Disclaimer: I do NOT own Beyblade. And I apologize if anyone is offended by cursing.

Chapter 1: All is Fair in Love and War

I didn't know what I was getting into.

More like, I didn't think about what I was getting into. Or what I should have been expecting. In my heart I probably thought it would be rainbows and butterflies because what I really saw was a way for Kai and I to be together but what I neglected to consider, was exactly what 'being together' was. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't like it wasn't perfect. But we had both ignored one very important thing that always seemed inevitable in anything involving us.

"All right! This place is AWESOME!" Tyson flops down on the couch and spreads out as if claiming his territory. I look up from my notebook confused, to find Kai, who is still standing at the front door after letting our 'guest' in. He exchanges a look with me and I can only guess that he is just as surprised as I am, although I can also see something else in that facial expression too…accusation.

"Um, Tyson?" I glance down at the luggage he had dropped as he had entered the living room and then up at the newcomer. He seems to be in his own world, oblivious to any wrongdoing, as he starts flipping through some magazines that we had piled on the coffee table.

"Hey, Ray! Did you see the new Sports issue? They did a cover story on the 'Child Prodigy joining the BBA Working Class'!" Tyson goes on energetically, hand motions and all, as if he was writing his name in lights across Hollywood, completely ignoring my inquiry. "It was WAY BETTER than yours Kai! Did you see it? Huh?!" Kai crosses his arms as if demanding an explanation from one of us, not really caring which. I can tell that it is taking a lot of self-control for him not to just throw Tyson's things back out the door and as amusing as that would be, I am actually relieved that he is putting forth an effort to restrain himself. Considering that we didn't really know what was going yet, or if there was any reason to react in that sort of way, I didn't want Tyson to think we weren't hospitable.

"I don't think it's out yet…" I send a silent apology to Kai, even though I don't feel like I need to, before putting my book down and concentrating on Tyson's intrusion. "More importantly…why are you here? And why did you bring luggage?"

"You aren't even going to congratulate me? I've finally taken a step into adulthood all on my own and all you have to say is 'why did you bring luggage?' How rude! I think I deserve a little more than that. But if you're really that interested, I'll tell you Ray…" He looks around the room as if amping himself up for the task of expressing what's on his mind. Then he completely changes his direction. "Do you have anything to eat? I had a long trip and I'm super hungry…" He stands up and wanders his way deeper into the house without even letting either of us respond.

"Why do I get the feeling that you think this is somehow my fault?" I watch Kai as he leaves the front hallway to enter the living room.

"I didn't say anything," he shrugs. "Guilty conscience?"

"No way! I haven't even talked to Tyson. How did he even know we were here?" I had explained things briefly to the others when I went to collect my belongings but I had never mentioned Kai or where I was going. Hilary could have suspected something but from what I could see, she hadn't said anything to the guys about what she had witnessed between us. She hadn't even confronted us to confirm her suspicions and had taken to acting strangely around us instead. When we got together for practices and other social gatherings, she avoided talking to either of us directly. When she did have to speak with us she became giggly and girly and didn't stick around any longer than was required to finish the conversation. The main reason we continued to hide the relationship was because it didn't exactly come up in our regular conversations so easily and there was no real reason to get anyone else involved. Our relationship with each other was separate from our relationships with anyone else and there was no purpose to complicate things. That didn't take away from the fact that I had wanted to on several occasions. It just never really felt like the right time.

"You have a gym? Inside your house?!" Tyson comes backs carrying a container of leftover pasta he had found in the kitchen. "And a pool?! Seriously?! Hiro said you had a good set up but I had no idea it was this good!"

"Hiro?" I study Tyson with interest, wondering why his brother would have been discussing our living arrangements with Tyson, but Kai sits down and covers his face like he has a headache forming. I smile deviously as the pieces fall into place. "This was you," I make eye contact with him as he looks up and he is nowhere close to being as amused as I am that it WASN'T my fault. The defeated look he has almost makes me feel sorry for wanting to tease him. Almost…

"I was required to put it on my application and I had to explain the situation just in case there was an emergency. It was more of a formality than anything else," Kai waves it off dejectedly. "However, I probably could sue him for spreading my personal information without my knowledge. It's very unprofessional."

"Ah, lighten up. It wasn't Hiro's fault, Kai! I found it by accident when I was in his office putting in my own paperwork. He told me a little about the area when I asked and said it was close to work. I didn't know Ray was here too but it's good to see you're okay! Are you just visiting?" he looks over the container at me between bites to clarify my presence there.

"I'm attending University nearby." At least that was a simple enough answer. The circumstances of my staying with Kai were not as cut and dry, but Tyson didn't really need to know that right now.

