Hello again! This began first as a tribute to my pencilcase... then kind of grew... to twelve pages... Anyway- I'm still not quite sure what the hell was going through my mind when I wrote this so just bear with me.
Oh! I wrote this on my new baby. Brick. /holds up Brick in manner of Lion King/ Everyone. This is Brick. He is a first generation laptop- the kind that needs to be plugged into a wall because the battery lasts all of two seconds. He looks like a brick, is as heavy as a tonne of bricks and is probably as useful as a brick in real terms. Yet, he is my baby.
Ok, that's enough ranting about Brick! I know I should be writing the last chapter of Innocence but I'm suffering serious Writers Block whenever I try to write it. AKA I write something then screw it up and throw it away becuaes it's not good enough. Not fun. I promise I will get around to writing it but until then you'll have to deal with random oneshots like below... which reminds me... I should stop rambling and let you read the story
Disclaimer: What the hell would make you think I own Beyblades? If I did I'd have a lot of angry ReiMariah fans trying to eat me because I'd have Kai and Rei making out every second scene.
Warnings:Yaoi. Pairings- KaiRei (A/N SQUEE!) and KaiLee. Can't think of anything else to warn you about. Possibly to avoid my insanity- I've heard it's contagious.
Rei hummed happily to himself as he flipped open the lid of the washing machine. He blinked when he saw the contents of the machine. Then blinked again.
It's CLEAN he thought wonderingly, twisting the cloth between his fingers, checking it for any hidden smudges. There were none. Rei felt a large smile spread across his features. His hair wrap was clean.
No longer would he have to endure fangirls screaming about his new 'gothic' look because o his darker coloured clothes and seemingly black hair wrap. Now, it was white.
Rei had never understood where his sudden 'gothic' image had come from. Just because he had swapped his traditional Chinese outfit in favour of a selection of clothes from the darker side of the spectrum and that his wrap had seen better, cleaner days didn't mean much, did it? That, and after losing a bet to Kai, finding out that he didn't mind wearing eye makup… Anyway, Rei didn't feel that he deserved the slightly gothic label he had been given- mostly because it meant that the particular breed of fangirl that stalked him became a hell of a lot scarier.
He mentally shrugged. Nothing to worry about now that he had his nice, shiny, clean hair wrap. Instead of binding his hair immediately, Rei walked out of the laundry, still admiring the sheer white-ness of the material in his hands.
It was because of the captivating glare of the material that Rei completely missed Kai as he came walking toward the laundry. They collided and fell, Rei falling on top of the Russian, straddling his waist and pinning Kai to the floor with the wrap between Rei's hands and taut over Kai's neck.
"Rei! I didn't know you were into bondage." Kai told him, smirking.
Rei grinned and pulled the cloth tighter, making it harder for Kai to breathe. "There are many things you don't know about me, Kai."
"Oh really?" Kai asked, letting his eyes roam over Rei's body unashamedly.
"And many things that you will never know about me" Rei told him sternly, letting go of one end of his wrap to whap Kai over the head. He stood up and, ignoring the disappointed look in Kai's eyes, held out a hand to help the Russian up.
Kai took the offered hand and stood up with Rei's help. "You can't blame me for trying, can you?" He asked ruefully.
Rei rolled his eyes. "Do you always think with your pants?"
"What else would you be thinking of when someone that gorgeous falls on top of you?"
"How sore my arse is?" Rei countered.
"My arse is sore but not because of falling down." Kai told him, smirking.
"I did not need to know that."
"No you didn't. But I felt like sharing."
"Kai, you never feel like sharing. Stop now." Rei sighed and tied his hair into a high, messy ponytail, using his wrap as a large ribbon and tying it into a bow. "What are you doing here anyway?" He asked.
"Wouldn't you like to know." Kai told him, raising an eyebrow.
"No. No I wouldn't."
