Flower_on_thewind: BWAHAHAHAHAHA, I'M SO PROACTIVE!!!!!
My conscience: PSHHH whatever! If you had ANY sense, you would be doing your homework! You're failing 3 subjects!!!
Flower_on_thewind: blah, who cares... we're doomed children anyways.
Conscience: it'll hit you, you'll see...
Flower_on_thewind: LALALALA I can't hear you!!! *Shoves her conscience underneath her piles of homework.* HA okay, I'd like to thank all you peeps that reviewed! It's really you who keep this fic alive, not me!
Disclaimer: I don't own beyblades!
Web of Reasons
Ugh... the day after the call. Mariah was depressed and angry. Woah, what an understatement! She had locked herself in her room and refused to come out. She snapped at anyone knocking at her door, and basically acted like a spoiled brat.
"Honey, please come out." Her mother's soft voice filtered through the door."
"No! Just leave me alone!"
"Mariah, come out NOW. We all have a meeting with the elder in a half an hour!" her father's voice boomed with authority. Having a stubborn daughter could be a handful at times. (a/n:_ or maybe it's just Mariah)
"I'M NOT GOING! GO AWAY!!!! I HATE YOU BOTH!!"
That was the final straw. Her father just couldn't take anymore of her childish behaviors! He promptly kicked the door down with hinges dangling and all.
"Young lady, you WILL have more RESPECT to your elders!!!" It was here where Mariah started tearing again.
"Dad..."
"Listen, Mariah, you have to grow up on this matter! Crying won't get you anywhere! Grow up and take your responsibilities NOW. No more crying and whining. I will NOT have my daughter act like a weak fool in front of the villagers, you hear me?!?!?!!? NOW CLEAN UP AND BE READY WITHIN THE MINUTE!"
With that her father stalked out of her room in an angry frenzy. Her mother, unsure of what to do, gave Mariah a weak smile before leaving to find her husband.
Tears still streamed down Mariah's face as she glared at her broken door.
"God, I hate him..."
***
"Rei, are you up yet?" Mrs. Kon inquired through the door.
Rei groaned in protest. God he hated crying. It always made him feel like shit the next day... no wonder he hardly cried.
"Ugh... No, mom..." yesh, Rei rolled in his bed to look at his clock. 11:30...
11:30!?!?!?!
Holy smokes! He slept in!!! What day was it??? Was it a school day!?!?! CRAP!!!! HE WAS SOOO LATE!!
"Rei?" His mother opened the door to poke her head through. "Hey, sunshine. Time to wake up!"
Rei looked at his mother with scared eyes. Partly because she hasn't called him sunshine for a looooooong time, and partly because he was still unsure if it was still a school day. If it was, his mother should have been hulling his lazy ass down the stairs already.
"Hahahaha, No honey, it's not a school day." Mrs. Kon smiled at her son... he was so much like his father.
Rei breathed a sigh of relief. "Whew. That's good... uh. what's up mom?"
His mother's smile quickly disappeared to a serious look. "We have to go to the elder's house today. And we better hurry or else we'll be late!"
Rei groaned. Nooooooo this was NOT going to be a good day.
"But Ma!!"
His mother sighed "Don't argue." And then left him to get ready.
"Gaaah, I hate this..."
****
Rei arrived w/ his mom a few minutes before Mariah did. The house seemed, as always, too stiff and forbidden to touch anything with its ancient timeline that dates back centuries ago. All families were ushered into the common room where they met the elder, Lee, and Lee's parents. Lee's family consisted of very stiff people. Straight backs, steely gazes, and proud noses (a/n: LOL! THE NOSE!).
"Mrs. Kon and Rei, thank you for coming to this meeting under such short notice. We apologize deeply for any inconvenience, but we thought that the decision for marriage should be decided as soon as possible." Mr. Lee's voice was regal and apathetic-just like the expression on his face. The Kons just smiled in response. "Mr. and Mrs. Sung, we'd like to say the same to you. We are terribly sorry for any inconveniences."
"Not a problem at all." Mariah's mother replied in her timid voice.
