Title: Imperfect Countenance
Author: YaoiGoddessNekoJin
Rating: T
Warnings: Yaoi, Language, Violence, Implied Rape
A/N: Another chapter is here. I'm on a roll! Well, I hope you guys enjoy this one!
Chapter VIII
"When I was a toddler, my parents were both killed in an armed bank robbery. They were going to withdraw some money so that they could pay for a trip for the family on my birthday. You see, my parents had a moderate amount of money, but nothing spectacular. Since my sixth birthday was coming up, they wanted to do something extravagant. My grandfather, my father's father, was a very rich man. My parents would occasionally ask him for financial help, however, they tried to refrain if they could. They didn't like borrowing money from my grandfather because they always said that he wasn't a very nice man. Anyway, my parents ended up going to him and he actually agreed to loan them the money. He sent them to his bank to withdraw what they needed.
"While they were at the bank, a couple of masked robbers, carrying guns, came in to rob the place. My parents just got in the way...they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. One of the robbers shot them both and they died instantly." By the time Kai had finished talking about his parents, Rei was on the verge of tears again.
"I'm so sorry. That's awful." Kai just shook his head.
"It's okay. It was a long time ago. Anyway, that's not even half of the story."
x~x~x
Soft, fluffy flakes of snow drifted languidly to the white-covered ground. Black limousines lined the small roads of the cemetery. People dressed in all black were gathered around two caskets. A young boy was at the front and center of the group, snow flakes landing gently in his tendrils of wild, blue hair and crystalline tears running down his cheeks. As the priest spoke about the boy's parents, he looked around, crimson eyes studying all of the people who had known his father and mother. Off to the side, near a large tree, the boy noticed a purple-haired man. He didn't like the man just from looking at him. He had never seen him before and wondered what he was doing at his parents' funeral.
x~x~x
Once the funeral was over, everybody congregated at the Hiwatari household. The boy, Kai Hiwatari, had run up to his bedroom as soon as he arrived. He couldn't believe this had happened. His mom and dad were gone.
Kai was laying on his bed, sobbing, when the door creaked open. He sniffled and turned around to see who had come into his room. Who stood in the doorway shocked him. It was his grandfather, Voltaire Hiwatari. Kai scrambled to sit up on the bed.
"Why are you crying, boy?" the old man asked gruffly. Kai didn't answer him, just sniffled again. This angered Voltaire and he spoke again. "You'll learn soon enough. You're coming to live with me. There may be hope, yet, to undo everything my incompetent brat of a son did."
x~x~x
"After that, I moved into my grandfather's mansion."
"So, who was that guy at the funeral?" Rei asked, completely enthralled by Kai's tragic tale.
"His name is Boris Balcov. He works for my grandfather."
x~x~x
"Kai, honey, please eat something. You're entirely too skinny, dear." said a kind, plump, middle-aged woman. She was the cook at Hiwatari Manor and she was always trying to push food on Kai, who she believed was too small for his age.
"I'm fine Mrs. Trovoski, really, I'm not hungry." he answered politely. He was very thankful that he had the woman. If it weren't for her, this place would be unbearable. Kai had been living there for three months already and he hated it. Just then, Boris walked into the kitchen, pulling the boy from his internal musings.
"Mrs. Trovoski! Don't be feeding the brat. Do you want him to be huge by the time he's six?" he snapped.
"I am six, moron." Kai mumbled under his breath. Unfortunately, Boris still heard what he said. He stormed over to where the boy was sitting on a bar stool, rage flashing in his dark eyes. He drew back his arm and backhanded Kai across the face, causing him to fall off of stool and onto the floor with a painful 'thud.' Kai looked up at Boris with wide eyes, crimson trickling out of his mouth.
"If you ever speak to me like that again, boy, I'll beat you so bad you won't be able to see straight for days." That being said, Boris stomped from the kitchen, slamming the door behind him. Kai's eyes filled with tears and Mrs. Trovoski rushed over, consoling him and getting his wound cleaned up.
x~x~x
"That was the beginning of it all. After that, both Boris and Voltaire would give me daily beatings. They claimed it would make me a better man than my father." Rei gasped. He couldn't imagine anyone treating a child in such a way. His heart really broke for the pain that Kai had to endure when he was younger.
"That's awful." he said. Kai just nodded and continued his story.
"When I was eight, I met Tala and Bryan. They had grown up in an orphanage in the middle of Moscow. I was never allowed to play with other kids, so, when I bumped into them while running an errand for Voltaire, we had a bit of a rocky start."
x~x~x
Kai walked down the slippery road in the dreary rain. Voltaire had asked him...no, wait...demanded that he get out in the cold, wet, miserableness to pick up some things for a business dinner that he was hosting later that night. Even at eight years old, Kai knew full well that the only reason Voltaire had sent him out instead of one of the servants was because it served as a punishment. Kai had 'mouthed off' earlier in the week and had been severely beaten for it. This was the first day he was actually able to get out of bed. So, what does Voltaire do? He sends Kai out to further his consequences. Kai was so lost in his thoughts that he failed to notice a boy running towards him. In a flash of red, someone crashed into Kai, sending both of them to the wet, muddy ground. Snarling in anger, Kai jumped to his feet and towered over the other boy.
