Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade. But if I did I'd give them to Sarah. (She's 15 atm and in love with Rei)
Me: You! Peon! Bow down to my awesomeness!
Sarah: Pfft! Why should I?
Me: .:Glares:. Because if you don't I'll pair Takao with Hillary! That's right, no dragon ass for cat boy! I bet you wish you hadn't forced me to watch all those annoying episodes from when I was 13 now, don't ya!
Sarah: .:Panicked look:. Bowing now!
An actual conversation Sarah and I had after I posted this story.
"Kinomiya!"
Takao flinched as Kai's voice hissed his outrage from behind him as he made his way down the steps leading outside. "Hai?"
Kai tangled his hand in the younger boy's shirt, dragging him close until their faces were only inches away from one another. "What the hell is this about?" He snarled with narrowed eyes. "Why the hell are you retiring? Is this about Kon?"
Takao sighed as he wrenched himself away from his former captain. "Calm down Kai."
"Yeah Kai it's not-" Max cut himself off and hid behind Kyouju as Kai sent his patented glare towards him.
"Go ahead to the hotel guys. I'll meet up with you later," Takao said as Kai dragged him outside.
"If we haven't heard from you in an hour we'll call the cops for you!" Daichi yelled as he and the others ran before Kai could turn his glare on them as well.
Takao sighed as Kai continued to pull him towards a nearby park. "Would you let go Kai? I do know how to walk y'know."
Kai growled. "Not a chance. I'm not letting you do a runner before I get my answers Kinomiya."
"Well unlike you and Rei, I don't run from my problems," the bluenette snapped before wincing at his own callousness. "Kai, I'm sorry I didn't mean-"
"You think I'm not used to you blurting random stuff out when you're angry?" Kai asked with a raised eyebrow, still dragging him down the street. "I don't take much note of what you say in anger anymore. Granted you've gotten much better about controlling your mouth but you still slip up at times."
The world champion winced as his friend threw him down on a picnic bench before sitting across from him. "So spill. Why wasn't I informed of this beforehand."
Takao sighed as he turned to watch the children playing in the park. "It's not exactly all my fault Kai. I tried to tell you."
"How long have you been thinking of this?"
"Since before we fought BEGA. Afterwards I even talked to Daitenji-san about retiring. It was him that convinced me to enter one last competition so others could have the chance to beat me for my title."
Kai frowned. "That still doesn't explain why you didn't tell me."
"Like I said," Takao sighed. "I tried. You've been avoiding me."
Kai winced. "I- Kon told me what happened."
Takao nodded in understanding. "I figured that was it. It wasn't a good reason to avoid me but I can understand. Is it the fact I'm gay? Or the fact that I admitted my feelings to him?"
"I'd be hypocritical if I said it was because you're gay. I guess I just didn't know what to say. You told him you loved him but…"
"Gee, how many others did he inform of my confession?" Takao asked dryly. "Can I expect it to show up in the tabloids?"
"That's what I mean!" Kai exclaimed in a rare show of emotion. "You told him you loved him but when he said he didn't share your feelings you went on like everything was okay!"
Takao groaned as he rubbed his face with his hands. "Did you ever think that maybe everything was okay?"
Kai narrowed his eyes. "Explain."
Takao huffed. "You're so bossy. Maybe I don't wanna."
Crimson eyes narrowed further. "Now Kinomiya."
"Yeesh, fine don't get your knickers in a twist," Takao said as he rolled his eyes. "I love Rei. That hasn't changed. But I didn't confess my feelings to him for his sake."
"That doesn't explain anything Kinomiya."
"It does if you're not emotionally constipated."
"Kinomiya!"
"Alright already! I'll explain it so you can understand! I love him, but I knew he didn't return my feelings. Now most people would have said screw it, I'll ignore them and they'll go away, right?"
Kai nodded. "Yeah, that would be a logical explanation."
"Well not for me. I'd always wonder what if? What if I never told him and I was wrong? What if there was a chance for us? I'd be too distracted, I already was actually. So I told him. And I was right, he didn't feel the same for me as I do him. But I was true to myself, and because of that I can go on with my life," Takao said, his voice laced with finality.
Kai looked at him thoughtfully for a moment. "He's your vice."
"Wha?" Takao blinked in confusion. "You lost me there Kai."
"Kon. He's your vice. Your addiction. Some addicts believe that the first step to beating an addiction is to acknowledge you have one. By admitting your feelings to him you were able to take steps to break the habit."
"Kai," Takao said slowly. "How did we manage to get from talking about my feelings for Rei to talking about addiction?"
"Some things never change. You'll understand when you're older Kinomiya," the crimson eyed blader sighed.
A/N: Not much to say about this...Review please!