Show me the meaning
By EpitomeOfMisery
Chapter V: I can't forget
Kai lay staring at the ceiling, Dranzer clutched tightly in his hand. Crimson eyes moved to look at the blonde American sleeping in the other bed, before staring back at the ceiling.
Max turned over in his sleep, a small smile on his face, as always.
Kai faced away from him, examining the blue walls of the room. Sharp eyes stopped on the window.
Blue eyes fluttered open and he sat up, stretching. Swinging his leg out from under the covers, he stopped as he saw the neatly folded covers on the floor. That was when he remembered.
"…Kai?" Max called, searching the room for the stoic Russian. "Kai!" He cried, running toward the open window. Hadn't it been shut last night?
He leant out, scanning the street below. "Kai!" He called. "Kai?"
"Up here." A voice said.
"Huh?" Max exclaimed, turning his head upwards to see the thin figure sitting on the edge of the roof to his right. One leg hung over the edge, his arm resting on his other knee as he perched dangerously, though the blader did not seem concerned about falling as his eyes were closed. His hair moved slightly in the breeze, scarf fluttering lightly.
"Kai, what are you doing up there?" Max asked in bewilderment.
The slate haired youth did not reply, just sat unmoving. His eyes opened but he did not look at Max, just stared straight ahead at the city.
Realising that Kai was not about to get down, Max turned back into the room. He quickly changed, shoving his shoes on in a hurry.
He swallowed hard as he pushed himself onto the windowsill, leaning out and getting a tight grip on the edge of the roof. He moved his feet onto the edge of the window, pushing out backwards and holding onto the tiles with both hands. He forced himself not to look down as he slowly stood, facing the wall. He moved one foot further up the wall and pushed off, scrambling up.
Kai watched him as he pulled himself up, watching from the corner of his eyes, his head staying facing forward.
"Kai, what are you doing on the roof? It's dangerous." Max said, looking down cautiously.
Kai stayed silent, his eyes closed.
"Why don't we go back inside? My mum will make us some breakfast. It's cold out here too." Max tried to convince him.
"I came up here because it's peaceful." Kai muttered, staying still.
Max nodded, watching him silently. After a few minutes he spoke up. "I don't mind if you sit on the roof, Kai. I know you like to be alone. But just remember that you can anywhere you want in the house too. What's ours is yours."
Crimson eyes opened and he stared ahead, his face expressionless.
"Well…" Max started. "I'm going to get some breakfast. You can come and have yours whenever you want." The American moved onto his hands and knees, carefully, sticking a leg out and searching for the edge of the window.
Kai closed his eyes again, though he could sense what Max was doing.
The roof was still coated with ice and snow from last night, making it not very easy to grip. Max gasped as he lost his grip and slid down, only just managing to grip the edge.
He nearly fell back when pale fingers wrapped around his arm. The grip was tight and strong and easily held him until he found his footing on the window.
"Kai, you saved me!" Max cried, clambering in through the window.
In a single move, Kai gripped the edge of the roof with one hand, swinging himself in after Max.
Said American stood with wide eyes at how quickly and flawlessly Kai had moved. He could have easily slipped and fallen, yet he made it look so easy.
Kai walked past him silently, eyes closed.
Max ran after him, leading them out of his bedroom. "Hey Kai, thanks. I could have fallen then."
"Hn." Kai said simply, following the blonde to the table.
"Morning boys." Judy smiled at them over her shoulder, fiddling with breakfast ingredients over the stove.
"Morning mum." Max greeted.
Kai gave a nod of acknowledgement, his eyes once again closed.
Judy placed two bowls of noodles on the table.
Kai blinked. "You have noodles for breakfast?" He turned to Max with one eyebrow raised.
Max nodded happily, pouring mustard into his bowl. "I have noodles for every meal."
Kai shrugged and picked up his chopsticks, twisting the stringy food around them before raising it neatly to his mouth.
Max was already happily eating, sucking his breakfast up.
