A/N: Exams! What more can I say? Freakin' time wasting things. But exam times also make me think of the most random and pointless things so I've got a whole load of one-shots and stuff on my mind. is going to see a lot of me this week. Anyway enjoy this chapter but it's kinda pointless, I just finished my exams this afternoon and after a whole load of celebrating decided to get down to updating this story.

Okay just a thing this NOT a Kai/OC fic! I have a certain idea for this fic but rest assured that I will not do anything like pair Kai with some random oc.

This chapter kinda highlights Ray and Tala's friendship. I think they make an awesomely cute friendship pair!

My Roomie

By Stunstar

Chapter 5 - Laundry

I am currently standing outside Kai's door with my hand held up getting ready to knock. Actually I have been standing like this for the past half an hour. The reason? I have no idea what the hell I want to talk to him about. On top of the list is of course the phone call I just received but the problem is how to get it across-

One – 'hey Kai sorry to bother you and all but has any rude Russian girl been hounding you lately?' I don't think that's put forward very nicely.

Two – 'hiya Kai that shirt you are wearing is really marvellous just wondering has any crazy Russian girl been taking swearing lessons from Bryan? Because someone just called and I was wondering maybe she needed your help with her homwork' I don't think so. Especially the comment on the shirt would get me that fine eyebrow raised look because I've seen that shirt the whole of today as well as other times before.

Three – 'Kai! Beautiful weather we are having don't you think? By the way do you have a sister? Does Bryan have one or may be Tala?' it has just started raining cats and dogs outside so I don't think that comment makes any sense at all. Any one of the following would probably have Kai slamming the door on my face or have him think that whatever Tyson gave me to eat has temporarily damaged my mental stabilty.

Then the last one the most dreaded of them all – 'um Kai do you have a girlfriend? just wondering because if you do you have to excuse me now so I can go back to my room and bawl my eyes out in depression and spend the rest of my life wallowing in self-pity' o-kay that one I really don't want to come true.

Okay so that's bringing us back to why I'm standing like a complete moron in front of Kai's room with my hand raised. What do I do? Do I knock and ask him? Do I just stand here till eternity or wait until Kai comes out and asks me what the bloody hell I'm doing outside his door? If I do knock what do I say to him? definitely not anything in the above four. Which brings me back to one thing – do I even want to know? Maybe it's a wrong number; Kai is not an overly rare name. How many people know that Kai's here anyway? He arrived just alst night. Though if someone does some FBI kind of investigating…I'll stop before I go into a thrilling suspense filled self made tale.

I take a deep breath. Okay it's now or never. Do or die. Okay I've got to stop before I kill myself with my pathetic thoughts.

Here goes…

"Ray, how are you feeling now?" I flinched as I heard Tyson's voice. So close… I was just getting the courage to knock and he just had to come in bellowing all the way through. Maybe I should get a padlock for the door?

"I'm fine Tyson" I said facing him and I noticed the others troop in as well minus Bryan, Kenny, Grandpa and Emily. Is our room a refugee camp or something? Can't they go to their own rooms for a change?

Tyson continued, "Man, it's pouring out there, I think it's a storm" oh really? All the thunder and sounds of rain lashing out there is a storm? Why, Tyson if you hadn't said anything I wouldn't even have noticed!

"We barely made it, got drenched but a quick change and no harm done" hip hip hooray. Note that that thought was an extremely unenthusiastic and dry (no pun intended) comment. Not that I want them to catch a cold or anything, let's just say I'm in a crabby mood – mentally at least.

"Do you want to see all the stuff we got?" Max asked enthusiastically.

"Sure" I said not that I have anything else to do; besides I am kinda curious to see what they got.

Max whizzed through the door with a 'be right back' dragging Tyson along with him. Hilary smacked her forehead and said something about having a load of unpacking to do and dragged Michael along with her despite his protests. That left Tala and me.

"So" he said looking at me with a small grin on his face.

"So?" I asked a tad confused.

He thought for a moment, "so how's life?"

"Wha" that was what I could manage, what's up with that question?

Tala laughed at my dumbfounded expression, "don't worry, you don't have to answer that, I was merely initiating conversation. You know it was a pity you had to come back so soon. You missed the rides, okay more than the rides you missed out the part where Tyson was screaming for his mummy on the rollercoaster. That boy has got a strong set of lungs."