"Let's us get started then." The elder suddenly spoke. The room grew thick with respect for the older man. "As I'm sure that these young children feel the unfairness of the decision already, I will allow them some say in this marriage. That being their opinions will be heard. But the final decision will be called upon by me, and me alone." As he spoke, the elder at one point or another held eye contact with each and every one of the white tigers present.
So much emotion filtered through the eyes of each of the three youths. But two things were most common among these three: longing and bitterness. Mariah longed for Rei, but was bitter that he has yet to return her feelings. Rei longed for freedom and the chance to get away from all this tradition but felt nothing but bitterness at the things that held him back. Lee felt longings for Mariah and to finally come on top of things. But instead, Lee felt jealousy and a need for redemption.
Each one of them tried to speak, but their voices failed. It was...just too much at once. It was like... the walls were closing in on them- like they suddenly needed to run for survival.
"Maybe they should have a chance to talk amongst themselves?" Rei's mother suddenly quipped. Mariah's mother nodded while her dad grunted. It seemed the vote was clear. The parents were as unsettled with the sudden pace of things as well!
"Of course." The elder suddenly stood up and seemingly glided out of the room. The adults followed suit each with an intense expression on their face.
Once out, there was nothing but silence...
"...Shit, why is this happening to me?!?!!" Rei muttered between clenched teeth.
"It's not like any of us like it, Rei." Lee spat out.
"I'm not blaming you guys!"
"Well it sure sounded like you were. It sounded like a typical woe-is- me-so-every-body-drop-what-their-doing-and-pity-my-holy-self sort of thing."
"What the-"
"DON'T YOU DARE TALK TO REI LIKE THAT!" Mariah suddenly snapped. Yep, that definitely got Lee quiet...
Rei let out a frustrated sigh. "Mariah don't... gah, never mind." Now it was Mariah's turn to get a bit hysterical.
"What?? You gunna tell me to talk to Lee with more respect??? I DON'T THINK SO! I CAN TALK TO HIM HOWEVER I DAMN WANT!!!" eep, she finally lost it!
Lee's temper started to rise at a rate faster than a speeding bullet. Mariah's words hurt more than he'd ever want to admit. "God damnit! Why are you talking shit about me TO MY FACE!!! Why can't you EVER show some respect to me???? It's the least I do for you!! Damnit!"
Words failed Mariah... she couldn't say anything because she knew, to some extent that what he said was true. So what did she do? Well, bluff her way out of course!
"I...I- STOP IT! You're not the boss of me Lee! I DO show you respect. IT'S YOU WHO DON'T SHOW RESPECT TO PEOPLE!! THAT'S WHY I'M ALWAYS ON YOU CASE!! IF YOU WOULD JUST-"
"Shut up both of you!!!" Rei screamed.
Total silence followed.
"I can't take it anymore! We've been friends forever! Do you think we're doing any justice to the team by arguing like this?? Can't we just make up some kind of plan like we did when we were younger to get out of trouble?" Rei couldn't believe the two people he grew up with were acting so childishly. It was a side he'd like to ignore.
"...You're an idiot Rei." Lee said in a suspiciously low voice.
"And a dumbass too." Mariah supplied in the same tone.
"What do you mean?"
"Don't you see? We're not children anymore, Rei!" Lee pointed out. " We can't do the same things we did before!" a flicker of some nameless emotion flickered in Lee's eyes.
"Lee's right! We gotta face this problem head on. We gotta... we have to cooperate with the parents." The same flicker went through Mariah's eyes.
"No... There's something more to this..." Rei muttered softly as he watched the nameless emotion mocking him from behind his two best friend's orbs. "What is it?"
Mariah and Lee looked away almost simultaneously.
"It's nothing." Lee grunted out defensively. "You're just being a pain in the butt right now."
For Mariah, it wasn't so easy to lie. She had enough of lying. It was now or never!
"GOD DAMNIT REI!! CAN'T YOU SEE???"
Rei's blood suddenly ran cold...
