Disclaimer: I don't own these characters and I'm not making any money off of this.
Author's Notes: ……..okay, just so you know, most of this was written..oh god, almost 2 years ago… I just now finished it. I don't expect any reviews, this chapter is crappy to me, that's probably the main reason why it never got posted until now….. Post-season one fic…
His Heart's Desire
The dual-haired teen sat on the grass overlooking the river, alone. He sighed and closed his eyes. 'What… just happened there?' It was morning and the day before seemed like a bad dream. His sleep last night had been restless and now that he was awake again the events from Tyson's birthday party kept repeating themselves in his mind.
His mouth had moved and the wrong words came out. It wasn't like he had meant to say...
'You look cute, when you do that……' The team captain thought sullenly, opening his eyes and staring out at the water. What had caused him to say something so stupid! It didn't matter that it had been the truth… Why had he just said that anyway? He'd had no intention of ever voicing those types of opinions aloud, and all of a sudden he'd said it so casually. Somehow what he'd been feeling and what he was speaking had switched around… and he couldn't figure out why.
Kai grit his teeth and again cursed his slip. No doubt Tyson had already blabbed what he'd said to everyone else. It wasn't like it was a secret between them, and the other teen had probably taken it and made a joke out of it with the others. It was probably better that way in the long run of things, though. If Tyson were to think that he had meant it… that he actually felt some… unexplainable attraction to him at certain times… Well he didn't know what he would do.
Kai frowned to himself and clenched a fist into the grass. There was something going on, he was sure of it. The feeling of dizziness… The weirdness of the blank book… the mistake…And it was strange that nothing bad had actually happened on the day bad things always happened… Tyson's birthday…
One of them must have played a prank on him. Maybe laced the piece of cake he'd eaten with some kind of drug…
Kai's thoughts whirled as his mind worked to come up with a reason for his actions yesterday, anything that would make the embarrassment he'd felt go away!
"Hey there he is!" A voiced called out from the bridge. The team captain looked over and his mouth twisted into a thin line when he realized who it was. Tyson, Max, Ray and the Chief were all walking along the concrete structure, and it looked like they had been looking for him.
"Yeah you're right!" Ray's voice sounded in reply to Max's.
"HEY KAI!" Tyson yelled, waving his arms madly at the dual-haired teen.
Kai turned away quickly and stared out at the water once again, acting like he hadn't heard them. The loud sound of the pounding of feet as the group ran down the dirt path to where he was sitting couldn't be ignored though.
Tyson knelt down beside the team captain, a small smile on his face. "There you are." The midnight haired teen said warmly into Kai's ear. The dual-haired teen felt that familiar feeling of desire within himself surface once again.
"We were looking for you all over the place!" Tyson continued.
"And whose fault is that, Tyson! I told you we should check here first but you took us around the whole city!" Kenny ranted, wiping sweat from his forehead and looking frazzled.
"Well geeze Kenny, we found him didn't we?" Tyson yelled back and then rolled his eyes.
Kai frowned at the loud volume, and then his eyes widened in shock when he was pulled up from the ground by the arm. Tyson was holding his arm and started dragging him down the dirt path away from the others.
Kai's face turned an alarming shade of red before he managed to get himself under control. "Tyson, what do you think you're-"
"Come on Kai, don't you want to come over?" Tyson bugged him, looking at him from the corner of his eye.
Fed up, the team captain decided to tell Tyson 'no' flat out. "Yeah… I do-" Kai shut his mouth.
"You do?" Tyson stopped and stared at the other teen. Kai was caught in that deep blue gaze. The baseball-capped teen grinned widely and grabbed Kai's arm more securely, continuing to drag the older teen. "Guess what, my big bro sent me a piñata from his travels! Too bad I didn't get it yesterday, huh? Oh man you should see it. You'll love it!"
"Probably… not." Kai murmured in irritation. He was uncomfortable in this whole situation. Didn't Tyson remember what he had said yesterday? Why did the other teen seek him out instead of avoiding him, like he had done? Why couldn't he just hide his true meanings anymore? Not liking the completely unanswerable questions running through his head, the team captain tried to tug his arm out of Tyson's grasp.
The shorter teen wouldn't let it budge.
"Tyson." Kai said, with a hint of impatience.
"Fine I'll let you go, but you're coming over. You promised." Tyson told him and let go of Kai's arm, letting the team captain walk on his own.