I laughed at that, you know I can't believe how comfortable I have gotten around Tala. It's no wonder he's Kai's best friend. There is something magnetic about him.

He continued, "You also missed the awesome fistfight between Bryan and some idiot who did the mistake elbowing his way past Bryan saying 'get out of the way punk'. Of course he can look on the bright side; he can save his dentists' bill"

"Why?"

"Cos Bryan knocked all his teeth out" he said smiling fondly in memory of the 'awesome fistfight'. I of course I'm chuckling.

"Then Kenny got lost once, Tyson thought he got kidnapped by thugs and would get the crap beaten out of him, he was worrying about the ransom. But that was no biggie we found him pretty soon. He was actually sitting near one of the stalls and completing his hypothesis, he didn't even realise we were searching for him. Tyson got mad at that of course and nearly chucked the laptop away so Kenny was hanging on to him squeaking for him to give it back, and then Hilary interfered and started yelling at Tyson telling him to leave Kenny alone. Tyson stated he was hungry which had absolutely no connection to the current situation. And in the middle of all that Michael sidles over to me and tells me I'm looking great, what's up with that?"

"Stop, stop" I gasped as I continued laughing, you have no idea how funny it all sounds with Tala narrating it. God my sides hurt.

Tala grinned again and continued, "Wait, there's more. Tyson and his Grandpa had a food eating contest. But I don't think you really missed that, in fact I wish that I had missed that. Believe me I'm never going to be able to think of consumption of food the same way again."

By now my sides really hurt and there are tears in my eyes. Gods I've never laughed so much in one sitting.

"Okay so was there anything you got when you were with Kai?" Tala asked.

Wiping away my tears I paused to think, "I didn't actually buy anything but there was this cool looking tiger tooth chain that I really wanted. But I didn't have enough cash then so I decided to go buy it later."

Tala appeared thoughtful, "did you really like the chain?"

"Yeah I did."

"Anything Kai got?"

"Yeah, he just got a notebook of sorts, leather-bound and really elegant looking."

Tala didn't comment on that but he gave a secretive sort of smile, does he know something? Wait a minute how about I ask him if he knows a Russian girl? Okay that's very vague, he's from Russia he would obviously know a Russian girl, but she didn't tell me her name so maybe description will do.

"Say Tala-"

I was cut short as Max and Tyson came bounding back into the room. Tyson looked slightly disgruntled for some reason. The next few minutes were spent looking at what Max got for himself. At one point I felt I needed sunglasses when Max showed us some clothes he'd brought. Bright orange, green and purple all together, such a combination should be made illegal or at least be accompanied with sunglasses. Tyson is quiet which is a huge shock in itself. Max puts away his newly bought clothes (thank heavens for small mercies) and looks at Tyson expectantly.

"Shouldn't you get going?" he asks. Get going where?

"Oh all right," Tyson grumbles and gets up and goes. Max chuckles, okay I'm getting highly curious – and I'll shoot the person who says curiosity killed the cat – I get so sick of cat puns.

"What's Tyson grumbling about?"

Max continues chuckling, "he has to do the laundry for both of us."

I gaped, "and he actually agreed to do that?"

Max grinned widely, "let's just say he isn't so smart all the time." That's stating the obvious isn't it? But since when did Max get so secretive like? But speaking of laundry I guess I'd better get mine done too, now's as good a time any.

I made my way towards the lift to go down into the basement where the building's laundry room is located. Tala followed me into the lift. I looked at him questioningly.

"I thought you could use some company. I don't suppose doing laundry is the most exciting thing in the world."

I smiled, you know I really like Tala and I can't believe how friendly he's gotten with me. Not that I mind I could use the company apart from Tyson. But sometimes I wonder if Tala has some ulterior motive going on. Okay I'm being stupid he's just acting friendly that's all I mean what possible ulterior motive could he have?

"Tala, you just arrived this morning aren't you jet lagged or something?" I asked as the thought suddenly struck me.

"Nah" he answers simply with a shrug. We arrived at the laundry room and I hauled my basket over to the nearest machine. I dumped my clothes into it quite unceremoniously. Tala grabbed my empty basket upturned it and sat on it with his elbows on his knees and chin resting on his hands looking at me as though seeing someone doing their laundry was the most fascinating thing on earth.

A loud groan announced us of Tyson's arrival. You know I'm still wondering how Max got him to do his laundry. Tala seemed to be thinking along the same lines.

