No Such Thing as a Free Lunch

:Chapter Start:

"No peeking," Yusei said, holding Ayano's hand as he walked with her towards an unknown destination.

"I know!" Ayano giggled.

"Step up." Yusei helped Ayano up the stairs and pulled her to a stop. "Ready?" he asked.

"…Sure."

Removing his hand from Ayano's eyes, Yusei watched Ayano's reaction as she looked upon where he'd led them. She gasped, placing her hands to her mouth.

"You didn't!" She threw herself into his arms. "Really?!" she asked as she looked at him, removing her head from his chest.

Yusei nodded. "Yeah." He'd been saving up his paychecks to afford this gift to Ayano. However, it wasn't going to be free for her. "Don't worry too much about the payments."

Ayano tucked her hair behind her ear, her smile growing. They were at the biggest outdoor mall in Neo Domino City; most famous for the clothing and shoe shops as well as their gaming and electronic stores. "May I lead the way?" she asked.

Yusei nodded. "You sure can."

"By the way," Ayano said as they started towards the nearest store, "Happy Anniversary!"

Yusei paused, then smiled. That's right; this was their three year dating anniversary. He hadn't planned it this way, but whatever. "Yeah. Happy Anniversary."

Ayano turned and placed a light kiss on Yusei's lips. She giggled as Yusei's face turned bright red. "I still don't understand why you don't want to display public affection," she said as she turned back around and opened the doors to the first store. As they entered, Yusei realized which store Ayano had chosen first: The Loli-pop Café. It was a girly store; full of lingerie and Lolita clothes.

"Ayano," he said, "I'll wait outside."

"If you wish to," was Ayano's respond, which made Yusei prickle with curiosity, but he backed out of the store and leaned against the wall of the store. He needed to hold his urges until they got back home.

Ayano was about thirty minutes before she emerged from the store. She smiled at Yusei. There was a medium sized bag in her hand.

"What did you get?" he asked.

"It's a secret!" she said, a mischievous grin on her face. "We're off to the Demented Hanger next." And with that, she set out.

The Demented Hanger was a store that sold a lot of "nerdy" attire – shirts that referenced games, bands and current memes. Again, Yusei hung back while Ayano went inside.

She emerged forty-five minutes later, another bag added to the collection.

They made a circuit around the mall, stopping in a few other stores such as the other lingerie store "Make a Move," the game store "The Dragon's Horde," the electronics store "," the artist store "Sill Drawings" and the shoes store "Glass Slippers."

By the end, Yusei was feeling rather tired, but Ayano looked like she could keep going. "One more store, then we can head home; I promise!" she said, taking Yusei's hand and dragging him towards a store he hadn't noticed until now. It was called "The Lord's Towerclock" and appeared to be a mechanic store.

"Yo-You don't have to go there!" Yusei said, tugging at Ayano's grip on his wrist. "I-I don't…!" His protest was lost when he saw all the goods the store offered. There were tools of all kinds; his eyes were drawn to the ones that he could use to the fix the bike he'd been building. There were also electronic pieces and hardware that he could use.

Ayano smiled as her boyfriend went about the store in awe. She leaned against the wall, her arms folded before her. Taking note of what he was looking at the longest, she finally walked over to the store tender and began talk to him.

Finally, Yusei was able to pull himself out of his awe and looked around for Ayano. She was outside the store and he was able to see her through the glass windows. There was a gang of boys hanging around her, advancing every so often; they were probably flirting with her.

Bristling with jealousy, Yusei made his way out of the store.

"Sorry boys," Ayano was saying. "I already have someone."

"Awww! Come on! You can spend at least a little time with us, can'tcha?" the leader said, placing a hand on Ayano's shoulder, refusing Ayano to cringe away from him.

Yusei forced his way through the crowd to Ayano, removed the hand and placed his own arm around Ayano's shoulders. "She's mine," he growled.

"He's rather protective," Ayano giggled. "I suggest you scram before he snaps."

The boys looked at each other, then to Yusei's livid expression and chose the wiser of the two option and left.

"Ready?" Ayano asked, and interlaced her fingers with Yusei's. "Let's go home. I have a surprise for you, too!"

"Wait," Yusei said, "aren't you hungry?" he asked, hearing Ayano's tummy rumble slightly.

Blushing, Ayano nodded.

"Alright! Let's grab lunch before we go home. I know just the place!" Yusei led Ayano towards "Eat Me, Drink Me," one of the more expensive but best restaurants in the area.

"Are you sure?" Ayano asked, tugging at Yusei's grip. However, Yusei kept their fingers intertwined and nodded.

"Yeah, I'm sure. This is our anniversary."

Ayano flushed and grew quiet. They were seated relatively easily and were given menus and water glasses.

"A strawberry martini," Ayano ordered as an alcoholic drink.

"Margarita on the rocks," Yusei said, and the waiter nodded.

"I'll be back with your drinks to take your order."

The conversation between the couple didn't cease until their food was brought to them. Yusei tried to inquire about what Ayano had bought and what his surprise was. However, she kept saying it was a secret, a grin on her face.

"I'm sure you'll love it," she said as well.

