The Heat of the Day
Rating: Gee...PG maybe?
Who?: KaixRei. Beyblade. -.- Oh and some TakaoxMax, but not a lot.
Archive: Erm...here?
Notes: I found this on my harddrive and thought I would finish it in 2.5 seconds. Don't take it too seriously, because it's mostly crack :P
The Heat of the Day
The hot air clung to Kai as he headed outside, dragging down his clothes, his hair flopping across his brow. It was too hot to be outside on a day like this.
“Amazing! You’ve crawled out of your hole,” Takao said. He leaned back on his hands, sitting in the shade of the porch.
Kai glared at him. He ran his fingers through his hair, the strands tangling around his fingers. The cool wall pressed against his back where he leaned.
“So why are you out here?” Takao seemed unaffected by Kai’s unsocial behavior. He was an expert at ignoring Kai.
“Why are you out here?”
“Hey! I asked first! Man, Kai, you’re so…” Takao fell onto his back, his hands behind his head to cushion his fall. He slipped one hand over his head and pointed along the path, waving his finger. “Max and Rei are out there. I was gonna help but Max said I didn’t have to…so I stayed here. It’s too hot.”
Kai glanced up, following the direction Takao was pointing, searching for his missing teammates. Deep bass pounded through the heavy air, punctuated by excited laughs and yells. The reason he was out here was, of course, Rei. He had been beginning to wonder where he was. Normally, after a few hours, Rei would interrupt him. He missed that interruption.
“What are they doing?”
Takao attempted to shrug from his position the porch. “They’re washing the bus. Don’t ask me why.”
“Why are they washing the bus…?”
“I said I don’t know! Gee, you must be deaf or something… I think they just wanted to play in the water.” Takao sat up, pushing back his hair. He made absolutely no attempt to move, and it was quite apparent he was rather comfortable and probably would not be moving for a while.
Kai sighed, and folded his arms. He stepped over Takao and stalked down the path. Sure enough, the bus and his missing teammates soon came into view. Soapy water covered the road, and coincidentally, Max and Rei as well.
“What are you two doing?”
Rei spun around, a soapy sponge in his hand, water dripping down his bare arms. His black hair clung to his back, held up with an elastic band. He smiled, dropping the sponge into the bucket by his feet.
“Oh, hey, Kai!” Max said, waving from the head of the bus.
“We decided to wash the bus. Wanna help?” Rei grinned again, pulling at a few strands of his long, wet, black hair.
Kai paused. Rei should not be allowed out like…that! He was practically naked in those tiny shorts, his long, slender legs all but bare. His wet, sleeveless shirt clung to his chest in a scandalous parody of nakedness. No wonder half the people in the street suddenly felt the urge to do some gardening in their front yard today. He stalked over and grabbed Rei’s wrist, pulling him close.
“What exactly are you doing out here? Washing the bus? What for?”
Rei blinked in surprise, his golden eyes wide. “Kai! We’re just having a bit of fun.” He grinned and moved a little closer, standing on his toes to whisper into Kai’s ear. “You should help. The water is nice and cool.”
In one movement Rei slipped from Kai’s hold, returning to the bucket of soapy water. He grabbed the sponge and threw it at Kai. The sponge landed with a wet splotch on Kai’s chest, sliding to the floor and landing on the road.
“And for God’s sake, take off your jacket. You’ll overheat and I’ll have to carry you inside because you’ve fainted from heat stroke.”
Kai stared, his face flushed. His jacket was now damp from where Rei had leant against him, soap bubbles splattering across the heavy fabric. He was surprised he could still stand, because his legs felt almost numb. Rei honestly had no idea how sexy he was, and how such a simple action could turn Kai into a dumbstruck mess. Nevertheless, he did was he was told and slipped his jacket off his shoulders, throwing it to the side.
“You can help me. Don’t look at me like that…”
Kai cocked his head to the side. How did Rei know what look he was receiving with his back turned like that?
Another pop tune filtered out through the speakers of the portable radio set on the drive. Max squealed when he heard the song, and dashed over to raise the volume. Kai groaned. Surely their neighbors would complain. Max grabbed Rei’s hand, turning him around in a circle as he danced to the music. It took a matter of seconds for them to start a little dance routine in the middle of the street. No wonder it had taken so long to wash the stupid bus. Though as Kai watched Rei dancing back and forth, his hips wiggling in those tiny shorts, he realized why no one was complaining. If anything, even more people were showing up.
As far as Kai was concerned though, they were all gawking at his property. Rei was a member of his team, and he has to look out for his best interests. Something like that, anyway. He switched off the radio and turned to stare at Rei and Max.
“Kai!”
Kai stumbled back as Rei grabbed his arm, Max pushing past to get to the radio.
“That was mean, Kai!” Max said, and turned the radio up even louder than it had been before.
“Well would you two hurry the hell up and then get inside?”
“Why?” Rei pulled on Kai’s arm, a cute little pout on his lips.
“…you’re getting burnt.” Kai was at a loss as to what else to say.
“Oh, I am not! You’re being moody. What’s your problem anyway? C’mon, have some fun for once!” Rei pulled Kai towards the bus again.
“Would you stop that!” Kai pulled back, though his attempt was halfhearted. Rei was too tempting, and he found it almost impossible not to do whatever he said.
