Okey dokey, just something VERY short. At one point I had this really cute picture in my head of the D boys in the Abbey playing monopoly after lights out. Course, as far as my image of the Abbey goes it's like a very strict version of my boarding school, but with capitol punishment. The first BB fiction I ever read was Ladya Maxine's "Resurfacing" so there's often quite a bit of dark, abusive references in some of my fics. (Future fics at the mo, but lets not be pedantic.) Sooo, in my Abbey they can have their own possessions obviously since they get a bit of money and can go out occasionally at the weekend to get essentials. Things like games, however are not allowed generally and anyone found with 'childish games' can be punished. Basically, they're just supposed to live, eat, breath Beyblade. And it's a bit like the military too, but I'm going to stop now before you all fall asleep.

"Kai? Tala? You in here?"

WhatTheFuck.

Tala, however, beats me too it. In an angry whisper of course, since meeting in rooms after lights out is easily a whipping offence.

"Of course we're here! Do you have any idea what fucking time it is, Spencer?! I swear they messed you up down in the basement; must have been a computer error!"

By now, I'm awake enough to attempt my own SpenceBashing.

"Yeah, maybe a computer error; perhaps a power surge that blew all the fuses in your head. What you want anyway; if Boris catches you in here we're screwed."

At this, he steps further into the room with Ian and Bryan following. He's grinning; never a good sign.

"Well, you know our good friend Aleksei?"

Ah yes, our very own one-boy black market. If you want something, you find Aleksei. He's one of those guys who know a guy who knows someone who knows where you can find someone who knows a guy who can get you something. And so on and so forth. Not a bad guy actually; younger than us, clever, a bit tricksy. Tala's still not in a good mood; hates being woken up at night does our Tal.

"What? Wha' you on about?"

"Patience, Tal, patience. See a few weeks ago, I came into possession of a box of 36 paracetamol." Painkillers; ever a precious commodity. "I asked Aleksei if he had any items of interest available for trade."

At this, Ian pulled a box out from behind him which wasn't actually much smaller than he was. It was rectangular, a board game box. Ok, fairly rare but not enough to provoke Tala at two in the morning. Wait…na, it can't be. It is. Ian's eyes shine as he whispers with relish,

"Monopoly."

A little background info could be useful right about now, I suppose? Well, it all began a very long time ago. No really, a very long time; I was around five. Back then, things weren't quite as strict and games on Sunday afternoons were an anticipated treat. Tala and I had claimed Monopoly for ourselves one week, when a bunch of other, ever so slightly older kids had come up and pulled us away from it. We squirmed our way back into the circle and declared that they had to go away because we were playing first. Which they didn't take very well; Bryan and Spencer walked in just as they had Tala by the hair and me with my arm twisted behind my back. Ian decided to lend a hand and soon we five were sat around playing Monopoly with a few split lips but triumphant nonetheless

And so, Monopoly became the grounding of our friendship. Strange? Not as strange as mine and Tala's first meeting, believe me. Let's just say it involved a river, a mossy log and a rope swing.

Anyway, I digress. Ian placed the game on the floor between us and, without consulting each other, picked up our pieces. Even now, I know exactly who has each piece. We played for as long as we dared, hiding the game and the other three boys at hourly points because the guards came around to check everyone then. Ian assured us that the pillows beneath the other three covers would easily pass casual inspection. At around half four, we conceded defeat and after hiding the game, returned to bed. I lay awake for half an hour, basking in a sense of happiness that was rare in this hell hole, before falling into one of the best sleeps I'd had in weeks.