A/N: This was originally going to be part of a oneshot collection, but I've decided to leave it alone.
Prompt: Letter
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!
Beta: TheRoseThatKnowsPain
Letter
Yugi sighed from his seat in the back of the classroom and let his gaze wander over the room to the one boy he couldn't stop thinking of: Sennen Yami. He had fallen head over heels in love with the boy a few years ago; but could never muster the courage to tell Yami—it seemed that his love for Yami would forever remain one-sided.
A nudge to his shoulder broke him out of his Yami-induced daze. Yugi turned his head to the left and saw that Anzu was giving him a concerned look. She had known about Yugi's crush pretty much since it started. Yugi never even had to tell her; she figured it out on her own. Ever since then, Anzu had tried to get Yugi to tell Yami, even offering to tell him herself. Yugi always frantically declined, saying that he knew there was no way Yami would ever feel the same way. He didn't want to be needlessly embarrassed.
"What's wrong?" Anzu whispered worriedly; she had been worrying about Yugi for a while now. Yugi had made it a habit to space out in class lately and his grades were dropping. Anzu could also swear that Yugi was getting thinner, too.
"Nothing's wrong. Don't worry so much," Yugi replied, also in whisper. He turned away from her and tried to pay attention to the teacher, though he still found his eyes wandering toward Yami.
Anzu wasn't convinced in the slightest, but she let it go for the time being. Besides, the classroom really wasn't the place for the kind of talk she wanted to have with Yugi. She spared one last glance at her friend before returning to her note taking.
Finally, the bell rang for the end of the day. Yugi quickly gathered up his belongings and attempted to make a speedy getaway, but he was stopped when Anzu grabbed a hold of the back of his jacket.
"No way you're leaving now," Anzu smiled sweetly. "I think we need to have a nice little chat."
She may have appeared sweet, but Yugi knew better; that smile of hers was filled with some kind of devious intent. He knew what she wanted to talk about and he did not want to have such a "chat" with her.
Yugi pouted slightly, shifting his weight from foot to foot. "But Anzu—"
His pleas were cut short when Anzu gave him a hard look. Yugi frowned and turned his eyes to the ground.
"Can we at least talk somewhere else?" he asked instead—the last thing he needed was someone overhearing what they would talk about.
Anzu's gaze softened. "Of course," she said and placed her hand on his shoulder, guiding him out of the classroom. "How about you stay over at my house for the weekend?"
He nodded softly and then, after informing his grandpa, the two of them made their way to Anzu's house.
Once the two had arrived at Anzu's house, they went up to her bedroom. Anzu invited Yugi to sit on her bed, which he did. He sat hunched over, having a foreboding feeling and not looking forward to what they would soon talk about.
Anzu took a seat beside him and sighed. "If you told him how you felt, I know you would feel better," she said.
"Anzu," Yugi whined, "I know he'll reject me!"
"You don't know that! And besides, even if he does, at least you would have that off your chest," Anzu countered, looking pointedly at him.
Yugi looked at her, his expression pleading with her to drop it. But Anzu, being stubborn, would not have it and continued looking at him.
"C'mon, Yugi!" she said, her voice rising slightly. "I know you don't want to talk about this, but we have to."
He slumped his shoulders in defeat and waited for Anzu to continue.
"Yugi, I'm really worried about you," she said honestly, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. "These feelings you have for Yami have gone on for too long; these days, you hardly speak to me unless I force you, and you never pay attention in class because all you do is stare at him. I can tell that your grades are dropping—I wouldn't even be surprised if you were failing. And there's no way that you've been eating well because you barely touch your food at school! I swear that you're getting skinnier, too. This really has to stop, Yugi."
Anzu stopped for a moment to wipe away the tears that had begun to well up in her eyes and sniffled a few times.
Yugi stared at her in shock. He hadn't realized just how much Anzu cared about him and he also hadn't known that his infatuation with Yami was taking this much of toll on his life.
"I know you're worried," Yugi answered gently. "And I'm sorry, but I…I just can't tell him how I feel…" He trailed off, not knowing what else to say. He hoped Anzu would understand that he didn't want Yami to know how he felt. All he wanted was for Anzu to respect that.
She sighed again. "Alright, I get it," she spoke with a wave of her hand, "Yami won't ever know how you feel, but I still have to help you get over him. Hm, what shall we do?"
She tapped her finger against her lips a few times while she tried to think of a solution, and Yugi waited patiently. He hoped that whatever she came up with wouldn't be too difficult or embarrassing; but then again, with Anzu, anything could happen.
"I've got it!" she exclaimed while she snapped her fingers. "Why don't you write a letter? You can put all your feelings in it. I'm sure it would work!"
