Hello fanfiction! It has been quite a while since I have written a story –about Yami and Anzu, of course. ^_^ But there have been a few bouncing around in my head, and I did not know which one I wanted to do for my Big Sister's birthday and I know she knows who she is! Well, I think I have the story I want to do for you, and may happiness continue to run to you with open arms! *hugs* I love you very much! ^-^
Author's Note: PLEASE READ THIS! I am very tired and a bit upset by what is happening to the Yugioh! Fandom –especially my favorite couple in the entire anime world! I have seen stories that are completely tangential to Yami and Anzu as characters and the intricate relationship they share with each other. What we have to realize as revolutionshipping, or spiritshipping fans that Yami and Anzu's romance is debatable –but that is the beautiful thing about it. We have an obligation to do justice to that relationship of theirs whether it be with fluff, actual romance, or other. I am so tired of people who do NOT support their relationship to post their stories here like Yami ACTUALLY dislikes Anzu in ANYWAY when EVERYONE knows that is not the case! I understand having a one-sided relationship in which Yami is unaware of Anzu's feelings for him, or cannot be with her because of Yuugi or whatever other reason, but to actually suggest and stand by the most erroneous statement that Yami does not like Anzu in anyway is a complete and total lie. This section of the Yugioh! Fandom should only have stories that recognize and support their relationship –NOTHING contrary! Bashing Anzu is just a very low way to justify your stinginess about their evident feelings for each other and relationship throughout the show and manga. I mean, they did not even end up together. Are you not satisfied?
Summary: Takes place during Yami and Téa's date, immediately following the defeat of Johnny Stepps. Téa is so overjoyed at her victory that she decides to celebrate with a certain regal entity. How will he react? Yami and Téa one-shot!
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!
Rated: T
Prodigal Moment
The music score drowned to a stuttering stop, albeit wonderfully -sculptured, slender legs were still grooving to a melody with a happy tune in her mind. The large audience made a noise with their hands that sounded understandably segregated, rather like a staggering of piano keys –each note noticeably louder and higher than the last. There were several hoots and whistling and "way-to-go"s amidst the now-encouraging crowd.
"Whoa, she beat Johnny Steps!" A lady announced with an American's unclipped e. Apparently, she had lived in the states for a while.
"Domino Arcade's got a new champ to beat now!"
Another man gave a long shrill. "And she's a hottie! Check out those legs! She's a natural!"
Blue eyes flashed open to survey the sea of people, waving and cheering at her display of dancing excellence. Never had she imagined the hours she placed, cramped between the spaces of homework and the tiny cubicle she called her bedroom, practicing the same steps over would amount to such a grandiose victory as this. Many daylight hours would she pose helplessly outside, a frown adorning her face, and watch from a unpretentious window at how pink ballet shoes that were not hers sway and leap in tutus that were not fitting nicely around her waist, and astound instructors that were not hers, fiddling with the assortment of silver and copper in her pockets that –after the rent, and grocery shopping – would never be enough for a private lesson.
As her eyes rode the wave of audience members, searching frantically for what she thought was real recognition until blue eyes landed comfortably upon the face of her crush: the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle. Those crimson wonders of his pierced and shook her entire form to the bones of her being. He stood tall and confident amidst the crowd of enthusiastic teenagers, and a light of gold mixed in with colors from the early setting sun, painting his eyes a brilliant red; setting his face a-glow, and his hair ablaze. They were doing more than exchanging glances; they were exchanging roles rather, with Gardner straddling victory, and the Spirit watching hopefully from the sidelines.
A blush quietly walked across her cheeks and the bridge of her nose, and ivory fingers fiddled nervously with each other as she stared at the ancient Spirit several feet from her. At the very moment, it seemed as if the entire world either had become eerily stagnant completely or was spinning so very slowly, you could hear the global sphere tilting on its very axis. Gears of the Earth turned loudly, like a broken tape on near-dead batteries. All other life had silenced in Téa Gardner's mind, as she gazed longingly at the man who had unknowingly pilfered her heart.
She thought, with some mortification, at the way she pushed herself to be victorious at a one-hundred yen game with the only glory to be attained was her same in small characters at the "No. 1" slot, for clearing the dance game at top level. No record deals. No big-time recruiters looking for their next star. No Broadway Stage in New York.
