Kai heard a gasping noise behind him.  He broke his kiss with Max to see who it was.  His eyes widened.  "Oh, shit," was all that he could say.

            Tyson didn't know what to do.  After standing there stupid for a while, he did the first thing that came to his mind.  He ran.  Kai chased after him, leaving Max behind.

            "Ty!  Ty!"  He grabbed Tyson's lithe wrist.  Tyson yanked his wrist out of his grip.

            "Leave me alone, Kai!"

            "Will you let me explain what's going on?!"

            "What is there to explain?!  You lied to me!  That date, that kiss, everything was a lie!  How could you do that to me!  I lost my best friend over you!  I sacrificed so much for you Kai!  So much!"

            Kai hung his head, and he attempted to touch Tyson's face, but was given an immediate slap to the face by Tyson.

            "Don't touch me," Tyson screamed, "Don't touch me!  You no longer have the privilege to touch me, Kai!  Go on, toy with your little bitches, but I don't want to be one of them!"  Tyson pushed Kai away from him, and ran off, salty tears blurring his vision.

            As he neared his house, he almost collided into Rei, who was taking a walk.  Before Rei could say anything, Tyson pushed him aside and ran into his own house, and slammed the door shut.

            Rei knew that something was wrong.  He was going to give Tyson a call that night. 

+++

            It was nine p.m.  Rei picked up the cordless phone in his room and dialed Tyson's number.

      "Hello," came Tyson's monotone reply.

      Rei hesitated at the other end of the line, "Hey Ty, it's me, Rei.  Look, I heard about your, erm…little incident earlier.  Max told me when he was looking for you."

      Tyson cringed at the sound of Max's name, "Mhmm.

There was a pause.

      Rei broke the ice, "Why didn't you tell me?"

      Tyson didn't sound like his normal self anymore.  He spat, "Remember what you said, Rei?  'Fine Kinomiya, be that way.  But if Kai cheats on you and leaves you, don't come running to me, because I warned you and you didn't listen.'  Do me a favor and stay true to your word, Rei."

      Rei was speechless, "Look, Ty.  I was jealous.  I didn't know what I was saying, and trust me, I never meant to say that to you.  You know that…"

      Tyson had tears running down his face and he said coldly, "Please don't call me anymore, Rei."  He then hung up.

      Rei put down the phone, put his face in his hands, and sighed heavily. "Why you, Tyson?  Why does everyone, including me, have to hurt you?!"

      Rei became even more worried when Tyson didn't show up for school on Monday.  Sure he was late at times, but he never skipped school.  Max seemed a bit down, and Kai looked guilty.  Rei looked at Kai with pure hatred.  "Good," he thought, "That bastard is finally getting what he deserves."

      That afternoon, Rei decided to bring the homework to Tyson.  He got all the assignments Tyson missed and walked to his house.

+++

            Tyson finally decided to eat something since the "incident" with Kai.  He made his way to the kitchen, and his rage was fueled by what he saw on the table.  Kai had left him yet another two dozen roses, ivory white in color this time.  Another note was attached to the roses.  It read:

"I'm truly sorry

I really am.

Can you forgive me?

I hope you can."

            Tyson's hands trembled as his eyes scanned the note,.  He tore the card into tiny fragments, and threw them in the air.  "You lied," he screeched, his anguish and rage melding into one, "You never gave a damn about me, Kai!  You lied!  I HATE YOU HIWATARI!!! YOU LIED TO ME!! YOU FUCKING LIED TO ME!"

            Blinded by his own depression and rage, he picked up the vase and threw it against the wall.  The vase shattered to pieces and the roses spilled on the floor.  Tyson picked up the jagged pieces of glass and hurled them at the wall, attempting to break the glass into smaller pieces.  His hands were being cut, but he felt no pain.  He only felt anger and hatred for Kai.  It was taking its toll.

            Luckily, Rei heard the crash when he found his spare key to Tyson's house.  He quickly rushed into the kitchen.  He found Tyson kneeling on the ground, picking off  the petals from the flower, and blood was dribbling from his wounds.  "Tyson?"

            Tyson looked up and saw Rei.  His eyes filled with tears.  "Rei," he croaked, his voice barely a whisper.

            Rei swept Tyson into his arms, enveloping the boy in a warm embrace.  Tyson broke down in Rei's arms, sobbing.   Tyson had never felt this small, this vulnerable in his entire life.  Not ever since his mom died, and he was but a baby when that took place.

            Rei stroked Tyson's hair and cooed soft and gentle words into his ear.  Blood stained his shirt, but he really didn't care.  All that mattered right now what that Tyson was his, and that no one else would love Tyson the way he did.

            Rei cleansed Tyson's wounds and bandaged them gently.  He laid down on the sofa with Tyson and whispered, "Sleep."

            Tyson snuggled into Rei's chest, and drifted off into the land of nod.

            Rei smiled.  They were going to start from the beginning.  If Tyson needed more time to cope, then he would be willing to give Tyson that time and help him through any problems.  They would start slow, but have a firm foundation.  They would then build their relationship from there.

            Somehow, Rei knew that this bond would last, and he hoped, it would last for all eternity.

            There are many differences between Love and Lust…