"My laundry. Gutter-mind." Kai rolled his eyes and bent to scoop up the pile of clothes he had dropped when Rei had run into him. He turned around and walked into the laundry, leaving Rei to stand at the doorway staring at him.
The neko-jin blinked and sighed before making his way to his bedroom and flopping down on the bed. Kai was really beginning to worry him. After Tala had settled down with Bryan Kai had stepped into his place and taken on the mantle of the slut of the Beyblades world.
So far, Rei thought that Kai had slept with every gay guy in the top ranks of their chosen sport… and a few who were only experimenting. So, basically, Kai had slept with almost everyone. Everyone, except Rei, that is.
That's not to say that Rei didn't find Kai attractive. Quite the opposite, really. Often, Rei found himself absently staring at the Russian when they were in the same room. That, and dreaming about him… And fantasizing… Rei would always listen to what Kai had to say above all others and then place more importance on Kai's words then anyone else's. No, it wasn't that Rei didn't find Kai attractive.
It was more that Rei had lost count of the number of times Kai had hit on him. If Rei had agreed with Kai and gone along with him then he knew that he would only be used for a few weeks until he was discarded for someone new. Unpleasant thought and definitely not giving Kai the benefit for the doubt but still Rei knew that it was what would happen.
So, instead he spent his time fending off any and all advances from Kai. It was better for him to not have a relationship with him than to have a relationship that didn't mean anything.
Rei heard the phone ring and concentrated on blocking out the irritating noise completely. It was for Kai. It was always for Kai.
"Hello? Lee? Hello!" Kai leaned on a handy bench and smirked, toying with the phone cord.
Lee? Rei thought irritably Lee's his screw of the week? He sighed. Kai still hadn't brought Lee back to their home. That had to be a good sign. That either meant that Kai wasn't game enough to bring Rei's best friend into the house and introducing him as his new bonk-buddy. OR it meant that Lee had a much more inviting home then theirs.
Considering that the apartment Kai and he shared was more inviting than a really expensive invitation Rei doubted that it was the latter.
Good to see he has some shame Rei thought as he continued to stare at the ceiling. He couldn't explain why but knowing that Kai was screwing Lee with the full intention of dumping him when he got bored bothered him. Not for Lee's sake. No, Rei felt sad for Lee but ultimately it was his choice. He knew what Kai had become like of late. Lee had stepped into this with his eyes wide open.
Kai's voice drifted through the walls and into Rei's room.
"Yes. Yes that does sound good. My place? Yeah, I see what you mean- it is closer." Kai paused, evidently listening to what Lee was saying. "No! It's fine, really. Look, If you come here say… an hour earlier? I'll convince Rei to cook us dinner." He paused again. "Rei? No… I haven't told him about us yet. He'll be fine with it." Another pause. "Yes, I'm sure. Everything will be perfect, ok?" Pause. "Ok, I'll see you tonight." Pause and in a slightly softer voice. "I love you, too."
Rei groaned and threw his arm over his eyes. So much for that theory
Kai sighed as he put the phone down. What had he just gotten himself into? Now, not only did he have to tell Rei that he was going out with his best friend but he also had to con him into making dinner.
"Reeeei" He called, sticking his head around the doorframe of the neko-jin's room and looked at him pleadingly.
"No."
"You don't even know what I'm going to ask." Kai walked into the room and folded his arms, looking at Rei.
"I'm not doing anything to help you use Lee." Rei told him, removing his arm from his eyes and glaring at the Russian.
Kai blanched. "What do you mean by that?" He asked angrily.
"Exactly what I said. I can't stop you from steamrolling through ever relationship you've ever had but I'm sure as hell not going to help you."
"You've never had a problem with it before. All I'm asking for is for you to cook us dinner. It's not like I'm asking something out of the ordinary. You always cook dinner. Why? Because I can't cook."