"Hey dumbass" o-kay looks like Tala's new friendship rule is only reserved for specific persons, "how come you dragged your butt down here to do something like work?" very bluntly yet rightly put, I think I'm starting to love this guy- in another sense of course, I mean let's not forget Kai.

"You won't believe it," Tyson answers. Try us.

"Max and I decided to flip a coin to see who would do it," oh puh-lease! I can see Tala rolling his eyes as well.

"Well Max said that heads he would win and tails I would loose, we got heads so…" he trailed off. Good gracious me is he for real? Tala and I looked at each other incredulously. Tyson has just added a whole new light to the word 'moron'. He pauses after his sentence. Maybe he realised it. He looks at the two of us and I can practically see the brain cells screaming to get to work.

"Wait a minute," he says slowly. Go on Tyson you are nearly there, prove to us that all hope on your mental capacity isn't lost.

"Oh man I don't believe it" he says, "I forgot to get the pile of clothes on my bed, be right back." I gaped after him. There isn't any hope after all. Tala watched him go and then turned to me-

"You actually call him your friend?"

"I'm seriously beginning to reconsider that" I replied.

"And we actually let him be the world champion? You do know that we should probably hang ourselves from the highest tower while setting ourselves on fire" my thoughts exactly okay maybe not that dramatic.

"Actually it wasn't we Tala, you lost to him and made him the world champion."

Tala snorted, "oh puh-lease, that match was a set-up to thwart Boris' insane plan for world domination. Did you actually think I'd let that food-stuffing shrimp beat me?" point. You know I'd always wondered how someone like Tala could have lost like that; I first thought it was something to do with 'Tyson being the main guy and therefore has to win' thing.

We were silent after that. Hey, something just struck me (not literally) I kind of expected Bryan to be here.

"Say Tala does Bryan like to do laundry?"

He stares, "Where in the world did that come from?"

"Oh just wondering" random much I know. But I suddenly got to thinking about the few precious words that Bryan spoke to me about during our battle (probably the precious few words in his entire life) come to think of it he spoke a lot during our battle than he does now. Well anyway, remember his trash talk it was right after he had decided to shred me like useless paper, it went something like this, 'how's the air Ray? You feel like you are in a dryer at full spin or are you just being hung out to dry? Either ways I'm sending you to the cleaners' get what I mean? I mean talk about laundry talk. And if you are wondering how I remember all this then let me tell you a person isn't likely to forget a conversation with the person who planned to 'put them through the wringer' as Bryan did. Okay that's it for a little flashback. The beeping tells me I'm done.

And Tyson's back. Tala's looking at him with a wicked twinkle in his eye.

"Say Tyson lovely set of undies" he says looking into the basket. Tyson blushed a bright red and attempted to stuff it out of sight but not before I managed to catch a sight of it as well. Red with pink hearts? Green with hamburgers prints? Blue with little piggies? Do people actually sell such stuff? And Tyson bought them? And he wears them?

"It isn't mine" he mumbled.

"Oh and I suppose that's the reason you've signed your name on them in water proof glitters?" Tala laughs and gives me a high-five.

Still laughing I headed away from them to retrieve my basket and walked head first into something. I looked up slightly dazed to see a huge man glaring at me.

"Watch where you're going" he growled. That's not nice.

"It wasn't my fault," I said "you should have watched where you were going as well."

The man leered and his eyes moved to my hair, "sorry if I upset you, little lady" that's it! Now I'm officially mad!

"I'm not a little lady, take that back" I growled, I heard someone whispering 'look at his eyes' yeah I know they are doing their slitting thing which happens when I'm really angry.

The man continued to leer, "what if I don't. Come to think of it you're quite an eye-candy."

I growled extremely angry, okay maybe that was a compliment but I so didn't like the way he said it. I drew back my hand and punched him solid in the face. He backed away hands clutching his nose then gazed at the blood on his hands which came from his nose. He glared at me.

"Why you little shit" he growled and lunged at me and I easily side stepped. We both stared at each other, feet away, both tensed and ready to attack at the slightest.

"Ray!" momentarily distracted I turned towards the source of the outburst to see Hilary. Bad idea. The man took my momentary distraction to his advantage and punched me near the eye. I hissed in pain. I could feel the swelling and I knew that I was getting a black eye. My precious eye! Now I was ready to do some serious damage.

"What?" I yelled at Hilary. Her untimely yell was the cause for this you know.

