The Trials Of Love And Life

I do not own Beyblade of any of it’s characters. Any side character belongs solely to me and will not be touched or used by another.

Summary: Review to chapter 1.

Writing Style: Review to chapter1.

A/N: I’m loving this Chapter.

**~**~**~**~**~**


Chapter 10.


Miguel threw open their door and placed a stopped under the frame. He grabbed Max around the waist and pulled him into the kitchen. Claud and Tyson joined them and Ray shortly afterward. They each grabbed a shot and clinked their glasses together, cheering loudly and downing them quickly. Claud dipped Tyson and kissed him passionately before pulling his boyfriend out the door and into the hallway where the party was.

“Where are you two going to head?” Ray asked over the music as the three of them walked to the door together, now each carrying their own drinks.

“Dunno, maybe to a sex room,” Miguel suggested.

“The party just started and I want to drink some more,” Max said, then added to the look on his boyfriend face, “but definitely later, baby, I promise.”

“I’m going to head off and see if I can find anyone from my classes,” Ray said, waving to them as he left the room. “See you guys later.”

“See you,” they said together, parting ways in the packed hallway.

Many people had already started making out, some stripping of their clothes. A girl went running down the hallway shirtless, obviously already drunk, screaming at the top of her lungs and brandishing her breasts in every guys face. Some people were still handing out blowjob cards while others were pulling their partners into bedrooms that were marked with red X’s.

Ray wondered if Tyson and Claud were already occupying one, but was spared his wondering’s when he spotted the pair down on the bottom floor with a group of Claud and Tyson’s friends, one of the girls in the group eyeing Tyson angrily while giving Claud dazing eyes.

Among them, glaring at the girl with red hair, was Hilary. Ray had never seen her as the type to party, but, there she was, holding a drink and looking happy and go-lucky. She spotted him through the crowd and called him over, Tyson also turning and smiling to him. They both waved him over and he joined them while saying his hellos to some of his classmates as he passed.

“Ray, how are you?” Hilary asked, sloshing her drink.

“Are you drunk already, Hilary?” Ray asked, stepping out the way as her drink splattered on the carpet.

“No,” she said giggling, then looked frighteningly serious and said in a low whisper, “I’m watching the girl who keeps eyeing Claud for Tyson. She’s been after him ever since Tyson and he started dating and it gets on Tyson’s nerves.”

“You serious,” Ray also whispered.

“Yea, and the bitch just won’t give up,” Hilary hissed angrily, then went back to being bubbly and drunk. “Ray, let’s go see – ”

“Claud, will you get me another drink?” the redhead asked in a sickly sweet voice.

Ray had to admit, she was damned hot. Her long red hair was streaked beautifully with a pinkish red, her hazel eyes were almond shaped and brandished long alluring eyelashes that she batted slowly and very sexily. She would have been extremely hot if she was not wearing a skimpy little slut skirt and a barely-there shirt that practically revealed her.

Of course, as Ray looked around, almost all the girls were dressed like that. Even Hilary, who always wore jeans or a knee-length skirt, was baring one high above the knees and a crop top. Ray looked back at the girl as she flickered her long red hair from her shoulder and battered her devilishly long lashes at Claud.

Tyson stepped closer to Claud protectively, glaring at the girl. Hilary, seeing a distress signal, shot forward immediately and grabbed the girl by the upper arm, giggling at her and dragging her from the crowd.

“Come on, Trish,” she said, hiccoughing. ‘Te’s go get ourselves another. “Wanna come, Ray?”

Nodding, Ray followed, the girl – Trish – giving Hilary dagger eyes. She allowed herself to be led into one of the other dorm rooms where a large keg sat on a counter and filled three cups, pretending to slosh them around as she handed one to Ray, one to Trish and kept the other for herself. She raised her glass above her head, giggling, and made a toast.

“To the best campus parties ever,” she cheered.