But somehow, with him there, suddenly none of that mattered.
His lips were sketched in a small smirk, as if coming to some realization after debating it out within himself. Why was it his eyes that cut her up every time she stared into them? What mixture of anger, rage, serenity and quiet power dwelt in his soul, in what dimensions, she wondered nauseatingly. Why did he always look like Mystery, himself, decorated in that black leather apparel that somehow did justice to that aloof nature of his? Why, whenever she brought her head up shyly, she always caught his crimson eyes directly digging their way into her core? She recollected the times they spoke, after he would save her from a creep here or there, and would never fail to relish in the way he held his head with her: observingly, appreciating her viewpoint, rather than just the view of a disadvantaged female at his mercy. He walked like the gods she read about in her mythology books and doubted their existence –that was, until this Spirit made her a pious believer.
And as quickly as the world stopped for her, it appeared to be functioning again. First, the sound of modern nature (cars, edifices as tall as oak trees, corners and sidewalks bustling with humanistic energy) entered back into the civilized atmosphere. Second, the late light peered brightly through the arcade's excessively imposing windows. The resonances came next, sounding less and less like thunder laughing dauntingly at a joke and more like the crowd that witnessed the girl's triumph over Johnny Steps only minutes earlier.
And there he was, waiting for her; fertilizing the entire place with his noiseless ovation at the moment of Téa's win, long ebony eyelashes serving as long, thin cheerleaders for her impressive dance, crimson eyes impregnating her with a quiet belief that she would be successful in her dancing endeavor.
Téa happily stepped off the dancing platform, leaving Johnny Steps to glare after her in defeat. She paced toward her crush, with her legs timidly trudging forward, head perched low on the air as if she rather had just been beaten. She gave a nervous giggle.
"I think I might've gotten a little carried away up there, huh Yugi?" She poked her tongue out in a playful tease.
The Spirit frowned in the direction of her opponent before answering in a low tone, "It would appear your challenger's overconfident behavior lost him the duel." Crimson eyes narrowed at the man picking both himself and his dignity off the platform, dusty with defeat. "In the end, he relied on unprincipled methods to win him the match instead of his own skill, and ended up with an even greater downfall than a mere loss."
Téa gazed at his lost-in-thought face as he stared down Johnny Steps, and contemplated his profound words. A small smile appeared on her lips. He had such a deep way of looking at things. Joey or Tristan would've yelled bloody murder at the man with overdone locks for his cheating antics, but the Spirit had a way of making things looking more abstract than personal injustice to someone in a duel. But what was the defining factor, Téa thought often? What separated his dark light; a quiet, steady flame that does not consume, from her childhood friend's, whose bright, teetering light was dimmed by the bulb of youth? Everything about this mysterious entity proclaimed royalty quite loudly in her mind, as if he lived in another time, far more cultured than her own understanding of the world. All that mattered to her was this moment, on their "date", that they were sharing together. Just he and her…
That's right. Téa thought bashfully. It was just them –not the usual gang of four, with the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle following closely behind. Now he was at the forefront of the excitement. And he had been the very first to see her dance! Not even Yugi had watched her perform, even in the most humble and informal of settings. Happiness pricked at the pools of her eyes, as she looked on at the man she had been admiring furtively for some time now. He stood proudly next to her, a pillar of strength against her know knock-needed form, still gazing around the arcade and making up names for every new game he saw "dueling gun game, dueling boat game, dueling car game" (Spirit, it's called Taxi Driver). She found his naivety, unlike Yugi's, endearing and it seemed to suit his usual composed, knowledgeable disposition.
Before Téa had a chance to talk things out with her inner desires, she found herself flinging herself into her love's arms, causing them to twirl around in a small circle. Luckily, the Spirit's build was prepared for the abrupt impact, and prevented both of them from diving backwards onto the cool, tiled floor.
The blue-eyed girl hurled two arms happily around the youth's neck while pressing her abdomen to his hips, her lips scraping his jawline before resting blissfully on his strong shoulder. He smelt like a wonderful blend of mystery and morning glory: it made Téa want to seize this day and the days to come, so as long as he was there with her, supporting her; favoring her, even, in his discreet way. Her breasts whispered secrets to his own softly-rising-and-falling chest. It was heaven, to Téa, being able to share her first public dancing moment with him.
