Web of feelings

AN: Hi everybody! I decided to add another warning to my disclaimer, because reading some of the latest chaps of this fic, it seemed necessary – WARNING: Major OOC of almost all the characters!!! But hey, that’s what fanfiction is for, ne?

Chapter 6:

Tyson paced in front of Tala, who sat on his couch and watched his blue-haired friend in a mixture of amusement and exasperation. The two teens had met an hour before at the river like always, but this evening Tyson wasn’t his normally cheerful self.

He was hurt and angered by what had happened at school – how his teamcaptain had acted towards Tala. Tyson had always thought Kai to be a gentle character, even when all he had long gotten from the older teen was a cold shoulder. But since Russia Kai had warmed up a bit and Tyson had hoped to forge a more serious friendship with the teamchef of the Bladebreakers.

But the way Kai had acted today – what he had said to Tala – made Tyson’s hopes crumble. And ignite his stormy temper, of which Kai the surprised victim had been. However, even after dressing the dual-haired teen down for his action, Tyson was furious, because he couldn’t understand the reason Kai had had for behaving like a jerk. He couldn’t comprehend, what had thriven Kai – and that unbalanced him.

As a reason of that, Tyson’s daily Kendo lesson had an unsuspected ending – he had beaten his grandfather the first time he could remember. It had helped to work his troubles out physically, but Tyson knew he would have to speak about it. Therefore he had hoped to discuss the matter with Tala, when they met at their usual spot at the river in the evening.

Tala had taken one look into the deep blue eyes of his friend, where anger and uneasiness were still boiling and told him to come with him to his and Bryan’s shared appartement. On the way there the redhead had told Tyson, that Bryan now knew of their friendship – and was ok with it. That relieved the bluenette of some anger and made him glad, that Tala’s best friend didn’t react similarly to Kai.

But on the other hand Tyson asked himself, why everybody else didn’t seem to mind a friendship between Tala and himself. Everybody but Kai.

Going over that question in his mind over and over, Tyson worked himself up quite a bit once more and some of his stormy temper showed. Because of that he was now pacing in front of Tala like an angry, caged cat.

\"Really, I can\'t believe Kai did that! Honestly, what did he think?\", Tyson ranted.

\"Perhaps that he had to try to rescue you from the clutches of the big bad wolf before it\'s too late?\", a new, definitely amused voice made itself known.

Tyson\'s head whipped around and his angry gaze centered on Bryan who leaned in the doorframe to the kitchen. Tala\'s eyes narrowed and he said: \"That was a really bad joke, Bry.\"

Tyson fumed instead of realizing Bryan\'s intend on lightening the mood. \"Is that so? Do I look like a frightened little child who needs someone to take care of it? I am absolutely able to fight on my own, thank you very much!\", he growled, now rounding on Bryan.

The lavender-haired teen blinked and stepped back a pace at seeing the visible anger lightening the oceanblue eyes and directing their intense power at him. Holding up his hands in a sign of surrender, Bryan tried to soothe Tyson: \"Hey, calm down, will you? I am not thinking of you in that way – even if I would have done so, I really would have changed my mind after that little scene at school today. You are scary, you know that?\"

Tyson who had opened his mouth to continue his rant catched his breath at that words. Deep blue eyes widened and he seemed stunned by something. Blinking he cocked his head at Bryan and asked: \"Scary? Me? Since when am I scary?\"

While Tala began laughing quietly at the astonisment in Tyson\'s words, Bryan rolled his eyes. Then the lavender-haired teen made the impression to think really hard about the question of the other youth. Tapping his chin, he said: \"Oh, let me think about it…how about since today? It\'s not seen every day that somebody stands up against Kai and goes away with it – without loosing at least a hand. You frightened the students without really trying to, Tyson – I have never seen them hurrying out of someone\'s path so fast before. Even one of the teachers who went down the hallway decided not to cross your warpath.\"

\"Warpath?\", Tyson repeated quietly.

\"Ty\", Tala made himself known, still snickering in amusement at Tyson\'s reaction at realizing someone thought of him to be scary. \"What do you think you did this afternoon at school?\"

Tyson blinked again at having thrown his own words at himself. Then he scowled darkly and answered: \"I was angry for what Kai had said to you, Tala. Therefore I went to him and we talked about it…was there anything else?\"

Bryan gaped at the bluenette, making an impromptu impression of a goldfish. Even Tala was a bit speechless for some time before he composed himself and shook his head in wonder. Tyson was a really special person…but he didn\'t seem to know the impact he had had today on their school\'s inhabitants. Softly smiling at Tyson, Tala decided to explain in more detail what had happened.

