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Sketches of the Past	By : Kali Category: Beyblade > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 1516 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Sketches of the Past
- 1
Kali notes: I finally decided how I was going to start my
newest enterprise. I�m doing what I
didn�t do for Running Sacred � I�m
giving you all a prequel. And so, I
present a lengthy, one-shot AU fic that will set the past
for the main event�coming soon!

The 411: I am using �Takao� instead of �Tyson�
deliberately. You�ll see why, later, in
the main fic. The purpose of this fic is
to set up past events that will be referred to in Once A Thief. It can stand
alone as a one-shot, too.

Disclaimer: Kali & muses do not own Beyblade. We mourn.
We do, however, own all OCs appearing in this fic.

Warnings: Shounen-ai of a
citrus-y flavour, language, and other adult content. Don�t like it, don�t read it!

Pairing: TyKa

Summary: (AU)
One-shot prequel to Once A Thief. This is the story of the past, where two
teens will find love. The question
remains whether they will be allowed the opportunity to keep it...

~*~*~*~*~

Sketches of the Past

~*~*~*~*~

Then :

It was a bright, sunny day in Bay City as spring
blossomed anew. Birds sang, flowers
swayed gently in the light, refreshing breezes, and trees sprouted new leaves
for another season of growth.

In the park near the high school,
stretched out alongside the banks of a river, a group of four teenage boys
could be found walking home from school, as they always did. The group was an oddly matched bunch, not one
of them appearing to belong with any one of the others, let alone the group of
them together. One was short, with brown
hair that covered his eyes, and wearing a pair of glasses that had to be too
big for him. He was dressed in a pair of
khaki shorts with a buttoned shirt and light spring jacket�and a tie. He also carried a laptop computer tucked
under one arm as he walked alongside the others. The word �geek� seemed to have been coined
just for him.

The next teen was probably the most
out of place of them all. Where the
others were dark-haired and quite obviously Japanese (or at least oriental),
this teen was blonde as could be, and his eyes were an un-Japanese sea
blue/green. Yet his features and bone
structure were oriental. His face bore
freckles and a wide, bright smile that was his trademark. He wore a bright green t-shirt and blue jeans,
and had a worn out book bag slung carelessly over one shoulder.

Third in the group was a taller
teen, dressed conservatively in a simple white polo shirt and black jeans. He carried his own book bag loosely at his
side in one hand, and held his jacket flung over his shoulder casually with the
other. Honey-gold eyes, shaped in a
decidedly feline way, gazed around lazily to take in his surroundings at a
glance. His hair was as black as a
raven�s feathers, and so long it came extremely close to sweeping the ground
behind him. He wore it held back in a
wrapped ponytail, and around his head he sported a white headband that bore a
Tao symbol boldly upon it � matching the cloth wristbands he wore on either
wrist. And if anyone was lucky enough to
see it, his ears � tucked under and hidden partially by his hair � were a bit
pointed. He smiled at something one of
his companions said, then laughed, showing off the teeth that were longer and
sharper than most people�s were.

Lastly, though certainly not the
least of the group, there was an averagely dressed teen in somewhat faded,
ratty old jeans and a bright red T-shirt under an equally faded denim
jacket. While his clothes were nothing
spectacular, the rest of him certainly could be described that way. He was lean, but muscular in a way that
boasted years and years of martial arts training. He moved with an easy grace and with an
almost lazy sped, as if he had all the time in the world to get where he was
going. He had no book bag, but he was
carrying a binder, notebook, and two textbooks under one arm. At one point the wind picked up a little,
blowing his long bangs into an amazing pair of smoky, silvery blue eyes that
were as expressive as a storm. He
reached up and absently ran his fingers through his blue-black hair to get it
out of his vision again, and readjusted the red and blue ball-cap he wore
backwards on his head. That mass of
hair, like the taller teen�s, was tied in a ponytail at the nape of his neck �
though it was nowhere near as long as the other�s was.

Unbeknownst to the oddly mismatched
group of friends, another teen was silently observing them from on high, from
his perch on a thick tree limb hidden amongst the leaves and branches. The tree stood majestically presiding over a
playground, and as the group walked in the tree�s direction, the youth in its
branches waited patiently for the right time to make his presence known.

�Hey, Takao! You should come with us this weekend!� The blonde exclaimed enthusiastically to the
bluenette. �The fair is always a lot of
fun!�

�Thanks, Maxie,
but I can�t. Not only do I have to
study, but Gramps needs me to help out with his classes this weekend and the
next.� Takao gave him an apologetic
look. �Not that I wouldn�t love to go��

�Don�t worry about it. There�ll be other fairs and festivals that
you can go to with us!� Max replied,
looking a little disappointed, but understanding at the same time. He looked at the other two. �Do you want to come, Rei? Kenny?�

�Sure. I think Mariah was going as well, so�� The
raven-haired teen, Rei, blushed slightly at the sly grins he was getting from
his friends. �Shut up you guys! I swear, when any of you have girlfriends,
I�m going to tease you mercilessly.�

�Heh. Relax, Rei.
We can�t help it. If you didn�t
turn red every time her name was mentioned, it wouldn�t be so easy to bug
you.� Takao chuckled, shoving his free
hand in his jacket pocket.