Rei let go, shaking his head. “You know, I asked you this morning if you wanted to come outside. All I got was a door slammed in my face. What were you doing in there all day?”
“Nothing. Why does it matter?”
Rei growled. He grabbed the bucket of water, lifting it up. Kai moved back a step but it was all too late. Rei upended the bucket over his head, soapy water spilling down him.
“It doesn’t matter. You’re just a grump. So lighten up.”
Kai looked surprised. He gaze flicked up to Rei, who looked pleased about what he had just done. His demeanor did soften a little though, once he saw the shock written on Kai.
“Well, now that you’re already wet, you may as well help us wash the bus!” Rei said. He grabbed the hose and started to refill the bucket. Kai was still locked to the spot. Max just laughed in the background.
Kai stepped over Rei for about the fifth time on his way to the kitchen. Rei was sprawled out in the lounge in front of the fan, still dressed in those tiny shorts, his shirt riding up a bit, exposing the smooth skin underneath. Kai really wished he would lie somewhere else. Somewhere he would not attract everyone’s gaze.
“Kai?”
“What…”
Rei held up his glass, though his eyes remained closed.
“Get it yourself.”
“Kai! C’mon, you’re getting a drink anyway! I’d get you one…”
It was the sweet, pleading tone that did it. Kai sighed and snatched the glass from Rei’s hand, taking it with him into the kitchen.
When he returned the glass, he changed his mind about the task. Rei gave him a bright smile, leaning up on his elbows to take a drink. His legs swung in the air behind him. How was someone able to look so cute and so sexy at the same time? He sat down near the fan, though he kept his distance from Rei. If he got too close…well, it was best not to think about all the things he wanted to do to Rei.
“Why is it so hot?” Rei put his drink down and flopped forward, resting his head on his arms. “I’m sure it’s never been this hot. Isn’t there some way of cooling down?” He sat up again, crossing his legs, though he seemed just as uncomfortable in this position. He crawled over to Kai’s side, the breeze from the fan blowing back his hair. He sighed in relief, sagging against Kai’s shoulder.
Kai froze and stared straight ahead. “I don’t know.” His words were entirely forced.
Rei sighed. “Well maybe we could go to the…no, it would be packed. We could see a movie? Or…I dunno. I don’t have the energy to even move.” Rei slouched further, resting most of his upper body weight on Kai.
Kai’s hand twitched and he attempted to think about anything else except the gorgeous creature resting on his shoulder. It would be too easy to push Rei back and… No! He shook his head a little. He was not having those thoughts. It was hard enough to keep himself under control.
“Maybe I should just have a cold shower…” Rei said, fanning his shirt, looking as if he may just rip it off to stay cool.
Cold shower… Brilliant idea. “Not before me,” Kai said.
“Kai!” Rei grabbed Kai’s arm before he could escape. “That was my idea. You don’t care about the temperature. I mean, you’re still wearing those heavy pants, and who wears black on a hot day like this? I’m the one sweltering here.”
Kai shifted a little, trying to escape Rei, who was so suddenly persistent. He was practically leaning over the top of him now. Kai felt the heat burning in his cheeks, and to certain other places he certainly did not want to bring attention to.
“Are you okay? You’ve gone really red… Maybe you should have a shower first. I’ll wait.” Rei pulled back, sitting on his knees.
That was all the opportunity Kai needed. He leapt up and raced for the bathroom.
Kai peeked around the corner into the hall. Rei had been yelling at him to get out of the shower for about ten minutes now. The last thing he wanted was to step out and run into the cause of all his problems. The cold shower had only helped for a while, but the sound of Rei’s voice had soon reminded him why he was taking the shower in the first place. The only option he had now was to go and hide somewhere Rei would, hopefully, not find him.
His luck, however, seemed to be very poor.
“Finally!” Rei stalked over, hands on his hips. “Do you know how long you took in there? Half an hour!”
Kai stared at him, clutching the towel around his waist.
“It’s so hot, Kai, and you totally hogged the shower. Takao has been going off at me; like it’s somehow my fault you’re so slow!”
“Oh, he finally decided to stop stalking Max then?”
“Don’t change the subject! And anyway, Max went out somewhere and didn’t tell Takao, so I guess that’s why he’s so moody. You know what he’s like when Max does something without including him. Honestly, he’s like a child… Hey!”
Kai had attempted to sneak off down the hall while Rei was preoccupied with his gossip. His luck was very, very poor.
“I’m not mad at you, Kai. It’s just so hot and it gives me a headache.”
“You know what’s good for a headache?” Kai said under his breath with a sly smirk.
“What is?” Rei stared at him with a blank expression.
Oops, he had forgotten about how sensitive Rei’s hearing was. “Never mind.”
“No, I want to know! What is?”
Kai grabbed Rei’s wrist with his free hand, pulling him close against him. “You don’t know?”
Rei shook his head.
“They say that sex is a great way to get rid of a headache. Releasing all those endorphins. Maybe you should try that.” Kai smirked, squeezing Rei’s wrist.
“Really?” Rei blinked, his golden eyes shining. “I’ve never heard that. Guess the old headache excuse doesn’t really work then.”
