A/N: This is the first fic that I post here and English is not my first language, so please, if you see any kind of typos or if you generally don't understand something, tell me. I'll appreciate it.

I'll try to make this intro short. Hikaru is 19, Kyoya is still 18 (they're born the same year, she's just a few months before him) and he's working as an agent for the WBBA because...why not? :D Nah, I figured he'd work for them so he gets to meet strong opponents, and you know, some extra cash is always handy. A slight warning before you start – there's a lot of swearing (not in this specific chapter, the next ones), but nothing more than that. There will be A LOT of tropes in this fic. I'll also try to make the romance as slow-burn as possible ;)

Lines in italic are a character's thoughts and lines inside [ ] these brackets are texts.

Oh and most importantly, I don't own Metal fight Beyblade!

That's all for now. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1 - Grumpy beginnings

14th June

The fast-paced clicking of heels echoed throughout the corridors of the WBBA, and anyone who had worked there in the past few years would know better than to stand in the way of the storm that Hikaru Hasama was, as she made her way to the director's office. The June sun shone brightly and there were no signs of clouds that might cause rain. Her hair was perfect and that, for once, hadn't caused her to be late for work. All that combined made Hikaru feel like this was going to be a great day and she was at the top of her spirits.

When the young secretary finally reached her destination, she had to open the door with her elbow, careful not to spill the two cups of coffee she was holding in her hands.

" Good morning, Director. "

Upon hearing the greeting, the chief of the WBBA turned away from the view the office provided him to face his employee. " Good morning, Hikaru. " Ryo said in his usual carefree manner and took notice that she looked happier than usual as she crossed the huge room. " You seem to be in a good mood today. "

Hikaru shrugged, flashing a smile as she handed him the drink. " I guess I got off on the right foot. Hopefully, I'll be able to keep going like this for the rest of the day. "

The man grinned. " I'm sure you will. I even have a surprise for you, that will surely kickstart your day even more. "

Now that made her smile falter for a moment. She'd never been a fan of the surprises, even though most of the ones she'd been targeted by, such as the one she had on her birthday in February, were pleasant. There was still a possibility that they might end up being bad, and that possibility alone was putting her off. So when Ryusei Hagane, the literal epitome of unexpectedness and volatility, said he had a surprise for her, he chilled Hikaru to the bone.

" And what would it be, Director? "

The man looked at her with such excitement and joy. If only the words that followed had caused the same reaction in his subordinate.

" You will be going on a mission! "

The secretary blinked once. Twice. Trice.

Hikaru's boss had yet again thrown her completely off. She didn't expect anything in particular as she had no time for thinking it through and making guesses. She did, however, have a very general diapason with ideas and things he could've come up with, a range with clear boundaries. Because everything had limits. Even the self-proclaimed Immortal Phoenix. That's how it was supposed to be, right? Well, what he just suggested was completely outside of that scope. Millions of kilometers away. Showing the boundaries utmost disrespect.

The teenager could only pray to all the divine beings above that the 'mission' Ryo was talking about wasn't the type she was thinking about. She'd have to first inquire a little, before making any assumptions. " A mission? You mean the type of missions Tsubasa and Gingka go on every now and then? " Hikaru asked, quickly crossing her arms and taking a defensive stance.

" Yes, this type of mission. " Hagane seemed to detect her disapproval and opposition and walked towards her.

Hikaru then became aware of the fact that Ryo wasn't going to give up easily. And she had expected that. So what was defensive mode swiftly became attacking.

Relax, Hikaru. You can argue your way out of this.

" I would happily oblige, Director, but I have a job. It involves managing your schedule and the company's organization. Not fighting villains or busting some crazy scientist's plan of dominating the world through a beyblade. " she said in a tone that brokered no argument, but her stance seemed to suggest otherwise as she placed a hand on her hip.

" But that's all you do, Hikaru. You need to change your routine. Go live your life. You're so young and all you do is sit here and bury yourself in paperwork all day long. " Ryusei countered.

