Broken Lullabyes

Interlude -
Crying Out


“Tala, what did Kai do?”

“He… he tried to hurt himself. No, he did. He did hurt himself.”

“W-what do you mean?”

“That’s all I am going to say. I can’t tell you more. Kai wouldn’t want me to tell you more.”

Rei sat motionless on the bed. He hadn’t moved since Tala had left, almost ten minutes ago. His hands were fisted tightly in his lap, nails digging into his palms. He kept thinking back to what Tala had told him. Or rather, what Tala hadn’t told him.

He… he tried to hurt himself.

That sounded so vague. It could mean anything. Kai could have just lightly cut himself, or punched a wall and hurt his fist. Or it could be something different. Life threatening even. And all because Rei had lied to Kai about Lee.

That was another thing Rei didn’t understand. Kai hated him! Kai loved Tala now. He had no reason to be jealous. And if Kai didn’t love him, why had he been so upset by the news that Rei was going out with Lee? Was it simply because he hated Lee? But no… Kai wouldn’t try to hurt himself just because he hated Lee. So was it because Kai still loved Rei?

Rei shook his head. ‘Kai doesn’t love me anymore. He made that pretty clear.’

He remembered how Kai’s whole body had tensed up when he mentioned Lee, and how he said he would go out with him.

If Kai doesn’t still love me, why would he try to kill himself?

xoxox

Rei knelt on his hands and knees, eyes squeezed tightly shut. “Shit!” he swore. “Shit shit shit! What the hell just happened?” He was breathing hard from running. “Lee… he wouldn’t… something wasn’t right. I know Lee! He would try to do… that. He wouldn’t!” Rei stared down at his hands. They were trembling, and his wrists were red and sore from the rope. ‘I have known Lee all my life, and he has never once shown an interest in me. Besides, he knows I am with Kai! He was supportive of me being with Kai!’

Slowly he sat back on his knees and brushed his hair out of his eyes. “What the hell is going on? This makes no sense at all. I… I never thought he would try something like that. And why now?”

Kai laughed harshly. “I don’t see anymore beyblades! I guess that makes me the winner…” he held Black Dranzer up. “Cowards like you don’t deserve to possess bitbeasts. It is my right to steal them away!”

His golden eyes narrowed.

Kai smirked as he watched them get off the helicopter. “All together again, hmm? Well never again! My days as a Bladebreaker are through!”

Tyson shook his head. “Kai! Don’t do this! Take back your blade! You can come back to the team!” he held out Dranzer, but Kai just laughed.

“Really, Tyson, why would I ever want to come back to your pathetic little team? I am much better off alone. And now I have Black Dranzer! Dranzer pails in comparison to her power. Take back my blade, you say? Not a chance.”

Rei gasped. “Lee… he was holding Black Dranzer when he brought me into his hut! But… how did he get it? I thought…” he was interrupted as he heard footsteps behind him. He twisted around quickly. “Kai!”

Kai was standing before him, a frown on his face. “Rei.”

Rei stood up hastily. “How did you know I was here?”

“Mao saw you run out here, and she told me.”

“Oh.” Rei looked at Kai closely. Something seemed wrong. Kai wasn’t looking him in the eyes, and he was standing tensely, and he looked distracted. “Kai? Is something wrong?” He stepped forward to place a hand on Kai’s arm, but the smaller boy flinched, and stepped back. Rei quickly dropped his hand. “Kai?”

Kai looked at the ground. “Where have you been?” he asked. His voice was strangely quiet.

“I… I was with Lee. You were there…”

“You were a long time…”

Rei swallowed, his throat feeling dry. “I… he wanted to-to discuss beybladeing strategies with me.”

“Oh.” Kai’s mouth pressed into a thin line. “I see.”

Rei felt uneasiness stir in him, and he reached out again, grabbing Kai’s arm before he could move away from him. “Kai, please, tell me what is wrong with you? Did something happen?”

Kai’s eyes flickered up to meet his. “I should be asking you the same question,” he said quietly. “Is there something you’re not telling me, Rei?”

Rei froze. No… Kai couldn’t have known… it had only just happened! He couldn’t have found out so soon. ‘Unless… unless he talked to Lee…’ Quickly Rei looked at Kai’s eyes, but found the other boy had turned his head to the side, and was avoiding his gaze again. “Kai… did you happen to see Lee?”

Kai shrugged. “So what if I did?”

Fear gripped him and he grabbed Kai’s other arm, shaking him as he did so. “What did he tell you?” he asked, voice becoming slightly hysterical. “What did he say?”

“You already know, don’t you?” Kai snarled suddenly. “That’s why you ran out here. Trying to come up with a good cover story? Trying to figure out how you were going to break the news to me?”

“What are you talking about?” Rei cried.