Kai sighed and released Rei’s wrist, pushing past him. What on Earth had possessed him to do that, he would never know. Rei had no idea what he was getting at, either. Perhaps he was being too subtle. He had always thought that somehow he would get Rei, he just never understood how. Being aloof had failed, avoiding him had failed, and spending a lot of time with him had proved just as useless as the first two. So far, his great idea of dropping ‘subtle hints’ seemed to be just as pointless, probably failing even worse than his others ideas. At this rate he was just going to have to show Rei exactly what he had been hinting at for over a year.
“So I guess you’ve finished with the shower?”
Kai sighed and locked himself in his bedroom.
For some reason Kai could not understand, the fate’s seemed to be against him. Every time he tried to avoid Rei, he would bump into him somewhere else. He had spent two hours locked in his room, hiding from Rei and his sexy behind, and now when he finally came out for a drink, there he was. He had obviously had a shower, his long hair down, twisting into thin ropes as it dried. Rei was still wearing something that should be outlawed though, the cut-off jeans ridiculously short. His bare feet danced across the floor as he worked around the kitchen and made himself a cup of tea.
Rei spun around and leant against the counter. He spotted Kai and smiled, holding up another mug. “You want anything?”
“…no. I’m busy.”
“No you’re not. What’s wrong with you today?” Rei turned back to the counter.
Kai really wished he could have ‘normal’ thoughts about his teammate, because seeing Rei’s behind clad in those tiny shorts made him think anything but ‘normal’. It was driving him insane. Rei honestly had no idea about what he was doing. He was so absolutely oblivious to any reaction he might cause, simply by being who he was. Kai scrubbed his hand through his hair with a silent growl out of pure frustration. Rei was right there. It would be so easy to simply grab him and… No!
“Something wrong, Kai?”
That voice… That sweet, curious voice. Kai could not stand it anymore. He walked forward, pressing himself against Rei’s back, hooking one arm around his waist. “Nothing’s wrong…”
“K-kai? What are you doing?” There was a definite waver in Rei’s voice, and his hand rested, still, on the bench.
Great… Rei had no idea. Bail out, Kai. Before he realizes and freaks out…
Kai coughed a little and reached forward; he grabbed the extra mug Rei had set on the bench. “Coffee,” he said and pulled away.
Rei watched him, a curious glint in his eyes. Kai did not even look back at him, hurrying to make the coffee he did not even want, and then disappeared down the hall to hide somewhere else.
Rei lay on his stomach, reading a book in bed. Kai was still missing, and he was beginning to worry. Kai always returned at bed time. He looked towards Kai’s empty bed, the sheets lying flat, perfectly aligned. A heavy sigh escaped him, and he closed the book. Kai had been acting so strange today - even more so than usual!
The door clicked, and Rei sat up expectantly. It wasn’t Kai.
“Rei…?” Max peeked into the room
“Yeah…”
“Hey… Isn’t Kai back yet? How weird…”
“I haven’t seen him since this afternoon. Max, I’m worried about him. He’s acting so strange today.” Rei fell, face first, against his pillow.
Max sighed and shook his head. “Rei… If anything was wrong, Kai would tell you. You’re his best friend.”
“Yeah right,” Rei said, though it was barely audible from speaking through the pillow.
Max smirked. You’ll see, Rei. Even if I have to beat some sense into Kai. Max closed the door and left. He knew where Kai was hiding. He hurried outside, avoiding Takao in front of the television. He would pounce on him later…
“Kai!” he called, though he kept his voice down. Sure enough, Kai was sitting near a tree in the back yard, looking upset. Max walked over and stood above him a few paces away; it was always a better idea to keep your distance around Kai, especially when he was in a bad mood.
“What?” Kai was in a bad mood.
Max folded his arms. “You’re screwing it up!”
Kai looked up. “Shut up!”
“Well I told you, didn’t I? You’re being too vague with Rei. He’s such a naive little thing…”
“Some would say the same about you.”
Max smirked. “Well appearances aren’t always what they seem, Kai. You should know that. You asked for my help - god knows why - and I’m trying to help you. Only because I think the only reason you’re such an ass is because you haven’t had se-”
“Shut up!” Kai growled and clenched his fists.
“I’m just saying,” Max said with a pleased giggle. “Just get it over with and jump him. Rei isn’t responding to subtlety, or any of your other games. He isn’t going to make the first move, and honestly, that situation in the kitchen was hilarious.”
“…don’t tell me you were watching…”
“Well I had to make sure everything was working alright. Obviously, it’s not.”
Kai looked away. “Look. I don’t need your help, because it isn’t helping. Just get lost.”
Max frowned. “Fine. But if you don’t do something about this, you’re going to make a right mess of things. Don’t look to me when that happens.”
Kai ignored Max until he left. Whoever thought he, of all people, would be such a bank of information when it came to dating. No wonder he had Takao wound around his finger. Kai stood and brushed the dirt from his pants. He had to go inside anyway. He couldn’t hide out here forever.
“Kai?!” Rei looked up as Kai walked in. A squeal left him and he jumped from the bed, lunging at Kai. “I was so worried! Look at the time!”
