axayashinoceres: Well hi there! sorry it took so long for me to update. i didn't realize it was that long. Anyway, I'm glad to have received a review, my first ever.
I read your profile and was ecstatic to find that we agree on a lot of things concerning beyblade pairings! You know who you are! I hope to not disappoint you with this chapter and the story in whole.
I discovered that I forgot quite a few things before starting the story... like:
Disclaimer: The characters and basis are in no way mine but Aoki Takao's. The plot is entirely mine but if I were the owner of Beyblade I would have erased Hilary/Hiromi from existence although I'll be using her in the near future.
For the moment, On with the story...
Tyson opened the door as slowly as he dared, trying to prolong his impending suffering. The door was now fully open and he saw… no one. No one greeted him by the front hall. Not a sound was heard throughout the apartment.
'Maybe no one's home. Maybe he hasn't come back yet,' was Tyson's hopeful thought. He mentally doused himself with cold water. Sure he didn't hear anything but that doesn't mean that there isn't anyone in at lest some part of this apartment. Never mind the stillness!
He slowly and quietly removed his shoes and made his way inside in a few, quiet, tentative steps. "Hello?" Tyson called out tentatively. At first there was still nothing. Then he heard a muffled "Tyson?" followed by footsteps. And before he knows it, there was Rei standing before him.
"Hey. Okaeri, Tyson," Rei said gently.
And Tyson greeted back with a soft, heartbreakingly sad smile. "Tadaima, Rei."
Rei saw that unbearably sad smile and he felt something clench in his gut. To say the least, Rei was really worried. He went to Tyson and engulfed him in his arms. The younger teen tensed at the contact but son relaxed, his arms around Rei's waist and his head buried on the older teen's chest. While Rei did some thinking ever since he felt Tyson go tense earlier.
'Something must be really wrong if he reacted that way.'
"Hey, Ty," he called softly. His chin rested on the young boy's head.
"Hm?"
"Is something wrong?" at that question he felt Tyson tense up once again, the arms around his waist tightening. This alarmed Rei and he grew frantic.
Removing his arms around Tyson's back, Rei placed his hands on the boy's shoulders. By this time, Tyson had already loosened his grip around he other's waist. Rei pushed Tyson away for a bit so he could take a look at Tyson's face. What he saw shocked him. Not only was Tyson looking away, but he was also wearing an expression that Rei and the others swore they could never see on his face.
'This must be a lot serious than I thought.'
"You have to tell me what's wrong. I can see that something is bothering you so spill it, Tyson." This was only met with silence.
"Look at me!" Rei spat. He took hold of, and raised Tyson's chin so that he could look directly at the other's eyes. What he saw scared him. The happy glint in those expressive, blue eyes were gone; replaced by helplessness and hopelessness. You can barely see a spark in those eyes.
"How can I help you if you won't tell me?" Rei asked in a whisper. Traces of worry, frustration, and helplessness were heard as he said it, underlying it was concern and love. Love?
Tears wee now gathering at the corners of Tyson's eyes. "Rei, I …I"
"Rei? Tyson?" another voice said, cutting Tyson off – buying him more time, to Tyson's relief.
That seemed to have distracted Rei a bit. He let go of Tyson's shoulders but took his hand instead. He pulled the young champion towards the living room; towards the voice that belonged to…
Max.
It finally dawned on Tyson that Max was there, in their apartment. And he unknowingly helped Tyson out of a pinch. He chuckled mirthlessly, as silently as he could. 'The irony of it all.' Thankfully, his chuckling went by Rei unnoticed.
Rei opened the door to the living room (A/N: I have no idea why they have a door to the living room) and entered, pulling Tyson with him. Hands still held, Rei turned to speak to Tyson.
"Hey, Ty. Look who came –" the next thing he knows, Tyson was bulldozed by a yellow and blue blur that squealed a loud "TYSON!" and it was followed by a loud 'thump'.
"– by," Rei finished lamely, overlooking the two sprawled on the floor.
"Ty!" went the yellow and blue blur again, wiggling on top of Tyson.
Tyson looked down and discovered that the yellow and blue blur that mauled him over was unsurprisingly –
Max.
Max was clutching at Tyson's front, nuzzling his face on the blue-haired boys chest. He giggled now and then while still nuzzling. But the nuzzling was starting to tickle so Tyson called out amid his chuckling.
"Max!"
"TYSON!" Tyson laughed more now that Max's fingers were now tickling his sides.
"TY!"
"MAXIE!" and Tyson engulfed the blonde into a bear hug. Both were quieting down, drained and spent.
Rei on the other hand was a bit relieved. He was glad that Tyson's spark had not disappeared completely, seeing as Tyson was laughing with Max, the spark in his eyes sparkled back to life.
Tyson was feeling close to normal now. But he felt eyes on him so he raised his gaze and saw that Rei was staring at him. His soft expression settled uncomfortably on Tyson's guilt-ridden mind. Soon Rei would never give him that gentle expression, not after what he's about to put him through.