“You!” Kai spat. “You and him! Lee told me, Rei.” his voice dropped lower. “I know about you and Lee. Did you think you could hide it forever?”

Rei stared at him. “You think… that me and Lee… that we…”

“He told me himself!”

“Fuck,” Rei spat, pushing Kai away from him. “Fuck! Do you really have that little faith in me? Do you have that little faith in me that you believe every damn word without talking to me first? You know I wouldn’t cheat on you Kai!”

“Oh yeah? And how can I be sure of that? You have been spending so much time with Lee these days, I already had my suspicions.”

“I wouldn’t cheat on you! Fuck why don’t you believe me?”

Kai pointed a shaking hand at Rei. “Because of that! You stand there with your shirt open, hair messy and unbound and goddamn hickeys all over you neck and chest, and you have the nerve to tell me you aren’t cheating on me! In case you hadn’t noticed, Rei, that’s not exactly how you looked when you left me.”

Rei looked down and swore. “Shit! Kai, it’s not what you think! Just let me explain!”

Kai turned away. “I don’t need to hear your excuses, Rei. As far as I’m concerned, it’s over.”

He started to leave, but Rei grabbed his arm again. “Don’t you dare. Don’t walk out on me before I have had a chance to explain myself. Kai, I love-”

“Don’t say that!” Kai snarled. He spun around so they were face to face again, and Rei could see the beginning of tears forming in Kai’s eyes. “You don’t fucking love me. Did you ever? Why the hell would Lee lie to me? He told me himself that you had chosen him, so don’t try to act like you’re still loyal! He had no reason to lie! With me out of the picture, you two could finally be together!” He smiled humourlessly at the other boy. “Is he good, Rei? Is he so much better than me? Do you love being dominated by him?”

\"I want you bound and helpless, trembling under my control.\"

“Shut up!” Rei yelled. “Just shut up! You don’t know shit!”

“Don’t I?” Kai shot back. “What was it then? What made you leave me? Was his dick that much bigger than mine?”

\"Yes, I love it when you beg. I love knowing you are powerless to stop me.\"

Rei had never felt so angry in his life. He could see the anger and hurt in Kai’s eyes, could feel his nails digging into Kai’s skin. “Fuck you, Hiwatari,” he said coldly, and pushed Kai back. “Fuck you. Get out of here. Get out of my sight. I never want to see you again.”

“Believe me,” Kai hissed, “the feelings mutual.”

xoxox

Rei glared at the wall. He hated times like this, when memories returned, along with his old suspicion.

‘What if Lee wasn’t really under the control of Black Dranzer? What if he pretended, just to break up me and Kai?’

That question had been turned over and over in his mind, trying to see some way around it, trying to see the truth of Lee’s confession.

Kai had left that afternoon, and true to his word, Rei hadn’t seen or heard anything of him until just a few days ago.

He had stumbled back to the village, blinded by anger and tears, only to run into a horror struck Lee. He was crying himself, and kept apologising, saying that he hadn’t meant to. He had only wanted to try Black Dranzer’s power for himself, to see if he could control her, and she had taken over him. Rei had nodded in acceptance, still in shock from the argument, and all that had happened, but had set out at once for Lee’s house to destroy the bit beast for good. When he got there, however, it had disappeared from the table. Lee, who had followed him, also had not seen it, so Rei could come to only one conclusion.

Kai had taken it with him.

‘He probably still has it, to,’ thought Rei sourly. ‘Why the hell did he keep it? He knows how dangerous that thing is. It would be best for all of us if it was destroyed.’

Rei stood up. The party was in an hour and he needed to start getting ready.

‘I think me and Lee need to have a little chat…’

xoxox

Umm… yes. The party is in an hour. Wow! Look how time flies! Hehe… the joys of being an author…

Anyways, I know the wait for this chapter was to long, and for that I apologise profusely. Forgive me? (puppy dog eyes) Every time I tried to write this chapter, I hit a kind of block. It was like a big wall, standing right in between me and this story. So today I just attacked it with a hammer and didn’t let up until the wall broke, and I had finished. So now I can get on to the fun stuff! The long awaited party!

Okay, I have an announcement. It has been over a year since I started this story (happy birthday Broken Lullabyes!) and so I decided to read my story over again. Erg… do you really want to know what I thought? Probably not. Let’s just say I was so dissatisfied with the way I had written it, that when I have finished the story I will be going back over the whole thing and rewriting it. It will be the same, of course, just… better.

And thank you all so much for your feedback! You keep me going, really. Without you, I think I might just give up on this story. That saying, if anyone wants to beta this story, please email me! I could use the help, cos I don’t think I catch every mistake. Plus, I also need ideas for what should happen at the party… (Whistles innocently) I know what I’m writing about, honestly!

So the chapters here,

The crowd goes whoo!

Make the author happy

And please review!

(cough)