"When are you going to stop making excuses for the damn bitch?!"

That was what greeted Kyoya, when he walked into the infirmary. He blinked at the sight that met him, of Nefertiti Storm and Kakeru Tategami in each other's faces and snapping like a set of rabid dogs.

"I'm not making excuses for her!" Kakeru shouted back, eyes bloodshot, "I just... I knew she was having a bad day and I still made her mad! It's not her fault!"

"Not her- Kakeru Tategami, she took a glass fucking bottle to your head! She gave you a black fucking eye! I just put thirty fucking stitches in your goddamn arm!"

"So?! I set her off- she's not abusing me or anything!"

Nefertiti's eyebrow twitched, a growl building in her throat. Kyoya knew very well Nefertiti was at her limit, now, and decided to step in.

"Kakeru," Kyoya said, quietly. Both Kakeru and Nefertiti's heads snapped around to him, Kakeru's eyes wide and Neferitit's narrowed.

"Kakeru, what happened?" Kyoya asked, stepping further into the room.

"Nothing! Nefertiti is making a big deal out of nothing!" Kakeru exclaimed, despite the fact that Kyoya now saw the bandages over his eyebrow and on his right arm, "I'm fine, really!"

If looks could kill, Nefertiti would have long since murdered Kakeru. Instead, she turned her glare on Kyoya, "Why. Haven't you done anything about your fucking mother yet, Kyoya?"

"I..." Kyoya sighed, "I'm not eightteen, yet."

Nefertiti blinked at him.

"Not for a few more weeks, at least," Kyoya continued. "I know it's getting bad, Nef, I just need a few more weeks. I've been saving up to get my own place, and I was already planning on taking Kakeru when I move out."

Kakeru blinked, "You... were?"

"Yeah, I was," Kyoya nodded. He reached up and ruffled Kakeru's hair, frowning at the black eye, "... How about you stay here in the dorms tonight, okay?"

"What? But if I don't go home, mom will-" Kakeru started, looking terrified.

"I'll take care of mom," Kyoya promised. "For my sanity, just stay here, okay? And maybe for Nef's sanity, too."

"I'd sooner commit you to a hospital than let you go back to your mother..." Nefertiti muttered, "If Nile even had an inkling about what you two went through, he'd beg me to do something and then probably fight your mom himself."

"I'd like to keep Nile out of the loop for that exact reason, Neffy," Kyoya deadpanned.

Nefertiti turned to face Kyoya, pointing her clipboard at him, green eyes burning with a fire that Kyoya had seen often enough in her brother's eyes, "Then do something, Tategami. Before one of you ends up six feet in the ground."

Kyoya had always had mixed feelings about returning to his mother's apartment. On good days, it was fine. He, Kakeru, and Kana were a family. They did family things. It felt like a home.

But then the days came, the bad days, where Kana became a tempermental bitch. That was being put into light terms. Kyoya had learned early on that it was far easier to deal with her addiction fueled rage by laying low and staying quiet. It had strengthened, once Kakeru had been born, three years after Kyoya, things had been... normal, for a while.

But then their father, Natsou, had died, not long after Kakeru's second birthday. That had been a break for the rest of the family, none more so than Kana Tategami, their mother. She'd turned hostile, turned to drugs and alcohol to numb the pain of losing her beloved husband. Kyoya understood it, but... it didn't mean he didn't like. Especially when she turned her rage on her sons, going after them for how much they looked like their father.

Kyoya grimaced, reaching up to scratch at one of the scars on his cheeks. An unfortunate by product of an especially bad high Kana had gone through...

Deep breaths, Kyoya. You're not here to dwell on the past, you're here to just grab a few things and get back to the dorms, Kyoya thought, digging his keys from his pocket. Cautiously, he turned the locks, creeping inside the darkened apartment. He replaced his keys, moving over the wooden floors with the years of knowledge, knowing which floorboards creaked when stepped on.

He peered into the kitchen as he passed by. Dirty dishes in the sink and on the counter top, glass shards littering the floor, along with splotches of blood that trailed out the front door. Kyoya's eyebrow twitched, but turned away.

In the living room, Kana Tategami was passed out on the couch. Kyoya counted his lucky stars and continued quietly down the hallway, to his and Kakeru's shared bedroom. Though Kakeru technically had his own room, Kakeru rarely slept in it, rather choosing the safety of his brother over the fear of being attacked in his sleep.

Kyoya shut the door silently behind him, leaning against it with a heavy sigh. Quickly, he turned on the light and then reached into the closet, rummaging around until he found a duffel back. He threw it on the bed and began to grab things and shove them in. Clothes, Kakeru's Beyblade gear, phone and laptop, and then a few of Kyoya's own things.

He hesitated just a moment, before he zipped the bag closed.

