Hey all! I've been working on this one for a while now, and I'm still changing bits of it, but here's the first chapter:
"Kai?" Rei called as the front door opened. "Kai, is that you?" There was a grunt, and the sound of someone tramping up the stairs. Rei sighed. There was something wrong with Kai, he could tell. Only Kai seemed to be avoiding him...
He got up and made his way up the stairs. He paused in front of the door of Kai's room and listened. No sound. And then...a hiss...of pain? He knocked gently. "Kai?" A gasp.
"What do you want?"
"Are you okay? You didn't say anything when you came in... Are you okay?" He went to open the door and found it locked. Kai never locked his door... "Kai?"
"Go away!" Rei frowned. Something was definitely wrong...
"Kai? Are you okay in there?"
"I'm fine! Piss off!"
It was all wrong...all totally wrong...Kai didn't swear...Kai didn't lock his door...but what kind of proof was that? "Do you want anything to eat or drink or...something?"
"NO!"
Rei sighed. "I'm downstairs if you want to talk. Tyson and Max are out tonight, and Kenny's gone to see his cousins. I wouldn't mind the company...if you don't mind..."
"I'm busy."
"Oh...okay..."
Rei went back downstairs and flumped down on the sofa. Kai's behaviour was really getting to him. He knew something was wrong, he could sense it, he could smell it, his every sense was screaming 'WRONG'! But what -was- wrong? Rei tried to watch the TV for a while longer but his doubts were nagging at his mind so much he couldn't concentrate. He threw down the remote and got up, sneaking back upstairs. He looked through the keyhole of Kai's bedroom door, but all he could see was a patch of blue wall. He leaned his head against the door, puzzling over what could be the matter.
Kai evidently wasn't going to tell him of his own accord...so somehow he had to get into Kai's room to force him to talk...
Rei bit his lip, then stuck the much-bent paperclip into the lock. He twisted and jiggled it for a few seconds, then there was a small click. Rei took a deep breath and opened the door, walking into the room. Kai was laid out on the bed, asleep. He looked pale, and he was thinner than before. Rei looked him over carefully, but apart from a small bruise on one arm, he seemed to be fine. Rei crept past him and looked around. His eyes fixed on the desk.
"Oh, shit..." A needle...a -used- needle... Rei looked from the needle to Kai, to the needle again, and back to Kai. Suddenly, in that short space of time, Kai's eyes went from closed to open. "Kai..."
"What the fuck do you think you're doing in here?" Kai's voice was low and harsh.
"Kai...what-?" Rei gasped, eyes on the needle once again.
"Get out."
"Kai, please..."
"GET OUT!" Kai hollered, getting to his feet. Rei felt suddenly scared. Was Kai...an addict?
"Kai...please tell me you didn't use that..." He whispered, pointing at the needle. Kai glared and snatched it up, hurling it into the bin.
"Get out of my room! I never said you could come in here!" He snapped, advancing. Rei backed away slightly.
"Oh no...Kai..." A fist suddenly smashed into his cheek, sending him to the floor with a cry. He brought up a hand to touch his face as Kai stood over him, panting slightly, red in the face. "Kai...oh God...Kai...you-you can't be..."
"Can't be what?" Kai towered, raging.
"Kai...are you...using drugs?" Kai twitched, glared, then turned, storming away. "Kai!" The stairs thudded with angry footsteps. "Kai, where are you going? It's eleven..." The door slammed and Rei trailed off. After the initial shock had worn off, he jumped up and ran to the front door, wrenching it open and looking around the front street. Kai was gone. Rei went back inside, worry gnawing at him. "Oh Jesus, Kai...what have you done to yourself?"
He put a hand up to his cheek and pressed gently. He'd probably end up with a bruise...
Rei woke with a start as the door clicked open. "Kai?" No reply. Rei got up, feeling a sharp sense of deja-vu, and walked out into the hall in time to see Kai walking up the stairs. "Kai." Kai kept walking. "Hey, Kai!" Kai paused, then turned, and Rei gasped. The Russian looked like he'd been awake all night, with dark shadows under his eyes. He was shaking, and he looked exhausted.
"Kai..." Rei ran up the stairs and took hold of Kai's shoulders. "Kai, what have you done to yourself?" Kai stiffened.
"Get off me."
"Kai...what is it? What are you using? Tell me!"
"GET OFF ME!"
"Kai-"
Kai's hands rose, slamming into Rei's chest. The neko-jin cried out as he fell backwards, down the stairs, to land with a muffled thud and a harsh cracking sound. His left arm felt as if it were on fire...he'd probably broken it...and his head...he felt so dizzy...
As he wavered between consciousness and unconsciousness, he heard someone walk down to him, over him, then away from him. As the blackness in his mind took him over completely he heard the sound of a door slamming.
"Rei?" At the sound of Tyson's voice, Rei opened his eyes. Pain instantly flooded his senses and he groaned. Someone turned him over and he yelled, clutching his arm. "Rei, what happened?" Rei groaned again, and Max joined Tyson in his field of vision.
"Tyson, stop shouting, you can see he's fallen down the stairs. Rei, are you okay?" Tyson lowered his voice.
"Rei? Are you...alright? You didn't hit your head when you fell or anything?"
Fell? No...because...Kai... "He pushed me..."
"Who pushed you?" Tyson's voice got louder again. "Did someone break in?" Max hushed him, looking worried.
"It was Kai..."
"Kai?" Max asked, confused.
"Rei, come and sit down and we'll call someone." He turned to Max. "He must have a concussion or something..." Rei shook his head. They didn't understand...they didn't know... He turned suddenly and ran up the stairs. Max and Tyson followed him as he ran into Kai's room and kicked over the bin. Assorted bits of paper fell out, the needle shining amongst them. When Tyson and Max came in, he pointed at it.