Kai looked down at the thing attached to him. Rei was clinging to him, his head against his chest, fingers curling into his jacket. Kai raised his hand and placed it on Rei’s head, smoothing down the dark hair with his fingers.
“Where did you go? It wasn’t something I did…was it?”
“No.” With that, Kai pushed Rei’s shoulders, forcing him away. He busied himself changing his clothes, anything so that he would not have to look at Rei. He was very aware of what his teammate was doing, though. Every little sound Rei made, he followed and interpreted. First he heard the squeak of the bed as Rei lay down again, then the flick of pages in his book. Kai, despite his best intentions, could not help but look. Sure enough, as soon as he did, he remembered why he had been hiding outside. His gaze followed the gentle curve of Rei’s back, and even though Rei was now wearing something a little more appropriate, his form was still easy to see beneath the silky fabric. His long legs were still almost bare, ending at his feet, which he swung in the air behind him.
“You can’t just keep running off, you know, Kai. I’ve been trying to figure out what’s wrong with you all day, and just as I start questioning you, you disappear again.”
“It’s none of your business…”
Rei rolled over, holding the book open on his chest. “Kai! I just want to talk to you and you’re so rude!”
Kai tried to look away. He really tried. It looked like he was staring - which was exactly what he was doing. Rei’s pants were sliding a little down his hip, and he toyed with the hem line of his shirt, exposing the smooth skin of his stomach and the dip of his navel. His eyes were almost closed, and as he yawned, all Kai could think about was those perfect pink lips. He walked over, lost in his own want. Before he even realized what he was doing, he smacked the book out of Rei’s hands. It tumbled to the floor and landed, pages bent.
“Kai… That was my book,” Rei said, looking almost annoyed.
Kai ignored this. He moved forward, sitting on the bed, holding himself on his knees to stare down at Rei.
“Kai? What are you doing?”
Kai almost rolled his eyes. Rei really was naïve, and that meant Max was right. The only way he was going to make Rei understand was to jump him (and even then, the creature seemed vague.) He hovered just above Rei, so close that he could feel him shivering, the silky fabric of his clothing touching his own skin.
“You really have no idea, Rei?” he asked, his voice a husky whisper.
“…n-no?”
Kai growled, low and deep as Rei shifted beneath him, their bodies rubbing together. He couldn’t stand it anymore. Today had just been one frustrating situation after another, but this surely took the prize. Here he was, pressed against the object of his obvious affection, and he could do nothing. Rei was oblivious, still staring at him as though this was all an everyday, if not slightly confusing, occurrence.
Kai reached up and grabbed Rei’s wrists, holding them above his head so he was forced to stay just where he was. “Let me show you then,” Kai said. He swooped down, forcing their lips together, finally getting some sort of release for his pent-up tension. One of his hands still holding Rei’s arms, the other moved down to all but rip the satin night shirt off Rei, who did not seem half as perplexed.
“Oh…” Rei breathed as soon as Kai moved away long enough to give him some air. “Why didn’t you just say!”
“Less talking,” Kai demanded and proceeded to rip the rest of Rei’s clothes away.
Max stood outside the door, smirking to himself. Takao stood beside him, holding his hands over his mouth, his eyes wide.
“I’m so proud of Kai,” Max said and clapped his hands together. “It may take him a while but he learns in the end!”
Takao whipped around to stare at him. “You did this?” he hissed.
“Kai has been so stroppy lately! Don’t blame me, he asked for my help! Trust me; he will be much better after this.”
“How do you know? God, Rei is so noisy!” Takao stared at the closed door again when a particularly loud moan filtered through.
Max giggled and grabbed Takao’s hands. He leaned up to Takao’s ear, placing a gentle kiss there before giving a very good impression of the noises Rei was making inside the room. Takao went bright red.
“Understand now? Poor Kai has been feeling just like this for a very long time. What if I were to deny you-”
“No!” Takao cried. He dragged Max down the hall to their room. Not that Max minded. All this talk of sex and heat was making him very stressed and there was only one good cure for a headache.
Rei flopped across Max’s bed. He jumped to his feet fairly quickly though when he remembered just what his friend got up to in there.
“God, that was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do!”
“And you pulled it off magnificently!” Max smirked and handed Rei a glass of cool water. He had to admit, Rei’s ploy had been foolproof, and he really did work hard.
Rei pulled at his hair gently. “I mean, the shorts, all that water… I was shaking my ass right in front of him and still nothing! The guy is made of steel! Then after the shower… God…then he started saying such delightful sounding things and it was so hard to keep myself off him!”
“I didn’t think Kai would make the first move, y’know. He’s such an idiot,” Max said, shaking his head.
Rei grinned. “Come now, who could resist me. Kai isn’t made of stone. There’s only so much he can stand before he breaks. I just happen to be that breaking point.”
Max laughed. “So, last night? I bet he was so stressed you two were up all night, right?”
Rei rolled his eyes. “Nah. Kai might look tough but he was sorely outclassed. I think I pulled off the sweet, innocent thing a little too well. He had no idea what he was getting himself into. Tiger by name, tiger by nature, and all.” Rei winked and Max dissolved into another fit of giggles.
And at the other end of the house, in his room, Kai was curled up in bed, consciously aware that those two devils just had to be talking about him, and he vowed to himself that he would never, ever trust someone so angelic-looking again.