" That's not true. I go out! "

He raised an eyebrow. " How often? "

" Well..once a week. " Hikaru started more bravely than she was able to finish as she realized this was only going to back up her superior's argument.

That was met only with a sigh on her boss's part, his expression turning wistful. Before he could respond properly, his secretary cut him off with a new beam of hope. " If you're worried that I'm leading a sedentary life, then I can assure you that's not the case. I go to the gym in my spare time. " Hikaru added confidently, even letting a smile form on her face, once again hoping that if she looked cuter, she'd somehow win this clash of interests.

All her hopes shattered, however, when it became painfully clear to Hikaru that Ryo wasn't budging one bit, since he appeared unfazed by the information she'd just given him.

" That's not why I'm worried, Hikaru. I'm worried because you're overworking yourself. "

The teenager groaned, dropping her head into her hands. She hated that she sounded like a petulant child, but she couldn't help herself. She knew he was right, so she couldn't deny his claim.

The director clapped a hand on the young lady's shoulder and gave her an optimistic smile that spoke 'This won't be as bad as you think it'd be'. To which, she had to use all her will-power to suppress the urge of giving him an intimidating glare that screamed 'Oh yeah, it will be'.

" C'mon, Hikaru. It's just a mission and it won't take that long. A month at most. " The last sentence made the young woman shudder. " Plus, the mission takes place in Tenkawa! " Ryo exclaimed with such joyfulness, Hikaru swore sparkles appeared around him. On the contrary, the name obviously didn't ring a bell for her.

Her chief seemed to notice this and immediately lost his face of confidence. " Don't you know it? It's a small village near Osaka. You're from there, right? "

" Yeah, so? "

" Well, you'd get to pass through your hometown! You might even get to spend a day there if you need to receive anything for the mission! " Ryo had already reclaimed his cheerfulness.

Accepting her doom, the blue-haired girl finally retreated with a deep sigh. They could keep this circular argument going all day, which ultimately wouldn't help her one bit. After all these years she'd worked in the WBBA, she had learnt that once her boss set his mind to something, he wasn't giving up on it. " So, who am I going on a mission with? " Hikaru asked and sipped from her coffee, something she had anticipated since the very moment she set foot in this office.

" You'll be going with Kyoya. " was Ryo's answer which nearly made her choke on her drink.

A short silence followed.

" Not that I have a problem with that, Director, but why exactly Kyoya? " Hikaru asked as she tried to maintain her smile and hide any irritation in her throat that Ryo's statement had caused.

" Oh, the others are already occupied. He's the only one free at the moment. " The director replied nonchalantly and strolled over to his desk, also taking a sip from the drink that had been neglected for far too long.

Taking a deep breath once again, the tan girl clutched the handle of her bag and decided that this wasn't going to ruin her day. She was armed with delicious coffee and she had time to prepare herself for the event.

" I see. Well, I'll be on my way. I gave the contract with Mikazuki Corp. to Sanada, it should be ready by this afternoon. If you need anything else, please don't hesitate to call me." With that she turned and started walking towards the door, only to be stopped mid-way a moment later.

" Ah, another thing, Hikaru. You'll be setting off tomorrow for Tenkawa. " Ryo mumbled in such an anxious manner, as he knew what disaster his words would unleash.

Hikaru wheeled around on her heels to face him, her expression utterly dark and one eye twitching. " I'm sorry, Sir, I think I misheard you. Could you repeat what you just said? "

The grown man, who was already hiding behind his black leather chair, peeked from behind it, swallowing hard and managing to force a nervous smile. " I-I said that you'll have to set off tomorrow. The WBBA has already booked you a suite and train tickets." he said which was succeeded by " You can take the day off, Hikaru. I'm sure you'll need some time to pack your luggage. Also, this whole mission is regarded as a paid leave, so you don't have to worry about that."

A prickly silence followed, which made it difficult for Ryo to decide whether it was a good thing, or just a forewarning before a thunderstorm.

He watched as the young woman's shoulders rose up and down repeatedly, as she took deep calming breaths, amethyst eyes flashing with what he could only tell was wrath, and nostrils flaring. She looked positively murderous. Before he could add anything more to help calm his assistant's temper, Hikaru got a strong grip on it herself and faked a smile, which in all honesty, made her appear even more frightening.

" Alright then, Sir. I'll be off now. " She said in a tone that didn't match the smile she was forcing.

Stomping away with an entirely peeved look, Hikaru closed the door after her a little too forcefully.

One day. One day before the mission he decides to tell me about it! At the very last moment!

Other employees of the WBBA scurried away as Hikaru strode along the corridor, her scowl deepened as she dug through her bag, trying to find her phone.

There's no way this late notice was unintentional.

Ryo Hagane might be happy-go-lucky most of the time. Oftentimes silly, even. But he was no fool. He was more tactical than he let on. This was a precisely calculated move. He told her today so she wouldn't be able to rearrange her schedule and take on most of the work that had to be done for the next few weeks. That sly man.

Hikaru continued the search for her phone as she waited for the elevator to come.

Leaving the company in Ryo's hands alone for nearly a month? That's a recipe for disaster. It'll be burnt to the ground by the time I come back.

Her boss was a very strategic man. After all, he had expanded the WBBA beyond the country's borders, which was quite remarkable. Alas, organization was his weak point. He also struggled to discipline his employees since he saw them mostly as drinking buddies and went out with them any chance he had. His personnel didn't mind that one bit, but that often made them cheeky enough to neglect some of their work, as in their words 'Mr. Hagane wouldn't mind.'

When Hikaru finally did find her mobile device, she aggressively started texting her best friend and personal therapist - Madoka Amano.

[ Call me when u can, I've got a lot to tell u ]

Fuck, I shouldn't have spoken so soon. I jinxed my day.

As the elevator doors finally opened, Hikaru got onto the lift, bowing at the people who were already there and pushed the button for the ground floor.

What a mission that's gonna be. With the King of beasts nonetheless. The teenager inwardly rolled her eyes. She knew very well how difficult to deal with the blader could be. He was a lone wolf, had an ego the size of Tokyo and almost never cooperated with anyone. There was a better chance of pigs flying than getting him to do something out of goodwill.

Hikaru started to rub her temples, already feeling the incoming migraine.

God, I need a drink.

By the time afternoon rolled around, it had become unbearably hot. So unbearably hot that the King of beasts fiercely regretted listening to the Bull-wielder's insistent pleadings to take a break from training and go to the nearby fast-food restaurant that had no proper air conditioning.

Now he found himself sitting on one of the barstools, drinking a cold coca-cola that didn't help much in his struggle with the heat. He was about to bark at Benkei to hurry up with his order when his phone started buzzing in his pocket. A scowl etched onto Kyoya's face as he glanced at the user ID before answering the call.

" What? " The greenhead demanded through gritted teeth.

" Hey there, Kyoya. I'm not interrupting something, am I? " Ryo asked over the call.

" Do you think I'd even bother to answer if that were the case? " The blader scoffed and rolled his eyes at the older man's inattentiveness.

That was met with only a tired sigh on the other end " Okay then. "

His boss, for some reason, sounded like he had just undergone a very traumatic event. Traumatized or not, Kyoya wasn't about to let him waste anymore of his time.

" Get on with it already. What do you want? " Kyoya sounded just about as annoyed and impatient as the director should've expected, but that hadn't stopped him before.

" Kyoya, " Ryo began wearily, " I have a mission for you."

The look on Kyoya's face, engraved upon hearing Ryusei's words, would've made kids – not only them, grown adults too – burst into tears. " Mission? " he echoed bitterly. " There's not enough time. Give it to someone else, not me. "

The older man sighed yet again. " They're all unavailable at the moment." He continued. " Your resignation starts officially from the 1st of July, so there's still some time. The mission itself can be...hard. It may also take a while if carried only by one person. But if two people work together— "

The legendary blader immediately caught on and didn't let the director finish. " You just said that everybody's occupied except me. Who am I going with then? " the young man inquired rather demandingly, eyebrows twisted above accusatory eyes and his patience running out as quickly as his drink.

" You'll be going with Hikaru. "

The teen stopped slurping on the now empty cup and took a few seconds to respond. An arrogant 'Ha?' was his first response, followed by " You mean Hikaru Hasama? "

" Yes. " Ryusei confirmed instantly.

" I thought she quit beyblading. How can she possibly assist? " Kyoya pressed further, chewing on the plastic straw.

" Yes, she did. But she's been on missions before. She can gather intel, engage in combat and perform first aid. She's got plenty to offer. "

Kyoya's only reply to that was a breathy 'hmph', so Ryo took it as a sign to inform him about the operation.

" You'll be taking off tomorrow, at 8:10 sharp with the bullet train to Osaka. From there you will catch a bus to Tenkawa - the village in which you'll be residing for the next two weeks. All other details about the mission can be found in the email that the WBBA has sent you." Ryusei explained. " I'd love to keep talking with you, Kyoya, but it's time for my break. God knows I need it." He stated, this time with a lighter and more cheerful tone. " Bye, good luck with the mission! And please, don't seduce my assistant. "

Ryo hung up before Kyoya even had the chance to snap at him and possibly curse him out for his last remark.

Clicking his tongue in annoyance, he shoved his phone back into his pocket. Just in time, too, because an overjoyed Benkei was finally coming back with a tray full of burgers, french fries and chicken nuggets.

" Sorry to keep you waiting, Kyoya buddy. " his friend apologized and took a seat next to him. " There was this annoying couple in front of me. They couldn't decide what to get and started to argue. " he fumingly complained and proceeded to give more unwanted details about the petty drama.

Kyoya found himself tuning out whatever Benkei was talking about. His mind was too preoccupied with the new information and the task he was assigned. Hopefully, it wouldn't take long. Otherwise, he'd have to rush it. Inevitably, another thought occurred to him. A lot of the progress would depend on the teamwork of him and his partner...

Once again, he started chewing on the straw, getting lost in his thoughts.

Hikaru, huh?

15th June

Getting up at 7 in the morning to catch a train to a desolate village definitely wasn't on Hikaru's bucket list. Neither was accidentally oversleeping and not being able to brush her hair properly and put on some mascara. She had arrived right on time, alright. But at what cost. She felt like she looked hideous, and that, in Hikaru's dictionary, was worse than being late.

Nothing could be done anymore, she concluded with a sigh, pulling her medium-sized suitcase along the concrete platform.

I could've at least gotten a coffee though...Hikaru whined to herself as she stifled a yawn. The cold air on the train station was only making her sleepier than she already was.

Then again, she wouldn't have been so cold if she had a different choice of clothes. Her off-shoulder baby blue crop top and dark denim mini skirt with floral design on the side definitely didn't do a good job in protecting her from the morning chillness. Was that a sensible choice? No. Did it make her look stylish? Yes. And that was important.

You never know when you can meet a cute guy Hikaru thought hopefully, already getting caught in another daydream about the perfect man, finally entering her life.

She imagined a confident, strong, reliable guy. Somebody that could support her when she needed him the most. A man who would love her for who she is and not who she pretended to be. An individual who would accept her with her flaws.

She would've kept on dreaming if it weren't for the sudden shout that interrupted her fantasy.