�What about you, Chief? Getting out from behind a computer screen for
a day would probably do wonders for you.�
Max turned toward the youngest of the group wit ha questioning gaze.

�Oh�but I have this new program I�m
working on�� Kenny protested, looking a little pale at the idea of going to a
fair � where he would more than likely be forced to go on midway rides.

�It�s not going anywhere. You�re coming.� Rei slung an arm around the petit brunette�s
shoulders, ruffling his hair fondly.
�Maybe you will meet some
brainy, beautiful girl and fall head over heels in love.�

�You guys are impossible.� Kenny huffed, giving in. He did need to get out more anyway, he
supposed.

They came to a stop under the giant sakura tree, laughing.
A voice from high above � a deep, smoky, bored-sounding voice that was
slightly mocking � informed them, �Impossible?
No. I�d say pathetic.�

As one, they looked up and spotted
the speaker sitting on his thick branch, one leg dangling carelessly off the
side, the other drawn up casually to his chest with his foot resting flat on
the branch. He wore baggy black cargo
pants and a dark purple shirt under a black leather jacket. A white, silk scarf was wrapped around his
neck and hung behind him, occasionally flaring out to wave in the wind. He wore a pair of fingerless leather gloves
on his hands, and on his cheeks were a pair of blue triangles, one slightly
smaller than the other. His hair was two
distinctive shades of slate black, the lighter shade at the front and the dark
shade in the back. But it was his eyes �
a pair of burning, intense crimson that could flare into an inferno with his
temper � that were probably his most distinctive feature. And where Takao was lean muscle, this teen was much more obvious about
it. No one in their right minds ever
messed with him � not from around their part of town, anyway. People around here knew better.

�Kai! I was wondering if I had the wrong tree to
meet you at!� Takao called, waving at
the fierce-looking teen.

�Kinomiya�you�re late.� Kai replied flatly, simply looking down at
him with a trace of annoyance.

�I know. I�m sorry.�
Takao�s smile of welcome dimmed considerably.

Rei scowled up at Kai. �Cut him some slack, Hiwatari. It wasn�t his fault.�

Kai just raised an eyebrow, meaning,
�Explain.�

Max patted Takao on the
shoulder. �Mr. Takahashi kept him back
after class to deliver a lecture about his poor math marks.�

�Hn.� Kai grunted, shrugging. His annoyed expression softened somewhat,
however, since he�d been on the receiving end of that teacher�s lectures
before, too. �Whatever. Are we still doing this or are you giving up,
Kinomiya?�

A stubborn expression came over the
bluenette�s features, eyes narrowing with a frightening determination to
succeed. �Hell, no. A deal�s a deal, Kai.�

�Good.�

�Deal? What deal?
With Kai?!� Max looked back and
forth between them in confusion.

Kai rolled his eyes and leaned
backward, rolling fluidly out of the tree and landing on his feet in a crouch
with effortless grace and style. He
stood up and gave Takao a pointed look before glancing at his watch
meaningfully.

�Since Kai�s obviously in some big
hurry�the short version is our teachers got together and decided we both needed
some extra studying in our worst subjects.�
Takao made a face. �Mine is math,
and Kai�s is literature.�

�So you�re going to see a tutor
together?� Kenny surmised in a leap of
logic. �If you needed help, Takao, I�d
have been happy to create a program like a video game to help you��

�Thanks, chief, but no. You�ve got enough of your own work to deal
with.� Takao clapped him on the
shoulder. �And no. Kai is studying with me for math, and I�m
studying with him for literature.�

That earned three startled stares
and one impatient one.

�Can we go now?� Kai asked in mild exasperation.

�Yeah. Geez, Kai. You�re
in a good mood today.� Takao grumbled,
waving at his friends as he hurried after the older teen. �See you guys later!�

Kenny, Max, and Rei watched the two
disappear up over the hill silently.
After they were gone from sight, Rei shook his head.

�That is all too weird. Since when does Kai need a study partner for
anything?� He wondered. �Not to mention that it�s Takao of all people!�

�I wonder how they got him to agree
to it?� Kenny wondered.

�Who knows, Chief. Who knows.�

~*~*~*~*~

�So where shall we go to hold these
study sessions?� Takao asked, strolling
leisurely alongside his new companion.

�Not my place.� Kai frowned to himself. If his grandfather found out he was doing
poorly in even one subject, he�d be in trouble � and nothing his parents said
would make a difference to the Hiwatari
patriarch. The old man�ll probably put a stop on my car
insurance. He thought, severely
disliking the idea of being restricted to places within walking distance. He hated being confined, and without his car,
that�s exactly what it felt like.

Takao nodded, excepting that without
explanation. He didn�t know Kai very
well, since they weren�t necessarily friends, but he knew the other teen well
enough not to ask about things like Kai�s personal life or to demand useless
explanations or reasons for things he said or did (useless because Kai simply
wouldn�t answer such inquiries).