On Rei's part, when their gazes met, Tyson's eyes dimmed. That put a quizzical frown on Rei's brow. Why is that? What is it that I've done that makes his eyes dim like that? He couldn't possibly know about…
Tyson's movement caught his attention. He was standing up and held out a hand to help Max up. And Max being Max was oblivious to the tension and just skipped happily to flop on the couch.
Rei's eyes were still on Tyson, eyeing him, sensing a solemn aura surrounding the young champion. It was so thick, he could practically smell the anxiety Tyson was giving off in waves.
The young champion on the other hand, could feel eyes on him and he knew it was Rei. His stomach was in knots, his whole body tense and very stiff. Now that the people concerned are here, this is the moment where he will be selfish and escape the confines of the plaguing doubts. By tearing himself away from Rei, he will be free of the doubts at the cost of his future with Rei. He knew he will suffer after this. But he loves Rei and wants only what's best for the older boy. The happiness that was for Rei can only be found in another's arms. Even if Rei would hate him at the beginning, the Chinese boy would understand soon enough. And maybe, just maybe they can be friends again… A guy can hope right?
Tyson sat on a lone couch opposite the couch Max flopped on, with a small rectangular table littered with Beyblade magazines, separating them.
"Hey, Rei?" Tyson tentatively called out to his soon-to-be ex-boyfriend.
Upon hearing his name, Rei lost his preoccupied look and turned a soft gaze on the younger teen. "Yes Tyson?" he asked.
"Can you, um, go make us some tea? Some rice cake would be nice. I'm kind of famished. Is it okay?" Tyson asked a pleading look on his face. That much was true.
Rei looked a bit taken aback. "Sure it's fine, Tyson. You know you can ask me of anything," and he gave Tyson a sincere smile. He was sure that would relieve the young champion considerably. So it was unexpected when al of a sudden Tyson had this heartbreakingly sad expression come over his façade.
"Would you really do whatever I ask you to?" Tyson asked solemnly.
"Ty…?" Rei said feeling anxious.
"It was nothing Rei. The tea…"Tyson reassured Rei and reminded him with a grim smile.
Rei made his way to the kitchen, a chill running up his spine. 'Something's about to happen and it'll have something to do with Ty. The question is will this be a good thing for all of us.'
Max at least picked up a bit of the tension in the atmosphere. He looked at his buddy worriedly. 'What's up? Tyson's looking a little pale today…'
"Hey Tyson, you okay? You look a little pale."
Tyson flashed him an almost genuine smile. "I'm fine, Maxie, just tired from earlier. The tea and some of those rice cakes will rejuvenate me and I'll be back to my old, cheerful self in a minute."
Max shrugged. "If you say so…"
Just then, Rei came in with a big tray laden with a plateful of rice cakes and three tall glasses of iced teas. Tyson quirked his brow in question but Rei only shrugged. "I figured since it's all warm outside why not have something cold and sweet to drink? Besides, you look like you're about to collapse, not to mention just about ready to puke. And you can't possibly be nervous about anything so it must be the heat."
"Yeah, the heat…" Tyson echoed, quite stunned. However much he hated to admit it, he felt touched. And he knew it's going to be a lot more painful after all this is over.
"Yay! Thanks a lot Rei!" Max whooped. He eagerly reached for a glass and drunk hungrily like a man who had walked in the desert for days without water.
"Easy Max or you'll choke on the ice cubes," Rei warned. He handed Tyson his glass and took his, sitting down beside a sated Max on the sofa.
True to his word, Tyson looked a lot better after satisfying his stomach. His face lost its pallid color and his cheeks regained its usual color.
"So, Tyson," Rei began, a serious expression on his face. "You have something to tell me?"
'Here it is' thought Tyson. 'I'm about to bury myself in a grave I myself dug. Here goes nothing. Goodbye Happiness.' He took a deep breath and looked straight at Rei.
"Rei I, um, I –"
"I'll let you two have some privacy," Max inserted, hastily standing up and made his way out the living room.
"No wait! Stay Max!" Tyson just about yelled. His eyes were pleading which surprised Rei entirely. Max, seeing that look, sighed loudly and went back to his seat.
Rei's surprise turned to puzzlement. "Ty, I don't see Max has to stay. He has nothing to do with whatever it is that's bothering you."
"On the contrary," said Tyson, a dark chuckle emitting from him. "He has as much to do with it as you and I."
axayashinoceres: Whoa, a cliffhanger! Actually, I made it so because I was too lazy to continue typing up and elongating this chapter. So the supposed part of this chapter will be used as a second chapter instead.
Moving along, I would like to announce that I have finished the story but now the only trouble is when I get in the mood of typing it and uploading. Needless to say, but I'll say it anyway, be prepared for a sequel. I'll start on that after I'm done uploading the rest of the chapters to finish this story.
To anyone who may look forward to it, it's going to be entitled 'Reclaim'. You'll be seeing it about a few hours after I pronounce this story complete. Thank you so much for your support!