Everyone, even those outside who didn’t here, raised their glasses with everyone else as people drank to the toast and laughed loudly. The wandered back outside into the crowd and loud music, people beginning to dance and sway with the different beats. Trish broke off from them and joined a group of girls near a large tree and began to talk with them. Hilary sighed and shook her head.

“Finally,” she sighed. “Dumb broad.”

“I wonder if she realizes that Claud’s gay,” Ray wondered aloud.

“She’s to thick for that,” Hilary said, sipping her cup.

Ray smiled at her and downed his own, looking around at the many people, many he had never seen before, some he had met in class, and other who looked to be graduating that year. Taking another swig of his drink, Ray followed Hilary to what was seemingly a dance floor (though only a patch of grass) and began to move with her.

*~*~*

Kai placed the last of the essays he had been handed away and shut the drawer to his desk in his office. He sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly, having not gotten a wink of sleep the other night. He could hear the fireworks and cheers from the students outside. Looking down at his desk clock, he read the time of 9:10 pm and groaned.

He needed sleep badly.

With a great relief, he stood up and picked up his jacket from his chair, tossing it over his shoulder and leaving his briefcase on his chair. He closed and locked his office door, making his way up the stairs to the doors of his classroom. The music and cheers got louder as he neared the entrance/exit of the building and stepped outside into cries and booming music, students running over the lawns, dancing and making out everywhere.

And there supposed to be grown up, Kai though.

Kai walked across the darkened grounds toward his vehicle, dodging beach balls and couples making out in the grass. He glared at them and continued walking, making his way toward his SUV. All the wanted to do was get home, fall into bed and sleep in until noon. With that thought placed delicately in mind, Kai smiled and walked faster toward his car.

“Ah, Professor Hiwatari.”

Kai stopped and turned, and smiled again, but more tightly. “Headmaster, how are you this late evening?”

“Fine, fine,” Dickinson said, shaking his head kindly. “I was wondering if I could have a word, Kai.”

“Certainly, sir,” Kai said, turning back to the elderly man.

They walked across the grass away from the party into a more secluded part of the school. Kai greatly respected the Headmaster. He was very fatherly and was kind to anyone and everyone. Most Headmasters would have knocked Tala from their schools, but Dickinson believed Tala was innocent and kept him on staff, saying he’d never fire him even if he was found guilty.

“Kai, it’s about Professor Ivanov,” Dickinson said in his rustic elderly voice.

“Tala?” Kai said.

“Yes, I’m very worried about him,” Dickinson said, sitting down on one of the benches perched beneath a lamp post. “He’s been having trouble concentrating, calling in sick and even falling asleep at his desk.”

“That is partially my fault, sir,” Kai said, also sitting down. “I’ve been working with Tala a little to hard lately, staying up into hard hours of the night looking for things that could help his case.”

“And how is his case looking?” Dickinson asked thoughtfully.

“Not good, sir,” Kai sighed. “Every thing we find can be backfired upon us. And knowing the circumstances of who he’s up against ... ”

Kai frowned, hearing his own words echo in his head. Dickinson looked at Kai for a moment before turning out to stare at the high trees and blue sky beyond. He took a deep sighing breath that ruffled his thick bush mustache.

“Yes, I do hope he wins,” Dickinson said after a long while. “Poor, Tala. All he wants to do is teach and do well, but ever since Mr Parker did what he did ... ”

“Sir, I need your help,” Kai said suddenly, turning to look at the Headmaster.

“Oh ... what is it, Kai?” he asked kindly.

“I need to know – ” Kai sighed, thinking over his words carefully “ – about self sacrifice.”

“I certainly hope you’re not thinking what I think you are thinking, Kai,” Dickinson said seriously.

“Well, whatever it is, it’s probably along the same lines,” Kai muttered.

“It can be dangerous, Kai,” Dickinson said wisely. “Tala may not allow you to – ”

“ – I’m not planning on telling Tala,” Kai said quickly.

“You’re not?”