Rei growled beneath his breath. "Then you better learn fast. I'm not cooking you dinner just so you can screw my best friend then break his heart when you get bored. I can't control him or you but I control my input into this. Which will be precisely none."
"Oh. I get it now." Kai smirked. "You're just jealous that I got to him first! You wanted Lee and you can't deal with the fact that I beat you to him."
Rei stared at Kai in shock. "I can't believe you could think something like that. God, I knew you'd changed but I didn't know that you had changed that much." He stood up angrily. "Goodbye Kai. I'll be at Tyson's if you have a change of heart." He walked past the Russian to the doorway of his room and looked back on it and the boy inside. "I'll be back on Monday to pick up my stuff."
Kai watched in shock as Rei walked out of the room and winced as he heard the door to their once shared apartment slam. How could he have been so stupid? He threw himself on to Rei's bed and buried his face in the neko-jin's pillow, breathing in his scent.
If he hadn't been so Goddamn selfish then Rei would still be here. Why couldn't he stop thinking with his pants and instead think about what other people might be feeling. He knew that he felt no remorse for when he had used and then dumped most bladers who crossed his path. No, they may have felt hurt and betrayed but that was nothing to what Rei must have been feeling, seeing Kai go through one person after another with never a pause to catch his breath. Kai couldn't remember the last time that he had slept alone.
Kai curled up in Rei's bed and fell into an uneasy sleep, hugging one of Rei's pillows desperately tightly as if he would never let it go.
------
Rei marched out of the apartment and shut the door firmly behind him. It was only then that he let the tears that had been threatening to fall from his eyes do so. He leant against the wall next to the door and slid down it until he was a small miserable heap of Rei.
What had he just done? He had just effectively told Kai that he was leaving and wasn't coming back. How could he do that to him? Sure, Kai wasn't exactly the model roommate… Rei had forgotten the amount of times he had been kept awake by strange and loud noises coming from Kai's bedroom. Why had it never mattered before?
Was it because of Lee? Rei doubted it. He had known that Kai would eventually get around to going out with Lee and had accepted that fact ages ago. So why the burst of anger?
Rei had no clue. He sniffed and wiped away his tears before standing up. What he did know was that he needed to leave now. "Goodbye Kai." He whispered before walking away from the front door of the place he had called home for years.
------
"Rei?" Tyson asked as he opened the door to the dojo to see the neko-jin.
"Hi Tyson." Rei gave him a small smile. He hadn't seen Tyson for about as long as he had been living with Kai. Tyson had been one of Kai's first flings. Tyson had never fully forgiven him and they had lost touch.
Tyson quickly appraised the situation, seeing Rei's messy hair and tear-swollen eyes. "Come in? I'll get you a cup of coffee."
Rei smiled gratefully. "Thanks." He stepped into the warmth of Tyson's dojo and quickly removed his shoes before making his way into the kitchen and sitting down on a stool beside the bench.
Tyson followed a few seconds after and put on the kettle. "I'm glad to see that you still remember your way around." He said, smiling.
"It'd be really sad if I did forget. Remember we used to practically live here."
Tyson nodded as he searched for two cups. "Yeah, I know."
"Where's Gramps?" Rei asked looking around for the old man. "I haven't seen him yet."
A cloud of sadness washed over Tyson's face. "He's not here." He said sadly. "He died last year."
Rei's eyes widened. "What? What happened? Why didn't you tell me?"
"He'd been having heart troubles for a while and then it just… gave out I suppose… I didn't want to ask anymore."
"Why didn't you call us? You knew where we were."
"Like hell I did. You and Kai were so wrapped up in your own lives that you completely forgot about the Bladebreakers. I think everyone did…." He said sadly. "When he died you two weren't part of my life or part of his life. You gave up your right to be concerned about us after the first two years of absolutely no contact."
Rei looked down at the table. What Tyson said was true. Though he probably wouldn't have put it so bluntly. "We never changed our address." He said softly.
