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Once A Thief	By : Kali Category: Beyblade > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 9119 -:- 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
- 8
- 9
- 10
Kali
notes: I told everyone I�d
update faster! This chapter contains TyKa moments, a little chat between Tala and Takao, and
more TyKa moments.
Enjoy!

Disclaimer: No own!
No sue!

Warnings: Yaoi (unless you�re
on ffnet; then you get shounen-ai)
- eventually, language, dramatic angst, and other adult content. Don�t like it, don�t read it! This
chapter: some more angst, and a much needed TyKa moment.

Pairing: TyKa; others include Tala/Hilary,
mentioned Rei/Mariah

~*~*~*~*~

Chapter
09: Honour Among Thieves � Part III

�It happened about ten months ago.� Takao began, fingers curling around his tea cup to absorb its warmth into his own body. He could still feel the same chill spreading
its icy tendrils through him as the one that had
poured over him that afternoon he�d gotten the phone call that would change
everything in his life. �I was back in Japan, and so
was Hiroshi. My brother and I had made an
agreement when Gramps passed away that we would always come home to celebrate
Gramps� birthday with Dad. It was supposed
to be a reason for the last of our family to get together and spend time with
each other � from no matter where on the planet we all may have been. So Hiro and I came
home the week before Gramps� birthday and we made plans to make a small feast
and invite our closest family friends to join in.� Takao looked sideways at Max. �Max had already left for America by
then. I think he�d
been there for about two weeks already, or we would have invited him as
well. As it was,� Takao turned and
glanced at Kenny and Hilary. �We�d
invited these two, and Kenny�s parents, and some people Dad knew. Oh, and a few neighbours and a couple of Hiro�s friends he�d gone to school
with. Of course
these people brought a date or whatever with them, so there were a few strangers
in the group. But everyone seemed so
normal and happy that we�d never notice anything suspicious.�

�What happened?� Director Dickenson asked gently when Takao
seemed to fall silent and get lost in his memory.

Takao shook himself and sighed. �It all happened kind of fast. Most people were gone. It was getting late in the evening, and it
was a Sunday. Hilary had gone home, too,
right Chief?� Kenny nodded and Hilary
frowned, trying to remember
the night herself. �Yeah. As far as I know Kenny was the only one still around. He�d stayed to help
us tidy up after the party. I was also
staying at his place for the week I was in Japan, since the house was in such
bad shape, my old bedroom and Gramps� room � now Dad�s � were the only two liveable
bedrooms there were. Hiro
was staying in my room for the duration of his stay, which was going to be
somewhat longer than my own. I could
have slept on the floor, I didn�t care, but my two
elders ganged up on me and told me to find somewhere else where I�d at least
get a decent night�s sleep. So�Kenny�s apartment, on his pull-out bed sofa.

�But anyway, Kenny and I finished
cleaning and we said goodnight to Dad and Hiro and we
left.� Takao�s hands began to visibly shake and both Kenny and Max reached out and took
one hand between their own, silently gripping and lending him their
strength. Swallowing, the bluenette
continued in a rough voice tinged with the helplessness he�d
felt then and still felt even now. �I
had this weird feeling as I walked away, and I kept thinking I�d forgotten
something or that I was being watched. But I shrugged it off.
I shouldn�t have. I should have turned around and went back�I��

�Easy, Takao.� Kenny squeezed his hand, interrupting. �Breathe, now.�

Takao closed his eyes for a
minute. When he opened them again, the
stormy blue-grey of his eyes, normally so vivid and bright, had dulled and held
a wealth of despair and self-flagellation.
�There was still some tidying to do so Kenny and I went back early the
next morning. When we
got there, the main doors to the dojo � which Dad, Hiro,
and I had boarded up to keep anyone from going inside where it was dangerous to
walk, what with the holes in the floor-boards and the rotting ones, too � the main
doors had been torn open, completely trashed, and there was no sign of my Dad
or brother.