“No, I’m going to do it ... only if the case spirals,” Kai said, his voice moving to a whisper. “I can’t let him lose.”

“I cannot stop you, Kai,” Dickinson said, placing a hand relaxingly on Kai’s shoulder and squeezing. “I will tell you what I know about ‘self sacrifice’ Kai.”

“Thank you, Headmaster,” Kai said.

“Let us go to my office,” Dickinson said. “I can make us both some coffee and we will be in a more private environment.

Kai nodded and stood, following the Headmaster back around the school. The music got louder and louder as they went until it was partially drowned by the glass doors of the main building. They walked the flight of stairs slwoly, not talking to one another. Kai was grateful. Dickinson knew how he was feeling, and knew he needed to think on his actions before actually putting them into action.

“Come inside, Kai,” Dickinson said.

They entered the large office, the door sliding shut behind them...

*~*~*

“I’m going to get another drink...”

“What?”

“I’m – going – to – get – another – drink.”

“What?”

“I’M GOING TO – OH, NEVER MIND,” Ray yelled over the loud music.

He wove through the throng of dancing people, leaving Hilary to dance with two other guys who had been eyeing her. He walked up the stairs slowly, tottering slightly and made his way back to his dorm room. More girls had taken off their shirts and were running up and down the halls. Almost all the doors were locked shut that had X’s on them, groans and panting could be heard muffled through the doors.

Ray spotted Max and Miguel not far along the hallway near the stairs. They were looking exceptionally red face from the alcohol and Miguel kept pressing heated kisses to Max’s neck, which the blonde seemed to be enjoying immensely. Their lips found each other and the group of people they had been talking with allowed them their time and instead turned to talk to each other.

Down below, as Ray glanced over the railing, he spotted Claud and Tyson, the two also interlocked in passionate kisses. The red-haired girl that had been eyeing Claud looked furious as she watched from a distance. Tyson was pressed up against the railing below as Claud lifted him to sit on it his lips traveling to his boyfriends neck.

Ray looked away and rolled his eyes. He walked into his shared room, many people inside, some making out on the couch, others dancing to the music pumping from the stereo, others still handing out their blowjob coupons. One girl ran up to ray and thrust on into his hands, giggling madly and disappeared through the doorway. He shook his head with a sigh and pocketed the coupon. Why would he give a blowjob?

He picked up another of the shooters on the counter and peeled back the lid. He tapped the plastic cup on the counter and downed it to cheers around the kitchen from the people who were watching him. With a dizzying smirk he bowed and downed his third one before pouring himself a mix and disappearing back into the hallway.

Claud and Tyson had disappeared, probably to find a more secluded place, and Max was ushering Miguel away from their friends. The pair kept pressing kisses to one another until Max found an empty room with an X on the door and pulled Miguel inside, the door slamming shut behind them. Ray smiled and turned the other say as one of the other door with X’ opened and out stepped ...

His face went white ...

Michael!

The girl with him giggled, her hair tossed madly and went wobbling away into the crowd. Ray turned around, hiding himself behind a pair of lip-locked seniors and prayed that Michael wouldn’t see him. He felt the redhead looking around the crowd and dashed away down the opposite staircase. He knew Michael had seen him.

“Hey, Kitty Kat, where you going?”

Ray plastered himself against the opposite wall of the stairs, hiding himself in the shadows as Michael came clomping down after him. The redhead stopped at the bottom, staring out into the crowd with a frown.

“Hey, Mike...”

Michael turned to the man calling him and walked over to the group. One of the members offered him a drink and the group began to talk and meander their way through the crowd. Ray gasped, letting out his breath and slumped onto the ground, his drink trembling in his hand. He downed it all in one swig and made his way back up the stairs away from wherever Michael had gone.

“Ray, where’d you go?” Hilary asked as she came bustling through the crowd, holding two drinks. “Here, ones for you.”

“Thanks,” he said in a shaky voice.

“You okay?” Hilary said, sipping at her cup and leaning against the railing.

