I was practicing my tea ceremony with Ryuu's grandmother. I haven't seen Ryuu, and I'm certain I looked troubled because his grandmother asks me if I was okay, I numbly nod and she sighs.

"Go on, go see Ryuu" I looked up at her shocked, but I knew I lit up, she smiles kindly, and shoos me away. I walked out carefully and once I was by the halls I was already running stealthily. Ryuu should be at the dance hall, practicing, I slowed when I was close and, entered as though I was walking from the beginning. Ryuu was there, in the center doing a Kabuki dance, with a fan on his right hand. As though he knew I was there, our eyes met and locked.

My heart clenched inside of me, as I watched him dance, he looked perfectly fine. But I knew he wasn't. I don't know how long I stood there by the door, but once I realized I didn't move from my spot, I went to slip by, what I knew was his very small belongings. I placed the hand towel on my lap as I sat down, our eyes never once leaving one another.

I could feel his father, and everyone else looking at us. His family probably figured out we were together, or maybe he told them. I didn't care; they did however understand why we haven't officially told people of our relationship. And anyways, anyone who sees our interactions automatically assumes we were together, which was fine before when we weren't dating. Now, it just made me fluster, that control over my emotions came a little challenging. I wanted to tell my father soon, just him, because as of the moment, I could tell, that this relationship was slipping. And it hurt.

I decided, I was telling him today, after I'm done here, so I can do my ninja training—when I do my ninja training, that's when I will tell my father.

"Okay, Ryuu, good job" His father clapped his hands, Ryuu smiles and bows, and then jogs towards me. I smiled as he smiled, his eyes twinkling. He sat beside me and cheerily asked how he did. I hand him the hand towel, which he gratefully accepts with a wink.

"You are awfully cheery!" I exclaimed with a playful pinch on his arm.

"Well" He dragged the word out, and glances at me, his teal—his wonderful teal eyes told me what he couldn't say so openly at the moment, and I understood. "You seldom see my dance!" He didn't say girlfriend, but I could see his eyes implied it, I smiled.

"Well, your grandmother, basically allowed me to go see you!" I say, and making my mouth form an 'o' and feigning shock, but I was shock, he chuckles.

"That's a shock, since you will be doing a tea ceremony event soon." He glances at me with a worried expression, though his eyes held so much mischief. "Are you sure you won't screw it up?" He leans in way too close to me, that I was frozen in place; I could hear my heart, beat loudly. I could feel sweat forming on my skin.

"I-" I couldn't think straight—our nose was an inch away, but he was relatively taller than me, so his head was tilted in an angle. I hear whistles from the male dancers, which snaps me out of the trance. I felt my cheeks heat. Ryuu, pulled away and put his hands behind him so he can lean back, I grabbed his sweaty towel and turned it to a veil. I was so ashamed, but damn I just realized he wasn't sweating because he didn't use the towel, or maybe he didn't use it because he knew this was ganna happen. I glared at him, did he plan this? I bit my bottom lip; he glances at me and chuckles.

"I didn't plan anything" He casually says. I slightly, pout my face still heated. When we weren't dating he'd do things like this from time to time, now that we were dating it became frequent. The thought made me forget the recent incident and then I stopped hiding my face, and just hugged my legs as I absentmindedly looked at the dancers practicing. I realized that Ryuu probably was demonstrating how to dance properly.

"It's getting worst isn't it?" I asked closing my eyes to take in a breath to make sure I kept calm.

"Look, Irile said she's doing her best—" I snapped my head to his direction, he was just looking at the dancers.

"How do you know she is telling you the truth? For all we know she is the enemy!" I growled but said it as low as I could, he glances at me, mischief in his eyes yet again.

"Are you—perhaps, jealous?" There was a little bounce in the tune of his voice, but I frowned.

"This isn't the time for your teasing!" I felt my eye brows furrow, and if I had to cry to prove a point, I would, here and now, in front of these people. He searches my eyes, and as though he understood what I was thinking he stood up. And walked out, I was left alone to follow him after a few minutes.

I approached his room, and then I heard him talking to Irile, well I could recognize her voice telling him something but it was muffled. They stopped, probably noticing my shadow against the paper sliding doors. I glance at my watch, I had a lot of time till ninja training, but I no longer wanted to be here. I could use the time to walk alone, and slowly towards the dojo—my home.

"Ryuu, I will be going, I need to pick up some things" I lied so smoothly, I didn't even realize it was a lie until the last word came out.

