Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade.

Vinegar

The pungent smell of vinegar assails Bryan as soon as he enters the house. Wrinkling his nose he heads straight for the office which is on the opposite side of the house.

Robert is in the office at the desk and Bryan isn't surprised to see that his lover has every window open, creasing quite the cross breeze. "What the hell is going on?"

Sparing a glance for his lover Robert picks up a paperweight and removes the stack underneath it. "I don't know. I ventured down there once to ask about it but the smell was unbearable. I fear Gretchen might be some kind of witch."

Bryan moves his chair to better take advantage of the breeze. "I wouldn't be surprised. I hope this smell doesn't linger."

Smiling Robert pushes away from the desk. "That would make for an awkward dinner party."

Bryan smirks. "It would give us a reason to cancel. Neither of us were looking for to it."

"Perhaps I should go tell her to continue whatever madness she has going on in the kitchen."

Leaning back in the chair Bryan kicks his feet up on the corner of the desk. "I wouldn't hold it against you."

Shower

Robert can feel Bryan's heat against his back even through the warmth of the falling water and he's grateful for his lover's presence.

Despite the fact he's been home and dealing with his blindness for two months the shower is still an unknown factor. No matter how many times Bryan tells him how it is set up, how many times he feels the controls he can never remember how they're set up.

A hand touches his shoulder. "Okay?"

Robert nods and accepts the bottle Bryan is pressing against his hand. "Fine. I'm more exhausted than I thought I would be."

"Shampoo in your hand. You know no one is going to judge you for not throwing yourself into everything full tilt. And exhausting yourself everyday isn't going to help the healing process."

Shampoo is one thing he can handle and he manages to squirt some on his hand. The bottle is taken from him and Robert lathers his hair. "I know, but I'm getting bored."

Bryan rests his hand on Robert's lower back, watching him. "I know, and we'll find a way to let you get work done but not at the expense of your health."

Robert moves under the showerhead. "I'll take tomorrow off."

Smiling Bryan picks up the body wash. "That's all I want Robert, just one day."

Cumbersome

With a groan Bryan sits back and shakes his hand out. "This paperwork is cumbersome."

Robert smiles as he works on his own. "I know and apologize for it but my grandfather put this all together to make sure the business wasn't stole by someone without the best interests at heart."

Bryan sets his pen down. "I can't guarantee I'd be able to run it and keep it one piece but I would try."

"Luckily the board handles most of that. You would only be required to make the extremely important decisions."

Pushing away from the desk Bryan stretches. "I'll finish it, but can we just pretend you're going to live forever so I don't even have to think about running it."

Smile curling his lips Robert flips through the file in his hands. "I shall endeavor to do so, but I make no promises."

Bryan ruffles a hand through his hair. "Let's get some lunch and I'll finish this after we've eaten."

"A good idea." Robert pushes back from the desk. "There should be some roast left in the fridge."

Bryan joins his lover, bumping Robert as they leave the study.

Chess

Swirling his glass of brandy Robert watches as Bryan stares at the chess board, pale eyebrows furrowed. He doesn't move when his lover glances at him before moving his rook forward.

Robert waits until Bryan sits back in his chair before moving his own bishop to claim the black rook, removing it from the board. "I'll never understand how, after all these years you're still so bad at chess. Your strategy in everything else is flawless."

"Because I swear there's no fucking reason to this game." Bryan frowns. "How many games have I actually won?"

Trying to hide his smile, Robert studies the board. "A dozen, maybe?"

Bryan groans as Robert claims one of his pawns. "And I never lost that many battles ever. This game is terrible."

Robert taps his foot against Bryan's under the table. "I won't tell anyone chess is your one weakness."

"Everyone would laugh themselves to death." Bryan smirks. "Actually that would get rid of some of the annoying people in my life. Let's spread the word."

Robert sets his brandy down. "I'll write the e-mail tomorrow."

Debutante

"I have to ask. How many debutantes threw themselves at you?"

Robert rolls his eyes as he nudges his lover's thigh with his feet. "You are a menace."

Bryan grins. "You had to have known I would ask. I love the way you turn red when I ask you stuff like that."

Sighing Robert hangs his head. "Three every year, at least. No matter how many I turned down, another would ask. The Jurgen wealth was like honey to many of my compatriots."

"And then I came into the picture and dashed all their hopes and dreams."

Bryan's smirk is infectious and Robert smiles. "Yes. And I appreciate you saving me from the debutante nightmare. Some of the women were distressingly forward."

Bryan rests his hand on his lover's shin. "Never mind the fact that kind of attention wasn't your thing."

"Yes, that was another reason I came to hate that time of year. And no one would believe I wasn't attracted to them because no scion of the House Jurgen could possibly be attracted to the same sex."

Moving so he's kneeling over his lover Bryan grins down at Robert. "Lucky me."

Limp

Robert watches over the top of his book as Bryan limps into the parlour. He know it gets worse as the day goes on but his lover won't slow down even if it means being in pain for the rest of the night.

"I know you're watching me. And the limp isn't going to kill me."

Flushing Robert sets his book down. His lover is grinning, eyes hooded, and he knows Bryan doesn't care about his scrutiny. "I worry."

Bryan limps to the couch and sits down. "And I know you don't believe me when I say it doesn't hurt as much as the limping would suggest."

"I know." Robert picks up his book and resumes reading though he keeps part of his attention on his lover. He sees the way Bryan rubs at his right knee, the way pale brows draw together when he frowns. There isn't much that can be done to fix the limp but it hurts Robert to see Bryan in pain.

"It is worse tonight. I'll probably spend most of tomorrow on my ass."

Robert hides his smile behind his book. His lover is catering to his worry and he appreciates it, even as he knows Bryan will give up halfway through the day.

It's the thought that counts.

Read

Robert relaxes into couch, listening as Bryan moves around the room. This has become a ritual, started in the hospital and continuing now in the peace of their home.

A hand touches his shoulder. "Since we finished Crime and Punishment what should we read now?"

Raising his hand Robert touches his lover's hand. "I chose Crime and Punishment so it is only fair you pick the next one."

Bryan laughs and pulls away to look at the shelves. They line the walls, filled with books of all sizes and shapes and spanning genres. He's lost track of the number of books he's read to his lover and he enjoys it, though he wishes Robert had never lost his sight.

He finally finds something and he returns to the couch. Sitting down he gently draws Robert's legs into his lap, waiting for his lover to get comfortable. "One Thousand and One Arabian Nights."

Robert smiles. "I see we aren't getting away from the classics."

Resting a hand on Robert's knee Bryan opens the book. "With this we get a little bit of everything so it seemed like a good idea."

"As always, your reasoning makes perfect sense." Robert pulls the blanket off the back of the couch and spreads it over his body as Bryan begins to read.