�I freaked out. Kenny had his hands full for a while until I
had calmed enough to speak coherently and phone the police. While we waited for them, we did a quick walk
through the house to see if anything was missing other than my family. Nothing in the house seemed to have been
touched, which was odd, but in the dojo�� Takao trailed off, going pale and
shaking with emotion. �Dragoon. They had taken my family�s sword. It�s older than
anything you can think of, and family legend is that a blue dragon named
Dragoon once was saved by an ancestor however many centuries ago, and in
gratitude the dragon chose to become the Kinomiya�s
Guardian spirit. Supposedly, to always watch over the head of the Clan, Dragoon sealed
himself into my ancestors� sword. I don�t know why anyone would want to steal it. It�s not useful, it isn�t really that pretty
to look at since it�s so old it�s crumbling a little, and other than maybe
its historical value, the only people it�s worth anything to is me and my
family. Gramps�� Takao choked back
tears. �Gramps left the dojo, the land,
the house, and the sword to me. I�m supposed to be the head of the family now, the
protector and keeper of my ancestors� home.
And now, not only have I lost the Dragoon sword, but I failed to protect
my family and care for the lands generations of Kinomiyas
have lived and died on!�

Kai couldn�t
take it anymore. He reached out, turned
off the recorder, and got up to move around the table to the distraught
bluenette. Swinging the chair around so
that Takao faced Kai and gave his back to the room (a startled Max and worried
Kenny being forced to release his hands), Kai crouched
down and looked up into Takao�s eyes, overflowing with tears of shame, guilt,
and deep, deep sadness.

�Takao, you listen to me.� He ordered, keeping his voice quiet and
steady, though the steel in it was enough to scare the bluenette into confused
attention. �This is not your
fault. Things happen that are
beyond our control sometimes, and no matter what sort of things we come up with
that we could have, or should have, done or said that may have prevented
something from happening, the fact remains that �what ifs� get us no
where. There is no blame to be placed. This is
not your fault.�

�I�m not placing blame! Not on myself! I didn�t steal the
sword or kidnap my family! But I ignored my intuition, and I have failed my
responsibilities that Gramps trusted me with.
Me. Not Dad, or Hiroshi. Me!�

Kai shook his head, eyes hard as he
grabbed Takao�s shoulders and proceeded to try and
knock some sense into him. �You haven�t
failed anyone, damn it!�

�But��

�No!
Have you, or have you not been doing everything you can with the
situation you face to get back the sword and your father and brother?�

�Kai��

�Answer!� Kai demanded sharply, not letting his lover
say anything but a response to his question.

�Yes.� Takao whispered, staring down blindly at his
knees while tears poured down his cheeks.

�Haven�t you given up everything to
try and save them? Your reputation, your career, your happiness, even your personal
honour?� The younger man�s head whipped
up and he glared, furious � just as Kai had intended with that question. He didn�t really
believe what he was saying, but it was getting results.

�Yes! Damn you, yes! I�d do the same fucking thing all over again
if I had to!� Takao shouted, his chest
heaving with emotion and his eyes suddenly shifting from dull to flashing
rage. �What are you trying to get at, Hiwatari?!�

Relief rippled through him and Kai
dropped his hands to rest on Takao�s knees as he sat back on his heels with a
small smile. There was the fighter he�d fallen in love with.
There was the never-give-up, risk-it-all spirit that had drawn him like
a moth to a flame so many years ago.

�Taka, my love, you�re going above
and beyond the call of duty to your ancestors.
Gramps couldn�t be any prouder of you than I
am, knowing what I do now. And for the record, you still have your honour. Ah!�
Kai held up a hand when Takao opened his mouth to refute that. �Shut up.
Your honour, if anything, has probably become greater than it had
been. Had you bemoaned the situation,
sat around doing nothing, and never done your best to try and get them back, then
I think you�d have failed, and I would be supremely disappointed.� He met Takao�s gaze and smirked, squeezing
Takao�s knees affectionately. �After
all, the man I fell in love with is no coward.
He�s a warrior.
His heart is wider and more open than the skies, and out of all the
other people on this planet that are far more worthy of him, he chose me.�

By this time, they�d
both forgotten everyone else in the room, and Takao�s eyes had gone wide. He couldn�t believe
that such�poetry had just poured out of Kai�s mouth. Kai. His lower lip quivered, and with a hoarse cry
of the older man�s name, slipped out of the chair to throw himself into Kai�s
arms, weeping uncontrollably. Kai caught
him and pulled him close, burying his face in Takao�s mass of midnight blue
hair and wrapping his arms around him tightly.