“Yea, I’m fine,” he said, taking a drink of his beverage and leaning against the railing with her.

“Pretty cool these parties, don’t you think?” she said, taking another sip of her drink.

“Yea, their awesome,” Ray said truthfully.

“Did you see where Tyson and Claud went?” Hilary asked, smirking.

“No,” Ray replied over the thumping of the music as a new song came on. “I saw them when I went back into our room to get a shot, but they were gone when I came back out.”

She giggled. “They went into one of the X rooms.”

“Figures,” Ray snorted. “So did Max and Miguel. Just the one down the hall.”

“Come on, let’s get back down to the dance,” she said, pulling him along.

He allowed her to lead him. They descended the stairs again and pushed their way onto the patch of grass that had grown into the entire bottom level of the dorm as the dance floor and began to move to the mixture of music. Hilary giggled as she was pulled into against someone and began to dance with them. Ray gyrated against a few people dancing near him, two girls making out as a dozen guys watched them.

Ray turned away from the sight and stared dead on with a chest. He swallowed hard, looking up slowly, knowing exactly who it was going to be. His heart slammed into his throat as his eyes fell upon the dull leering ones of Michael, his all to disgusting smirk making Ray step back away from him.

“Thought I saw you Kitty Kat,” Michael whispered, reaching and grabbing his wrist hard.

“Let go of me, Michael,” Ray snapped, trying to tug his wrist away.

“I don’t think so my precious little kitten,” Michael said lazily. “You owe me something.”

Ray faltered, stumbled over his own feet as Michael pulled him away from the dancing and out into the darkness of the grass. He turned around, Hilary still absorbed deep in her dance with the guy who had pulled her aside. He felt hopeless and lost, his heart hammering somewhere near his Adams-Apple.

“Hilary ... HILARY,” he yelled.

“Shut up,” Michael hissed, backhanding him across the face. “You owe me a blowjob, bitch.”

“I owe you nothing, Parker,” Ray hissed.

Michael spun around and grabbed Ray’s chin roughly, turning his head to stare deep into his piercing gaze. No one was going to come and look for him, no one would think he was no where near the party. Tyson, Max and the others would all think he was pulled away by some guy or girl and taken into one of the X rooms.

“Like hell you don’t owe me,” Michael snarled. “You fucking bit me last time, and it wont happen again, I promise you that.”

“How you going to stop – ”

Ray gasped, trying to step back as he saw the silver of a small ankle gun pulled from Michael’s waistband. He glared at Ray, holding it up and cocked back the hammer. Ray felt his blood run stony cold, his brow covered in thick sweat. His eyes bulged as he watched the weapon slowly glide lower until it was pressed against the pulse point on his neck.

“You do anything, I pull the trigger,” Michael hissed.

“You wouldn’t,” Ray whispered, frightened.

Michael lowered his mouth to Ray’s ear, licking along the rim and whispered, “try me.”

He was forced onto his knees, his hair grabbed painfully and making him yelp. His lips trembled as he watched sickeningly as the front of Michael’s pants bulged. Snapping his eyes shut, Ray heard the definite sound of a zipper sliding down and the clasp of a button come undone. He turned his head away, but it was forcefully thrown forward, his mouth coming into contact with a salty wet tip.

He felt sick.

“Please don’t,” Ray whispered, tears in his eyes.

“Shut up and suck, bitch,” Michael hissed, the gun still raised.

His head was pushed forward, driving him onto the erection, vomit rising in his throat. He forced it back down, hearing every grunt and moan of pleasure above him. He felt weak and dirty, his mind racing with the idea he was actually being forced to take someone into his mouth. He clenched his eyes shut, the tears he had been trying to keep from falling dripping from his lashes and onto his pale cheek.

SOMEONE SAVE ME, his mind screamed.

*~*~*

Kai walked out of the building with the Headmaster. They shook hands and Dickinson departed in the opposite direction as Kai to the back of the school. Sighing, feeling far mor tired than he had before, Kai made his way toward his vehicle again, his mind back on his bed and the great sleep he was planning on getting.

