Ozuma was an observer. Instead of talking, he would often watch the actions of those around him. When it came to beyblading, he got in on the action, but otherwise, he was a watcher of sorts. He watched the Bladebreakers to make sure they were taking care of the four sacred bitbeasts. He watched Dunga for any mistakes in his blading technique. He watched Merriam when she shopped to make sure she didn?t spend too much. And he watched Joseph...he just watched Joseph.

Sometimes it was to make sure the little rascal was staying out of trouble. Sometimes he watched him practise with his blade. Sometimes he watched him as he thought. Sometimes he watched him as he slept, though only for a moment, cause he was fairly sure the younger boy would freak if he woke up to see his captain staring at him.

Right now, Ozuma found himself watching Joseph as he licked happily at his chocolate ice-cream cone. Ozuma himself didn?t know how the hell the two siblings had managed to get him to come out for ice-cream; maybe it was the way even Dunga joined in on their begging; maybe it was the way Merriam kept insisting on it; or maybe it was the way Joseph had stared at him with the so-called ?puppy-dog look?.

Yes, that was what probably did it.

So now there the four of them were, sitting under/in the shade of a giant elm tree in the local park, enjoying the sweet taste of their ice cream. Dunga sat beside Joseph, leaning against the tree trunk sitting on the ground, Dunga with vanilla, Joseph with chocolate. Merriam stood leaning against the tree on the other side of Joseph, grinning as she licked at her strawberry flavoured treat. Ozuma sat on a branch above his team, taking bored licks from his own mint flavoured ice cream, glancing at Joseph ever once and a while.

He watched as Joseph laughed at something Dunga said, only to laugh even more as Merriam commented on it and Dunga started to argue with her again. He watched as Joseph shook his green-haired head with a smile before taking another lick of his ice cream. Ozuma watched as the boy?s small pink tongue darted out, devouring the small amount of ice cream that dared to try and melt. He watched it all, memorized it all, took it all in.

And when Joseph thought someone was looking at him and started to look up, Ozuma would pretend to be interested in either his ice cream or the sky, which was barely visible through the thick leaves.

After all, it?s not as if it would do for Joseph to know that his captain was obsessed with him, would it? No, better for the Saint Shield captain to simply observe, not to take any action.

FIN

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VDG: shrugs I dunno, I was in an OzumaxJoseph writing mood, that I was, and so, TADA!

Disclaimer: Take note of the obvious hints of heterosexual couples in Beyblade. Take note of the fact that I am a huge slash supporter/fan. Take note of the fact that I probably couldn?t be able to think up such a plot line, or draw such characters seen in Beyblade. Add all those facts up, and you should see that I do NOT own Beyblade and never will.