�I�d suggest my place, but I haven�t
cleaned my room in a while, and Gramps will probably try convincing you that
you need to take Kendo lessons from him.�
Takao couldn�t help laughing at the thought. �Actually, that would be kind of funny. Maybe we should
go there.�

Kai absently aimed a swat at the
back of the bluenette�s head. Oddly
enough, he felt quite comfortable with the bluenette. �Baka. Let�s just get a table at that coffee shop
for today. Future sessions can happen at
the library or something.�

�Sure!� Takao lit up.
�This place sells awesome milkshakes!
I think I�ll get a chocolate one.�

They entered and grabbed a free
table, then placed their orders with the waitress who came by.

�So, Kai�� Takao paused when he realized the
crimson-eyed teen had no books with him.
�Uh�where�s your books?�

�I didn�t bring them.� Kai folded his hands in front of him and eyed
Takao�s binder. �We�ll do math today and
literature tomorrow.�

�Ooooh, I
see.� Takao reached for his books and
flipped open his textbook, then his notebook.
�A trade off so that we concentrate on one thing at a time. Good thinking, Kai!� He beamed at the other teen, who sweatdropped.

�Besides, my literature mark is
nowhere near as bad as your math
mark. You need more help than I
do.� Kai added, smirking.

Takao sighed, nodding. �How sad that�s true.�

And so began their somewhat forced
acquaintance. Turned out that Kai didn�t
need a literature �tutor� because he didn�t understand
what he was reading. Really, his only
problem was that he needed a little guidance with writing papers � much to
Takao�s chagrin. He just didn�t get math.

By the middle of May, the two had
developed a friendship of sorts. Kind
of. They acknowledged each other in the
halls, occasionally ate lunch together, and continued with their study
sessions, which ad become something of a gossip-worthy topic around school. It was strange to them both how comfortable
they were with each other, as if they�d always known one another.

One day at school in between
classes, Kai was walking down the hall toward the gym for PE class when a group
of boys stepped out in front of him and blocked his path. The group was known for their bullying, and
today it looked like Kai was their new target.
They were also not known for
their intelligence � otherwise they wouldn�t have picked such a dangerous
target.

Kai looked around at the teens in
annoyance, completely unafraid for himself.

�Excuse me.� He said.
It was the only warning they would get from him.

��Excuse me,� he says!� The biggest of the bullies, their leader,
mocked. �How high and mighty this guy
thinks he is! You think you�re better
than us, punk?�

Punk? Who writes these guy�s lines? Kai just gave him a look that said, �I don�t
think, I know.�

�Arrogant little bastard.� Another of them sneered, reaching out and
giving Kai a shove. Unbalanced only a
little, Kai recovered the step he�d been forced to take back to stay upright,
and turned his eyes on the boy who�d shoved him. He saw a quick flash in those intense eyes
mere seconds before his sleeve began to smoke.
Startled, the bully hastily shed his jacket and stamped on it.

�Jake! Did you see that? He lit my coat on fire somehow!�

�Dumbass! I didn�t see him move! You probably didn�t put out your last
cigarette well enough.� The leader made
a disgusted noise and stared at Kai with a hard look. �And you, I�ve heard rumours about you. They say the rich, bad-ass Hiwatari is really a pansy-assed gay boy who�s doin� that low-class Kinomiya kid.�

That
got Kai�s attention. He�d heard no such
thing as of yet � and if this guy was making it up just to be the bully he was,
then Jake was about to learn a very painful, pointed lesson. Kai�s eyes burned crimson flame and narrowed,
and he flexed his fingers almost eagerly.

�I think you need to get your facts
straight, Jake.� He replied, his voice
deceptively quiet and mild. He took a
step up to the bully and glared furiously.
�First of all, I�m not someone you should go around spreading lies
about. Secondly, if I was �doing� anyone, let alone Kinomiya, it wouldn�t be any of your damn
business would it?�

�I make it my business to show gays
like you the error of their ways.� Jake
smirked and reached out to grab Kai by the collar of his shirt, lifting him an
inch off the ground. Kai didn�t even
blink, still staring at him in contempt.

�How do losers like you even get
into the school system?� He wondered
mockingly. �I mean, people as stupid as
you usually get weeded out early and get given special help, don�t they?�

Jake turned an ugly shade of red and
spluttered, �You callin� me retarded?�

�What�s going on?� A new voice demanded. Jake looked away at the interruption,
dropping Kai abruptly. Kai put a hand to
his forehead and counted to ten � slowly.
He recognized the voice immediately and things could quite possibly get
worse.

�What the hell do you want? Mind your own business, kid.� One of Jake�s minions said.

�Jake, if you�re starting up a fight
again, you know I won�t hesitate to�� the voice trailed off as electric blue
eyes spotted Kai. �Well, geez, Jake. I knew
you were stupid and a bully, but I didn�t know you had a death-wish.�

�Well, well. If it isn�t the boy-toy.� Jake smiled smugly, folding his arms and
looking back and forth between Kai and Takao.
�Good. We can take care of you
both at once. Saves time��

Takao blinked at Jake, then glanced
around him at Kai. �What is he blabbering about?
I don�t speak moron.�

�Apparently we�re gay and have been
screwing like rabbits.� Kai replied,
suddenly vastly amused by the entire situation.
�It was news to me.�

�Huh. Maybe we have evil doubles we don�t know
about.�

�Possibly.�

Furious that he was being ignored
and made fun of like this, Jake gave an angry roar and made his final mistake.

