Note: This is actually based on two separate occasions that happened between me and my mom talking about friendship. I know… weird. It would be cool if you would review, I would like to know what you think.
Revised May 27, 2015. Time changes things, sometimes things you think will stay the same.
Summary: It's amazing how some people who live miles away are sometimes closer than those who are just down the street. Friendship fic, One-shot.
Dedication: To Psicosis Reflection (Elmo) and Stewey-The insane one (Al) – through thick and thin, past to present to future, from near to far and soon to be further, I am positive I will have no better friends than you; you only make friends like you once in a lifetime.
Pairings: None intended, though it depends on how you interpret it. There may be a smidge of TyHil.
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade
Look, Register and Ignore
"You're supposed to be helping, you know…."
"Huh?"
Hilary let out a sigh as she gave the boy beside her an unimpressed look. She wasn't too sure why she had offered Grandpa, well… technically Tyson's Grandpa, her position in taking grocery duty this week. The fact that she even brought the man's grandson for the bidding even escaped her, yet here she was.
She brought the grocery cart to a halt as she regarded the boy, Tyson, who seemed to be looking into the near distance of the store. Her patience was wearing thin, something Tyson could easily do without much thought, since they had arrived at the store. Ever since they had travelled down the produce aisle he hadn't been acting the same.
"I said, you're supposed to be helping."
"I am."
"Uh huh…."
"Uh huh."
Exiting the aisle to turn into the next, Hilary watched Tyson glance over his shoulder with a frown. He shoved his hands into his pockets, trailing reluctantly behind the brunette.
"So what's your problem anyway, Tyson?" Hilary asked curiously, stopping momentarily to regard items on the shelf thoughtfully.
"I don't have a problem," Tyson stated, he quirked an eyebrow out of confusion, "Where would you get that idea?"
"You just seem quiet." She shrugged.
"A guy can't be quiet sometimes?" he countered.
"Not when he's you…."
Tyson didn't reply, he just shrugged his shoulders, letting the whole topic go. Or at least he tried to, Hilary didn't let the subject fall as they strolled slowly on their way.
"Is there something about potatoes that bug you?"
"What kind of question is that?"
She rolled her eyes. "Just answer."
"No," Tyson said simply, "I'm perfectly cool with the potatoes and all their produce friends."
"Glad to hear it… so what's wrong then?"
"I saw someone I knew."
Hilary regarded the capped boy yet again, somewhat perplexed by the statement. "Yeah?" she ventured, "And who was it?"
"You don't know him," Tyson answered.
"Is he a jerk?"
"No."
"A bad guy?"
"No."
"An evil scientist bent on stealing your bit beast?"
"Isn't that under bad guy?"
"Oh, I suppose so…."
"Still a no though."
Hilary paused. "So who is he?"
"He is… was…. We're kind of friends…."
"You don't sound so sure."
"I'm not…."
"Hmm."
They stopped once again to inspect a shelf, Tyson assumed Hilary was going to figure out how to question him some more without acting as if she was prying. He also figured she would fail miserably at the latter.
"How did you know him?"
"Who? Andrew?"
"Sure… I guess."
"He lives down the street from me."
Hilary gave him a strange look. "So, shouldn't you see him a lot then? Why is it so strange to see him in a grocery store?"
"It's not the place."
"Still… you must see him all the time."
"Not really."
She frowned. "Did you do something stupid?"
"What?" Tyson was somewhat taken back. "No."
"Hmm."
"I didn't… we just… don't hang around anymore, I'm not too sure why. One day Kenny and I were laughing it up with him, the next we don't even speak."
"You and Kenny?"
"Yeah, you know the short brown haired genius? Always carrying around a laptop? Ring any bells?"
Hilary glared at him. "Idiot."
"That really hurts…," he retorted.
"I meant… you and Kenny used to hang around this Andrew kid?"
"Yep, right before Max moved into town and shortly after the first tournament. Then… I don't know, I was a Bladebreaker, we drifted apart."
"So you replaced him?"
"When have I ever replaced a friend?"
"True… if you would ever replace a friend it would probably be me…."
"Hmm," Tyson contemplated.
"You're supposed to tell me I'm crazy for thinking that and that I'm a great friend," Hilary told him matter-of-factly.
"Hmm."
"Shut-up."
"I thought you wanted me to speak?"
"Maybe you should go say hi to Andrew?"
"Why should I?" Tyson replied bitterly.
Hilary became more confused at his attitude about the situation. "Maybe because you were friends and you haven't seen each other for a while?" she said, "Maybe he doesn't even recognize you."
"He does."
"Don't get a big head."
"That's not what I meant; I didn't mean it in that context. I just know he knows that it's me."
"How?"
"I haven't even seen the guy in two years or so and I know it's him."
"Maybe you're mistaken."
"I'm not."
"How can you be sure?"
Tyson crossed his arms in a stubborn manner, he knew it was Andrew. He was absolutely positive that it was him.
"We made eye contact."
Hilary stared at him incredulously before rolling her eyes. "Ooh… and that means what?" she questioned, "People you've never met before can't meet your eyes?"
"Ugh, it's not an ego thing!"
"It's not?"
