Yeah, this has been a long time coming. I'm still having trouble getting into my writing groove again. My multi-chapter stories are being severely neglected and I have about fifty other things started. I keep getting new ideas...I think I need to sell them or something.

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade.

Enjoy!

"You know everything about me."

Everything About Me

"Me? Tell you about myself?"

Max nodded beseechingly.

Mariam strummed her fingernails on her mug and looked around the Tate's living room for some distraction. With a sigh of defeat she set her mug down on the coffee table between she and Max and leaned back in her chair. "What do you want to know?"

He shrugged. "Anything and everything, I guess."

"That's a lot, Max."

"Yeah..."

"Well I kind of need something to start with or... Can't you just ask questions?."

"That's not the same."

"So?"

"Mariam," he whined, pouting. "You're so difficult."

"I can't help it – I suck at telling people about myself. I never know what they want to know."

"Anything!"

"Nope, sorry."

Max huffed and lay back on the couch, muttering something along the lines of, "I'm her boyfriend and I know nothing about her. We'll see how far we get now."

Mariam rolled her eyes. What a child. Still, it was better to give in to the kid than let him mope pathetically about the whole thing. She was feeling generous today. And there was always some way to get free of Max's demands. You just had to know him. Thankfully, Mariam was an expert. She got up and hopped over the coffee table to sit on the couch. She leaned over Max, placing her elbows on his chest to prop herself up. He looked perfectly awkward.

Now, to choose facts that she could afford to let him know. Nothing too revealing. "I come from a miniscule village in China. My mom's a doctor, not exactly traditional in our society. Dad's an archaeologist in charge of looking for potentially dangerous bitbeasts and sealing them before they get accidentally unleashed. They married young, as is the tradition. I still don't see what they saw in each other – they're completely different. Anyway, I was born within the first year of their marriage and the rest is history."

"Keep going," Max urged, blushing because of her close proximity. "You've told me more about your parents than you. I'll never know anything about you at this rate."

"You know, Max. I could go back to the village and marry someone there who wasn't as prying and annoying as you are." She traced his jawline with a pointer finger.

"You're full of it," he choked out.

She gave him half a smile. "You know me too well, kid. I'm too attached to you to leave and I am in no rush whatsoever to get married. Ew! I shudder at the thought! None of the guys from my village are my type, anyway – they're all looking for a wife they can boss around. Plus I'm related to most of them. It's called a clan for a reason."

"Keep going." His heart was racing. Why did he always feel so light-headed and breathless when she was close to him? Maybe because he knew that she was almost always plotting something that would catch him off-guard. It didn't help that she was practically laying on top of him either. If his mom could see them right now...

"Alright, then I will, if you insist." She twirled a lock of his hair around her pinky.

"I do," he muttered, barely able to remain sane.

"That's nice." She drew patterns on his chest with her fingertips.

He blushed.

Mariam smirked, and went on. "I've wanted a way out of that village my whole life. Everyone else seemed content hanging around and living a boring, dreary life. Not me. I grew tired and bored. Nothing was any fun, it was the same old routine everyday. Then I got into beyblading – it's been a part of our culture for years. I'd found my way out. And now that you and I have a steady relationship going, I may end up being able to go to school in America, like I always wanted. And, no, I'm not using you."

"I never thought you were, Mariam. Give me more credit than that."

With a poke of his nose she said, "Your mother might jump to the conclusion."

"She's not home." For some reason, his blush deepened.

"That would be an incredible show of trust on her part. I wouldn't be surprised if she was lurking somewhere." She stood up and took a stroll around the room, peeking behind the curtains and out into the connecting rooms. "Just because we can't see her doesn't mean she's not here."

"Quit trying to distract me, Mariam." He sat up to give her and amused and accusing stare. Now that she was out of his personal bubble, he could breathe easier and get some oxygen to his brain to maintain logical thought processes."You can't get out of this. You're doing pretty good so far."

"Fine," Mariam sat on the couch and leaned her back against his so that they were seated back to back. "But there's not very much more to tell."

"Um, yeah, there is. Can't you give me any more details? Your file didn't exactly say very much."

"What?"

"Oops." How had that slipped out?! It was her fault! She'd gotten too close again! Even when she wasn't face to face with him she drove him crazy! What kind of spell did she have him under?!

"You read my file?!" Mariam was flabbergasted that Max would stoop to such a level to find out more about her. "The BBA one?"

"Kind of..." he answered, fearful of her reaction.

"I'm flattered."

"Huh?"

"Little Maxie broke a rule for me." She laughed. "What would your mother say?"

He blushed as she leaned her head back over his shoulder. "I don't think she'd be pleased..."

"Undoubtedly." After a brief pause, she spoke again. "There's something else about me you should know, Max." She watched his Adam's apple bob as he gulped, nervous, as he always was when he knew she had an ace up her sleeve. "I'm a sucker for blue eyes." She gently kissed his cheek. "Freckles are a plus, too." With one more peck, she picked up her mug and took a swig of the lukewarm coffee.

A/N: It's random...and I'm paranoid that it doesn't make very much sense. I went over it a few times, but I'm a little out of it right now for no apparent reason. I think it's at least mildly entertaining. The ending's abrupt, but it's meant to be. What happens next is up to you to interpret.

I find it funny how, even when Max thinks he has the upper hand, Mariam has it.

Review?