Suffocating.
A friendship fic.
Based on real events.

He's finally overdone it – The strawberry blond thought to himself as he sat down in the hospital waiting room with his head buried deep into his sweaty palms. "How can I have let him get into this state?!" The beyblade champion cursed to himself in a frustrated tone.

Gingka hated himself right now for not noticing all the signs sooner: the weight loss, the sleepless nights and the poor performance in his training. Looking back, it was so obvious, yet Gingka just refused to believe it was too. The Pegasus wielder was in denial and that could have cost him his teammates life.

Switching off his senses to focus on his throbbing heart that was pounding in his chest, Gingka was a nervous wreck. His muscles were numb and his eyes were now leaking like endless rivers. He would do anything to turn back the clock to change the outcome of this drama.

But now it was too late...

xXx

"You have to have something to eat Kyoya." Gingka pouted in a disappointed tone. "You can't rely on energy drinks to keep you going, they are so bad for your body."

Pushing away the nutritious meal that was so close to making him urge, Kyoya nodded a no and closed his eyes stubbornly. "Don't tell me what to do Hagane. You just worry about yourself." He snapped coldly and stood up from his seat to make his way out of the room.

Gluing his eyes to the rival to notice that he didn't glance back once with regret, the Pegasus wielder bit his lower lip in frustration and he picked up his plate of food. "You'll have to excuse me guys. I'm not having this." Gingka scowled and followed Kyoya out into the open night.

He found him sitting on a bench and just staring at the stars like a hopeful child who had big dreams to fullfill. Kyoya did look so lost and stressed in his own bubble, but that didn't stop the caring friend from disturbing the lone-wolf.

Gingka slammed the plate of food onto the bench beside Kyoya and he folded his arms dominantly. "Come on Kyoya, this is for your own good." He protested, preparing the next thing to say in this argument that was about to kick off.

The tension in the atmosphere then took a dramatic turn as the cold beyblader just rolled his eyes.

"Bite me." Kyoya answered and refused to acknowledge the meal brought to him. The smell of the fresh jacket potato made his stomach churn, meanwhile his throat was locking up. There was no way he could feed on that, no matter how much he desperately wanted too.

"You will over exhaust your body Kyoya and then you won't even be able to participate in this tournament that you are training so hard for." The strawberry blond male explained and unfolded his arms to point his finger in his companions face. "I don't know what's more disappointing. The fact you won't be participating for the team in the tournament or the way you're letting yourself down."

By now Gingka had pushed a button in Kyoya's reactions. Not only had the rival snapped his friends pride in half, but Kyoya's weak body was struggling to pick up the energy to pound him in the face. Instead his sharp tongue and short temper took over the reactions in Kyoya's mind.

Slapping his hand across the plate of food, it helplessly crashed to the muddy ground. By now Gingka's heart had sank with disappointment and his pupils in his eyes had widened with disgust.

Kyoya on the other hand rose to his feet and he shoved Gingka's finger out of his personal space. "Fuck off Gingka. I don't need your concern right now." He snapped and turned his figure into another direction.

This time, he made sure that Gingka wasn't going to follow him. Kyoya loaded his beyblade launcher, ready to fire at the teammate if needs be.

"Fine! You do what you want!" He cried knowing it was just empty words that were leaving his mouth. "I am tired of trying to help you! Don't you ever come back to me for help Kyoya!"

xXx

It was all consistently playing in his mind. It's like someone was pressing the repeat button on a DVD so he could re-watch the entire chapter over and over again.

"I should never have let him walk off that night." He mumbled and raised his head to wipe away the tears from his face. "I wish I did shove some food down that stubborn prats throat to make him feel better."

Just as he was about to pick himself back up from all the crying he had done, a familiar figure had sat down beside Gingka.

"You need to stop beating yourself up Gingka." The wise voice spoke as he placed a hand onto the champion's shoulder. "It's not your fault that Kyoya has ended up in this state..."

"I know, but I should have acknowledged all the warning signs sooner Tsubasa." Gingka picked up his scarf beneath his neck and wiped his running nose. "He is one of my best friends and this should not have happened."

The broad blader then paused when he realised something, "Wait, how did you know me and Kyoya were here anyways? I didn't even contact anyone." Gingka was very curious to know how the spy knew this information.

Sliding his hand away from his companion's shoulder, Tsubasa linked his hands together and he rested them in his lap. "I wish I had a better answer to this question." He sighed before spiting out the truth, "I had tapped Kyoya's phone to keep an eye on him as I too knew his lifestyle was getting out of hand. When my phone alerted me that he was in hospital, I got here as fast as I could. Then I found myself bumping into you." The silver haired beyblader then lifted his head and cracked a weak re-assuring smile at Gingka to attempt to make him feel better.

"You mean, you too knew about Kyoya's state?"

xXx

"3...2...1. Go shoot!"