" For the last time, Benkei, you're not coming with me! "

Right ahead of her, Hikaru was able to see two men - one with wild green hair and another, several sizes bigger than the former, kneeling in front of him with hands clapped together and the most precious puppy dog eyes she'd ever seen any child make, let alone an adult. The scene was even more odd and funny by the fact that the kneeling one was anything but quiet in his pleading, and the other one wasn't falling behind with his angry retorts. This certainly didn't fail in making people stare at the pair with a hint of judgment and annoyance.

Hikaru had already stopped, several meters away from the squabble, contemplating whether it would be considered rude if she acted like she hadn't noticed them and sneakily got on the vehicle. It would certainly save her from the embarrassment she'd have to face when she'd have to go up to them.

" Kyoya-san, please! Just give it a thought! I promise I- ," the yelling suddenly stopped as Benkei's attention had been drawn to something, or rather, someone else " Oh, look! It's Hikaru! Hey, Hikaru! "

Too late.

Forcing an ingenuine smile, the secretary strolled over to the bladers.

" Hey there, guys. You seem to be just as lively as usual. " The snarky comment went unnoticed by Benkei, but not by Kyoya, as he responded with one of his trademarking sounds - tch.

Unlike him, the purple-haired man scratched his neck in embarrassment and chuckled. " Yeah, well...I just feel bad that I won't be able to accompany Kyoya-san for his last mission. "

Last mission? Hikaru raised an eyebrow at that but decided not to question further. Kyoya had never been someone to share details about his personal life, so there was no point in asking if he was only going to tell her off.

" It's really sad...thinking that it's his last and there will be no more…" the Bull-blader trailed off and turned to face his friend, suddenly bursting into tears. " Kyoya buddy, please let me come with you! Just for old times sake, B-B-BULL! "

" Hell no! And shut up or I'll give you something to cry about! " The teen angrily cut his friend off, not even bothering to probe into the man's thought process.

Devastated at Kyoya's answer, Benkei turned to the young assistant for support. " Hikaru, please. Can I come along? " He sniffed and wiped his tears with the sleeve of his jacket.

" I'm afraid that won't be possible, Benkei. " she declined, as she always did, with a polite smile, something she had acquired years earlier when she'd started working at the WBBA. " But don't worry. You never know what might happen in the future. This might not be his last journey. "

Hikaru then glanced at the clock on her phone and decided that this was enough claptrap. " The train sets off in 5 minutes, " she mumbled and then regarded her new partner " Let's get going. "

Gritting his teeth, Kyoya slung his bag over his shoulder and started walking toward the train's entrance. " Don't tell me what to do. "

Hikaru felt her jaw clench and the grip on her luggage tighten. Still, she took a deep breath and followed him. They hadn't even arrived at their destination and he was already antagonizing her.

After saying their goodbyes with a weeping Benkei, the two got onto the train and made their way through a thin throng of people to the passenger car. Hikaru spotted a seat next to the window right away and hurriedly placed her suitcase on the overhead racks.

As she sat down on the large reclining chair, she was able to see from the corner of her eye Kyoya going to the back of the carriage. He sat down, shuffling down the seat, as far away from the aisle as possible - the perfect place to avoid social interaction. Typical Kyoya.

After a while, the vehicle soundlessly set off from the station, in slow-motion at first, then it began to gain speed. In a matter of minutes, they were already outside Metal Bey City and the scenery changed from the usual skyscrapers and apartment buildings to a picturesque and serene one, lush green valleys and mountains extending as far as the eye could see.

Hikaru put on her wireless headphones and hit 'play', the music blasting at a volume that most doctors wouldn't recommend listening to, but that didn't matter to her. It made the chatter easier to tune out, even easier when traveling familiar territory.

The 3-hour long journey to her hometown had passed significantly quickly. Once they'd arrived and reached the bus station, Hikaru was able to sense that pleasantly familiar salty smell in the air, reminding her that the ocean is just a few kilometers away. She'd do just about anything to spend a day on the beach, feel the sea breeze ruffling up her hair, the warm sand in her feet and that feeling of weightlessness she'd experience once she dives in the turbulent waters.