Takao clung to Kai,
face buried in his shoulder as sobs wracked him. He could hear Kai murmuring something into
his hair, and although he didn�t quite hear the words,
he recognized that they were meant to soothe and calm. Added to that was the way Kai was slowly
rubbing his back. After several minutes,
which felt like an eternity, his weeping subsided and Takao sucked in a few shuddering
deep breaths, remaining slumped against his lover and not willing to move ever
again. He snuggled into Kai�s warmth
with a sigh, one hand still clutching Kai�s shirt in a fistful, and eyes
closed.

He felt Kai�s lips brush across his
forehead briefly before Kai spoke.

�Taka? Talk to me, please?�

�I�m okay. I�m sorry, Kai.� Takao responded, somewhat embarrassed.

�For what?� Kai tipped up his face and gently wiped away the
moisture still clinging to Takao�s cheeks from his tears. �I�m glad you�re not trying to hold all that
in any longer. How�s your stomach, love?�

Shrugging imperceptibly, Takao
licked his lips and sighed. �It�s
burning a little, but it�ll go away.�

�Can I take you to a washroom to
wash your face and stuff? You�ll feel
better��

�Okay.� Takao didn�t feel
like arguing about anything anymore. He
was too tired. Compliant, he let Kai
help him to his feet, an arm encircling his waist to hold him upright. Blinking the grit away in his eyes, Takao
looked around. �Hey�where�d everyone go?�

�They probably went outside to give
you a few minutes.� Kai smiled a little
and brushed a light kiss to Takao�s temple affectionately. �Come on Kinomiya. Let�s get you cleaned up.�

�Wait�� Takao stopped him just as he
was about to open the door. �Kai��

�What is it?� The crimson-eyed agent asked, studying him
questioningly.

�What you said�did you mean that?� Takao was blushing, something that had Kai
raising an eyebrow in surprise.

�You know I don�t say anything
unless I mean it. What exactly are you
wondering about?� He leaned against the
door, arms folding over his chest.

Takao shuffled his feet, staring at
the floor. �I, ah, well�all that stuff
about being a warrior�you don�t really think that, do you?�

Laughing shortly, Kai couldn�t resist reaching out and ruffling the younger man�s
hair affectionately. �Love, aren�t you
the one who took on that dumbass kid in high school
who thought it would be fun to bully me in the hallway? Even though I didn�t need the help? You�ve lived in a dojo all your life. I can�t count the
number of times I watched you train with Gramps after school. If you�re not a warrior, then I don�t know
who would be.�

Smiling a little, Takao looked up
and nodded. �Thanks. I�guess I needed to hear that.�

�Come on.� Kai took his hand and moved to open the door,
pulling Takao close to him again in an unconscious need to protect.

Takao leaned into Kai and nodded,
letting him assist him. �Yeah.�

Out in the hallway, everyone�s quiet
conversations immediately ceased and the group gathered around the two in
concern.

�Takao! Are you okay?� Kenny asked anxiously. Takao smiled a little and patted his friend
on the shoulder reassuringly.

�Yes, Chief. I�m okay.�
The bluenette looked around at everyone and blushed in
embarrassment. �I�m sorry I got so
emotional. I�d like to finish making my
statement, if that�s okay with you, sir?�
He met Director Dickenson�s eyes steadily, and the old man nodded in
agreement, stroking his beard.

�If you are certain you feel up to it,
then of course we would like to hear the rest of it, Mr. Kinomiya.�

�Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.�

�Director, I�m going to take him to
the washroom for a moment.� Kai tugged
Takao away from the group and led him away.
He paused outside the door when he noticed Tala had followed along
behind them.

�What?� Tala blinked icy blue eyes at his partner in
an attempt to appear innocent.

�Takao doesn�t need both of us to
help him. Shoo!�

Intervening, Takao squeezed Kai�s
arm around his waist to gain his attention.
�Kai?
Would you do me a huge favour?�

Kai looked down at him suspiciously. �Okay.
What do you need?�

�I would normally have my night time
dose of medicine about now, so I was hoping you would go get it for me so I can
take it now before I start talking again?�

�But I��

�Please?�

Kai couldn�t
say no to those eyes that were so tired, sad, and unbearably ancient for his
age. �I�ll be right back, then.� He said, glancing at Tala. �Stay with Tala until I get back, okay?�

�Sure. Thank you.�

The dual-haired man grunted and
hurried off with purposeful strides.

Takao sighed and looked at Tala
inquiringly. �You wanted to talk to me?�

The wolf raised an eyebrow. �Aren�t you astute. Yes, I do.�

Weary, Takao made a sweeping motion
with his hand, a gesture to �please, regale him.� He really just wanted to clean up,
take his medicine, finish his statement and go to bed. But the red haired
agent had this determined spark in his icy-blue eyes that said plainly he wasn�t
going to be put off.

�Alright. I�ll make this
quick. I believe you.�

Takao goggled at him.

�Yeah, okay. Don�t go getting all
sappy or anything. Just because I
believe you doesn�t mean I trust you.� Tala held up a hand before the bluenette
could open his mouth. �Kai�s my
partner. He�s
also my best friend. I�ve
known him for nine years now. We met at
the UNA academy in St. Petersburg,
both of us trying to pass the tests to become full field agents. I�d been there for a year and a half already,
training and doing what I could to further myself.� Tala�s mouth turned
up in a grim sort of smile. �I�m
Russian, Kinomiya. We tend to be
suspicious and paranoid of our own mothers at the best of times � our history
is long, bloody, and full of intrigues that make most spies look like Inspector
Gadget. And on
top of that glorious heritage, I�m wolf.
We are pack animals and we are quite distrustful of anyone or anything
that isn�t pack.�

Tala leaned against the wall,
crossing his arms as he spoke. Takao
mirrored him, his back to the doorframe of the men�s washroom, though he didn�t cross his arms.
Instead he had them tucked behind his back,
clasped loosely as he listened with a glimmer of interest. He had wondered how Kai had met this strange
man, and it sounded like Tala was going to share that information without being asked. So he nodded to show he was listening and waited for the
wolf to continue.

�My point is that I have many
reasons for not trusting you so readily.
It took me a few years to even trust Kai enough that I would
agree to be partnered with him.� Tala
shook his head. �And I, at that point,
already thought of him as a friend. But anyway, where I come from, it is difficult � extremely �
to make something of oneself beyond the class and position one is born to. Being part wolf � enough that I couldn�t even
try to hide it � and to be born of a poor, low-class family of peasants,
made my choices for betterment that much shorter a list. It didn�t help that
I was orphaned at five years old. I�d been in and out of state-run children�s homes,
Church-owned orphanages, and yes, delinquency �homes� most of my life. I have family but none would acknowledge me or my parents because of our wolf blood. So the only true choices I had were to join
either the army or the Church.� Here
Tala grinned, a wolfish, toothy grin of vast amusement. �Well, I happen to enjoy life and the things
that make it worth living � all of which option B would have demanded I give
up. Which left me with
option A. I signed up with the
Russian army at sixteen, and I trained hard to rise through the ranks to a
Captain.�

Takao blinked, mildly
surprised. �You�re a Captain of the
Russian army? Huh. You don�t look like a Captain to me��

Tala started, somewhat taken
aback. Then he laughed, delighted. �Thank you!
I appreciate that.� He snickered a bit more then composed himself. �I�ve been working at trying to lose the
formality and stiffness being a soldier and an officer of an army had drilled
into me.� He got a small smile from the
bluenette at that and shrugged. �It was
never my idea of fun, either. But it beat the hell out of the priesthood option.

�Anyway, when I was twenty, I was
recruited by the UNA. They routinely
scout and recruit new agents from among the educational institutions, military,
and administrative offices of its member nations, and the Russian UNA scout
took notice of me. I was still quite
young to have already become a full Captain in an army the size of Russia�s. I will admit that
it was partly due to my wolf DNA that I advanced so far, so fast, but
whatever. I got
recruited and found a better life, a better career, and a better path for my
life to go on, and I seized it.

�At the Academy, I was one of the
youngest recruits there. Normally, they
make recruits � with assistance financially � go to university and get at least
some kind of degree first, if they haven�t already,
but they do make exceptions for military experience. Lucky me. I�m not so sure I�d be able to do the whole
university thing.�

�Tala, as interesting as all this is, what�s your point?�
Takao wondered. He could feel his
eyes getting heavy with the need to sleep, and this story deserved his
attention. Half-asleep on his feet as he
was, Takao couldn�t give the redhead that attention
very well.

�I�m getting there. As I had said, I�d
been there for a year and a half, training, when Kai showed up. If I was a star to the Academy�s program, he
was a fucking prodigy. I�d just turned
twenty-two when this silent, way-too-serious, eerily confident nineteen
year old kid of undeniably mixed heritage � most obviously partly Asian and the
rest Caucasian � pops up out of bloody nowhere at the entrance exams required
before formal field agent training is granted.
I�d never seen him before in my life, and I knew everyone else at
that exam because they, too, had all been there for several years of training
and preparation.� Tala shook his head,
remembering his rather annoyed amazement at the skill and ability his younger
partner had displayed at those exams. �We
were taking the same exams. I was a desk
agent �as are all recruits unless they specifically branch off into field
agency. The kid completely blew us all
out of orbit. No
contest. Most of us still passed,
of course, since it�s not a competition, but he simply
wowed the Academy dumb-struck.

�I remember watching as he underwent
the physical testing, and I can still see the freaky, unrelenting
determination in his eyes to succeed. I
had my reasons for being there and doing what I did, but so did Kai. It was in every movement, every breath, ever
expression he wore. For a while I wondered that it didn�t consume him and eat him
alive. He bordered on obsession � the not-so-healthy
kind.� The wolf tapped his fingers
against his arm thoughtfully. �I was
sure if he kept going as he was, he was going to burn out and burn up. But he
persevered. And
in the end he was the absolute best there was at the Academy.

�When the testing was done, and the
results came in, we were given two months to choose where we wanted to be
assigned and to make arrangements to move and stuff. By this time, my curiosity had gotten
unbearable. I had to know what
was driving him. I�d
gotten to know him a little over the testing period � as much as one could
claim to �know� that guy, I suppose. He didn�t say a whole lot, then. He still doesn�t but he�s a lot more
talkative then he ever was altogether, I suspect.�

We were in the locker room at the
gymnasium, cleaning them out and packing our stuff up when I finally got nosy
and asked why the hell he was there and what was motivating him through all
that. His answer was simple and completely
unexpected. I figured it was because he
had something to prove to someone or as a way to bring some bad guy in his past to justice � or vengeance even. But I couldn�t have been more wrong.�

Takao raised an eyebrow. �What did he say?�

Tala�s
eyes met the bluenette�s head on and he replied in a matter-of-fact tone of
voice, �To find the person he loved more than anything and tell them hoe much
he loved them.�

Takao�s breath hitched and his eyes
went very wide, growing shiny with moisture.