The two beyblades landed onto the soil and immediately Tsubasa initiated his first attack to knock Kyoya off course fast. "Eagle! Lets go!" Determined to destroy the fast opponent before he got comfortable, the Japanese beyblader was in for the kill.

But just as his beyblade went to collide into Leone, something unexpected happened. The green beyblade stopped spinning and Kyoya collapsed down onto his knees in a helpless gesture.

Eagle then crashed into the vulnerable beyblade and vaporised it into tiny pieces. That's when Tsubasa had noticed that the fire within Kyoya's soul had been extinguished because he was just too over tired – The African/Japanese male's eyes were dark and his muscles were sloppy.

"Uh... Kyoya?" Tsubasa didn't know where to put his face.

He walked over to the opponent and offered him a hand to get back up onto his feet.

Not at all impressed with what just happened, the angry Kyoya slapped the helping hand away in temper and he soon rose back up onto his feet. "Don't you start thinking that this makes you better than me Tsubasa. I will destroy you next time and you won't even know it happened." He promised and shoved past Tsubasa to make his way over to pick up his bit-beast chip from the floor.

It did hurt the Leone wielder to see his precious blade shattered into tiny pieces. But he showed no emotion as he placed the object into his torn jeans pockets safely. "I need a fucking energy drink." He announced out loud to himself and headed back to the hostel.

"How strange." Tsubasa observed and raised his hand up into the air to catch his beyblade. "That's not like him at all, hm..."

xXx

"Wow, I had no idea." Gingka blinked and sat back into his chair to straighten out his cramped spine. "How long ago was this?"

"It was 3 weeks ago. But it took me by surprise to know that Kyoya had lasted this long. He should have collapsed sooner than this."

A draft of laughter skimmed the lips of Gingka's mouth. "Yea, he's a strong and stubborn guy huh?" He confirmed and watched Tsubasa nod back positively.

"So how come you're here with him then?" Tsubasa cut to the chase too to get the story straight. "What happened?"

xXx

The loud wheezy breathing echoed within the stone bedroom walls and the whole hostel was on carrying on as normal like Kyoya didn't even exist. Feeling sick to the stomach, he was desperate to rest his overworked body. The weak Leone wielder crawled onto the hostel room bed and coughed harshly.

His eyelids were struggling to stay open and his lungs were narrowing drastically. The moisture in his mouth was overflowing and his heart in his chest was struggling to beat at a regular pace, meaning his movements were becoming limited. Kyoya was in trouble and he knew it~

Laying on his back to lift his head up towards the ceiling for air, Kyoya noticed that his back pocket was now empty. That ginger prick has taken my fags – He registered and groaned at the sharp electrifying pain shooting across his forehead.

That was only just the beginning of this horrendous situation.

Moments later, the beyblader experienced something he had long forgotten – the sensation of trying to throw up on an empty stomach. His lungs were closing and his stomach wrenched so forcefully that it developed a stabbing sensation in his ribs.

What is going on!?

Rolling around the bed in agony, Kyoya finally admitted defeat by allowing the first tear to stream down his toned cheek from his bloodshot eyes. There officially was no air travelling into his body and he latched his hands onto his throat in panic.

It wasn't long until he squirmed so much that he eventually fell off the bed and crashed onto the hostel wooden floor. Desperate screeches left his throat as he was attempting to scream for help. But not a single syllable could leave his strained voice box for anyone to hear him.

It's as if he was swallowing glass and it got trapt inside his body. His stubbornness had finally cost him the price of nobody hearing his desperate cries. And that made Kyoya hate himself even more.

It's over. NO! – He cried harder and passed out into the darkness that was compelling the potential last minutes of his life.

xXx

"I have no idea how long Kyoya had been suffering for. But when I found him, he was passed out on the hostel floor. His pulse was weak and he had stopped breathing. Also his eyes were firmly shut." Gingka answered with more tears leaking from his sore eyes. "I generally thought he was a goner Tsubasa, I've never been so frightened in all my life..."

"I can imagine." Tsubasa crossed his legs and he rested his hands against his knee cap. It was hard for him to hold himself together too. The tanned beyblader wanted to let go of an emotional tear or two, except he was remaining strong for Gingka's behalf. To keep the companion calm, Tsubasa maintained the conversation, "But have you had an update on Kyoya since you've been here?"

Nodding a yes, Gingka sniffed and responded, "The doctor said he is on the road to recovery, but he really was minutes away from permanent brain damage. He said I have saved Kyoya's life as he was having a dangerous anxiety attack..."

"Don't ever let him forget that either Gingka." Tsubasa interrupted and winked, "See, you're not a bad person at all. So stop blaming yourself. You did what any friend would do, look out for them."

"Uh..." Gingka's tongue went numb and his heart rose into his throat.

