Yes, if it helps I feel bad for Takao. And yes, I know having him walk in was cliché, but I'm not the one who's arranged it. Well… who do you think arranged it that way, and when you think on that, do you really think he'd be imaginative enough to think of something that was less subtle than a sledgehammer? XD
This is the last chapter anyway. I never intended it to be long. The whole point was, this concentrated on the confusion and the turmoil and the whirlwind of emotion between the three. It was never going to be an epic because, who am I to bore you with endless near misses and thwarting?
I hope that no one is disappointed. This is the ending I had planned from the start.
I hope you've enjoyed this. I've certainly enjoyed writing something different to usual. So here it is. The conclusion. Dialogue heavy.
Breathing.
In. Out. In. Out.
Breathing was all that could be heard in the dead silence.
In. Out. In. Out.
Time stood frozen.
In. Out. In. Out.
Three pairs of eyes, red, yellow and brown; two pairs wide in shock, the other pair unreadable.
In. Out. In. Out.
"What…?" Words seemed to slip quietly from Takao's mouth, though it was obvious that his brain had yet to comprehend the situation.
And then the trance broke. "No. No, no, no, no, no!" Takao's head swayed side-to-side moving faster as disbelief set in. "This can't… Oh God!" Movement suddenly set in, tearing apart the frozen moment. Takao whirled to hurtle back out of the doorway, hand clamped over his mouth even as Rei threw himself out of bed, diving to reclaim his discarded clothing.
"Takao!" he shouted helplessly as he tugged on his fallen clothing. "Takao!" Shirt pulled on, Rei sprinted from the room, vaguely aware of the fact that Kai was trailing behind him. He followed after Takao's retreating form, mind reeling, thoughts desperate.
It was when Takao reached the beach, he finally stopped, stumbling and falling to his hands and knees in the sand. For a moment, as Rei reached his side, Takao looked about ready to vomit. Instead, he simply panted, eyes staring unseeingly at the sand. Rei reached out, touching Takao's arm to help him stand.
It was slapped away. "Don't, touch me." Takao hissed, turning hurt and furious eyes on him. Rei couldn't help but take a step backwards under the intensity of that glare.
He'd done it now. He'd really done it. This was as bad as it could possibly get. He'd taken Takao's heart and utterly crushed it. Good God! How would he have felt if he'd found Kai in bed with someone else? The thought alone made his heart constrict painfully. It just didn't bear thinking about.
"Takao…" Rei whispered.
"Save it." Takao interrupted, shifting until he sat upon the sand.
The silence and the guilt choked Rei as he and Kai stood, watching Takao as he stared out across the ocean. The sound of rolling waves only emphasised the silence and Rei stood, eyes fixed upon Takao's form not daring to look away as he chewed on his lip, ignoring the sting of pain he felt when he finally pierced that delicate flesh and drew blood.
The waves rolled on.
Rei fidgeted, wishing that Kai were closer. He needed him. He wasn't sure how much longer he could stand on his own. Kai, like the other two however, remained frozen in place, the three feet between him and Rei feeling like endless miles to the latter. He knew he couldn't move though. It wasn't the time or the place to move to Kai's side and wrap himself around him, seeking comfort. Much as he wanted fold himself within the safe circle of Kai's arms, he'd done enough to cause Takao hurt. One more act of thoughtlessness could not be tolerated.
He had to stand-alone for this one. He had to face the consequences of his actions on his own.
"How long?" Rei jumped at the sound of Takao's voice and turned wide, nervous eyes upon him. Takao was still staring out over the waves.
"S-sorry, what did you say?" Rei's voice sounded alien to him. He didn't recall it being that weak and tired. It made him wince.
Takao turned dull brown eyes on him, a small smile devoid of humour stretched across his lips. "How. Long. Have. You. Been. Fucking. Kai. Behind. My. Back?" Takao repeated slowly as if he were talking to a child. When he received no answer, he got angrier. "It's a simple question, Rei! How long have you and Kai been fucking around?"
