Hello everyone! Thank you for coming, and I hope everyone's enjoying the holidays! This is for my friend Kristina a.k.a. Dark Shadow Flame. I hope you like this girl!
First Dates and other Strangeness
The flat screen T.V.s showed cheering fans jockeying for an autograph from their favorite stars. That was nothing though to the photographer's who's flashbulb's went off every step of the way. From the moment they stepped on the escalator, it was like being in a haze of light and sound, but the moment they reached the top, they'd be able to escape the noise, get to their seat's, and relax a bit before the show started.
"Wow! That was really cool! You sure don't get that kind of treatment at the local cinema!"
"No, certainly not!"
A pretty, dark haired girl looked at her pale friend with a bit of concern.
"Hey, are you alright? You look a bit light-headed."
Her date, a kind hearted boy named Ryou Bakura only shook his head slightly with a smile.
"Im fine." He assured her. "I just didnt expect all that." He stated with a jerk of his thumb toward's the stairwell they'd just come up. Indeed, you wouldn't expect this sort of thing at a regular night at the movies, especially since this wasn't a regular night at the movies as his friend, Kristina, had already observed.
This was a night at the IMAX theater at Jordan's Furniture store!
Ever since they'd run into each other at the arcade the previous weekend, and decided to go on a date, the two had been going back and forth on what they would do, where they would go. Every idea seemed either too bland, too odd, or too expensive. It wasn't until Thursday night that they finally figured out what to do.
Kristina had stopped by the Game shop with her pal Mamono to pick out some cards for their decks, and so she could talk to Ryou again. The Moto's had invited him to stay with them, until his father came back from his latest assignment. Yugi had turned on the radio to drown out some of the noise from the traffic outside, when the ad for Jordan's came on. It went on in it's normal way, how they didn't pressure people into buying things they didn't need, or weren't ready to buy, and of course touting their under-prices, when it reached the end, "...home of the IMAX theater, brought to you by COMCAST."
After that, they'd looked at each other for a moment or two.
"Kristina?"
"Yeah?"
"Would you like to go to the IMAX theater at Jordan's this weekend?"
"Sure! It sound's like fun!"
So that was that! They'd managed to agree on something that not only sounded fun, but it was a little different. How many people went to a furniture store on a first date after all? It wouldn't be fair though to lump Jordans in with every other furniture store on the planet.
Far from it.
As soon as you go inside the large revolving front door, you knew that it was special here, for Jordans was designed like no other store Ryou had ever been in before. In fact, it was modeled to look like Bourbon Street, New Orleans during Mardi Gras.
This delighted Yami Bakura to no end.
-Hikari!-
/What is it Yami? You promised you wouldn't cause any trouble tonight./ Ryou still doesn't know how he managed to get his Yami to agree to that.
-Yes, yes, I promise I won't ruin your night with the future "Mrs. Bakura-"-
/Yami!/
-Go buy us a round of drinks!-
/Excuse me?/
-You heard me!-
/Err, I don't think they sell alcohol here. Even if they did, they wouldn't sell any to me./
-Now you listen to me Hikari, if you want to make a good impression on this girl, start by offering her a drink. Besides, I want a drink, and I want one now! There's a tavern right over there, I can see people dancing upstairs, I hear raucous music, you WILL go get us a round of drinks!-
Ryou looked over at where his Yami seemed to think there was a bar, and mentally chuckled.
/That's just a facade Yami./
-A what?-
"What's so funny?" Kristina was giving him an odd look now.
"Oh, nothing! I just thought they did a great job in here."
"Yeah, it really does seem like were walking down Bourbon Street. Minus the booze of course." She quickly added.
-WHAT?!? Did she say NO BOOZE?!?-
/Yes Yami. None of this is real. It's all prop's and set's just for fun./
-Humph. What's the point of going out then if were not going to get a little drunk? Now THAT would be fun!-
Ryou ignored his Yami after that. It didn't matter really, since Yami Bakura kept up his end of the bargain and didn't cause trouble. They spent some time looking around, trying out the comfy looking sofas and chairs. It was nice, they had a chance to really talk to each other for awhile. That is, until they went up the escalator with the mural of a sea of reporters on either side of them. He and Kristina were delighted by this spectacle!
The same could hardly be said for his Yami.
It must have been somewhere between the actors on the first T.V. screen, (behaving as the afore mentioned cheering fans) and the first set of lights made to twinkle like flash bulbs. Whatever it was, Yami Bakura suddenly decided he wasn't having any part of it.