It had been almost a year since we had 'run away together'. As romantic as that should sound, there hadn't been much time for romance at all. I had started college shortly after moving in with Kai. I chose to stay out of the BBA working world temporarily and work on becoming a teacher instead. The satisfaction I got from sharing my talents with others felt like a much better fit than some work in an office. Kai was actually doing both. He seemed to juggle school and work pretty well but didn't really discuss either. And as far as free time went, the rare times that we did get to share together, we didn't do much talking… I hadn't decided whether I was okay with the way things had turned out or not but there wasn't much time to think about it. We each had our own little routines and we kept ourselves busy most of the time.

"That's great! The more the merrier!" He pats me on the back cheerfully. Which leads me to eye up his belongings again. I suddenly feel sick.

"You're not staying," Kai commands.

"Come on, Kai! You have to let me stay! It's so close to work AND I won't have to find a place on my own. AND we can carpool! If I stay with my Grampa I will go nuts! He said that I need to grow up and spread my wings or something else cheesy like that. He's gone absolutely crazy!" He sits down next to me in a huff. "If I can prove to him that I don't need his help anymore he might finally leave me alone. Not to mention Hiro said it was a good idea. Something about learning proper manners from a real adult… I don't know what he was talking about but moving out on my own alone is stupid if I could just stay here with someone I know! It's economical!"

"I'm going to kill Hiro…" I hear Kai mumble bitterly.

"Do you even know what economical means? Wait, forget it. You can't stay here," I try to sound as insistent as Kai to show him that I am supporting him but somehow ending up a third party makes it seems less valuable. This difference in authority is not lost on Tyson either.

"You're such a tease, Ray. You should be on my side! You really want to stay here ALONE with KAI?" He pushes me playfully. "I'd be doing YOU a favor. I can help protect you!" Kai says nothing as he quietly exits the room and disappears down the hallway. I sigh. This certainly wasn't going to go away peacefully.

"Talking about Kai like that when you're trying to get something from him isn't going to get you very far…" I reply boredly, slightly annoyed that I had been left to take care of it on my own.

"Come on, you gotta back me up Ray. Grampa already changed my room into some weird dance studio. I can't go home now or I will just prove him right about me never leaving home. I got the job on my own! And if Kai lets you stay, I should be just as welcome. We're all friends! It's not like he doesn't have the room…" All valid points, but none of them were real reasons when Kai was involved. He would definitely never agree to anything like this willingly. The whole situation just frustrated me but looking at Tyson's sad face I couldn't take it anymore.

"Ahhh, just…stop talking. I don't think you are thinking about this clearly... You know Kai." I start to wonder how Kai expected me to get Tyson out by myself. I mean, he had to know me well enough to know that leaving it up to me would ultimately end the opposite of how things are supposed to be. Maybe he was testing me to see if I would stand my ground for once and not let friendship interfere with my decisions.

"I know! But that's why you gotta help! How did you even find out he was here anyway? He didn't really say anything when he left. Then again neither did you. Have you been here the whole time? No wonder you didn't say anything…" Tyson seems to have a whole conversation with himself before he realizes that he's still talking to me. "Just talk to him for me, please? He listens to you." He pouts and I try my best to ignore him but my better nature wins out and I flitch, knowing I am about to get myself into a lot of trouble. Test failed.

"The rooms on the left are empty but I can't promise you anything…"

"I knew we were friends for a reason!" He throws his arms around me, almost dumping the rest of the container of food down my back, before grabbing his things and rushing off again. I sink back into the couch in a sad attempt to disappear. This wasn't exactly how I wanted to spend my Sunday night. Why was I so weak when it came to being nice to other people? Life would be so much easier if I could just say 'no' and that would be the end of it. I can just hear Kai now…

"He's not staying." See? Even the voices in my head know how things are.

I look up. Oh wait, that's actually him. Kai re-enters the living room carrying a cup of coffee.

I take a deep breath.

"What else was I supposed to do? I don't have the heart to just throw him back out on the street. The trip home would be a nightmare at this hour." I frown as Kai glares at me over the steam from his cup.

"He found his way here just fine." Cold. "The whole point of me asking you to come here was to get away from them. You know him being here ruins that." He doesn't waver in his resolve, nor does he say anything that isn't 150% the truth. This complicated things, that was already a given.

"Ugh, don't you think I know that?" I bury my face in my hands. "I just can't turn my back on a friend. And how can you stand there and act like you really have no concern? I know you better than that even if they don't." He sips his coffee and sits down in a chair on the other side of the room.

"I need my privacy."

I walk over to him and sit on the arm of his chair, giving out my best 'please, it's just temporary' look.