Who?: KaixRei. Beyblade. -.- Oh and some TakaoxMax, but not a lot.
Archive: Erm...here?
Notes: I found this on my harddrive and thought I would finish it in 2.5 seconds. Don't take it too seriously, because it's mostly crack :P
The Heat of the Day
The hot air clung to Kai as he headed outside, dragging down his clothes, his hair flopping across his brow. It was too hot to be outside on a day like this.
“Amazing! You’ve crawled out of your hole,” Takao said. He leaned back on his hands, sitting in the shade of the porch.
Kai glared at him. He ran his fingers through his hair, the strands tangling around his fingers. The cool wall pressed against his back where he leaned.
“So why are you out here?” Takao seemed unaffected by Kai’s unsocial behavior. He was an expert at ignoring Kai.
“Why are you out here?”
“Hey! I asked first! Man, Kai, you’re so…” Takao fell onto his back, his hands behind his head to cushion his fall. He slipped one hand over his head and pointed along the path, waving his finger. “Max and Rei are out there. I was gonna help but Max said I didn’t have to…so I stayed here. It’s too hot.”
Kai glanced up, following the direction Takao was pointing, searching for his missing teammates. Deep bass pounded through the heavy air, punctuated by excited laughs and yells. The reason he was out here was, of course, Rei. He had been beginning to wonder where he was. Normally, after a few hours, Rei would interrupt him. He missed that interruption.
“What are they doing?”
Takao attempted to shrug from his position the porch. “They’re washing the bus. Don’t ask me why.”
“Why are they washing the bus…?”
“I said I don’t know! Gee, you must be deaf or something… I think they just wanted to play in the water.” Takao sat up, pushing back his hair. He made absolutely no attempt to move, and it was quite apparent he was rather comfortable and probably would not be moving for a while.
Kai sighed, and folded his arms. He stepped over Takao and stalked down the path. Sure enough, the bus and his missing teammates soon came into view. Soapy water covered the road, and coincidentally, Max and Rei as well.
“What are you two doing?”
Rei spun around, a soapy sponge in his hand, water dripping down his bare arms. His black hair clung to his back, held up with an elastic band. He smiled, dropping the sponge into the bucket by his feet.
“Oh, hey, Kai!” Max said, waving from the head of the bus.
“We decided to wash the bus. Wanna help?” Rei grinned again, pulling at a few strands of his long, wet, black hair.
Kai paused. Rei should not be allowed out like…that! He was practically naked in those tiny shorts, his long, slender legs all but bare. His wet, sleeveless shirt clung to his chest in a scandalous parody of nakedness. No wonder half the people in the street suddenly felt the urge to do some gardening in their front yard today. He stalked over and grabbed Rei’s wrist, pulling him close.
“What exactly are you doing out here? Washing the bus? What for?”
Rei blinked in surprise, his golden eyes wide. “Kai! We’re just having a bit of fun.” He grinned and moved a little closer, standing on his toes to whisper into Kai’s ear. “You should help. The water is nice and cool.”
In one movement Rei slipped from Kai’s hold, returning to the bucket of soapy water. He grabbed the sponge and threw it at Kai. The sponge landed with a wet splotch on Kai’s chest, sliding to the floor and landing on the road.
“And for God’s sake, take off your jacket. You’ll overheat and I’ll have to carry you inside because you’ve fainted from heat stroke.”
Kai stared, his face flushed. His jacket was now damp from where Rei had leant against him, soap bubbles splattering across the heavy fabric. He was surprised he could still stand, because his legs felt almost numb. Rei honestly had no idea how sexy he was, and how such a simple action could turn Kai into a dumbstruck mess. Nevertheless, he did was he was told and slipped his jacket off his shoulders, throwing it to the side.
“You can help me. Don’t look at me like that…”
Kai cocked his head to the side. How did Rei know what look he was receiving with his back turned like that?
Another pop tune filtered out through the speakers of the portable radio set on the drive. Max squealed when he heard the song, and dashed over to raise the volume. Kai groaned. Surely their neighbors would complain. Max grabbed Rei’s hand, turning him around in a circle as he danced to the music. It took a matter of seconds for them to start a little dance routine in the middle of the street. No wonder it had taken so long to wash the stupid bus. Though as Kai watched Rei dancing back and forth, his hips wiggling in those tiny shorts, he realized why no one was complaining. If anything, even more people were showing up.
As far as Kai was concerned though, they were all gawking at his property. Rei was a member of his team, and he has to look out for his best interests. Something like that, anyway. He switched off the radio and turned to stare at Rei and Max.
“Kai!”
Kai stumbled back as Rei grabbed his arm, Max pushing past to get to the radio.
“That was mean, Kai!” Max said, and turned the radio up even louder than it had been before.
“Well would you two hurry the hell up and then get inside?”
“Why?” Rei pulled on Kai’s arm, a cute little pout on his lips.
“…you’re getting burnt.” Kai was at a loss as to what else to say.
“Oh, I am not! You’re being moody. What’s your problem anyway? C’mon, have some fun for once!” Rei pulled Kai towards the bus again.
“Would you stop that!” Kai pulled back, though his attempt was halfhearted. Rei was too tempting, and he found it almost impossible not to do whatever he said.