"I wasn't talking about knowing where you were physically." Tyson told him, shoving a cup of coffee in front of Rei, his anger subsiding. "Now that I've finished ranting, what do you want?"
Rei took a tentative sip of the coffee. It had a completely different taste to the coffee that Kai made for him every morning. This thought brought new tears to Rei's eyes. He dashed them away angrily.
"Rei?" Tyson asked softer tan before. "What happened?"
"Kai." Was the simple reply that he got.
"Kai? What did he do to you?" Tyson asked.
"Absolutely nothing."
"What?" What do you mean by that?"
"Exactly what I said. I don't know why I'm so upset. It's not like I don't know what he's like. He's going out with Lee at the moment… did you know that? I guess not…"
Tyson raised an eyebrow. "Why are you so upset? He didn't do anything to you did he? Why are you suddenly upset by him doing what he's been doing for years?"
"How the hell should I know? All I know is that I was fine this morning then I found out that he was going out with yet another person and I chucked a psych."
"And now you're here."
"And now I'm here. Could I stay for a few days? Just until I can find my own place."
"You can stay here as long as you like. The dojo gets really lonely at night. I could use the company."
Rei smiled his first genuine smile. "Thanks, Ty."
"That doesn't mean that you're forgiven for abandoning me. It just means that I'm a really nice person."
"Of course you are."
------
Lee hummed happily to himself as he knocked on Kai's door. He frowned when there was no answer. He knocked again, louder this time. Still receiving no answer, Lee tried the doorknob and was surprised when it turned easily in his grip.
He opened the door slowly. "Hello? Kai?" He called. He looked around at the room he had stepped into and, seeing no one. Moved to the first door he could see. Rei's room.
He opened it quietly. "Hello?"
He noticed a large huddled figure lying on the bed. Seeing the two toned hair Lee frowned. What was Kai doing on Rei's bed? He shrugged off that question to ponder at another time and walked over to the sleeping form of his boyfriend.
"Kai?" he reached out to touch the Russian's shoulder but was stopped by Kai's hand catching his wrist in a bruising grip.
"Don't. Touch me." Kai said miserably, keeping his back to Lee.
Lee frowned. "Kai? What's wrong?"
"He's gone." Kai mumbled, hugging Rei's pillow tightly.
"He? Who's he?"
"Rei. Rei's gone."
"Where too?"
"Away." Kai replied. "He left and was yelling at me and I couldn't say anything because it was all true."
"What was all true? Kai, you're not making any sense." Lee said desperately, trying to release his wrist from Kai's grip. Kai was stronger than he looked.
"What he said. I'm a bad person, Lee. I'm just too stupid to see it."
"What? No! Kai!" Lee felt tears prickle his eyes but knew that he couldn't cry in front of Kai. The Russian needed all of his help now. He couldn't let Kai see that he was upset. Giving up on his caught wrist, Lee used his other hand to gently run his hand through Kai's hair comfortingly. "You're not a bad person."
Kai chuckled bitterly. "You wouldn't be saying it if you knew the half of it. I'm sorry Lee."
"Sorry for what?" Lee asked, confused. He felt Kai's grip slacken on his wrist and quickly twisted his arms, releasing himself. He used his newly freed wrist to pull Kai's shoulder, making him roll over and look at him. "What are you sorry for, Kai?"
"For being an arse. I'm sorry. I just… can't…" Kai trailed off and looked around the room, anywhere but at Lee.
Lee frowned, distressed. "Kai, I don't understand. What can't you do? We can go and look for Rei if you want and find out why he said those things about you. We can do it together…" Lee trailed off when Kai's eyes made contact with his own at that last word. "Oh…"
"I'm sorry Lee." Kai said in a small voice. "I didn't mean to hurt you."
Lee shook his head sadly. "You haven't hurt me Kai. I knew that this would happen… I was just probably hoping that it wouldn't happen so soon."
"You knew?" It was Kai's turn to frown, confused.