When their food came, the chatter died as they focused on the food. Ayano had ordered a stuffed chicken breast while Yusei was eating a steak marinated in balsamic vinegar and olive oil. It was surprisingly good. Kiryu, a close friend of Yusei's, had recommended the dish, so Yusei tried it and rather liked it.

A few times, Yusei caught Ayano glancing at him over her chicken, and whenever he did, she would blush, giggle and look away.

They finished their dinner with a slice of chocolate cake topped with vanilla and strawberry icing.

Feeling rather full after the meal, Yusei leaned back, content.

"I'll go back home first," Ayano said, standing and grabbing her shopping bags. "You stay here until you feel like you can move again." Again, that mischievous grin.

"You sure? Those boys might come again…"

"Oh, I'll be sure to avoid anyone that looks suspicious," Ayano comforted. And with that, she left.

Once his stomach stopped churning with fullness, Yusei stood, paid the bill and walked back towards the apartment he and Ayano shared. On the way, he was stopped by several nice-looking girls. They hit on and flirted with him, but he kept telling them, he had a girl waiting for him back home.

"Awww~!" One of the girls whined. "Please, won't you just spend a little time with us?"

"No," Yusei said, rather flatly. "My girlfriend is waiting for me." He moved out of the center of the circle that had gathered and walked away from the girls to their protesting. Finally, once they realized that he was determined to get away, they stopped.

"It's too bad he's taken," he overheard one say.

"Yeah, she must be one lucky girl…"

"She might have a great body… Boy's usually go for that kinda thing…" one suggested.

"A great rack? Or nice hips?" a second asked, trying to confirm.

"Or she's rather loaded."

Yusei turned at this comment, his eyes flaring with anger. "I love her for who she is!" He turned with a jerk and stormed away from the dumbfounded girls.

He reached the apartment and took the elevator to his floor and fished out his keys and unlocked the door. Entering, he flipped the lights on and realized that the room was empty. Ayano must be in her room.

Though they were a couple and slept together, Ayano insisted on having her own room. She said she had too much stuff to fit into the small closet, and Yusei reluctantly agreed.

Settling into the couch, Yusei waited. His anxiety began growing when he heard nothing in the apartment. Did she make it home okay? What if she was still outside? Had she been kidnapped?

Standing with sudden determination, he heard a key in the lock of the front door. He rushed to the door and was there when Ayano opened the wooden plank, embracing her as she entered.

"Where were you?" he asked, squeezing her like she'd disappear if he let go.

"I was getting your gift!" Ayano squeaked. "You're hurting me!" she finally cried and Yusei released her from his grip. Brushing herself off, Ayano picked up the gift bag she'd dropped when Yusei embraced her and held it out to her boyfriend. "Here! I love you! I hope you enjoy it!"

Yusei, confused but curious, took the handles of the bag and walked back to the couch where he sat down and took the tissue paper out. Inside was a velvet box. Even more confused, he took the box into his hands, letting the bag drop to the floor. Opening the box, he saw a speed chip; the one he'd been eying in "The Lord's Towerclock," sitting inside the box. It was new; he could tell by the lack of scratch marks that occurred when it was used.

"Thank you," he muttered, still starting at the chip.

"I think that covers the cost of some of the clothes," Ayano said, her expression suggesting she was calculating pricing such.

That's when Yusei's original idea popped back into his head. "Yeah. But you need to pay me back for the lunch." He stood and advanced to Ayano.

"Y-You said…!" Ayano protested, but Yusei wrapped strong arms around her and refused to let her go.

"There's no such thing as a free lunch," he whispered in her ear. "I want you."

Ayano shivered at how lusty his voice was. It rattled her to the bones and she shifted. "…Alright," she said after a few painfully slow ( for Yusei ) moments of thought.

With no need to be told twice, Yusei swept Ayano into a bridal-style carrying position and walked to their room. He could feel himself growing excited – he and Ayano hadn't had sex in a while because he'd been busy with work and was so exhausted when he got home, he went straight to bed. And Ayano worked early, so she was always gone when he woke up.

With care, Yusei tossed Ayano to the mattress and crawled on top of her, stripping her of her outer layer. Staring at her body, he realized what she was wearing. The lingerie from the stores was currently on her body, revealing and sexual enough that it got Yusei even more exited.

Ayano shied away from Yusei's intense stare at her body, her face a light red and a small smile curling her lips.

Placing hands on either side of Yusei's face, Ayano cradled his face and turned it so it looked her in the eyes. She smiled and kissed him with passion. Yusei kissed back, the two warring over who would be the leader in tonight's adventure.

Finally, Yusei won. He ended the kiss and caressed Ayano's sides through the corset she was wearing. It was a black base with bright red rose designs stretching the ribs. It was a full corset and he was amazed she was still breathing normally – well, as normally as one can after a long kiss.

Ayano squirmed against Yusei's caress and her blush grew. Forcing her hands to Yusei's shoulders, she rolled over, pushing Yusei to the mattress and climbing on top of him. She leaned down and kissed him on the cheek.

Yusei couldn't take it. He wanted Ayano so badly. However, her next words turned him on to his max; he flipped back to their original position and continued to remove her clothing, continuing the sexual activity until they were both satisfied.

Ayano shuddered as Yusei released into the condom and went limp.

Leaning against her chest, Yusei whispered back to her:

"I love you. Happy Valentine's Day to you as well."

:Chapter End: