Well, this is the very last chapter, it won't be going any further, simply because not only can I not think of a way for it to go any further, I don't really see much point in fleshing it out any further than what is necessary. As a recap, the first chapter was kind of setting back drop for why Tala had called out Kai like he had, whereas chapter two and three focused on a flashback, and pretty much the reason behind the lack of trust. So this chapter is going to go back to the present moment, I suppose you could say this was the beginning of a mutual understanding, or even a friendship; however you wish to view it as. I personally think it's a shared understanding between one another that they don't trust each other, but it doesn't mean that they don't care about each other!

Once again, your reviews would be great, so if you've got any time to leave a comment, whether it's big or small, please do! But if you can't, or don't want too, that's totally fine, my loves. No pressure! Enjoy my loves. - Ellis.

All that Tala gets as a response from Kai is 'hn', Kai hadn't even attempted to shift away from Tala, when he'd stood aside of him, but that didn't mean that Kai hadn't noticed he was there. In fact, truth be told, Tala was closer to Kai than Kai wanted him to be, and Tala knew that - of course he knew; that's why he'd done it in the first place. He mulls over the silence for a moment, hands still at his hips - he doesn't even know why he was expecting a response from Kai, other than an effortless grunt. Apparently Kai had no time to even acknowledge the whereabouts of Tala, never mind actually responding to him. He didn't even seem phased by the fact Tala had admitted to not trusting him - that was fine. Kai barely trusted anyone. In fact, it was rare that he applied such an emotion upon anyone, the only people he actually trusted, had been Tyson and co., and even then, that had taken long enough. Truth be told, Kai had to be honest with him, and silently admit that of course he understood why Tala and the rest of the boys didn't trust him; he'd given them no reason to trust him. And if anything, the same for them - they'd not given Kai a reason to trust them. So Tala had accepted him back onto the team, with a past within Russia that seemed forgotten, but there were depths to such a tale, and Kai wasn't stupid.

Kai only really trusted Tyson and co., because of the events of Russia. He'd given them all the reason for them to decline him, and turn away from him within a moment of need; they'd not even mocked him, nor reminded him of his moment of weakness. That's why Kai trusted them, because despite everything, and despite the dangers, they risked themselves to bring Kai back, with them. Tala had been a captain that Kai had momentarily worked under for the sake of fame and power, manipulated by the poisonous ideas that Boris had displayed - all Tala had done was stand in his way when Kai had craved glory. Finally Kai resorts to letting a breath slip past his lips. His lips are chapped and dry, and the first layer of flesh is painfully flaking. Momentarily, his tongue runs out against chapped tiers, but it is a notion short lived, as Kai returns to his previous state. He's still hunched over, spine flaccid, everything that Boris and the Abbey had taught him, had been lost to a moment of weakness, and in a moment of frustration, Kai curls his fists between his thighs. The very trembling of his gloved fists is enough to send a fury of vibrations amongst the material of his trousers - something that Tala doesn't quite understand.

"I'm not asking you to trust me, Tala. I don't recall ever asking you to trust me." Kai finally states. Sharp tone, razor sharp, a broken glass edge, and his venom is threatening to plague Tala. Kai's very existence has started to plague Tala, and apparently irritants is a regular occurrence when he and Kai are sharing the room.

"That's the point of a team." Tala almost sounds like a machine. His tone is flat, monotone if anything. Perhaps because he's generally bored with putting up with Kai's mood swings and his attitude, or perhaps because he generally doesn't want to give it away that he actually holds some sort of concern for Kai. He still doesn't trust him however, and he's not sure if that will actually ever change.

"I don't care if you don't trust me, Tala, because frankly, I don't trust you either." There. Kai said it too. It's perhaps the first time in ages that he's actually been truthful with himself. No wait, there was that time when he admitted to having better chances fighting alongside Tala, than fighting alongside Tyson. There's a moment of silence, not that Kai actually cares, in fact, he had hoped that his own truths had been enough to drive a larger wedge between himself and Tala. Either that, or Tala realised there was no getting through to Kai, and left him. No, Tala was still there, still looming above him, like a plague, a ghost from his past. Frankly, Tala wasn't going to go anywhere until he and Kai had established a mutual ground - which was, neither of them trusted the other, and apparently that was okay with Kai.