-Get me out of here!!!-
/What's wrong now? You've been on escalator's before./
-What's with all this?!? Are they trying to blind us with these insipid lights?!? I want to leave NOW!!!-
Ryou held firm though. Really, his Yami was behaving childishly!
/No. The whole point of going out was so I could have some fun with Kristina away from school. Were not going home early just because you've decided you can't handle an escalator ride!/
-Grrrr...-
Reaching the top, Ryou knew he had to lay down the law, or this wouldn't be the end of it.
/Listen, if you really don't want to go that's fine. I'll just toss the Ring into the nearest-/
-Oooohhh.-
/What now?/
-Look Hikari! High definition T.V.'s! By Ra, I'm in heaven!-
Inspiration hit like a bullet.
/We can go look at them later if you like./
-What?-
/I've been thinking we needed a new T.V. for the living room. I'll even let you pick out which one we get. That is, if you behave of course./
He waited as his Yami made up his mind. He could NOT pass this up, not for all the flashy lights in Jordans! Ryou smiled when he heard the enthusiastic response from the ancient spirit.
-You've got a deal Hikari! I'll be a good little tomb robber for the rest of the night as long as we go back later to pick out a new T.V.-
/Agreed. We'll come back tomorrow then, alright?/ He wondered what his father would say when he saw a couple thousand extra dollars on his credit card statement.
Focusing back on Kristina, who hadn't seemed entirely convinced that he was alright, he nodded towards the concession area.
"Would you like a soda or something? Maybe some popcorn?"
She smiled brightly at his sweet offer.
"How about I get the snacks since you're getting our tickets?"
"How about you buy next time?"
Her smile became, if possible, brighter.
"You mean there's already going to be a next time?"
Ryou then realized what he'd just said, and became slightly flustered.
"Err, well yes, that is-I mean if you want to!"
That's it. He'd probably just completely freaked her out, that is unless his mental chatter with Yami Bakura hadn't already. Why had he shouted in her face just now? He just wanted to sink through the-
"I'd love to!"
"Wha-what did you just say?" He couldn't have heard that right.
"I said....I said I'd love to go out with you again."
Oh-oh that!
"Well....well great! Why don't we talk about it later at that restaurant we saw when we came in?"
Kristina nodded with a smile.
"Yeah, that'd be good."
Turning to the snack counter, which doubled as the ticket counter, Ryou took their tickets from a rather embarrassed looking young man.
"So, uh, do you guys want snacks?"
"Oh, um, just a small popcorn and a couple sodas I guess." How much had this guy heard? Probably everything, since Ryou had given him their ticket money right away.
"Okay, here's your order." He handed them their popcorn and two empty cups, as he pointed to the far end of the small counter.
"You fill your drinks down there, there's free refills on them, and you can put extra butter on your popcorn there too if you want. The show starts in half an hour, and we'll start seating people in ten minutes."
"Oh, that's right, we didn't even ask what's playing."
He grinned at them then.
"'Haunted Castle' in IMAX 3D. Enjoy!"
They went to get their drinks, excited grins on their faces.
"The movie sounds great! I wonder how long it is?"
"We could ask him on the way ba-oh!" Ryou had just pushed the button for extra butter on their popcorn, when it spurted out and spattered all over his and Kristina's jacket sleeves. Mortified, he grabbed a fistful of napkins and started to dab up the mess.
"I'm so sorry! I didn't know it was going to do that!"
He'd expected her to be furious with him, but instead she gave him a reassuring smile.
"Its okay. This is an old jacket, and I need to wash it anyway. Are you alright?"
Ryou then noticed that he'd taken the worst of the mess. Some of it had even dotted the front of his shirt.
"Oh, I expect I'll live." He finished cleaning up and tossed out the napkins. "Why don't we get our 3D glasses, and get in line before something else happens?"
"Oh come on, it's the movies. What else could happen?"
They'd been the first in line, and the first one's to get to their seat's. The row's of seat's slopped steeply downward so you had the feeling of being in a small stadium. Kristina wanted to sit at the top row in the back, so they went to what seemed to be the middle and sat down.
"Ooooh, comfy!" She sighed with pleasure. Ryou had to agree, the seat's were much better than those at the local theater. So was the general atmosphere of the place. All around them light's danced, and music blared as people anticipating an exciting show sat down.
Kristina turned to him then with a mischievous look.
"Wanna do people watching?" The enormous, yellow 3D glasses looked extremely cute on her.
"Alright. What do we do?"