\"Ty, there was a whole lot else. Do you remember me stating back then, that you had an \'I\'m-ready-to-kill\'-look on your face?\"

Tyson simply nodded and Tala continued: \"I didn\'t say that lightly, because you really were a bit frightening in your so-called anger at Kai. I think, intimidating would be the right expression for you in that moment. Bryan was right, you know? Every student wisely chose not to cross your way as you went down the hallway. I believe the big black thundercloud hovering above your head must have warned them not to come near you at that moment.
And as you came up to Kai, you dragged him with you towards that empty classroom - Kai of all people! I wouldn\'t dare to even think of doing that! He would bite my head of if I did, of that I am very much sure.

But you…you grabbed his hand and didn\'t allow any disagreement from him! I believe if Kai wouldn’t be as strong and collected as he is, he would have fled when he saw you first. He seemed alarmed to me, almost frightened.\"

\"Kai…frightened of me?\" Tyson\'s voice suddenly sounded disturbed and sad. His agitation evaporated within mere seconds as he thought about Tala’s words. Then the blue-haired teen sighed and sorrow flashed through his eyes as he flopped down next to Tala on the couch.

Closing his depths of oceanblue he whispered: \"I would never have thought that I would live to see the day when Kai would be frightened of something. And now you are sure that today he was…of me? Hell just froze over, of that I am sure.\"

\"Hey\", Tala soothed at seeing the distress on Tyson\'s face and draped his arm around his younger friend. He ignored Bryan\'s surprised expression and hugged Tyson close to him.

\"No need to be sorry, Ty. I believe that it was something that had to be done, even it was painful for more than one of us. I won\'t deny that I was hurt by Kai\'s words, but whatever you said to him in that classroom hit him to the very core, Tyson. I have seen Ray and him coming out of the room long after you, Max and Kenny had left – and to me he seemed to be holding almost desperately onto his normally calm outer appearance. It was a sight I don\'t want to see again.\"

Tyson flinched visibly and burrowed his head in Tala\'s chest, sighing deeply.
\"I messed up, didn\'t I?\", the bluenette unconciously repeated the words Kai had used towards Ray some hours ago. \"I really didn\'t want to make Kai feel bad…ok, maybe a little bit\", he relented as he saw Tala\'s raised eyebrow. \"He hurt me with his distrust in my ability to look out for myself, but that\'s no excuse to hurt him, too. That was not fair.\"

Bryan had silently watched the interaction between his best friend and Tyson, but now he voiced his opinion. Stepping up and sitting on the low table in front of the couch the other two teens were laying on, he said: \"Fairness is a honorable trait of character, Tyson. And I must honestly add, one you often show. Like two years ago after your battle against Tala here\", Bryan pointed at the red-head who eyed him curiously, \"even at that time when neither of you two felt anything friendly towards each other – like you now obviously do – you played fair and with honor, Tyson.\"

The bluenette leaned comfortably against Tala\'s body next to him and regarded Bryan with eyes full of intelligence and sparkling curiosity. \"What are you trying to say, Bryan?\", he wanted to know.

The lavender-haired teen smiled a bit and looked at Tala. \"He is a bright one\", he grinned at his best friend. \"Good taste, mate.\" Tala grinned right back because he knew what Bryan had wanted to say with that statement. His childhood friend approved of Tyson\'s presence around Tala, which was relieving for the redhead who didn\'t want to lose one friend by getting another.

\"Ahem, hello?\", Tyson cleared his throat to regain Bryan\'s attention.

\"Yes?\", the older youth smirked.

\"Stop teasing right now!\", Tyson demanded but his mouth quirked up in a smile at Bryan\'s friendly banter. \"I\'d like to know what else you wanted to express with your speech about my oh-so-mighty sense of honor\", the bluenette elaborated.

Bryan grinned once more and then said: \"A really bright one, who would have thought! Ok, ok, no need to get scary again\", the ex-Demolition Boy relented as Tyson started to growl impatiently, but in a playful manner.

