-1You have no idea how much trouble I had getting this up. It was actually finished a while ago but my internet hates me! So anyway, enjoy!
Show me the meaning
By EpitomeOfMisery
Chapter VIII: Gradual Trust
12:14...
12:15...
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Max sighed, sitting up in bed. "Where are you, Kai?" He whispered. The American slid out of bed, moving over to the window and staring out at the street below.
A light blanket of snow covered the ground. White lined every building and car, coating everything in an icy blanket.
Max breathed out against the frost covered window, resting his chin on his forearms on top of the windowsill. He watched silently as small white specks gradually began to float down from the sky.
"Where are you, Kai?" he whispered to the empty room.
Or supposedly empty. "……Try turning around once in a while."
The American blonde spun around so fast he nearly fell over. "Kai! Y-You came back! Y-You.." he trailed off, realising he was babbling.
The Russian stalked past him, taking a seat on his own bed. He folded his arms, closing his eyes in a calm manner. "What did you think I would do? Run away and never come back?" He said sarcastically.
"N-No, I just…I…." he trailed off, smiling and shaking his head. "I was just worried."
"You don't have o worry about me, Max." The Russian didn't move from his position, not even twitching as max climbed back into his own bed, giving a last smile to the Dranzer wielder, even if he didn't see it.
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Max woke to once again find the other bed empty. But the sound of a spinning Beyblade from outside instantly rid him of his concerns that the Russian would take off and leave.
He smiled out the window at the impressively quick moving blade, before heading through to the kitchen to make himself breakfast.
"Morning honey," Just greeted, watching her son with a smile as he moved over to the cereal packet. "Where's Kai?"
"Oh, he's blading outside," the blonde boy replied with a smile, pouring cereal into a bowl and splashing milk on top.
Judy frowned slightly. "He better be careful out there. It's not exactly warm out and no one wants to catch a cold just before Christmas." She sat down at the table opposite her son.
"It's okay," Max replied with a shrug. "Kai seems to be immune to sickness. We swear he's never been sick a day in his life." Spooning cereal into his mouth Max grinned widely. "Man! I can't believe it's Christmas eve already! It's come round so quick!"
"It certainly has," Judy said. "And your dad's still down there working in the shop!"
Max smiled. "You know how busy it is at this time of year. Everyone wants Beyblades. They make great Christmas presents so the store gets a lot of money for us to spend on our presents!"
Judy shook her head with a smile. "Life doesn't revolve around Beyblading, you know."
Max chuckled lightly. "Yeah, I know. But it's just so popular and it means a lot to me and my friends. Just look at Kai! It's Christmas eve and he's out there practicing! He lives for Dranzer, especially since he almost lost her in the fight against Brooklyn.
"It's good to see he's starting to become a bit more comfortable here," Judy commented. "He finally seems to be starting to let go of everything bad that happened in his past."
Max frowned slightly at that, remembering what he had seen the day before.
The image of those scars replayed over and over in his mind. So many questions unanswered. There was a lot he wanted to ask Kai, but there was one query running round and round his head. What could be so bad that Kai would want to do that to himself? Was his past really that terrible?
"Max?" Judy cut into his thoughts, standing slightly concerned. "Is everything okay?"
Max looked up, forcing a smile. "I'm fine, mom. Just thinking, that's all." He stirred the last bits of cereal round his bowl thoughtfully, once again thinking over the events of yesterday.
Kai… Why can't you just let us in?
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"Man, Just a few more hours and it'll be Christmas day!" Max beamed, flopping down on the sofa as Kai sat calmly beside him. "I can't wait to open my presents!"
"What about you, Kai?" Judy asked, sitting on the adjacent sofa. "Are you looking forward to Christmas day?"
The Russian shrugged. "I guess," he muttered.
Judy nodded, turning her attention to the television set as they room fell into a comfortable silence, with Max occasionally laughing at the Christmas comedies on the screen.
Kai leant back against the cushions, allowing himself to settle and for once deciding to give the television set some attention. He had to admit a few of the shows were fairly amusing. Though he would never show it, of course.
However, as he followed Max to the bedroom, a slightly smile grazed his lips.
Lying down on the spare bed, Kai looked up at he ceiling, waiting. He knew Max had something to say. Knowing Max it wouldn't take long for him to speak.
"Kai." The voice came sure enough. "Can I talk to you about something?"
The Russian sighed, closing his eyes briefly. "Is anything stopping you?" he asked.
