I wanted to write something and this came out.

It wasn't Yuugi's fault. Anzu knew that. But she still balled her fists when she caught sight of the bouquet of tulips in his hands. She accepted them, forcing herself to smile, clenching it against her armpit as Yuugi gave her a second gift. His eyes met hers and he grinned nervously. Anzu's fingers fiddled with the small wooden box's latch until it popped open and confirmed her suspicions.

A silver necklace. Her gaze wove through its chain, settling on the attached metal hearts. There was two of them, their outlines interlinked.

Anzu's pupils flickered. Yuugi stared, studying her face for a response. The ends of his mouth sunk like the sun setting behind him.

"Do you like it?" he asked.

Yes. Anzu had. She remembered standing at a store window, admiring it from behind the glass. Remembered voicing her interest in it... but not to Yuugi.

His eyebrows slanted. Anzu grinned, untrapping the necklace from its velvet prison. "It's great." She draped it around her neck and fiddled with the hook at the back. Its coolness burnt her skin. Or was it due to something else? Yuugi smiled but his eyes didn't match. He could read Anzu too well. "Thank you. What's the special occasion?"

All it took was a blush to cross his cheeks for Anzu to know and regret asking.

"W-Well," Yuugi's hand cupped the back of his head, "I..." He paused and looked to the right. His eyes returned to her in a few seconds, and anyone else would have mistook it for bashfulness, but not Anzu. She pursed her lips at the empty space which briefly captured his attention. "I was wondering if you would... like to... go..."

"Stop."

Yuugi blinked.

Anzu, who had bowed her head to hide her face, raised her chin. "He's there, isn't he?"

"He?" Anzu knew Yuugi knew she knew. His eyes widened and he had the audacity to look at the nothingness next to him. Yuugi opened his mouth and rolled his tongue. Considered lying only to remember Anzu could read him like a book.

"Him," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Where did he tell you to take me? The arcade? No... the park, to a secluded area by the lake."

Yuugi's face betrayed him. Anzu could see the sweat building on his forehead. His lower lip trembling in anticipation for words while his mind remained blank.

She barely stopped herself from shouting, undoing the necklace and shoving it back into the box. The bouquet fell, petals exploding upon impact with the ground. "I'm sorry." Anzu turned her head to the side, stepping back and slamming the door closed. Looking at his face was too painful. Her body shook. She raised her hand and rubbed the back of it against her eyelids.

How could he betray her like that? Anzu gulped but the lump stayed in her throat. And how could Yuugi go along with it? She imagined them talking to each other in Yuugi's room. Talking about her. With Yuugi standing by the mirror, rehearsing what he was going to say. Yuugi would have picked the situation apart, saying buts and asking what ifs, but his companion would have dismissed most of his worries. Assured him everything would be fine.

Knocking penetrated her thoughts. Anzu didn't react. Just waited. Waited for him to go.

"It's me." The voice was soft and low. Anzu's heart skipped a beat. "Can we talk?"

"You already did," Anzu replied. Her voice cracked a little but it was a lot stronger than she expected. "Through Yuugi."

"I want to talk to you personally."

"Well... I don't want to talk to you!"

"I know, but we have to."

Why? He had done enough damage. "I just want to be by myself right now."

"I want to be with you," he told her. "It's my fault. You can hate me- I deserve it, but give me a chance to explain. To your face."

Hating him would make things simpler. Anzu examined the door in front of her. Tried to conjure his facial expression in her mind based on the tone of his voice.

"Yuugi is in his soul room," he added. "He can't hear us."

"... All right." She reached out her hand and opened the door. Anzu looked at his face. His eyes weren't as intense as she predicted, but they weren't as calm as Yuugi's typically were. It was funny. They shared the same body, and so had the same eyes, but she could tell them apart.

Anzu hoped she wasn't a mess. She needed a shower after a long shift at work and her fringe stuck out at angles. Before greeting Yuugi at the door, she had tried to pat it down but her hair was still out of place. Not that it bothered Yuugi. And it didn't bother the spirit his body played host to either, whose mind was focused on the matter at hand.

"I apologize," the Spirit said.

Anzu curled the end of her lips.

"You know what I did," he continued. Anzu was too clever to fool. "Yuugi wanted everything to be perfect. I couldn't let him face you unguided. His nerves would get the better of him."

"Face me?" Anzu's eyes flickered. "I'm a person, not a challenge. I'm not a prize."

"I never said-"

"You implied it," she interjected. "My love isn't something you can just win. You found out what I like from our outings and told Yuugi so he could use them against me. You set me up."

"I thought-"

"-you could make me love him." Anzu averted her gaze. "But you can't. I care about Yuugi but not like that."

The Spirit, who had faced many opponents before with ferocity that at times succeeded to scare even those close to him, flinched.

"It hurts," said Anzu. "I know you never meant to, but you hurt me." She wanted to tell him about all the times their friends told her to get with Yuugi- not the Spirit, but her childhood friend. Even though it felt wrong. Many times it was passed off as a joke, but it niggled at her. Anzu learned to take it in her stride. But were she to reveal she had feelings for the Spirit, they would be sure to dismiss it. Tell her he's not interested. It would be like looking in a mirror.

But how Anzu felt was secret. A secret that had no place except inside her.

"He deserves a chance," said the Spirit.

Fire danced in Anzu's eyes. "That's not the point! Yuugi deserves a lot of things and that includes someone who feels the same way as him. Pretending would do no good for anyone. Things would be easier if I loved him but I don't. I've tried but he isn't you."

Her hands met her mouth but the words hung in the air. Anzu refused to meet his eye. She didn't know what his reaction would be. She thought she knew him well but this was something that never crossed her mind. Nothing her imagination created before whilst she daydreamed seemed realistic now.

The Spirit spoke first. "No." He rested his back against the door and slid down it, pressing his hands against his knees. He looked up. Seemed frightened. His eyes searched for an answer but found none. "Don't, Anzu. It wouldn't work."

Anzu's fingernails dug into the palms of her hands. "Like Yuugi and I wouldn't?"

"No." He stood up. "You and him can live a normal life together."

"Our lives aren't normal. Not now you're here."

"I'm here for a reason. I have a purpose... and when that purpose has been fulfilled, I must go. Anzu, it would be too painful."

"And this isn't painful?"

"In comparison, yes." The Spirit sighed. "Yuugi cares about you deeply and I do not wish to see him hurt. It's not my place. I envy the love he feels for you."

"You...? Yuugi..!?"

"Envy refers to something you lack," the Spirit explained. "Not something you want more of. As a spirit, this sort of love isn't something I'm familiar with. Perhaps it's for the better."

Anzu nodded. "I understand." She understood too well. She opened the box and studied the necklace. He had good taste. "Less heartache. I shouldn't have said anything. We should hit our heads so we don't remember."

"I think we did the right thing: the air is clear. Everything that needed to be said has been said and it is best not to dwell on it. Perhaps, Anzu, we can go for a walk tomorrow?" He grinned. "We can get some ramen and go to the arcade. I heard there are some new games. I could show you how to play them."

Anzu sniffed. Her eyes itched but she was smiling. "Only if you have a dance-off with me."

"You always win."

"It's the only thing I can win against you."

They laughed. The Spirit stopped first, watching her. Anzu's voice nearly made him jump.

"So... see you tomorrow then?" Anzu said as he let himself out. "I'm looking forward to it."

"As am I," he replied truthfully. The door closed. He looked over his shoulder and frowned.

Yes... them... together like that... it would be too painful.

Even more painful than lying to her had been.