"That's only because-" Kai started with a cool look, ready to say he'd had no choice. "…you looked at me, with those eyes." The team captain continued, out of control of his own words.
Tyson stopped and turned slowly to look at Kai, his mouth dropped open and his dark blue eyes wide. A blush took over the tanned teen's cheeks as he stared at his team captain. 'Did I hear that right? Is he…is he seriously flirting with me!…' Tyson thought wildly. He knew they always ending up having their 'friendly arguments', but he also knew that that's all they were to Kai, even though Tyson's teasing had a different nature that Kenny's mom had rightly guessed. But… 'Yeah right, mean old Kai? First it was that thing last night, and now… this? He hasn't caught on, has he?' Dismayed by the thought of Kai knowing his hidden feelings, Tyson decided to play dumb. It was easier to antagonize the older teen than try to show him he cared about him anyway. Whenever he had done that before, Kai would end up shutting him out and Tyson didn't like to admit it, but it hurt. The midnight-blue haired teen put on a confounded expression and looked at Kai. "Huh? What, Kai?… what'd you say?…"
Shear disbelief shone on the team captain's face as he realized what he'd just said. Kai swiftly wiped the expression from his face. "Tyson-" The dual-haired teen said curtly, trying to explain. "When you look at me like that…I can't say no…" The words all rolled out wrong, and Kai was left with a stunned expression and a blush creeping over his cheeks.
Tyson gaped at him, and Kai could not look away. 'He can't like me back…can he?" The midnight blue haired teen thought. The taller blader was thin-lipped and pale. Tyson let his hope fall. 'Of course he can't…its Kai.' "Let's go!" The pony-tailed blader abruptly shouted and pumped a fist into the air.
Kai watched him, and then reluctantly followed the other teen. He had promised after all… 'What is wrong with me?' The team captain thought hollowly, and even a bit frighteningly, at the things he had said. This just had to be a bad dream.
The three other Bladebreakers watched in surprise as Tyson effectively dragged Kai off.
"Hey is it just me, or is Tyson sort of acting differently?" Max questioned, scratching his head as he watched the midnight haired teen pull Kai by the arm.
"I don't know," Ray shook his head in disbelief beside the blond. "He's acting a lot like Mariah does sometimes back home."
Max shot the Chinese teen a sly look. "Oh yeah?"
Ray coughed, a blush on his face as he continued. "Ahem…what I'm saying is… if I didn't know any better, I'd say he was trying to be, cute or something."
"You're joking!" Max gasped.
"Now that you mention it Ray, as crazy as it sounds, I think Tyson does seem to be trying extra hard to do that." The Chief analyzed and then sighed, putting his face in his hand. "Aahh not that he's doing a good job of it… it's embarrassing to see." The bespectacled teen groaned.
"OooOooh, now I get it!" Max exclaimed, snapping his fingers. "I bet he's trying to keep Kai around – y'know how they always end up arguing. He probably wants to prevent it!"
"Are you sure?" The Chinese teen laughed. "They fight so much it's like they like it."
"You guys are lucky you were in different countries, you didn't have to put up with it all summer!" The Chief added in and adjusted his glasses.
The three teens shared a laugh at that and then started to head back to Tyson's home for the other games.
In the Granger's courtyard the Bladebreakers were gathered around a tall tree that grew there. Strung up on one of the large branches was a large donkey-shaped piñata stuffed with candies.
"Wow this is great Tyson!" Max cheered, staring at the colourful object.
"I wish I had had one on my birthday." Ray agreed.
"Aah remember Tyson! You only get three tries!" Kenny reminded the world champion from where he sat on the ground.
"Nooo problem Chief!" Tyson grinned. "I'm gonna break it open in one swing!"
"Now, this I've got to see…" Kai taunted from his spot against the tall stone wall surrounding the Granger's dojo, trying to regain his usual poise by giving Tyson a hard time. His arms were crossed as he watched, his expression indicating that he didn't think Tyson could do it.
Tyson perked up and looked over at the team captain who had a hint of a smirk on his face. Tyson puffed out a steamed breath and planted his fists on his hips, striking a pose. "Just watch me." He grinned and winked at the older teen causing Kai to redden slightly and avert his eyes.
"Awright!" Tyson cheered as he tied a blindfold around his eyes. Grabbing the bat on the grass beside him up, the midnight haired teen hefted it and stepped forward intending to start the game.
