A/N: Originally I was going to write something else for this prompt. I probably changed my mind three times, trying to get passionate about an idea, before this one hit me. It's another short and sweet chapter, but I'm happy with how it turned out. :)

Day 21 | Tyson, Bladebreakers | Rated: K+

Rest

Tyson's legs felt like jelly as he hobbled down the hall. With every step his surroundings winked in and out of focus, sometimes changing inexplicably, like he'd blacked out for chunks of the journey. It was possible; he didn't remember any of the car ride home. If Max and Ray hadn't been holding him up, he probably would have pitched forward onto the ground before he even made it past the dojo's gates.

Turns out that nothing brought out the bone-deep exhaustion in a guy like a beybattle that somehow transcended space and time, against an opponent with the power to annihilate entire cities.

Tyson had faced tough rivals before. He'd come out of battles beaten and bruised and ready to sleep for days after the adrenaline wore off.

His battle with Brooklyn was on another level entirely.

It was a tie-breaking match, the future of the sport of beyblading depended on the outcome, every blader in the world was counting on him – he knew all of that going into it. But Brooklyn's inner turmoil being unleashed as pure, concentrated power that threatened to tear everything in its path apart at the seams, and the duty Tyson felt to help him navigate that turmoil… that was something he wasn't prepared for, even with Garland's warning.

Now, after all the excitement, he was crashing hard.

In the back of his mind, he registered the sounds of everyone heading toward the training room. He wanted to follow them, talk about the battle and check in with Tala and Kai and find out what would happen next, but Max and Ray seemed to agree that he was better off in bed. He was powerless to argue and let them steer him into his room without a fight.

Ray ducked out from under his arm as they approached the bed. Max turned them around and eased Tyson down to sit on the edge of the mattress. He wanted to complain that he didn't need to be babied, but the second he bent his knees, they gave out on him. It was only thanks to Max that he didn't collapse entirely.

"Is he okay?" Hilary's worried voice rang out from somewhere near the doorway.

Tyson opened eyes he hadn't realized he'd closed and saw that she, Kenny, and Daichi had broken off from the larger group, as well.

"Oh, he's just bein' dramatic," Daichi scoffed.

"Daichi!" There was a familiar, testy tone in Kenny's voice that made Tyson crack a tired smile. "Tyson just battled and won against the toughest opponent there is. He fought past the point of exhaustion – I'm surprised he was even standing in the end!"

"That's right!" Hilary added sternly, looking, even in Tyson's blurred periphery, like she wanted to give Daichi a good wallop. "I'd like to see you face Brooklyn – we'd have been carrying you back on a stretcher!"

"I was only joking!" Daichi's hands flew up in preemptive defense.

"Joking or not, we should all be able to agree that Tyson deserves a rest," Max said diplomatically. Tyson was leaning on him so heavily that he could feel his voice reverberating through his body. It was comforting, in a way, and making him sleepy.

"Definitely," Ray agreed, golden eyes watching Tyson so intensely that he could tell, even in the moments his own eyes slid shut. "None of us could have taken on Brooklyn at his strongest and won. Rest is the least we owe Tyson."

Tyson wanted to come up with some kind of reply – maybe tease Ray a little, make fun of them for doting on him or putting him on a pedestal – but every time he tried to focus on something other than staying awake, his vision started going black at the edges. At least, if he passed out unexpectedly, he knew his teammates were there to make sure he didn't get hurt.

He hoped Garland and the rest of the Justice Five were looking after Brooklyn like Tyson's friends were looking after him – he had to be just as exhausted as Tyson was. He didn't even know if they had a place to stay with the BEGA building destroyed. Did any of them have homes nearby? He would have offered them part of the training room if he'd thought of it earlier.

"Brooklyn?" he muttered hoarsely. It definitely wasn't the full sentence he'd been trying to string together, most of the words getting lost between his brain and his mouth. His teammates exchanged confused looks.

"Brooklyn's with Garland."

Tyson didn't have the energy to be surprised by Kai's interjection or the fact that he knew exactly what Tyson was trying to say or the way he was suddenly leaning in the doorway, still covered in bandages. The rest of the room startled and whipped around. Tyson was glad he was awake enough to see Daichi jump out of his skin.

"Geez, Kai! You gotta quit sneakin' up on people."

True to form, Kai ignored Daichi's grousing and stared at Tyson with the eye that wasn't bandaged. Tyson could feel a sort of understanding pass between them; Kai had battled Brooklyn, too, and knew just how tough of an opponent he could be. They were both stronger for having faced him and, when Tyson could sit without swaying and Kai's injuries were healed, his gut told him that Kai would be gunning for another rematch.

"You look awful," Kai said, looking Tyson up and down.

"Now really, Kai!" Hilary exclaimed, hands on her hips.

Tyson just snorted and said, "You're one to talk."

Kai frowned and his eye narrowed.

Max laughed and Ray shook his head with an amused smile.

Tyson was started to go cross-eyed from fatigue, and when Hilary asked "Is this really the time?" it sounded like it echoed. He leaned on Max more to disguise the fact that his head was starting to droop of its own accord.

His friends must have noticed he was fading fast, because they sprang into action without another word.

Ray knelt down and began to untie Tyson's shoes, removing them and his socks. Max used his free hand to take off his hat then, patiently, helped Tyson fumble through removing his jacket and peeling off his gloves. When they moved to his tattered shirt, Hilary said something about a first aid kit and darted from the room. By the time she returned, they had him in a pair of pajama pants with the covers tucked around his waist.

Kai had disappeared in the shuffle, out of the room or simply out of Tyson's line of vision, he didn't know, but he was grateful to know that Brooklyn was okay. Now that his head was on the pillow, his entire body felt heavy and too achy to move. He couldn't remember any other battle ever making him feel this battered. It hurt to even keep his eyes open, so he let them slide closed.

"Tyson? I'm going to clean these scratches on your chest, okay?"

He hummed instead of answering and felt the mattress sink slightly as Hilary sat down. There was a soft conversation going on in the background – something about sleeping arrangements and someone was shushing Daichi and Kenny sounded as excitable as always – but he heard the first aid kit click open above it all.

Hilary was surprisingly gentle with the antiseptic. Tyson thought he should have beyblade battles in wormholes more often if it got Hilary to be nice for a change. He tried to say as much, but words, again, failed him as everything faded to black.

The last thing he remembered was the sound of bandages unraveling and the peaceful feeling of falling asleep, surrounded by his friends.

A/N: Tyson probably never truly rested during the entire BEGA arc. He deserves it. Super proud of him.

Thank you for reading! And thank you to anybody who's supported this fic so far and anybody who continues to do so now that MayBlade and the after party are officially behind us. I've enjoyed using MayBlade prompts as a reason to experiment with different characters and stories than I might not normally write and it means the world to me to hear that people like to read what I've written. I know the reviews section and notes on tumblr will quiet down now that the event is over, but just know that you all give me the energy to keep chipping away at these prompts and I so so appreciate it! :) I'm excited to write some more!