"Of course I knew. I'm Rei's best friend remember? He told me that whatever happened to you that you always made sure that he was there with you. I don't know why he said those things. Maybe everything finally caught up to him." He sighed and ran his hands through Kai's hair again, enjoying the feel and texture of it one last time before removing his hands. "I'll go see if I can find him. Do you have any idea where he might be?"
"Tyson." Kai said quietly, looking up at the neko-jin above him. "Don't go to him. He deserves a life without me dragging him down."
Lee smiled softly and leaned down to kiss Kai on his forehead. "But he doesn't want a life like that. Goodbye Kai. I love you." Saying that, Lee walked very slowly and deliberately out of the apartment. Kai didn't stop him.
Once he had closed the door Lee was the second neko-jin if that day to lean against the wall next to the door and cry. He had known that it would come to this. He had. He knew what Kai was like before he became involved with him. Hell, it was part of his allure. He couldn't help but love the Russian. He couldn't help but want to protect him. It was part of his nature that wanted to do that for Kai. He knew that it was self-destructive and crazy. He didn't care.
Lee took a deep breath and forced himself to stand up. He would do this one last thing for Kai before he filed this experience away and tried to forget it.
------
Tyson started at the sound of a knock at the door of the dojo. Another visitor? He wondered, looking across at Rei who had passed out on the couch. The knock sounded again and Tyson stood up. "Alright, alright, I'm coming." He muttered.
He pulled open the door to come face to face with Lee who had his hand raised to knock again.
"Lee?" Tyson asked blankly. "What are you doing here?"
"Is Rei here?"
Tyson blinked. "Uh… yeah?" He answered uncertainly.
"Then that's why I'm here. I need to talk to him." Lee looked past Tyson into the house.
It can't be just a coincidence that he's here…Why is he here? Tyson tried to remember, still blocking Lee's entry.
"He's going out with Lee at the moment… did you know that? I guess not…" Rei's voice came into his head.
Tyson's eyes narrowed. "Are you here because of Kai?" He demanded.
Lee's eyes widened. "I- uh… in a way…"
"Then leave. Neither of us want anything to do with him anymore." Tyson told him curtly.
"Ty? Who's at the door?" Rei asked blearily, coming out of the room he had been sleeping in and walking towards Tyson.
"It's Lee." Tyson called over his shoulder. "He's begging Kai's case."
Rei growled beneath his breath and walked over to the door to stand beside Tyson. "Don't bother Lee. Why's Kai sent you to do his dirty work, anyway? I'm not going back-I-" Rei's words were cut off by a stinging slap that Lee delivered across Rei's cheek.
"Are you ready to listen to me now?" When he received no reply from Rei he nodded. "Good. Now, Kai didn't send me- he asked me not to come."
"-Then you shouldn't have." Tyson interjected, only earning himself a glare from Lee.
"However, I had to come because if I didn't you might never go back to him. He needs you, ReiRei." Lee said using Rei's pet name from childhood. "I got there today and he's a mess. From what I can tell, he's curled up on your bed and for all intents and purposes is waiting to die. It's not pretty and I can't do anything to change it!"
"What makes you think I can?" Rei asked angrily. "He's never listened to me before. If he had I'd still be there."
"Do you think he doesn't know that? Look, I care about Kai. Hell, I'll even go as far to say that I love him. I do. But I'm not what he wants or what he needs. You are." Lee growled in frustration as tears began to leak from his eyes. He rubbed his hands against his eyes, angry with himself. "If you don't go to him I can't blame you. I probably wouldn't. But I'm asking you to do it. Do it for me. Or him. God, do it for yourself if you really need to. Just please go and see him." Lee gave Rei a small smile. "God that sounded corny. It's true though. Just please go and see him, even if it's only one more time."
Lee looked at his watch. "I need to go." He told them. He looked meaningly at Rei. "So do you." He told him before walking off.