"Two… two weeks." Rei replied softly, gaze fixed on the sand by Takao's feet. He couldn't bare it. He couldn't bear seeing the hurt in those big brown eyes.
Takao laughed incredulously. "Two weeks. Two weeks? Kai of all people has been fucking my own boyfriend and I don't even notice. Tch. Maybe I really am as stupid as people tell me." He finished bitterly.
"No!" Rei bust out, dropping to his knees besides Takao. "No! Don't you say that about yourself! You're not stupid!" He reached out unthinkingly to put his hand upon Takao's arm.
He was shoved roughly away as if his arm had been flame. Takao turned to him, furious. "Let me guess! 'It's not you it's me', right? Is that what you're going to say? I know that already, Rei." He spat his name as if it were poison. "Because as far as I can tell, I was a pretty damn good boyfriend. I fucking waited for you! All of that time when you weren't ready, and you were more than ready to roll onto your back and spread your legs for Kai like some kind of whore." Rei winced at that, and Takao paused, as if just considering something else. "Speaking of whores, just how many people have you been happy to fuck since I am so obviously far to repulsive to even consider sleeping with? Max maybe? How about Kyoujyu, hmmm?"
The question hung in the air like a storm cloud. Rei answered very quietly. "It… it was only ever Kai."
"What? Ever?" Takao snorted.
Rei nodded, still staring at that one point in the sand. "Yes."
Takao clapped sarcastically. "Well, well done you. As far as cheating goes, you're pretty loyal." Rei said nothing. "So tell me, because I'm just dying to know. Did you two just leap into bed with each other one day? Or, had there been sexual tension just bubbling under the surface for days? Or were you two using me for kicks? What?" He said almost conversationally.
Rei swallowed, but this time, it was Kai that spoke. "I seduced him." He said, not a hint of emotion playing in his voice. "And it started about a month ago. I kissed him, and he hit me. I tried it on a few more times and then about two weeks ago, I got him into bed."
"Well done to you too, Kai. You did the impossible it seems. Got any tips for me?" Takao replied.
Rei felt tears sting at the corners of his eyes, deeply hurt at the conversational way they were discussing him. Still though, Kai was taking more of the blame than necessary, so who was he to argue? He had brought this all on himself. This was all his fault. He deserved everything he got.
Takao sighed, the sound sad and destroying the false civility. "You don't think that I do, but I know you, Rei. I wasn't lying when I told you that I loved you. I'd been watching you carefully for months and I'd like to think I know you. You're not like this. You don't just jump into bed with people, and you're not the kind of person who lets himself get seduced. So tell me; what happened? Because the last thing I'd ever have expected is this."
"I don't know." Rei whispered truthfully. "I just don't know. I… I tried Takao. I really did. I do love you, it's just… it's just…" Rei had always hated crying but in the face of such emotional stress, he couldn't prevent the tears that began to trickle down his face. "I don't love you the way you want me to."
"Then why say yes?" Takao asked. Rei could detect the desperation in his voice.
"Because… because…" Rei sighed. "I was so lonely. Kai wasn't being my best friend any more, and the villagers back home didn't care about me unless I came home with tournament titles. I was just so lonely. I'd never had anyone tell me that they loved me before and when you said it, it was like I'd found the missing part of my life. I've always wanted someone to love me, and then there you were. I wanted to make it work, Takao, I really did. I wanted to stop looking at you like a little brother and see you as a lover, but… but… I can't. I've tried so hard, but I care about you so much. I was so frightened of hurting you. I thought if I just gave it time, something would change, but…" Rei took a shuddering breath.
"And Kai?" Takao pushed.
"Everything changed when Kai kissed me." Rei breathed. "I've… I've liked Kai for a long time now, so when he kissed me for the first time, I just forgot myself. I got lost in kissing him. It was like I'd found another part of me."
"So why not break up with me then? Why let everything get so messed up?" Takao snapped.
