Chapter 21

A long sigh could be heard in the dark living room. Tala had been sitting on the worn-out couch for hours, thinking about his latest argument with Kai on their way back to Moscow. The little training trip had been a spectacular failure. While waiting for their plane ride to the capital of Russia, he had tried to discuss the upcoming Beyblade World Championships with Kai once again. He didn't understand why the other teenager had even participated in Russia's preliminary tournament if he had no desire to win the championships.

"Losing on purpose to easily stop blading for good", Tala scoffed at the empty room around him. "If I ever would do this." Yet Kai's question about what he had planned for his future bothered him. Up until recently he had only known the life in the abbey. It never occurred to him that he had a choice in his own life planning. Kai wasn't the only one asking those questions. The teachers at his school started asking the same. Still, he had no answer.

Bryan and Spencer had long gone to the night shift of their security job, while Tala continued to stare into space. Both immediately sensed that the training trip had backfired and one look into their captain's face told them to not ask any questions. So, the redhead was left to his musings until a light knock on the front door announced a visitor.

'Who?' he thought while standing up. Before he reached the door it was opened and Kai entered with a bottle of red wine in one hand. Tala instantly shut out all emotions from his face and welcomed the younger teen with a blank stare.

Kai being Kai walked undeterred to the armchair in the dark living room, placing the bottle of wine on the low table in front of it and sat down. "Let's talk", he said after a moment of silence. Tala eyed the bottle suspiciously but sat back down after another moment of silence.

"What do you want to talk about? I believe everything was said between us." The blue eyes finally looked at the other teen.

Kai didn't return the look, instead his crimson eyes settled on the bottle of wine. He seemed unnaturally tense. After what felt like an eternity he started to speak. "Tala, look, I'm sorry." He couldn't believe that he was really apologizing to someone. He never apologized to anyone. "I didn't consider your feelings regarding the Beyblade World Championships. It's just … I can't get the attention a winner would certainly get… It would be dangerous. Not only for me… for the people around me as well."

"Then why did you want to be part of the team? Just stop beyblading, if you don't want to do it anyway." Tala's tone wasn't angry, if at all he sounded genuinely confused.

After they had landed at Moscow airport earlier that day and parted ways, Kai had frantically thought about their argument. His date for the evening long forgotten, he pondered about everything that the redhead had said to him. In the end, he decided it would be best if Tala knew the truth. At least part of it. He went to the nearest wine store and bought the most expensive bottle of red wine that they offered. He knew that Tala preferred red wine over every other alcoholic beverage.

"I need to put Boris behind bars, at all costs." Crimson eyes finally met blue. He could see the doubt in them.

"Why? You've only known Boris for a little while. Why is it so important to you that he is punished?"

"I need him behind bars, I don't care about his punishment." 'At least if he stays away from hurting you', Kai added in his thoughts.

"Still, I don't understand why you care so much. One day you suddenly appeared at the abbey and nothing is the same as it ever was. My whole life has gone downhill after meeting you." The redhead sounded truly frustrated.

"Is your new life really that bad? If so, I'm really sorry." He said it again, the s-word.

"No, it's not. Of course, it's not." Tala sighed. "I just don't know what I want. I was content with Boris deciding everything for me. I was the Beyblade World Champion for three years in a row. His decisions couldn't be bad, at least, that's what I thought at that time. Now I have to decide on my own and I simply don't know. I don't know what I want in life." Tala added with emphasis.

Kai was surprised about Tala's sincerity. The older teen suddenly looked so fragile. When the dual-haired boy didn't say anything, Tala continued. "What do you want to do after Boris is in jail? Do you take over your grandfather's business?"

"He isn't my grandfather. Not by blood, anyways." Somehow, he didn't want to lie to the red-haired teen after he had been so honest with him just moments ago.

"I didn't believe the story the old man told the media from the start. It sounded exactly like the cover-up stories Boris invented in the past."

"Hm. Voltaire's trial isn't over yet. He might disinherit me, but if not, yes, I would, at least in some way, get involved with Hiwatari Enterprises." Kai answered the redhead's previous question.

Tala chuckled. "You becoming a business tycoon, I somehow can't imagine it." In a more serious tone, he added: "When is the trial over? You gave your testimony in March, right? How did it go?" Tala himself gave his testimony in April, but since he rarely met Voltaire Hiwatari while the man visited the abbey, he could not say much to the accusations. Kai had lived with the man, albeit only for a short time.

"I exercised my right to refuse to give evidence", the teenager answered cautiously.

"I see."

