Something else than Pokémon for a while XD don't worry fans, I'll continute my CS series, I'm just now in Beyblade mood. I was almost horrifyed that there wasn't many fics for this pairing (not in "complete" and "english" section at least) and other two there wasn't at all! So let me fix it.


Sun shined down to China and small mountain village. It was still early morning, but people in it were already fully at work. A boy with long, dark, spiky hair, white shirt and black pants stepped out of his house. He tied his red headband around his head and stretched his limbs.

"It's so lovely morning", he said to himself.

"Hey, Ray!"

Ray turned around and saw small, green haired boy coming to him.

"Morning, Kevin." He replied when boy got to him.

The boys made their way to the river nearby where they were supposed to meet rest of their friends, talking these and those. When they got there, Lee, boy with long black hair, and Gary, the big guy, were already there, having a practice match with their beyblades.

"Hey there you two", Lee greeted when the two joined them. He struck at Gary's blade and it flew back to its owner's legs and stopped spinning.

"Aw man!" Gary groaned and picked the spinning top. Lee caught his own.

"Better luck next time", Kevin said and patted Gary's back. "Where's Mariah, by the way?"

Ray also had noticed the absence of the last member of the team right away, and wondered where the girl was.

"She said she'd come later", Lee replied. "She had something to do before coming." Mariah was team's only girl, and Lee's sister. She was one year younger than Lee and Ray. Kevin was the youngest of them and Gary the oldest (a/n: or at least Absolute Anime and Wikipedia say this).

Ray wondered what could things Mariah have to do, when Lee's voice brought him back to reality.

"Earth to Ray. Would you come back from the clouds? Did you hear what I just said?"

Ray looked at his best friend and smiled apologetically. "Sorry, I was in my thoughts. What did you say?"

"I asked if you'd want to have a match," Lee repeated and showed his beyblade.

"Yeah, sure", Ray answered and took out his own. Kevin and Gary stepped back to give them more battle area.

"Three, two, one", Gary counted.

"Let it rip!" All four shouted together. Two spinning tops smashed together in the middle of the area between two boys.

"Go, Galeon! This time we'll win!" Lee yelled.

"U-uu, not going to happen that easily. Go, Driger!"

Ray quickly got advance in the battle. Just before they finished, when third, pink beyblade interrupted them and smashed both of the boys' beyblades away.

"Hi there, boys!" Happy female voice laughed. They turned and saw girl with pink long hair and pink clothes standing there, hands on her waist.

"Mariah! When did you come?" Ray asked.

"Just a second ago", Mariah smiled and picked up her blade.

"You still didn't have to do that", Lee said.

"Aw, don't complain, Lee, you wouldn't have won anyways", Mariah told to her brother and patted his cheek. "I just saved your skin." Others laughed. Lee snorted.

Ray smiled. This was pretty much every day-routine. They were always teasing each others but the five of them still were best friends.

"Hey Mariah, why were you late anyway?" Kevin asked.

"Oh, I got things to do," the girl replied. "For example, this." She opened small bag she had. It was full of apples. "I got us some breakfast!"

"Oh boy, breakfast!" Gary said. "I'm hungry."

"Yeah, well, you're always hungry, Gary", Kevin said. Everyone laughed and picked a fruit from the bag. They sat on the ground.

...

Later that day Ray and Lee were walking around the White Tiger Hills. After walking sometime they found nice, grassy cliff and sat there.

Ray lied on his back and gazed at the sky. His mind started to wander on its own once again. To a certain person actually…

"Hey Ray", Lee said after a moment.

Ray snapped back to reality. "Yeah?"

His friend sat up. "You've been spacing out all the day. What's up?"

"Huh? No, nothing much, just thinking", Ray said.

"About?"

"Nothing special. All kinds of stuff."

"Could it be, like, someone?" Lee smirked.

Ray felt his cheeks warming. He also sat up. "Why do you think so?"

"Just call it a good guess", Lee laughed. "And the fact that you're blushing tells that I'm correct."

"Well, yeah, you're right", Ray said after a little silence. Now he couldn't deny it even from himself.

Lee leaned his cheek to his palm. "Is it Mariah?"

Ray blushed even more. "Wh-what?"

"Aw, come on, you think I haven't noticed during all these years? Seriously, pal, it's obvious you like her."

Ray stared at his friend. Yeah, he did. He had admitted it already years ago. But he'd never thought that it could bee seen from outside. He slowly nodded. Lee turned his eyes to the sky. There was again long silence.

"When are you going to tell her then?" Lee asked, breaking the silence.

Ray looked at the sky. "I don't know. I have thought of doing that many times, but I never just had enough courage."

By Ray's surprise, Lee burst into laugh.

"Hey, don't laugh, this isn't funny!"

"Sorry," Lee chuckled. "Just that, it's funny to hear from you the phrase 'not enough courage'."

Ray laughed bit too. "Yeah, guess so."

"So, why's that?"

Ray turned his look to the ground and blushed a bit. "Well, I don't know, maybe I like her too much."

"Aw, cute."

"And, to be honest, another reason is you."

"Me?" Lee sounded almost shocked.

"Yeah, well, you have always been pretty protective over her", Ray explained. "I thought you'd be mad."