He threw a punch at Kai�s face.

No one saw Takao move, he was just
that fast. Before Jake�s fist came even
close to touching Kai, Takao had grabbed onto his wrist, catching it and using
the momentum to wrench the larger teen�s arm around behind his back at a
painful angle, and shoved him up against the wall to pin him there.

�Uh, uhn. Bad Jake.�
Takao chastised softly.
�Unfortunately for you, Jake, today is my turn for hall monitor. So you and I are going to take a little
stroll to visit the Vice Principal.� He
looked around at the others with a hard stare, blue eyes slowly leeching into
greyish blue hues in temper. �The rest
of you thugs get lost. I�ll let you
slide this once, but if you�re ever caught bullying anyone else, including Kai, there�s going to be a discussion.�

They nodded, moving warily past him
and ignoring Kai altogether, and fled.

�I was just fine, Kinomiya.� Kai gave him a mild glare, more put out that
he hadn�t gotten to bash Jake�s mug in to relieve his temper than anything
else.

�I know you were. But why expend energy on this dumbass when you don�t have to?� Takao gave said dumbass
a shove forward, keeping a firm grip on his arm and wrist. �I owe this jerk a few licks for beating up
on Kenny a couple of months ago, anyway.�

�You�ll pay for this,
Kinomiya!� Jake spat angrily. Takao just steered him calmly through the
halls and stopped outside the VP�s office, knocking on the door with his free
hand.

�Still, I don�t need you.� Kai insisted, feeling particularly
peevish. They were both ignoring Jake
like he wasn�t even there. Takao shrugged
and gave the VP a bright smile when the door opened.

�I caught him bullying a student,
sir. He threw a punch, but I stopped him
before anyone got hurt.�

The VP � a bulky, tall man in a suit
who looked as if he�d be more comfortable in a boxing ring � gestured Jake
inside and gave Takao a nod.

�Thank you, Kinomiya. Hurry on to class, now.�

�Yes, sir.�

The door closed and Takao turned to
Kai. �Let�s go. We�ll be late as it is.�

�Hn.�

They walked in silence for a bit,
until Takao couldn�t take the quiet anymore.
�Is there really a rumour about us going around?�

�I don�t know. I don�t pay attention to that stupidity.�

�Neither do I.�

�Then why do you care?� Kai glanced at him curiously.

�I don�t! I mean, I�m just offended someone hates me
that much to spread that kind of a lie.�
Takao looked at the ground as he walked, shoving his hands in his
pockets. Something in his tone caught
Kai�s attention.

Kai stopped and studied him. �Specifically, what kind of lie? That
you�re gay or that we�re having some torrid love affair?� His eyes widened when Takao blushed and
refused to look at him. �Well, I know
it�s not the second part that�s true��

�Does it matter?� Takao demanded. �So I like guys. Big hairy deal! I�m no different than I was two minutes ago!�

For some, unknown, odd reason, Kai
felt so much better knowing that the bluenette wasn�t as normal as everyone
believed. It made him feel a sort of
kinship with the teen � since, he, too, suffered from the stigma of being
�different� (though it was for different reasons than Takao). Smiling, Kai turned and continued walking,
forcing Takao to follow him.

�Hey! Aren�t you going to say something? Maybe call me a few choice names or punch me
or something?� Takao was shaking with
his emotions. Kai just snorted and kept
walking.

�What for? I don�t care if you like aliens, Kinomiya, let alone guys.
Nothing�s changed.� He pushed
open the doors to the gym, and headed for the locker room.

Wide-eyed in surprise, the bluenette
hurried after him. �Really? Kai?�

�Really. Now hurry up and get changed. The rest of the class is outside already.�

Stunned and somewhat embarrassed,
Takao obeyed without another word. Or at
least he tried. He then realized he
didn�t have his locker keys with him, and scowled.

�What?� Kai glanced at him, pulling on his gym shirt.

�I don�t have my keys.�

�Wear what you�ve got on,
then.� Kai turned away to get out his
shorts, unsympathetic.

�No way!� Takao glanced at him, to see if he was
looking, and pressed his index finger to the lock. A small bit of concentration, and a tiny bolt
sizzled from the lock, popping the locker open.
Kai looked up at the sound, and blinked when he saw the open locker
door.

�How�d you do that?� He asked.

�Uh�don�t tell anyone, but I can
open just about any lock.� Takao
blushed. �It�s a talent I�picked up.�

�You really are strange, Kinomiya.�

�Hey!�

�I didn�t say it was a bad thing��

�Oh.
Okay, then.�

~*~*~*~*~

Two days later, Kai was lounging on
a bean bag chair in Takao�s bedroom, reading his literature text for his next
assignment while the bluenette lay sprawled on his stomach working diligently
on his math homework.