It's then Tala notices it. He'd finally noticed the dip within Kai's shoulders, how they'd sunken deeper into his skeleton, as if he was carrying an unknown source of pressure, but whatever it was, it was serving as only a burden, thus wearing him down. Tala almost wanted to step in and understand him, but regretted the idea immediately, and decided to stand firm against the other. He barely growled a response, and found himself running the cerulean hue of his eyes across Kai. Arms bore scars, new and old, there were scuffs that looked identical to burns, and twisting knots that almost threatened to ooze with vermilion. The muscle that lined his arms kept tensing and then would fall limp, Tala assumed it was the end result of Kai's hands squeezing so tightly. Nonetheless, something was bothering Kai, it was mocking Kai, it was dancing upon his shoulders and scurrying amongst the the span of his frame, and slowly Kai was closing in upon himself. Tala had also noted that Kai had hunched in upon himself, as if the posture that the Abbey had taught him, were lessons that had meant nought. Boris wouldn't have any of that, then again, Tala wouldn't allow Boris to have any of that, because whilst Kai grated on Tala in every way that a human can rub up another, Tala swore that Boris would never claim any member of his team under the crimson reign he once had. That included Kai.

That's when the realisation sets in. Exhaustion. Mr. High And Mighty was actually exhausted, and it looked so foreign upon Kai. Tala had witnessed it on Bryan, Spencer and Ian, and they'd demonstrated it in different ways, but Kai constantly performed like he was a machine, and ran to a strict schedule, that none of them had actually ever witnessed Kai to be exhausted. Spencer demonstrated by curling over and grasping his sides, thick hands secure at his waist; as if that's going to help him. Ian simply lays flat out on the floor, declaring that he'll never move again, whilst Bryan is declaring between short and huffy breaths that he might kill the next person who suggests they do it again. Tala demonstrated his through flushed cheeks and drooping eye lids, heavy head slants and harsh panting, and Kai, well Kai brandished himself as far too proud to show such a feeling, and thus dealt with it in the dark. Which begs the question of: what exactly had Boris and Voltaire done in order to get this from a boy?

"You're exhausted." Tala states, and at first Kai takes it for Tala simply mocking him, and whilst Kai was usually an expert within his own restraint, apparently, Tala's stating of the obvious was enough to have Kai attempting to claw his way to his feet. But Rei's intrusion, and his very strength was still worn heavily by Kai, and he found himself clattering down upon his rear again. He fell heavily, and Tala noticed just how out of character and clumsy Kai's actions had been. Kai was never clumsy, never, even Tala had been aware of that. Kai held the art of precision close to him, everything in which he did was precise, and well timed, collected and careful, but this, this was thoughtless and it was stupid, and Tala almost wanted to scold the other for allowing this side of him to be revealed. Kai didn't need that, not now, he didn't need Tala scolding him on top of everything else. There's a silence that Tala appears to appreciate, it's a moment in which he can gather his thoughts, and debate on how he can approach this matter; though there is temptation to simply leave it as it is, and go. Part of him almost wants to share what he had just seen with Bryan and Spencer, about how the mighty and powerful Kai had provided even just the faintest moment of weakness, but then, was that something to gloat about? No, not really. Tala is the team captain after all, and that's not the way a captain should behave, not to mention that Tala has his own reputation on the line, and there are many things that Kai could poison in aid of allowing Tala to come undone. Never mind the fact that Tala wouldn't be able to look Kai in the face if he actually went and betrayed him like this.

The silence that has been established between the two allows a faint shudder to dance through Kai - he realises just how weak he must have seemed to the other - and brings himself to straighten upright. His arms have finally risen from having been lazily slopped over the span of his thighs, and they're pressed tightly to his chest, calloused digits pressed tight into the slight warmth that his joints provide. Back to being your old, arrogant self, right?