"Watch where you're going, moron!" he shouted. The boy on the ground looked up at Kai through his fire-red bangs and icy blue met crimson.
"Me? You're the one that wasn't looking!" the boy retorted. Angered, Kai grabbed the front of the red-heads shirt, fully intent on beating some sense into him, when a larger hand grabbed his wrist. For a second, until he realized that the hand didn't belong to either his grandfather or Boris, Kai's entire body went rigid. He looked up and found himself staring into lilac eyes that were filled with annoyance. Kai scowled and tried to jerk his arm from the older boy's grasp, but was ultimately unsuccessful.
"Let me go you big oaf!" he yelled. The red-head, who had taken up a spot behind the larger boy smirked at Kai.
"Haha! That'll teach you to mess with me, you jerk." he gloated. Kai growled and was about to throw another insult out when he was cut off by the boy that had a hold on his arm.
"Shut up Tala." he ordered, turning to face Kai again. "And you, quit squirming."
"But-" Kai started.
"No buts. You were both in the wrong and you both should apologize to the other."
"But he started it Bryan." Tala whined.
"I don't care who started it, I'm ending it. Now, c'mon. Tala and I were just going to get something to eat. Um..." Kai looked up at the taller boy, Bryan, as his wrist was finally released.
"Kai."
"Kai, would you like to join us?" Crimson eyes widened in surprise. He had been just about to get in an all out school yard brawl with this guy's friend and he was inviting him to eat with them? Even more, Tala seemed to be about the same age as he was, and Bryan not much older, and their parents just let them go out to eat by themselves? Kai was confused, but when he remembered that he hadn't eaten at all that day, Voltaire hadn't allowed it, he agreed.
"Okay." he said.
x~x~x
As Kai walked back to Voltaire's that evening, he thought about the new friends he had made. They actually weren't as bad as he had originally thought they were. Tala and Bryan, he learned, were both orphans who lived in an orphanage in town. Tala was eight as well and Bryan was eleven. They had met after Tala had been sent there and, immediately, Bryan had taken to protecting Tala from the bullies and older children. Kai liked Bryan. He was very reasonable and honorable. He also found that he liked Tala, too. The boy seemed rough at first, but soon Kai found out that he was quite cheerful and mischievous. He was quite the prankster, too. After he had learned about the other two, Kai told them about himself, his parents, his grandfather, and everything that he deemed important. They had been astonished by his story and angered that something like that could happen. Tala had offered to help Kai run away, even saying he would harbor him in his cot at the orphanage. This caused Kai to laugh at the boy. He insisted he would be fine and that they shouldn't worry about him. When they were about to part ways, they made plans to meet again in a few days to hang out. Kai felt calm and happy, which was something that he hadn't felt in a little more then two years. Despite everything, it had been a good day.
x~x~x
"Ever since that day, Bryan, Tala, and I have been inseparable. We're best friends and they're the only family I've known since my parents died." At the conclusion of his story, Kai gazed at Rei to gauge his reaction. He noticed that the golden eyes were glazed over with unshed tears, but he was smiling.
"Well, I'm glad you met them, then." he said in a choked voice. "I hope they'll warm up to me too."
"They already have, trust me."
"So, do you still live with your grandfather?" Rei asked. Kai became serious once more and nodded his head.
"Yeah, he moved us here, not to long ago, so that he could venture into more business opportunities. Tala and Bryan followed me."
"Wow, now that's real friendship." As soon as the statement left Rei's mouth, he let out a large yawn that sent tremors throughout his entire frame. Kai smiled at the cute display and moved to stand up.
"You need to sleep." he said as he got ready to bid Rei a goodnight.
"Wait." Rei called, grabbing onto Kai's arm. "Don't leave me. Please." Kai looked into the imploring eyes and his heart melted at the sight. He moved closer to the bed and was planning on sitting back down into the chair when Rei tugged on the arm that was still in his grip.
"Are you sure?" Kai asked, knowing what Rei wanted, but afraid of hurting him.
"Yeah, I'll be fine. You, however, can't spend the whole night in a stiff chair." Kai nodded and removed his shoes before pulling back the covers on the hospital bed and gently slipping underneath. He turned onto his side and opened his arms for Rei to snuggle into. "Goodnight." Rei whispered before burrowing his head into the crook of Kai's neck.
"Goodnight." Kai repeated, laying his head on the mass of black hair. After a few moments, he felt Rei's breathing even out. He smiled, slowly drifting off into a dreamless slumber, himself. For once, things were beginning to look up for him.
TBC...
A/N: Woohoo! Chapter 8 down...and still more to come. ^-^
Ja-ne!