Giggling, she leaned over to whisper something to him. Ryou thought his heart would stop when he felt her breath tickling his ear.
"Just watch people as they sit down, and guess what they might be saying to each other. We're not going to be mean, we're just going have a little fun!" Clearing her throat, Kristina began.
Ten minutes later, they were both laughing at each other's ludicrous suggestions.
"I'm sorry! I know this was my idea, but it's getting stupid!"
Ryou shook his head and smiled. "That's okay, I'm having fun with you."
Kristina, thankful for the semi-darkness of the theater, blushed a bit.
"Yeah, me too."
"Excuse me? Is anyone sitting here?"
"Huh?"
Ryou turned to see a small group of people clustered at his left. Three of them, two guys and a girl, looked to be his age, and they were there with a young man who seemed about mid twenties. Even in the low light he could see they had an unusual look to them. The one who had spoken had gray hair and violet eyes, and the other bright orange hair with eyes which, in the shadows anyway, looked to be red. The man was wearing what looked to be a kimono, and the girl looked positively normal.
"Well?!?"
Ryou suddenly realized he hadn't answered yet, and the orange haired one clearly wasn't patient.
"Uh, no, no ones sitting here. Go ahead."
"Took ya long enough."
"Now Kyou, there's no need for that." The older man gently chastised.
"Shut up, ya stupid Dog!"
The gray haired boy quickly whacked the other on the back of his head.
"Stupid Cat, do you want us to get kicked out?!? Be quiet!"
"Shut up, ya damned Rat!"
In the midst of the ensuing bickering match, the girl with them, whom Ryou now noticed had a beautiful smile, and bright blue eyes, quietly waved her thanks to them. She then had the arduous task of getting the other two to settle down, something she seemed well accustomed to. Moment's later, they were all sitting calmly.
"Well.... that was exciting. We could move down a few seat's if you want."He really didn't want to have to listen to two people fighting during the show.
"No, it's okay. I think they'll be fine as long as she's there to keep them quiet. Besides, this rows already filling out."
That's when he spotted a group of mostly boys and a few girls down on the other end. They'd taken up quite a few seats, and were close enough for him to hear bits of their conversations.
"Hiei, your supposed to wear those glasses during the show, not break them up into pieces."
"Hn, why are these ridiculous thing's even necessary Kurama? I saw one of these...moovies once and it didn't require special eye wear."
"I can't believe it Hiei! You actually did something as normal as watch a movie?"
"Yusuke, that's enough. We all came out here to relax a bit, so no fighting!"
"Yeah, you heard Botan short stuff! Just sit back and watch the show!"
"Please, if I wanted to be entertained all I'd have to do is watch you fight Kuwabara."
"Okay, that's it! You and me right-"
"Sit down little brother, or I'll tell Mom what a huge Jack ass you were tonight."
SLAP!
"Yusuke, you big jerk!"
"Oww, Keiko, I was just looking for my 3D glasses!"
"They're on top of your head."
"Oh, heh, heh, so they are!"
"Pervert!"
Kristina looked at Ryou with a bemused expression on her face.
"This is much better than what we were making up."
"I guess truth is stranger than fiction." He agreed.
"Hey, Bakura!"
Ryou stifled a groan, before looking over at the person who'd just called his name.
There at the entry doors stood their friends Yugi, Tea, Joey and Tristan. Joey was the one who'd spoken, and was now moving towards the empty seats right in front of them.
"Hey, I didn't know you guys were gonna be here! When did you-"
He was cut off when Tea grabbed him by the ear, dragging him back to the rest of their group.
"C'mon Joey, leave them alone."
"Ow! But Tea, I was just-OUCH!"
"They're on a date man! Leave 'em be!" Tristan was now shoving a grumpy Joey into a seat several rows down. Yugi gave them a friendly wave before joining the others.
Ryou turned to Kristina with a slightly raised eyebrow.
"Do you think the whole world knows were here?"
"Probably." She agreed.
"Down here guys. There are still some seats left in the first row."
A girl with shoulder length dark hair led a group of her friends down to the front of the theater. They were even more unusual looking than the first group. Two guys, a girl, and a small child with a loud voice followed her.
The first girl was dressed normally, but something about her friends seemed, well, not right. In fact, their clothes seemed rather old fashioned, like they were from the Feudal Era of Japan. One guy was dressed like a Buddhist monk, the other wore a red Kimono, and the girl and boy were wearing peasants clothes.
He and Kristina looked at each other then, equally puzzled.