�Hey, Kai?�

�Hn?�

�You�re the only one � except for
Kenny � who knows about me.�

The crimson-eyed teen had to blink
for a minute, trying to puzzle that statement out, considering it had come from
out of nowhere. �Knows�oh. That.�
He laid his book down and looked across the room at Takao. �So what?�

Takao made a frustrated sound and
ran his fingers through his hair before rolling off the side of his bed and
walking to the wide open panel that led out to his grandfather�s gardens. He sat down near Kai and stared outside, lost
in thought. �I don�t know. It just seemed�significant to me somehow.�

Kai sighed and closed his book,
turning slightly in his chair to face Takao.
�What�s the problem, Kinomiya?�

�I�m�lonely.�

He was not expecting that. �Uh�okay.�

�It�s just that�Rei�s
nearly engaged to Mariah, Max has been dating that girl�what�s her name? Miriam.
And Kenny�s on cloud nine over some girl he met on the internet.�

�And you have no one.� Kai guessed, shaking his head. �You�re only in high school, Kinomiya.�

Takao drew his knees to his chest and
rested his chin on them, watching as it began to rain outside. �I know I�m being an idiot. But�I just feel like I�ll never have someone
to�care about like that. I�ve never been
on a date for Kami�s sake!�

�Neither have I � not that I�ve had
an inclination to.�

�Yeah, but�you�re different. You are beyond such trivial things as
hormones and relationships and love.�
Takao grumbled moodily.

Kai stared at him. �Do you really believe that?�

�No.
I guess I don�t.� Takao
sighed. �Sorry.� He fell quiet for so long that Kai had picked
up his book again. And once more the
older teen was forced to put it aside when the bluenette spoke up again.

�Kai?�

�What?�

�You never did say whether the first
part of that ridiculous rumour was true for you
or not.�

�No.
I didn�t.� Kai replied mildly,
hoping he�d just drop it. He should have
known better.

�Why?�

�You never asked.�

�I�m asking now.�

�Kinomiya, are you trying to flirt
with me?�

�Well�� there was a lengthy stretch
of silence. �You are really hot, you know.�

�Of course I do.�

�Kai!�

�Gods! Relax, Kinomiya.�

�Are you, or are you not, gay?� Takao�s voice oozed exasperation.

�I don�t know.� Kai�s voice oozed amusement.

�What d�ya
mean you don�t know?!�

�I mean I don�t know. I�ve never been interested in any one person
like that to pick a gender.�

�Oh.� Takao began to fidget. �Though�even if you fall for a guy, it
doesn�t necessarily mean you�re gay, right?
You just happened to fall for another guy instead of a girl.�

�Your point?� Kai had no idea where this was going.

�Nothing. Just philosophizing.�

�What the hell did you have in your
cereal this morning?�

�I had toast and peanut butter.�

�Whatever!�

Ten minutes later, Kai looked up
from his book � which had become thoroughly engrossing for a while there � to
find Takao on his hands and knees right in front of him, blue eyes trained on
his face solidly.

�Kinomiya, you�re acting really weird today, even for you. Should I be worried?�

�If there was something, would you worry?� Takao asked, a look of curiosity passing over
him.

�Of course.� That came out before Kai could stop it, quite
indignantly, too.�

�Why?�

��
Kai turned a little pink, but didn�t say anything more. He was six feet under and still shovelling, as
far as he was concerned.

�I know how we could find out if you
like other guys��

�How?� Kai was appalled to hear his voice sound
thick and husky. Takao crawled forward a
bit and his heartbeat began to pound in his ears. What
was wrong with him? He met Takao�s eyes (growing smoky and dark
as he watched), seeing them close to half-mast and his gaze slide down from
Kai�s eyes to his mouth.

He couldn�t help it. He froze, breathing heavily.

Takao struck quick as lightning,
leaning in to press his lips firmly to Kai�s.
A tremor shook Kai�s frame and he closed his eyes. Involuntarily, his hand came up, the book
lying forgotten in his lap, and hesitantly cupped Takao�s cheek, fingertips
sliding against the satiny skin.

At the touch, Takao pulled back a
little and sighed, a tiny smile playing at the corners of his mouth. He made a little humming noise and wriggled
like a pleased puppy, opening his eyes again and searching Kai�s for reaction.

�So?� He asked, his smile faltering when he found
he couldn�t read Kai�s expression.

But Kai had yet to remove his
hand. In fact, his thumb was absently
stroking Takao�s cheek, though neither seemed to notice. They were to intent on staring at each other.

�You call that a kiss?� Kai finally
said in a low voice. Before Takao could
react, the dual-haired teen�s hand moved, curling around the back of the
bluenette�s head and drawing him closer in one sharp movement. Off balance and startled, Takao fell forward
over top Kai in the bean bag chair, their lips colliding again. This time Kai dominated, and Takao quite
happily let him � and the older teen would have none of that soft hesitancy
this time. Oh no.

Kai tugged off Takao�s hair-tie,
spilling the rich mass of hair over his shoulders and back and running his
fingers through the silken strands feverishly.
His lips were busy, coaxing the bluenette�s apart so he could slip his
tongue into the hot cavern of Takao�s mouth to explore and tease. He made a groaning noise deep in his throat
as he felt both of Takao�s hands in his hair, fingers massaging and stroking
appreciatively and encouragingly. Kai
wound his other arm around Takao and shuddered when he moaned.

The kiss slowed, then stopped, both
teens panting and trembling in reaction.
Takao sighed again and nudged his nose playfully against Kai�s, stealing
a quick nip at his mouth before simply letting his forehead rest against the
dual-haired teen�s.