"He's...I think...he's taking drugs...he-he wouldn't say...h-he hit me...and then..." He took hold of his injured arm. "He...pushed me...and then he left me there..." As he said it, Rei felt the reality of what had happened hit him for the first time. "He...oh my God..." His knees suddenly gave way and he fell to the floor. Tyson crouched behind him as he started to cry.
"Rei...are you sure that's what happened?" Rei nodded, wiping his eyes with his good hand. the image of Kai hitting him came into his mind and he sobbed harder. Tyson laid an arm around his shoulders. "Max...go and call Mr. Dickenson." Max disappeared, and Tyson pulled Rei into a tight hug.
"Oh God, Tyson...I don't even know where he went...w-what if he's in trouble?"
A couple of minutes later Max ran back in. "It's...it's Kai!" Tyson stood up, looking murderous as Kai came into the room. He glared at them all in turn.
"What are you doing in my room?" He growled. Tyson clenched his fists.
"Kai, what the hell did you think you were doing?" He yelled. Kai stared at him.
"He wouldn't get off me...I had to go out."
"What, for your next fix?" Tyson replied, acidly. Kai flinched and backed away.
"I didn't mean to...but...I...I needed..."
"Needed what? What is it, Kai? Cocaine, heroin?" Kai's eyes fixed on Rei.
"You just couldn't keep your mouth shut, could you?" He snapped. Tyson almost exploded.
"What are you blaming him for? You're the psycho druggie!" Kai looked at him for a second then turned and walked away. "KAI! Get back here!" Kai kept walking, down the stairs and to the front door. He laid a hand on the handle and turned it, opening the door. Before he could set foot outside, Rei ran, getting halfway down the stairs before leaping down into the hall. "Don't go! I'm sorry, Kai! Don't go!" Kai walked out onto the front step but Rei grabbed his arm, stopping him from going any further. "Kai...are you really-?"
"What, a druggie?" Kai's voice sounded rough and ragged. "What do you think?"
"What sort of an answer is that?" Yelled Tyson from the top of the stairs. Rei ignored him.
"Please Kai. Answer me."
"What, would it make you feel better if I said 'yes'?" Kai turned, snarling, and Rei tightened his grip.
"Kai...please..."
"Get off me!" Kai growled. Rei said nothing, only yanked Kai's arm up, looking at the bruise he'd seen before.
"That's from the needles, isn't it? Kai, you need help! What is it, Kai? Is it heroin? Cocaine?"
"Get -off- me."
"No!" Tyson and Max could see that the situation was reaching boiling point and started coming down the stairs, just as a limo pulled up and Mr. Dickenson got out. Kai tensed, then yanked his arm away and ran, hurtling past Mr. Dickenson and his driver. "KAI! COME BACK!" Rei called after him, uselessly.
As Kai disappeared around the corner Rei started to cry again. Mr. Dickenson came up to him, looking concerned. "Rei? What's going on? Max said something awful had happened..." He looked at Rei carefully and his eyes caught the awkward way Rei was holding his arm and the red, swollen skin around it. "Rei, what's wrong with your arm?"
"It's nothing, I'm fine!" Go and find Kai!" Begged Rei. Mr. Dickenson looked puzzled.
"What's happened?" He turned to Max and Tyson as they came out of the house. "Boys, what's going on?" Tyson took a deep breath.
"Kai's...been using drugs."
"Drugs?" Mr. Dickenson looked shocked beyond belief.
"He's gone mad, Mr. D!" Max put in. "He pushed Rei down the stairs!"
"What? Rei, is that true?"
Rei nodded, sniffing. "You have to go and find him! What if he's in trouble?"
"What about your arm?" Retorted Tyson. "It's broken, you can see it is! It hurts, doesn't it?"
Rei stamped his foot in frustration. "It doesn't -matter-! We have to find Kai! What if he overdoses or something? A broken arm isn't going to kill me, is it? We have to- AGH!" Rei screamed as Tyson grabbed his arm and yanked. Rei snatched it back, whimpering in pain. "What the hell did you do that for?"
"Rei, you need to get that seen to! Stop worrying about Kai for a second and worry about yourself!"
"It's YOUR fault he ran off!" Rei hollered, ignoring what Tyson was saying. "If you hadn't started shouting at him he wouldn't have got angry and he would've stayed!"
"Rei, why are you defending him?" Asked Max. "He pushed you down the -stairs-!"
"It's not his fault! You can't control addictions!"
"So you don't blame him?" Asked Tyson, incredulous.
"No, I don't! And do you want to know why? It's because I love him!" Rei screamed. "You have to go and find him!"
"You're as insane as him!" Shouted Tyson.
BOYS! Stop it!" Mr. Dickenson cried. "Rei, I'll get a taxi to take you to the hospital and I'll go now and see if I can find Kai." He got out his mobile and called a taxi while Tyson and Max tried to comfort Rei. They didn't seem realise that he didn't want to be comforted or fussed over- he just wanted to know that Kai was safe.
...I was mean, wasn't I? Oh well. I made Kai into a total asshole, I know, but the site I looked at said that sometimes people with addictions get really violent and irrational. You know, I really hope my parents don't go looking at my history...a pregnancy website, a rehab website...they'd probably flip!
Review please! I appreciate every single one! Well, except flames, but that's a different story- reviews make me smile, flames just make me laugh!
Next Chapter: Kai is found, Tala is angry, and Bryan is dressed in leather! Truly, that part isn't really as kinky as it sounds!