Chapter 23

Tala sat on the rooftop of their new hotel in Cairo a balmy breeze tousled his hair while the Egyptian evening sun warmed his skin. He wanted to be left alone to have time to think. He had not only lost against Daichi in Rome but against Rick in Madrid as well, and loosing wasn't something he was used to. In recent years he had only lost two important matches: the last World Championships against Takao and this stupid training match against Kai back in the abbey when they first met.

So much has happened in his life since that day. First, he hated Kai for his cocky attitude and everything that had happened in the abbey after he joined them. The biggest kick in the teeth was Voltaire Hiwatari's decision to adopt this new child rather than him. He knew that the old man had previously designated him to be his heir, Boris had informed him about the other man's decision weeks before Kai was in the picture, but as soon as the dual-haired teen and Voltaire met this decision crumbled to dust. In the end Kai became the heir and he himself was doomed to stay with Boris.

Now Voltaire Hiwatari was on trial for various crimes and he most certainly had to go to prison after the judges pronounce the sentence. Kai wants Boris behind bars as well, Tala knew that much, but he still puzzled over the teen's reasons. There was only one thing the redhead was sure of: if Kai pursued something he would accomplish it, by all means. "He even made me fall for him," Tala entrusted to the wind caressing his face. He had acknowledged his feelings for the younger in Madrid after his latest loss against the American blader.

They hadn't spent the night together like all the nights before. Instead, Kai had to leave for some urgent business. He said he'll be back before the matches in Egypt start. Tala wanted to argue with him, however the look on Kai's face made him swallow his anger right away. He didn't think the other could show such a level of distress when he usually was coolness itself. It was alarming. Kai had left right away, to where no one knew, but he would keep his promise to be back in time. Tala believed him and Bryan and Spencer did so as well.

Said lilac-haired Russian opened the door to the rooftop and sighed in relief when he saw his captain. "Here you are. Me and Spencer were worried about you." Tala was torn out of his brooding by the voice of his comrade.

"Just enjoying the Egyptian evening sun. It's been too hot all day." Madrid had already been hot but Egypt was even worse. The three cold-loving Russians hadn't left their hotel since their arrival hours ago.

"How about a cold drink with two old friends."

Something in Bryan's voice made Tala think that it was rather a demand than a request, so he complied.

Spencer was sitting on the floor in his and Bryan's room. In front of him three shot glasses and the bottle of Spanish vodka Tala had gifted to them. "We have an important match tomorrow," the redhead instantly started to protest, while he was forced down to sit beside his fellow blader.

"You are not able to win while sober so who cares," Bryan stated and sat down as well.

"I'm sorry."

Spencer looked at Bryan with an 'I-told-you-so-look'. It wasn't common for their captain to offer an apology.

"You are not yourself recently," the lilac-haired teen said while filling the glasses with the clear liquid, before handing two to his teammates. "Sa sdarówje!" All three Russians downed their drink in one. Bryan refilled the glasses. "What happened to our captain, the guy who was feared by all Beybladers around the world?"

Tala sighed. He anticipated this talk after the last battle against the PPB All Starz. His loss of form was even worse for Spencer and Bryan who knew nothing about his arrangement with Kai to lose in the finals. Yet he wasn't sure why he was in such bad shape, except for his confusing feelings about Kai. Could this really be the sole problem?

Bryan continued his speech after taking a long sip. "You were the most confident Beyblader not only in the abbey but in the whole world. The most ambitious one. Always belligerent. And always ready to intervene when your friends were in danger." For a moment all three mentally wandered back to their time in the abbey.

Spencer was the first to recover. "You are like a lost puppy. Not able to survive without someone to take care of you." The words were harsh but the blonde's tone was anything like that. Deep concern made Spencer to speak up.

"I know." Tala sighed again. "Back in the abbey everything was easy. I mean not easy but there were rules. We all knew the rules and followed them. Boris told us what to do. Although I was the leader, Boris orchestrated everything. I was only his puppet."

"We all were." Bryan corrected him. Another moment of silence followed.

Slowly it dawned upon Spencer what Tala tried to say. When the redhead continued, he nodded in agreement. "When we were finally free from Boris and the abbey, I simply didn't know what to do. If you two hadn't been there, I would have most likely end up in the gutter. You told me to go to school. You two told me what to do. I couldn't make a decision on my own."

