Me: Chapter 8! -squeals for a very long time-stops squealing- oh, and please R&R!-goes back to squealing-
Johnny: She's excited because this is her second longest story...in chapters at least.
Kai: Since they're busy trying to shut her up...she doesn't own...only Wreath...and Tala's brother and Emeline from the last chapter.
Thanks to all my reviewers and special thanks to Destiny Quill who told me that my kitten's name was spelled wrong, eh heh...so now, "Reath" is "Wreath" I was always wondering why microsoft word was saying that it was spelled wrong so thanks! So now "Reath" will be spelled as "Wreath"
"Quit struggling, Tala!" Johnny groaned.
"I don't wanna do this, Johnny!" Tala pouted, maneuvering away from the younger red head's hands that held the tie.
"C'mon, Tala!" Johnny snapped. "Just put the stupid thing on! It's only for tonight!"
"But it's annoying!"
"Well I'm wearing one!"
"But you're used to wearing those things," Tala mumbled. Johnny sighed and stuffed the tie in his pocket and pulled Tala closer to him, wrapping his arms around his neck. Tala let his hands wrap securely around Johnny's waist.
"It's only for a few hours," Johnny said. "It's not like it's the whole day." Tala still seemed reluctant so Johnny gently pushed his lips to his, standing on his tip toes. Tala didn't seem too surprised and responded to the kiss. Johnny allowed Tala to deepen the kiss but he didn't allow himself to get lost in it. Instead, he took the tie out of his pocket and carefully tied it. Tala didn't notice that he was done tying it until he tightened it. Tala broke the kiss to see his boyfriend smirking. He pouted.
"You tricked me," Tala muttered. "Can it be my birthday present to not wear this?"
"Sorry, wolf," Johnny sighed. "I gotta call Matilda."
"Why?" Tala said, the possessiveness for his salamander leaking out through his voice.
"I need to get Miguel over to that stupid masquerade, obviously," Johnny rolled his eyes and took out his cell phone.
Matilda's cell phone rang and she picked up after the third ring when she saw the caller ID. She flipped the cover open. "Hello?"
"Hey Matti,"
"Hey Johnny. What's up?" she asked.
"Are you guys coming tonight?" Johnny asked.
"We can't really… you know the plane leaves-"
"You can't get just Miguel to come? I could pay for another flight back," Johnny said.
"And so could Kai," Matilda retaliated, sighing. "I'll see what I can do, okay, Johnny?"
"Okay, fine," Johnny sighed. They both hung up, Matilda collapsing on her bed, and Johnny pulling Tala down with him on their bed.
"Didn't go well?" Tala asked. Johnny pouted at him. Tala sighed and kissed his cheek, adjusting their positions so Johnny could used his arm as a pillow.
"What are we gonna do, Claude?" Matilda moaned. "We leave tonight and Miguel doesn't want to go to that masquerade!" Claude sighed.
"Well, we pray that Miguel sees sense before we leave," Claude said. "A masquerade is when you wear masks, correct?"
"Yeah, I guess it is. Why?" Matilda asked.
"How good are you at making masks, Matti?" Claude asked.
"Hey little kitten," Miguel smiled, picking up the kitten and bringing it closer to his chest. The kitten looked up at him and mewled. "Aren't you cute?" he sighed and laid down on his bed, the kitten held securely in the air by his strong hands and he brought it down to his chest.
"I don't know what happened between me and Kai...then again, you probably don't know either," Miguel said. "Everything was going so good...then something happened in that store... I was planning to make it up to him at that amusement park but we didn't even run into each other."
"Miguel?" Claude asked. "Can I come in?"
"Sure, Claude," Miguel sighed. Claude closed the door behind him and sat on his friend's bed.
"You okay?" Claude asked gently.
"Yeah, no, maybe," Miguel sighed again. Claude smiled sympathetically.
"You should go talk to him, you know," Claude said. "It'd put both your minds at ease..."
"I'd just make things worse between us..." Miguel groaned.
"Well, incase you do decide to go to that masquerade..." Claude said, laying a black mask on his desk.
"Thanks Claude...but I'm not going," Miguel said, his back turned to Claude. Claude sighed and left the room, closing the door with an audible 'click.' Miguel turned and picked up the mask, keeping Wreath in one hand.
It was a simple black mask, one that could be bought at the party stores but with the craftmanship, or should he say craftwomanship because he was sure it was Matilda's handiwork, red and yellow feathers adorned it, along with gold glitter along the edges and red glitter here and there. He sighed.
"Well Wreath, what do you think I should do?" Miguel asked.
A knock on Kai's door made him look up, slightly surprised. "Come in," he said. Spencer and Hiro entered. The latter made Kai look at Spencer with a 'what-the-hell-is-he-doing-here?' look.
"Relax Kai," Spencer said, sitting on the edge of his bed. "How are you feeling? Are your lungs clogged up?"
"I don't have black lung, Spencer," Kai rolled his eyes.
"I know you don't but you at least need to stay in bed and recover. That injury? How is it?" Spencer asked.
"It's fine. It hasn't opened if that's what you're asking," Kai said. "Why is he here again?"
"Kai-" Spencer began as a warning but Hiro interrupted him.
"I'm here to apologize, Kai," Hiro said. "For myself and on behalf of Tyson. I...I thought that you were some indestructible little brat. I guess your only the little brat part of it. And as for Tyson..." Kai held his hand up.
"Don't apologize for that obnoxious troll," Kai sneered. "If he wants my forgiveness, he'll have to apologize to me himself..."
"And you'll forgive him if he just apologizes?" Hiro asked, looking doubtfully at Kai's back which was turned to them.
"I make no promises," Kai said. Spencer sighed and Hiro raised and eyebrow. This enigma was unpredictable. He was sure he was just going to say flat out no.
"How's Kai?" Oliver asked when he saw Bryan, who raised his eyebrow.
"Kai is fine," Bryan grunted. "He's just pissed as hell because Spencer put him on bed arrest until tonight." Oliver nodded and gave Bryan a small peck on the lips. Bryan took his hand and led him around town. It was a nice change for Oliver- they were out on a public date. Bryan wasn't usually a public person and he made the exception for Oliver.
"So tonight..." Oliver blushed.
"Yes?"
"At the masquerade..."
"Will you go with me?" Bryan asked. Oliver stared at Bryan for several seconds. "That was your question, wasn't it?"
"You stole my line!" Oliver pouted.
"I did...but you know you wanted me to ask you," Bryan said smugly. "So is that a-" Oliver grabbed his shirt and pulled him down into a passionate kiss, for once, surprising Bryan.
"That's a yes," Oliver said when they parted.
"Claude? Whoa, I didn't expect to see you over here! What's up?" Rei grinned. "Come on in." He gently took Claude's hand and led him into the dojo.
"Oh hey, Claude!" Max greeted. "I didn't know you were coming by."
"Hi Max," Claude smiled. "I'm just here to visit Rei before I leave..."
"Oh, you guys are going back to Spain?" Rei asked and then he lowered his voice. "What about Miguel and Kai?"
"That's what I came here to talk about...mostly," Claude whispered back.
"We'll just be in my room, Max. Call me if you need anything," Rei said.
"Okay Rei," Max nodded as Rei led Claude into his room.
"So what's going on? Why isn't Miguel going?" Rei asked.
"He thinks that he'll just make things worse between him and Kai," Claude explained.
"What?! That's crazy talk. If he leaves things unpatched with Kai, now that'll make things worse," Rei said.
"Where were you when I was talking to Miguel about this?" Claude asked.
"I was here," Rei said. "Probably..."
"What are we gonna do, Rei?" Claude groaned. "I know he wants to go but..."
"Do you want to go?" Rei asked, his golden eyes concentrated on Claude.
"What?" Claude asked.
"Do you want to go? With me?" Rei asked.
"Y-yes..." Claude said cautiously.
"Will you go with me?" Rei asked.
"Yes!" Claude grinned and Rei found himself with an armful of his boyfriend. "But what are we gonna do about Kai and Miguel?"
"Well Kai's going, I know that for a fact... Rei said. "So we'll have you drop the others off at the airport and then I'll pick you up before the plane is about to leave."
"How exactly?"
"I'll get Hiro to drive me," Rei promised. "He owes Kai a favor and Spencer won't mind if we attempt to help Kai out."
Oliver sat on the edge of the fountain as he waited for Bryan. He was happy. Bryan had asked him on another public date. Bryan hated public places so it made Oliver feel special that Bryan was willing to see him in a public place no matter how much he hated them.
"Hi Oliver," Bryan said.
"Hey, Bryan," Oliver said. "How's Kai?"
"He's pissed as hell," Bryan smirked. "Spencer sentenced him to bed arrest until tonight."
"Spencer's letting him go?" Oliver asked, surprised.
"Kai can't stay cooped up in bed all day," Bryan rolled his eyes. "Besides, when we're all at Johnny's stupid masquerade thing, he'll just get up anyways so might as well take him."
"Oh...um look, about that masquerade," Oliver blushed.
"Yeah?"
"Well, um..."
"You wanna go with me?" Bryan asked.
"Yes! Hey, you stole my line!" Oliver pouted. Bryan chuckled and sat next to Oliver.
"You know you wanted me too," he smirked.
"You're right...and now I want to do this," Oliver said, grabbing Bryan's turtleneck and pulling him down into a passionate kiss.
"Hiro! Spencer!" Rei shouted as he scurried down the stairs to catch up to them. Spencer and Hiro looked at each other, unsure of what the neko-jin wanted before Spencer reached out to keep the neko-jin from falling. "Thanks..."
"Why are you running so fast?" Spencer asked.
"Can...can you drive me to the airport?" Rei panted. "I need to pick up Claude and con Miguel into going to the masquerade."
"I don't see why not," Hiro nodded. "Is it okay with you, Spencer?"
"Yes," Spencer nodded. "How exactly are you going to 'con' him into going, Kon?"
"I'm still thinking about that part, Spencer," Rei said as he got into the back seat.
--Later--
"How did you talk me into this?" Hiro asked as he turned into the airport.
"I just did," Rei said. Spencer smirked in amusement. He had heard of Rei's manipulative streak but he still had yet to see it in action... he couldn't really count Rei asking Hiro to give Rei a ride to the airport so he could pick up Claude and possibly Miguel being manipulative...
"Are you sure you don't want to go?" Claude asked Miguel. "There's still time..."
"How are you getting there?" Miguel asked.
"Claude!"
"Like that," Claude said as Rei ran up to him, Hiro and Spencer hot on his heels. Rei gave Claude a quick kiss on the cheek and Miguel raised his eyebrow.
"You didn't tell me that you two were dating," Miguel said.
"It slipped my mind," Claude lied partialy. "Come on Miguel, running away from Kai is not going to make your relationship any better."
"He's right Miguel," Spencer said. "Kai is the type to dwell on things and trust me on this, he's not the person you want to live with when he dwells on things,"
"Trust me on that one too," Rei chimed in. "He gets in quite a mood."
"He does, doesn't he?" Spencer asked.
"Yeah, especially the time when Tala-"
"Or the time when Tala-"
"And that time Tala-"
"Guys!" Claude said.
"Not helping," Hiro rolled his eyes.
"Just come or let Kai fall into the hands of Tyson or Robert or Goki or-!" Rei said and Miguel silenced him with a glare.
"What?" Miguel demanded.
"It's true Miguel, there are many bladers who fancy Kai," Hiro said. "And then there are his fans..."
"And then there's Tala..." Spencer said.
"Tala?" All of them said.
"Getting on his nerves. Once that wolf does something to piss Kai off, there's no talking to Kai," Spencer shook his head.
"Alright! Alright, already! I get the point, I'm coming!" Miguel said.
"Great, about time! Now let's go!" Rei said.
--At the masquerade with Tala and Johnny--
"I can't believe I'm actually wearing this stupid tie...can't you make it looser?" Tala complained. Johnny glared at him.
"Hey, guys," Tyson grinned. "Awesome party, you got here Johnny."
"I'd say thanks Tyson, but its not mines," Johnny said. "It's his," he spat the last word with hate and nodded towards the man who looked almost nothing like him but Tala recognized the eyes that he spent so much time looking into.
"Jonathon...Ivanov, and..." the man (A/N: Just gonna call him Mr.McGregor!) who was Johnny's father said slowly.
"I'm Tyson Granger, beyblade world champ!" Tyson grinned. "It's nice to meet you, Johnny's dad!" Johnny was about to slap his forehead when Tala grabbed his hand and drew it to his chest. Johnny rose his eyebrow.
"Oh, yes...of course," he smiled but Johnny and Tala could tell it was fake. "Forgive me for not noticing...Ivanov, Tyson, could you give me a moment alone with my son?" Tala felt Johnny freeze and leaned closer to him.
"I won't let you out of my sight," Tala promised. Johnny nodded and Tala kissed his cheek.
"Well come on, Tala! Let's give the guy some alone time with his son!" Tyson said. Tala nodded, looking over his shoulder the whole time Tyson pulled him away from his boyfriend and boyfriend's father.
"You're not going to take him away from me," Johnny said, his eyes fused with Tala's.
"I don't see why you won't accept a female. A female blader- even," Mr. McGregor said.
"I don't think you get it. I think you refuse to see that Tala and I love each other," Johnny said.
"He doesn't love you, son. He just wants you for your money," Mr. McGregor said.
"No he doesn't and don't you think those tramps didn't?! He loves me and he's proved it," Johnny snarled. "He agreed to this thing even if its not his show all for me! He took dancing lessons and he never left my side once!"
"Mr. McGregor, Johnny, I didn't expect to fine you so quickly,"
"Robert... I thought you weren't coming," Johnny said, able to breathe a little easier now.
"I caught an early flight before the storm hit and caught a ride with Bryan and Oliver," Robert said then lowered his voice. "Go on, I'll distract him."
"I owe ya one," Johnny said.
"Did you get Miguel here for Kai?"
"Haven't seen him if he's showing up," Johnny whispered back.
"We'll talk later then," Robert whispered. "Go now."
"Thanks again," Johnny whispered before threading through the crowd to get to Tala. When he got there Tala held his arms open and he practically threw himself at him
"How'd it go?" Tala asked, caressing Johnny's cheek.
"Robert saved me," Johnny sighed.
"Remind me to thank him then," Tala nodded. "Now, sir gentleman... may I have this dance?"
"The pleasure's all mine," Johnny grinned.
"Sorry Tyson," Tala smirked, not sounding sorry at all as he lead Johnny into the crowd.
"Just wait and see, Tala...Kai will be mine," Tyson muttered darkly and then spotted a familiar figure. "And I think I'll start on that now."
"Dammit, Hiro, can't you go any faster?" Rei asked impatiently.
"For the thouthandth time Rei, not without breaking the speed limit," Hiro said through gritted teeth. "And shouldn't Miguel be the one asking that?"
"He should but he's too patient," Rei pouted. "And besides, its not my fault I'm worried about Kai and Tyson possibly being alone together..."
"That's my little brother we're talking about..."
"And that little brother is the one who broke a vase and damaged Kai's left shoulder blade," Rei hissed. Hiro bit his lip and stepped harder on the gas pedal.
"Hey Kai," Tyson said.
"What do you want?" Kai grunted.
"For you to stop playing hard to get and come dance with me," Tyson grinned.
"Let's get two things straight," Kai said. "I'm not playing hard to get and I'm not going to dance with you."
"Yes you are, Kai," Tyson said, giving him a pathetic excuse for a glare and grabbing his wrist.
"Let go of me, Tyson!" Kai glared. Tyson shrunk back slightly but didn't relinquish his hold on the dual haired blader.
