Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade or any of its characters, merchandise, TV rites, ect… (I think you get the point.)

Summery

ONE SHOT – Because, to Max, being a good friend means doing the right thing, even when it's the wrong thing. Just as long as Hilary never finds out. - For Iluvbeyblade

Like all of my work this is just something that happened to float through the empty void inside my head. Like it or hate it please R and R as honest opinions are always welcomed, as are random acts of worship.

"Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished and persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot."

Sooner or later babe, you're gonna need me a round.
Cause you're getting older,
And I'll stop that.
It's a backstabbing world hunnie,
Just lean your head back,

Sneak Peek

"It's all just… just… so stupid." Hilary blubbered burying her head deeper into the compassionate shoulder.

"I know," Max said soothingly while rubbing her back in a comforting manner. "I know it is. But you'll work it out, you'll see."

The brunette nodded but continued to sob and mumble half-formed sentences. She also kept her face hidden in Max's, now rather damp T-shirt but he couldn't really blame her for that. Hilary was a very ugly crier, the puffy eyes, snot and red nose of those who very seldom cry, but when they do let lose with the really big wet blobby sobs.

"It's gonna be fine." The blond mumbled consolingly and made soothing noises, quite content as her friend to just sit there and let Hilary cry her self out. And it was something she didn't really feel comfortable doing in front of any of the others.

Daichi was too much like the annoying younger brother that she had never wanted, got anyway and in spite of her better instincts was rather fond of. Plus he wouldn't have a clue what to do.

Kenny, though a complete and utter sweetheart in Hilary's opinion, was completely out of his depth with anything that didn't involve computers or beyblades. A crying female would scare the hell out of him.

Kai and Rei, or even Rei and Kai since you never seemed to see on without the other these days, wouldn't be any comfort to her either. True, they would try and would make all the right noises and, in fact, do everything that he was now doing. But while Hilary could breakdown in front of him she simply would not allow herself to do so in the presence of either the Russian or Chines blader. She couldn't endure the thought that either of them might think her weak.

Stupid in his mind, but it couldn't be helped. He understood perfectly though why Hilary couldn't cry in front of Hiro. As coaches went the older Granger was superb, the team had never before worked as such a cohesive well integrated unit. But he wasn't some you could go to with a problem that wasn't directly related to blading.

And there was simply no way in hell that Hilary would ever let Tyson see her when she was anything less than one hundred per cent in control.

But him with his good 'All American Boy' image, was the perfect person for the ruby eyed girl to turn to. Max, who was always there with a ready smile, a willing ear and a shoulder to lean on. It was because he was such a good friend that he was keeping his eyes from staring at the view that was being offered by the combination of Hilary's position and the sung pale pink tank top she was wearing.

That however changed the moment the sound of Tyson bursting through the front door and came striding down the hallway way to the living room reached him. He felt Hilary stiffen in his arms even as she turned further into him, trying desperately to hide her tear stained face. Max had a handful of seconds to decide what to do, and being the good friend that he was did what he thought would work out best, in the long run, for all concerned.

Which was why when Tyson walked into the room he was greeted with the sight of a sobbing Hilary curled against Max, her head on his shoulder while the blond in question was unashamedly staring down her top.

"Uhh… What the hell?" The navy haired boy said, rather louder than he had intended, then winced as Hilary gave a small moan and burrowed still closed to Max.

Tyson glared at the increased body contact, so not the reaction he had wanted, while Max just watched him with a serene expression and said, "Hil's is just a little upset is all."

XXXXXXXXX

"So," Tyson snapped as his blond haired friend walked into the kitchen a few moments later. "What the hell was that all about?"

Max gave his friend a bright-eyed speculative look, taking in the tightly crossed arms, the clenched jaw and over all highly aggressive stance and shrugged. "Nothing really," he said as he headed for the fridge. "Just a bit of a girl fight, Hil's is probably texting Mariah as we speak."

"What?" The navy haired male hissed, and only just managed to keep from slamming his fist against the kitchen tabled, which would have been a sure-fire way to bring Hilary running from the other room and was the last thing he wanted. "That's not what I meant and you know it."

"Hey, girls like a hug when they're feeling down you know." Max said with a smile, enjoying being deliberately obtuse and delighting, rather more than he really should, in the effect it was having on his best friend. "A shoulder to cry on and all."

"And all what! You were staring down her top!" Tyson somehow managed to sound hurt, offended, angry and jealous all at the same time, quite a feat for someone who had once been condemned as having the emotional range of a doorknob.

"So?" The carefree word had a slight echoing quality as the American was now routing around inside the fridge.

"You're a shit, you know that." It was bad enough he didn't seem to care what he had done in Tyson's opinion, but worse Max didn't even have the decency to look at him while he was trying to yell at him for being a perverted, self-serving dick.

"Why? It's not like she's your girlfriend, now is she." Now at last Max took his head out of the fridge and turned to look at his friend, and there was such a challenging look on his face that for a moment Tyson faltered.

"That… that still doesn't give you the right to take advantage of Hilary like that. She went to you as a friend. She trusts you!" The last three words came out as close to a scream as Tyson dared with the girl in question just one room away.

"Yes she does, and so as a friend I decided to take the initiative and help her out." The blond gave a bright smile and then took a long drink from the water bottle he had extracted from the fridge.

"And that helps her does it? Staring at her… her…her…" He waved his hands around seeming to hope they could say what his mouth couldn't before finishing lamely, "Starring at her?"

"Yep." Max replied cheerily with yet another grin, as he wiped water from his lips with the back of his hand.

"How?" It was practically a snarl, the one word spat out with so much venom it even shocked Tyson.

"Well it's got you to take your head out your arse hasn't it?" Max said smugly, giving his friend a mocking salute with the water bottle. "I don't like Hil's like that, never have and never will. But you do, so do something about it already before you lose her for good."

"I don't know what you're talking about." The response came just slightly too quickly to ring entirely true and the way Tyson immediately jerked up right and folded his arms just confirmed the lie.

"Yeah, course you don't. Look," He sighed and put a hand on Tyson's shoulder, forcing him to maintain eye contact. Forcing him to listen. "Next time it won't be me Ty. It won't be a friend taking a peek; just to get a rise out of you, to make you see how thick you're being."

"But –" The navy eyed teen started but cut off as Max continued, obviously not quite finished.

"Hilary is an amazing girl, young woman, she's smart, funny, and sexy as hell. And you'd better step up, because she isn't going wait around forever for you." Max let his hand fall and headed for the door, pausing just long enough to add, "Go get her Tyson. Go and get her before someone else does."

"Wha…?" For a moment all Tyson could do was stare at the door with his so-called friend had just existed through while he mouthed ineffectually. "Well," the world champion finally managed to splutter, "He total missed the point. Me like Hilary, as if."

Please R and R I'd love to know what you thought.

Big love and inspiration

Lamanth