�I thought he was crazy,
honestly. But I
didn�t give it much thought after that � for a while, anyway. It wasn�t until
after I discovered we�d both picked the European UNA offices to work with that I
began to take an interest. He intrigued me We eventually
began our formal training as field agents, and occasionally we�d run into each
other on �missions� and in training exercises.
We seemed to work well together.

�Then one evening after a particular
exercise � based on missing persons scenario, by the
way � that Kai seemed to show signs of burn out. I wasn�t surprised,
not after how hard and fast he�d been pushing himself. So I told him there
was a bar I knew that was quiet, cheap, and served quality beverages and
food. He gave me that �fuck off� glare
of his, but I just shrugged it off and invited him to join me. I even offered to pay. He was wary, suspicious, and not a little bit
curious. I could tell. It took some persuasion � in the form of a
logical argument that he needed to eat sometime so why not there? � but he
finally followed me to the bar.�

�I think I see where this is going.� Takao couldn�t help
snickering.

�Oh you bet. You want someone to let down their guard enough to pry into their lives, you get them
wasted. Though,
I didn�t have to do much. He
pretty much did it to himself of his own accord that night. I got quite happily
buzzed along with him, of course, but I�d fully intended to in the first
place. Anyway, Kai was in that liquored
fog that makes you talk without knowing it, and the
whole tale of his long lost lover comes pouring out like a bad teenage soap
opera.� Tala shook his head at the
memory. �Poor kid had it bad for you,
Kinomiya. And I couldn�t help feeling
for him, especially in my own wasted state.�

Takao was smiling to himself,
picturing his lover drunk, talkative, and somewhat mussed. I wonder if he�s
as adorable drunk as I think he�d be?
He mused silently with a blush.
Then he shook himself out of dream-mode at Tala�s,
�Ahem.�

�Sorry. I was picturing Kai drunk. Was he cute?�
Takao couldn�t help asking, blushing even more.

�I guess. You should see him in his reading glasses,
though.�

Takao sighed. �Someday, I hope.�

�Listen, my point in telling you all
of this�� Tala tried getting back on track before Kai showed up again and he
lost his chance to talk to Takao. �I got
to know Kai well after that. He needed
someone to talk to and occasionally unburden himself on when the going got
tough. He joined the UNA with the sole
purpose of gaining access to UNA resources and sources in order to go out and
search for you. I respected his talents
and skills as an Agent first, and later I respected
and admired his determination and pure will to find you. It was what got him up in the morning and
made him keep living.

�So what I�m trying to say is that
he loves you. Never doubt it. And because he does, and because somewhere
along the lines he became my friend, my partner�pack, Kinomiya, I want
you to know what I will stand with him through this thing, no matte what happens
or what he decides � even if I think it�s a mistake. I�m already pretty sure I know what he�s
willing to do and how far he�ll go, and I�ll follow.�

Takao raised his gaze to meet Tala�s once more, and the bluenette gave a slow nod of
acknowledgement.

�Thank you, Tala.� He said softly. �I�m glad Kai has a friend like you at his
back. I�m glad he hasn�t been alone all
this time and I�m glad he won�t be alone should things go awry.�

Tala shrugged. �Like I said, Kai is pack. I take care of my pack even if they don�t
want me to.�

�Still, thanks.�

The two men stood there for several
minutes longer in companionable silence, waiting for Kai to come back. When he did, he looked from one to the other
suspiciously, as if he sensed some kind of change in their attitudes toward
each other.

�Alright. What kind of nonsense do I have to deny?� He asked with a huff.

�Nothing!� Takao replied, brightening at the sight of
the little pill box in Kai�s hand. �Is
that my medication?�

�Yes. Here.�
Kai held it out to him and gave his partner one last questioning glance
over his shoulder as he followed Takao into the washroom. Tala just shrugged and grinned mischievously.

Let Kai think he�d
told Takao something embarrassing. It
would do his partner some good to loosen up a little.

Takao swallowed the pills Kai gave
him and grimaced at the taste. �Yuck. Those are gross.�

�That�s how you know they work.�

�I�m sure.� Takao rolled his eyes and turned on the water
at one sink to wash his face. �Thanks�for
getting it for me.� He said, splashing
water on his face and reaching for some paper towel to dry off with.