�You�re right. That
was a kiss.� Takao snickered, eyes
gleaming. Kai licked his lips and flexed
the hand that had been fisted in Takao�s hair against his head. The bluenette arched into the touch with a
purr.

�Well, we know one thing, at
least.� Kai rasped.

�What?�

�I like at least one guy.�

Takao snuggled closer with a
grin. �As long as it�s me�and no one
else.�

�Was that rhetorical?�

�Shut up and kiss me again.�

For once in his life, Kai was more
than obliging.

~*~*~*~*~

Final exams came and went. Takao managed to do more than pass his math
class (a B minus was infinitely better than a D minus, after all). Kai did extremely well, his A in literature
fitting in perfectly with the rest of his A�s.
Kenny finished at the top of the class, and got extremely flustered
because he was going to have to give the Valedictorian�s speech at the graduation
ceremony. Rei and Max both did
exceptionally well in their classes, also.

Somewhere along the line, Kai had
been absorbed into the group of friends, and much to his disgruntled surprise,
he actually felt like he belonged there.
He was comfortable with them, and they were with him. Although, he was pretty sure that it had a
whole lot to do with Takao being there more than anything else.

In all that time, Takao and Kai had
continued to spend time with each other � outside their normal study sessions. They didn�t act like couples usually did, and
so no one actually knew they were more than friends. But neither really cared one way or the
other. They were trying to hide their
relationship � in fact they didn�t act any differently than they had before. There was the odd time that one of them would
do something that would have been a big hint � if anyone had been paying
attention and looking for it. For
example, one of the throng of females that trailed after Kai as a rule would
get a little too friendly and (despite the death-glare they�d get from Kai,
himself) Takao would do more than glare.
He�d chase them off. Or there was
one time that Takao, while at the mall with his friends and Kai, was hit on by
a sales associate in a clothing store.

The poor guy got a face-full of
Kai�s fist.

Graduation day arrived, and Takao
suddenly had a fit of fashion crisis trying to figure out what he was going to
wear after the ceremonies (since he�d be wearing one of those sweltering, oversized
gowns for that portion of the day and no one cared what was on under it). He tore through his closet looking for his
favourite shirt that would match the dark denim jeans he was going to wear with
the new jacket he�d gotten from his Dad as a grad gift. Midnight blue leather, to be exact.

His older brother popped his head
into the room and blinked at the disaster.
�What the heck, Takao? Did a
hurricane rip through here?�

�Huh? Oh.
I�ll clean it up later.� Takao
dove back into his closet, throwing clothes and other long-lost items out over
his shoulder. �I can�t find it!�

�What are you looking for
anyway?� Hiro
walked in and leaned against Takao�s desk.
�You�re going to be late for your own grad ceremony, you know.�

�I�m looking for the shirt Kai gave
me.�

�Oooh,
Kai.� Hiro
snickered at the glare he got from his little brother. �You�re such a girl.�

�I am not, Hiro! Can�t you go bug someone else?� Takao growled then brightened considerably
when he pulled the shirt out. �Ah ha! I knew it was in there somewhere.�

�No.
It�s my job to annoy the hell out of you, kid. Actually, I came to tell you to hurry
up. Dad�s getting anxious to go.�

Takao pulled on his shirt and
started doing up the buttons, tucking it into his pants and searching for his
tie (only for the ceremony, at Gramps� insistence). He fumbled with it, then sighed, giving Hiro a plaintive look.

Rolling his eyes, Hiro reached out and went through the motions of doing it
up. �You have to learn how to do this
yourself, you know.�

�I will�I�m just nervous.� Takao shrugged, playing with his shirtsleeve
absently. �It�s a big event, right?�

�Of course. You�re graduating.� Hiro�s grin
softened, and he patted the tie.
�There. You know, Takao, I am
proud of you, little brother.�

�I know.�

�Hey, you two! Let�s go!�
Their father called as they exited Takao�s bedroom.

�Alright, Dad! I�m ready!�

~*~*~*~*~

The grad party late that evening was
the biggest bash the high school had ever thrown � or so said the party coordinating
committee.

Kai spent his time with Takao and
his family, since his own couldn�t make it to the ceremony. His grandfather had gone away on business,
taking his father with him, and his mother had gone to visit family of her own. He was a little disappointed with it, but he
was so used to being on his own for the most part that he barely even noticed
it. Besides, Takao�s family members made
him feel quite welcome, like he was already part of the family. It was good, because just that day he�d learned
something that would change everything for his relationship with Takao � and
not for the better.

But at the party, it was just him
and their friends and classmates (and the chaperones, but they don�t
count). And that was very much what he�d
been wanting all day long � time with Takao.

Takao had noticed that even for Kai
the dual-haired teen was unusually quiet and subdued. Especially on such a big day as their high
school graduation. He�d been meaning to
ask Kai about it, but every time he thought he had an opportunity, someone
would come along and he�d lose the chance.
And then he forgot about it in the whirl of people and family and
friends.

As the evening wore on, Kai began to
get impatient. He wanted to grab his
boyfriend and drag him out of the school�s gymnasium, where the party had been
set up after the ceremony. Turned out
that he wouldn�t have to, however, because Takao came dancing up to him with a
wide grin on his face, hands held out in invitation.