He thrust his hands into his pockets and walked slowly across the grounds, listening to the thumping music not far off and the laughing and yelling of voices. He could still remember the days he did that back in University...

SOMEONE SAVE ME...

His mind snapped away from his reverie and to the voice that was crying in his head. What was it? Why was he hearing it? His head snapped around, listening through the darkness. The music thumped louder and louder, his eyes gazing forlornly through the darkness. He took a step in the direction of the party, his eyes scanning across the grassy campus and out into the thick trees.

Who was that? He wondered, abandoning his thoughts of his bedroom and focusing on the pleading cry.

Was it Tala?

No, Kai told himself firmly. He and Dickinson had called Tala while they had been speaking in the Headmasters office. He had been about to go to bed and was going to be heading over to Kai’s later in the evening the next day to read up on more ways that could push the case into their favour.

Then who was it?

Kai’s mind raced with possible ideas, but everything turned up blank or a definite no. He walked a bit faster, focusing on those three words he had heard: ‘some save me ... someone save me ... someone save me ... some one –

“Ray,” he whispered.

Taking off at a dead run, Kai sped across the grass. He dodged couples here and there, stopping at intervals to listen, but hearing nothing but the pounding music. His heart hammered, mind racing. What was happening to him? What was wrong with Ray? He took off at a sprint again, jumping over a bench and tearing across the grass into th darkness again.

“Please, don’t ... stop it.”

Ray ...

“Shut up, bitch.”

Michael!

“Let go of me ... ”

“Get back here you little fuck.”

Kai flattened against a tree, tilting his head around to stare at the scene through the darkness. He could barely see what was happening, but when those golden orbs looked up fearfully, clouded with fear, he knew what was happening. Michael appeared behind Ray, his pants unbuttoned. He wrapped both Ray’s arms around his back and held them there, pushing the young man to the ground.

“Michael, don’t,” Ray cried.

“I said shut up,” Michael hissed, backhanding him for the umpteenth time.

Ray whimpered, staring into the darkness beyond, wanting to die right then and there. His body trembled as his legs were forced apart, making him scream. Another slap, this time the hard metal of the gun, went across his face. A deep cut broke his skin, blood spilling across the ground. Ray cried out again, his face flattened into the cold earth.

Kai glared with rising hatred, watching the gun being brandished around. The kid didn’t look good. His shirt was torn and ripped, blood protruding from his healed lip. He had many slap marks and bruises on his once pale face, his cheeks now a stinging red. Tears were flushed across his face, his eyes blurred with pain.

Michael positioned behind him, grabbing his hips roughly, the gun aimed at Ray’s ear. Kai tensed, watching as Michael smirked sickeningly. He aimed the gun at Ray’s back, leaned back and –

“PARKER.”

Kai tore from behind the tree, darting at the pair. Michael gasped and fell back, Ray falling forward into the dirt. Michael raised the gun, glaring at Kai with fear and hatred. He pulled back the trigger, the bullet clicking into place like slow motion: The spark igniting the fuse and the bullet launching from within the barrel.

(A/N: So tempted to stop here, but I promised it would only be a two-parter, and I’m keeping my promise.)

The gun fizzled, steam rising from the barrel. Michael stared wide eyed, his hand trembling on the weapon. It slipped from his hand, clattering to the grass and he got up, stumbling back a few steps.

Ray looked up slowly from the grass, his eyes falling on a pair of shoes and upward, across lean legs and a muscular torso to...

“Professor,” Ray said in a hoarse voice.

Kai glared at Michael, his shoulder bleeding horribly. He took a step forward, advancing on the student. Michael took a step back, his hands trembling, face pale. Suddenly, Michael sprang forward, brandishing his fists. Kai caught him, tossing the redhead to the ground and straddled his waist. He reached out and grabbed Michael’s neck, squeezing it.