"Well, you have never known a life outside of the abbey. Bryan and me, although we came there at an early age, had lived in the outside world before. It was easier for us to adept."

"And thanks to Kai we got the jobs at the security company," Bryan added.

"He helped you?" Tala asked doubtfully.

"Yes. The guy has many connections."

"Wow. I didn't know you got along well." This was a real surprise for the redhead. He had always believed that the others had found the job offer somewhere and applied. That they had been lucky to start working there together. He himself hadn't been able to apply because he wasn't of legal age.

"He's an asshole, but a good one," Bryan stated and refilled all three shot glasses. "Sa sdarówje!" They downed their glasses again. "Are you two … fucking?" The alcohol started to affect them and they talked more openly.

"No, we are not." Tala's eyes were glassy.

Spencer didn't want to drop the topic after all they had to endure during the World Championships until now. "You love him, right." Bryan who had refilled the glasses once more, almost choked on his sip and was now curiously eyeing his captain.

"Yes, I love him. I guess." Tala gulped his drink and hold it out to the older blader to refill it, but Bryan snatched it from him. The redhead wanted to protest, when Spencer intervened.

"The look in your eyes betrays you. You love him."

"You are the specialist," Bryan said while patting the blonde on the back.

"He. Now I'm curious. What does Bryan mean?" Tala was happy to shift the attention onto the other, but Spencer kept silent, so Bryan answered instead.

"Spence here got a girlfriend. She works as an office assistant at the security company."

"No way! Since when are you together?"

Once again, the tall blonde opted for another drink instead of an answer, so Tala turned to Bryan for more information. "Almost a year now. It started like one week after we began to work there."

"How could I never notice," the redhead asked more to himself.

"Natalia is a nice one." Spencer finally spoke.

Bryan stifled a laugh. "She literally jumped on Spencer and asked him if he wanted to fuck her."

"It wasn't like that!" Pale skin turned red. "She isn't like that. She was scared that someone else would snatch me away. She took all her courage and asked me out. Since then, we've been together."

Tala was too tipsy from the Spanish vodka to think much about his next words. "So you have sex?"

Spencer's skin turned even redder. "Yes, but at least she is my girlfriend and we are together. Not like Bryan."

Now it was Bryan's turn to feel uncomfortable. "It was only one time and a one-night stand."

"With a client," the blonde added knowingly. "And it was in our first week at the company as well." Tala could only stare.

"You should have seen this woman. Italian beauty. She was in Moscow for a photo shooting, but a crazy fan followed her everywhere. That's why her agent contacted the company. I was sent there with two experienced colleagues and I somehow ended up with the night shift. That's all." After a moment of silence Bryan asked Tala: "So how was your first time and who was the lucky one?"

"I haven't. I just told you."

"No way. Weren't you curious after all the time confined to the abbey?"

"No. I wasn't."

"But you want to sleep with Kai, don't you?" Spencer asked.

For a moment Tala was back in the hallway of the abbey, Kai pressing him to the wall. He could feel those burning eyes on him again. Dangerous and passionate, those two words came to his mind immediately at that time. Now he knew that deep down he had fallen for those eyes right at that moment. "Yes, I do."

"Passive or active?" Spencer inquired further.

"What do you mean?"

"You are both guys, so one of you has to be the active part and one the passive."

"Are you the one taking it in the rear or is Kai the one?" Bryan added after seeing the redhead's quizzical look.

"I haven't thought about this."

"Most likely passive," the lilac-haired teen explained, "somehow I can't imagine Kai on his knees."

"I can't imagine Tala on his knees either," Spencer reasoned. "Could be the problem, why you two haven't yet. You know."

"That's it," Bryan joined in. "When he comes back you must talk to him. Tomorrow will be the day our captain loses his virginity. Sa sdarówje!" He had refilled his own and Spencer's shot glass with the rest of the vodka and both chugged it.

The team of the Blitzkrieg Boys arrived at Cairo stadium an hour before their match against Barthez Batallion. Tala had still a hangover from yesterday's drinking while Spencer and Bryan seemed perfectly fine. Bryan made fun of him for being unable to hold his drink, but apart from that the mood was more carefree than before. Ten minutes prior to the team's arrival Kai had texted Tala that he was waiting in their locker room.

The dual-haired teen looked like shit. Tala immediately noticed his bloodshot eyes that were looking into space while he entered the room. Bryan and Spencer had excused themselves just before the door, giving their captain a little privacy with his crush. The redhead stopped in front of Kai and waited until he had the other's attention.