"Whoa whoa, waitasecond!" Max waved his hands and shook his head. "Tyson you're supposed to spin around in a circle three times before you swing at it!" The blond explained, wondering if Tyson was gonna try and cheat.
Kai looked back at the baseball capped boy, his interest once again captivated.
"Oh fine!" Tyson sighed exasperatedly and twirled around three times, planting his feet in exactly the same position. "Here I go!"
The Bladebreakers watched as Tyson took a step forward and swung. The bat hit the piñata with a loud whack, but no candy fell out as it swayed from side to side.
"C'mon Tyson, that was weak!" Max heckled his friend.
"Alright! It's not so easy!" Ray grinned. "If Tyson couldn't get it, I'll break it open for sure!"
"You still get two more tries Tyson!" Kenny tried to reassure the now fuming teen.
"Yeah yeah…" Tyson grumbled and pretended he had to scratch his forehead, instead subtly pushing the blindfold down enough for one blue eye to peek through and see what he was doing. 'This time for sure!' The world champ moved to swing again when Kai's smooth voice cut in.
"Tyson…I saw that." Kai stated pointedly, pushing himself away from the stone wall and striding over to the caught teen.
"Ah hah hah…hah…" Tyson laughed sheepishly, but it turned nervous and unsure as Kai kept closing the space between them.
When the team captain was face to face with the pony-tailed boy, a slight wave of dizziness overcame Kai for an instant, and unseen to any of them, back in Tyson's room the mysterious book glowed for a second time. Shaking the feeling away and looking back down at the half-blindfolded boy, he reached out.
Tyson held his breath as Kai's hand came up towards his face – 'What's he doing? In front of everyone else?' – and plucked the blindfold off.
Tyson breathed out, his awkwardness finally flowing away.
"What's going on Kai?" Ray asked, Max and Kenny looking on questioningly.
Kai avoided looking into Tyson's eyes. "This one here…" The dual-haired blader clamped a hand down on the shorter boy's shoulder. "… was peeking." Kai answered, his hand still resting on a subdued, slightly red Tyson.
"What?" The Chief exclaimed. "Tyson!"
"Whaaaatt, geeze…" Tyson complained, but he couldn't get any farther in his explanations as the blindfold that had been snatched off of him had settled over his eyes once again. The holder of Dragoon held still. "Kai?"
The taller blader said nothing, but Tyson could feel the deft movements of him as Kai retied the slip of cloth around his head. Fingers lingered for a moment in his hair, before he was being turned around in circles to get him thoroughly confused this time. "Woah!"
He felt a bit dizzy, but he wasn't entirely sure it was from the spinning. Tyson wobbled and rested his head on Kai's shoulder.
"Now that's how to do it!" Max shouted.
Kai looked down at Tyson and… He just looked so… He just was so… desirable… to him…
"Tyson…" Kai muttered, his breath stirring the shorter teen's blue bangs. And that was supposed to be it. He wasn't supposed to say anything else, but… "Why is it at certain times I just can't help falling for you?" He whispered.
The words tickled his ear, and Tyson nearly gasped. Not certain if he had heard that right at all, the blindfolded teen turned his face in Kai's direction in question.
"I-…Hurry up!" Kai muttered hastily and shoved the bat into Tyson's hands.
'He couldn't have just said that….' Tyson thought wildly. 'I was just hearing things… yeah…'
"C'mon Tyson! Go for it!" Max cheered and the baseball capped birthday boy gripped the bat in determination.
"OK! This time!" Tyson swung disorientedly and hit the piñata head on. Tyson pulled the blindfold off fast to see if he'd got it, but the piñata was still intact. "What is this thing made out of! Steel?"
"I guess your brother didn't want you to get fat on all the candies." Ray said scratching his head.
"Oh yeah?" Tyson puffed up at that looking offended. "Those candies are mine!" The teen slipped the blindfold back on and swung the bat at the piñata again but fell over when he hit nothing but air.
"Oooh…" Tyson groaned from on the grass. He tore the blindfold off and held it up in surrender. "Your turn, guys."
"Awesome!" Max grinned and grabbed the cloth from his teammate's hand.
A while later and the blond had knocked one of the legs off but only 2 candies had fallen to the ground from the limb. Ray hadn't managed to break open the savage beast either and he was currently frowning and scratching his head.
"Alright, my turn again!" Tyson declared grabbing the blindfold up from Ray.
"Wait shouldn't Kai get a turn?" The Chinese teen spoke up, not wanting Tyson to get all the candies for himself after Max and he had weakened the piñata's defenses.