Silent shock violently racked the Spirit's figure, inducing a small gasp but nothing more. He stayed perfectly still as he was caught between Téa's figure and her joy for winning the game. He did not move when she placed her hands about his back in a warm embrace. Yugi had told him about how his face would take on an interesting shade of red whenever Téa hugged her childhood friend in such an unconsciously affectionate way, and suddenly found out that he did not know how to return the human art. He blinked, watching at how the boys and girls in the background eyed their public display of fondness for each other with an abundance of unintelligible sounds, such as "oooh" and "awww".
"Téa, is there anything wrong?" He asked, near enough to her ear to speak softly. The brunette giggled, suppressing tears. Why does he make me so happy?
"Nope, not at all." Her heart lurched dotingly about when she could hear the immediate concern in his voice. "Just thank you, Yugi. For watching me dance. It made me really happy." Her azure eyes fluttered closed at the sound of his deep hum of understanding vibrated against her breasts. She didn't expect for him to return the embrace; she didn't mind if her love for him was unrequited. But him, just being in her presence, as he watched her sway and twirl to her heart's passion about the small dance podium spoke volumes of affection that Téa could not read without wanting to love him more.
"I knew you would be victorious." The Spirit rejoined softly, his hand rising tenderly to place it on her stomach. His fingers traveled up the yellow top and stopped just below a pair of breasts pushing against the halter. They gripped her and created a few inches of space between them. Suddenly feeling very self-conscious, Téa let go of him and placed her hands scornfully behind her. The Spirit held up her pink jacket up between them in both hands. "It is your jacket, Téa. Here you are."
Téa blinked incredulously at the object that suddenly appeared very foreign to her. Giggling apprehensively, muttering something about her being so forgetful sometimes, leaned forward to retrieve it and gasped sharply when a pair of hot lips munched softly on the moist skin that was her cheek.
It was an innocent kiss; a stimulating look for the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle, who looked rather like a youngling kissing his beautiful mother goodbye before racing off to find adventure and learning at school. Téa could not capture the blush that ran feverishly across her face, painting it a perky, perceptible red. Perhaps Yugi was capable of this tender action, but the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle? The very thought was heresy to this dark and unruffled demeanor!
But he was kissing her. Maybe not in the way she thought about in her daydreams, but this was somehow better –maybe because it was actually happening, and not just getting her through the hours of schoolwork and lectures from her teachers. These were the actual lips of her lover, deploying a drop of warmth against her already sweltering cheek. He was much more delicate than Téa had imagined, betraying his usual rough and rather merciless exterior; his hand, long and tantalizing, pulled her closer as if by command, and the brunette pressed her lips together, inclined to close her eyes from the many people now gazing at the two of them. The Spirit's fingertips curled around the exposed flesh that was her waist; touching her as if it were only the two of them sharing the favor of the sunlight cast over them. A pulse of electricity ran up the insides of her thighs like lightning ripping up two trees at once, leaving her to fumigate or maybe to burn up instantaneously.
"Spirit," she tried out loud, carefully seeking the difference between him and Yugi, breathing shallowly, to this entity before her. His kiss was making her nerves run amok –and it was only her cheek he was canoodling!
He let her go then, looking as if he had just come out of a comfortable dream. She could smell the strong pine scent of the skin above his collar. So close, Téa had forgotten how ferociously beautiful he was, and struggled in battling this unsettling feeling he gave her. His hand was clinging loosely to her lower back, now, and her pelvic bone ached for some reason.
"Yes, Téa?" He stepped back and was looking at her, massaging the tense bones of her face with his eyes.
What was he? Yugi's split personality? Or an entirely different being altogether? Why was Téa so helplessly infatuated by every subtle thing he did, such as just saying her name, or giving her one of his rare, celebrity smiles that sent her heart skyrocketing to heaven?
Slowly she shook her head, smiling and touched her cheek, flushing once more. She blinked disbelievingly, not able to trust in what just took place. Her cheek burned with his touch. "Y-y-you just k-kissed me."
