His hands gripped the purple fabric that clung to his knees due to sweat. He should've changed into gym clothes but the great and prideful Wakiya Komurasaki has to be just that.
With careful movements for such an exhausted state he wiped his brow without ruffling a bit of his bangs. Throwing back his head he took a long gulp of water and then turned to the showers off of his private gym.
As he walked around with one towel around his waist and the other in his left hand massaging his soaked hair, Wakiya reached for his phone. Idly he scanned through his phone before finding his scheduling app.
Wakiya opened to that day's layout to find that he only had a few charity events to prepare for. That afternoon he was visiting a hospital to hang out with some kids and elderly patients as well as deliver a check with a generous donation for the renovations to the children's ward. After that he would return home to prepare baked goods for a Beigoma Academy fundraiser for the Bey club and a demonstration he would be giving at the club.
As he dressed in his purple suit he contemplated how long it had been since he was once a student at Beigoma himself. It had been too long since he had even heard from his old rivals.
Wakiya has left the blading circuit shortly after Shu because while it had been a great age in his life he knew it would've been terminated sooner or later. The bitter fact was that he didn't have enough raw talent to make it. All the training he did would never make up for that and Wakiya knew it was only a matter of time before he'd meet his match.
His last match was against Ken. It was a tough battle, Ken was winning 2-1. And though Wakiya managed to scrape up 3 point in the end he had somehow injured his launching hand. Deciding to quit while he still had his dignity, Wakiya declared it his last match and hadn't returned to the Bey Stadium since. He hadn't even kept up with his old rivals. Everything from the Age of Wyvron had fallen from his life.
Nowadays, he ran his parents company and participated in as many charity events as he could. As he pulled his hair into the low ponytail that rested across his shoulders it registered in the back of his mind that tomorrow he would launch his Bey for the first time in years.
With a sigh he grabbed his briefcase and sat in the limo. He told Hoji to head for the hospital and sat silent reminiscing about the first time he'd beaten Valt.
———
As soon as the kind nurse had left him in the hospital children's area Wakiya was swarmed by eager youngsters.
"Hey, Mister! Are you here to play with us?"
"Wow, you look so cool!"
"What's your name, Sir?"
"Are you Mr. Wakiya Komurasaki?"
"Woah! Mr. Komurasaki your a legendary Blader!"
With a placating gesture from Wakiya the exuberant chatter settled down. The kids watched him expectantly and in response he sat facing them on a plastic chair. A small girl gestures to be set on his lap and Wakiya complied.
"You all are an energetic bunch. Yes, I am here to play with you. Yes, I am Wakiya Komurasaki. And I don't know about legendary but thank you for saying that. So what do you want to play?" Wakiya addressed the kids eloquently but in a fashion that they could keep up with.
In response to his question they showed him a game that they had made up. They all had specific roles and handicaps based on what their various illnesses allowed them to do. It was essentially a role play game with accommodations so that all the kids could play whatever role they wanted.
Wakiya quickly fell into the role of the wise and caring Sensei. The girl on his lap remained so for the whole game, even when he relocated to the couch so one of his in-game 'students' could braid his hair. It was messy, knotty, and decidedly unruly but, the boy was very proud so he left it in.
At some point between his arrival and departure from the children a news channel had snuck in to capture footage for a segment on the hospital's new children's ward. The cameras were also present when Wakiya delivered the check to the hospital staff. It was an actual check not one of the large cartoonish ones. As he shook hands with one of the head staff members Wakiya was acutely aware that his hair was still braided.
After all the ceremony was over with, he bid goodbye to the children and hopped into the limo. Hoji then drove him back home.
———
As he got in bed that night Wakiya mentally double checked that he had done everything in his checklist.
Play with kids and deliver donation?
Check.
Bake seven dozen cupcakes and 13 batches of cookies for the fundraiser?
Check.
Practice for demonstration tomorrow against unknown opponent?
Check.
With all of his priorities settled in his mind, Wakiya drifted to sleep. But it was by no means peaceful.
*Dreamscape*
Wakiya was going to fall. He knew this with deathly certainty because, why wouldn't he fall? The chasm was right there and this flimsy zip line couldn't save him. Sure Valt, and Daigo, and Rantaro, and that kid Cuza could make it over there but, that was because they were actually talented.
Even worse than his fear of the fall and his insecurity was the fear of losing Shu. He had no clue where the other Blader was and that terrified him. How could he lose someone so important to him again? He couldn't lose him like he lost her. Like he had lost Satine.
He could remember his sister's lifeless body so clearly. They weren't blood related but their families were close. Had she lives he was certain they would've been forced to marry by now.
So harsh the memory lay like an open book in his mind, tempting him to peek at the horrifying pages. Her once white dress blooming with pink. Her right hand gripping her Bey, Sonata Sistine, and her left hand loosely clasping a dagger that she herself had plunged into her chest.
The worst part was that Wakiya couldn't blame her. He knew exactly how it had felt to want to commit the same act. The only thing that had stopped him was his innate desire to lead the life that she had wanted for him. He wanted her to be proud so everyday that he hated himself he used that as energy to fuel his mask.