"You look like you haven't slept the last two days."

"Hm… I haven't."

"What happened?"

"None of your business."

"Dickhead." With one step forward Tala overcame the last space between them and gave Kai a peck on his lips. Surprised the younger teen was at a loss of words. The redhead added: "You know you can trust me."

Kai noticed the slight indications of a hangover and used it to change the subject. "Had fun without me? You don't look exceptionally fit yourself."

"Bryan and Spencer compelled me to drink with them yesterday night. Seems I'm not as compatible with Vodka as a Russian should be." He tried to lighten the mood. "We are up against Barthez Battalion, Boris' new pet project. I can't lose against them."

"They are only the vanguard. Even with their dirty tricks they don't stand a chance. They are only participating in the tournament to observe the strength of the other teams. And from the information we gathered about Boris' real puppets, and Takao's shape right now, my hope is sinking."

"My own shape is of more concern to me right now."

"You are not in bad shape. All you need is a little mental push and everything is alright again."

"Are you trying to encourage me? How sweet. Don't tell me your arrogant ass is melting 'cause of my charms."

"Are you flirting with me?" Kai actually laughed. "Damn, I'm too tired."

"You can trust me." Tala said once more, in a serious tone. "I mean it."

"It's not the right time yet. Later."

"Later as in never?"

"Later after we finish off Boris," Kai said emphatically.

"I take you at your word. We must go now anyway. Our match starts soon." Somehow this felt like a little victory, but as soon as Tala's eyes fell on Kai again, worry took hold of him. The dual-haired blader looked tired as hell.

Despite the bad shape each of them was in, they won their respective match. Tala won against Aaron, and Miguel, the leader of Barthez Battalion, stood no chance against Kai. The dual-haired teen secured his win within seconds. At the end Kai gave Miguel credit for not using any cheap tricks and going up against their coach Barthez, who was secretly one of Boris' henchmen.

While Bryan and Spencer stayed at the stadium to watch the other teams, Kai and Tala took a taxi back to the hotel. Although the redhead was full of questions, he stayed silent during the one-hour ride. The other teenager took the opportunity to get some much-needed sleep feeling relaxed enough next to Tala.

The last two days had been packed with action. One of his comrade's family had been taken hostage by a local gang to press him for money. Instead of getting the police involved and risking his wife's and his daughter's life, his comrade had called him and of course he went there right away to settle everything. Instead of flying to Egypt he flew back to Italy. Together with his longstanding comrade they found the hideout of the gang and rescued the hostages. After his comrade and his family were gone, Kai interrogated the gang leader and found out that the hole action was initiated to get money and the recognition of the local mafia branch. He finished his 'work' and flew directly to Cairo to keep his promise to be back in time for the next Beyblade match.

Kai awoke when the taxi stopped at the hotel. He and Tala continued their way to their room in silence. It wasn't an unpleasant, rather a silence of mutual understanding. It seemed like the little time apart had given them both some much needed space to think about their feelings for each other.

Tala flopped down on his bed. "Damn! I'm still hungover!"

"What happened," Kai asked while sitting down next to him.

"Bryan and Spencer had a little prep-talk with me yesterday evening. It contained the bottle of Spanish Vodka we bought in Madrid and it seems I'm anything but a good drinker."

"What did you talk about?" The dual-haired teen inquired further. Tala's action and behavior earlier in the locker room had surprised him. A pleasant surprise.

"Did you know that Spencer has a girlfriend? They have been together for almost a year and I didn't notice anything." When Kai said nothing, he continued. "And Bryan apparently slept with a client during his first week at the security company."

Kai chuckled lightly. He had been informed about this by the security company's alleged boss. In reality the company was his, but it wasn't the time to tell Tala yet.

Suddenly the redhead sat up and looked at the other with glassy eyes. Swallowing his nervousness he asked the one question he had been asking himself since yesterday evening. "How was your first time?"

A split-second Kai averted his gaze and thought about lying, but he was also curious about the other's reaction to the truth. With a distant voice he recalled what happened to his parents when he was five years old. He told Tala that the men who were hired to kill them, should have killed him as well, but instead of following the order they saw profit in him because of his odd eye color. "They wanted to sell me to some rich motherfucker, so the boss made sure that I knew how to behave." Kai looked at Tala to be sure that he was getting it. And the other understood immediately.

