Title: A Breath of Fresh Air

Summary: Eddy/Raul fanfic. Yup, you read right! Eddy's been feeling more restricted than usual and is afraid it might effect his beyblading if he doesnt fix the problem soon. Raul is feeling pressuring and stressed because of all the publicity going on lately and doesn't know how much more he can take. Maybe they can help each other...

Pairing(s): Eddy/Raul (I CLAIM THE FIRST eddy/raul PAIRING!)

Disclaimer: Don't own beyblade, if I did...well let's just say I don't own it and stick to that!

Warning: Yaoi, fluff, chaos and insanity

Dedication: This is dedicated to Elemental Gypsy who unknowingly inspired me to write yaoi fanfiction and totally got me hooked on the stuff, this is my thanks to you!

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Chapter One

"Tryhorn! Stampede Rush!"

The sound of two beyblades crashing into each other was amplified in the wide dome-shaped training hall the All Starz were currently practicing in, courtesy of the BBA.

Usually these types of things would be organized by the employees of the PPB, the company in charge of funding all things for the All Starz, but there seemed to have been a minor glitch in the system which was overlooked by the scientists there.

This little slip up resulted in a full system meltdown, the loss of priceless information and irreplaceable data. With the system down, all control over the hi-tech building was lost resulting in a rather large leak of electricity to go surging into the main power box, thus blowing the whole place up with a strong enough force to realign the Great Wall of China.

Shaking himself from his previous train of thought, Eddy had just enough time to regain his bearings and counter the attack Steve had sent his way with one of his own, "Trypio! Take him down, Scorpio Sting!"

The two beyblades in the dish moved away from each other before coming straight at each other once more with more force than before causing sparks to fly as they made contact.

For a second it looked like the two American bladers were too evenly matched for the battle to end at this time when Trypio suddenly pulled back, swerved around Tryhorn and attacked from behind, using the opposing blades' own momentum against it.

Seeing his blade being practically shoved nearer to the edge of the dish, Steve tried to redirect Tryhorn before it was too late, "Go right!"

Eddy smirked lightly to himself before urging his blade to keep tailing the other, this lead to Tryhorn being shoved of the edge of the blade a few degrees to the right from the original point and Trypio spinning around in the centre of the dish, almost flaunting its victory to the now still blade.

"Aw man…" Steve moaned to himself for what seemed like the millionth time since he had been deemed well enough to be let out of hospital.

"Don't beat yourself up," Eddy told his bulkier team mate, as he bent over to pick Tryhorn off of the ground and tossed it over to Steve, who managed to catch it easily, " you'll be back to your old blading self in no time!"

Tucking his blade into his pocket, Steve picked up his football and made his way to some benches nearby. Taking a seat, he proceeded to rub at his previously injured leg.

He'd only recently had the cast removed and replaced with bandages, although he is more than often caught complaining about how much it irritates him and how he doesn't see the reason behind having the foot in bandages after having to endure the cast for four and a half months.

Hearing Steve muttering incoherently under his breath, Eddy shook his head before catching his blade in his right and tucking it into his pocket. Running a hand through his hair, he slipped his PPB All Starz Jacket on before grabbing his basketball and making his way to the door.

"Eddy," hearing Judy's voice made him stop where he was and turn so he is now facing her, raising an eyebrow as a sign that he is listening, "where are you going?"

"Out," was the simple reply she got from the dark skinned boy, along with a nonchalant shrug.

"Out? But there's still an hour and a half of training left," Eddy turned his attention to the only other female member of the team, Emily was currently blading against Michael, and the dyed blonde didn't seem to like the fact that she was getting distracted during their match.

"Hey four-eyes, if your done being your usual know-it-all self," Michael said with a smirk as he watched Emily's form tense up at the less than flattering nickname he had bestowed upon her a few months ago, "you'll remember that we were having a beybattle, or is your brain so full of information that you blocked it out?"

"Sorry about that Michael, I guess you're just so boring I couldn't concentrate on what was going on around me," Emily countered the witty remark he had thrown at her with one of her own in a tone of voice that did not sound in the least apologetic," plus, at least I have something in my brain, I don't know about you but dust-bunnies and piles of saw dust don't count as brain cells in this century."

"Why I outta-YOU-Argh!" Michael seethed angrily as he glared daggers at the bespectacled girl in front of him.

Smirking to herself, Emily adjusted her glasses, "Careful Michael, if you think about so many things all at once, you just may kill that last brain cell you have left."