"Why are you still here?" Kai inquires, and of course, that silenced air that Tala had just become accustomed too, was quickly something that faded to the past, and Tala found himself barricaded in by Kai's many walls and defence mechanisms. To an extent, Tala was similar, he knew when to build and maintain the strength of his walls, and he sometimes felt, that he could handle himself better than what Kai could. Unlike Kai however, Tala knew when it was time to stop being too proud and allow your friends to come through those walls, and despite the factor of Kai actually trusting Tyson and such, he obviously wasn't one to bend to will. Tala assumes Kai has actually never seen the outside of his own mental walls, and imagines that being barricaded within the mental prison of your mind is such a lonely place. Nonetheless, he notes that Kai's change of position has also caused Kai to pull himself together, and turn away from him; creating space on the bench for Tala to sit aside of him.

"We're never going to be friends." Tala states, not that he needed too, because he's rather certain that, that has become a mutual agreement between them. In fact, scratch that, he doesn't need to be certain, because he knows that is the situation - he can see it within the crimson tinge of Kai's eyes, and they're now looming over him. Regardless, Tala won't make eye contact, because not only is he stubborn, and believes he has some sort of reputation to maintain, but there's a slight fear igniting the cerulean of his eyes, that he might sense the fear and exhaustion within Kai's own eyes. Instead he sighs, and allows himself to cross a leg over the over, with arms folded amongst themselves, a copycat position to Kai, except Kai's not crossing his legs, but has his knees pressed tightly together. "But you're also part of my team, and somethings wrong. And I also don't care if you're going to maintain this Mr. Tough guy rubbish that you have going on, but you can quit it. You can't fool me like you can fool Spencer and Bryan. They might have bought your nonsense, but I haven't."

"You said it yourself." Kai muses - monotone drawl, with a faint pause to mark the thinking process that separates them. "We're not friends. So, why are you concerned about my 'nonsense'?"

"You're part of my team." Tala responds, and Tala almost wants to tell him that he's a damn bloody idiot, and needs to stop thinking about only himself for once, and realise that there are more people out there than just Tyson that actually cares for Kai's well-being. Tala is also not foolish enough to say such thing, because truth be told? He's had such a scenario play out within his head many of times, and imagines Kai would either laugh it off, or leave - because that's apparently what Kai is best known for. Being a complete and utter pain in the arse. "And I'm the captain. And believe it or not, I do have a duty of care - even to you."

"Are you saying you care about me?" Kai snorts, and the very amusement that laces not only his spoken words, but also the snort that lingers, appears enough to rile up Tala, but Tala is also friends with Ian, and how to be discrete within the handling of his emotions, never mind his own thoughts. Tala muses on the question for a moment, and almost replies yes, of course, but decides against it. Of course he cares, though he has made several attempts to block himself completely away from Kai, but as Tala stated - he has a duty of care - not to mention that it's kind of difficult not to care for someone who has grew up within the very same building as you. It's difficult to close yourself off from the truth, no matter how much it pains you.

"No." Tala finally utters.

"Good. Then save the speech Tala, because I really don't have time for this."

"Apparently you don't have time for a lot." Tala retorts with the littlest of thoughts gone into it. In fact, now it just seemed like they were biting back at one another in order to gain points; or in this case, gain dominance.

"What did you say?" Now Kai's looking at him. Apparently Tala had managed to pique his curiosity... Or seriously piss him off, and frankly, Tala quite prefers the idea of piquing Kai's curiosity, rather than to engage in a game of fisty cuffs with one another, though Tala can claim he hasn't had a good fist fight since his Abbey days, and even then... That was behind the scenes, and out of the way of chastising eyes. Guards were stupid enough to assume boys will boys and in their aggression had maimed themselves attempting to be the best, but apparently even at the prime age of eleven you're scuffing and fighting for your position within the hierarchy.

"And that was just an observation, by the way." Tala continues. He can see from the corner of his eyes that Kai is now looking at him, bearing something akin to aggression within the tightening of his fists and that of his jaw, but it is panic that adorns him, and scorns the grey of his flesh. "I said: apparently you don't have time for a lot. Which is true. You don't have time for your teammates for a star-"

"I prefer to work alone." Kai interrupts. Even as part of team, Kai is maintain the status of 'lone wolf' close to him, and appears to be damned to give it up.