"Maybe they're in a play, or some sort of re-enactment?" She suggested.
"Yes, that's got to be it." Why did one of them look like he had ears on top of his head? Maybe he was imagining it, since it also looked like the young boy had a fox tail.
"Kagome, why do we need these again?"
"They're so you can watch the movie properly Shippo."
"Hmph, we shouldn't even be here. It's a total waste of time! We should be out looking for-"
"Inuyasha, SIT!"
WHAM! The guy in the red Kimono went face first into the floor.
"We need to take a break from shard hunting for a bit. It's good to relax every now and then!" Inuyasha only glared up at her.
Kagome turned to Shippo and gave him a small, brightly colored box.
"Here, I got you some candy for the show!"
Overjoyed by such a sweet gift, he ripped open the box and started in on the candy.
Just then, the music took on a more upbeat tempo. Miroku grabbed Sango's hand and pulled her to her feet.
"Come Sango, let's dance!"
"I don't think we're supposed to in here!"
"Nonsense! Why else would they play such lively music if people weren't meant to dance to it!"
"Go on, Sango. The show hasn't started yet, so nobody should mind." Kagome smiled at the two of them as Inuyasha picked himself up off the floor and took his seat.
"I'll bet you ten bowls of Ramen that he grabs her butt!"
"You're on! He wouldn't do that here in front of-"
SLAP!!!
"Pervert!" Sango stomped over to her seat on the other side of Kagome and Inuyasha.
"Told ya! You owe me Ramen!"
"Hmph!"
The man in the kimono from earlier had spotted this, and grabbed the hand of the girl with the bright smile.
"Tohru, when was the last time we danced?"
"Umm, never." His close proximity was making her nervous for more than one reason.
"Well then, its about time we did, don't you think?"
"Let her go Shigure!"
The dueling duo were back on their feet, and furious with the other man.
"Yuki! Kyou! You wouldn't deny me one dance with my little flower now, would you?"
"YES WE WOULD!" Fire seemed to be shooting from their eyes as they advanced on him.
"Umm, really, I don't mind." Tohru really wanted to avoid any fights between them tonight if she could. Maybe if she slipped away from Shigure they'd calm down a bit? Finally, unnoticed by her friends, she broke his slacked grip and stepped away from him.
Unfortunately, she tripped at the last moment and crashed right into Yuki and Kyou. Two small explosions were heard as two puffs of smoke appeared.
An usher saw this, and spotted Shigure.
"There is NO SMOKING in the IMAX theater sir!"
Thankful for a plausible explanation in such a crowded place, he played along in a rather loud voice.
"Ah, yes of course! I'm soo sorry, I forgot where I was for a moment there! I'll just step outside for now and take care of this!"
"Eeeep!"
"What's wrong?" Ryou had been distracted by the commotion kimono man was making, when Kristina let out a small shriek.
"I thought I just saw a rat!" She told him in a loud whisper.
He looked to where she was pointing and saw no rat. He did see that the girl, Tohru, was picking up some loose clothes. She looked up and saw him watching her.
"Oh! Umm, they just went to the bathroom and decided they were too hot, so they left their jackets and sweat shirts here so they wouldnt get dirty when they took them off in the bathroom and-"
Ryou just threw up his hands in surrender.
"It's okay! It's none of my business, and I'm sure I don't want to know what just happened anyway."
"Oh, a-alright then." She gave him another one of her sweet smiles before tentatively sitting down.
Turning back to Kristina, he gave her a weary smile.
"Do you think perhaps we've been cursed for the night?"
Tohru made an odd sort of noise off to his left.
"No, I think we've just had a bit of bad luck tonight. It'll get better."
"Really?"
"Could it get any worse?"
"Let's hope not!"
They settled back in their seats and resumed alternately talking and watching the crowd. As more people filed in, they saw more whom they recognized from school, and dueling tournaments. The Roba brothers came in, taking seats near the exit on the far right, and Mako Tsunami arrived with a familiar looking young woman.
"Hey, who's that with Mako?" He asked.
Kristina looked to where he was pointing, saw the woman and smiled.
"Oh, that's Aura! Remember? She helped him get a new boat after his old one was damaged in that big storm."
"Oh right, I remember her now! She's really nice!"
It was almost time for the movie to start, and the seats were still filling up. The Ishtar sibling's came, Malik staring in awe of everything around him, and even the Kaiba brothers showed up. As if that wasn't enough of a surprise, they had brought someone with them!
