"Faster, Faster, Faster!"

The sound of Air Trecks whirring on the solid concrete could be heard by anyone within a mile. Kazu was racing down the streets of Tokyo at break neck speeds that would blow away any other Storm Rider in a second. But he still wasn't fast enough.

A trail of fire appeared next to the blurred blond. "You still aren't getting it." A voice said in a thick Australian accent "You'll never become Flame king like that!"

Kazu strained as hard as he could, his legs pumping. Spitfire was skating backwards, just out of reach, flames coming from the regalia strapped to his feet. "You can do much better then this!"

Spitfire slide to a stop but Kazu wasn't ready for it. He slammed into the red head and both went tumbling. "Damn it, Kazu!" Sptfire spat as he attempted to remove the blond from his torso "Ge' off me!"

Kazu lifted himself shakily. He was really pushing himself in these sessions. Spitfire waited until Kazu was standing again before he propelled his body into jumping to his feet. "You're thinking too much!" Spitfire growled examining the rip in his sleeve "You'll never be able to learn what I'm teaching until you stop using your head and start using your heart."

Kazu heaved a few breaths before glaring up at his mentor. "I am feeling it!" he retorted as he attempted to stand up straight "I know what I have to achieve, Spitfire, It's just…!"

Kazu couldn't seem to find his feet again and a second later, he was caught up in his mentor's arms. "Whoa there, Tiga!" Spitfire chuckled, his words drenched in the thickness of his inflection "Take it easy."

"I'm fine!" Kazu panted "Let me go!"

But the moment he broke free of Spitfire's grip, he hit the pavement. Spitfire's shouts were lost as Kazu's ears rung with the pain that had been suppressed by his focus. His vision blurred and then went black. The last thing he remembered was the sky speeding by and arms clutching him as the wind whipped around him.

Something very warm was pressed against Kazu's cheek. Whatever it was made a very comfortable pillow and he had no intention of disturbing it. Until it dawned on him that the pillow had bones.

Kazu's eyes snapped open. He couldn't see where he was. The room was very dark and his eyes still hadn't adjusted. As they began to focus, he realized he was in Spitfire's living room, but how he got here was the answer that evaded him. He sat up and began to fully take in his surroundings. Just as he was about to get up, a low grunt came from the pillow.

Spitfire was sleeping, his head leaning over the back of the couch. His leg was what had been Kazu's extremely comfy head rest. The flame haired man shifted a little but did not wake. Good.

Kazu stretched his legs a bit to try to realize them of the sore ache but it was no good. He sighed "Oh well."

With his AT's in hand, he headed for the front door and out into the street.

It took a moment for Spitfire to realize just what it was that had woken him. Then he snapped awake. Two things had registered. One, there was no longer any weight on his left leg and two, the sound that had awoken him was the unmistakable whirring of AT's. "That boy doesn't know when ta quit…"

In a flash, Spitfire had the flame regalia laced to his feet and was jumping the window sill. Within minutes he had caught up to the blond rider, but he didn't make himself known. It looked the same as yesterday. Kazu's legs were pumping as hard as ever and his body strained. Nothing had changed.

Spitfire was disappointed. He didn't know what it was about this boy, but he knew he was special. Something about this boy made Spitfire put so much time and effort into him…

Kazu was ready to give up. As hard as he skated he would never catch up to the red-haired flame king. Still, Kazu's legs kept working like a machine.

Spitfire. He made Kazu sick with rage. What did he know that Kazu didn't? He wasn't all that great! But that wasn't true. He couldn't be the flame king if he wasn't amazing. Oh and Spitfire was amazing! Kazu had never seen anyone ride like him. Not just his speed and his flame road. It was his grace and his form. When Kazu watched that Australian storm rider, he felt alive like he never had before.

Kazu hadn't even noticed that his legs had stopped moving. He was coruched low over his AT's and had begun to glide. But he hadn't slowed down at all. In fact, he'd gotten even faster! Was this the trick Spitfire wouldn't teach him? He moved his legs in a more erythematic motion while keeping his body low.

This had to be it! He'd never gone this fast! Kazu decided to try something he'd never done before. He straightened a bit and kicked hard off the ground. Once he was airbourne, he twisted his body so that he begun to spin. He'd never done this trick, but he had watched Spitfire do it thousands of times. Kazu's trecks hit the pavement and he began to move his feet in large arc's around him, turning and twisting.

And then he stopped abruptly. A grin was playing across his face. He'd done it! He'd done the fire spin! It obviously hadn't looked the same since he was not the current owner of the flame regalia, but he had done it! "That was the sloppiest trick I have ever seen!"

Kazu turned to see Spitfire gliding towards him. "If you had done that trick any worse, I think I may have lost my dinner!" he snorted.

Kazu crossed his arms. "Whatever! I did it and that's all I care about!" he retorted, grinning to himself.

But then, Spitfire smiled. "I'll say you did."

He put his arm around Kazu's neck and started pulling him back towards the house. Kazu pulled away. "Hey what gives?" he yelled angrily.

Spitfire looked confused. "Why are you trying to drag me back?"

Kazu spat and crouched into a starting position. "Last time I checked," Kazu said his voice playing sarcasm "We never stop riding."

For a moment Spitfire just stood there. But then amusement stretched across his face. "Alright then."

Spitfire got low himself. "What's the wager?"

Kazu thought for a moment. "If I can catch you, you have to buy me a steak dinner and forget training for a week!"

Spitfire raised an eyebrow. "And what do I get if I win?"

Kazu thought for a moment. "I'll never complain about my training ever again?"

Spitfire laughed a loud ringing laugh. "Alright, little boy, your on!"

Both of them crouched low. Kazu was focused. He was going to win this time, he could feel it. He had to win. He heard Spitfire counting off.

"Three….Two…."

Spitfire took off.

"One."

Kazu flew after the fiery trail. Spitfire was fading into the distance. Kazu closed his eyes. He saw himself catching up to Spitfire, he saw him over taking him, and then…

When Kazu opened his eyes, he saw it. Not only was Spitfire in his sights but they were skating through a tunnel of fire. Kazu couldn't believe it! The Flame Road! In seconds, he was right behind Spitfire. The Australian hot head turned around just as Kazu soared by. A smile stole across the flame king's face.

Kazu hadn't realized that he had long since passed Spitfire's mansion, nor that Spitfire himself was riding right beside him. All he could see was a road of flames before him.

"So I guess you win don't ya?"

Kazu didn't completely take in what had happened. The flame road had disappeared in a flash and instead, before him was the fiery haired man who he considered a mentor. The next moment, he was wrapped in a warm embrace, still very much moving.

"Congratulations." Was all Spitfire said.

Author Notes: This was originally going to be a full blown yaoi but I actually like it better when it's just implied yaoi. You can take it however you want! Brotherly, gay, I don't care!