“What did I tell you,” Kai whispered in a deadly tone. “What did I FUCKING tell you.”

Michael gagged and gasped, grabbing Kai’s hands, his legs kicking out behind Kai. He struggled against the hands, but was unable to remove them. His face went paler and he whimpered, clawing at the tightening fingers around his throat.

Michael got a leg loose and swung it up over Kai’s arms, hitting him in the cheekbone. The pair went rolling into the darkness, grunts and the cracking of bones splintering the thumping air. Michael came tearing out of the darkness and across the lawn, diving for the gun. Kai appeared behind him, his bottom lip swollen and bleeding.

Ray gasped when the weapon was aimed on him, Michael stumbling backward, his hands trembling on the trigger, his face sent on Kai’s. They glared at one another, Kai having gone stiff, his eyes on the gun and Michael’s one finger.

“I’ll do it,” he whispered, his voice shaking madly. “Come near me and I’ll do it.”

Kai stood up straight, staring Michael straight in the eyes, watching him reproachfully. He took a step forward, and stopped. Michael shuffled, but did not budge. Ray cowered on the ground, whimpering, holding himself as he watched Kai with frightened and terrorized eyes.

“Professor,” he whispered hoarsely.

Kai shot forward like a bullet of his own, ducking low and knocked the gun from Michael’s hand as he pulled the trigger again. Kai grabbed both of the redheads wrists and forced him onto the ground. He pushed Michael’s arms above him and slammed one arm across his throat, cutting off his windpipe.

Michael struggled again, loosening one wrist enough to grab at Kai, but the larger man released him, picking up the weapon and tucked it behind his jacket and under his belt. Michael struggled to his feet, stepping away from Kai. He glared at the Professor before running away into the darkness, the music beyond still pounding loudly.

Behind him, Ray whimpered, pulling himself up. Kai turned around and knelt down, Ray grabbing his arms immediately and burying his face into Kai’s chest, tears spilling down his cheeks. His shoulder shook violently, his face scratched and bruised. He huddled closer to Kai, trembling madly, his eyes wide with fear.

“Come on,” Kai whispered, sliding a hand under Ray’s knees, but he stopped him.

“Don’t touch me,” he cried, cringing away. “Don’t...”

“Kid, it’s me,” Kai said softly, , or as soft as he could. “Come on, let’s go, we need to get you cleaned up.”

Ray trembled still more violently. His eyes suddenly focused on Kai’s shoulder and he noticed how much he was bleeding. He gasped and looked at the wound, pulling away the jacket and sweater to look more closely at it.

“He did this,” Ray whispered.

“It’s nothing, honest,” Kai said sincerely. “Just grazed the skin.”

Ray looked up at him, his eyes drenched with tears. He hiccoughed and tried to stand, but Kai held a firm grip on him. Slowly, Kai slid his arms under Ray’s knees again, but yet again, the neko struggled against Kai and covered himself up protectively.

“We can’t stay out here forever,” Kai sighed.

“No – it’s just – um,” Ray mumbled, staring down at himself.

Kai looked down and with realization, noticed how close Michael had actually gotten. He looked back up thoughtfully and stood up, turning his back on Ray and standing to stare at the party going on in the distance. Making sure he wasn’t watching, Ray slid his pants back up, tying the black belt tightly and stood on shaky legs.

Kai turned around, catching Ray just as he fell forwards into his arms, his legs quivering badly. He lifted the light neko into his arms, allowing him to rest his head against his chest. His own body was screaming with pain, but he ignored it. His own pain wasn’t important now. He needed to get Ray patched up before he passed out from the sheer shock of what had happened.

*~*~*

Ray winced, pulling away from the plastic syringe Kai was holding, the cold clear liquid it was oozing onto his wounds stinging horribly. He trembled again, his body convulsing with the feeling, his skin prickling with every memory. His eyes were dry now, but he still felt like crying. Kai sat silently before him, focusing on the many bloody wounds, some reopened from before, others fresh.