Rei let go, shaking his head. “You know, I asked you this morning if you wanted to come outside. All I got was a door slammed in my face. What were you doing in there all day?”
“Nothing. Why does it matter?”
Rei growled. He grabbed the bucket of water, lifting it up. Kai moved back a step but it was all too late. Rei upended the bucket over his head, soapy water spilling down him.
“It doesn’t matter. You’re just a grump. So lighten up.”
Kai looked surprised. He gaze flicked up to Rei, who looked pleased about what he had just done. His demeanor did soften a little though, once he saw the shock written on Kai.
“Well, now that you’re already wet, you may as well help us wash the bus!” Rei said. He grabbed the hose and started to refill the bucket. Kai was still locked to the spot. Max just laughed in the background.
Kai stepped over Rei for about the fifth time on his way to the kitchen. Rei was sprawled out in the lounge in front of the fan, still dressed in those tiny shorts, his shirt riding up a bit, exposing the smooth skin underneath. Kai really wished he would lie somewhere else. Somewhere he would not attract everyone’s gaze.
“Kai?”
“What…”
Rei held up his glass, though his eyes remained closed.
“Get it yourself.”
“Kai! C’mon, you’re getting a drink anyway! I’d get you one…”
It was the sweet, pleading tone that did it. Kai sighed and snatched the glass from Rei’s hand, taking it with him into the kitchen.
When he returned the glass, he changed his mind about the task. Rei gave him a bright smile, leaning up on his elbows to take a drink. His legs swung in the air behind him. How was someone able to look so cute and so sexy at the same time? He sat down near the fan, though he kept his distance from Rei. If he got too close…well, it was best not to think about all the things he wanted to do to Rei.
“Why is it so hot?” Rei put his drink down and flopped forward, resting his head on his arms. “I’m sure it’s never been this hot. Isn’t there some way of cooling down?” He sat up again, crossing his legs, though he seemed just as uncomfortable in this position. He crawled over to Kai’s side, the breeze from the fan blowing back his hair. He sighed in relief, sagging against Kai’s shoulder.
Kai froze and stared straight ahead. “I don’t know.” His words were entirely forced.
Rei sighed. “Well maybe we could go to the…no, it would be packed. We could see a movie? Or…I dunno. I don’t have the energy to even move.” Rei slouched further, resting most of his upper body weight on Kai.
Kai’s hand twitched and he attempted to think about anything else except the gorgeous creature resting on his shoulder. It would be too easy to push Rei back and… No! He shook his head a little. He was not having those thoughts. It was hard enough to keep himself under control.
“Maybe I should just have a cold shower…” Rei said, fanning his shirt, looking as if he may just rip it off to stay cool.
Cold shower… Brilliant idea. “Not before me,” Kai said.
“Kai!” Rei grabbed Kai’s arm before he could escape. “That was my idea. You don’t care about the temperature. I mean, you’re still wearing those heavy pants, and who wears black on a hot day like this? I’m the one sweltering here.”
Kai shifted a little, trying to escape Rei, who was so suddenly persistent. He was practically leaning over the top of him now. Kai felt the heat burning in his cheeks, and to certain other places he certainly did not want to bring attention to.
“Are you okay? You’ve gone really red… Maybe you should have a shower first. I’ll wait.” Rei pulled back, sitting on his knees.
That was all the opportunity Kai needed. He leapt up and raced for the bathroom.
Kai peeked around the corner into the hall. Rei had been yelling at him to get out of the shower for about ten minutes now. The last thing he wanted was to step out and run into the cause of all his problems. The cold shower had only helped for a while, but the sound of Rei’s voice had soon reminded him why he was taking the shower in the first place. The only option he had now was to go and hide somewhere Rei would, hopefully, not find him.
His luck, however, seemed to be very poor.
“Finally!” Rei stalked over, hands on his hips. “Do you know how long you took in there? Half an hour!”
Kai stared at him, clutching the towel around his waist.
“It’s so hot, Kai, and you totally hogged the shower. Takao has been going off at me; like it’s somehow my fault you’re so slow!”
“Oh, he finally decided to stop stalking Max then?”
“Don’t change the subject! And anyway, Max went out somewhere and didn’t tell Takao, so I guess that’s why he’s so moody. You know what he’s like when Max does something without including him. Honestly, he’s like a child… Hey!”
Kai had attempted to sneak off down the hall while Rei was preoccupied with his gossip. His luck was very, very poor.
“I’m not mad at you, Kai. It’s just so hot and it gives me a headache.”
“You know what’s good for a headache?” Kai said under his breath with a sly smirk.
“What is?” Rei stared at him with a blank expression.
Oops, he had forgotten about how sensitive Rei’s hearing was. “Never mind.”
“No, I want to know! What is?”
Kai grabbed Rei’s wrist with his free hand, pulling him close against him. “You don’t know?”
Rei shook his head.
“They say that sex is a great way to get rid of a headache. Releasing all those endorphins. Maybe you should try that.” Kai smirked, squeezing Rei’s wrist.
“Really?” Rei blinked, his golden eyes shining. “I’ve never heard that. Guess the old headache excuse doesn’t really work then.”