Anzu felt proud to have thought of that. She could only hope that it would work and that Yugi would actually go through with it. Yugi pouted and felt that foreboding feeling again.
"But I said I didn't want to tell him," Yugi complained.
Anzu smiled smugly. "I never said you had to give it to him," she stated proudly. "Just write the letter. Afterwards, you can either keep it or shred it."
Yugi looked unsure as he pondered Anzu's idea. While he really wanted to get his life back, he wondered if it could really be so simple. Finally, he decided that even if it didn't work, at least he might have Anzu off of his back for a little while.
"Alright, I'll do it." he finally said.
She beamed at him. "Great!" she exclaimed as she rose from the bed, dragging Yugi with her. She directed him to her desk and had him sat down once again.
"Here," she said as she handed him a piece of paper with a pencil, "When you're done, come find me. I'll be in the kitchen. Oh, and take your time!"
And with that, Anzu left the room with a subtle bounce in her steps. With a deep sigh, Yugi took the pencil in his hand and began to write his letter.
Sometime later, Yugi finished writing the letter, signed his name at the bottom and folded it up. After a short pause, he quickly wrote 'Yami' on it and then got up from the chair. He left Anzu's room and headed toward the kitchen.
As he neared the kitchen, he heard Anzu talking; he knew for a fact that Anzu's parents weren't home yet, so he wondered what was going on. He didn't think it likely for Anzu to be talking to herself so he assumed that she must have been talking on the phone, and he wondered whom she was speaking to. He walked into the kitchen with the intent to ask who was on the phone, but instead halted as soon as he was in the kitchen. He couldn't believe his eyes.
Yami stood there, leaning against the island of the kitchen. He chuckled at something Anzu said and Yugi couldn't believe how wonderful that laugh sounded—it seemed to echo over and over in his mind. Yugi's breath caught in his throat. He couldn't understand why Yami would be in Anzu's kitchen and he was terrified to be in the same room. He wondered if he would even be able to speak without making a fool of himself.
Then, Yami's piercing crimson eyes caught Yugi's form. His laughter stopped and his mouth was left open slightly. He stared at Yugi intensely while Yugi couldn't help but shyly stare back.
Yami broke his gaze and sent Anzu a puzzled look. "You didn't tell me anyone else would be here."
"Oh," Anzu said, laughing nervously. "Well, you see, I invited Yugi over, but then I forgot I had invited you too. I didn't want to cancel on either of you so…yeah. Besides, you both like games. I'm sure you two would get along. Maybe you'll even become best friends…or something." She rubbed at the back of her neck while both Yami and Yugi stared at her. "I really hope that you two will stay."
Yugi was hurt. He knew Anzu was lying because he knew her all too well; she planned this all, he was sure of it. How was he supposed to get through the whole weekend with Yami right there? He supposed his could just go home, but he didn't want Yami to think he didn't want be around him. He decided he would try to get through this, although he planned to have a nice little talk with Anzu when it was all over.
Yami, he was conflicted. He had always thought Yugi to be an interesting person. He had thought about talking to him at school since they both liked Duel Monsters and other games in general, but Yugi always seemed to avoid him. Yami wondered if perhaps Yugi hated him. He once shared that thought with Anzu once, but she told him that Yugi could hardly bring himself to hate a fly. She said there was absolutely no way he hated him, and Yami agreed with her at the time, though he didn't completely believe her.
Now, here he was with Yugi in the same house and the first thought that came to mind was if he should go home. He wanted to stay, he really did, but he also didn't want to make Yugi uncomfortable. To his knowledge, Anzu was Yugi's only friend and Yami didn't want to create a rift between them by staying. He sighed deeply and, before he could say a thing, Yugi spoke up.
"I'd be happy to stay," Yugi exclaimed with a wide smile.
Anzu clasped her hands together; it seemed her plan might still work after all. "Great. What about you, Yami? You'll stay, right?" she said pleadingly. She absolutely couldn't let her plan fall apart.
No, she needed both of them here. It would defeat the entire purpose if one of them left. She decided that even if Yami said no, she would find a way to make him.
Yami was silent for a moment and then, with a defeated tone, said, "Alright, I'll stay." He knew she would have found a way to force him to stay. He might as well stay here because of his own free will.
"Good choice," she said, "Why don't you go put your stuff in my room? You remember which one it is?"
He nodded slightly and picked up his bag. He walked out of the kitchen, brushing against Yugi faintly as he walked past him.
Once Yami was out of sight, Yugi glared at Anzu. Not that it could really count for a glare, though, since he had such a rather childish face. Still, it conveyed his feelings perfectly.
Anzu ducked her head a bit. "I'm sorry," she apologized, "I know you don't like what I did, but I promise that it's for the best."