�Hn. What were
you and Tala talking about?�

Takao winked at him with a
grin. �Nothing
special. I just wondered how you
two met, and he told me.� The grin
widened when he saw Kai pale a bit and his crimson eyes wider. �Relax, Kai.
It wasn�t humiliating.�

�Says you.� The older man grumbled, staring at the
floor. �I must have been a complete fool
then to him. I don�t know why he stuck
around.�

The grin faded into a soft,
affectionate expression, and Takao stepped up to his former boyfriend, raising
a hand to brush his fingers along Kai�s cheek.
�You weren�t a fool. You knew
what you wanted and you did what you had to in order to achieve your
goals. And you had the most powerful
motivator there is spurring you on � love.�

Kai looked down into silvery blue
eyes that spilled over with emotion and sighed deeply, catching Takao�s hand
and pressing that palm to his cheek firmly.
�Yeah. I
did. I had screwed up big time,
Takao. I wanted a chance to set things
straight and�to prove that I deserved you.
I don�t know why, out of the far more pleasant
people around you, you chose me but I was�content. I had never felt like that before in my life,
but whenever I was with you something inside me calmed and burned at the same
time.�

�Kai�I want you to know�I mean, even
with all this chaos�I still��

�Taka�� Kai whispered hoarsely and
bent down a little to capture Taka�s lips in a fiercely tender kiss. With a low sound, Takao�s hand slipped back
to hold the back of Kai�s head as they kissed, his fingers sliding through the
dark grey strands and gripping. His other
hand clutched at Kai�s shoulder while Kai�s arms wrapped around him in an oddly
protective way.

Neither wanted to, but eventually
they slowly managed to separate from each other, and take a step back from one
another.

Heart pounding, Kai unconsciously licked
his lips and tasted Takao there. He closed
his eyes against the rush of excitement and worked to steady his emotions.

�Kai?� Takao hesitantly asked in a yet breathless
voice. Kai opened his eyes and let the
bluenette see just what he was feeling then � no barriers or excuses. �Oh, Kai��
The younger man offered a tentative smile and held up his hand. �I can�t believe you went through all that
just to find me.�

�I�d do it again.� Kai accepted the hand, lacing their fingers
together, palm to palm, and squeezing lightly.

�I know. I promise not to disappear ever again.�

�I promise never to leave without
telling you everything ever again.�

�I know.�

Before either could say or do
anything else, the moment was interrupted by a polite knock at the door and the
blonde head that poked inside cautiously.

�There you two are. Everyone�s waiting for you guys.� Max told them, stepping inside briefly. �You okay, Takao?�

�Yep. I�m fine, Max. We�re coming.� Takao smiled and the blonde
tilted his head in curiosity at them. But whatever he was thinking, he didn�t share it or say
anything more.

�Okay. Director Dickenson wants to end this at ten o�clock,
no matter if you�re done your statement or not. He wants you to get your rest, pal.� Max waved.
�So hurry back! I�ll see you
there.� He left them to themselves
again.

�Are you done here?� Kai asked.
Takao nodded and let him lead the way back to the conference room. Outside the doors, Takao paused and took a
deep, settling breath, releasing it slowly.
Kai watched him and raised an eyebrow in inquiry as he reached for the
door.

�I�m ready. Let�s get this over with.� Takao said.
Kai pushed open the door.

****************

Kali�s Notes:
Well! I think we�re finally
ready to start moving on with the story.
Took me long enough, right? *sheepish
grin* Thank
you to everyone who reviewed the last two chapters! Like I said in the
last update, I�m sorry I won�t be responding directly as I did before. If you do have questions or something,
however, I will be thrilled to respond by email. See my bios on any of the fic
sites for info on how to contact me.
Anyway, keep on enjoying my work! Please
R/R!!!!
- 8
- 9
- 10
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Once A Thief