"How do you think Mokuba convinced him to take the night off, much less bring company with them?"
Kristina only smiled at him as she pointed to the girl on Seto Kaibas' right. That's when Ryou noticed it was their pal Mamono, and not some random Mary Sue. Looking over at Mokuba, he recognized the woman sittingnext to him as Aura's sister, Red, who'd arrived with Duke Devlin. Since they were seated near her and Mako, the two had started quietly bickering over the plot of some anime they had watched earlier. The words "yes", and "no" were being hissed back and forth.
"Sisters." She'd laughed. Ryou had to agree. He also wondered if Kaiba had started that little tiff as a side show. Judging by the devilish smirk on his face, Ryou would have to say yes.
"Here Rin. I found some seats for us." A girl with waist length, dark hair with a boy who looked to be about seven sat in the seats right in front of them.
"Are you sure this movie isn't too scary Alice?"
The girl rolled her eyes and let out a huge sigh.
"Yes Rin, I asked. The girl who gave us our glasses said it wasn't really scary at all, but if you think it is, maybe we should take a seat on the isle?"
"I'm not scared! I just didn't want you to be worried."
"Whatever." She sighed.
The boy twisted around to look at the people behind him and made eye contact with Ryou and Kristina.
"Are you guys on a date?"
"Rin! Leave them alone!"
"Yes, actually, we are."
"Hmm." The boy, Rin, fixed them both with an intense glare, before settling on Kristina.
"So he's your boyfriend?"
"Rin!"
"Uh, well, this is our first date really." Who did this kid think he was?
"So did he buy your ticket then?"
"Yeah, he did." Was he grading her date, or something?
"What about your soda and popcorn?"
"Yes, he bought those too." Man this kid was nosy!
Now he was giving her that really intense glare from before.
"How come he got you such a small popcorn? Was he being cheap?"
"Rin, that's enough!"
Okay, now Ryou had had it. Noise, spattered butter, obnoxious people, his Yami, now this grilling from the 'Dating Police'. However, Rin was just a kid, so he couldn't just blow up at him, or send him to the Shadow Realm. That would certainly have been his Yami's first choice, but Ryou liked to believe he was made of somewhat better stuff. So he decided to be patient with the boy.
"Actually, I just didn't want us to ruin our appetites for dinner."
Rin's glare from before was now replaced with a look of curiosity.
"You're taking her to dinner?"
"Yes, right after the movie."
Rin, apparently satisfied with the answer, smiled at them and turned around in his seat.
"Rin, come on, stop bothering them on their date." The girl, Alice, gave them both an apologetic look. "You shouldn't be talking to total strangers anyway."
"Oh, it's okay Alice!" Rin had been talking in a somewhat louder than normal voice the whole time.
"Oh really?"
"Yeah! Hes a Virgin!"
Ryou suddenly gagged on the soda he was drinking, and Kristina had to come to his rescue before he suffocated. A moment later he was breathing again, but he was also wearing his soda.
He wasn't the only one though.
Rin's voice had carried over the noise of the relatively small theater. Several people, particularly the ones sitting closest to them, were either laughing hysterically, wearing their spilled drinks, or both. Everyone suddenly seemed very interested in what was going on.
Inside his mind, he could hear his Yami howling with laughter.
/Yami, I've changed my mind about this boy. He need's to be sent straight to the Shadow Realm./
Suddenly Yami Bakura stopped laughing.
-No.-
/Why not? You've never had a problem with it before./
-The Shadows wouldn't have him, Hikari. They'd be too afraid he'd take over. Trust me, there's something evil about that boy!-
/Hmm, you're probably right./
Alice looked mortified beyond words.
"Rin! You shouldn't....you shouldn't!"
Well, maybe not entirely.
Ryou waved his hand in front of her, shaking his head.
"Rin," He started very calmly, "why do you say I'm a.....a virgin?" He was certain he'd die of embarrassment soon.
Rin scowled at him. "I know what virgin means!"
The kimono guy who'd come in earlier with the dueling duo had just returned at Rin proclamation, and seemed to think this was very funny. So did one of the guys off to his right, the one with his hair slicked back.
"Well....why don't you tell me what you think it means." He had to find a way out of this.
Rin rolled his eyes, and blew air out rudely as though he were dealing with an imbecile.
"I know that it means if you're a guy, then you're a true gent, but if it's a girl then she's a proper lady. My parent's are both great virgins!"
Ryou's eyes went wider as he relaxed back in his seat with a sigh.