With that both fell silent again. After a while Tala stood up and went into the kitchen where he fetched two glasses and a corkscrew. When he came back, Kai was watching him intently. The redhead opened the bottle with ease and poured them both a generous amount. He handed one glass to Kai. "Cheers".

The dual-haired teen took the glass, but hesitated for a moment. He usually didn't drink any alcohol, since he didn't like the muzzy feeling afterwards, though this time he made an exception. He swirled the red liquid around before he took a sip of the rich flavor. The silence stretched around them, but neither teenager seemed to mind. For the first time Tala felt at ease around the other boy.

After several minutes the redhead broke the silence. "We'll lose. But only in the finals."

"You sure?"

Instead of an answer Tala refilled his own glass.

After their conversation something had changed between them. Spencer and Bryan didn't know what had happened, but the change was palpable. Both teens seemed to finally respect each other. Kai visited them on a regular basis and he and Tala trained together seriously. Not knowing anything about the agreement of losing in the World Championships, the tall blonde and the equally tall lilac-haired teen were in high spirits for their team. Until one evening Spencer said something during dinner, which lead to Tala leaving the room furiously.

"Spence, oh crap!" Bryan sighed.

"What?!" The tall teen retorted but turned to Kai who had remained seated at the small table. A pair of lilac eyes followed his example and both males watched the younger teen expectantly. Instead of an answer the dual-haired teen growled and got up as well to follow their captain. He found him on the roof.

"Why so angry, Red." Kai asked while keeping his distance from the fuming teen.

"My own teammates. Not only that … I consider them my long-term friends, my only friends! And they think we… we…!"

"Fuck." Kai concluded for him.

"How can they believe I would do…!" Tala turned around to look at the other, who smiled at him devilishly. "How…" he started again, but was stopped when a hand grabbed his chin. He was forced to look into those crimson orbs, sparkling in the sparse starlight. His heartbeat accelerated, though he didn't push the other away. Kai stepped closer, pressed his thumb lightly against the pale lips. Tala could feel the endeavor, he could feel the strength Kai needed to keep in control. Then the younger stepped away. The redhead noticed that he had stopped breathing and took a deep breath, never averting his eyes from the other.

After a while Kai sighed audibly. "Is it really such a bad imagination, Tala? I want you. I've been waiting patiently for the last few weeks, but I can't take much more."

"And what I want doesn't matter?"

"Tell me, you don't want me and I leave you alone. I'll go right away", Kai said evenly.

"Go to where? Fucking the first person who crosses your way?" Tala spat out.

"You don't want me, but you don't want me to be with someone else. Tala, this makes no sense."

When Tala's only answer was to turn his back to Kai, the dual-haired teen turned around as well and walked off. "I don't know what I want." The redhead mumbled to the wind.

After this incident Kai didn't visit the other Blitzkrieg Boys anymore. Tala trained alone until the day came, they would have to fly to the first host city for the Beyblade World Championships: New York City. Together with Spencer and Bryan, Tala went to Moscow airport. It felt like an eternity had passed since he last was there with Kai. None of them had heard anything from the dual-haired teen and Tala knew that Spencer and Bryan had a secret bet going on if their fourth member would appear or not. Spencer said yes, Bryan no, although the blondes reasoning was that Kai would not be able to ignore the redhead forever. Needless to say, Spencer won the bet. When they arrived at their gate, Kai was already waiting for them.

Spencer and Bryan patted their lost member amicably on the back, while Tala decided to ignore the other entirely. A knowing look passed between the two oldest members of the team; this time they would keep quiet to give their captain the required time he needed to sort things out with Kai. 'Eventually they have to talk', both of them thought.

The plane ride was uneventful. Of course, a lot of reporters were already waiting for them at the destination airport. Since none of them liked the attention from the media, they made their way through the throng of people without saying anything. They wanted to get to their hotel as fast as possible.

All the participating Beyblade teams were lodged at the same hotel near the stadium, but fortunately they met no one while checking in. Mr. Dickenson had booked two double bedrooms for their team and Spencer and Bryan were dead certain to share one room. They hoped that with this sleeping arrangement their captain would finally speak out and end his argument with Kai. Whatever happened or not happened between them was destroying their team.

The hotel room was nicely furnished. Since Beyblade became more and more popular around the world, the BBA had more money for the accommodation of the participating teams. Tala sat down on the comfortable bed and closed his eyes. Kai had not moved after entering the room and was still standing near the door. Both teens waited for the other to say something. In the end, Tala was the first to speak. "We need to talk, Kai."

"Talking is all we did and it didn't bring us far." After a moment he added: "I told you what I want, you are the one not being honest with yourself."

