Disclaimer: I own nothing involved in this story unless I invented it myself. This is written for fun, not for profit. All forms of feedback eagerly accepted. Concrit is loved the most, but everything is welcome.
Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh GX
Title: On Watch
Romance: Asuka x Jim/Jim x Asuka (referenced Ryou x Yuusuke/Yuusuke x Ryou)
Word Count: 999||Status: One-shot
Genre: Romance||Rated: G
Challenge: Written for the Diversity Writing Challenge, section D83, write an AU; Written for the 2015-2016 Mini-Advent, write a fic under 1,000 words; Written for the Dice Gods Challenge, random 'ship
Notes: This takes place in the reversal AU.
Summary: On an anniversary no one wanted, Asuka spends time on guard duty and Jim spends time with her.

Jim found Asuka half-concealed underneath a broad expanse of branches and leaves, unlikely to be seen by anyone passing. He saw her only because he knew what to look for in the shape of the shadows. He waited until he knew that she'd seen him, not wanting to cause her any fright by appearing without warning.

When she had, she gestured for him to join her. The little niche she'd tucked herself into was just big enough for two if they remained close to one another and Jim never complained about being close to her.

Long moments passed in deep silence as they watched the winding path. This was one of the quieter reaches that the rebellion kept their eyes on. Jim suspected he knew why Edo had assigned it to her tonight, and probably would for the next handful of nights.

It was for the same reason Yuusuke would not be allowed out at all until this time passed. While Asuka needed something to take her mind off of what had happened, Fujiwara Yuusuke would be far too inclined to go searching for his lost lover. He understood that Ryou wasn't with them anymore, due to his own will or not, but Yuusuke's studies of shadow magic had turned him more than a little strange in the last few months.

Asuka finally broke the silence. "I still miss him. Both of them, but Ryou and I… Fubuki and Shou… we grew up together. I don't remember not knowing him. We helped form the rebellion in the first place. To think that now he's..." She couldn't finish it, only shook her head.

Jim rested his hand on her shoulder in the most reassuring way that he knew. "We'll give him peace one day. I know he'd want that." It sounded horrible, to know that the only way they could do so would be to kill him a second time, but one didn't return from undeath.

Asuka bit her lip. "If I didn't already hate them, I'd hate them for doing that to him. And what he did to Johan, too." She added that almost as an afterthought. It wasn't that she didn't like and respect their former leader, but Ryou had been her friend. Johan's luck had run out one way. Ryou had gone to help him and his ran out a different way.

Jim left his hand where it was, as she didn't seem to object to it. "We all do." He wished he could say more that would help. He wished there was anything that he could do that would help.

Asuka leaned her head back, but not so much that her attention wasn't on the road. "A year ago tonight we found out," she murmured. It had been longer than that since Ryou's unfortunate change. None of them knew the exact time, since Haou hadn't kept them updated on the torment he'd put Ryou through.

Jim wanted to take her mind off of this. That was why she was out here, but leaving her alone with just a lonely stretch of road to watch wouldn't do that much good in his opinion. Asuka did not brood often, but this was one of the short list of things that she would brood about.

"So, what's Fubuki-san doing?" It wasn't much of a distraction but it would have to do. They couldn't duel for fun and she couldn't leave her post until her replacement showed up.

Asuka's lips curved upward for a quick moment. "He's with Yuusuke, actually. They're doing some research on something. I think Fubuki convinced him to help look up love spells."

Both of them shook their heads over that one. If it kept the other two from rushing off to do something ridiculous over Ryou's condition, all to the good, but seriously? Love spells? Jim didn't know if such things existed and worked, but if anyone would want to find out, it would be Fubuki.

There were so many of them who had some kind of reaction to what today represented. Jim knew that Shou would spend the day locked up in his room, going over his deck, and planning what he would do if he got a chance to fight against Haou or one of his minions or even his brother. He did that on a fairly regular basis anyway. He'd never forgiven himself for the stretch of time before Ryou left where he'd refused to speak to his brother at all.

Jim watched Asuka as the moments slid slowly by, each one as silent as the one before it.

"Would you like to have dinner with me once you're off-duty?" he asked at last. "I could make it myself." He wasn't the best cook but he had a couple of dishes from his homeland that he wanted to try. They had the ingredients; he'd checked on them before and now he had a good reason to give it a shot.

Asuka smiled a little at that, some of the tension sliding out of her. Not all of it; a simple offer of dinner couldn't fix everything. "I'd like that."

Both froze in place at the sound of approaching footsteps on the road. For a moment, they wondered if it could somehow be Ryou. But vampires made no sound when they walked.

Neither moved. They watched for this reason, to know who came near their hideout and for what reason. But the lone traveler simply kept going, not looking to either side. Asuka sent a signal back to the others via the small communications device Misawa had made for them. The traveler would be watched until leaving their territory entirely.

In the silence afterward, they remained close together, enjoying each other's comfort and companionship. It was hard to live in this world, where everything seemed set to go against them. But there were also perks, such as spending time with the people that they cared about, while they were still there with them.

The End

Note: Thank you for reading and I hope that you enjoyed the story. Please let me know what you thought of it if at all possible.

Note: I'm curious; how many of you would like to see something concerning Ryou's spying days and the results thereof? I've meant to write it for some time, but I would like to know how many really want to see it soon. I could possibly get something going after the New Year, Valentine's Day at the very latest. Who is up for it?