Flower_on_thewind: GAHHHHH!!! School's sooo stupid! I swear! I now officially have no social life. SEVEN HOURS OF HOMEWORK!!!!!! SEVEN!! That is uncalled for! What does the school board think of students!?!?! Don't they realize that we have lives outside of school!?!?! Geez! So here I am, supposed to do school work still, and what am I doing? This chapter... I'm sooo bad...-____-;

Anyhoo, here's the next chapter... ( nobody reviewed!!!!!!! Was the chapter that bad!?!?!?!

Disclaimer: I do not own beyblades in any way.

Until You Catch Me Chapter 4

Later on that night, Rei was helping Kevin with his English homework. Kevin wasn't too fond of the subject, and was veeeeery frustrated with his assignment.

"I still don't get it!!! This is a stupid book. Not only is it stupid, but it's a FRIGGIN GIRL'S BOOK!!" Kevin ruffled his hair, unable to contain his irritation any longer. Rei sighed. How was he going to state the question so that Kevin would understand it?

"Complete the following questions: Why did Elizabeth confess her secret to Keith?" Rei mumbled the question over and over again. He couldn't really find a way to simplify the question any further.

"Okay, let me ask it this way." Rei started while Kevin plopped his chin on top of his English textbook. "WHEN did Elizabeth tell Keith her secret?"

"Page 193, beginning paragraph." Kevin mumbled.

"Kevin." Rei started to feel VERY frustrated. "I meant in the story."

"When they were both stuck in the classroom, arguing about whose fault it was to have locked them in there. Elizabeth then blurted her secret somewhere in the middle of the argument." Kevin stated monotonously.

"Do you think you can tell me why?" Rei asked in a slow steady beat. 'Come on, Kevin, you can get this...'





"I. Don't. Know. WHY." Kevin said simply causing Rei's patients to drop EXTREAMELY low...



"ARGH!! What don't you understand, Kevin!? Explain that part to me so I can help you." Kevin snapped back into sitting position and stared-or rather glared- right into Rei's eyes.

"I don't know WHY she told him! I think she should have kept quiet. She should have kept her social problems to herself. Especially from her worst enemy!!! Then again, that's what *I* think, and I'm not a girl. So how the hell am I to know what a girl thinks like!?!?!"

Rei sighed. He had a LOT of explaining to do.

"Okay, think of it this way...um...take you and me for example. If you had a secret, and it was a very important secret, would you tell me?"

"Never in a million years."

"But what if this secret's hurting you...endangering your well being if you will. And this secret is scaring you... making your life miserable. And what if...you don't tell someone soon...you are going to get...seriously hurt..." Rei started to slow down his explaining pace, not for Kevin to comprehend it, but to figure out what he is saying. What he was saying was really getting to something, but not quite on the nail just yet...

"Would you tell me then?"

Kevin had to think about it for a while. In truth, a lot of what Rei was saying was reminding him about...well, himself. And the questions was now ringing in his head, 'would I tell him? And if I did WANT to tell him would I have the COURAGE to tell him? But then if I told him, and then "HE" found out...' His head started to hurt with all these questions and possibilities...



"...Yeah, I guess I would." Kevin answered in a soft, hushed voice.

There was silence for a moment between the two boys. Kevin had a sort of distant look in his eye as his head was still reeling with a new point of view. Rei was kinda confused with his emotions at the moment. His heart started beating faster when Kevin gave him his answer. It was almost like Rei had feared what the answer would be. And not only was his heart pumping his blood a million miles per second, but he was also blushing!! For what reason, Rei had no idea. Perhaps it was the way Kevin gave his answer...

"I think I get it now... Elizabeth couldn't hold the secret inside her because it was eating her. She couldn't take the pain of holding her secret, so she let it out in order to...stop the hurt..."

Suddenly, Kevin couldn't look at Rei in the eye. He had no clue why he couldn't, but he supposed he felt like...well...like Rei would read his secrets just by...just by staring into his eyes...

Rei was taken back with Kevin's answer. It sounded like he didn't even need help in the first place... What got Rei's attention was the tone Kevin used to explain his answer. It sounded like he just learned something, which was kinda expected, but it also had a more...er... understanding tone to it...

"Yeah...that's the answer. You okay with the question, Kevin?"

"Uh...yeah, I'm fine with it." They both went back to their homework in silence after that.

An hour or two after they both finished their homework, both boys stood in the middle of Rei's room. After protesting to Rei's mother about the time needed for sleep and the time needed for fun, the two boys were kicked and locked in that room for the night.

"Whoah, Rei. I never knew that your mother could be so scary! For a moment, I thought she really was going to hit us with that spatula!"

"Yeah...Now imagine my life, and how many times she threatened me with he kitchen utensils." Rei muttered while his mind went back to certain memories that involved chopsticks to butcher knives to cookie cutters...

"Well, we're stuck in your room now... We mind as well go to sleep..."

"Yeah...mind as well." Rei sighed when he looked at the sleeping arrangements. "Well Kevin, it's your lucky day!! Why is it your lucky day? Well, cuz you get to sleep in my warm, comfy bed, while I get the cold, hard, floor..." Rei ended his comment with a sad sigh. "Woe is me..."

Kevin laughed at the taller boy's grim fate. Kevin really didn't want the bed. He was fine with the floor... well. not really, but it didn't have the chances of rolling off the bed.

"How about I take the floor, Rei? I don't mind..."

"I was just kidding, Kevin. You get the bed cuz you're the guest, and besides. If my mom knew that you were sleeping on the floor, I would be drying herbs and helping my mom in the kitchen for the rest of my life!!"

Kevin sweatdropped. "We would want that... might come over and demand that you cook him chocolate cake! Think of the horrors!!!"

Rei shuddered. "I would certainly be busy if that were to happen...Gary loves Chocolate cake so much, I wouldn't be surprised if he married it!"

Kevin chuckled as he imagined a chocolate cake all decked out in white silk and frills.

"That's a sight to see."

Rei suddenly stifled a yawn. "Well, I'm going to hit the sack now...or rather the floor now..." Rei pouted when he saw his sleeping bag all limp in the dark corner and saw the bed all comfortable and inviting.

"Yeah...okay then. G'night!" Kevin jumped into Rei's bed while Rei sulked into his cold, hard, bedding...

A few hours passed, and Rei couldn't sleep. It was just one of those nights where you're tired but your eyes won't close and your mind won't shut down. He tried counting sheep, repeating calming words in his mind, and even threatened his stupid brain to shut down. Nothing worked! So Rei finally gave up any attempts to force his way to sleep and focused on his surroundings. The room was pretty dark, save for the small amount of moonlight that streamed in through his small window. There weren't many sounds except the rhythmic breathing of Kevin.

Rei just laid in his sleeping bag listening to Kevin's breathing. It was...calming in a way. Listening to his friend's breathing helped him relax and almost fall under it spell... almost.

Kevin's breathing suddenly quickened and a small whimper emitted from the smaller boy. Rei became curious to the sudden disturbance, and got out of his sleeping bag to find out what was the matter.

He saw Kevin toss and turn with an expression of discomfort that graced his face. Small noises tumbled out of his throat and his breathing that had been slow and calming was now fast and erratic. Whatever nightmare Kevin was having, Rei was going to put an end to it.

"Kevin, wake up." He gently shook Kevin. Unfortunately all that did was cause Kevin to squirm and whimper away from Rei. Rei tried again, this time he shook Kevin harder.

"Wake up!" This time, Kevin did wake up, but it came with a strangled cry. He was breathing heavily and a few stray tears fell down his face. He clung on to Rei like if he were to let go he would fall down and endless pit of nothingness.

Rei held the weeping Kevin comfortingly, careful to not crush his burnt arm or his injured shoulder. He fondly stroked Kevin's forest green hair in a soothing manner hoping to calm the smaller boy. They stayed that way for a while until Rei drew back a bit. This was enough to scare Kevin somewhat...

"Don't leave me!" Kevin cried pitifully while abandoning the mask of a mischievous boy that everyone knew so well. He clung on to Rei harder.

"I won't leave you." Rei whispered soothingly.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

During that moment, something happened. Neither boys knew exactly what happened, but they knew that a connection was formed between the two. Little did they know this was a bond of trust. Pure, genuine trust.

After a while, Kevin began to take slow, deep breaths. Rei thought Kevin had fallen back asleep, but he thought wrong...

"I dreamt about my dad." Kevin said in a tiny voice. "This time, my mom wasn't around... And he was yelling at me... then he took out the stick..."

Rei pulled Kevin closer to reassure him that he was safe. He sure hoped that Kevin didn't have dreams like these often.

"He's not here right now. He can't hurt you."

"How do you know that?!?!?!" Kevin exclaimed. "You don't know him. He's-he..." The smaller boy was at loss for words and glared at the floor as if demanding it to give him the words he needed.

"He came home drunk today." He told Rei flat out. "W-when my mom saw him d-drunk, she phoned right away to tell me a-and told me to see if-if I could stay here... When my dad's drunk, he does..." Kevin fearfully looked into Rei's eyes. "He does scary things."

Rei's mind raced as Kevin's confessions sunk in. The protective feeling that was slowly burning in Rei's heart flared to purpose with Kevin's words. It broke his heart seeing the smaller boy so afraid.

"I won't let him do anything to you."

Kevin shook his head. "You don't know my father. You don't know what he can do. You haven't seen him at his worst."

"What can he do to you that is worse than what I've already seen!?!?! Seriously, Kevin, he beat you pretty bad." Rei's eyes were slits now. He watched as Kevin stiffened. The smaller boy seemed to be debating over something...

"...Promise me that you won't tell a soul."

"I promise." Rei said whole-heartedly. Kevin regarded this, making sure this was the right decision.

"Okay then...I'll tell you. Just because you're the only one I trust with this secret..."

Kevin slowly took off his shirt and turned around. Suddenly, the world stopped. It was just Rei and Kevin in a room with the moonlight streaming in through the window. Kevin had exposed an old scar that ran from his right shoulder to his mid back. There were dots of purple bruises that doted his back and his left shoulder was all bruised in a darker purple/bluish color. The sight made Rei's stomach churn. This was Kevin!! The impish village thief who wouldn't have a care for the world. Not this oppressive little boy who lived in an unloving environment.

"He did this to you?" Rei gasped as he tentatively caress the scar with a feather light touch that sent a small shiver down Kevin's spine.

"Yeah...but you won't tell anyone, right?"

Rei didn't answer. He inspected Kevin's shoulder, noticing how the bruises were darker near his shoulder blades than anywhere else. 'It must have been a stick...' Rei also saw that his shoulder was swelling slightly whereas the rest of his other bruises seemed older, more healed.

Suddenly, Rei notice how close he was to Kevin. A Kevin with a shirt off, that is. And he also JUST realized that he was touching Kevin as well! For some really odd reason, Rei's face started to heat up. Okay, so it wasn't a really odd reason. It was just Rei's hormones acting up out of the blue! 'Stupid hormones...' Rei then saw a blush form on Kevin's face when his inspection went on a little longer than expected.

Not making thing more awkward, Rei withdrew his actions. 'What just happened? This is Kevin I'm thinking about!!!!' Rei asked/yelled at himself (mentally of course. It wouldn't be good if he were considered insane on top of this!). He was so caught up in Kevin's injuries that he didn't if realize that he overstepped his boundaries. And now look where it took him. His dumb hormones were providing unwanted thoughts to flow through his brain. Ones with Kevin and other clothing missing from his body... 'Argh!! You're one sick person Rei. You really need help'

"Please don't tell anyone." Kevin requested while quickly putting on his shirt. It seems that the same unwanted thoughts filtered through Kevin's brain as well, but Rei didn't know that. Nope, instead he thought Kevin was embarrassed because he was self-conscious or something along the lines like that.

"Don't worry Kevin. I won't say a word."

"Thanks Rei. I know I can trust you." Rei grinned like a fool when those words came out of Kevin's lips...hmm...his lips...

"Come on, Kevin, we should really go back to sleep. We've got school tomorrow." Rei muttered while glaring at his uncomfortable sleeping bag...

"Um...Rei, can I ask you a favor?" Kevin asked shyly, still blushing a bit.

"Yeah, what is it?"

"Can you...um...can you sleep on the bed with me?" Kevin was beet red now. "I'm still afraid..."

Weird thoughts flew by Rei's head so quickly that he almost wasn't aware that he even had them.

"Um...s-sure." It was the part of him who wanted to protect Kevin and the part of him who didn't want to sleep on the ground that spoke. His rational side was screaming at Rei for giving in to his duo feelings.

He silently climbed into bed and waited for sleep to claim him. Kevin had fallen back asleep within minutes and was currently clinging on to none other than...Rei's hair!?

Rei sweatdroped when he watched Kevin hold his hair like a teddy bear. This was going to be one interesting night...



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TBC...should I continue? Please review, and thank you for your time.