A mask that had fallen apart the moment he heard that Shu was missing. Luckily he had pulled himself together in time to get the others' help but he was falling apart again.
Slowly the dream shifted from the zip line to the Bey stadium suspended above the chasm. Though this time as he was frozen in front of the walkway a different face glared at him. Instead of seeing his opponent brandishing Shadow Wyvron, it was Red Eye.
Red Eye. Red Eye! No, not Red Eye, Shu. Shy glaring at him with such malice, and hatred, and loathing. And Wakiya couldn't even do anything about it. Valt had been the one to bring back Shu in the end and Wakiya had barely talked to him since Valt had saved him.
He was a failure. When it came down to it he could never save the ones he loved.
*End Dreamscape.*
With a start, Wakiya woke sweat soaked. With a sigh he flings back the covers and starts today like all the others.
———
Both Wakiya and Hoji take several trips from the car to the gym to unload all of the baked goods that had been made the night before. Wakiya lowered the last tray and sent Hoji on break.
Anxiety filled Wakiya like never before. As he milled about the fundraiser, he panicked at the idea of blading again. He had no clue who his partner was and he knew that he wouldn't be able to beat them. Insurmountable doubt welled inside him but he pushed it down in favor of his kind benefactor mask.
With his insides swirling Wakiya made conversation with the Bey club members, patrons, and the staff. Still he had yet to discern his opponent. In a moment of desperation he decided to ask the principal.
"Ah well, we had put in a request to all our alumni who had blading experience and oddly enough only you and one other volunteered. I believe you are well a aquatinted- and here he comes now, Shu Kurenai!"
Wakiya paled. This is what he had feared, a true legend. Someone with actual talent and skill. A Beyblade Genius.
With trembling lips he reinstated his façade and worked up the courage to greet Shu.
"Ah well, I suppose I will face you in the stadium once again Shu."
"I suppose so. I see you've mellowed with age Wakiya."
Wakiya had to fight to keep his mask up. Upon hearing the real Shi'a voice he had wanted to crumble into the other man's arms and weep. Unfortunately, that was not an option as that would be out of character for him and he most likely meant nothing to the other man.
"I must have. Well, I should be going."
With a hand pressed to his mouth, Wakiya sped from the conversation to the rest room. Once in the bathroom he locked the door and firmly gripped both sides of the sink.
Fat tears rolled down his cheeks, pooling in the sink. Wakiya's body was shaking with suppressed sobs. Months of concern and fear along with years of anxiety and loneliness poured from him. When he looked up in the mirror he sighed. A glance at his watch hastened his movements.
Swiftly he cleaned himself up and made his way to the front of the gym by the Bey Stadium. The match would be starting soon and the principal was gathering the attention of the assembled people.
After a short speech, Shu and Wakiya locked eyes although Wakiya averted his gaze almost immediately. The two went a few rounds until, predictably, Shu won. Wakiya congratulated him and then moved to leave.
Shu followed him into the side hallway and then called out:
"Wakiya!"
Wakiya turned to the man behind him. He was desperate to get home and let himself be sad.
"Yes?"
Shu looked down and then fidgeted with his gloves.
"Do you think... we could maybe, talk? It's been a while."
"That it has."
"I haven't apologized to you yet. For Red Eye."
"You don't need to-"
Shu moves forward and gently placed a hand on Wakiya's forearm.
"Yes I do. I know that you were the most worried about me. I wasn't blind as Red Eye. But, then you didn't speak to me when I came back so I figured-"
Wakiya looked slightly surprised but quickly hid it.
"You needed time with Valt. He was the one to bring you back."
"You could've brought me back a lot sooner," Shu said, honestly.
"What?" Wakiya meets his eyes.
"Red Eye would've left sooner if you had been there. I... I-um... have a stronger connection to you than to Valt. He had the ability to bring me back but, the-uh emotions that I have towards you would've brought me back far before Valt did," Shu explained, embarrassed.
"What are you saying, Shu?"
"I-"an amused laugh-"I think- no, I know that you are more than just a friend and rival to me. It's okay if you don't feel the same but, I just had to see you again. I-I hope you understa-"
Shu was cut off as Wakiya's mask dropped and he fell into him sobbing. Surprised, Shu instinctively wrapped his arms around Wakiya and maneuvered over to a conveniently located bench.
Wakiya outright sobbed into Shi'a chest, something he'd been holding in even longer than the feelings he had cried out earlier. His seemingly hopeless crush on Shu.
Finally, Wakiya knew that he was loved by the one person who meant more to him than anything. He had to be sure though. He jerked his head upward and pushed away from Shu a bit. The white haired boy's expression dropped but, Wakiya opened his mouth.
"Does that mean that you have romantic feelings for me as well?"
Now that he knew he wasn't being rejected, Shu embraced Wakiya's hands with his own and nodded excitedly.
"Shu Kurenai, would you like to go on a date with me?"
"Of course."