"Because… because," Rei took another breath to hold back sobs that were threatening to break free. "Kai doesn't want a relationship and… he can't love me. And I understand, I don't want to force him, but I need it Takao. I need to be loved. If no one loves me then doesn't that make me worthless? God, I'm so confused. I wanted Kai so badly. That's why I've been hurting you, even though I never wanted to. Believe me none of this was my intention, but I just… I just can't stop… I need Kai."
"So you've been using me?" Takao said sadly.
"I… I didn't mean to." Rei whispered, wiping at his eyes.
"You didn't mean to? Oh! Well that makes it all okay then!" Takao said with mock understanding. When Rei said nothing once again, the younger calmed a little. "Still though, somehow, I can believe that. Though I'm tempted to right now, I don't think you have it in you to be heartless. Speaking of, you keep going on about how much you need Kai. Is he that good in bed?"
"It's not about the sex." Rei responded quietly. Painfully aware that Kai was standing right behind him, Rei told Takao the truth. "I'm in love with him. That's why I need him so badly." Rei laughed, though it sounded more frightened than anything else. "I'm completely addicted to him, so much so that I hurt people. I hate that I've become this way, you must understand. So disgustingly self-centred… I was… I was going to finish with you today, Takao… if that means anything to you. It was never my intention to lead you along."
"Looks like you did finish with me today. I only wish you could have found a less painful way of telling me." Takao sighed.
"That… that wasn't… Kai said you were training kids down at the centre. I thought you'd be gone for hours… I thought it'd be our last time together." Rei added softly.
Takao glared at Kai then. "Well, I told Kai that I was just going to post a letter, didn't I, Kai?"
Rei gasped and whirled around. "Kai?"
Kai stared at the two with an unreadable expression and shrugged. "How was I supposed to know you planned to break up with him? It was the only way I could think of telling him you two weren't meant to be."
"Trust you to completely steam roll over feelings, Kai. Do you have any idea how lucky you are?" Takao stood, making his way over to Kai. "You have Rei, the boy I love completely dedicated to you like a little puppy, and you can say nothing. You had this all planned from the start didn't you? Use Rei to get at me. I knew you were heartless, Kai, but I never thought you'd stoop so low."
Kai stared at him with a bored expression. "Don't flatter yourself so much, Kinomiya."
Takao tensed, and looked ready to hit him, when he chuckled without the slightest hint of humour and stepped back, turning to Rei. "Now I see why you can't love me. You're a masochist; you must be to want him. I mean, why settle for someone who wants to treat you right and love you when you can have a guy like Kai?" Rei stayed quiet, looking away in shame.
The three fell silent, but after a while, Rei began to feel the same illness he had felt earlier. "I'm… I'm so sorry." He whispered, breaking the quiet. "I don't know what I've been doing. I still don't. Being with you and being with Kai makes me feel good about myself in different ways. I've been using you both and I'm disgusted with myself." He released a soft sigh that shuddered with pent up sobs. "I've probably broken the team apart too, so I've ended up hurting Max, Kyoujyu and Hiromi too. I never knew I was so selfish." Blinking back fresh tears, Rei asked the question that needed to be asked. "Where do we go from here?"
Takao pulled off his cap and stared into it, as if searching for answers. Finally, he seemed to come to a decision. "I think, Rei, it's time you made your choice."
"Choice?" Rei questioned.
Takao nodded. "The team will never be the same again, but… it all comes down to you. Me… or Kai?"
Rei blinked in disbelief. "You mean… after all of this… you'd- you'd take me back?" His voice dropped to a whisper at the last.
Shrugging Takao regarded him with soft brown eyes. "People have called me stupid many times, and they're probably right but…" He smiled wanly. "I'm so angry with you part of me wants to hit you and never see you again. You've hurt me badly, but you're a nice person and so am I and I'm willing to try and put this behind us. You're a complete idiot for thinking that this would all work out fine, but you're genuinely sorry. Even someone like me can see that. I don't know how long it will take for me to trust you again and for things to be okay between us, but I can't just stop loving you, because even before all of this, you were still my friend and I wanted to take care of you, like I did Max, and Zo and everyone else. I'll carry on loving you, Rei. If that is what you want." He finished.