Kai sighed and released Rei’s wrist, pushing past him. What on Earth had possessed him to do that, he would never know. Rei had no idea what he was getting at, either. Perhaps he was being too subtle. He had always thought that somehow he would get Rei, he just never understood how. Being aloof had failed, avoiding him had failed, and spending a lot of time with him had proved just as useless as the first two. So far, his great idea of dropping ‘subtle hints’ seemed to be just as pointless, probably failing even worse than his others ideas. At this rate he was just going to have to show Rei exactly what he had been hinting at for over a year.
“So I guess you’ve finished with the shower?”
Kai sighed and locked himself in his bedroom.
For some reason Kai could not understand, the fate’s seemed to be against him. Every time he tried to avoid Rei, he would bump into him somewhere else. He had spent two hours locked in his room, hiding from Rei and his sexy behind, and now when he finally came out for a drink, there he was. He had obviously had a shower, his long hair down, twisting into thin ropes as it dried. Rei was still wearing something that should be outlawed though, the cut-off jeans ridiculously short. His bare feet danced across the floor as he worked around the kitchen and made himself a cup of tea.
Rei spun around and leant against the counter. He spotted Kai and smiled, holding up another mug. “You want anything?”
“…no. I’m busy.”
“No you’re not. What’s wrong with you today?” Rei turned back to the counter.
Kai really wished he could have ‘normal’ thoughts about his teammate, because seeing Rei’s behind clad in those tiny shorts made him think anything but ‘normal’. It was driving him insane. Rei honestly had no idea about what he was doing. He was so absolutely oblivious to any reaction he might cause, simply by being who he was. Kai scrubbed his hand through his hair with a silent growl out of pure frustration. Rei was right there. It would be so easy to simply grab him and… No!
“Something wrong, Kai?”
That voice… That sweet, curious voice. Kai could not stand it anymore. He walked forward, pressing himself against Rei’s back, hooking one arm around his waist. “Nothing’s wrong…”
“K-kai? What are you doing?” There was a definite waver in Rei’s voice, and his hand rested, still, on the bench.
Great… Rei had no idea. Bail out, Kai. Before he realizes and freaks out…
Kai coughed a little and reached forward; he grabbed the extra mug Rei had set on the bench. “Coffee,” he said and pulled away.
Rei watched him, a curious glint in his eyes. Kai did not even look back at him, hurrying to make the coffee he did not even want, and then disappeared down the hall to hide somewhere else.
Rei lay on his stomach, reading a book in bed. Kai was still missing, and he was beginning to worry. Kai always returned at bed time. He looked towards Kai’s empty bed, the sheets lying flat, perfectly aligned. A heavy sigh escaped him, and he closed the book. Kai had been acting so strange today - even more so than usual!
The door clicked, and Rei sat up expectantly. It wasn’t Kai.
“Rei…?” Max peeked into the room
“Yeah…”
“Hey… Isn’t Kai back yet? How weird…”
“I haven’t seen him since this afternoon. Max, I’m worried about him. He’s acting so strange today.” Rei fell, face first, against his pillow.
Max sighed and shook his head. “Rei… If anything was wrong, Kai would tell you. You’re his best friend.”
“Yeah right,” Rei said, though it was barely audible from speaking through the pillow.
Max smirked. You’ll see, Rei. Even if I have to beat some sense into Kai. Max closed the door and left. He knew where Kai was hiding. He hurried outside, avoiding Takao in front of the television. He would pounce on him later…
“Kai!” he called, though he kept his voice down. Sure enough, Kai was sitting near a tree in the back yard, looking upset. Max walked over and stood above him a few paces away; it was always a better idea to keep your distance around Kai, especially when he was in a bad mood.
“What?” Kai was in a bad mood.
Max folded his arms. “You’re screwing it up!”
Kai looked up. “Shut up!”
“Well I told you, didn’t I? You’re being too vague with Rei. He’s such a naive little thing…”
“Some would say the same about you.”
Max smirked. “Well appearances aren’t always what they seem, Kai. You should know that. You asked for my help - god knows why - and I’m trying to help you. Only because I think the only reason you’re such an ass is because you haven’t had se-”
“Shut up!” Kai growled and clenched his fists.
“I’m just saying,” Max said with a pleased giggle. “Just get it over with and jump him. Rei isn’t responding to subtlety, or any of your other games. He isn’t going to make the first move, and honestly, that situation in the kitchen was hilarious.”
“…don’t tell me you were watching…”
“Well I had to make sure everything was working alright. Obviously, it’s not.”
Kai looked away. “Look. I don’t need your help, because it isn’t helping. Just get lost.”
Max frowned. “Fine. But if you don’t do something about this, you’re going to make a right mess of things. Don’t look to me when that happens.”
Kai ignored Max until he left. Whoever thought he, of all people, would be such a bank of information when it came to dating. No wonder he had Takao wound around his finger. Kai stood and brushed the dirt from his pants. He had to go inside anyway. He couldn’t hide out here forever.
“Kai?!” Rei looked up as Kai walked in. A squeal left him and he jumped from the bed, lunging at Kai. “I was so worried! Look at the time!”
Kai looked down at the thing attached to him. Rei was clinging to him, his head against his chest, fingers curling into his jacket. Kai raised his hand and placed it on Rei’s head, smoothing down the dark hair with his fingers.