�Hey, Kai! You should come dance with the rest of
us!� He shouted over the loud
music. Kai rolled his eyes and shook his
head, but he took one of Takao�s hands and tugged him closer. Takao bent down, letting Kai put his mouth
near his ear so he didn�t have to shout.

�I�m not interested in dancing,
Takao, but I did have something in mind��

Takao blinked, then glanced at him
curiously with interest. Something in
Kai�s voice sent thrilling chills through his system and he rather liked it.

�What did you think of?� He asked.
The current song died, and they could suddenly speak normally again.

�I was thinking we should go
someplace and celebrate on our own.� Kai
replied in a low voice. Takao�s eyes
widened and his breathing quickened at the suggestive tone.

�You�really? Kai�are you saying you want to go�and��

Kai just looked up at him from his
seat, crimson eyes burning into Takao�s.
His thumb was stroking the back of the bluenette�s hand as they stared
at each other, and Takao�s cheeks were beginning to burn at the very thought of
what Kai was telling him silently.

I
want you, Kinomiya Takao. Now. Tonight.

Takao sucked in a deep breath and
let it out slowly, closing his eyes for a moment to calm his raging
hormones. When he opened them again, he
nodded and squeezed Kai�s hand. �Let me
just go say good-bye to the others really quickly, and we can go wherever you
want, okay? No one�s expecting me back
tonight anyway.�

Kai�s smile was knowing, and content
� like a cat who�d gotten the canary and
the cream. He released Takao�s hand and
watched him hurry off into the crowd to say goodnight.

Takao found Kenny and tapped him on
the shoulder. �Hey, Chief! I just came to say �bye. Kai and I are leaving now.�

Max looked away from the
conversation going on between Mariah and Miriam with a thoughtful look. ��You and Kai,� huh? Takao, when are you two just going to admit
that you�re going out and be done with it?�

Stunned, Takao gaped at him. �When did you figure that out?�

�Lo-ong
time ago, pal.�

�Oh.
Well, we�re going anyway. So,
I�ll call you guys in a couple of days after we�ve all recovered from the
excitement and we�ll do something, alright?�
Takao blushed and waved at them.
�Say goodbye to Rei for me!�

They watched him run off, then his
lighter self walking away with Kai�s taller, darker self toward the exit.

�Think they�ll be one of those
happy-ever-after couples?� Max asked
Kenny. The brunette shrugged.

�I don�t know, Max. But I do know they have something. They were meant
to be.�

�Yeah. That�s what I thought.�

~*~*~*~*~

Takao glanced at Kai from his seat
on the passenger�s side of Kai�s car.
�So where are we going to go, anyway?�

�My place. No one�s home.� Kai replied, keeping his attention firmly on
the traffic, so as not to be distracted by the tempting bishonen
in the seat next to him.

�Is that why your parents and your
grandfather didn�t come today?� Takao
asked, saddened by that. �I�m sorry,
Kai. That sucks that your family didn�t
come to your graduation.�

He shrugged. �Whatever.
We aren�t a demonstrative sort of family. They knew I would graduate and do well, and
they are happy for me. That�s enough.�

Takao gave him a wry side
glance. �How the hell do you put up with
me and my family, then?�

Smiling faintly, Kai took one hand
off the steering wheel to blindly grab Takao�s hand and bring it to his
lips. �You�re a special case, Takao.�

That made the bluenette beam
sunshine. �That�s always nice to hear.�

Kai pushed a button on the dashboard
and drove through a pair of iron gates that swung open to admit them. Takao whistled lowly at the mansion as they
parked just off the circular driveway and stepped out.

�Wow, Kai. I knew your family was well off, but this is
wild.� Takao walked with him up the
steps, head turning this way and that trying to take in everything as they
passed. �How do you remember where
everything is? I�d get lost.�

�You would.� The older teen unlocked the front door and
let the bluenette pass by him inside.
Then he closed and relocked the door, going to a panel nearby and
setting the security system for the night.
Takao let that comment go, too engrossed in his new surroundings. Kai crossed his arms and let him look around,
watching him silently for a while. It
was one of his favourite pastimes to just sit back and observe the younger
teen.

And with what he knew he was going
to have to do soon, he was cherishing every moment of it.

�Takao�� He said after a moment to catch the
bluenette�s attention. Takao turned and
walked back to him, smiling. He saw
something in Kai�s eyes, a sadness it seemed, and his smile faded into
concern. He reached up and laid his hand
to Kai�s cheek.

�What�s wrong, Kai? You�ve been down all day. I kept trying to ask you why, but we�d get
interrupted or something.�

�Nothing. I�m fine.�
Kai slid his arm around Takao�s waist and drew him close, dipping his
head just enough to brush his lips over Takao�s. In response, Takao lifted his arms to wind
them around Kai�s neck and he tilted his head, offering his mouth to Kai�s
freely. Kai accepted and kissed him
solidly, but with a tenderness that was rare for the fiery teen. Takao whimpered and kissed back, losing
himself in the moment willingly.

When they broke apart, Kai took
Takao�s hand in his and linked their fingers together, pulling him toward the
main staircase that led from the foyer to the second floor. Takao followed, pulse speeding up as they
entered what he assumed was Kai�s bedroom after moving down a rather lengthy
hallway.

