Disclaimer: Beyblade is owned by someone else… sorry.

Warnings: Shounen Ai, ooc:ness, and other stuff later on…

Pairings: Kai/Rei, Bryan/Tala… Maybe Takao/Max… Requests are welcome.

Prelude

Night is the time of the day when people clear their minds and lie down to sleep their worries away. It is the time when you can have your peace and just relax; time when you can sink in a deep, wonderful slumber and dream about the things you have always wanted to do. Unfortunately there are still those who can't sleep; those who just sits there mind troubled. Those, like this young slate-haired man, all isolated from the outer world in a room of his own.

This particular room was one of the biggest one in a large, not too old house. The size of it reminded a living room, but the furniture proved it wrong; it was more like a bedroom and a study put together, with its large two-person-bed, big bookshelf and beautiful wooden desk. It was hard to see as the only source of light was the table lamp. But it was all the youth needed as he sat at his writing desk staring with his scarlet eyes at a contract in front of him.

The paper was full of words in a small print and only thinking of reading the text fully would bring shivers to most of people. At first the boy had also been affected by this, but not anymore. Now he remembered the whole contract from word to word, like it was a speech he had to make.

Slowly his pale hand made it way next to the paper to open a small box. In there was two petite stamps and a little pad of red ink.(1) Taking the first one, he moistened it in the crimson colour, only to put it down with a deep sigh. Leaning backwards he glanced at the clock in the bookshelf; 2:58 am.

He ran the left hand of his through the slate hair and straightened his back, ready to get up. After all, he had no reason to be awake. Just when he was about to stood up the phone rang. Groaning he picked up the phone.

"What?" He more like stated to the phone, apparently already knowing who the caller was.

"Let me guess", a young man's voice on the other end answered casually, not even bothering to answer the question. "You are sitting in a dim room, glaring at the paper, trying to make it disappear."

"Hn." The youth, who had picked up the phone, answered and leaned back in his chair trying to relax for a bit. The spoken paper had been keeping him up for two weeks. It bothered him even in his sleep, if he was lucky enough to get something as luxurious as that.

"So, how are you?" The other one asked worriedly, probably knowing the situation. Not that he had experienced it, but it wasn't hard to identify with his friend, since they had known each others for years.

"Have been better." was the honest reply, yet not the whole truth. In reality the youth was at the edge of breakdown and he knew it. But that was something he didn't want to other know. Otherwise there would soon be another person to keep eye on.

"Doesn't sound too good."

"Hard to believe, isn't it." the tired boy commented sarcastically. "And don't you have anything better to do than prevent me from sleeping?"

"You? Sleeping? Seriously, sleeping is weakness of character, we all know that." The speaker at the other end answered teasingly, but then getting serious again. Some things just had to be said. "But actually, this is about the contract…"

"What a surprise." The crimson-eyed one answered rolling his eyes.

"Just sign it." The voice spoke completely ignoring the other's statement. "It's not a pact with the devil or anything like that, you know."

"I made that one long time ago." The youth replied continuing with his sarcastic tone. He was fed up with this whole thing, yet he couldn't bring himself to end it. All it would need was his name on a paper, but it seemed impossible for him to do.

"Everyone hates martyrs, so stop being one!" the other's irritated voice rang through the phone. "I know you want to see them."

"I see them all the time." he replied casually, knowing that he was just provoking his friend.

"That's not what I mean, and you know that!" The tone had gone angrier, just like he had predicted. "You have been back in Japan more than two weeks now and you haven't even spoken to them!"

"It's not like I can just walk in after five months like nothing had happened!" He replied with a louder voice.

"It was your choice! You wanted to go back!" The other one shouted in frustration, making the crimson-eyed one speechless. It was the truth. He had decided to come back, even when he knew where it would lead him to. On the other hand, he didn't trust anybody else in this and he had always seemed to do things the hard way.

There was a long awkward silence before the one on the other end continued with a calmer voice. "Look. We have both spoken with Mr. Dickenson, and it seems to me that they're worrying about you. I know you want this whole fuss to end, so sign the damn paper. You have to do it sooner or later anyway."

"Hn. Like I don't know that." The one with the slate-hair replied. That exactly was the problem; he didn't have a choice anymore, so it seemed so much easier to delay it, even though it would only make the situation worse.

"When did you start running away?" He was asked. "You have fought your whole life and now you have been struggling with a stupid paper for weeks. Stop being an idiot and put end to this madness. The BBA has been extremely patient with you."

"I don't want them to get involved in this." The youth muttered, not wanting to actually admit it aloud, but at this situation denying didn't help anymore. The other one most likely knew it anyway.

"We both know it has already happened, when you were chosen in their team." he was told with understanding, yet strict tone.

He sighed in defeat. "You're right."

"When am I not?" the smug answer was heard, which lightened the atmosphere immediately.

"According to my records it is very common." The slate-haired boy replied with a smirk.

"It was a rhetorical question." was the other's comeback. There was a little pause as a voice was heard speaking in the background. "Sorry, but I have to go. Falcon has some business with me."

"How's he?" The crimson-eyed one asked back with his usual tone.

"Angry with you, but fine." The other sighed. "Sign the contract, so at least there is someone keeping an eye on you. Besides, you are too cute to be left alone."

"Someday, you'll regret for saying that." He threatened, but grinned afterwards.

"I hear that all the time." It could be clearly heard that the boy on the other end was having a broad smile all across his face.

"Right… Well, take care." The youth said his goodbyes. Times like this he kind of missed his friend. He almost felt... lonely.

"You too." With those words the phone was hung up.

He stood up getting ready to go to bed or at least try to get some rest. Glancing for the last time at the paper he changed his mind. Hesitantly he took the stamps and after taking a deep breath he signed the contract with the name of Hiwatari Kai.

TBC

(1) In Japan the official papers are signed with name stamps. Or so I have been told.