"If you are so omniscient, enlighten me and tell me what I want", the redhead retorted mockingly. "Tell me, how I want to wallow in those sheets with you, how I want to feel you on me, in me. Tell me, Kai."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"No, I don't. Just take me and it'll be over." To emphasize his point, Tala started to undress.

"This is not how I want it", Kai stated evenly, although he swallowed audibly seeing the smooth white skin of the other.

"You so sure about it." Tala dropped his shirt on the floor next to the bed.

"Don't tempt me, Red. You are playing with fire. One wrong move and you'll burn yourself."

Crimson orbs met blue ones; desire met contempt. Then Tala broke the stand-off, stood up and walked towards their adjoining bathroom. "I'll take a shower", he said flatly.

Kai moved so fast; Tala only saw a shadow out of the corner of his eyes. With one swift movement his back was pressed against the wall, crimson eyes so close he could see the little black speckles in the iris. "Don't tempt me." The dual-haired teen repeated, his breath ghosting over the others face. To emphasize his statement, he rolled his hips once against the red-haired teen. Tala gasped in surprise, feeling Kai's hard member press against his groin briefly.

"Don't…" he panted desperately, before his lips were taken in a hungry kiss. A skilled tongue found its way into the hot cavern, exploiting it eagerly until the lack of oxygen caused them to pull apart. For a moment only the harsh breathing of both teens could be heard. Blue eyes stared in shock. Kai stepped back, giving the other some room to move, but Tala remained where he was, not able to do anything but stare. The younger teen turned around, exited the room, just wanting to get away from the other as fast as possible. Or else he might do more.

On the next day the tournament started for real. All teams gathered at the newly built New York City Stadium. Kai's former teammates from the Bladebreakers were all there, although Max was now with the PPB All Starz, Rei participated as a White Tiger X, while Takao had a new teammate named Daichi and together with Kenny they were the BBA Revolution. There were two more teams: Barthez Battalion, who had beat Ralf's team at the European preliminaries and F-Dynasty. The latter was their first opponent. Needless to say, the blading siblings of F-Dynasty didn't stand a chance against Tala and Kai. Both members of the Blitzkrieg Boys won without much effort, however Spencer and Bryan noticed the tension between the two teenagers. It seemed that their scheme with the sleeping arrangement had not worked out. The mood was even worse than the day before.

Instead of watching the other teams, they went back to their hotel. During the elevator ride up to their rooms, Bryan exploded. "What the fuck is wrong with you two! During the whole day you have barely said anything." The Falborg Blader rarely lost his temper, at least outside a Beyblade fight. In place of an answer, he was surrounded by silence. The elevator stopped at their floor and they got off. Still, no one had answered the lilac-haired teen.

In front of their doors Spencer suddenly started to speak. "One hour. We give you one hour to talk. If you haven't settled your argument by then, you will be benched and Bryan and me will take over."

"You can't decide this! I'm the captain!" Tala screamed.

"Then act like one", Bryan retorted seriously.

"You have one hour", the blonde repeated and together with Bryan he entered their room, leaving behind an irritated redhead.

Tala grabbed Kai's arm, shoving him inside their own hotel room, before the other could walk away again, like he had done yesterday. The redhead had waited for the other almost the whole night, until sleep overcame him. When he awoke that morning, the other bed was still untouched. Kai had spent the night somewhere else.

Once inside the room, Tala let go of the arm, but otherwise made no move to start a conversation. Bryan's words echoed in his head: 'act like one.' He was not only the captain, but also older than Kai. Sure, if he got his act together, the other would listen to him. While he had waited for the dual-haired teen to return last night, he had thought a lot about their latest argument. About all their previous arguments. He exhaled slowly and in a low voice he said: "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have tempted you. You told me…" He tried again to express his thoughts: "You told me what you...", but Kai stopped him with a scoff.

"Don't flatten yourself, Red. We both know the truth. It's just that one of us doesn't want to accept it. And the one is not me."

"No, you are never the problem, right? It's always the others." Tala boiled inside. Whatever he said or did, he even apologized, but Kai always put the blame on him. They would never get anywhere like this. He took a deep calming breath and started again: "Fine. Do what you like. You can fuck whoever you want. I DON'T CARE. Why don't you start with the blue-haired trainer of the BBA Revolution? Isn't he exactly your type?" He tried to keep the emotions out of his voice. With a straight face he watched the other's reaction to his words.

Kai smiled. A devilish smile. "Fine. I'm doing what you suggested. I bet he isn't a whiny virgin like you."

That hurt. Tala's blue eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but he instantly pulled himself together. With a firm voice that betrayed his inner turmoil, he said: "Let's pretend everything is alright, so that Bry and Spence stop bothering us."