"I'm not eightteen, yet... I've been saving up to get my own place..."

"Then do something, Tategami. Before one of you ends up six feet in the ground."

"Hey, Kyoya," Gingka's voice from behind the Leone Blader. When Kyoya turned, Gingka was standing there, hands in his pockets, "I know how you are, when it comes to your pride and admitting defeat or weakness-"

Kyoya scowled, "Hagane..."

"But," Gingka rushed on, waving his hands out in front of him. "I just... if there's ever anything you need, just ask, okay? You may be my rival, but you're my friend too."

... I hope you mean that, Gingka, Kyoya thought.

Kyoya dropped to his knees, reaching for a floorboard that stretched out under his bed. He ran his nail along the seem, digging at it, before managing to pry it up. He did the same to the next three, revealing a five foot by three foot hole in the floor, loaded up with anything from nonperishable foods, a first aid kit, and a black, bulging backpack.

Kyoya grabbed the kit and backpack, throwing the kit into the duffel and zipping it shut. He undid the straps on the backpack, sighing in relief when he saw the money that seemed to be untouched inside.

Least she hasn't found this, yet, Kyoya thought, closing it back. I didn't put all that effort into winning those tournaments just so she could steal it for her own needs.

Kyoya slung the backpack over his back, and then the duffle strap over his shoulder. He turned, switching off the light of the bedroom. He took one last glance over it, quietly wondering if there was anything else he needed, before shaking his head. The answer was no. He was just ready for his life to turn around.

Kyoya pulled the door open, and made his way back out into the hallway, silent as ever. He didn't spare his mother a look, the woman still out cold. He doubted she even knew he was there, let alone really cared.

As he made his way out back out of the apartment, Kyoya felt like a weight was being lifted off his shoulders. For the first time in a long time, he let himself breathe out a sigh of relief.

Hopefully, things were turning around. If not for him, then at least for Kakeru.

The Next Morning...

"I don't know what to make of you, Kyoya, I swear..."

"Take it from an expert, no one really does,"

"I second that,"

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

Kyoya glared at the group around him, consisting of Nefertiti, Kakeru, Hikaru, Gingka, and Ryo. Kakeru and Gingka shared a look, both grinning.

"Nothing, bro, just that I'm surprised Nefertiti didn't have to beat you with her clipboard for you to finally make a move," Kakeru smirked, cheekily. He looked a lot better than he did the day before, Kyoya would admit, "Also, how did you keep mom from finding all this money and where did you get it from?"

"I'm admittedly curious about that as well," Ryo said, finally speaking for the first time since Kyoya and Kakeru had finished telling their story. Well, more like Kakeru told it, Kyoya just stood with his arms crossed and silently daring anyone to make a bad comment.

"All the tournaments I ever entered..." Kyoya sighed, "I did my research before hand. I hardly ever entered one that didn't have a cash prize for top three or first place."

"... there's over ten thousand yen here, Kyoya," Hikaru pointed out, peering over the paper that Kyoya had kept track of his winnings with. "Even with the few things you've spent with it. If you hadn't done that, you would easily have had fifteen thousand, plus or minus."

"... I know enough about Japan to know that's just enough to pay off the utilites on an apartment here," Nefertiti grimaced. "Kyoya-"

"I know," Kyoya sighed. Then, quieter, hanging his head as he did, "... I know."

There was a long moment of silence, before Gingka nudged his dad with an elbow. Ryo cleared his throat, before speaking again.

"Kyoya," Ryo laced his fingers together, placing them on his desk. "Have you ever considered a job with the WBBA?"

Kyoya blinked at him.

"WBBA employees, no matter what job they have, are provided with a home of their choosing, be it an apartment or house. The WBBA pays for all utilities, and if there's children involved, their schooling. Even college age students, as well. The only thing our employees are responsible for is furnishing their homes and their groceries..." Ryo trailed off.

Kyoya blinked, processing Ryo's words, processing what he was offering, but unable to comprehend it...

Hikaru smiled at that moment, "Everyone's paycheck is the same, too. Two hundred yen a day."

Kyoya felt his throat close up at that, That's... twenty thousand a week. One hundred and twenty a month... More than I could ever make just competing in tournaments... Not to mention, Kakeru could still go to school- hell, I could. And then the apartment and the major stuff would be paid for...

"If you'd like some time to think about it," Ryo began.

"No, I-" Kyoya cleared his throat. "Uh... How soon could I put a form in?"

Hikaru smiled, and reached into the director's desk. She rustled around for just a moment, before pulling a clipboard and a sheath of papers out. She picked up a pen, and then handed it over to Kyoya.

"Why wait?"

I know nothing about wages in japan, and I just briefly did research on the prices of apartments/conversion from us dollars to yen.