Another old story I found, this time Akiza and Yusei. I am pretty sure I don't really have Akiza too well in character here but I am unsure of my opinion on this piece. It gets a bit angst-full but I guess I was still experimenting. I liked some of the themes here though so I have used them elsewhere. I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds

Rex Goodwin stared at the people in his expansive garden separately, letting his eyes survey each one before giving a curt nod. Yes, they would do. The first, a well endowed teenaged girl with slight gothic tastes stood nervously next to a tanned boy with an unusual hairstyle and mark along his cheek. Dominating the group was a tall, physically strong blond man wearing a white trench coat and a scowl. His arms were folded across his chest and he tapped his foot impatiently. The last were a set of twins, one female the other male. They both had light green hair in bunches and wore matching outfits. One of those twins however was useless to Goodwin. But too his annoyance it seemed to be a buy one get one free deal with them.

"We will start our mission this time next week." Goodwin explained sharply, making sure he had all of the other's full attention, "so spend this time wisely. Duel each other, practice, train whatever it takes to beat the dark signers. Just do not exhaust yourselves as then you will be no good to anyone. Take plenty of rests too. I have set up three rooms. There are five of you so sort out the arrangements yourselves." With that the man started to walk away, his lackey Lazar following suite.

The five that remained stood still, silently watching Goodwin leave. Yusei sighed. This was not exactly where he wanted to be, and judging by the look on the look on the others faces they shared his opinion. The last of the evening light was beginning to fade casting the gardens in a faint shadow, showing how the day was soon to come to a close. Again Yusei sighed only this time deeper, running a gloved hand carelessly through his raven hair. It was getting late. All his signer activities were beginning to take its toll on the young duellist and he felt quite sleepy. Yet, they had not sorted out the sleeping arrangements. Yusei looked over at his old friend Jack, who caught his eye and nodded in agreement. It did not always take words to communicate between the two, even if their bond close bond seemed severed it was never completely taken away.

"Me and Jack will share a room." Yusei started, not one to usually start conversations or provide much input into one going against his usual morals, "Leo, Luna you are twins so it would be best if you had one together too. That just leaves you, Akiza. You can have one to yourself."

Akiza bowed her head, her usual sad eyes beginning to water. She consciously patted her arm and a faint psychic energy began to surround her.

"I'm in a room all by myself again.." she started, the tone in her voice bordering on anger, " you tell me you're my friend Yusei, you say I-I'm beautiful, but really your still scared of me! Too scared to room with me!"

Yusei looked horrified. He stared at Akiza in disbelief, placing his hand gently on her shoulder.

"That is not the reason why Akiza, not at all." he explained softly, not wanting to entice the energy anymore, "Leo and Luna are both siblings, me and Jack are both Males. Isn't it courtesy to give a grown woman her own room?"

Suddenly Akiza went bright red in embarrassment. Of course that was the reason why. Yusei would have done that for any woman, any man with dignity would have. Yusei would never lie to her, and she could tell that all his words were sincere.

"but...if you are going to get lonely maybe tonight we could have a slumber party in one of the rooms." Yusei added, cringing slightly as thought he completely hated the idea, being the man of few words he was. Leo and Luna both looked excited however at this prospect, although Jack's eyes widened in disbelief as if to say one big no. Akiza smiled brightly, the uncommon gesture lighting up her face making her look truly beautiful in Yusei's eyes.

"Thanks but no thanks," she said to both Jack and Yusei's apparent relief, "I'm not the slumber party type."

Luna yawned, her eye lids threatening to shut.

"I am going to crash now guys." she said sleepily, waving everyone off as she headed towards the house, "sleep well everyone."

Leo ran after her, giving the thumbs up to the older duellists.

"I think I am also going to retire to my room. Night Jack, Yusei." Akiza waved goodbye to the guys, giving Yusei one final glance before disappearing. Jack sat down on the grass, seemingly not ready to head into his room any time soon, and patted the ground once next to him. That was enough signal to Yusei, and he joined the blond. They sat in silence, and if Yusei did not know better he would have already left, Jack ostensibly bored with the present company. But neither of them ever needed to talk. Sitting was enough as Yusei knew, Jack hated to be alone. A deep fear inside of him that no one but the tanned boy knew and swore to never share.

"You like that Akiza, don't you." Jack finally said, staring up at the moon that was beginning to surface amongst the deep clouds the current night brought.

"Yeah." was Yusei's answer. No point pretending otherwise, he was attracted to her. Her indescribable beauty, her mysterious nature. Her heart, what was left of it, was delicate and for some strange reason he felt like he should be the one to heal it. He had plenty of experience fixing runners, but a girl was different. Much more complex mechanics then what he was used to. Especially Akiza. She was so sweet, soft. But as delicate as porcelain, one wrong move and she would be in a million pieces.

"She likes you back, seems like there's gonna be some lovin' in this week. Lets hope the walls are sound proof.." Jack smirked, nudging Yusei's shoulder playfully. Yusei glared and shook his head fiercely, only causing Jack to laugh.

"I would not even consider doing that." Yusei cried defensively, putting a major amount of emphasis on the final word, almost as though scared of it and not wanting to think of the act that was Jack was hinting at. After that joke the two fell into silence again, just watching the stars in the sky together. It was then that Yusei realised that this was the first time in two years that him and Jack sat together, joked together. Almost acting as though before the incident, as though this was proof that they could become friends again.