That's when all the emotion really poured out. He leaned closer into Tsubasa's chest and he placed his hands back over his face again to hide everything. Gingka just couldn't hold himself together, there were so many mixed emotions swirling around in his mind – guilt, confusion and anger.

Gob-smacked by the sudden demand to be held, Tsubasa didn't ignore it. He wrapped his broad arms around Gingka and held him tightly to comfort him. "It will be okay Gingka. Kyoya is going to make a full recovery. And before you know it. You'll be wanting to kill each other again." Tsubasa closed his eyelids to hide the emotion building up.

This is getting unbearable!

"You wait until he does make a full recovery Tsubasa. I'm going to kill Kyoya for letting himself get into this state."

"I don't doubt that." He shifted his eyebrows and gulped the last of the saliva in his mouth. "At least let me have my re-match with him first Gingka. Then you can do what you like with him."

"Deal..."

"Erm boys..." A doctor interrupted with a clipboard in his hands. He immediately caught the beyblader's attention as they gazed up at him with hope filling their unstable minds. "Kyoya is conscious and in a stable state. You can both visit him now, but I must ask you both to remain calm around Kyoya as any sign of distress could start his anxiety attacks again."

"Oh where is he doc!?" Gingka cried and rose up to his feet like a bullet shot out of a gun. "I need to give a hug."

"Did you just not listen to what the man said?" Tsubasa too stood up and placed his hands into his pockets calmly. "Kyoya is okay, you just have to be calm around him."

"Calm?!" Repeated Gingka as he wiped his entire face with his scarf by now. A shiver of relief had rushed through his tensed figure to bring him back to life. "I am calm!"

"Uh huh. You have to be calm or they won't let you see him Gingka." Tsubasa then opened his eyes and he nodded at the doctor respectfully. "Besides, Kyoya will only tell you to get yourself together if you aren't calm."

"That would make him a hypocrite Tsubasa." The champion exclaimed and he took a deep breath to relax his muscles. "Lets go doctor. I need to see him."

xXx

Pushing past the doctor to step into the room first, the strawberry blond male peeked in to gaze straight at Kyoya. It broke his little heart when he witnessed to state of his most worthy opponent. He was surrounded by a variety of machines and there were wires attached to almost every inch of his conscious body.

Yet, he was resting with his eyes open. Kyoya was sure alive alright! - Gingka lit up and slowly approached the hospital bed. At first, he didn't know what to say and he wrapped his arms around the support bars that were provided.

"Don't talk about what happened." Kyoya spoke and looked up at his loyal friend with such vulnerability drowned in his caramel eyes. "I don't want to hear it Gingka."

"Good because I don't want to tell you either. It only upsets me." He coughed briefly to open up his lungs and then he said, "How are you feeling now anyways?"

"I've been better." Kyoya muttered and smirked lightly. "It's a bit of a stupid question don't you think Gingka?"

"Maybe..." Gingka agreed and sat down in the chair Tsubasa placed behind him. "Look, I don't know what's going on inside your head Kyoya. But I'm going to help you get through all this. I promise."

"Don't start Hagane..."

He's pushing me away again – Gingka tilted his head and smiled at the loner. "Oh I'm not asking you this time Kyoya. I'm going to demand it and to prove I am going to be a man of my word, I will refuse to participate in this tournament until you're well enough to beyblade me again." The Pegasus wielder really was putting his foot down this time.

There was no way this situation was going to happen again... EVER!

"Deal?" Gingka held out his hand for Kyoya to shake.

Again, Kyoya was not impressed with what was coming out of his rival's smart mouth. But he was starting to acknowledge that this was a wake up call to his lifestyle choice too. In order to pull through this horrible state, he needed support and plenty of medicine.

"I don't think you have a choice Mr Tategami." Tsubasa smiled warmly at the two and placed a green beyblade onto the hospital bedside table. "Here, Madoka has finished your replacement for Leone. You need to get well again Kyoya so we can beyblade again."

"It seems I don't have a choice." He sighed with his smirk still glued to his lips. "Doc I want to go home."

"Haha, that's not happening Kyoya." Gingka cut in before the doctor did. "You are not leaving this hospital until you eat their nutritious and delicious meals! And that's an order!"

"What?" Kyoya's pupils widened with life again. "You wish, the food taste like shit in here!"

"Then get well quickly or you will have to learn to love them." Laughed Tsubasa and he stepped in beside Gingka to get a glimpse of his rival.

Kyoya did look so fragile and it was so hard not to mock the guy who had been such a grouche to everyone over the past few years. If anything, both Gingka and Tsubasa were going to make the most of this guy before he fully recovered.

That's true friendship~

A/N: Do you know what the sad thing is? I really was Kyoya when this was all happening, but I pushed my friends away for the same reason. I really am a sucker for pushing people away when I get hurt, yet that doesn't mean I don't care about them. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this creation because it really brought out some raw emotions within my little heart – Granger Rebellion~