Getting more serious, Bryan explained. \"As you so rightfully discovered I didn\'t say that to praise you without reason. Your sense of what is right is really astonishing sometimes, Tyson. For Tala and me - and I think for Kai, too – that is a new and surprising thing. You don\'t care what we have done in the past, instead you concentrate on the present. You give second chances, Tyson – and that is what really sets you apart from most other persons I met.\"

\"Thank you\", Tyson earnestly said with a gentle smile on his face. But then he frowned: \"But that doesn\'t really help me understand what you meant by your earlier words, Bryan. Yes, I do like to give persons I meet sometimes more than one chance to show their real self…but that doesn\'t make me special.
I knew there was a gentle soul hidden behind Kai\'s icy exterior the moment we met - and with Tala it was almost the same. We hadn\'t the time to become friends after the Champion Ships in Russia, but now we are because you both now decide on your own how to live your life. That makes you able to show your hidden friendliness…why should I give up to be able to revel in that only because of some bad moments in our past?\"

For that somewhat innocent – but at the same time beyond wise – words Tala embraced Tyson in gratitude and thankfulness. Bryan smiled in thanks, too and tried to hide how deeply Tyson\'s trust in them touched him.

\"What you have said a minute ago, proves what Bryan had been trying to express, Ty\", Tala quietly moved on in their explanation. \"Your fairness and that forgiving heart you have, made you able to forget what happened in the past.
But you have to understand, that not everybody can be as forgiving as you… especially someone like Kai with that painful history of the happenings in the abbey\", Tala\'s voice cracked slightly at the mention of that horrible place and Bryan flinched visibly. Immediately Tyson\'s right hand gripped Tala\'s in silent support all the while his left closed around Bryan\'s.

Silence ensued shortly, before Tala managed to get a grip on his emotions and continued: \"Like I said, Kai\'s past – and for that matter Bryan\'s and mine, too – was not an easy one and because of that your teamcaptain is reluctant about opening up to anybody about his feelings. But you and your three friends have found a way to worm yourself into his heart. Kai may not realize that conciously, but at the same time it makes him very protective of you four. He tries with all his might to guard you guys from harm…even to the point of overdoing it like today.\"

\"If you explain it like that I feel even more guilty for yelling at him\", Tyson mumbled, gazing with sorrow clearly visible in his face straight ahead at nothing. Images of the hurt look in the crimson eyes of his friend and teamleader flashed before his inner eye and he sighed deeply. \"I think I have to apologize to him tomorrow…\", the bluenette began with regret showing in his eyes and voice.

But Bryan interjected sternly: \"You won\'t! It\'s not you who should apologize, Tyson! Even if you now know some of the reasons which might explain Kai\'s action a bit better, that doesn\'t make his words less hurtful for Tala or you. He had no right to say that and I won\'t allow you to apologize to him for defending my best friend! It\'s not his business if you two like to hang out together – it\'s not like you are dating each other!\", the lavender-haired teen exclaimed.

\"Dating?\", two voices echoed.

Iceblue gazed at oceanblue as Tala and Tyson looked at each other in open surprise at that statement from Bryan. Then slowly a smile spread over Tyson\'s face and he fully relaxed into the hold Tala still had on him. Amusement flashed through the older boy\'s eyes and he gently stroked Tyson\'s dark-blue hair out of his face. Tyson sighed in contentment at the feeling of care Tala showed him and snuggled closer to the redhead who in response tightened his hold on the other teen\'s body.

Bryan gaped at seeing a soft smile spreading across Tala\'s face as the Russian looked at his blue-haired friend. Blinking the ex-Demolition Boy opened and closed his mouth some times before he managed to blurt out: \"Are you…dating?\"

Tyson smiled beautifully at Tala and, cocking his head at the redhead, asked: \"What do you think, sweetie? Are we dating?\"

\"Sweetie???\"

\"I told you not to call me that, Ty!\", Tala tried to scowl at the bluenette in his arms. But his lips twitched every now and then and his normally cool blue eyes sparkled with warmth and laughter.

\"Awww…but I like to call you that!\", Tyson pouted adorably.