In that instant, it struck Rei just what an amazing person his former boyfriend was. He'd underestimated him. Badly. And Rei knew what it was he had to do. The right choice. "Takao, I don't… I don't deserve you." He said with a small smile.
Takao gave him an almost-smile in return. "I know."
Rei shook his head slowly. "No. I mean it. I really don't." Takao went speechless in surprise and Rei stood, staring out across the ocean with a far away smile upon his lips. "There's a whole world of people out there who'd be lucky to have you by their side. I know what I need from you now, Takao. I need to see my little brother go out there and find his perfect match. I need for you to find that one person who truly deserves you, because you are one of a kind, Taka." He looked at Takao with a warm gaze. "You are sincere and you are big hearted and out there is your someone. Find them for me."
Takao rose to his feet, a defeated, bitter smile upon his own lips. "You choose Kai, huh? The first time I lose to him and it's the time that really matters."
Rei turned to look at Kai, finding that he was staring at him expectantly. Rei smiled again. "No. I don't choose Kai." Kai looked surprised, and dropped his eyes to stare at the sand. "I choose no one." Rei said finally. "I'm never going to be able to find what I need in either of you. I love you both so dearly; please know that I am so sorry from the bottom of my heart. All of the lies and the awkwardness and the sneaking around… I'm just not worth it." Rei's smile was sad, but sincere.
Takao was the first to move, replacing his cap and walking slowly towards the steps leading back to the dojo. He paused as he stood alongside Rei. "I forgive you, Rei. I know. It's crazy isn't it? You've… well, you've broken my heart but… I think yours has been broken too and I take no pleasure in it. You're in pain, like me. So I forgive you. We're not okay, yet, but we will be someday. Besides, I've never really been one for grudges. I'd appreciate it though if you moved rooms for a little bit. I'm easy-going, but that doesn't mean I'm happy with you and Kai sharing a room."
"You're… you're letting me stay?" Rei gasped out, spinning to face Takao.
Takao looked back at him out of the corner of his eye. "Of course I am. I'm not saying that things will be easy, but where else do you have to go? Besides, in asking you out, there was always a chance our break up would affect the team, so I suppose it's partially my own fault and I will not be held even partially responsible for the team breaking up."
Rei's astonishment faded and he felt no small amount of pride in Takao. "You've grown." He said, admiration apparent in his whisper.
"… I know." Takao replied, he moved until he stood besides Kai. "I don't know what your reasoning was and to be honest, I don't want to. I can't help but think that you are at the heart of this whole disaster, but I'm just not bothered any more. You are my team captain. That is all. Any respect or feelings of friendship I had for you are gone. I don't know if you enjoyed seducing my boyfriend, but I want you to know that I wouldn't even spit on you if you were on fire. I will follow your orders but I no longer respect or support you. As far as I'm concerned, the person who used to be my greatest rival and dear friend is dead to me." Takao said quietly, so that Rei would not hear.
Kai stared at him levelly. "Would it make you feel better if you hit me?" He asked calmly.
Takao turned away from him and began walking off. "No. No it wouldn't, besides… I don't want to dirty my fist."
Rei watched him go, indifferent to the exchange. It was beyond his control now. He looked back to Kai and their gazes met, locking for a long moment before Kai too, turned his back to him and walked away.
When both were out of sight, Rei turned back to face the sea and sank back to the ground alone.
Alone.
Rei smiled sadly, yellow eyes gazing out across the waves. "Looks like I'm on my own again." He whispered though there was no one around to hear. He bought his knees up to his chest and rested his crossed arms across his kneecaps. "But I deserve it. This is the way I'm supposed to be."
It was true. In his first memories, he had been alone, when he had left his village to broaden his horizons he had been alone, surrounded by people he still felt alone.
