AN: Second last chapter. Not bad for something that was meant to be a oneshot. But, hey, what are you going to do? Enjoy, that’s what. And let me know what you think.
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Chapter 5:
Jensen was outside, sprawled out on the ground, in front of the very car that nearly broke his leg, looking directly at the broken headlight, which he, ironically enough, broke with his leg. And he kept looking at it. Well, now what? Bialy dragged him outside to fix it, but how the hell was he going to do that? He was a martial artist, not a mechanic or car detailer.
“Staring at it isn’t going to fix it,” Bialy’s voice cut through his musings. Jensen finally turned his gaze away from the broken headlight to look at the guy who literally dragged him outside by the arm and threw him toward his car. He was standing a few feet away, arms folded over his chest and a challenging gleam in his eye.
Oh, if Jensen only had his katana and didn’t have an injured leg. He’d so take up that challenge.
He was getting no help from Taras, who was sitting on the bonnet of the car, looking bored.
“And I’m not going to fix it either,” Jensen snapped in reply.
He instantly had a sense of regret when those blood-red eyes narrowed further and a manic grin appeared on his lips. However, he was saved by the heavens above. Ok, it was just Kagen making a grand entrance by landing his helicopter in the court yard. But hey, he’d take that over Bialy going mental on him.
As the dust settled and the helicopter blades slowed to a stop, Kagen hopped out of the cockpit, removing his headset, flicking his long hair back and walking straight over to Bialy, a fierce look in his eyes.
“What the hell is going on?” It wasn’t so much a question, but a demand.
Bialy whirled around to face him, defiance in his stance. “They’re just fixing my car.”
“Yes, I can see that,” Kagen said as he eyed Jensen on the ground and Taras on the car. “But can’t you see one of them is injured?”
“And I don’t care,” Bialy quickly retorted as he folded his arms over his chest. “They mess with my car, they fix it. That’s all that there is to it.”
Kagen seemed to twitch at that. “Really now?”
Upon hearing that, Taras perked up noticeably and appeared rather excited. “Uh oh, he’s got that tick again.”
“Tick?” Jensen asked, highly curious as to why Taras was so excited.
“Yeah, see the way his right eye is twitching?” Taras said as he slid off the bonnet to land on the ground next to him, once again moving in close to his personal space as he pointed at Kagen. “He’s about to enter full blown Mother-Hen Mode. Bialy doesn’t stand a chance.”
Jensen had a slight deadpan expression on his face when Taras seemed to get even more excited at the prospect of a fight. “Why does it appear as if you’re going to enjoy this?”
“Just shut up and watch.”
“Jensen?”
Jensen stiffened slightly at his name being called in a highly authoritative manner. “Ah, yeah?”
“Get inside and keep of that blasted ankle,” Kagen ordered, though not looking at him as his attention was focused solely on Bialy. “And you,” he practically hissed. “You’re going to fix your own damn car.”
Bialy rolled his shoulder, cracking a few kinks in his neck by doing so. “Let’s see you make me.”
“This is going to be good,” A blond that Jensen didn’t noticed before suddenly commented, holding a long bo staff in his hand.
Kagen tilted his head slightly in the blonde’s direction. “Makis?”
Makis smiled widely. “Will this do?” he asked as he threw him the batang, which was just a fancy word for wooden staff, he was holding.
Kagen caught the bo in one hand, spun it effortlessly over his head before bringing it down sharply in a defensive motion, holding it in two hands. His legs were spread apart, his expression emotionless, but his eyes narrow and fierce. “Perfect.”
And the gloves were off, or in Bialy’s case, they were on. A manic, sadistic grin appeared on his lips as he pulled on a pair of black leather gloves, ones he no doubt used to fight in. He flicked the tip of his nose with his thumb, the two of them staring each other down.
“Bring it.”
A sudden breeze circled the courtyard, picking up a small cloud of dust, creating the intense atmosphere to increase even more. Jensen stood off to the side with Taras and Makis, Jensen unwillingly allowing Taras to support him because of his leg, an arm wrapped around his waist. The three stood silently, watching, waiting for the action to start. It was so quiet you could probably hear a pin drop.
Then, they attacked. A flurry of kicks, punches and dodges were blurred together as two top students of two different martial arts battled it out.
Jensen could now understand why Taras was getting excited about Kagen and Bialy fighting; they were good. People would pay big money to watch something like this!
The way Kagen handled that staff was like he was a pro. He managed to counter every single one of Bialy’s attacks, effortlessly dodging his kicks and punches. It was clear that Bialy’s fighting style was all in, no holding back. Almost like a brawler. While Kagen’s technique was more refined; like a dancer. And he was quick and agile, which only seemed to increase Bialy’s frustration.
Ah, that was what he was trying to do. Kagen wasn’t necessarily trying to attack or hurt Bialy, but for Bialy to get so frustrated that he makes mistakes and takes himself out of the fight.