\"You two…are…together…\", Bryan\'s perplexed voice could be heard.
The lavender-haired teen looked from Tala to Tyson and back again, seemingly overwhelmed at what he was seeing. Two pairs of blue eyes switched their gaze towards their astonished friend and then Tala wanted to know: \"Would that be a problem, Bry?\"

Blinking Bryan needed a second to understand the underlying questions in the one Tala had voiced and sighed deeply before smiling gently at his best friend since childhood. \"No, it wouldn\'t. Not for me.\" Tyson felt Tala unconciously relax at that words and thoughtfully narrowed his eyes. But than Bryan pulled him back from his musings by asking: \"You two really are a couple then?\"

Silence seemed to stretch into a small eternity before Tyson\'s careful grip on his laughter slipped and he dissolved into giggles. Clutching at Tala for support the bluenette shook with gales of light-hearted, musical laughter in which the red-head couldn\'t help but join in. The two friends really tried to contain their amusement but each time they looked at the perplexed expression on Bryan\'s face they were set off to a new round of laughing.

\"Make…make it…stop\", Tala panted after some minutes, gasping for air while his stomach hurt from his carefree expression of happiness. \"Ty, please\", he almost begged.
Giggling without restraint the bluenette answered, gasping for fresh air, too: \"I…I can\'t…because…he looked so…perplexed…at…thinking…that…that we… would…would be…a couple!\" And a new fit of laughter left Tyson shaking all over his slender body. Tala instinctivly tightened his slipping hold on the younger one, because Tyson had began to slide from the couch. But he reacted too late and Tyson suddenly sat on the floor.
\"Ups\", Tala grinned down at the blinking boy who managed to raise his left eyebrow and repeated: \"Ups?\"

Still alternating between little fits of giggling and managing to quiet himself, Tala reached out his hand to help his friend back onto the couch. But their laughter had cost both of them too much strength and the redhead wasn\'t able to lift Tyson from the floor.

\"Hey\", Tyson protested indignantly as Tala leaned back after the third try and gave up on helping him up. \"What do you think you are doing?\"

\"I can\'t help you up\", Tala panted, slowly regaining his breath. \"I haven\'t got enough strength to even lift a fly right now - I haven\'t laughed so hard since… since…\", Tala frowned in thought, before adding: \"Scratch that. I have never laughed so hard before. That was really exhausting.\"

\"And now?\", Tyson playfully whined. \"Does that mean I have to sit on the floor? Good friend you are, Tala…and so hospitable…making your guests sit on the floor where they will get a cold…and then will have to go to the hospital to not die of that terrible case of pneumonia…\"

\"Moron\", Bryan\'s voice suddenly sounded next to him and a hand stretched out to help him up. Accepting the offered support Tyson gracefully climbed to his feet and immediately flopped down next to Tala on the couch again, who grinned at him in remembered laughter.

Tyson instead shook his head at Bryan in a show of wonder and said: \"My, my, my… such nice compliments. I am honored beyond speech.\"

\"That I\'d like to see\", Bryan mumbled, loudly enough for his two companions to hear. But at the same time his voice held an unmistakle touch of fondness and his green eyes sparkled with affection for the two boys in front of him. He had never seen Tala so happy before, so carefree and full of humor. Tyson was good for his often too serious friend – the bluenette\'s friendship would make Tala more open and easygoing.

And at the same time the redhead would be a good companion for Tyson, too. Bryan knew how devoted Tala could be to someone whom he called a friend.
Regarding both blue-eyed teens in front of him with a thoughtful frown, he declared: \"I can tell from your laughing at me – which was by the way not very nice - that you expertly set me up. I assume that you are not dating?\"

Tyson grinned and batted his eyelashes at Tala, who smiled brightly but then turned to his best friend to answer: \"You assume right. Tyson and I are friends. Very good friends, but we aren\'t dating.\"

\"Then why do you…\", Bryan started but was interrupted by Tyson who grinned: \"You really asked for it, Bryan. The way you watched us and then said that thing about dating...\", the blue-haired teen smiled impudently and added: \"It would have been a shame not to act on it. You should have seen your face!\"
\"Quite a sight\", Tala agreed smiling.

“Hmpf”, Bryan mumbled, trying to look affronted, but couldn’t hold back a small smile of his own. He could see the humor in what his two companions had done to him and finally gave in, when Tyson bestowed him with an apologetic, but at the same time clearly amused look.

The lavender-haired teen shook his head and silently amended his former opinion about Tyson – the younger blader had far more to give than he would have ever thought. There was more to the bluenette than his cheerful attitude and his forgiving heart – today Bryan had been able to catch a look at the more serious and insightful side of the Bladebreaker. And he was glad, that Tala had found such a fierce friend in Tyson, that the blue-haired teen even protected him against Kai. Even it meant heartache and sorrow for Tyson himself.

