September

By Timberwolf220

A/N: A complete change from my first writing style. I have come far people! And I wanted to revive the TyKa movement (prods fellow TyKa writers). I'm not quite sure as to leave it solo or whether to follow the Nanashi formula and write multi-chaptered one-shots (now, that's an oxymoron). Let's see, shall we?

-XX-

Could I be regretting it? Just a little?

--Vash the Stampede

-XX-

It was the worst month of the year, trailing quite so neatly in between to remind you that the holidays were approaching, but simply not soon enough. Depending on which part of the globe you are in, you will encounter either rain or snow. If not either, then you will experience chilly weather at the most. It was a time he rarely had any appreciation for anyone and he showed it.

So when he sat on the empty bench, in the empty park, he couldn't help but grumble under his breath. There was literally no one in the park, the trees swaying slightly to the direction of the wind and the leaves were bundling themselves at the base. There was no sounds of neighbour dogs or perhaps women rolling their pink and lace carriages with gurgling babies inside. It was the absolute calm and beauty of this scene that made him almost enjoy the season.

"Kai!"

Unfortunately, his moments of calm and peace never quite last for very long. But he knew it, he had wrapped his hands around the neck of the person who called. Who was a blue-haired blue-eyed hyperactive person with a blonde's personality. The person blinked and smiled, "Well, that's not very nice."

Kai grunted and loosed his hold, allowing Tyson to breath. Tyson sat next to him (much to his discontent) and looked up, "Wow, it's really cloudy today."

Kai looked at him in disbelief, "It's always cloudy in September," Silently, he chalked it up on one of the reason to hate this month.

"True," Tyson agreed, ignoring Kai's barb in the sentence, "But never like this."

Kai looked up and nodded slightly. The grey clouds swirled among each other. It was if someone in Heaven was stirring a cup of broth in the sky. It was haunting in its beauty. Kai looked away, unable to bear looking at it anymore.

"You seem quiet," At Kai's slight glare, he shrugged and said, "More than you are usually," His eyes were of a nonchalant colour, roving at every movement in the trees. If Kai stared long enough, he could see the trees shivering in Tyson's eyes.

"I hate September," Kai said suddenly, noticing Tyson's eyes were focused on him. It was a thrill he wasn't used to. He wasn't used to being held in regard, to be regarded. He looked back at him stubbornly as if daring Tyson to attack that statement or spout some bullshit about how it wasn't like that and that September was a beautiful time of the year.

Like he said, bullshit.

"I see," Kai blinked in shock at Tyson's quiet regard, "I understand I guess. It's such a cold month after all and you know the snow will come soon after. It makes things around you depressing."

Kai gaped at him. Simply gaped with his jaw hanging slightly open, enough for flies to zip through. Kai couldn't seem to formulate a proper response to that and turned away, wondering what happened to Tyson that changed him.

But then again, would he be here sitting and talking civilly to Tyson before?

No.

"But I don't think that's the only reason you hate September now, is it Kai?" Now Tyson's eyes were boring into him with a fire that nearly rivaled Dranzer's flames. Kai flinched away from those eyes, preferring to look up at the hauntingly sad beauty of the clouds. Anything would be more preferable to the truth that lay in those similarly stormy eyes.

"Do you want me to answer?" Kai said haltingly, "Because I can't."

Not yet. Not when the pain is so close, so tangible that I can grab it and cry myself to sleep, holding onto it. And not in September, that dreaded month with its darkened skies and harsh winds.

Not yet, Tyson, not yet.

"I don't want you to answer," Tyson said smiling briefly, "But I really don't think you should blame September for something completely out of its control," He stared at the skies and Kai could see the clouds move in his eyes.

So, Tyson did have puerile to drive down his throat after all. Some things never change.

"It was….if it wasn't September," If it wasn't September, if it wasn't raining, if we weren't in the car, if we weren't on a bumpy road, if the visibility hadn't been so bad, if I had yelled out the warning sooner, if we hadn't swerved, if he hadn't blocked the shards of glass meant for him, if his mother hadn't covered his body with her own, if he had helped them, if he hadn't given up…

If he hadn't given up…

"…they would have been alive now," Kai said softly, bending his head, "They would be here, congratulating me on my latest victory, scolding me for drinking too much, things that normal parents do, you know?" Did he know? Tyson did spend his entire life with his grandfather. Did Tyson know how a normal family functioned, even though his father was never at home and his brother had other agendas than family on his mind?

Did Tyson…Was Tyson ever truly happy with what he has?

Yes.

Tyson asked for nothing, so he was content with nothing. His expectations were….different from Kai's at any rate.

"Yes, but don't forget," And Tyson's eyes twinkled slightly, "September heralds many good things as well. The years are always full of expectations, good and bad alike. It's up to us to accept them," now his eyes were serious and that cheerful twinkle had dimmed, "Whether we like it or not."

Kai said nothing, clenching his fists slightly. As he had expected, Tyson hadn't understood what he meant. This…he didn't understand at all.

"My mother died in September," Tyson said suddenly, "Did you know that Kai?"

What?

Kai choked. His eyes spun quickly onto Tyson who was still leaning back and admiring the sky. And he could see it, the slight glimmer of tears near the eyelashes like little droplets of dew after an early June shower. Tyson was crying and he was smiling.

"I'm sorry," That was the only thing he could say. The only thing he could force out of his immobile mouth. The only thing that could justify everything that happened today. He moped around, mourning his parent's demise and here Tyson could smile and say, "My mother's dead."

Kai wondered how he had the strength to say that.

"I don't think about it," Tyson said, perceiving Kai's unsaid question, "Let bygones be bygones," He said smiling, "Besides I'm pretty sure kaa-chan would be angry at me if I went around moping."

Kai didn't say anything.

Tyson stood up, "I'll go now. But don't hesitate to come by."

Kai didn't even look up, even when the footsteps had died quietly and he looked up at the sky and murmured, "So…are you angry at me?"

The skies merely shifted at his question.

It was a simple September evening after all.

-XX-

A/N: Like I said, a complete change from my original style. Can't say if it is an improvement or not. Reviews will be sent to Takao Aoki in order to make Tyka official! XD XD XD XD

-And for a moment time stood still-

-Or so he hoped-

-But time stands still for no one-

--Author's observation