This would be FuriousFanny's request of Mariam taking Max up in a hot air balloon because she figured Max wouldn't be a big fan of heights. I ran with it and it didn't come out how I expected, but I think it's okay. The title is crap because I can think of nothing else that doesn't sound weird.

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade.

Enjoy!

Ballooning

It was a perfect day for flying as the hot air balloon took off, floating lazily through bright blue skies punctuated by cotton ball clouds. Unfortunately, the afternoon flight was not exactly fun and games for Max as he struggled to keep at least some of his masculinity in check. He wasn't exactly fond of heights and the last thing he needed was for Mariam to see him act like a scared child.

"You okay, Max?" Mariam asked, shielding her eyes from the sun as she turned to look at him. It was a good thing she couldn't see too well, because Max figured he looked pretty pale.

He nodded, afraid that if he tried to speak, his voice would betray him. Either that, or he'd vomit. Neither option was very favorable at the moment, so he was glad when she didn't press the subject.

He took a few huge gulps of fresh air, desperate to get some oxygen to his brain through his newfound dizziness. On wobbly legs, he walked over to the edge of the basket to have something to lean on. He quickly regretted it – he'd accidentally looked down.

Memories came flooding back as dread tore at him.

He was four, skipping along their New York balcony, waiting for the neighborhood dog walker to pass. In the distance the yapping of numerous dogs could be heard. Giggling joyously, the little boy ran over to the railing and was just about to call out to Shelly and the pooches when the toy plane he'd been playing with slipped out of his grasp. He made a few wild grasps into thin air and then he was falling. In a mass of flailing limbs, he tumbled off the balcony.

"Max." Mariam grabbed his shoulder, concerned for the quivering teen whose eyes were glued to a spot some hundreds of feet down.

He jumped and twisted around to latch onto Mariam. For a split second, he'd been dangerously close to falling. Max's eyes were wide with terror and all color was gone from his face. He started to shake again, so Mariam gently pushed him to the floor and knelt beside him as he pulled his knees up to his chest.

"Maxie?"

He wouldn't meet her eyes.

"I'm sorry," he whimpered. "I thought I could do it, but I just can't."

"I'm guessing you've got a problem with heights, huh, Maxie?" She brushed some hair out of his face. "What happened? Or do you just not like them?"

"I fell off our balcony when I was little," he told her. "I would've died – we live on the top floor – but I landed on someone else's balcony, somehow. No one's sure how it happened."

Mariam sat next to Max and let out a sigh. "My mom was right."

"About what?"

"'Communication is key.'" Mariam quoted, smiling at Max. "If you'd have told me that before we came up here, I wouldn't have brought you up. I mean, the only reason I did was because I thought you'd have fun."

"You're not mad?" A small bit of hope twinkled somewhere in his eyes.

"Of course not!" she exclaimed. "I can see the clouds just as easily on the ground. In fact, the sky up here looks remarkably similar to the one I see from the ground."

Max beamed and pulled Mariam into a hug.

"Dunga," Mariam called from his arms, "take us down."

"Wimp." Dunga muttered, inaudibly, nearly choking on the cuteness of the pair.

A/N: No, I don't know why Dunga's flying the balloon. I needed someone and I thought he'd make it interesting. Maybe the rest of his team dared him to learn how to fly one or something.

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