Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, and I'm not making any money off writing this… I could use some money though ………
Ranma's Notes: Quick fic for the 'Alphabet Song' interactive fanwork thread on www. kaitaka. net... I kinda liked it so I decided to post it here too.
Ugly
Tyson finally reached the bridge where the BBA held practices a few minutes late. A large group of young kids were already crowded around a beydish. The world champ grinned at the nostalgic sight and shouted. "Hey guys! Are you ready to beyblade!?"
A couple kids turned around, but most of them were just glued to the match already taking place.
"Uuh…?" Tyson raised an eyebrow in confusion and then puffed out a breath in annoyance. "Hey you guys. What's up? I'm here!" He waved his arms around dramatically. When that failed to have the desired effect, the pony-tailed teen started walking over to see what was going on.
The loud metallic smash of two beyblades could be heard, and the crowd of kids cheered unanimously, nearly knocking Tyson over. "YEAH!!!"
The crowd parted at last and Tyson could finally see…
"DAICHI?" The champ blurted.
The redhead caught Gaia Dragoon as it returned from the dish. "Yeaheh! I won!" He grinned hugely and the kids cheered again. "But you did a good job too, you might just be number 1 like me one day!!" Daichi told the other kid he had just beaten.
"Awesome!!" The kid grabbed up his beyblade.
"Waitasecond, waitasecond, wait a second!" Tyson's eyes were bugged out and he pushed his way over to his former tag team partner. "Daichi…" The taller blader started, and then a second later had the shorter one in a headlock. "WHAT GIVES?"
"AGH!! TYSON!!" Daichi yowled and struggled until Tyson finally let go.
"Well, well, well!" Daichi pointed at the older teen. "Seems like you're too late Tyson! They're already busy practicing with a world champ, we don't need you here so buzz off!!"
"YEAH!!" All the other kids chimed in.
"W-what?" Tyson blinked at the mini-army.
Recently, the kids had really taken to Daichi, who was their own age, and, better yet, he actually wanted to beybattle them all the time! Unlike Tyson who only showed up occasionally now and then, and didn't even battle everyone because he'd always end up going off somewhere with Kai.
"Hey… come on, you don't really mean that. Haven't you guys been bugging me for months to practice with you?" Tyson made placating hands at everyone.
Daichi smiled smugly and crossed his arms. "You lost your chance Tyson! We don't need you here! You're just in the way!!"
Tyson scowled and turned red in the face. "Shut up, Daichi! You little monkey, I could beyblade circles around you!" He shook his fist threateningly.
Daichi snorted like a bull, both his fists clenched. "Oh yeah!? Well you're not allowed to 'cause you're just…" The redhead struggled for the best insult. "Butt ugly!"
Tyson reared back with wide eyes.
"Butt ugly!" Daichi shouted again, and the kids around him started chanting along with him.
"Butt ugly, butt ugly, butt ugly!"
Ugly…Ugly…Ugly… UGLY!
In his room, the insult just kept echoing in his mind. OK, so he hadn't been training with them that often… was that really a reason to gang up on him and then run him off?? 'That Daichi is a bad influence.' Tyson grumbled and rolled over on his bed, stuffing his head under the pillow.
'Butt Ugly, Butt Ugly!'
"Ggrrr!!" The world champ sat up and chucked his pillow randomly. He was totally unprepared for when it came hurtling back and hit him in the head.
"What!?" Tyson whirled around and saw Kai standing casually in his doorway. "Kai!"
"You weren't at the canal." The dual-haired teen's smooth voice said as he walked in and sat down on Tyson's bed. When his back was pressed against the headboard and his arms loosely crossed he gave Tyson a slight smile. "So I came here."
"Oh," Tyson stared at Kai for moment, taking special note of his smile. He managed to tear his gaze away and couldn't help but make a disgruntled face. "Daichi and his little followers chased me away."
An incredulous chuckle sounded behind him, followed by, "…Really?"
"Don't laugh at me!" Tyson huffed and flopped onto his stomach, staring up at Kai. Perfect, hot, gorgeous, Kai. Compared to Kai, anyone could look plain.
Daichi could've called him a crappy blader, but he didn't! Could it really be true?... Was he really…ugly?
"Kai…" Tyson started, "Can I ask you something?"
Something about Tyson's tone sounded serious enough to make Kai pause. He looked down, the meeting of their eyes making his mouth go dry. "Depends on what it is." Kai finally replied.
Tyson's hands went to grip at his bangs and his groaned. "Is it true? Am I really… butt ugly!?"
Kai's eyes widened slightly, not certain he'd heard right. "…..Excuse me?"
"Ugly!" Tyson clarified, pushing himself up and schooling his face stubbornly. "The kids kept yelling and yelling it over and over…I felt like I was gonna go CRAZY!" He exclaimed, pulling his legs underneath himself to sit cross-legged on the bed. "It's not really true though, is it?" He did not want to end up like Hilary, who got constant abuse about her AGE of all things, from the little red-haired terror.
Kai stared at Tyson out of the corner of his eye for a long moment. "…Don't be stupid." He said under his breath, his gaze falling to the floor.
Tyson rolled his eyes and rested his chin in his hand, glancing at the seemingly indifferent holder of Dranzer. "You're just saying that."
This time, Kai looked plainly at Tyson. "I'm not."
Tyson slapped his knee and sighed exaggeratedly. "Oh sure." The baseball-capped teen put on his 'Kai' voice, "Is that a 'don't be stupid Tyson, you ARE butt ugly', or a-"
"Tyson, just shut up." Kai interrupted, his eyes determinedly fixed on the ceiling. "You're attractive..."
The room suddenly became awkwardly silent as Tyson's eyes widened slowly in shock, and Kai kept his gaze averted.
Tyson felt a bit of heat come to his cheeks. "What'd you say?"
Kai was quiet for a long time before he finally answered. "Nothing."
"No way, nothing!" Tyson burst out. "I heard what you said! I just never expected to hear you say THAT." His eyebrows were both raised high as he looked over at Kai.
Kai still refused to look back at him but he shrugged a shoulder in noncommittal.
The two bladers sat in idle silence on Tyson's bed for a while before the ponytailed teen leaned back on his hands and gave Kai a sly grin. "So I'm attractive, huh?"
Kai finally turned to stare at him, his expression strangely calm and almost… playful? "I thought we were here to beybattle?" The scarf-clad blader asked and made a move to stand up, but before he could Tyson caught his wrist.
"We'll battle! I swear… juuust as soon as you explain this 'attraction' thing to me." The world champ grinned.
Kai stopped and met Tyson's unsuspecting gaze with his own, his heart beating faster at those warm brown depths. Kai closed his eyes and leaned forward, closing the space between them until his lips touched Tyson's, tenderly yet heatedly. The midnight blue-haired boy breathed in deeply with surprise as Kai gently broke the other's loose grip on his wrist and simply held Tyson's upper arm, while his other hand ran down that firm back and then up again to caress his face.
Kai pulled away slowly and Tyson made a noise at the loss of contact, his eyes sluggishly opening.
Kai gave a slight smirk. "Does that explain it?"
"Y-yeah…" Tyson managed.
"Good."
End.
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