Tyson paused and smiled challengingly at their team captain. "How about it?" He held out the bat and blindfold ceremonially.
Kai stared at the items for a minute before taking them. "Fine. If it'll just end this game already."
In no time, Kai had suited up and he was advancing on the hapless victim hanging in the tree. The bat slammed into the piñata and busted its head off making candies fly everywhere. One hit Kenny in the head. "Ahh OW!" The bespectacled teen screeched.
"YEAH!" Tyson whooped, jumping up and then diving to the ground to gather as much as he could.
"Hey save some for me!" Max bolted up and tried to get some candies as well, while Ray had already begun to gather lots into the fabric of his long Chinese robe.
Kai reached up and pulled the cloth away from his eyes and over his hair in order to see the scene in front of him. Satisfied, he dropped what he was holding and turned to head back inside the dojo.
"Hey Kai! Don't you want any?" Tyson asked quickly, standing right behind the taller teen. "I've got plenty of kisses for you!"
Kai whirled around at that and stared at Tyson who was smiling widely, sweets already in his mouth. "…what?" A faint tinge of colour had appeared on the taller blader's cheeks and nose.
"See?" The baseball-capped teen held out his hands, displaying the little chocolates. "Come on… I bet you could do with a kiss." Tyson grinned, his voice taking on that usual teasing tone he always saved just for Kai.
Kai gazed back at him, but his eyes weren't anywhere near the chocolates in Tyson's hands. He was looking into those big eyes, his mind latched onto the other meaning of Tyson's words. Unbeknownst to him, the dual-haired blader's eyes flashed a shiny blue for a second before they turned normal again. The words for what he really wanted were suddenly very easy to say.
"I think I could do with one…" Kai replied softly.
"Y-you could?" Tyson's question ended oddly high-pitched as he stared back. "Y'know…" He cleared his throat and tilted his head. "You've been acting kinda odd. Are you feeling ok?"
Kai felt dream-like almost. He looked down. "Right now…" He trailed off, and then looked back up into Tyson's face. Kai quieted and slowly he leaned closer until their bangs were mingling and his mouth was a breath away from Tyson's. "I feel perfect…"
Tyson's eyes widened and he shakily dropped the candies on the ground.
"T-man! You've got yourself a buncha homies here to see ya!" Grandpa Granger's voice startled everybody in the yard. Kenny, Ray and Max looked up from where they'd been collecting all of the candies and all eyes focused on Tyson and Kai's close proximity.
Nobody said anything for a moment, and Kai blinked unhurriedly, wordlessly straightening up and stalking off without a sound.
"W-wait! Kai!" Tyson snapped out of it and moved to follow.
A wooden sword was brought down in Tyson's path.
"Huh!"
Gramps crossed his arms. "Hold up there little dude. Greet your guests before ya chase down the rest! Fall out! Back to the house!"
"The Dark Bladerz!" Max shouted.
"That's our name, don't wear it out." Lupinex retorted.
"YOU'RE my guests?" Tyson blurted.
"Ah, Tyson. What a great party, full of drinks and sweets. How are you enjoying your birthday gift?" Sanguinex asked upon seeing the world champion.
"My birthday gift?" Tyson echoed suddenly distracted.
The Dark Bladerz all shared a look. "It did arrive, didn't it?" Zomb put forward.
"If you mean that book, then yes Tyson got it." Ray spoke up, seeing as how the rest of the Bladebreakers were still stunned at having the European monster team right here. "What exactly is it supposed to be anyway?"
That answer seemed to relieve the humanly-challenged group of bladers, and Sanguinex smiled. "Ahh the Book of Heart's Desires. It truly is the perfect gift. The book casts its spell on whoever touches it first, and makes them say what they want. It also transcribes the holder's deepest desires into its pages… and allows for easy reading!" Sanquinex explained.
"What?" Everyone yelled.
"Wait, so let me get this straight… you mean it curses you?" Ray questioned.
"Yeah, into saying stuff about your desires?" Max continued.
"Yeess." Cenotaph answered, nodding.
Ray and Max looked at Tyson who was strangely quiet, his wild bangs shadowing his eyes.
"So that's what it does?" The pony-tailed teen asked.
"But wait… you haven't been saying anything out of the ordinary." Max said.
"No, he hasn't." Ray replied. "But who touched it first?"
The Bladebreaker's eyes all became wide as they realized just who had been the one cursed.