The Spirit tilted his head cutely, not understanding its relevance. "I congratulated you on your win, Téa. You danced spectacularly, and I was thanking you for the privilege I had been given." He finished softly, averting his eyes to the hand propped against the spot on her cheek where he showed his affection. Tears had worked their way into the brunette's eyes. "Téa…?"
She giggled, using her free hand wave away the water in her eyes. Why do I love you so much? Something about him screamed both worldliness and innocence at the same time. It was a paradox for the ages. "It's nothing, really." She continued; a bright smile masking her face. "You're just…really great, you know that? No one's ever seen me dance before, and…" she looked directly into his concerned eyes. "I'm really happy it was you, Spirit."
"They are happy tears, then?" He asked almost imperceptibly, as if asking only himself. He stepped forward, laying the backs of his fingers against the skin beneath Téa's eye, curiously watching the hot tears that fell on his hand. He had presented the question as if he had been fairly familiar with its meaning, long ago.
Téa gasped, before softly placing both her hands over his own. "Yup. Only happy tears. I'm such a baby, aren't I? Everything makes me cry. Sad things, even happy things…" she rambled on.
He didn't answer her, but rather inquisitively looked at her hands against his. He felt the blood swirling under her eye and under the skin of her fingers. He watched the way the sun made her glow.
"You look lovely when you are happy." He replied simply, interrupting her half-nonsensical babbling. Another sharp gasp Téa drew in, realizing the substance holding the words up. There was a charisma about him that Yugi did not possess, though he involved himself less socially than his partner did. He could say something without it coming across as flirtatious whatsoever. Téa writhed under his words; his eyes locked on hers, and tried miserably to keep herself from practically fainting. But how could she? He said she was lovely, after all!
"I enjoyed watching it."
"The dance?" Téa offered shyly, blue eyes hiding behind her bangs. The Spirit gave a genuine smile.
"Yes, I enjoyed the dance," he agreed politely, his husky baritone vibrating through the hand that had a hold of her face. "But I took delight in watching your spirit guide you to victory, also. Not letting the evils of competition deter you from dancing with your heart. " Kindly, he removed himself from Téa's soft grip, but not breaking the trance they created between them. Their eyes danced fondly with each other. He was perfect, to her. His impeccable voice, smooth and deep like the waters, was honeyed over with benevolence; his form, standing tall like a consort battleship; his posture, forever poised; the way his muscles creased in all the right places, the way they made his shirt look as if it were standing at attention. He had his hand on his hip now, just above his dueling belt. Fleetingly, Téa thought about what it would feel like, his small hips against her own wider, feminine ones, perhaps in a dance. Self-consciously, she brought her hand up to her mouth and tried to wipe away a rather stubborn blush. "I only hope some of your strength can be rekindled in me, the way you give Yugi strength." He finished gently.
He was always soft-spoken with her, never raising his voice, always looking respectfully into her eyes. Whenever they held hands –not very often– it was only on impulse, the products of danger, rather than out of friendliness. But she reveled in the way his hands felt, fiery and strong, just like his eyes. Even the angles of his face, perfectly symmetrical, were impossible for Téa behold without blushing. His beauty always somehow reminded her of her own physical imperfections.
Giggling, Téa wiggled a finger at him in mock scorn. "Oh, don't be so modest. You look pretty strong up on those dueling platforms, yourself, Mr. King of Games. Or did you forget about the way you took PaniK down? No matter what he did, he couldn't shake or break you!"
Blinking dumbly at his alias, he smirked. "It does not take much to defeat a coward." He looked back over at the dance platform where Téa had claimed victory over Johnny Steps not too long ago. "It would appear that your opponent did not wish to congratulate you on your victory."
Téa could have cared less. "Sore losers are everywhere these days, I hear." She rolled her eyes, accentuating her sardonic tone. "Anyone who mops about losing a silly, little dance game doesn't have a right to walk the streets, anywhere." She turned away defiantly.
The Spirit turned to her then, feeling inclined to look at her annoyed face, arms crossed in irritation. He had known Téa through the eyes and soul of his partner, Yugi, acting on his feelings to save her, be pleasant to her, feed her his affection. He knew of his partner's feelings for the girl, and gazing at her now after watching her dance, even in something as simple as an arcade parlor, added a whole new dimension to her character.