They both ate in silence, before Max set his bowl down with a smile. "Umm, I just love noodles!"
Kai gave a brief nod.
"So Kai, what do you want to do now? My Mum and dad have gone shopping for Christmas presents, so we have the place to ourselves." Max's smile dropped as Kai showed no enthusiasm and just sat, arms folded, eyes closed. He thought hard to think of something Kai would want to do. "You know, Kai. My dad lets me use any parts from the store downstairs to upgrade Draciel, so he wouldn't mind if you upgraded Dranzer too. There's no shortage of parts."
Kai's eyes opened and he looked faintly interested.
"C'mon, let's go." Max cheered, running toward the door and down the stairs.
Kai followed at a much more leisurely pace.
Max was already pulling down boxes full of parts, placing them on the floor. "We have hundreds of spare parts."
They both sat for ages, adjusting their blades. Max hummed and gave occasional comments while Kai worked silently.
The Russian stared at the box of parts, as he dug his hand into the pile, his vision blurred and there was a smaller, bruised arm taking parts out of a large box of parts.
A slate haired boy of about seven sat on the cold dirt floor. A torn grey cloth in one hand, polishing the parts in the other hand, one by one.
"Work harder boy!" A voice hissed behind him.
Silent tears made clean streaks on the dust covered face, his eyes stinging from lack of sleep and a hard thirty straight hours of work. Constantly polishing beyblade parts, enough to fill a truck. He had nothing but an old rag to work with, but the job must be done to what was considered satisfactory.
But his grandfather seemed to have very high standards of what 'satisfactory' was.
"Stop that pitiful whimpering! Work harder or I'll make you do it over! These parts must be ready to be taken to the abbey by tomorrow." He gave the boy a sharp back hand before turning and walking away.
The seven year old did not look up, just continued working while trembling.
A sick smirk curved at the man's lips. "Merry Christmas, Grandson." He said, leaving the boy alone in the cold, dark room.
Crimson eyes widened as he snapped out of the trance. His hands froze, the silver weight disk dropping from his palm.
"Huh?" Max blinked. "Hey, are you okay, Kai?"
"What?" Kai said, louder than he meant to. "Yeah, I'm- fine." He fixed a new navy attack ring to his blade before standing and walking back up the stairs.
Max blinked in confusion before running after him. "Kai, wait! What's up?" He stopped on the stairs when Kai did not reply. He watched as Kai walked up into the flat and out of sight, before following him and going to sit in his bedroom.
The older blader had already climbed back out onto the roof.
The air was bitingly cold. Light snow fell all around, turning the ground a crisp white. Soft flakes landed in his hair, on the bare skin of his arms and sticking to his clothes.
The streets below were empty, apart from the odd car. This was understandable as not many preferred to be out in the cold.
But Kai was the opposite. Though ice was the opposite too his element. The biting cold was barely felt on his pale skin as his inner fire warmed his soul. The comforting presence had been there as long as he could remember. His bit-beast's presence.
The phoenix glowed in his pocket, radiating warmth.
He slipped his hand in between the material, clutching the blade tightly in his palm.
He closed his eyes briefly, before re-opening them and looking at the street below.
He blinked.
For a minute… he thought he saw….
…. A man that looked like….
He rubbed his eyes, blinking at the spot. It was empty. It was just his imagination. Another paranoid fantasy that of his worst fears coming true.
Another part of his life wrecked by his Grandfather.
He looked down just in time to see Mr and Mrs Tate coming back in the door, arms loaded full with bags of presents.
It looked as if Max was going to have a good Christmas.
Did Max really want him as a part of it?
A/N:
Okay, another chapter done. I got a few reviews asking if the least chapter was the end of the story, and as you can see it's not. So sorry if confused anyone last time. Anyway please tell me what you think of this chapter and I'll update as soon as I can.
More reviews might get the next chapter up quicker, you never know.
Oh, and I know its most definitely NOT Christmas anymore, but oh well.