It really was. Anzu was not being malicious when she knowingly invited both of them over—she truly believed that this was a good idea. No harm was meant and she honesty only wanted the best for both of them.
Yugi's pitiful excuse for a glare disappeared. He didn't say or do anything else, but Anzu somehow knew that Yugi had forgiven her.
After Yami entered Anzu's room, he walked over to her desk and set down his bag beside it. He started to leave until he saw something on the desk in the corner of his eye. It was a folded up piece of paper with his name written on it. He picked it up and, once he got over his odd hesitation, unfolded it and began to read it. His eyes widened slightly as he realized just what he was reading.
Dear Sennen Yami,
Anzu's convinced that if I write down how I feel about you, then I'll magically be able to get over you. I wish it could be that easy. Maybe it is. Guess I'll give it a try.
Yami, even though I know you'll never ever read this, I want you know that I'm in love with you. It's not a crush or anything. I really am completely in love with you. You're all I think about. I've been in love with you since the first time I saw you when you transferred to Domino High. At first, I'll admit that I initially fell for your looks. I mean, who wouldn't? You're the definition of…sexy. Oh, I'm so glad you won't read this. This is just so embarrassing.
Anyway, I soon found out that there was more to you than your good looks. As I learned more about you, I couldn't help but fall deeper and deeper in love with you. You have this dark and mysterious side that draws me in and makes me shudder. And then you show this adorably sweet side. Like the time I saw you playing with a stray kitten when you thought no one was looking. I know you try to keep up you dark side at school and it makes me so happy to have seen such a sweet side. I kinda feel privileged.
And just when I thought I couldn't love you more, I find out you play Duel Monster, too. I could hardly believe that someone as cool as you played games like that. I have even dreamed about dueling you. I think that I might have heart attack if I could be so close to you. It's kinda scary.
Sometimes, I really wish that I hadn't have ever fallen for you. My love for you has really taken a toll on my life. Anzu worries about me all the time and I know that Jii-chan probably does too. I have to get over you and I don't think I can. I don't think that this letter is working. I don't think I'll ever not love you…
Love,
Mutou Yugi
Yami stood unmoving for a moment before calmly folding up the letter and setting it back where he had found it. He stared at it for a few seconds and then left the room.
While Yami had left to put his stuff up, Anzu and Yugi decided to gather up some games for them to play. She handed him a large stack of board games. "Go set them in my room. I'll go order pizza," she said and then walked over to the house phone, leaving Yugi on his own.
Yugi stood up and struggled to carry the games. He couldn't see where he was going because Anzu had stacked the games so high. He began to head to her room only to bump into something. He tumbled over backwards and the games went flying.
When he looked up, he found that was Yami that he bumped into. "I'm so sorry, Yami!"
Yami smiled ever so lightly and it made Yugi heart flutter. "It's alright," Yami told him as he helped Yugi gather the games back.
Once they were all stacked up again, Yugi attempted to pick them up but Yami stopped him. He took them instead and walked to Anzu room with Yugi following him.
In Anzu's room, Yami set the games down on her desk. He turned to Yugi and motioned for him to get closer, and Yugi did so, hesitantly. He was still nervous about being around Yami—it didn't help that he was alone with him, either.
Yami picked up the letter Yugi had written and handed it to him, not saying a word and keeping his expression neutral.
As soon as Yugi saw the letter in his hands, he felt his heart drop. All he could think about was that Yami had to have read it; he felt so foolish for leaving it laying around like that. Of course, he never expected that Yami would be here so it wasn't really his fault.
There was a long pause. "Yugi," Yami said quietly once it became apparent that Yugi wasn't going to say anything.
Yugi hung his head, not willing to meet Yami's gaze. "I'm so sorry that you read that Yami," he began. "You were never supposed to read it. If I had known you would be here, I would gotten rid of it immediately. I'm so—"
He was cut off when Yami placed his hand over Yugi's mouth. "You don't need to apologize," Yami stated before pulling his hand away. "All I want to know is if you really love me."
"I do love you," Yugi announced in a hushed tone.
Yami almost didn't hear him. He took Yugi hands in his while he looked into Yugi's eyes. "I'm sorry that I don't feel the same way," Yami said with a sad smile. "But I'm willing to try."
"Wait, what?" Yugi asked confusedly, desperately hoping that he hadn't hear wrong.
Yami gave him a kiss on the cheek as an answer and Yugi practically melted. He then drew Yugi into a hug. "So, Yugi," Yami spoke into his ear, "Do you really think I'm sexy?"
Yugi gasped and his face immediately reddened. "Yami!"
"You're so cute," Yami said as he laughed and gave Yugi another kiss, this time on the lips. And once again, Yugi felt himself melt all over again.
In his head, he briefly thanked Anzu for playing matchmaker.