Lee scratched back of his head. "Yeah, well, maybe I have, a bit. But no way I'm mad. Well, if it was someone else, then probably, but I guess you're okay." Lee raised his shoulders. It was Ray's turn to look questioning. Lee grinned and stood up.

"I'm getting hungry, so I'm going home", he said. "Come for dinner?"

"I think I'll pass this time", Ray replied. "I'm going to stay here still for a while."

"Okay", Lee said. "Then I'll see you later."

"Yeah, see ya."

Lee left back to the village. Ray lied back on the ground.

Trying to get his thoughts away from certain pink lady he tried to think what were his other friends doing. It has been months since the trouble with BEGA and Boris. Last time he heard about Tyson and others they seemed to be living their lives all normally. Life was normal for Ray too. Maybe even too normal. He missed all the action and his friends. Mystel had visited once, but of course he never stays for long.

Ray sighed, got up and made his way back home.

...

"There, there, little guy, you'll be back to home soon", Mariah said as she stepped on higher branch.
Ray happened to pass by, and saw his friend in the tree.

"Umm, Mariah, what are you doing?"
"Oh hi Ray!" Girl said happily. "This bird baby had fallen from its nest so I'm helping it back." She places the bird next to others. "There you go. Don't fall again."
"Hey, be careful! That branch doesn't look too stro-"
The branch said "crack" and next thing Mariah saw ground getting closer with huge speed. Ray rushed to female White Tiger's rescue, but fell down from her weight.
When they opened their eyes, they noticed they were staring at each others, their faces not too far from each others.
"Ummm..." both muttered as blush grew to their faces.
Much did they know that two other members of the team were nearby and watching...
"Oooh yeaah, at last some action for them!" Kevin happily whispered. Gary nodded and smiled.

Back at the other two, Mariah got off Ray. "I-I'm sorry, I m-must have been heavy", she stuttered.

"N-no, not at all", Ray said. They got up, looking away from each others.

There was awkward silence. Mariah was just about to break it, they heard voice.

"Hey you two!"

Kevin and Gary ran to them.

"Hi there! We saw you standing here and decided to catch you before you ran away", Kevin explained. "You're going back to home?"

"Uh, yeah", Ray told.

"Good, let's go together then", Gary said.

"Come on, let's go!" Kevin hurried. The two started walking.

"Yeah", Ray said and looked at Mariah. She smiled nervously and they hurried after them.

...

Ray launched his beyblade once again. It was already late night, but he couldn't sleep, so he decided to do some training. He had come to waterfall where he usually comes when he wants to be with himself.

He watched White Tiger spinning circles in front of him. It slowed sown and soon stopped. Ray sighed and picked it up. He sat on rock and turned his eyes to full moon.

"Ray?"

Ray startled and turned around.

"Mariah?"

Mariah came to him. "Thought you'd be here… Can I join you?"

"Yeah, of course you can."

Mariah climbed on the rock and sat next to Ray.

"Um, sorry about today", the girl said after a moment.

"It's okay", Ray said. They looked at each others, but quickly turned away. Both were thinking about same thing: was now a good moment?

Ray looked at the girl next to him from corner of his eye. She was twining her hair around her finger and looking to the ground. She looked really beautiful.

Ray opened his mouth, but closed it at the last moment. He slid down from the rock.

"Probably better go back, it's really late."

Mariah looked at him and also came down. Ray turned to leave, but she grabbed his arm.

"Wait."

Ray looked at her. She turned her gaze to her shoes and her cheeks were red.

"I-I just w-wanted to say… I've meant to do this already many times earlier but I never could and…"

"Go on."

Mariah raised her head and their eyes met. "I love you."

Ray was taken aback. He could just stare her, feeling his cheek burning.

Mariah let go of his hand and turned away. "It's totally okay if you don't feel the same. I just wanted that you know." She let out small laugh.

She felt that she was turned around and arms warped around her.

"No, I do", Ray said as he pulled her closer. "I love you too."

Mariah's eyes shot wide open. After recovering from it, she pressed her head on his shoulder.

Same time behind the trees, Lee was watching the scene (a/n: gee, those two just won't get any privacy I see). He had noticed that Mariah left, and wondered where she was going at that hour and followed her. He watched at the two hugging there for a while. Then he smiled, turned around and left them alone.

"Maybe we really should go", Mariah said.

"Yeah, maybe", Ray said, and stepped back. She took his hand into hers and they walked in the moonlight in complete silence.

When they got at the spot they had to separate, they stopped.

"Well, good night then", Mariah said.

"Good night…"

She let go and was about to go, but hesitated. Ray gave her questioning look. Then she quickly got on her toes and kissed him. After recovering from the shock, Ray kissed her back.

After minutes they finally pulled apart in the need of air. They stared at each others eyes for a moment.

Ray gave Mariah small kiss on forehead and told her she really should be going now.

"Yeah", se replied. "See you in the morning"

"See ya."

She smiled and ran away. Ray looked after her and thought, that maybe tomorrow would be little bit more interesting.


There's a picture of this story in my DA account (it's about the crashing down from the tree part). See it if you're interested :3

Thank you for reading!