Kai placed a gauze gently over Ray’s neck where he had been cleaning, pressing the medicinal fabric into the open cut. He moved lower to Ray’s arms and shoulders, patching over every bleeding and cried wound. Finally, he sat back, staring at the flustered neko.

“Anywhere else?” he asked.

Ray shook his head. “No ... everywhere else can’t be healed with a gauze.”

Kai looked down at the first aid kit he had brought out from the bathroom.

“What about you?” Ray asked suddenly.

“What about me?” Kai said, looking up at him.

“Your shoulder, it’s still bleeding,” Ray whispered, leaning forward.

“It’s nothing, like I told you,” Kai said, pulling off his jacket. “Just a flesh wound. I’ll heal over time.”

“But it’s still bleeding,” Ray whispered.

“I’m fine,” Kai said firmly.

Ray reached down into the first aid kit and pulled out the plastic syringe and a gauze. He squeezed out some of the clear liquid and spread it across Kai’s wound, watching as his Professor didn’t even wince when the stinging liquid was on his fresh cut. Ray placed the gauze over top and pressed it down firmly and leaned back to examine his work.

“How’s that?” he asked.

“Better,” Kai said ruefully.

“Professor I – ”

“Don’t say it, Kon,” Kai warned.

Ray looked at his hands, staring at all the different sized and shaped bandages. He frowned at his knees and looked up at his Professor again, tears glittering in his eyes. He felt very sick and put a hand to his mouth. He sprang over the back of the couch and into the bathroom, tossing his head over the toilet and heaving into it.

Kai appeared at the door and walked in. He knelt behind Ray and rubbed his back soothingly. The smell of the tiles and the freshly pine smell mixed with vomit only stirred Ray’s stomach a second time and he leaned over the toilet, spilling the bile in his throat into the basin below. Kai leaned over him and flushed away the bile, sitting back down behind Ray. He dry heaved into the toilet, gagging on the taste left in his mouth.

“Why me,” he whispered.

“Don’t think about it,” Kai whispered. “I’ll make some tea again; you can brush your teeth if you like, that toothbrush is still there.”

He got up and left, leaving Ray trembling on the floor. Fifteen minutes later, Ray appeared in the living room. He peeked around the corner, watching as the television screen flickered onto a commercial. A steaming cup of tea sat of the coffee table waiting for him.

“You can come in, you know,” Kai said from his position on the couch.

Ray nodded hastily and walked over to him. He sat down gingerly and bit his lip, glancing at Kai to make sure he hadn’t noticed ... he had.

“Did he actually – ”

“Not all the way,” Ray whispered. “But I – I felt – it.”

A tear dangled haphazardously from Ray’s eyelashes. He looked down at the steaming cup in front of him and felt sick again. He had been violated. He hd actually been violated. The tear fell, sliding across his cheek and disappearing into the gauze bandage.

Ray gasped as Kai’s arms slid around him and pulled him to his chest. He cat shocked for a moment, feeling those strong arms embrace him before he finally returned the embrace, holding Kai close as he cried, his shoulders trembling once again, his heart beating fast. His mind was reeling with the memories. He chewed his bottom lip, thinking.

Slowly, he lifted his head from Kai’s chest and leaned upward, tilting his face to the side. The lips ghosted together, softly and warm. Ray closed his eyes, his hands trembling as he slid them around Kai’s neck, sliding onto the mans’s lap and straddling him. He sat above him, his head arched downward, Kai’s lips moving with his. He felt arms encircling his waist and leaned closer to the kiss, deepening it. Their mouths tangled and danced, eyes fluttering open and closed, placing more pressure between them, causing hotter friction.

“Kon – we can’t,” Kai panted between their kiss.

Why can’t I push him away, his mind screamed.

“My name isn’t Kon,” Ray whispered, brushing his lips softly over Kai’s. “It’s Ray.”

“Ray,” Kai breathed, and tangled his hands into the long black hair and pulled Ray’s mouth back onto his.

