangirl," he said simply, pointedly ignoring Rei's stunned look.

"Did you… I don't… wait, what?" Rei managed after a moment, unable to express such acute confusion in words. Kai smiled slightly, amused by the effect he'd had, and stood up, stretching before retrieving his now-cold mug of coffee.

"You want a drink?" he asked, as calmly as ever.

"I…" Rei shook his head, trying to gather his thoughts. "Yeah, sure, tea's good. But… doesn't it bother you?"

Kai shrugged, "Nobody's prefect. Tyson least of all. And it's not exactly graphic."

Rei just stared at him, unable to believe what he was seeing and hearing. As no response was forthcoming, Kai turned to leave.

"Kai!"

The voice made him turn around, and Kai's expression almost faltered as Rei, actually flushing slightly, avoided his gaze as he spoke.

"Thanks."

Kai nodded, acknowledging the sentiment, before leaving the room. As he closed the door behind him, however, and he was out of Rei's sight, his expression changed.

He was going to kill Tyson. He was going to rip him limb from limb and feed him to a pack of rabid ferrets. He was going to impale him on a pointed stick and roast him over an open fire. He was going to absolutely, well and truly, completely and utterly slaughter the idiotic teenager he'd been forced to cooperate with. What the hell was wrong with him? Reading graphic comics about two of his friends. The comic, Kai could handle. The yaoi aspect wouldn't have been too much of a problem, but the idea of Tyson getting off on him and Rei was enough to make him want to vomit. Thankfully it hadn't had the same effect on Rei.

Rei…

The poor boy had obviously been so disturbed and still defended his friend. Kai couldn't have let him know just how badly he was going to make Tyson pay; Rei would have felt entirely to blame. And Kai had seen, first hand, how long Rei took to get over things like that.

Taking a deep breath, Kai forced himself to calm down. He had to conserve his energy for when Tyson got back.

He crossed to the kitchen and filled the kettle, trying his best to think of anything but the possibly torture methods he could use on Tyson. He set the kettle down again, switching it on and searching for the teabags, struggling to keep his mind on the task at hand. Trying not to think about that… Rei, him and Rei… that kiss.

"Oh God," Kai muttered to himself, running a hand through his hair. He hadn't meant to do that. He was just going to pin him and take advantage of his… vulnerability in order to take back the comic. But when he'd actually got Rei underneath him, adorably stubborn despite his fear, he just hadn't been able to help himself. And it had been cruel, messing with his emotions like that; taking his sexual frustration out on someone who couldn't even defend himself. Kai couldn't believe he'd been so weak.

The click of the kettle's off switch brought Kai back to earth, and he poured the drinks before realizing that he hadn't actually added either the coffee or the teabag and had made two mugs of boiling water. He was seriously losing it.

Sighing, he added the necessary items, stirring absently as he wondered what to do. Rei seemed to have accepted the kiss as a part of the fight, but the fact that Kai had actually brought the kiss into the game still remained. And what did it say about him?

That Rei was attractive? That went without saying. That he was sexually frustrated? It was entirely possible. That he was slowly but surely falling in love with Rei?

Yeah, right. Like that would ever happen.

End chapter:

Oh, how boring. But they're not gonna get together just like that! I'm very proud of adevotedlife for actually questioning it. Thank you sweetie. And Marz, thank you for the essay. It made me very happy!