"I'm all about privacy but maybe just a few days? I can help him find somewhere else." He shakes his head. The fact that this was his problem and not so much mine was somehow blurred as I had fully taken on the role of Tyson's protector. When I had switched sides I wasn't sure but it was probably picturing Tyson's sulking face miserably returning home like a lost child. I could hear Hilary's laughing obnoxiously and menacingly going on about how she knew he'd never make it while his Grandpa is giving him chores to do for the rest of his life because he would never get another chance to get ahead by himself. It was something I couldn't offer to even my worst enemy. Everyone deserved a chance to grow up!

It is time for more drastic measures.

I slide onto Kai's knees and straddle him, making sure not to spill his coffee, and send him the most pleading look I have. He twitches a little before closing his eyes, trying to stop that headache again. I inch my way closer.

"You know he never travels alone, right?" He opens his eyes to give me a stern look. I inch closer again and wrap my arms loosely around his neck. "Not to mention he has no understanding of discretion." He sips his coffee again, not even bothered by what little space I have granted him to move in.

"There are plenty of rooms…" I start. "We may never even see him." I run both hands down his arms and over his hands around his coffee. "The rooms aren't even that close. Just listen." I pause for effect, tilting my ear to the direction Tyson had gone. "He's probably knocked over like 15 things already and we haven't even heard him." I shrug and he allows me to take the coffee and set it aside on a table. "You won't even know he's here." My hands make their way down, lingering around the edge of his shirt. I inch closer one more time, working them under his shirt and across his stomach where I feel his skin tense up. He flinches and I smirk. "I'll owe you…" I whisper, leaning a little closer in a seductive way.

"Are you trying to use sex as a bargaining tool?" he challenges me, half intrigued, half surprised.

"I dunno, is it working?" I half smile. He leans forward to close the remaining gap between us.

"Hey guys!" Tyson bursts back into the room excitedly and I go tumbling to the floor as Kai suddenly stands up. He leaves the room quickly and bitterly and all the progress I had previously made leaves the room right after him. I wince when I hear a door slam. Maybe a different approach would have been better under these circumstances.

"Are you okay? Were you guys playing a game?" Tyson rushes over to help me up. I shake him off and hide my face before he can see my embarrassment.

"Not exactly… But I'm fine thanks. I just spilled some coffee," I lie. One thing that I wasn't so proud of about myself after all the time dealing with this was just how easily it had become for me to do that. I ignore the guilt that comes from that and recompose myself. "Did you find a room okay?" I change the subject before too many questions can be asked.

"Did I ever?! Did you guys know the bathrooms were so big? It's like a freakin' spa in there!" he goes on about the various rooms of the house that he had aimlessly wandered in and out of.

"Well, yeah. It is kind of our house…" I say, unsure.

"I can't WAIT to tell Kenny and Max! We could have all KINDS of fun in here! This is so awesome, I can't believe you guys live here… I gotta go call them right now!" He runs off again.

Oh boy. How was I supposed to stop him now?

I look up at the ceiling as if praying to some unknown higher being that this nightmare would just end.

After much deliberating and talking him down from calling his other friends at this hour of the night, I finally get Tyson settled into his room and he seems to zonk out almost immediately. He reminded me of a kid who had just raided a toy store and collapsed from all the excitement. I made sure he was tucked in safely before coming back to fix what had happened with Kai. Although I was second guessing that decision now. I probably should have worried about it sooner. I suppose I can't really change my mind about it now.

I stand at the door to Kai's bedroom, contemplating how to approach this situation in a way that everyone would be appeased. Tyson had been easy to settle. Kai, would not be so easy. Especially since he was most likely going to be the one losing this battle. No amount of effort I could put in would be enough to push our new guest away. Once his mind was made up, there was no changing it and I hadn't really done anything to help push him off either. That stubbornness was a trait that he actually shared with Kai. Too bad they had opposing ideas of what they wanted right now.

"How long do you plan to keep standing there?" Kai's voice brings my full attention back to him, however muffled it is behind the door. I swing the door open and take a step inside.

"I, uh…made you a new cup," I smile sheepishly, looking down at the steaming cup in my hand. "Except it's tea. It's a little late for coffee now… This might help with the headache too…" I enter the room, closing the door behind me, and cross over to the bed, setting the cup down on the nightstand closest to him. He has paperwork spread out across the bed and I shift some of it over so I can sit down.

"Look, I know you think I am being the bad guy here," he starts as he puts the rest of the paperwork aside to look at me. "But I know Tyson. This won't be temporary and we won't have any quiet."

"I know it's not ideal nor is it anywhere close to what you wanted, but I can't say no when we obviously have the space. I wouldn't be a good friend if I did." I look down, considering how Tyson would take it if I really did try to shove him off to find somewhere different. Kai would never take the effort and as things stood currently, I really had no say in the outcome. It was 'Kai's place' to anyone on the outside. Whether Tyson stayed or Tyson went, it really wasn't my choice any more than it was Tyson's. "Maybe he really does just need a little push…" I silently hoped those words were true but even as I say them they don't feel right.