"You KNOW don't you Rei?" Tears welled in Mariah's eyes as she passionately let forbidden words fall from her lips. "You KNOW that I'll do ANYTHING for you-anything. I'd follow you to the ends of the earth if you wanted me to! I-I LOVE YOU REI KON!!! I LOVE YOU NOW- I'LL LOVE YOU FOREVER!!!"
Rei's heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. Why? WHY THIS?? Were things not complicated already??? Could things GET any worse? It wasn't just the fact that he was now officially gay, but... this was Mariah. His longtime friend.
"M-Mariah... I-I..." eep, the words were failing...
"God damnit, just say something you idiot!" Lee burst out in fury before turning around so that no one could ever see the tears welling in his own eyes.
"Oh, Rei..." Mariah was a wreck. She was sobbing like no tomorrow and her eyes showed wisdom only one who harbored feelings in secrecy for so long could have.
"I'm...sorry, Mariah." God, that was hard to say! Damnit! Isn't there a better way to handle this situation??? Rei would have given ANYTHING to just runaway right there and then.
She looked back at him with shimmering eyes.
"Don't worry... I already know."
Suddenly there was a growl of anger. If you ever heard a tiger growl, that's what it would have sounded like. It scared the hell out of Mariah and Rei who were in such a tense moment.
"Gah, you BOTH are so stupid and childish! Damnit, GROW UP!" Lee huffed before walking confidently to the other room. If you could have been there... you would have definitely see royalty practically oozing off of him!
He pushed open the doors with excess force (causing a loud bang that would surely leave a dent.) and glared at all the adults.
"We need more time." Was all he said before stalking off to his own room. The tone of his voice had even the elder himself reluctant to call him back.
Ah, the joy's of love...
~*~*~
Flower_on_thewind: AAAAH HOMEWORK!!!!!!
Conscience: I TOLD YOU, DAMNIT! YOU NEVER LISTEN TO ME!!
Flower_on_thewind: but this ficcy was so dead...
Conscience: and stupid too! Look at this chapter! You wrote better a year ago!
Flower_on_thewind: aw, shut up! *Strangles her conscience* Eh, please review if you want to keep this fic alive!
My conscience: PSHHH whatever! If you had ANY sense, you would be doing your homework! You're failing 3 subjects!!!
Flower_on_thewind: blah, who cares... we're doomed children anyways.
Conscience: it'll hit you, you'll see...
Flower_on_thewind: LALALALA I can't hear you!!! *Shoves her conscience underneath her piles of homework.* HA okay, I'd like to thank all you peeps that reviewed! It's really you who keep this fic alive, not me!
Disclaimer: I don't own beyblades!
Web of Reasons
Ugh... the day after the call. Mariah was depressed and angry. Woah, what an understatement! She had locked herself in her room and refused to come out. She snapped at anyone knocking at her door, and basically acted like a spoiled brat.
"Honey, please come out." Her mother's soft voice filtered through the door."
"No! Just leave me alone!"
"Mariah, come out NOW. We all have a meeting with the elder in a half an hour!" her father's voice boomed with authority. Having a stubborn daughter could be a handful at times. (a/n:_ or maybe it's just Mariah)
"I'M NOT GOING! GO AWAY!!!! I HATE YOU BOTH!!"
That was the final straw. Her father just couldn't take anymore of her childish behaviors! He promptly kicked the door down with hinges dangling and all.
"Young lady, you WILL have more RESPECT to your elders!!!" It was here where Mariah started tearing again.
"Dad..."
"Listen, Mariah, you have to grow up on this matter! Crying won't get you anywhere! Grow up and take your responsibilities NOW. No more crying and whining. I will NOT have my daughter act like a weak fool in front of the villagers, you hear me?!?!?!!? NOW CLEAN UP AND BE READY WITHIN THE MINUTE!"
With that her father stalked out of her room in an angry frenzy. Her mother, unsure of what to do, gave Mariah a weak smile before leaving to find her husband.
Tears still streamed down Mariah's face as she glared at her broken door.
"God, I hate him..."
***
"Rei, are you up yet?" Mrs. Kon inquired through the door.