Not even bothering to hide her amusement at how annoyed Michael was becoming, Emily began to snigger as Michael threw incoherent threats her way.

Sighing in exasperation, Judy turned around fully, facing the now cackling Emily and an annoyed pouting Michael as they continued their childish verbal spar.

"Come on you two, stop that," Judy reasoned in a calm tone of voice and when that didn't seem to get their attention, she narrowed her eyes at them," I said, KNOCK IT OFF! BOTH OF YOU!"

That seemed to finally get the message across to the now quiet teens, she switched her gaze from one to the other, " Honestly, if anyone is to walk in now, they wouldn't even dream that you bunch of whiny teenagers were professional beybladers. Now suck it up and battle sensibly, I don't want to her a word out of either of you, understood?"

She received to silent nods from the previously bickering pair before they turned around and proceeded with their beybattle in silence. Releasing a tired sigh, Judy turned back around to finish talking to Eddy only to be met with the sight of the automatic glass doors swinging closed and the sound of basketball shoes getting further away from the training hall.

Huffing to herself, Judy crossed her arms and took a seat next to Steve who was now furiously scratching away at the bandages on his leg muttering something along the lines of revenge against bandages and all weavings alike.

Shaking her head at the behavior of all her team members, she smacked Steve's hand away from his bandages, "Did Eddy happen to tell you where he was going?"

The blank look she got was answer enough for her, she huffed once more before crossing her arms and leaning back with a light scowl on her face, "I really hate today…"

"Ditto," was the answer she got from the footballer before he went back to itching like a madman.

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Whistling to himself, Eddy walked out of the BBA building pausing right outside the doors to let the warm sun shine on his face, a content smile creeping onto his face.

Throwing his basketball in the air and letting it land on his right forefinger, he spun it around as he began making his way to a familiar place.

He was starting to feel a little too restricted in the confined area of the training room and the only cure for that was some fresh air, sunny weather, some music and little basketball always seemed to lighten up his mood a lot.

Smiling at the thought of playing some basketball, he quickened his pace a little so as to reach his desired destination that bit sooner. He crossed the familiar street and took a turn at the small Hobby shop that had opened a few months back.

Walking down a few more streets, Eddy waved at some of the local basketball players that he had befriended over the time he and All Starz had been here and continued on his way.

Crossing another road, Eddy found himself walking through the entrance to a huge park, he was instantly met with the sight of children running around, dogs being walked, old people sitting around on the many benches that littered the park and that small old lady that always seemed to be here feeding the pigeons seeds and some breadcrumbs.

Taking care as to not trip over any of the children that were scurrying around his legs, he maneuvered his tall frame in the direction of the basketball court he knew was at the North corner of the park.

Stopping once to let a group of newbie rollerbladers pass in front of him, Eddy sighed happily to himself as he walked up the steps, swinging the door closed behind him.

The person who designed the court really took the time to think it all out, they had made the court slightly elevated off of the ground and had fenced the whole thing off all around. This made sure that no balls would be rolling around and that the place was secure at night when the park was closed down.

Walking to a one of the benches close by, Eddy shed his jacket and retied his shoelaces tightly before standing straight and making his way to the center of the court bouncing the ball in his hands a couple of times, on his way passing a boom box the local basketball players in the neighborhood had all invested in to provide the necessary background music essential for a nice game of ball.

Smiling for what felt like the thousandth time that day, Eddy let the music flowing from the boom box, the happy sounds from the children around him and the sun shining above him all fill him to the point where he truly believed that nothing would ruin this moment for him….nothing.

Moving with the beat of the song playing through the air around him, Eddy maneuvered himself around the court like he would manipulate his beyblade to move around in the dish during a battle.

Those were the only times he truly felt at home with himself, at the dish and in the court. But sometimes, when nothing seems to help to lighten up the mood, he'd want something …more.

Although what that particular something was, he would not know. He believes that a time will come, soon hopefully, where he would know what that something is, and he would not let anything stand in his way to get it. Until then, he has beyblade and basketball to help him get through the hard times.

Shaking his head, Eddy chuckled at how emotional he seemed to be getting for last few weeks but just shrugged it off as a phase that will soon pass. Feeling his smile return to his face, Eddy lip-sang to the song that was now playing and threw a two-pointer.

All the while missing the figure that had walked into the court and taken a seat on a bench further away from the end of the court he was occupying.

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That, ladies and gents, is my first fanfic!

I am so hyped up!! (does happy dance )

BYEBYE