"No! Not until you-" a hand on his shoulder stopped him and he winced in pain at the hand that was gripping Kai was placed under a rougher hold then his own.
"He's with me,"
"Miguel," Kai breathed. Miguel smiled at him before glaring at Tyson.
"Oh, Tyson is so dead," Rei commented, biting a piece of cake. Claude nodded in agreement.
"Miguel is a little pocessive," he agreed.
"You two are shameless," Hiro shook his head.
"And what do you call you watching us watch them?" Rei countered.
"Fine..." Hiro muttered.
"Five bucks Miguel punches him," Rei said.
"Five bucks he throws him against the wall," Hiro said.
"Ten bucks he does both," Claude said.
"Deal," All three said. Spencer sighed and shook his head. Why would any of them bet against Miguel's best friend?
"No way, I saw him first," Tyson said but that was the wrong move.
"What the hell do you think he is? A toy or something?" Miguel demanded. "Well let me tell you something, Granger, Kai is more then just some hot guy off the street (A/N: Kai blushed). He's a kind, caring person who deserves more then what you've offered him."
"Oh please," Tyson sneered. "He's lucky I'm going to look after him. We'll be the talk of all the news! It'll be me and him on every magazine! Won't that be cool Kai?" And then Miguel lost it. He grabbed Tyson's shirt and raised his fist, his punch connecting with his head and he followed up by throwing him against the wall.
"If you ever talk about him like that again...what I did just now will seem like a walk in the park," Miguel threated. "C'mon Kai." Kai seemed to be in a daze as Miguel dragged him away from Tyson and into his arms on the dance floor.
"Go Miguel," Rei whistled.
"Now pay up," Claude reminded them. Both Hiro and Rei grumbled things and handed Claude ten dollars.
"I'll be right back," Rei said, giving Claude a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Where are you going?" Claude asked but he didn't need an answer when he saw the direction Rei was heading.
"What's he going to do?" Hiro asked.
"Nothing that Tyson doesn't deserve..." Claude said.
"Hey, Tyson!" Rei said.
"Ow! Rei, did you see what Miguel did to me? And Kai just let him! Miguel must be blackmailing Kai or something! You gotta help me prove that Rei!" Tyson said.
"I saw...but I'm not going to help you with anything. Miguel is not blackmailing Kai, Tyson," Rei said.
"What?! You saw what he did!" Tyson said angrily. "He's like an animal!"
"Then what you did to Kai is no different," Rei said, his golden eyes flashing in warning. "Stay away from Kai from now on, Tyson because Miguel isn't the one who'll be decking out the punches." With that, he turned on his heel and walked back over to Claude.
"What'd you say?" Claude asked.
"Come on, I'll tell you on the dance floor," Rei said.
"Hey Miguel...if you're here, where's Wreath?" Kai asked.
"Wreath is under the care of Spencer and Hiro," Miguel said.
"You didn't get on the plane," Kai said. Miguel smiled and pulled Kai closer to him.
"Let's just say...I had some people watching over me," Miguel said. "Look, Kai...I..."
"Yes?" Kai encouraged.
"Oh what the hell," Miguel said and he brought his lips to Kai's. Kai gasped and quickly responded to the kiss. He closed his eyes, not wanting the kiss to end. But there was always the need for oxygen.
"I love you," Miguel said.
"I love you too," Kai said.
"Looks like your plan worked out," Tala said, spinning Johnny with practiced ease.
"I guess it did," Johnny said, resting his head on Tala's shoulder.
"You wanna just stand still?"
"Yes,"
"Alright then," Tala smiled. A tap on his shoulder made him look over his shoulder. His eyes clouded over with confusion and then they widened when he recognized the figure behind him.
Me: Cliffie...well, not really. Can anyone take a guess at who it was?
Tala: you so wanted to cut it off when Miguel showed up.
Me: Well yeah! But I promised some Kai/Miguel action and don't forget, we still have Tala's party to attend to! Not to mention the rest of the masquerade...
Rei: While she's...well, I don't know what she's doing but please review!