"Silly?" The Spirit inquired slowly, questioning her use of the word. "To someone not as adept at it as you are, Téa, might think the dueling dance game presents a bit of a challenge."
"Yeah, you're right about that," Téa said, laughing freely at herself. She scratched her head thoughtfully. "But really, what could be hard about it? It's just like dancing with a partner. All you have to do is place one of your hands in your partner's, and the other goes on their waist. Then you just dance around in a small circle…"
A sharp gasp first (her umpteenth one for that day). Then that's when it happened.
The Spirit stepped forward then, tenderly pulling her forward against him. Long fingers latched themselves onto her waist, with his thumb probing against her hip bone. He brought their hands together, pulling off that smooth elegancy when he weaved them together. The force he applied in pulling her towards him caused Téa to instinctively place her hand against his chest to stop herself from plowing him over. His breath was hot and moist against her ear.
"Like this?" There was dark softness in his rich voice that made Téa shiver against his strong frame. What was coming over her? His tri-colored hair, crimson pearls in his eyes greeted her gently when he approached her. In the warm evening light of the arcade room, his eloquent bone structure lent to her eyes the appearance of someone godly and righteous and ancient and debonair, like a well-groomed golf player from England. Another layer of blush tacked itself onto Téa's face.
"Y-yeah," Téa answered, her lips nearest his neck. She tried to stay mentally stable –to think practically about the customary position they were in– but there was the scent of his neck and hair again interrupting her thoroughly and she laid her mouth softly on his shoulder, feeling the intoxication of him. She needn't look at him; Téa knew he was inspecting their stance, trying to correct his posture and succeeded in pressing their waists closer together. He looked up then, mistaking her stillness and mile-running heartbeat for something other than bashfulness.
"Are we not supposed to move in a circle now?"
Téa's eyes fluttered closed. Listening to him felt like getting drunk on a lullaby. She fought the urge to sigh too loudly in contentment. A deeper blush appeared on her cheeks, as she brought her hand from his chest to around his back. His back muscles tightened at her touch. Was he uncomfortable?
"You know," Téa started, battling with the loudness of the arcade's many games and people, "we look silly. Everyone's going to stare at us," she lied against his neck. It didn't matter to her if they were being filmed for national footage. Then the world could see how eccentrically strong he was; power emanating from within; how good his hard body felt against her own softer, plumper one. The guy was just one long muscle, each force within him moving as one.
"But doesn't dancing usually call for public attention?" The Spirit asked bemusedly, recalling her dance earlier with more than half the arcade's population watching her. Téa smiled into his shirt.
"It depends on the dance, but we'll look weird. There's no music to move to." The Spirit seemed to be contemplating her words.
"Then perhaps we should st- " He began, but ended abruptly due to Téa's fingers fastening even tighter about him. "Téa?"
"No, no! This is fine; music's just a lame bonus. Real dancers don't need songs in the background telling them which way to move anyway," she covered sloppily. When it came to lying, Téa counted herself as a bit of an amateur. The Spirit, however, remained oblivious. "Here, let's move. I'll start us off: you on the left foot, after me now."
He looked down at their feet as they began to travel the floor. He followed her movements exactly, stepping nimbly around her pivot foot. Téa noted how graceful and gentle he was –especially for a beginner. He wasn't nervous, though that in itself, wasn't such a revelation. One thing he always had a hold of was stray nerves. Téa shyly rested her head against him, letting him figure out the mechanics of slow-dancing for the both of them. Being satisfied with the sweetest moment she could ever ask for out of this "date" was enough to keep her happy for years to come.
"You're an amazing dancer. It usually takes Yugi a couple of falls, grumbling, and excessive whining to get the hang of it." Téa said jokingly.
"My partner's confidence in himself," the Spirit's reply sounded forlorn as if apologizing on the younger boy's behalf, but he managed a small smile nonetheless, "is halfhearted at best sometimes."