Rei groaned in protest. God he hated crying. It always made him feel like shit the next day... no wonder he hardly cried.
"Ugh... No, mom..." yesh, Rei rolled in his bed to look at his clock. 11:30...
11:30!?!?!?!
Holy smokes! He slept in!!! What day was it??? Was it a school day!?!?! CRAP!!!! HE WAS SOOO LATE!!
"Rei?" His mother opened the door to poke her head through. "Hey, sunshine. Time to wake up!"
Rei looked at his mother with scared eyes. Partly because she hasn't called him sunshine for a looooooong time, and partly because he was still unsure if it was still a school day. If it was, his mother should have been hulling his lazy ass down the stairs already.
"Hahahaha, No honey, it's not a school day." Mrs. Kon smiled at her son... he was so much like his father.
Rei breathed a sigh of relief. "Whew. That's good... uh. what's up mom?"
His mother's smile quickly disappeared to a serious look. "We have to go to the elder's house today. And we better hurry or else we'll be late!"
Rei groaned. Nooooooo this was NOT going to be a good day.
"But Ma!!"
His mother sighed "Don't argue." And then left him to get ready.
"Gaaah, I hate this..."
****
Rei arrived w/ his mom a few minutes before Mariah did. The house seemed, as always, too stiff and forbidden to touch anything with its ancient timeline that dates back centuries ago. All families were ushered into the common room where they met the elder, Lee, and Lee's parents. Lee's family consisted of very stiff people. Straight backs, steely gazes, and proud noses (a/n: LOL! THE NOSE!).
"Mrs. Kon and Rei, thank you for coming to this meeting under such short notice. We apologize deeply for any inconvenience, but we thought that the decision for marriage should be decided as soon as possible." Mr. Lee's voice was regal and apathetic-just like the expression on his face. The Kons just smiled in response. "Mr. and Mrs. Sung, we'd like to say the same to you. We are terribly sorry for any inconveniences."
"Not a problem at all." Mariah's mother replied in her timid voice.
"Let's us get started then." The elder suddenly spoke. The room grew thick with respect for the older man. "As I'm sure that these young children feel the unfairness of the decision already, I will allow them some say in this marriage. That being their opinions will be heard. But the final decision will be called upon by me, and me alone." As he spoke, the elder at one point or another held eye contact with each and every one of the white tigers present.
So much emotion filtered through the eyes of each of the three youths. But two things were most common among these three: longing and bitterness. Mariah longed for Rei, but was bitter that he has yet to return her feelings. Rei longed for freedom and the chance to get away from all this tradition but felt nothing but bitterness at the things that held him back. Lee felt longings for Mariah and to finally come on top of things. But instead, Lee felt jealousy and a need for redemption.
Each one of them tried to speak, but their voices failed. It was...just too much at once. It was like... the walls were closing in on them- like they suddenly needed to run for survival.
"Maybe they should have a chance to talk amongst themselves?" Rei's mother suddenly quipped. Mariah's mother nodded while her dad grunted. It seemed the vote was clear. The parents were as unsettled with the sudden pace of things as well!
"Of course." The elder suddenly stood up and seemingly glided out of the room. The adults followed suit each with an intense expression on their face.
Once out, there was nothing but silence...
"...Shit, why is this happening to me?!?!!" Rei muttered between clenched teeth.
"It's not like any of us like it, Rei." Lee spat out.
"I'm not blaming you guys!"
"Well it sure sounded like you were. It sounded like a typical woe-is- me-so-every-body-drop-what-their-doing-and-pity-my-holy-self sort of thing."
"What the-"
"DON'T YOU DARE TALK TO REI LIKE THAT!" Mariah suddenly snapped. Yep, that definitely got Lee quiet...
Rei let out a frustrated sigh. "Mariah don't... gah, never mind." Now it was Mariah's turn to get a bit hysterical.
"What?? You gunna tell me to talk to Lee with more respect??? I DON'T THINK SO! I CAN TALK TO HIM HOWEVER I DAMN WANT!!!" eep, she finally lost it!