A disappointed sigh left Hikaru's lips. Had she been with someone like Gingka or Tsubasa, she'd ask them with no hesitation to chill out one day at the beach, as she was almost certain they'd agree and even enjoy it. Kyoya, on the other hand, was just about as benevolent as a bear with a sore head. It was no use trying to urge him to do it when he'd point-blank refuse. With all that in mind, Hikaru was half tempted to snatch the steering wheel from the bus driver once her partner was dropped at their original destination and speed back to Osaka.

This was not something she'd achieve, even if she was eager to, as the vehicle which was carrying them promptly came to a halt at the bus stop, just outside the village of Tenkawa, where the pair disembarked along with several other passengers. Once the bus set off to continue its journey to the next village, they were presented with a sight of the place they'd remain in for the next few weeks. Wordlessly, just like the rest of their trip, they made their way up the main street. They passed a few grocery shops, small restaurants, and bakeries and Hikaru made a mental note to check them out later. They'd made it to the hotel without running into any problems, though the steep hill that the building was resting on was making Hikaru curse her choice of wearing T-strap heel sandals.

The hotel was big in width but small in height, only 4 floors, with a well-kept garden in the front. Inside, the lobby's décor was yellow and joyful just like the one outside, a cozy couch and a table right next to the reception, where a young woman was intently tapping her phone with a furrowed look on her face, probably playing a game. When the suitcase's rolling wheels failed to capture the receptionist's attention, Hikaru cleared her throat, which in return made the young girl slightly jump in her seat, pulling her out of her trance.

" Hello there! " the teenager sheepishly smiled and stood up. " Welcome to hotel Himawari. How can I help you? "

" Hello. We've made a reservation here by the company WBBA." Hikaru returned the smiled and decided to keep her tone friendly, even though the employee's absentmindedness had mildly irked her.

She nodded " Okay. Give me a second to check. " The girl started typing on the computer and after a moment, ducked under the desk and came back, placing a pair of keys on the table. " Alright, here are the keys for the suite. It's on the fourth floor, at the very end of the corridor. If you need anything, the number for the reception is right next to the phone. "

Hikaru wouldn't have noticed the singular form of the word had she not glanced at the keychains, realizing that the same number was engraved on both of them, making her insides stir uncomfortably. " Wait, 'a suite'? " the secretary asked tentatively, trying to keep her polite smile, but failed to do so.

" Um, yes. Only one suite has been booked. " the receptionist nervously replied, having sensed the woman's confusion.

Lady Luck had once again abandoned Hikaru. She knew very well that the company tried to save up as much money as they could, but that was excessive, so stingy. If they had to share a bedroom or a single bed together, Hikaru wasn't sure whether she or Kyoya would be the first to have Ryo's head.

Speaking of which.

" Say what? " Kyoya, who had been quiet till now, stayed true to his hostile nature and snapped pretty aggressively.

The young girl, understandably so, recoiled at the rage in his voice and the ireful look of his eyes. Swallowing anxiously, she held her hands up in front of her. " T-That's what it says in the system. If you want, I can show you. "

Hikaru wasn't about to let Kyoya's temper embarrass her and took the matter into her own hands. Quite literally.

" No, you don't have to. " the bluenette restored her polite facade, took the keys and grabbed Kyoya's arm, pulling him to the elevator that was conveniently on the ground floor. " We'll be going. Thank you for your service! " she called before the metallic doors closed, leaving her alone with her stunned partner.

" What the hell do you think you're doing?! " Kyoya fumed, after recovering from his initial shock. People who had the audacity to seize him and drag him away were either crazy or asking for a good beating. Hikaru assumed she was the first kind, though she wasn't afraid to throw hands if it came down to it.