Téa shrugged, attempted to change the mood. Both knew speaking of Yugi was always a bit of a sensitive topic, rather like a pinch of salt to the wound. She inhaled his scent, again, wishing she could taste it. "He'll grow out of it. Yugi's always been a tough kid. Now that he's got you around," secretly, she let her hand travel up his back to touch the nape of his neck, where his hairline narrowed to a single, black point and used a delicate fingernail to pluck softly at it. What was it about him that made Time, itself, place an embargo on reality and the world around them? "I'm sure he'll gain the confidence he needs." She found herself slipping further into his dancing embrace, leaving her feet numb and legs sluggish. She leaned into him.
"Yes…" he whispered in a far-off voice into her ear, as if engraving the silent promise into his mind. He said nothing more as he led now, spinning them slowly around each other, fully aware of the stares and whistles they were getting. He smirked. "You were correct about our fellow game players, Téa. They seem to be taking a great interest in us."
We look good together, Spirit. Téa opened her eyes and looked at what he was talking about. True to his word, boys and girls alike had their eyes plastered on them; some in awe, some in what looked to be shockas they pointed at their proximity and asked to one another if it was publically decent.
Taking the lead, to the surprise of the Spirit, she backed him into a small space nearest the outlet of the arcade, away from the people. A trash can with a fly or two were the only things paying them inclusive attention now. The setting sun blazed down over them, giving the illusion of their bodies on fire.
She gently pressed him to the wall, and hugged him tightly around his neck. Her legs brushed his. As if startled, the Spirit's eyes took on a wider look; his arms and fingers suspended in mid-air as if frozen. "Téa?" He asked, barely audible. "Is…there something the matter?"
"Thank you," the girl said, fighting back tears once more. His silence transmitted to her images of what she could be giving thanks to him for, and finding no answer to insert. "For taking care of Yugi. For being the person you are."
"You need not thank me, Téa," came his voice, cautiously protesting her expression of gratitude. "I will always be here to protect Yugi, so as long as he needs me." He tilted his head to the side, trying to find her glossy eyes. "Rather, I feel it is I who should be expressing thanks to you, Téa. Thank you for helping me today, to begin the journey in finding myself."
"Then hug me already, you big softie," Téa giggled, letting the tears slide fast down her cheeks. The sun from the window shielded her face from his sharp gaze. This day had turned out to be perfect, after all. She always suspected there was a much more sensitive layer to this dark entity she crushed on, rather like an exposed nail bed. But witnessing him display his childlike cuteness, his gentle voice, his husky warmth, was more than she could ever ask for. Perhaps this inane, girly crush of hers was actual love. But who knew? She was too choked up with emotion to scrutinize the notion any further right now.
Hesitantly, as if trying on something for size, the Spirit slowly brought his hands up to Téa's shoulders in an awkward hug, and cleared his throat. "Téa?" A slight nod of the girl's head permitted him to ask his question. "Might I perhaps kiss you instead? I fear I don't fare well in matters of human contact…" he faded off, not sure what to say next. Téa gasped, blushing. Then, offered a sad smile.
Yup, it's official. I love him. I know I do. He was honest to the point of disbelief, sometimes. And unsure of his own ability to be more human-like and caring. "Of course you can."
The Spirit craned his neck, and placed his lips on her nose. Téa blushed copiously, feeling the tenderness of his kiss –like the plume of a dove – light and ever-so careful. His lips rubbed the sensitive flesh for a moment or more before departing and looking at her face. "You're crying, again…" He said, noting the tears that shined against her skin. He stared at them with sharp eyes as if they were as foreign and unsightly, wondering ephemerally why they were plaguing Yugi's childhood friend's face.
"Why do you cry?" He raised a hand to his cheek. They were sharing this moment, now, just the two of them. And maybe prodigal to most, but still...
It was their prodigal moment. Téa blinked back more tears. There were several answers to that question. Sure, she could say she was crying because their "date" was perfect, or maybe because he cared about Yugi in a way that touched her. But only one answered mattered, and though she could never say it, her heart spoke the words for her.
Because I love you, Spirit. She smiled happily. Because I love you.
Ta-da! I am done! What do you think? I tried to keep it much lighter this time, compared to my other these stories with impending dangers looming over their heads. I just adore the Yami and Téá pairing! *giggles* Well, what did you think of this one? I hope you liked it! Please, please, please read and review! Happy Birthday Big Sis! I hope you like it very much!