Yeah, uh hi lol Here's a one-shot I wrote for startistica and a little appreciation for Anzu since she's the one who really cheers him up and got the plot going and a lot of other stuff, anyways, enjoy.

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN YU-GI-OH! (i bet no one does that anymore lol i'm old)

Differences

It was an average day in Domino City. All was well and right in the world. Zorc has been defeated, Atem regained his memory, and the millennium items have been sealed away for good thus ending the Games of Darkness that had almost destroyed the world thousands of years ago. Most people see the Shadow Games as only a myth now, but a certain group of friends knew better than that.

On this average Friday morning, a young, spiky haired teen arose from his sleep groggily. His child-like eyes examined the room slowly until he heard footsteps outside, slowly increasing in volume. He kept listening until the footsteps stopped right in front of his door. He sat up as he heard a knock.

"Yugi," rang a baritone voice. "Hurry up or we'll be late... again. Grandpa has breakfast ready." After that, Yugi heard those same footsteps but instead grew fainter. The young Mutou rubbed his eyes and groaned as he arose from his bed at last.

"Yeah, yeah,yeah..." he mumbled tiredly. Yugi yawned as he made his way to his uniform that rested on his desk when he stubbed his toe on the leg of it. "Ahh!" He stumbled his away over to the bed and laid there in pain of his throbbing toe. "Dammit, why does that always happen?!"

Downstairs of the Mutou home, another boy with spiky hair was found in the kitchen, drinking coffee of all things. He heard a "thump" that came from the upstairs portion of the house and he smirked, stirring the coffee with movement.

"Back-talking a pharaoh won't do you good aibou." said the smug ex-pharaoh. He then went to put the coffee mug within the sink, as he did his phone buzzed in his pocket. He went wide eyed at the thought that he might be late now just waiting for Yugi. The ex-pharaoh searched for his front pockets; nothing. He sighed and checked if it was hanging off one of his two belts, it wasn't. He groaned in annoyance and even considered checking his choker! He didn't of course but did check his jacket pockets. "Ah-ha!" He whipped out his phone quickly and answered it without checking the caller ID. "Hello?"

"Atem! Hurry up, you two are gonna make us late!" Atem moved the phone away from his ear and cringed as a female voice rang loudly.

"S-sorry Anzu, Yugi overslept… again." he said blatantly. Anzu sighed in defeat.

"Alright, Joey and Tristan already left though." Atem chuckled and leaned against the kitchen counter.

"Of course, those two need to stay out of trouble if they actually want to graduate with us." Anzu giggled to this which made him smile. "Speaking of being late… I guess I can't be late either." He grabbed his backpack along with a piece of toast and Anzu replied.

"Ok, I'm waiting at the corner."

"No, you should go with Yugi."

"Atem, as much as I would love to be late, I can't afford to wait for him." Atem laughed as he opened the front door.

"Alright, fair enough." He turned his head to the stairs and yelled, "Yugi, I'll see you at school! Bye Grandpa!" Grandpa Mutou chimed in from behind the counter of the game shop.

"Bye Atem, have a nice day." Atem bit his toast and walked out of the shop into the fresh morning. Birds chirped, people talked, and Atem made his way over to the cross-walk to see his brunette friend waving at him. So he ran over to greet her properly.

"Good morning Anzu, lovely day to be late isn't it?" They both laughed and began their walk. Anzu stretched as the cool morning air moved through her chocolatey hair. Atem found himself eyeing her but quickly brought his attention back to where he was going. Then he heard a sigh escape his female friend.

"I still can't believe it… the last week of school. Time flies doesn't it?" Atem chuckled.

"Yes, it feels like it was only yesterday that Yugi put the puzzle together." he said as looked down to the ground.

"Mhm, and the adventure began! We've all become so close these past few years." Anzu said with glee.

"Yes we have. Being alone for over 3000 years was pretty boring until I met all of you, and I'm glad I did." Anzu smiled.

"I'm glad we met you too Atem." They both smiled at each other as they approached another crosswalk. Atem caught a glimpse of something reflective on that side of the road just as a car came speeding down. He used his refined reflexes and strength he had obtained while he had trained in the military arts back in Egypt to move Anzu away. He wrapped his arms around her as he turned so that his back just caught the water that splashed from the inconsiderate driver.

"Look out!" he yelled as he did that. Anzu blushed and gasped from the world that spun around her from Atem's quickness. She didn't know which shocked her more, being in Atem's arms, or the fact he shielded her… from water.

'Such a gentleman.' She thought. But in reality she screamed and closed her eyes as she heard the water splash on Atem's back. While she stood there in warmth, Atem shivered in disgust.

"Ew…" he groaned. Anzu backed away and covered her mouth to muffle her laughs as she saw the water drip from her friend. Atem eyed her carefully and noticed her desire to laugh, he knew how badly she wanted to but gave an annoyed glare. "If you laugh, I'm gonna…" Anzu cut him off with an eruption of laughter.

"You'll what?!" She laughed and walked away which made Atem smirk.

"Oh Anzu," he said in a playful tone.

"Yes?" she responded with slyness in her voice. But once she turned around she paled, a blush formed on her cheeks seeing his chest slightly outlined from his now damp shirt.

"C'mon," Atem raised his arms. "Give me a hug." Anzu went wide eyed and squealed as Atem came at her. But with her toned body from dance, she was able to escape. She laughed as the wet Atem couldn't catch her but saw him smile in defeat. "Alright, alright, you win. Anzu stopped where she stood because she was shocked from his words. She turned to him and smiled cheekily.