"Av-" He became I could sense him approaching, but was delayed, probably by Irile. I slowly walked away, saying I'll see him later.

I went to search for one of the owners of the house, to say I was leaving, and I found Ryuu's mom.

"Mrs. Masashi, I will take my leave now" I say politely "Thanks you for everything" I bow, she looks at me with a raised brow.

"Avery, may I talk to you?" She says politely, and I nod, not really having much of a choice. She gestured for us to sit on the edge of the floor, our feet hanging because this was an elevated and a traditional Japanese house.

"I just wanted to tell you since you came, my son, Ryuu, looks so much happier" I nod numbly "The two of you are alike, and I understand that the two of you are like kindred spirits. You both understand each other because the two of you are expected to be the heir and heiress of the family…well business." I look at her, no you don't really understand, and also we had this conversation before, but I kept myself from exposing my inner thoughts. "I know we've had this conversation before, but Ryuu's been distant as of the late, and I worry, he won't let us in some times—"He rarely does, and thank you for pointing out that we had this conversation before, but as I look at her sad and pained eyes, I felt myself reflect the same thing, I had lost the fight.

"I know you're going to say: because he believes that being the perfect son for the sake of the family business is what makes you proud of him, and happy for him, especially since his older brothers rejected this responsibility and now it is passed down onto him. He never shared concern for anyone expect me—in which case, I would say—the first few years with him was frustrating, he was as cold as me—well now." I shrug, I might be saying things out of line, but whatever, I willed myself not to feel the pain, but I did feel it. Ryuu's mom hugged me, I didn't move, and I heard her sniffle, and again, I lost the fight. I hugged her back and hid my head in the crook of her neck, I cried quietly.

I figured Ryuu got this charm from his mom, whenever we argue I instantly felt like I lost with one casual move he does.

"I don't know what's happening to him, but I feel like his slipping away" She says, I know, I also feel the same. But I couldn't voice my own worry; instead I cried a little more and forced myself to stop "Since you two became close, his made the effort to talk to us, and form bonds with his family members. I don't know how he acts towards you before, but I can see how you just lit up his world when your inside the room, or when your name is brought up" My heart sunk and I frowned, I had stopped crying. I pulled away and tightly smiled at him.

"Some things even I can't prevent" I felt numb inside, as I stood up, and wipe the tear stains from my face. "I am honored that you find comfort in me, but I cannot help you in whatever it is you think I can do, I am not Ryuu's handler" She looks at me as though I was someone else. Numb everything; don't show any expression, look neutral, you know who you are. And I am Shun's daughter. I am a ninja; first and foremost, I can't let emotions predict my moves. I must be unreadable. He didn't want his parents—his family to worry, so don't give them reason to.

"I-" I look at her and she flinch as our eyes met. I could tell by the way she looked; I was acting cold towards this topic. So I feign gentleness in my face and mentally took a deep breath.

"I am certain Ryuu is just thinking of a way to tell you something very important to him" I say with a soft smile on my face. She looks shock, and then realization comes to her, and she smiled happily. I was certain she didn't know of our relationship, and it was probably just speculation roaming around the house. And with that I could tell, that she thought it was that, a blush crept onto my face, I bow and say I must leave.

That should leave them from worrying, she will probably tell everyone else that he will finally disclose our real relationship. I sigh, and then slowly walk away the building. Once I was out; I was running and jumping everywhere to get to the dojo. I was itching to punch the dummies.

My father found me punching my 4th dummy, the other 3 on the side since they were just worn. They were worn to begin with, but it went through a thorough abuse by my fists and kicks. So either the head was ripped off its body or the stuffing is gushing out a few slashes, it was placed on the side. I think I was using weapons at some point, I just don't really recall.

"Avery—training is suppose to start now" Father inspects the dummies, and mumbles something, I was still kicking and punching my 4th dummy, I didn't have a weapon, I think. "I guess that is all your training for today, you can't train anymore, you've used up all you stamina" I stopped

"Father, I am completely fine, I have enough stamina for your training" I replied, I no longer studied with the others, however from time to time I do, I was taught one-by-one, after all I am going to inherit the dojo. I continued to abuse the poor dummy as my father corrects and comments on my blows with a loud sigh, he tell me to stop.