Tyson blinked and growled. "Who does he think he is? Coming here and demanding that you go and see Kai?"
Rei shook his head at his friend's antics and gingerly touched where Lee had hit him. It felt abnormally warm so he deduced that he must have a lovely handprint on his face. "I have to go." He said quietly.
"And then actually expecting you to- huh?" Tyson stopped midrant to look at Rei. "What?"
"I have to go and see him."
"Why?"
"I have to know if Lee was telling the truth." Rei said simply before looking around to find where he had put his shoes. Locating them, he began to slip them on but was stopped by Tyson's hand on his arm.
"Rei." He said warningly, is eyes betraying the fear that he held for Rei being hurt like he was.
Rei smiled a small smile and finished putting his shoes on. "I have to know, Ty. Can I count on you if it doesn't work out?"
"Of course but-"
"I know. I'm sorry to put it so bluntly but you have to get over what Kai did to you. I know it hurts but deep down he still is your friend isn't he?"
Rei smirked at the guarded expression on Tyson's face. "I have to see him. If it works out I'm not quite as homeless as I thought, if it doesn't I'll be back, ok?"
Tyson gave him a small nod. Rei smiled and turned to leave.
"Wait!" Tyson called. "If it does work out, come over to my place for dinner in a week, ok? Don't forget about me." Rei nodded and began making his way back to the apartment he had left earlier that day.
------
"Kai?" Rei called as he walked into his bedroom. "Kai? Is that you?" he asked when he saw the huddled figure of his former teammate.
Kai opened his eyes and looked at Rei. "Did Lee get you?" He asked hesitantly.
Rei nodded his assent. "He was really upset. He asked me to come and check on you."
"So here you are?"
"So here I am."
Kai grunted and rolled over to face away from Rei. "You've checked on me. You can go now."
Rei rolled his eyes and sat on his bed. "You can't throw me out of my own room."
"I thought you were leaving."
"I changed my mind."
This made Kai roll over to face Rei. He met Rei's golden eyes with his own crimson ones. "Why?"
"Because I like it here." Rei eased himself down on to the mattress until he was lying beside Kai. "It's cosy. And-" He added, looking directly into Kai's eyes. "The people here are wonderful."
Kai frowned. "But- you said-"
Rei placed his finger on Kai's lips, stopping him from talking. "I was angry. Also, from what Lee said, you were sorry."
"I am."
"That's all I wanted to hear." Rei told him, smiling before yawning hugely. "What with all of this running around I'm tired."
Kai nodded, even though he had been sleeping pretty much all day and wasn't tired at all.
Rei smiled and wriggled closer to Kai until their faces were mere centimetres apart. "Kai?" He asked softly.
"Mm?"
"Don't make me leave you again. I don't like it." Rei leaned forward the short distance needed to press his lips to Kai's.
Kai stiffened and pulled away from the neko-jin. "Rei… no… I can't… I've done too much… with too many people… I've-" He was cut off by Rei leaning forward once again to kiss him softly.
Rei pulled back and smiled. "I know that. I also don't care. Do you not want to be with me because of me or because of you?"
Kai frowned at the question, trying to think of a suitable answer that wouldn't lead to him hurting Rei beyond all repair.
"The fact that you're thinking about it confirms it. If you didn't like me then it would be an immediate answer."
"But how can you know that I won't dump you in a few weeks for someone new? I don't even know that."
Rei smiled and shook his head. "I don't know that. I guess I just have to trust you." Saying that, Rei lay back down on the bed and closed his eyes. Even after all he had been through with Kai he was surprised at how easily the full and complete trust that he had for Kai took over. Somewhere deep down he knew that this had to work. If it didn't it would destroy him.
Kai sighed and looked down at the fast falling asleep neko-jin. How can you trust me when I don't even trust myself? He wondered silently, content just to lie beside Rei and contemplate that one question.
So what do you think? Please review and tell me