It was the way he was always intended to be. He wasn't good enough to be around people. He'd only end up hurting them or disappointing them.
He was happy this way. No one could hurt him and he couldn't hurt any one in return.
He was happy.
"Idiot." He whispered, as a stray tear broke free.
He was happy. He had to be happy. If he wasn't happy…
"What do I have left?" Images flashed before him. Smiling friends, a silver beyblade, a white hair bind, a proud tiger, soft moans, the roar of a crowd, a battle on ice, happiness, fear, anger, tears, sensations, emotions… memory. His life, and yet what did he have left? He wasn't strong enough to keep Byakko by his side. So what did he have? What had he ever kept that he hadn't thrown away? And the worst part was, "There's no one else to blame." Rei said softly.
And the tears kept coming. He deserved this. He was selfish and needy.
He was also very much alone. No matter what Takao had said, he couldn't go back to the team, not with them knowing of his infidelity. They'd probably pretend that everything was all right with fake, painful smiles, when in reality they'd be disgusted with him. It would be the Bai Fu Zu all over again. Edgy and tight smiles, hesitant to touch him and secretive looks as they counted the moments until he inevitably betrayed them once more. He couldn't bear it again. It didn't matter that he had nowhere to go. He'd done it before and he'd do it again. He was better off alone after all.
'I don't want to be alone.' The thought sprung to him unbidden and unwanted- a tiny protest from the deepest depths of his mind. He really was a fake. He'd always given the impression that he was so tough and independent and that he was always so mature and calm and adult. The reality of it all was so much sadder because in the end he was only ever a selfish little child who had no control over his life.
And he was so, so lonely.
Like the child that he believed was, when Rei could hold it back no longer, he buried his face in his arms and sobbed quietly. The loneliness within him left a bitter, metallic taste in his mouth and made his head pound nauseatingly.
He was unsure of how much time had passed, but when the soft scuff of a footstep sounded behind him he was surprised to find that the sky had tinged pink. The sun bled crimson; sinking towards the horizon and causing the waves to glitter as if a million gemstones were trapped beneath the surface.
When Rei turned to greet his unexpected visitor he found eyes, so much like that sun fixed upon him. The voice that came from familiar lips was so much softer than he had anticipated. "Are you all right?"
Rei smiled, though his eyes were hauntingly sad. "I am as well as I can be." He looked away to stare back at the setting sun. "I was just thinking about where I can go now…" He looked back to Kai "Heh. I've been thinking about maybe heading towards Yokohama and getting myself a little waiter's job there. With my beyblade winnings, I should be able to pay the first couple of month's rent on a small place. I'm not sure if I want to be beyblading at the moment. It might draw too many unwanted questions."
Kai regarded him for a while, before he too turned to look out across the burning ocean. "You could always stay with me at my family's Tokyo estate." He offered quietly.
"You're leaving the team?" Rei asked, guilt obvious.
Kai shook his head. "Maybe… or just taking a long break. Besides…" Kai sighed. "I can hardly go back to living at Kinomiya's after what happened. It'll be nice to go home I suppose. I'll have to put up with my mother, but it'll be all right, and I'll still be nearby If any one needs me."
"I…" Rei's eyes lingered on the waves as he thought. "Thank you, Kai, but… but I don't think it's a good idea. I mean… could we ever go back to being friends?" He asked, though he managed to keep the hope from his voice.
Kai stayed silent, mulling the question over. "No." He said finally, decisively.
Rei nodded, sadly accepting that it was the truth. They lapsed into silence once more, the sky turning from the odd tinge of pink to clouds that seemed to be on fire. "Red sky at night…" Rei muttered quietly, leaving the rest unsaid.
"Do you think… perhaps we were doomed from the start?" Kai asked suddenly.
Rei turned to him, only to find that his eyes were still frozen upon the setting sun. "What do you mean?"
