//Ghost.// Valt × Shu: Beyblade Burst God

Chapter 14: silence.

Shu opens his blood-red eyes and is met with the sight of Valt. A gasp is caught in his throat as the bluenette smiles innocently at him, eyes lighting up.

"Hey, Shu!" He waves the albino over and his feet unconsciously follow towards Valt.

Shu stops in front of the smaller boy. "Hey...?" he greets awkwardly and coldly.

Valt frowns. "What's wrong?" He is suddenly close to Shu, their noses centimeters apart and his breath fanning against Shu's mouth. "Not comfortable?"

Shu sputters and the bluenette smiles mischievously before backing away.

"Well, that's too bad. Though, you really deserve it." Valt walks around Shu in a circle, twirling a lock of blue hair around his fingers. "You broken all of those bey's, left behind everyone who ever cared about you, turned evil, faked your death, and broke my heart."

Valt stops suddenly in front of a guilty Shu. "So, what do you plan to do now? Be the coward you are and leave? Or stand your ground?" Valt laughs humorlessly. "There's no need to really ask, though, 'cause you will always run away? Isn't it your trademark now? Should be."

Shu looks soundlessly at the ground. Valt shakes his head and sighs. "I really thought there was more to you, that you are better than this," Valt shrugs, "guess I was wrong, aren't I?"

"I'm not a coward and I don't run away all the time!" Shu protests.

"Ah, denial is the worst part about this," Valt says with hazel eyes closed.

"Go. Away."

Valt opens a single eye.

"If all you've come here to do is mock me, than get the hell out."

"This is your dream, not mine." Valt leans to whispers in Shu's ear; "I am your regret."

///////////

The blaring sound of the alarm clock rings throughout Shu's ears and the apartment. It rouses him from his restless sleep and haunting dream. For once, Shu is glad his alarm clock really works.

Shu sighs and sits up with a frown. He rubs a crimson eye with his fist, yawning.

Shu stares at the wall before flopping back down on his bed and pulling the covers tightly over his head. "Noooo..." he groans. "I don't wanna get up..."

He is waiting for the chirpy voice that always pulls him half awake and pries the blankets from his fingers; the voice that would scold him about staying up too late, and himself trying to sleepily deny it but the person wouldn't buy it; the one who complains that they should be asleep and not him, but then gives in and cuddles with him and they sleep the afternoon away before his mother has to drag him out of the house.

Nothing.

The silence looms through Shu's head as he pushes the blankets back a bit to gaze around the room.

No one is there.

No one is there to crack silly jokes that have him groaning from how much he cringes.

No one is there to complain about waking him up and chatter about the upcoming beyblade tournaments.

The silence is suffocating, and for the first time since the villain arrived here, he doesn't like it one bit.

///////////

Valtryek flys through the air and clatters to the gym floor noisily. Free raises an eyebrow at the owner of the defeated bey.

"You okay?" Free says with unusual concern. "You put up a fight most of the time."

Valt's head snaps up to meet his blank grayish black eyes. "O-oh. Yeah, I'm fine!" Valt chirps cheerfully with a fake smile plastered painfully on his face. It's been a few days since Valt left Mexico and traveled back to Spain for BC Sol. He had hopes for looking for Shu, but now that he found him, he wishes he never did. He regrets more than anything that he couldn't at least convince Shu to stay with him.

'How long do I have to keep smiling? To keep lying?'

"Valt." The bluenette blinks out of his trance and tilts his head to the side curiously.

"Yeah?"

"There's something bothering you.... You don't have to tell me.... but you should say something... before it eats you up inside...." Free walks away.

"Wow, isn't he positive?" Rantaro says sarcastically as he strolls over to Valt. "He's right, though." The blond claps a hand over Valt's back, making him bend forward a bit. "If you wanna talk, then say something!"

Valt shuffles around in his spot and looks down at his shoes.

"We'll see him again, ya know."

"What?"

Rantaro faces the bluenette. "We'll see Red Eye again, Valt; it's not the end of the world. Ya just gotta live through it for now."

"Yeah... I guess so..."

"Get stronger, so then you could slap sense into that hellish blader."

Valt opens his mouth to protest but realizes Rantaro still doesn't know Red Eye is Shu. He keeps his mouth shut but nods.

'That's right... Why am I so down? I'll talk to Shu again, even if I have to force him to... Woah, that's a little too dark there, Valt. But first I'll have to get Shu away from the masked bladers. It won't be easy, but I can do this!'

Valt grips his bey tightly in his gloved hand and pumps it into the air. "C'mon, Valtryek, let's save Shu!"

"What's wrong with Shu? Did you find him?" Rantaro demands from beside Valt.

'Crap!' "Sorry, Honcho, I didn't think you were still here..."

"That's fine, I'll just be a ghost."

Valt sweatdrops but smiles nonetheless.

But the next time Valt sees him, he doesn't see the true Shu or true Red Eye; he sees -