" I couldn't let you make a scene. The last thing we need is the locals thinking we're troublesome and suspicious," Hikaru responded without so much as a flicker of temper, only running a frantic hand through her unruly hair. " Let's check the suite first before making a fuss about it. If there's only one bedroom, I'll be calling Ryo and settle it with him. "

He huffed stubbornly and crossed his arms. " You better. I'm not sharing a room with you. "

She rolled her eyes but ultimately let the matter rest.

You think I wanna share one with you, Mr. Narcissus?

A beeping sound signalled their arrival to the last floor and the doors open. As they stepped out of the lift, Kyoya turned over his shoulder to face her with a serious and vindictive look in his eyes. " Also, do that again and we'll have a problem, " he spat bitterly and continued down the corridor.

Hikaru had to bite back an insult because her mother had taught her better. Instead, she only inhaled and exhaled deeply through her nose, glaring dangerously at the greenhead who was increasing the distance between them.

We already have a problem and it's called 'Kyoya Tategami'!

Hikaru had to take long fast strides in order to catch up with Kyoya. When she did reach him, he was already unlocking the door to room 143. He opened it and for a moment, neither of them could see anything because of the bright sunlight they were bathed in. Once her eyes adjusted, Hikaru was able to see one large room which consisted of a small kitchen counter with a fridge, cupboards, microwave and sink to the right side; in the center was a combined version of a dining room and living room - a table with chairs and a tv right next to the big windows; next to them was an aluminium glass door which led to a balcony. The spacious room had three other doors to it, which after a check, turned out to be two bedrooms and one bathroom. This came as a great relief to Hikaru, who was less than keen on resolving such an issue on the phone after this long day.

They settled in and naturally, after such a tiresome journey, headed out to get some food. Their walk had been blanketed by silence, just like most of the time they were together and Hikaru decided that a silent Kyoya was better than a cranky Kyoya. Before the duo got to the center of the village, Hikaru broke the quietness between them by asking about something that had to be addressed.

" The company's debit card is in me, by the way," Hikaru spoke and spared him a side-glance. " If you want we can eat together so we don't have to hand it around all the time. "

Her companion shrugged nonchalantly. " I don't care, " he replied with casual indifference to the subject.

Together it is, then.

There were several reasons why Hikaru didn't want to split the card. One - Kyoya was usually very quiet during mealtime, so for once, he wouldn't be a pain in the ass; Two - she didn't want to imagine what an inconvenience it'd be if she had to search low and high for the King of beasts, who spent half of his time training in some godforsaken dangerous place and never checked his messages; And three, probably the most important one - she didn't want to imagine an irritable and hungry Kyoya coming after her.

In the end, they'd sat at a traditional Japanese restaurant, finishing up pretty fast. After that, they stopped by the supermarket to get some essential stuff and headed back to the hotel. Once they were there, only one thing was left to be done. They had to make a plan for their first patrol tomorrow.

Hikaru sat at one of the chairs in their apartment, laptop in front of her with all the files on the Vitabey company, while Kyoya was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, listening to her suggestions for the lookout.

The WBBA had no legal efficacy or force to carry out checkups and inspect companies that are involved with Beyblade. But if the Nemesis crisis had taught them anything four years ago, it was that there were plenty of wicked people with sinister motives, lurking quietly in the shadows, just waiting to take advantage of any given opportunity. Needless to say, the company wasn't willing to take any chances with it. They did their inspections by sending out agents on covert missions, reckon only.

" If we start tomorrow, we'll most likely be done in two weeks. " Hikaru estimated, whirling a lock of cerulean hair between her fingers, her amethyst eyes focused on the screen.

Kyoya snorted irritably. " We'll be done sooner than that, " he said dryly, throwing her a sharp glance. " One week will be more than enough. "

" If there aren't a lot of guards and the laboratory closes at night, then yeah, we'll be finished in less than two weeks. " Hikaru met his peeved gaze head-on, not shying away. " But if that's not the case, we'll definitely need more time and we can't afford to rush it. "

For a fraction of the second, Hikaru thought she'd seen surprise flicker across his features like he'd been expecting her not to respond, only to mindlessly comply with whatever he'd told and not to firmly hold her ground like she just did.