Lee's temper started to rise at a rate faster than a speeding bullet. Mariah's words hurt more than he'd ever want to admit. "God damnit! Why are you talking shit about me TO MY FACE!!! Why can't you EVER show some respect to me???? It's the least I do for you!! Damnit!"
Words failed Mariah... she couldn't say anything because she knew, to some extent that what he said was true. So what did she do? Well, bluff her way out of course!
"I...I- STOP IT! You're not the boss of me Lee! I DO show you respect. IT'S YOU WHO DON'T SHOW RESPECT TO PEOPLE!! THAT'S WHY I'M ALWAYS ON YOU CASE!! IF YOU WOULD JUST-"
"Shut up both of you!!!" Rei screamed.
Total silence followed.
"I can't take it anymore! We've been friends forever! Do you think we're doing any justice to the team by arguing like this?? Can't we just make up some kind of plan like we did when we were younger to get out of trouble?" Rei couldn't believe the two people he grew up with were acting so childishly. It was a side he'd like to ignore.
"...You're an idiot Rei." Lee said in a suspiciously low voice.
"And a dumbass too." Mariah supplied in the same tone.
"What do you mean?"
"Don't you see? We're not children anymore, Rei!" Lee pointed out. " We can't do the same things we did before!" a flicker of some nameless emotion flickered in Lee's eyes.
"Lee's right! We gotta face this problem head on. We gotta... we have to cooperate with the parents." The same flicker went through Mariah's eyes.
"No... There's something more to this..." Rei muttered softly as he watched the nameless emotion mocking him from behind his two best friend's orbs. "What is it?"
Mariah and Lee looked away almost simultaneously.
"It's nothing." Lee grunted out defensively. "You're just being a pain in the butt right now."
For Mariah, it wasn't so easy to lie. She had enough of lying. It was now or never!
"GOD DAMNIT REI!! CAN'T YOU SEE???"
Rei's blood suddenly ran cold...
"You KNOW don't you Rei?" Tears welled in Mariah's eyes as she passionately let forbidden words fall from her lips. "You KNOW that I'll do ANYTHING for you-anything. I'd follow you to the ends of the earth if you wanted me to! I-I LOVE YOU REI KON!!! I LOVE YOU NOW- I'LL LOVE YOU FOREVER!!!"
Rei's heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. Why? WHY THIS?? Were things not complicated already??? Could things GET any worse? It wasn't just the fact that he was now officially gay, but... this was Mariah. His longtime friend.
"M-Mariah... I-I..." eep, the words were failing...
"God damnit, just say something you idiot!" Lee burst out in fury before turning around so that no one could ever see the tears welling in his own eyes.
"Oh, Rei..." Mariah was a wreck. She was sobbing like no tomorrow and her eyes showed wisdom only one who harbored feelings in secrecy for so long could have.
"I'm...sorry, Mariah." God, that was hard to say! Damnit! Isn't there a better way to handle this situation??? Rei would have given ANYTHING to just runaway right there and then.
She looked back at him with shimmering eyes.
"Don't worry... I already know."
Suddenly there was a growl of anger. If you ever heard a tiger growl, that's what it would have sounded like. It scared the hell out of Mariah and Rei who were in such a tense moment.
"Gah, you BOTH are so stupid and childish! Damnit, GROW UP!" Lee huffed before walking confidently to the other room. If you could have been there... you would have definitely see royalty practically oozing off of him!
He pushed open the doors with excess force (causing a loud bang that would surely leave a dent.) and glared at all the adults.
"We need more time." Was all he said before stalking off to his own room. The tone of his voice had even the elder himself reluctant to call him back.
Ah, the joy's of love...
~*~*~
Flower_on_thewind: AAAAH HOMEWORK!!!!!!
Conscience: I TOLD YOU, DAMNIT! YOU NEVER LISTEN TO ME!!
Flower_on_thewind: but this ficcy was so dead...
Conscience: and stupid too! Look at this chapter! You wrote better a year ago!
Flower_on_thewind: aw, shut up! *Strangles her conscience* Eh, please review if you want to keep this fic alive!