…That was pretty cool.
However, the fight wasn’t over yet. Directing a sharp kick to Kagen’s upper body, Bialy managed to knock the bo staff from Kagen’s hands. He grinned with a triumphant smirk at that and pulled back an arm to deliver a punch.
It was probably going to really hurt.
But Kagen dodged it, and…He was using his hair as a weapon?! He stepped to the side, flicked his head back slightly for his braid to whip through the air and grabbed it. He then wrapped his braid around Bialy’s wrist, tightening it suddenly, pulling him off centre and then threw Bialy to the ground, flat on his back. And he hit the ground hard.
Kagen then removed his braid from Bialy’s wrist, kicked the bo staff that was on the ground into the air, caught it with his left hand and then sharply brought the end down to Bialy’s throat. Then, he stopped, a mere inch away from Bialy’s neck, the albino looking up at him with an expression of pure surprise.
Jensen had always wondered why Kagen had such long hair and if it ever got in the way. Now he knew.
“Anything placed in my hands can become a weapon,” Kagen stated simply, his voice level and sounding downright cool. “And I do mean anything.”
And with that, Kagen stuck the bo staff into the ground next to Bialy, flicked his long hair over his shoulder as he turned around and walked away without a backward glance. Truly, what a master!
Beside Jensen, Makis cheered a little. “Kagen is so cool.”
“Heh,” Taras sniggered. “It just sends shivers down your spine.”
Jensen just openly gaped at him.
And when Kagen barked out orders for Jensen to get inside and rest his foot, he obeyed, leaving Taras to peel Bialy off the ground, giving him a hard slap on the back to get the dust off his shirt.
Bialy squatted down in front of his car, his head between his knees and his hands in his hair. “I can’t believe he’s making me fix my own damn car…”
Leaning against the said car, Taras could only shake his head without sympathy. “You really should have known better than to talk back to Kagen when he’s in mother-hen mode. Honestly, what were you thinking?”
“Shut up!” Bialy snarled as he snapped his head up to glare at him. “At least I don’t run people down in my car.”
“I didn’t mow him down,” Taras said defensively, granting his friend with his own glare. “He stepped off the side walk and right in front of me. What was I supposed to do?”
“Stop?” Bialy suggested sarcastically, yet blandly at the same time.
“No kidding?” Taras’s tone was equally sarcastic before he bristled and became defensive. “What did you think I tried to do?!”
They glared at each other for a few moments before Bialy sighed and rested his chin in the palm of his hand, still crouched down in front of his car. “Still, he’s pretty cute,” he commented, obviously talking about Jensen.
“He is, isn’t he?” Taras agreed, a sly yet playful grin on his lips. “His glare is vicious, though.”
Bialy looked mildly interested. “Even with the glasses?”
Taras nodded once. “Especially with the glasses,” he stated firmly.
“Hmm, I see,” Bialy muttered before he hauled himself to his full height, stretching his arms over the top of his head. “You know, there are other ways to pick someone up without running them over.”
Taras winced. He was never going to let that down. “I told you, it was an accident!”
Bialy rolled his shoulder, shaking out his arm. “An accident you’re going to take advantage of?”
“Of course,” Taras grinned wolfishly. “Chances are, Kagen will make him stay until his injuries are healed.”
Bialy caught on and gave him a reassuring, bro-like thumbs up. “That gives you plenty of time to win him over.”
Taras returned the sign with one of his own. “Absolutely.”
And they both laughed, like a pair of evil masterminds.
And Kagen felt instantly suspicious. Although he heard nothing of what they spoke off, too far away and inside the house, he could hear their chortles and cackles through an open window.
“Ok, now they’re laughing,” Kagen commented as he leaned against the window. “That’s never a good sign.”
“Well, at least they’re still working and haven’t tried to make their way inside,” Makis pointed out from where he was sprawled out casually on a couch, Jensen sitting in a one seater with his leg up on the coffee table, a pillow under his foot.
“True,” Kagen said after a moment before turning those sharp eyes to look directly at Jensen. “So, what are we going to do about you?”
“Huh?” Jensen muttered before he pointed at himself. “What about me?”
“You live alone, right?”
Jensen felt defensive at the question. “Yeah, so?”
“Well, then, you can stay here until you recover,” Kagen offered. Well, it wasn’t really an offer, it was more of a command.
“Huh?” Jensen muttered.
“No questions,” Kagen interrupted.
And, well, if you could fight as well as he could, you could make as many commands as you wanted.
“…Ok,” Jensen said meekly. Now he knew why Kagen was so respected!
“Good,” Kagen said as he nodded sharply and pushed away from the window. He then made a motion to walk outside. “I’ll get Taras to show you to your new room.”
Jensen blinked. “Why Taras?”