"Mhm. I don't understand your logic, Kai. The entire point of working alone, is to be alone, but you're with us - The Blitzkrieg Boys - you're not alone." Tala feels like he might just sound like a mother, encouraging her son to participate as part of a football team, though Tala can't really say that he knows what a mother should sound like within this situation, because such a joy as that, had been robbed from him. He can't even say that he recalls the very sound of her voice, but he imagines that every time, it was a bird's morning hum, and when she sang, even the songbirds were green with envy. "You always go out there, acting like it's just you against the world, and it's really not, because every time you go out there, stand at the dish and launch your blade - you're not alone. I'm standing right behind you. Bryan and Spencer too, and yet, you still think you're alone out there?"

Kai had never really seen it from another's point of view before, than again, when had Kai ever seen something from someone else's view? It was always him looking in and seeming sceptical... About everything. Perhaps Kai always seems himself as being alone, because he's been constantly treated as being alone - the lone child - the only one 'capable' of carrying out his grandfather's disgusting bids, in aid of taking over the blading community, and ruling the very world with bitbeast power. Or perhaps, he's simply afraid of believing he isn't alone, simply to be used for the needs of another, because Kai appears so gullible and willing to bend in whatever direction one make seek, if it means he'll gain more power.

"Your match today with Rei was really something, Kai. And Bryan meant it when he said it was a good match, but you always close down on us Kai. You know you're part of this team whether you like it or not, you better start acting like it." The redhead states, and you can see the very frustration that begins to line his jaw, as muscles begin to tense and move with the very force he is applying to his teeth.

"Or?" Or? OR?! That's all Tala gets in response? Tala practically just made a discrete threat to throw the boy off of the team, in fact, Tala had discretely stated that Kai ought to face up to the fact that he is part of a team or deal with the consequences. Truth is, there were no consequences, and Tala certainly would not throw Kai off of the team - he needed him. But the threat could be maid nonetheless, in order to remind Kai who actually had the power and influence to spin the cogs of the team. Not to mention that it would be to Bryan's delight to see Kai booted off of the team.

"There is no or, Kai. You just need to start acting like you're part of a team, rather than thinking you're alone, and going through everything like you're alone. The guys don't trust you. You're shifty and suspicious, and you keep everything to yourself. Hell, I don't even know what you're capable of after seeing you finish of Rei like that. You're still not alone. You think I didn't see how exhausted you wer- how exhausted you are?" Tala raises his attention to Kai, whose eyes appear to have softened since the beginning of Tala's late lecture, but panic is still written into his flesh, caught amongst frayed lines and attempting to spill over and pollute the air between them. His fists however, are still clenched, but they quake, and they've got bits of his jeans knotted up like little balls, within the span of his fists. Tala realises that he cannot carry on with this facade, this acting like he doesn't care about the other - when he clearly does - and finds himself raising a hand to settle itself upon Kai's shoulder, though it momentarily meets the dip between neck and shoulder blade.

This time Kai doesn't move, nor flinch at the gesture, but his quaking fists do settle, and his shoulders do seem to relax. They release the burden that he's been carrying, the exhaustion that has lingered for long enough, and that he feels that the seals that he had once so professionally stitched together, are coming undone, without any effort. If anything, Tala's gesture seems almost welcomed, but of course, Kai makes no efforts to welcome it. He almost wants to utter that Tala doesn't understand, but that would be ignorant of him, and whilst Kai is ignorant to many of things, he isn't ignorant to his own upbringing, and Tala's, for that matter. He is very aware that their situations are very much similar, both were placed in scenarios deemed better for one another, bred for great, power and victory and used, bent and twisted in all directions to serve one abusive cause. So, to state that Tala didn't understand why Kai behaved in such a way, would be beyond ignorant.

"You think I don't understand, don't you? Well, I do. More than you think, and definitely more than Bryan and Spencer. But that doesn't mean you have to act like you're on you're own, and you certainly have to act like you are some sort of machine. Kai, we were all made for the same thing, but the sooner you realise what the hell you're part of, the sooner you realise the Blitzkrieg Boys actually care about you." A pause, and for a moment, nothing is said - and Tala wanted it that way. A short moment that might just allow Kai come time to reflect on everything that had said, though Tala assumed it was a lesson that would be disregarded the moment Tala left the room. "But that doesn't mean I trust you, Kai. I don't trust you."