"He raped you."

"Every fucking day, for months."

"You were only five!" Tala was shocked. He imagined that Kai's past hadn't been comfortable either, but he hadn't anticipated anything like that.

"First it was all pain. He wanted to break me, but I was a stubborn little child. After some days or weeks, I don't remember, he discovered other qualities in me. From that time on it wasn't always pain. He was skilled, made me feel pleasure. A sick bastard, just like me now…"

"No, you aren't like him!" Tala felt nausea.

'No, I'm not. I'm worse. But you wouldn't believe me, Red, if I tell you now. Soon, you will experience it firsthand. Then, you'll understand.' Kai thought while taking Tala's hand. It felt warm. Instead, he said out loud: "Let's stop talking about the past. What's done cannot be undone."

"What a nice way to say it's none of your business," Tala squeezed out. "I won't press further, but if you..." He swallowed again, imagining a five-year-old Kai, scared and violated, "... if you need somebody to talk, you know you can trust me."

"This is already the third time you are telling me this today. Must be true then."

With their victory against Barthez Battalion the Blitzkrieg Boys secured their spot in the final. All the other teams still had the chance to be their opponent. The last stop before the finals that would be held in Japan, was Sydney, Australia. It was a long flight from Cairo and they had to change planes in Doha. All teams were happy when they finally arrived at the hotel in Sydney. The journey took them a hole day. Since the matches would start the day after tomorrow, the next day would be a day off.

Compared to the other hotel rooms, this one was more luxurious. The Blitzkrieg Boys shared a little suite with two bedrooms and a little seating area. In the center was a big flatscreen television. Bryan sat on one of the armchairs watching the latest sport news. Tala and Kai joined him when the news about the Beyblade tournament began. They would have to fight the Chinese team, Takao and Daichi would face Max and Rick, while the F-Dynasty siblings would go against Barthez Battalion. The presenter talked a little more about the upcoming matches and announced a special interview with Takao as reigning champion subsequently.

Before the interview could start the program switched to another news studio. A lady dressed in a white blouse and a light blue blazer had a special message about a gruesome murder in Naples, Italy. The broadcast showed Italian police officers securing the area around a wooden hunting lodge. According to the caption seven men were found dead in the lodge, all members of a local street gang. The view turned back to the lady in the studio. "As of now it is not certain if it was a gang related crime, but local police chief Bianchi said that they are not excluding involvement of the Italian mafia either."

"Damn. That sounds fierce," Bryan commented while standing up and leaving the room.

Kai wanted to replicate the action, but Tala grabbed his arm. Blue eyes fixated red orbs. "When we went to Egypt, you went back to Italy. I saw the stamp in your passport in Doha."

"So what?" The redhead let go of Kai's arm.

"Nothing."

The Australia stadium quivered. The matches were intense. Each team wanted to make it to the finals. In the end, F-Dynasty won against Barthez Battalion and surprisingly the banged-up BBA Revolution also won against the team of the PPB All Starz. Tala, who had overcome his problems in Cairo, easily defeated Lee, while Kai secured their fourth victory in the tournament by winning against Rei. Now it would be either F-Dynasty or BBA Revolution against the Russian team in Osaka.

It was decided that another match between the siblings Raul and Julia versus Daichi and Takao would take place before the final match. Whoever won would precede. Against all odds Takao and Daichi won in a tag team battle. Kai appreciated Takao's efforts and was happy that the former world champion would keep his title while being in excellent form. A look at Tala's face showed him that his captain wasn't too keen on losing against Daichi a second time.

"If you manage a draw, it's fine." Tala was surprised about the words coming from Kai's mouth. "You don't have to lose against that ape again."

"Thanks, I suppose."

Eventually everything went as the dual-haired teen had predicted it. Tala and Daichi separated with a draw, both beyblades being unable to fight another round since they took too much damage. Kai's own battle against Takao ended in a little unscheduled draw as well, but this time both Blader's and their beyblades were able to continue and they started a final round. Needless to say, the Dragoon Blader won the deciding battle. While everyone celebrated with the new old champion Tala and Kai left the stadium together. Both being satisfied by Takao's displayed strength.

A/N: I posted the story on AO3 as well. The next chapters will be full of violence. I'm just scared that it might get deleted here. I don't know. Story will end in about five to seven chapters if everything goes as planned.