The American blinked, looking away before stuttering awkwardly. "W-Why did you do it, Kai? It doesn't exactly make anything better… does it?"
"I don't know what you're talking about, Max." His voice was cold. Heartless. Like the Kai from two years ago.
"Yes you do, Kai!" The blonde protested, a slight ring of hurt in his voice. "I saw those cuts, Kai! I'm trying to help you. Please, just talk to me."
The Dranzer master sat up, glaring across the room angrily. "It's none of your business, Max!"
"Yes it is, Kai! I'm your friend. Whether you like it or not!" Max argued, sitting up in his own bed and staring back with shining eyes. "I'm not going to judge you. I just want to know why you would hurt yourself like that."
"What would you know?" Kai hissed. "Life was always so easy for you. All of you. The problems you face are nothing and yet you still all whine like brats!"
"But what about your problems, Kai? If they're so bad, why won't you let us help you?"
"Because it's my business."
"Well I'm making it mine," Max retorted. "Because if one of my best friends isn't happy, then I'm not happy either!"
Kai opened his mouth to fire back a comment, but it was lost before he could say it. He replayed what Max had just said over in his head. He considers me one of his best friends?
Max sighed, looking away sadly. "I guess if you don't want to talk to me, I can't make you." He closed his blue eyes briefly. "I would never tell anyone no matter what you said. But if you don't want me to know, I'll respect that."
Kai lay back down, facing the wall.
It was silent for a few minutes. Max sat still, staring down at the floor.
"I guess it's just become a habit I can't break."
The blonde's head snapped up, turning toward the older teen.
"I started in the abbey and I just haven't stopped since. Old habits die hard, I guess."
Max just stared in shock, not knowing what to say. Kai had trusted him? Kai had let him know about his past? Even if it was just a little, Kai had still let him in.
A small smile lined the American's face. It was odd to be smiling at such a serious conversation. It was the most emotion Max had ever seen from Kai, even if the words were spoken without feeling.
"But it's not impossible to give old habits up," Max replied, finally finding his voice.
"Hn. If that were true, do you really think I would still do this to myself?"
"Well…. Maybe now you could try… and I'll help you?" Max suggested, looking at the other teen hopefully.
Kai was silent for a few moments. "If you want to waste your time, go ahead. But I have no reason to cut myself at this moment in time."
Max blinked. "Well, that's good, I guess."
"I never do it when not necessary. Only when I have reasons to not be happy with, well, life really."
"So… you're happy, with life, at the moment?" Max asked.
Kai shrugged. "I guess. I have no reason not to be, beside your constant question asking that is."
Max couldn't help but smile. "I'm glad you're happy here, Kai. I like having you here. It's like having a big brother."
The American blinked, hearing a foreign noise from the other side of the room. Did Kai just laugh?
"Whatever you say, 'lil bro'."
Max's smile changed to a grin. He chuckled at Kai's comment and somehow he knew Kai was smiling too, even though he could only see the other's back.
"Hey! I've got an idea! We shouldn't go to sleep just yet! We could stay up and have like a sleepover. We can bring in some food and everything!" Max beamed. "C'mon Kai, it'll be fun!"
"I don't do sleepovers," the Russian replied, sitting up. "Late night Beyblade matches are not a problem, though."
Max laughed again. "We can't beybattle now, we'll wake everyone up." He thought for a moment. "We could customize our blades, though."
Kai shrugged. "You got any decent parts?"
"Sure! It's helpful having my dad run a parts store!" He stood up on the bed, reaching up to a high shelf. Max pulled down a large box, sitting back on the bed with a thump. "I got loads of parts right here! They're good ones too!"
Kai crossed the room and peered into the box. "Not bad," he commented.
Both looked up as there was a knock on the door. "Why are you two awake?" Judy called. "Get to bed!"
"Aw, c'mon mom," Max moaned. "We want to customize our blades!"
Judy sighed. "It's Christmas day in just under a hour! Do it later! Now go to bed!"
Max pulled a face, making Kai smirk lightly. "Okay, mum," the blonde sighed in defeat, placing the box back on his shelf as Kai climbed into the other bed.
Both lay down as Max clicked off the light. "Night, Kai. Merry Christmas!"
It was silent as Max closed his eyes to go to sleep.
"You've got another hour or so to go, Max, but Merry Christmas all the same." Kai's voice floated across the room, a slight teasing ring present in the usually cold tone.
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Hope everyone enjoyed that! I hope Kai wasn't too OOC. Please review and tell me what you thought. I will try to get the next chapter up soon!