The last thought Bryan didn’t voice out loud, but he had seen the deep sadness in Tyson’s eyes at the thought of having hurt Kai with his words today. Even if the bluenette knew quite well that Kai had done something wrong by acting like he had towards Tala, Tyson was clearly fond of the dual-haired teen. That had been very obvious in Russia during the Champion Ships already – and if one tried to see through the cheerful outer appearance of Tyson, it was easy to realize that his feelings had deepened even more since then.

“Bry?”, Tala’s questioning voice let Bryan snap out of his musings and look at his best friend. Ice-blue eyes seemed to search in his for an answer to an unspoken question, but than Tala simply quirked an eyebrow at the lavender-haired teen, remaining silent.

“Everything’s alright”, Bryan said. Then he looked at the clock and continued: “But I think, if Tyson isn’t home soon that statement won’t be true any longer. It’s quite late already.”

Tyson, who looked at his own watch after Bryan’s words, groaned lowly. His Gramps wouldn’t be happy with him – Bryan was right. It was late. Made that really late. Late as in L.A.T.E. The next Kendo lesson wouldn’t be fun.

“Ouch”, the bluenette winced slightly when thinking of todays lesson as well as his grandfather’s reaction to him coming home after mealtime. “I am dead”, he mumbled resignedly. “So very, very dead.”

“Ty?”, Tala inquiered at hearing such pessimistic words from his friend, who was normally quite an optimistic character. “What’s the matter?”

But Tyson didn’t react to his question, instead rose from the couch in a fluid motion and hurried out of the room. Tala and Bryan blinked at each other at the younger blader’s sudden hectic, but rose as well.

As they made to go to where Tyson was putting on his boots and jacket, the voice of the bluentte floated towards them: “I am really sorry, but I have to hurry or Gramps will get a fit. See you guys tomorrow at school, ok? Bye.” Then the front door of the appartement fell shut with a bang – and Tyson was gone.

“Talk about energetic”, Bryan shook his head with a small smile, which was answered by Tala with a more teasing one. “Jealous?”, the redhead asked.

“You can say that”, the lavender-haired teen answered with mock-seriousness, “if you would bottle up Tyson’s energy and give it to the more phlegmatic people like some of our teachers, it would be sufficient for a whole group of them!”

The picture, which came to his mind, made Tala laugh quietly. He knew what Bryan wanted to express with his words – like almost everyone who met Tyson he too was sometimes astonished by the sheer energy the bluenette possessed. It was one of Tyson’s character traits he cherished most – Tala felt more alive when his younger friend was with him. Tyson simply radiated energy and warmth.

“I know what you mean”, the redhead anwered his childhood friend with a smile Then he continued with a thankful look. “I want to tell you that I cherish the fact that you accepted my friendship with Ty without complaint. After what happened at school today I was a bit worried about your reaction, Bry.”

“No need to worry. Like Tyson said – now it’s finally time for us to decide what we want to do. And you obviously want to be his friend, Tala. I don’t see a reason to keep his friendship from you. Perhaps Tyson’s other friends will react like him within some time and we will be able to make amends for some of the things we did during the Champion Ships in Moscow.”

“I really hope so”, Tala said with a quiet sigh. “I even hope to gain some kind of understanding with Kai – he is part of our past like we are of his. If he would be willing, we could work up some of the horrors we lived through in the abbey.”

Bryan shuddered slightly in rememberance, but his green eyes had a determined look. “Maybe Tyson’s friendship will help with that, Tala. Even if he reacted a bit like a jerk today, Kai is really intelligent and I share Tyson’s opinion of him to have a gentle soul. He only hides it like we hid our ‘inner friendliness’”, Bryan quoted Tyson.
Then he added: “I remember some of the things Kai did for us and the other children in the abbey, even if he did it in silence. He tried to protect us from Boris, like he now protects his team. I really think there’s hope.”

Tala nodded silently, a thoughtful expression on his face. Bryan’s words had made him realize, that he should have a talk with Kai the next day. It was time to overcome their past and move on.

Next chapter done! Please R & R!

Thanks for all your wonderful reviews and know that I will be working on the next chap asap,
Gemini