Summary:
New kid Zeo meets cute kid contortionist Max and his friends, amateur MMA fighter Kai, motherly and cat-like Rei, and has fun friendship adventures with them! Also contains fluffyness and same sex situations in a slice of life, episodic format. And one of the few fics online that has contortion and circus related content!

Disclaimer: Beyblade and its characters belong to Aoki Takao.

Friends Can Cuddle Too
Episode 1: Some Nights I Always Win
(Some Nights by Fun)

I see him on the subway platform, a cute teenage blond spiky-haired contortionist wearing knee length green tights over a pale yellow full body unitard, laying on his stomach with his body bent backwards with his head between his feet. Walking his feet forward, his body bends so much that he was actually sitting on his head! He hears me gasp, and in one swift motion he lowers his legs to the floor and swings them out to his sides, propping himself upright into a straddle split. If I had blinked, I would've missed it.

"You've never seen a contortionist before?" Even his voice sounds as cute as he looks!
"I've seen videos and pictures online, but I've never seen it in real life!"
"Yup!" ^_^ "I just got here on a long flight, so I really need to stretch!", bringing his arms upwards at the same time, and slowly bending his upper back backwards, until his back bent into a U shape, a nearly 360 degree angle in the middle of his body, his head touching his butt! And then using only his core muscles, he brought his body back to an upright position, showing great strength in addition to his flexibility.

"That's! Much! Better!" he exclaims, emphasizing every word. "Planes are getting really cramped these days."

I laugh at his joke. He smiles at me. I smiles back.

I watch him as he effortlessly continues to stretch the rest of his body. His fluid movements are so mesmerizing, it's like he is as flexible as water! As I watch, I sense something special about him and his youthful personality, a thirst for adventure, as well as being trusting and accepting of the people he meets.

He stands up. "And now for the finale, drumroll please!"
I do so happily.

He jumps up and into the splits midair, holding the position and landing on his legs!

"Ta dah!"
I stare at him in shock while he puts on an orange hoodie and sweatpants.
"Wow, you're amazing!" I say having found my words. "How long have you been a contortionist?"
"Like ever since I was 5, so I've been doing this for 14 years."
"Wait, you're 19?!"
"Yup! I know you're thinking that I'm much younger cause I look so cute right?" He beams a big smile at me.
"Yeah I thought you were like 15 or something."
"You're looking good too! You could pass of as a skinny 16 or 17 year old. How old are you actually?"
"I'm 19 too."
"See there you go! Anyways, you've been watching me for the past hour, and on a Friday night too. Plans with your friends fell through?"
"Well I don't really have any friends, or family. And when I go home I'll probably be watching the same thing on the internet, so if I stay here and watch you, at least it's real life."

He stands up. "I'll go home with you."
"Wait what? You would do that for me?"
"Yeah! You're a really nice guy, and you don't deserve to spend your time alone, so let's go! Which train is yours?"
The train I take to go home pulls in just as he says those words.
"Woah here it is!" The perfect timing is an awesome surprise, and I help him with his small bright blue rolling luggage.

The subway, like all subways in Tokyo, are exactly like a can of sardines, with bodies squished against each other and filling every space like the clown cars on world record attempts. I find myself in this position, standing directly in front of him, toes and belly touching, my face in his face. I notice that we are exactly the same height. I stand there awkwardly, not quite sure what to do with my hands.

He notices my blushing face. and puts his arms around my waist. "It's okay, you need a hug right now after all you've been through."

I return the favor and squeeze him tight, and for the first time in forever, the weight of the world is finally taken off my shoulders. I search for a comforting spot to lay my hands, hands exploring different surfaces and I slowly work my hands up to his neck, feeling his soft warm skin. I run my hands through his hair, feeling the smoothness. I have a sensitivity to certain textures, and rubbing my hands and feet over them relaxes me.

He must be enjoying this too, I think, as his actions seem like it had been a while since he was physically close to someone too, grabbing the small of my back with the palms of his hand, squeezing my belly closer to his.

Though the 3 stop, 15 minute long ride was relatively short, I manage to savor every moment of it.

As we near my stop, I realize that there is something I forgot to ask.
"So we've only just met, we're cuddling in public(!), and I don't even know your name!"
"Well that's what friends do, well my friends anyway." he shrugged it off as if it as if it happened all the time. "I'm Max."
"And I'm Zeo. So anyways, what brings you to Tokyo?" I ask as we untangle our bodies and leave the train, taking a short walk to my apartment.
"My friend Kai has an amateur MMA fight here tomorrow, and they came here about a week ago to train and get used to the time zone, and I'm just getting here cause I was visiting my mom in America. We can meet them tomorrow if you want. Kai and Rei, but not 'Kai-and-Rei'! I mean they aren't you know what together, but they don't mind if other people are."
We walk quietly the rest of the way until we get into the elevator.

"You'll like my friends." he casually mentions, "They're really accepting and open like me, and they do other cool tricks too. However," he holds his index finger up, "they don't look as cute as me!"
I giggle at the cute expression on his face.
"They used to though. I guess some would say they still look good, but they just aren't my type if you know what I mean."

I know exactly what he means. = )

We arrive at my rectangular shaped apartment. A carpet that comforts my feet covers the entire floor of the house, except naturally the bathroom and kitchen. The apartment itself is divided into two square shaped halves. The entire right square was the living room, with a sofa bed in bed mode close to the door, a TV on the right wall, a few tables and a chair with clothes, guitars, and a laptop on the far wall next to the windows, with a majestic view of the city. On the left wall, a life size painting of stairs leading up to an imaginary upper floor is the only wall decoration. The left square was divided into exactly half, with an open kitchen and the corridor on the left half, with the bedroom and separate bathroom on the right side, the bathroom behind the bedroom.

"This is a really big place! Who do you live with?"

I shudder at the question.

"Right now I live alone, but," I pause and inhale sharply, "My ex used to live here. He moved away on an archeology internship about a year ago, and then he ignored my emails for 6 months, and when he emailed me again, it was like he had become a different person, basically ending any relationship or even friendship we ever had."

I spit out the last words and begin to hyperventilate, gasping at the air like a fish out of water, and my heart feels like it's trying to climb out of my throat, with fire burning like acid in my chest and spreading like wildfire to the rest of my body, especially my wrists.

Suddenly, I sense soft lips pressed against mine, jolting me back to reality. I open my eyes, which because of the panic attack I didn't remember closing, and I find myself gazing into eyes as pure as the calmest ocean. Our lips part from each others and Max begins to rub my back.

"Let me take care of you Zeo."

I nod, understandingly, as his arms encircle my body. I do the same, leading him to the sofa bed.

We climb in, intertwining our legs so our bodies between the neck and belly made constant contact, with only clothes and not air separating our bodies. Time slowed down and in the peaceful quiet I could hear just one thing, his soft breath and with it his belly rising and falling in time. I realize he had already fallen asleep, body tired from the long flight and internally living a timezone that was 8 hours ahead. I kiss him on the forehead and I close my eyes, feeling the comfort of his warm body next to mine, and I am at peace with the universe. A comforting silence, like one between close friends, where nothing needs to be said.

Except for one more thing.

"Thank you Max." =*)