"That's it, you're just lashing out!" Father runs his hands through his hair. "You've never made noobish mistakes, all your blows are like having someone punch and kick when they learned the moves from a movie!" He looked at me, and I wiped the sweat on my forehead with the back of my hand. "My point is that you're lashing out on the dummy."

I said nothing and just looked at him; he puts his hands on my shoulders.

"What's the matter?" He asks, I look at him and slid to the floor and leaned on the dummy, he follows my lead.

"I…" I looked at my dad, and then looked ahead of me "I'm seeing someone"

"I know" I feel him nod.

"I know" I tell him too, I felt someone watching a few times when I was with Ryuu, but I never put it out there, so it was him, huh.

"It's Ryuu, right?" I feel his gaze on me and I nod. "I like the guy, if he makes you happy but—"I knew what he was ganna say.

"Getting hurt is inevitable, father. Him and I, we are probably not going to last" I closed my eyes, and then I felt my father's hand on the side of my arm, he pulls me so I leaned on his shoulder. This was his version of comfort, this was our relationship, and I started to cry. "I accept it, it just hurts"

"Why don't you try and make things work?"

"Things are never that simple, you and mother are a proof of that" He nods. "But you can't give up, you like him don't you?"

"I don't know, I think I do. But you told me family first, but the odd thing is—we haven't been much of a family." I pull from the embrace to look at my father's amber eyes, the same on my twin brother has. He pats my head with a faint smile.

"Sometimes I think you are too wise for your own age" He pulls me back into his embrace, as he muttered encouragement to let it all out. And I did, I cried till I couldn't. I was terrified for Ryuu. This sickness felt like I was losing him. It wasn't cancer, but something wasn't right.

After a few hours my whole family was in the dining room, eating dinner. And I can't recall such a happy dinner like this. I had asked father to keep my relationship secret, because well—I don't know. But he didn't ask, he just nod and agreed to my wishes.

"And then Akio built—"Mother says, words were exchanged and I was happy. The last few times we ate as a family since Akio and Mom got here was a little rough. Either someone had to leave because of work, or I wasn't putting the effort to try and actually talk to either of them. I brush of every topic with a shrug. But now, I'm trying this whole family thing.

"Sweetie" Mom says drawing back my attention to her solemn face, everyone was quiet. "Have you two been troubled by the whole mask person recently?"

"No mom" Akio replies calmly, I shook my head

"I feel like this is my fault" She sighs

"Look no one knew these doom cards would appear again." I say and look at her in the eye "It's not like he has or she has minions" I shrug

"That's true, so far the incident has been caused by him," Father glances at me "Or her, alone" We all nod

"I hope no one thinks it either of you, or Quinn involved" Mom says sadness laced in her voice

"They shouldn't because that is just rude!" I say

After dinner I told Dad that I had things to do, he gives me a nod and I rushed out, to Ryuu's place yet again.

"I just came to visit" I tell Ryuu's mom who smiles and whose eyes lit up upon seeing me.

"Ryuu's in his room" I nod and head there. I opened the sliding door after receiving no reply.

There stood the man in the mask. His back facing me, he turns to gaze at me. He wore a long black leather jacket, his hair was styled but that's pretty much all I could see, the room was too dark. I eyed the room no one was here. I slowly approach the man.

"Who-"

"Stand back!" He looked like he was ready to push me away, and at this distance, I was frozen in place.

"Ryuu?" I called back and then the man flinches, I ran to hug the masked man. "Ryuu is that you?" I called; I had a bad feeling about this. At some point I thought that the masked man was Ryuu, I didn't want it to be, but he was. I cup his cheek in my hand; the recognition in his a small movement, when I called him vanished.

"Hey." I smiled faintly "It's me; don't tell me you don't remember your best friend?" I say, he looks at me, but since he hasn't pushed me off him, it meant that he somehow he recognized me right? "Your girlfriend?" He flinches at the word, and I took a step back, shock and scared.

When I heard the rumors of this mask man—I probably knew it was him. He appeared right after Ryuu got sick for an unknown reason, and he started acting off, it was slight, he told me weird things—everything that has happened the past few days made sense, it coincided with the masked man's sudden appearance. Didn't it?

He sighed so softly, and then withdrew his mask, and as it left his face the whole get up vanished, showing me Ryuu. He lets his arm drop to his side lazily and let's goes of the mask; it makes a sound as it hit the wooden floor.

"Avery" He approached to hug me, but I couldn't lift my arms to hug him back, all I could do was steal a glance on the mask.

I don't own BAKUGAN,

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