Kai’s tongue slid into his parted lips, gliding along teeth and gum. He slowly laid Ray down, his body gliding over the young mans. He strained to hold back as much as he could, but it was a losing battle. Their lips pressed firmly together, arms wrapped around one another, only making their bodies move closer and closer.

Kai slid lower, sliding away the torn red fabric of Ray’s shirt and exposing his tanned chest. Kai tired to pull himself away, he really did. But something was drawing him to his student, and he let his mind go blank as he lowered his head to Ray’s chest and kissed, leaving soft touches on the neko’s over heated skin.

Ray moaned, aching his back of the couch and against Kai’s lips. He reached down, his fingers strawing through silk silver and night blue hair. His mind reeled at what he was doing – what they were doing. When Kai’s mouth found one of his nipples, he gasped and his mind was thrown into ecstacy.

Kai’s was suddenly back over his and their lips were tangled in another passionate kiss. It was followed with another, and anther, and another, until Ray tilted his head to the side and Kai’s lips latched onto his carotid artery and sucked. Moaning, Ray thrust his hips upward, conjoining their neglected groins together and feeling the tightness in his Professors pants. Kai released Ray’s neck and gasped, thrusting his own hips downward and hissing from the contact.

He fumbled around, reaching for Ray’s hips, and found them with shaking hands. He forced them away from his body against his erections will and looked down at Ray with the hardest of glare he could produce in his fogged moment.

“You’re drunk, Kon,” Kai said thickly.

“My name isn’t, Kon,” Ray said angrily, glaring at Kai right back. “It’s Ray. And no, I’m not drunk.”

Ray reached for Kai, but Kai grabbed his wrist and placed it over his head against the couches arm. His face came lower to Ray’s their lips barely touching, and gave him a swift little kiss on the lips. They stared at one another for a long moment.

“You’re drunk,” Kai said again, more softly this time.

Ray looked away, glaring at the television screen. He could feel Kai’s gaze burning into the side of his head so decided to look at one of the mugs instead. With a heavy sigh above him, Kai’s weight was removed and Ray looked round at him, sitting up on the couch blushing profusely and allowing his Professor to sit beside him.

“Ray, what we just did – ”

“Don’t say it,” Ray snapped, glaring at Kai. “Don’t say it was an accident, or that it was wrong, or that...”

Kai covered his mouth with a hand, one silver brow arched upward. Ray blushed and looked down at the leather couch beneath him, following one of the creasing lines. Ray was suddenly aware of how much older Kai looked. He seemed tired, dark bags under his crimson eyes. His face was tighter, the skin around his mouth slightly wrinkled.

“I wasn’t going to say those things, but they are definitely going through my mind,” Kai said honestly. “What I was going to say, however, is that I’m a Professor, you’re a student. What were doing could land me in jail and you kicked out of school.”

Ray looked up at him. “What?”

“How long have you felt this way about me?” Kai whispered.

“Too long. Ever since you gave me my first – um – private lesson,” Ray muttered.

Kai pulled Ray back into his arms, the neko’s head resting against his chest. He closed his eyes, resting his cheek in Rau’s ebony hair, catching the smell of mandarins and tea leaves.

“Professor,” Ray whispered.

“Were not in class, you know,” Kai said.

“What do you mean?” Ray asked, looking up.

Kai tilted Ray’s chin farther upward, brushing the pad of his thumb over the neko-jin’s slightly swollen lip. A piece of dark raven hair fell into Ray’s eyes and Kai brushed it away, tucking it neatly behind one ear and brushing a soft pale cheek.

“You don’t have to keep calling me Professor,” Kai said softly. “You can call me Kai.”

“Kai,” Ray said, the name rolling off of his tongue sweetly as Kai’s very mouth descended on him.

**~**~**~**~**~**

A/N: Very long chapter, and I had to stop it. Well, next chapter up in a few days. Thank you everyone who is putting in ideas for a title, I’m very close to making a decision.