"Let it be known from this day forward that I, Anzu Mazaki, has beaten the King of Games! And as such I shall now be known as the Queen of Games!" Atem cracked up to the point where he held his gut and leaned on the wall they were in front of. After a few minutes of Atem laughing, he calmed down and stared at the sky with a grin. Anzu noticed this and stood beside him. "You ok?"

"Yes, I just can't believe it's almost over." Anzu rose a brow.

"Over? What are you talking about?" Atem sighed.

"This, the adventure…" he trailed off. Anzu tried her hardest to understand but just couldn't grasp it. Atem noticed this and looked at her. "What I'm saying is, pretty soon we'll graduate. That means we will each take our own path." That was when Anzu began to have a sinking feeling.

"Atem, you have a future too ya know." Atem scoffed.

"I have about as much of a future as Kaiba has a chance of beating me in Duel Monsters." Anzu couldn't help but giggle at Atem's increased sense of humor. "But seriously Anzu, what can I, a 3000 year old pharaoh possibly do besides help grandpa at the shop?" The brunette furrowed her brows and gave a light pout which made him chuckle.

"Atemu," she started. Saying his full name caught his attention really quick. "Without you there would have been no future! So you listen here mister." Anzu grabbed his shoulders. "You of all people deserve to do what makes you happy." Anzu looked him in the eyes and he felt heat rushing to his face.

"What if… you make me happy?" Anzu blushed.

"W-what?"

"You all!" he corrected but then sighed. "You're going to New York, Tristan is going to study medicine in Europe, Joey is going to travel the world with Mai so they can start their road to being the best tag team duelists, and Yugi is going to work with Kaiba. Where do I fit in? I'm not trying to sound selfish but I'm too different to be able to do anything." Anzu took a step back and let him go. They never really considered how he felt, and they're about to regret it. "We're different Anzu. You get the freedom of choosing what you want to do with your life. My life ended after Zorc." Rage built up in the young dancer until she couldn't hold it in anymore. She raised her hand and swiftly landed it on Atem's cheek leaving a red mark as a loud slap sound followed. Atem held his cheek to ease the stinging, wide eyed.

"Atem, we love you. We are not leaving you. We are just trying to fit in with the rest of the world. How are we so different?" Atem was dumbfounded. Never had he seen Anzu like this. "You just…" Atem rubbed his cheek as the sting began to die down. Anzu held his shoulders again and looked down. "Follow your heart… don't see the unknown as your enemy, see it as an adventure. Follow what makes you happy." After that, Anzu turned around and continued her walk to school while Atem was left speechless and frozen. All Atem could do was watch his brunette friend walk. Atem then gained the confidence to follow after her and that made her head turn. "What are you doing?" Atem shrugged with a cheeky smile.

"Following you."

"I see that, but why?" Atem chuckled.

"Because you told me to follow what makes me happy." Anzu almost tripped as the heat stained her face. Her mind raced with questions one being, what the freak is going on?

"What are you talking about?" That is what she decided to go with. Atem didn't respond but kept his grin with which she pouted. She turned her head away as they finally came upon the school gate. But before she got close, she felt someone grab her wrist. A small gasp escaped her before her head whipped back as Atem's warm, soft lips met hers. "Mmm?!" Anzu blushed heavily while her wide eyes began to shut. 'So this was his fear…' she thought. She slowly pulled away pulled away after cursing herself out first. Atem's eyes slowly opened but then went wide as he realized what he had just done.

"I-I… I'm so sorry Anzu." He backed away and covered his mouth. Anzu watched him and couldn't help but feel bad for giving him the wrong idea. She has always wanted to kiss him, always, but not in this type of situation. She needs to make him realize that they aren't different at all.

"You and I…" She began. "We're not different." Anzu hugged him and felt her throat burn a little. "You have the right to live Atem, don't you get that?! You can pursue anything you want!" Anzu then hid her face on his shoulder as she sobbed and wrapped her arms around his neck. Atem's heart tugged, he couldn't believe what was happening. Instinctually, he placed his hands on her waist and kissed her forehead.

"Thank you Anzu, but please don't cry. Pretty girls like you shouldn't cry." he whispered with a sweet smile. Anzu let out a small giggle and whipped her tears away to stand up again. "What's so funny?" she kissed his cheek and Atem blushed lightly.

"You called me pretty." She giggled again. Atem rubbed the back of his head and chuckled.

"How about I call you beautiful instead?" Atem blushed shyly while Anzu blushed in shock. She moved a piece of her hair behind her ear and Atem smiled at how bashful she was being. He let go of her. "I'm sorry, I know you like Yugi and…" Before he could finish, Anzu pressed her lips on his. He closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her waist. Her lips were smooth like silk and tasted like strawberries. He couldn't contain himself so he deepened the kiss to move his lips on hers with passion. Once he did this, Anzu squeaked in surprised but responded and did the same. After about a minute of intimacy, they parted but kept their noses touching. Anzu giggled.

"Tell you what Mr. King of Games," Atem chuckled and humored her.

"Yes Ms. Dancing Queen?" Anzu laughed and lightly smacked his chest.

"Follow your dream and I'll follow mine." she smirked and made her way into school before the bell rang. "And once you do, find me if you want." Atem watched her disappear in the hallway flabbergasted. Did she just bet her lifelong dream on him? With the mess that he is? Atem went wide eyed and found a random college book that he never took out of his bag but then chuckled after he took it out. He felt like an ordinary student worrying about college and all that. He smiled.

"Maybe we aren't so different after all." Once he said this, he stopped in place and felt his now tingling lips. His heart fluttered as he just realized what had happened. Just as any other teenage boy, he couldn't keep his emotions and hormones in check. "Not so different at all…"