"Were you aware that you have pretty serious abandonment issues?" Kai asked him, though he did not turn to him. Rei stayed silent, and he took it as permission to carry on. "When my father left, you know it made me… how I was. Very introverted and critical of myself, at times I even felt worthless. I spoke to someone last year, though I didn't tell any one about it, even you. He said that because of my father leaving, it had made me… like that. I put little value on friendship because my father had been my best friend and he had- at least I believed he had- cast me aside without thought. It didn't take me long to realise that that you had similar, but subtly more extreme symptoms than me. That's why I always pushed people away, and that's why you do it too. You're terrified that if someone gets close, they'll only abandon you. It stems from your parents. Cases like ours usually do. You've never had anyone stay by your side before and I think that is why we were doomed."
Rei let out a sad laugh. "So what you're saying is, I'm hopeless. I knew that all ready, Kai, but it helps that you understand me. So thank you for trying and good job psychoanalysing me."
"I'm not saying that you're hopeless." Kai answered softly. "I said that we can't be friends again, but in truth, I don't think we ever were."
"You don't?" Rei turned to look at him, eyes hurt. When Kai again refused to look at him, his eyes dropped to the sand. "Oh."
"I think… I think it was deeper than that. I mean… we slept together, but neither of us are the types to just go and throw caution into the wind because of a stupid attraction. I never thought my first time would mean much to me, but it did, and I know it did for you." Finally, in a sudden movement, Kai dropped it sit besides Rei on the sand though he still did not look at him. "I've been thinking all day and I can't just leave it at this." He turned to Rei giving him an annoyed semi-glare. "You tell anyone what I'm about to tell you, and I will kill you." When Rei nodded hurriedly with wide eyes, Kai seemed satisfied, and turned away again. "About… three months ago something I'd been… ignoring became clear to me and…" Kai glared hotly at nothing in particular. "And it scared me. A lot. I'd never thought I could feel something like that, so when I realised… I tried to deny it, and force this thing out of the way, but I couldn't. So… I did the cowardly thing and withdrew from everyone. I could see how much that hurt you, but… typical me I thought it better in the long run. Turns out that it meant I only made a greater mess later on."
"What are you trying to say?" Rei whispered.
Kai looked at him then, out of the corner of his eye and then looked to the floor again. "I'm saying that I love you."
"What?" Rei gasped. "Kai, I swear if you're saying that out of pity-"
Kai smiled softly. "I'm not, I'm not. Rei, I liked you for ages, and I was okay with that. So when I realised that… that I felt considerably more strongly about you than I anticipated it threw me off. So I avoided you, but when Kinomiya asked you out and you said yes I… I… well I sort of got…"
"Jealous?" Rei supplied.
Kai's eyes flickered quickly to Rei and he looked about ready to argue when suddenly, despite himself he smirked. "Fine, fine. I was jealous… really jealous." The smirk faded and he sighed. "I'm not very good with my feelings. You know that, Rei. Much as I hate myself for being so weak, I'm terrified of having my heart broken. I was trying to be pragmatic; I figured that we'd never work because we'd always be worried that the other was going to abandon us any time. Turns out that in trying to avoid that I made a giant mess of things. I just didn't know what else to do, so I just… I wanted you to myself and hoped that maybe being with you would get you out of my system- as it were."
"Did it work?" Rei asked nervously.
Kai's eyes moved to stare into Rei's. And then he smiled. "No."
Rei smiled too. "Do you think that maybe we could work out?"
Kai reached out then to take Rei's hand in his own. "The odds are stacked against us." He said slowly and Rei felt his heart drop. "But since when have I given a shit about odds?" Kai's resulting grin made Rei's spirit as well as the corners of his lips lift. "I think as long as we trust one another not to run off and leave us as soon as things get a little tough, we'll be okay. Because let me tell you one thing, my Rei-ki, I don't want or intend to lose you, not now, not ever. Do you trust me?"
"With my life." Rei answered honestly.
Kai nodded. "Then let me pose the question to you again; do you want to come and stay with me? Because I want to take care of you and I want you near me, so will you let me be selfish?"