"I wanted to warn you that you could get hurt doing that" she says a tad sheepishly, Gods!

"Harold!" everybody turned towards the door to look at the short woman marching up to the big goon who was 'Horald' I presume.

"I leave you to do one tiny task and that is to do the laundry. And what do you do? Pick a fight. Honestly I'm ashamed of you. My mother was right, and to think I ignored her wise council and decided to spend my life with you. Now you apologise to this young lad and come on up. Miserable excuse for a man you are. Now did you hear me?" the man flinched not a trace of the utter macho-ness he was portraying earlier. He mumbled an apology and trailed after the woman like an obedient puppy. The woman still ranting on and on and asking questions which was replied with a meek 'yes, dear'. The sounds receded. Reminds you of a soap opera? Well, that's what it reminds me of. After the initial surprise wears off it's actually funny to see a big goon like that be bullied by a woman. Power of women really, that's why I want nothing to have with it.

After that small scene everybody returned to their respective work. The others turned to me.

"Whoa Ray that looks pretty bad" said Tala examining my eye. I forgot about it in that small intermission and now that I remember the pain is back and I can't see out of that eye.

"I didn't think you were the kind to pick up a fight, but you stood up for yourself I'm proud of you!" said Tala beaming, of course he would be proud these Russians have a weird thing for brutality and fights. But my fighting isn't all that a surprise for me. I need to defend myself after all; I've had scenes like this happen many times during my travels and things.

"You'd better get some ice on it Ray. Don't worry I'll get your things for you" said Hilary. I think she said that to make up for what happened because of her. I nodded and smiled.

"Yeah thanks" I said and left the laundry to room to go up to mine.

I opened the door to our apartment to find Kai sitting on the couch reading a book. The moment he heard the door open and close he snapped the book shut looking momentarily as though he had been caught. That was only momentary of course, the next second I was faced with the same impassive Kai. I was puzzled, Kai never shut a book like that when anybody entered least of all when I was there. I mean what's so secretive about reading a book unless it's someone's diary? I tried to take a closer look at it as much as my one eye allowed but Kai shifted it behind him out of view, deliberately? I caught a dark leather cover which seemed vaguely familiar.

"What happened to your eye?" Kai asked looking – concerned?

"Don't ask" I sighed plopping down on the couch beside him.

"I just did."

I explained as briefly as possible finishing with ape man being babbled to submission by his foot high wife. When I finished my little narration Kai was looking at me a small smirk gracing his features his eyes filled with amusement.

"I didn't think you were the kind to pick up a fight" he mused.

"That's exactly what Tala said," I exclaimed these Russians creep me out sometimes.

Is that a chuckle I hear? oh dear God don't tell me..

"Did you just hear-" I paused.

Kai nodded, "looks like the punch knocked loose the connection between internal monologues and verbal speech" I fail to see the humour but apparently Kai doesn't, talk about irony.

"The least you can do is get me some ice instead of poking fun at me" I grumbled. He got up and went to the kitchen. Whoa, he actually obeyed me? That's freaky!

"What is?" Kai asked as he re-entered the room with ice wrapped in a cloth and gently dabbed it over my eye. This guy can be pretty sweet and sensitive when he wants to. Oh wait he asked me a question, what am I supposed to say?

"Nothing" that word works most of the times when you don't have a suitable answer and thankfully it did this time as well.

"Looks like Monday's not a good day for you" Kai comments.

"You noticed?" I muttered. He chuckles. Again? That's two chuckles in the space of ten minutes and I was the cause for it! Landmark moment people! Where are the video cameras when you need them? Nobody's going to believe me if I tell them this.

Kai continues to press gently at my eye with the ice and I sit back and enjoy the treatment. Ah, yes, a cosy moment with Kai. Just Kai and me and me and Kai. That's what I'd imagined when I first made him my roomie.

Starting tomorrow we have classes. All of us friends in one campus. Things will get – what? Exciting? Freaky? I really don't know but I guess I'll have to stick around to find out won't I?

Tbc…

A/N:Gapes at the clock: I hope I don't fall asleep on my keyboard and to think I slept for nearly four hours at noon as well. I sleep a lot these days…anyway that was pointless only want to say that if anything didn't make sense it's for this reason. And I was in the mood of making Tyson really stupid, go figure.

Please Review; you know how much I'll appreciate it if you do!

Now..must catch…some sleep..