The door closed behind them, and Takao
didn�t get the chance to look around Kai�s room. He was suddenly pulled into Kai�s arms and
kissed again, this time full of Kai�s fiery passion and with an almost
desperate quality he�d never sensed from his boyfriend before. But he had no choice but to allow himself to
be swept away, and soon he was kissing back with almost as much ferocity.

Clothes were rapidly shed with much
fumbling and strained laughs, glowing skin on glowing skin invoking gasps and
moans and cries and pleas. Bodies
pressed oh so close and yet not nearly close enough, it seemed to them
both. Mouths used to soothe and tease
and demand. Heat burning and radiating
between their nude forms as they collapsed onto the bed. Hands seeking, caressing, stroking, playing
over nerves that sang with pleasure.

And then came their unrestrained
union. Crimson-eyes blazed in the
moonlit room, staring down into crystalline blue-black eyes of his lover as he
began to move. Thrusting, moaning,
stroking, whimpering, pounding, gasping, clutching, begging�exploding into pure
bliss.

Completion was unlike anything
they�d ever felt before. Soaring free
and free-falling all at the same time, blinding white light consuming their
vision. The afterglow of petting,
kissing, and relearning simple things like breathing, curling them together
among the sheets in appreciation and great affection.

Sighing deeply, Takao curled into
Kai�s chest while one of Kai�s hands gently rubbed his lower back in soothing
circles, easing the muscles and tension there.
Dropping tiny kisses softly on Kai�s shoulder, he smiled.

�Kai?�

�Hn?�

�What made you choose tonight?�

�It felt right.� Kai replied after a moment�s careful
thought. He had to tell Takao�but he was
loathe to do it now � not when they�d just made love for the first time and
everything was more than perfect. He
didn�t want to ruin it.

Takao apparently thought nothing of
it and accepted that, wriggling into a more comfortable position and laying his
head over Kai�s heart on his chest. �It
did. I never thought we�d be here like
this�well, not for a while anyway.�

�Why not?�

The bluenette�s shoulder barely
moved in a shrug. �You have your own
pace for living life, Kai. I have a hard
time judging it sometimes, that�s all.
This time I was wrong. But I�m
glad.�

He heard the smugness in Kai�s voice
with his answer. �Are you now?� Kai�s fingers found his hair and began
combing it lazily. Takao nearly purred.

�Oh, hell yes. It was so good.�

�Careful. You�re stoking my ego.�

Takao laughed. �Like it needs that.� He yawned, closing
his eyes. �Wow�I�m sleepy now.�

�Go ahead. We need to restore our energy.� Kai left his fingers buried in Takao�s hair
as his own eyes drifted shut.

�You�re ambitious aren�t you?� Takao sniggered, but didn�t move otherwise. Kai just grunted.

�I�m not going to waste an
opportunity. Are you?�

�Then you�d better rest up really
well, Kai, because you�re going to need the energy.�

�Good.�

~*~*~*~*~

The next morning, Takao was loathe
to leave. But he had to go because Hiro was leaving that day with their father for their next
dig. Hiro was
following in their dad�s footsteps and had taken up archaeology and
anthropology.

�I�ll call you later, okay?� Takao promised, kissing Kai lingeringly
several times. They stood in the doorway
wrapped around one another, Kai still dressed in the pyjama bottoms and
tank-top he�d thrown on to see Takao out.
�Actually, I should just come over again. Gramps won�t mind.�

�Not tonight. My parents and my grandfather will be back.� Kai shook his head, ignoring the sudden pang
a wave of sadness and regret caused in his chest.

�Oh.
Well, that�s alright!� Takao
smiled and gave him one last quick peck before peeling himself away from his
lover with a laugh. �I�d better go or I
won�t leave at all.�

He got half-way down the steps when
he heard Kai call his name in a hoarse voice.
�Taka�wait!�

He turned and was caught up in a
rough embrace. Kai buried his face in
his midnight blue hair and shuddered.
�Whoa�Kai? What�s wrong, love?�

The older teen stiffened at that
endearment, but said nothing, swallowing back the response that came
automatically. He wanted to say it,
needed to say it, but he just couldn�t.
Not when� �I�m sorry. Don�t know what�s the matter with me.� He mumbled instead. He felt Takao pat him reassuringly on the
back and hug him firmly.

�It�s okay. I guess everything�s been a little emotional
lately. Even for you.� Takao pulled back and pressed a gentle kiss
to Kai�s forehead, then his mouth. �Don�t
let it get to you! Go have some
breakfast and bask in the fact that we don�t have to get up for school
anymore!� He grinned and stepped
back. �I�ll see you later, Kai!�

Kai stood on the steps of his family
home, watching the bluenette darn near skip down the drive and felt like the
lowest scum of the earth.

�No, Takao. You won�t.�

~*~*~*~*~

Kali Notes: And that�s where I�m going to leave it. If you want to know what happens, and what
the heck is going on, you�ll just have to eagerly await the main fic, Once A Thief. As for this not-so-little number, please R/R!!!! I can�t wait to hear what everyone thinks!

Fin Ende Owari

~ Yami FireKali ~
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Sketches of the Past