Rei grinned, eyes teary. "It would be an honour." He replied with a voice full of unreleased sobs, throwing himself against Kai's chest and wrapping his arms about him, clinging on as if Kai were a lifeline.
Kai returned the hug, staring up at the sky where stars were just beginning to twinkle. "I think we can learn to be normal people together." He said with a small smile as he subconsciously ran his fingers through Rei's hair. "We have love, and that's always a good starting point. Perhaps if we work together, we can stop being so hopeless and actually find a way to be happy."
"I never thought you to be an optimist." Rei commented from where he was snuggled into Kai's chest.
Kai chuckled. "Me neither. Scary?"
"No… I kind of like it." Rei smiled.
It was dark by the time their tender embrace ended, as a single tiny tremor ran through Rei. Kai noted distantly that the temperature had dropped and stood slowly, bringing Rei with him. "You're cold." He stated.
"Am not." Rei argued back.
Kai laughed, an open and delightful sound as he moved to Rei's side and slipped an arm about his waist, steering him as he began walking back towards the main road. "Come on, my big, brave one. Time to go. We need to get some sleep; it's been a big day after all. We've got the rest of our lives to sort all of this mess out. For now, let's just go home."
Rei smiled, leaning into Kai's side and placing his own arm around the elder and resting his hand at his hip. "Home… I like the sound of that."
Kai smiled and said nothing and the two walked on, content for the first time in their entire lives. They didn't know what tomorrow held, and if they were honest, they didn't care. Their choices had been made and it seemed to them at that moment in time, they were fairly sure that they could live with that.
xx- The
end -xx
Aft notes and ramblings:
Let me say one thing: I think Kai's an idiot and I love to exploit that. Such a mess created because Kai's a pansy about feelings.
On Takao: You know what? I actually think he's completely straight. Personally, the love I believe that he would hold for Rei would be deep-seated admiration. As the second oldest one on the team, Rei is someone Takao could use as a role- model, considering that he is many things Takao is not, such as analytical, self-sufficient and patient. It's easy to confuse such things as a hormone fuelled teenager.
I was close to having Takao go ballistic, but then I thought; no. I don't want to cheapen him.
I know that he's excitable, but considering in the manga when the team split up for the G-Rev arc, Takao was really nice about it that took me on a whole new route.
I'm not saying that Takao is okay with this, nor am I saying that he'll happily go back to being best friends with Rei. As it is, his forgiveness is the first step on a long path to rebuilding that friendship.
Long and short of it is, I didn't want to make Takao a raging idiot—even though he has the right to. I just wanted him to try and stay strong in front of Rei and Kai. I mean, he probably went home and cried while attacking pillows in rage, but that is for you all to decide.
I was in no hurry to shove Takao on to someone else either. I doubt he wants someone else right now, and if it were someone else, I'd have to say that in my heart, it'd be Hiromi and that would be weeks down the line.
Rei's a complete idiot. As is Kai. As is Takao, but then being in love makes a person foolish. Sprinkle in the necessary teenage melodrama and you've got yourself one big disaster.
Still though, it's sort of calmed down a little. Who knows what the future holds? Either way, I hope they stay happy.
I had a lot of fun writing this. Very different from my usual, which was nice.
Thank you:
Mourir- For talking about this idea with me and getting it in my head. For always reading what I wrote and offering an opinion on it. May 5th is a special day. I love you sehr much. Xx
Yazzy- Where would this be without you, my wifey? Probably still on chapter three, littered with even more mistakes than it has now. Thank you so much for all of the help. xx
Nêdunque- For leaving such utterly delightful reviews. I looked forwards to your reviews, since they're always so thought provoking.
Tiqui and Sa-saa: For not punching me in the mouth for writing some TakaRei, thank youuuu xxx
Maliciously Creative: For being you. For being so bloody nice to me all of the time. Sexy Biscuit is lucky to have a nee-san like you ;–; xx
To everyone else who even glanced at this; thank you for sparing the time.
'Til next time. xx