"No."
"Why don't I believe that?"
"Shut-up, Hilary."
She merely smirked at his reaction, shrugging his attitude away in nonchalance. Then she became thoughtful yet again and chose to continue to pry.
"So tell me what happened."
Tyson only chose to answer for the fact that she thought he was an egotistical idiot; otherwise he would've just let her suggestion die into the silent air between them. The boy sighed.
"You don't look at a stranger the same way you do when it's someone you know."
"Right," she agreed.
"Well… when we both saw each other I think we could both tell who the other was after it clicked in our minds. But… he didn't wave or smile or… anything, he just continued on."
"Oh."
"Yeah… and we keep running into him, but every time it's the same. We look, we register than we ignore…. It's stupid."
"Why don't you wave first?"
Tyson paused. "It's been two years."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"We were friends for a while – really good friends, don't get me wrong. But I don't know, after we wave, what's next?"
Hilary didn't respond right away, she just watched Tyson standing before her seriously. She smiled sympathetically. "I think you may be reading too much into this."
Tyson nodded slightly. They walked in silence for a while, the navy haired boy back in deep thought as Hilary pushed their cart. He glanced to her in wonder, he became somewhat curious.
"Can I ask you something…?"
"Oh, sure."
He bit his lip for a second, thinking how to word his question. "Is it weird that I find it awkward to talk to someone who lives down the street from me, but when it comes to my best friends, who live miles and miles away from me, we can pick up right where we left off?"
"Yes."
Tyson's face fell; he didn't want to hear that answer. "Oh…."
"In the context that you can't talk to someone who you've known for a lot longer it sounds."
"But does that really matter?"
"It should."
"But it doesn't, does it?"
"I don't know."
"Hil, let's say you ran into one of your old friends – someone you hung around for a while. The same thing that happened to me happened to you: Look, register and ignore. What would you do?"
She thought about it for a moment. "I guess I would just let it go, I certainly wouldn't mope about it."
"I was never moping, I was thinking."
"Hmm."
"Say you saw Max here now, what would you do?"
"Well if he ignored me I would probably lay into him about manners…."
"See?" He grinned. "Nothing would change."
She smiled. "I guess not."
"So I'm not weird."
"Well you are… but not for that reason, no. Tyson, there's two types of friends. There's the kind that have expiration dates that you don't know about until it happens; all friendships don't last after all. Not that they don't mean anything; they do, they impact you and you'll probably always remember them."
"That's Andrew," Tyson said sadly, "And the other type?"
"You only make friends like them once in a lifetime, and it's weird… you just know you'll be friends forever."
"No doubt about it."
"Do you miss them?"
The capped boy's gaze softened as he nodded in pure honesty. "More than you know…. Sometimes I wish it could go back to the way it used to be; everyday just hanging out with each other like it would never end. I feel kind of guilty for taking it for granted…."
"Gee Tyson, melodramatic much? You sound like someone is dying or something…."
He ignored her. "Do you… think they miss me?"
"Yes, why would you ask something stupid like that, of course they miss you."
He shrugged. "Thanks."
"Anytime."
"Do you think me and Andrew will ever be friends again?"
"Whenever you decide to get over yourselves."
"It wasn't an ego thing…."
"Then what was it?"
"Me trying to figure out how it was possible that I have friends all over the world, but I can't keep one that's so close to me. I couldn't see how it made any sense, now I do."
"It makes you think…."
"It really does."
"You can be quite insightful when you want to be."
"I'm going to take that as a compliment…."
She rolled her eyes. "It was supposed to be one."
He smiled. "Thanks for taking me grocery shopping… it's true what they say, there's not a journey like it."
The pair stopped yet again for an inspection of the food on the shelves. Before the brunette's interest went to her side, it focused on Tyson strangely. "Who says that?"
He merely grinned as the sound of an approaching cart caught his attention. He turned to look at a tall boy with messy hair and rather unmistakeable features. Both boys paused, but Tyson knew what he had to do.
He gave Andrew a smile.
Andrew smiled back and gave a simple nod of acknowledgement.
Then both parties continued.
Hilary didn't know what to say as she pushed the cart in silence. Tyson seemed to be back to normal, walking beside her with a content look on his face.
"What was that about?"
"What was what about?"
"Why didn't you say hello?"
Tyson shrugged.
Hilary frowned. "You're going to tell me."
"I realized something."
"Great…."
"No, it's actually something I think you may find enlightening."
"From you? I doubt it."
"Whatever then."
The brunette let out a sigh, glancing curiously to the boy yet again. "Alright, tell me…."
"If you think about it, saying hi to someone is kind of a test of your friendship. Don't feel comfortable doing it, maybe you're not friends. Give a nod or a wave, maybe you were for a while."
"And if you do say hey to someone?"
"Then your friends. And if you can greet someone like nothing's changed and it's been forever… then you… just know."
She smiled. "I like that thought."
"Me too."
"Hmm."
"It's not an ego thing!"
"Alright, okay, calm down."
"So… the test of friendship, huh?"
"Yep, who knew such a small word would hold so much emotion…."
"Hey, Hil?"
"Yeah?"
"Hey."
"Hey."