“Where did you go? It wasn’t something I did…was it?”
“No.” With that, Kai pushed Rei’s shoulders, forcing him away. He busied himself changing his clothes, anything so that he would not have to look at Rei. He was very aware of what his teammate was doing, though. Every little sound Rei made, he followed and interpreted. First he heard the squeak of the bed as Rei lay down again, then the flick of pages in his book. Kai, despite his best intentions, could not help but look. Sure enough, as soon as he did, he remembered why he had been hiding outside. His gaze followed the gentle curve of Rei’s back, and even though Rei was now wearing something a little more appropriate, his form was still easy to see beneath the silky fabric. His long legs were still almost bare, ending at his feet, which he swung in the air behind him.
“You can’t just keep running off, you know, Kai. I’ve been trying to figure out what’s wrong with you all day, and just as I start questioning you, you disappear again.”
“It’s none of your business…”
Rei rolled over, holding the book open on his chest. “Kai! I just want to talk to you and you’re so rude!”
Kai tried to look away. He really tried. It looked like he was staring - which was exactly what he was doing. Rei’s pants were sliding a little down his hip, and he toyed with the hem line of his shirt, exposing the smooth skin of his stomach and the dip of his navel. His eyes were almost closed, and as he yawned, all Kai could think about was those perfect pink lips. He walked over, lost in his own want. Before he even realized what he was doing, he smacked the book out of Rei’s hands. It tumbled to the floor and landed, pages bent.
“Kai… That was my book,” Rei said, looking almost annoyed.
Kai ignored this. He moved forward, sitting on the bed, holding himself on his knees to stare down at Rei.
“Kai? What are you doing?”
Kai almost rolled his eyes. Rei really was naïve, and that meant Max was right. The only way he was going to make Rei understand was to jump him (and even then, the creature seemed vague.) He hovered just above Rei, so close that he could feel him shivering, the silky fabric of his clothing touching his own skin.
“You really have no idea, Rei?” he asked, his voice a husky whisper.
“…n-no?”
Kai growled, low and deep as Rei shifted beneath him, their bodies rubbing together. He couldn’t stand it anymore. Today had just been one frustrating situation after another, but this surely took the prize. Here he was, pressed against the object of his obvious affection, and he could do nothing. Rei was oblivious, still staring at him as though this was all an everyday, if not slightly confusing, occurrence.
Kai reached up and grabbed Rei’s wrists, holding them above his head so he was forced to stay just where he was. “Let me show you then,” Kai said. He swooped down, forcing their lips together, finally getting some sort of release for his pent-up tension. One of his hands still holding Rei’s arms, the other moved down to all but rip the satin night shirt off Rei, who did not seem half as perplexed.
“Oh…” Rei breathed as soon as Kai moved away long enough to give him some air. “Why didn’t you just say!”
“Less talking,” Kai demanded and proceeded to rip the rest of Rei’s clothes away.
Max stood outside the door, smirking to himself. Takao stood beside him, holding his hands over his mouth, his eyes wide.
“I’m so proud of Kai,” Max said and clapped his hands together. “It may take him a while but he learns in the end!”
Takao whipped around to stare at him. “You did this?” he hissed.
“Kai has been so stroppy lately! Don’t blame me, he asked for my help! Trust me; he will be much better after this.”
“How do you know? God, Rei is so noisy!” Takao stared at the closed door again when a particularly loud moan filtered through.
Max giggled and grabbed Takao’s hands. He leaned up to Takao’s ear, placing a gentle kiss there before giving a very good impression of the noises Rei was making inside the room. Takao went bright red.
“Understand now? Poor Kai has been feeling just like this for a very long time. What if I were to deny you-”
“No!” Takao cried. He dragged Max down the hall to their room. Not that Max minded. All this talk of sex and heat was making him very stressed and there was only one good cure for a headache.
Rei flopped across Max’s bed. He jumped to his feet fairly quickly though when he remembered just what his friend got up to in there.
“God, that was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do!”
“And you pulled it off magnificently!” Max smirked and handed Rei a glass of cool water. He had to admit, Rei’s ploy had been foolproof, and he really did work hard.
Rei pulled at his hair gently. “I mean, the shorts, all that water… I was shaking my ass right in front of him and still nothing! The guy is made of steel! Then after the shower… God…then he started saying such delightful sounding things and it was so hard to keep myself off him!”
“I didn’t think Kai would make the first move, y’know. He’s such an idiot,” Max said, shaking his head.
Rei grinned. “Come now, who could resist me. Kai isn’t made of stone. There’s only so much he can stand before he breaks. I just happen to be that breaking point.”
Max laughed. “So, last night? I bet he was so stressed you two were up all night, right?”
Rei rolled his eyes. “Nah. Kai might look tough but he was sorely outclassed. I think I pulled off the sweet, innocent thing a little too well. He had no idea what he was getting himself into. Tiger by name, tiger by nature, and all.” Rei winked and Max dissolved into another fit of giggles.
And at the other end of the house, in his room, Kai was curled up in bed, consciously aware that those two devils just had to be talking about him, and he vowed to himself that he would never, ever trust someone so angelic-looking again.