A short and sweet epilogue to bring us all to the end. I can't wait for another TyHil event to come back around! I love writing for them! Thank you all for reading and reviewing!


Spring: Ume

"For someone so smart, I figured you'd catch on faster."

With a swift curl of his fingers, Tyson popped the lid of his soda and took a long drag. The cool drink slid down his throat and bubbles danced and popped on his tongue. Lowering his head, he burped and wiped up the excess beads rolling down the sides of his mouth.

Eyebrows furrowing and eyes narrowing, Hilary's lips puckered around the straw bobbing in her light purple drink. Bobbing ice and floating diced plums danced around the straw, sloshing and jostling when she set her cup down with a satisfied sigh "How was I supposed to know? You didn't say anything."

"Yeah, well…" Tyson's shoulders bobbed in his shrug. His fingers tapped against the can, popping the beads of condensation rolling down the lip and body. "Didn't think I could."

"What do you mean?" Her ruby eyes swung to him and for a second his breath died in his chest and he was left to bask in the sparkling beauty of her eyes beneath the high sun. "You can always talk to me."

"I know. I just didn't…well, I guess I thought you'd laugh at me."

"Why?"

He blinked. "You always laugh at me."

"Yeah, when you're doing something stupid or you deserve it. I'd never laugh at you about…that." Humming, Tyson nodded. That was nice to know. He took another swig, burped again, and crushed the can. He compressed it between his palms, the cracks and pops of the bending aluminum almost hid her soft, "I wouldn't think you're being serious."

"What!?" His arms and legs flailed in his attempt to face her. It was a bit of a struggle, fighting against the gravity of the sharp, grassy embankment but he settled, and his eyebrows pulled together. He grasped his ankles and leaned forward, a steadying stance built out of a habit of comfort and self-soothing. "Of course I'm serious! I can be serious about things, you know!"

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, beyblading."

"And comics and kendo and my friends and other important stuff." He lifted his fingers, counting off each one as he spoke. After, he curled his fingers in until one remained and he pointed right at her. "You're important stuff."

"Tyson…"

"Look, Hils, I just…I dunno. I didn't want to mess this up." He wiggled his finger in the space between them. "I'm used to my dad and brother not being around. I…I can't not have you around too." Maybe his feelings were bigger than his vocabulary, but she had to understand. She'd been around his life since as far as he could remember. Yeah, in the beginning, he found her annoying and uptight and a loudmouth but now…well obviously, they weren't just friends but he needed that too. Her friendship, underneath it all.

Her eyes glittered with unshed tears and Tyson had half a mind to comment how sappy she was being over something as obvious and constant as the sky but he held it down and swallowed it and when she learned over and pressed her forehead against his, he closed his eyes and leaned against her. The light, sweet scent of honey and plum on her breath wafted past his nose and he breathed it in, holding her in his lungs.

Comfortable silence wrapped around them. A light breeze ruffled the grass cushioning them. Large, fluffy clouds glided by high above. Water bubbled and lapped as it ran downstream, nestled between a concrete path. Kids laughed and shrieked nearby, running up and rolling down the embankment. Hilary loosely laced their fingers together. Tyson pulled her to him and lay them back on the grassy slope.

"I made you a beyblade." Hilary's huffing breath against his neck sent goosebumps down his arms. "I'm just sayin'! I don't know how else I could've been more obvious."

"Tyson."

"I mean, you're supposed to be smart."

"Tyson."

"Guess those grades mean nothing then, huh?"

His laughter was cut short when her hand grasped his chin and tugged his head to the side. The ferocity in her eye stirred him and her following kiss robbed his breath, much like the first few seconds of Dragoon emerging and whipping up a tornado. He tasted plum and honey and Hilary. And when she pulled away, he settled in the aftermath much like when Dragoon retreated: windswept and exhilarated.

If this was what being with her was going to be like, he could forgive himself for them taking so long. She'd always be worth the wait.