"You're too nice."

It isn't the words that make me smile, but the tone. I look up at him, not even trying to hide my delight at all.

"And…?" I egg him forward, expectantly.

"I'll give you two weeks." I jump up excitedly and hug him, jostling his paperwork slightly awry.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou," I rush as I release him. He gives me a warning look.

"If he in any way interferes with my routine, he's done." I nod and sit back down, trying to fix the little piles so they look the way they had a moment ago. "And no Max. One of them is enough already." I nod again. "And hey…" His hand moves to my neck and his thumb brushes down my jaw. "…you WILL owe me." I smile and lean over to kiss him lovingly, ruining my previous attempt at fixing the mess and sending a few of the papers to the floor in the process. He doesn't seem to mind as he pulls me closer and kisses me more deeply, absently brushing the rest of it all into an even more disorganized pile on the floor.

"So…" I start when he gives me a minute to breathe. "For future reference. Does this mean it actually worked?" I ask playfully.

"Quit while you're ahead." He smirks. "And…" he pauses and guides me down next to him. "For future reference." He leans over to kiss my neck and whispers in my ear. "This doesn't count as payment."

There wasn't any part of me that didn't want Tyson to leave as soon as possible (under the right conditions). My private time with Kai was something that I wanted to keep, even if it meant shutting everyone else out. That was something I was certain of.

"He follows you like a puppy," I point out, watching Tyson grab a bowl, go into the drawer for a spoon, and mimic the rest of Kai's motions of getting breakfast. Kai is not amused.

"More like a zombie." Kai puts the box of cereal within Tyson's reach and sits down next to me at the table.

"He's not used to the working life yet." I smile, watching him sleepily fight with the box. "Our little boy is growing up so fast," I dote. Kai scowls.

"Now it's your turn," he growls before starting to eat. Now I scowl.

"Hey, I could get a job," I retort. "Maybe… I need time to study, ya know. Not all of us are geniuses."

"Mfhhtht…" Tyson makes a noise and a motion almost in support of my declaration but he still isn't fully awake yet and doesn't manage anything coherent. He stumbles his way over to the table and I can tell that the idea of food consumption is waking him up a bit though.

"Can I talk to you about something?" Kai changes the mood to a more serious one. I look away from Tyson, curious as to what it could be about. Usually he didn't ASK to talk to me, he just did. So it must have been really important.

"What's up?" I try not to sound too concerned.

"Later." He steals a glance at Tyson and I nod.

"Sure. I should be free after dinner."

"I hope we have rice omelets…" The first full thought Tyson has had all morning comes out sleepily. Kai and I both look back at him but he still looks out of it and I question whether or not he is even conscious.

"I wouldn't be opposed to making that but that's not usually a dinner thing," I interject calmly, hoping that it isn't falling on deaf ears. A soft mumble and a snore tell me it most likely is. I turn back to Kai. "I guess I should take responsibility and make sure he gets to work okay so you don't have to fret about it."

"I wasn't going to anyway," Kai replies before standing up, announcing his readiness to depart. "His job is his own responsibility. I'm not going to hold his hand for him." He shrugs and places his dishes in the sink to be washed later before he exits the kitchen. I frown and fixate a disapproving look back on the other boy still in the room. Well this will be fun…

"You're going to be late, Tys." I try to stir him, taking a look at my watch. I consider the outcomes of what would happen if I just left him here the way Kai had inadvertently suggested, but can't live with the feeling of guilt I know would haunt me all day. Sometimes I hate being me.

I rouse Tyson the best I can and manage to get him in motion. After safely getting him on the bus and dropped off at work into somebody else's care, I make my way to class, now running late myself. I try to slink into my first class unnoticed but something else happens instead that is completely unexpected.

"Raaaaaay!" I don't have time to react before I am tackled to the ground in a loud thump. I wince at the cross stares and the teacher's displeased look before I register what is going on. "I didn't think I would see you here! You go here too?!" That laugh… It can only be…

I turn my head.

Max.

He releases me from his choke hold hug and we pick ourselves up, both receiving another displeased look from the teacher, this one screaming 'so this is yours?' as well as a few other disapproving notions.

"Hey Max… It's been awhile…" The teacher clears his throat and I hide my embarrassment, shoving Max off into a chair nearby as I take a seat as well. Seriously, hate being me.

"S…sorry… I just got a little excited." Max realizes his mistake and the disruption he is making before anyone actually points it out, and quiets on his own but everyone can see that it probably won't last very long. He sits in the chair bouncily, swinging his legs like a little kid, while he scribbles something down in his notebook. He gives me a wink and shoves it over to me.

'Tyson said I might see you but I didn't believe him. Can't wait to see your place!'

Shit. I hate it when Kai is always right… He's going to kill me.