"Jack, I forgive you." Yusei said slowly, the words coming out easier than he thought it would, "I forgive you for everything."

Jack's smile was his answer. Yusei could not help but smile too.

"C'mon Yusei. It's late." Jack called out standing up from the grass and brushing loose blades off his immaculate white coat. Yusei nodded, and together the two walked towards their room.

*****

"I see you still wear the same pyjamas, Yusei." Jack noticed lazily as he spotted him from the corner of his eye as he tamed his blond hair in the mirror.

"Yeah, I like these." Yusei casually replied, staring at the plain grey baggy pyjama bottoms that hung off his toned body, setting off his tanned muscles. He sat on one of two beds in the room, his closest to the window. Yusei watched Jack struggle with his hair, the amount of hairspray it took for him to get his desired style was enormous and was a nightmare to get out. Jack winced as he managed to free another strand from it's clutches in his aim for soft straight hair. It fell to his shoulders when loose.

"Yusei, do you still tame your hair?" Jack asked uncertainly to his old friend, trying to make small talk after all the time of being apart. Yusei shrugged.

"It is too much effort really. I just leave the spray in until I wash it out at the end of the week."

"You will wreck your hair doing that!" Jack exclaimed horrified, "and I bet Akiza would like to see it long, soft and maybe tied back one day." he added.

"You think?"

"Yeah, may I?"

Yusei nodded, and Jack grabbed the hairbrush, beginning to run it through Yusei's hard spikes. Yusei tensed up, waiting for the pain to arrive, but it never did. Jack was gentle, just like how he used to be when they were younger. This action of hair brushing, seemingly intimate to an outsider was actually proof that some of their brotherly type love remained in years of it faltering. This was a part of their daily routine as children, every night Jack after doing his own would brush Yusei's hair. The younger being too stubborn and uncaring about his appearance to do it himself. And now, here it was again. Yusei sitting on the edge of the bed as Jack gently brushed his hair to perfection, and he could not help but feel happy.

"There." Jack announced when finished, Yusei's hair suitably put back in a neat, loose ponytail, "don't expect me to do it again though, I'm less soft than I used to be." he added, in an attempt to remind Yusei of the cold, harsh Jack Atlas that dominated the duelling circuit. They both know he would brush it again though.

"Thanks Jack."

Jack nodded and climbed into his bed, braver than Yusei and sleeping in just his boxer shorts. He pulled the covers securely over him grabbing his portable games console for a quick gaming session before sleep.

"I am just going to check in on Akiza," Yusei decided, not sure where that decision came from, "I'll be back after, okay?"

Jack grunted a reply as Yusei headed out of the room.

*****

Akiza sat on her bed, mesmerised by a light trickle of crimson blood seeping from a fresh wound. Her eyes fixed on the droplets as they stained her white skin. The pain from the cuts that she created only moments ago rapidly taking a firm hold on her body as the pain started to dictate every pore to hurt. Her eyes began to water automatically as the pain became worse, the stinging sensation almost too bad to bare. Yet, she craved more. Pain was the only thing the Black Rose knew, it was all she needed, it was what she lived off.

"Akiza?" Yusei whispered from the doorway, shocked at what he was seeing. Akiza ignored him, instead running the blade of her knife lightly across another patch of skin and wincing as the pattern restarted.

"Akiza! Stop!" Yusei yelled, rushing over to the girl's side and grabbing the blade from her clutches, "what are you doing?"

"I need the pain, Yusei" Akiza murmured as though in a trance, still watching the increasing amount of blood drip down her arms, "it is the only thing that heals me, makes me better."

Yusei grabbed a towel and started mopping up the blood, thankfully the light wounds staying put as he used a make shift bandage over them. Akiza was just frozen, everything happening too fast for her, unable to move from the spot. As soon as Yusei found the first aid kit and used real bandages he sat down next to Akiza, grabbing her hands and squeezing them gently.

"Why do you need the pain?" He asked softly, his heart panging at the acts Akiza performed.

"I never got any love," she confessed sadly, trying not to reminisce about the past too much so not to hurt herself anymore, " causing pain seemed to help."

Yusei stared at her sadly, taking in all her features. Her big brown eyes held nothing but sorrow, which was a shame as they were truly beautiful, framed with long dark lashes. Her lips were slightly pouted, and were a delectable colour. They looked so tasty, and Yusei could not believe he was thinking this, but he wanted, no, needed to sample them.

"Doesn't anything else help?" He tried desperately, determined to get a spark in those lifeless eyes. She shook her head slowly, tears threatening to fall down her cheeks.

Yusei swallowed. He nervously cupped his hands on her cheeks and brought her face closer to his, placing his lips over hers. It was a quick kiss, over as soon as it started. Yet, when Yusei pulled away, a smile replaced Akiza's sorrowful look as she pulled Yusei into another, this time passion taking over as Yusei found himself tangled within her, legs and arms a mess as they both fought for dominance on the bed, the positions changing each second as lips and tongues caressed, lustful urges being released from both parties.

"Y-Yusei.." Akiza breathed quickly in a short pause for air, "this helps."

Thank you for reading. Please review to suggest improvements or comment on anything :)