Chapter 2

To most people, closed doors were obstacles. In fact, Wyatt was incentivised to give up when he watched Kai pass through one, but he was not like other people, which despite sounding like a superpower was not really a good thing.

Exclusive spaces were his speciality. Locked doors and such. There was plenty of information to gain. And from a safe vantage point too. Intel.

He approached the wooden frame, getting close enough to put his ear against it, he listened, so far, nothing, he inched closer when the door with all its weight smacked him in the face, making him tumble roll on his side.

Rattled, his first instinct was to rub his sore cheek but within an instant his senses caught up. There was Kai, towering over him, looking not mad, despite trying to, but frankly a little amused.

Wyatt took that as an invite. Reading the mood, Kai stepped aside, allowing free passage. A breathy sigh told him he was cautioning himself to reconsider, so he jolted up and crawled inside, nearly falling on his fours again when he stumbled across the carpet.

There was a carpet. And a couch. Did Kai stay here? When, and for how long?

It looked deliberately cozy, as though someone had taken the time to arrange the furniture and decorate with pictures.

He was immediately drawn to the one hanging on the wall. Framed, even with a glass.

"That's your team." He spat out excitedly, not allowing Kai to respond as he already caught glimpse of something even more alluring. He threw himself at it, kneeing in front of the vitrine, that amongst Kai's blade proudly displayed Draciel, an earlier iteration, not the one Max was currently flashing, but also Drigger and Dragoon.

Wyatt swooned, letting out an audible. "Dranzer."

They got it wrong. Everyone. Kai had not given up on blading or lost his passion. He had built a literal shrine to it. Hidden away, where no one but him could find it. And he wasn't just worshipping his own success, there were the other beyblades. Had he asked for them, stolen them?

Questions were hanging on Wyatt's lips, but he could not decide which one was the most urgent.

Then Kai spoke. Entirely unprompted. As though obliged to explain himself.

His voice was soft, making Wyatt freeze in place, afraid that a squeak of the floorboard or rattling of his clothes could cause him to miss a word. Kai had that quality about him, he could silence an entire room.

His insecure monologue left Wyatt stunned. The way he viewed it, Kai had always acted with intent, he was not prepared for such a de-mystifying snippet into his mind. Was Kai being real? Or using Wyatt's expectations to drive him away, knowing that his allure lied in his self-assured mystery. That confidence that made you think he was always one step ahead of you.

Wyatt had no idea what to make of it. He just knew he did not want the momentum to stop. The high from the knowledge combined with the ecstasy of the realisation that that Kai, the Kai, was entrusting it to him of all people, was beginning to overwhelm him. Starting with a tingling in his stomach, and once he noticed that he also noticed the room was spinning, he was losing his balance, but no, something had him, someone. It was Kai.

Looking straight at him, assuredly, vigilantly, gripping his blouse with his clenched fist, Wyatt had a moment to ponder if he had angered him when he felt himself being shoved into nothingness, and suddenly up became down and then up again and then there was pain but not as much as he expected. For a fall. From quite a significant height. Had Kai thrown him?

Wyatt made a mental note to apologise.

The chance was coming up as Kai came flying through the air, landing with perfect balance in the pile of cardboard they were both in. Seemingly determined to finish him off, Wyatt was still asking himself what he had said when Kai was already gripping his collar, yanking up his head and, getting in real close.

"You okay, kid?"

There it was. A simple overreaction! Kai was probably just feeling a bit of guilt and regret for blowing off at him like that. But Wyatt would forgive him.

He smiled his sweetest smile. Yes, he would understand.

Suddenly, an animalistic groan could be heard from above. Like that of a prideful lion, realising it had just been played a trick on.

Piece by piece, Wyatt assembled the chain of events. That guy, the brawly one Wyatt had intended to warn him about, had followed them.

Oh no! Instead of helping Kai, he had mucked it all up! No wonder he was mad. Wait. No. This wasn't anger. This was something else. Something Wyatt had only ever seen on TV: Determination. In void of any other explanations the implausible dawned on him. He had saved him.

Wyatt's gaze tracked to Kai's cupped hands in which he was gently stroking his Dranzer with his thumb. There was a sweetness in face, just the slightest twinkle in his eye, the slightest hint of a smile. The concept seemed unfitting, but it suited him remarkably well.

Dauntingly, it dawned on them both that he had assured Wyatt's safety ahead of getting Dranzer!

Was this concern or payback? Some days ago, Wyatt had warned him about a falling tree, he had not acknowledged him for it, but he could bet Kai was not the type who liked owing people. But was that all there was? So far, everything played out exactly how Wyatt had anticipated it. His idol would indulge his infatuation for a little, physically if he got lucky, but at no point did he expect him to develop anything genuine. There was too big of a skill gap. But as the proud winner of his district's Spelling Bee, Wyatt was nothing if not an overachiever. He intended to find out precisely how far he could go, and intent on making Kai lead him there.