"Kai…" Tyson breathed.
"Oh no! So you mean you did not touch it first? Hmm that is a problem for us…" Sanquinex snapped his fingers and from somewhere in the dojo, the book came floating into his waiting hands.
"Aahh this is more than a problem! And there's still something I don't understand! How is that the perfect gift?" Kenny shouted.
Sanquinex looked down at the frazzled teen. "We thought that this way we would know for certain what Tyson wanted…"
"For Christmas!" Zomb chimed in.
"And any other gift-giving holidays." Lupinex finished.
"Oooohhh…." Kenny groaned and put his face in his hands.
"Hmmm it seems a little empty…." Sanquinex said as he flipped through the book.
"So how do you stop saying your deepest desires aloud?" Tyson nearly jumped on the vampire, his face lit up with a serious eagerness. "It can't be fun to just blurt out what you're thinking! How does the curse lift anyway?"
"I thought it was obvious!" Cenotaph stepped in, his bandages swaying. "When your desires come true of course!"
"Why didn't you say it sooner!" Tyson grinned and grabbed the book out of Sanguinex's hands, belting out the door in a split second.
Kai walked along the dirt part by the river, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. Absently he kicked at a rock and sent plumes of dust skittering along with it. What had he been doing back there? Had he really been ready to reveal it all…? Tyson would have to be a complete idiot not to notice the messages he'd been sending all afternoon weren't just friendly arguments…. Things were suddenly wildly out of his control.
There was only one explanation for all of this. He was under some kind of hallucinogen… had to be.
"Kai! Hey Kai – stop!"
At the sound of that yelling, Kai felt dizzy and almost swooned on his feet for a second. It seemed like the world had flipped itself around and then set itself back upright. "Ugh..." The dual-haired blader stumbled slightly.
"Kai would you quit playing hard to get!" Tyson gasped out as he came to a halt behind Kai, from running after the older teen. Once he'd caught his breath, a lopsided smile appeared on his face.
The dual haired blader froze and abruptly turned around at that. He glared heatedly at Tyson. "I am not playing hard to get." The biting words coming out just like they used to. "I'm just trying to get away from you." He finished coolly as the shorter teen came closer.
"You- You're what?"
"You heard me." Kai's mouth stayed slightly open, he was almost surprised at his usual harsh reply. He watched as Tyson's expression became stunned and crushed. Everything he liked about the other boy was gone because of him now, but he was unable to do anything about it, his mouth was frozen. Somehow now that he'd got it back, he felt even less in control now than before.
"You are such a jerk!" Tyson yelled angrily, blinking his eyes rapidly to get rid of the blurriness there. "Sometimes you act like you've got no heart at all!"
Despite his foul mood, Kai flinched at that direct hit, his long bangs shadowing his eyes. Tyson immediately felt his anger dissipate and he walked closer. "Kai I- I didn't mean that…Of course you've got a heart, and you care about us right? I know you do." Tyson smiled up at the taller blader and held Kai's shoulders. "My birthday was great cause you came, and when yours comes around again I'll make sure you get what you really want too."
"No…" Kai cut in, suddenly staring right at Tyson, everything out of his own volition. Maybe he didn't have to follow his old intentions anymore. "You're right…I don't have a heart."
Tyson opened his mouth to disagree, but the dual-haired blader interrupted again, a slight smile on his lips. "It belongs to you." The whispered admission was incredibly hard to say.
Tyson stared at Kai with wide eyes before he smiled slyly and wound his arms fully around the taller blader's neck. "Are you saying what I think you're saying? Cause I know how you love to confuse me…"
Kai bit his lip, and the smile changed into a smirk. "And here I thought you loved confusing me."
"So much for being subtle." Tyson grinned, his long blue bangs in his eyes as he looked up at his team captain. "So… how about that kiss, huh?"
Kai's breath hitched and he leaned in just like before, his own hands encircling Tyson's waist. Something bad always happening on Tyson's birthday? Nah, of course not… "Tyson… I think you read my mind."
Tyson felt the weight of the mystical book in his jacket pocket and he grinned, his face pink with a blush. "Not really." He laughed and tugged Kai closer. "It was on my mind too."
Their lips met and Kai squeezed Tyson tighter in his arms. Neither of them noticed as the book fell open on the ground to the only page that had anything written on it. His heart's desire.
Tyson.
The world champ's hat fell off soon after right on top of the book. Hey! After all… nobody else had to know.
The End.
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