Hikaru almost smiled. If he'd indeed thought so then he had another thing coming.

" I can't wait that long, " Kyoya persisted, taking long strides until he was right in front of her. " It's gotta be soon. " he delivered harshly, the dangerous narrowing of his eyes clearly implying that he wasn't taking 'no' for an answer.

Hikaru didn't know what his deal was and why he was so hell-bent on speeding things up. Was working with another person really that dreadful to him? Or was she the problem? Had she done something to piss him off? And if yes, then when the heck? Before today, their interactions had been limited to the kind of pleasantries you'd expect to be exchanged between an agent and a secretary, though Hikaru wouldn't exactly call them "pleasant." She'd been the one to do most of the talking while Kyoya had just waited boredly and listened to whatever information he had to know about. And after each interaction they'd had this day, she'd been more than inclined to strangle him.

So no, Hikaru wasn't expecting Kyoya to behave like an actual human and keep his temper under control. She knew very well what type of a person he was and she wasn't going to try and change him. That being said, she wasn't about to let him boss her around or tolerate any kind of disrespect on his part.

" I told you, everything depends on the level of security there, " Hikaru dropped her tone an octave and her lavender eyes slightly hardened, " Tomorrow we'll know for sure and decide," she ensured to put extra emphasis on the personal pronoun, just in case he'd forgotten that they were a team and had to make decisions together.

Hikaru would be lying if she said she hadn't felt her body going ten degrees colder from the glare Kyoya was giving her at the moment. He normally had a solid height advantage over her, with twelve centimetres or so, but right now she was seated and he was practically looming over her, making her feel so physically small. His gaze was piercing - like staring into a vast, raging ocean during a storm; wild, blazing wind and merciless, violent waves that will undoubtedly sink your ship and drown you. All that made her feel afraid like she was being-

Hunted.

As if he was a cunning, huge predator, and she was his prey.

The temptation to look away was screaming at Hikaru, but she kept her eyes glued to his, fearing that if she looked away or even blinked, she'd immediately lose this unspoken battle of wills.

After regarding her for what felt like an eternity, Kyoya finally made another of those 'tch' sounds. " Fine. " he spat viciously, his mouth a tight line as he went back to his room, slamming the door shut after him.

For a few seconds, Hikaru was gaping at the empty space before allowing herself a loud, frustrated groan at last. She draped herself across the wooden table and stayed there, like a deflated balloon, until the edge digging into her ribs had started to get too uncomfortable. Having a stare-down match with Kyoya Tategami, the shitty-stare master, had cost her so much mental energy. All that for what? The end date of their mission? What would she have to do when more crucial matters needed to be discussed?

Hikaru grumbled quietly, placing her arms around her head like a pillow to keep her forehead from hitting the surface.

That's right. As of today, my daily hardships would be even more mind-blowing and brutal.

A/N: This chapter was so long, but I promise the next chapters won't be that big :') I tried to make Kyoya's personality as much as the one he had in Metal Fury. I hope he's not too OOC. As for Hikaru, I've always had a personal little headcanon that she has a lot of built-up anger in her :D Seeing her snap pretty aggressively in Metal Fusion and then having to deal with an immature Ryo for so long has definitely taken its toll on her lmao. Also, she's not from Osaka, I made it up. They never really revealed where she came from, we only know she's not from Metal Bey City (which is based on Yokohama). Judging on her attire in the first season, I could definitely tell she's a city girl. And since everything she does or has seems to be connected with the sea/ocean, I thought she'd be from the seaside. I also figured it'd be a useful plot device to have them visit her hometown a few times.

Oh and in case if anyone's wondering, the title was inspired by one of Rihanna's songs – We found love; I just couldn't think of anything else, so we'll have to roll with this, until I eventually come up with something better XP

Anyways, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed!

Cheers!