"Ah, well...... I suppose that's a decent enough answer."
The laughter around them had changed now, and he didn't have to wonder at why.
Rin, sensing they were now laughing at him, got mad.
Looking down to his left, he spotted the greasy haired boy.
"I don't know what you're laughing at! I saw you grabbing at you're girlfriends butt earlier! YOURE NO VIRGIN!!!"
"Well, no, not the way you're thinking anyway." He chuckled.
SLAP!
"YUSUKE, YOU BIG JERK!!!" Keiko was now bent over crying as her friends tried to console her. Nothing Yusuke said to assure her he was only kidding seemed to work, so he returned his attention to Rin. Ryou then saw him point his index finger at the boy as though it were a gun, and mock shoot him. The blue haired girl with him was less than amused, and cuffed his ear.
Rin saw none of this though, because he was now looking at the kimono clad man near him.
"An I saw you watching every girl that came in here. You're no virgin either!"
Kimono man, (Ryou thought he heard someone call him Shigure) instead of being embarrassed or angry, only scratched his chin with a speculative look.
"Well, there's no point in denying the truth, I suppose."
Groans, and mutterings of "Idiot" could be heard from his young friends.
Alice had reached the end of her rope. She grabbed Rin's hand and started to drag him out of the theater.
"Time to leave now, Rin."
"Aw, but Alice, I thought we were gonna see the show!"
Looking up, she noticed several ushers heading their way. "No, I think you gave everyone here enough of a show."
As they left, Kristina noticed Ryou was repeatedly thumping his forehead with the heal of his left hand.
"Are you going to be okay?" She was worried since he was drenched in soda, and they were now the main focus of about half the theater goers.
"I'll live, but I'm sure that the movie has now taken a back seat to our date for a lot of these people."
Suddenly the light's dimmed, the theater got quiet (well, quieter anyway), and the show started up. After ten minutes of promos, the movie started. After an aerial view of a gothic looking castle, a cloud of blackbirds scattered the letters to the title 'Haunted Castle'.
The movie was great! The Devil makes an offer to a young man, Johnny, to make him a famous Rock Star; The same offer he'd made to his recently deceased mother, which she accepted years ago, on the condition that her son be off limits.
While he's considering this offer, Mephisto gives him a tour of what happens to musicians when they try to 'break their contracts'. Meanwhile, a spirit in the form of a small light, is warning him to 'turn back while he still can'.
When it came time for him to make his choice, Johnny decided 'no'. He got out by using the only weapon he had at his disposal; Music! Opera to be more specific. On the tour, he'd learned that Satan had once been in love with an Opera Singer who'd broken her contract, and ever since then he despises opera. So he just sang an Opera piece he'd practiced with to make his voice stronger.
Ryou gave it some thought later, and decided that if he had the choice of facing either the Devil, or facing Rin, he'd rather face the Devil. At least he'd have the option of escaping with his dignity if he ran from The Devil. If he'd run from a seven year old boy though, he'd never live it down.
As he handed their 3D glasses to an attendant when they were leaving, Ryou got a good look at himself. He really needed a bath and a change of clothes, but he really wanted to take Kristina to dinner now too.
"It's okay you know."
"Wha-what is?" How long had she been talking to him? Did he just miss something important?
"If you just want to go home now, I mean."
Ryou stared at her blankly.
Kristina released a long sigh before looking up at him with a look of utmost sincerity on her face.
"I really like you, Ryou. I wouldn't make you stay out with me if you weren't having a good time."
"No! I mean, yes, I like you too!"
"Oh, Ryou."
"And it's not that I'm not having a good time with you, I am-"
"Ryou-"
"It's just, I wasn't sure you'd want to be seen in public with someone who was drenched in soda and smelt of popcorn butter!"
She smiled so sweetly at him after that.
"Is that all that's bothering you? I mean, that brat Rin was no picnic, but I'm not embarrassed to be seen with you. I meant it before, I really do like you."
Ryou was sure he'd stopped breathing for a moment, because he could hear his heart pounding in his ears.
"Really?"
"Really." She put her hands behind his neck as she pulled him into a tight hug and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.
He slowly put his arms around her, hugging her back and blushing like mad. She felt nice in his arms. She was also now as damp as he was from the soda.
"Uhhh, Kristina?"
"Hmmm?"
"Are you still hungry?"
"Yeah."
Pushing her away a bit so he could see her, Ryou looked into her lovely face.
"Do you still want to go to Kelly's? The food smelled good."
She looked at him, and he decided he could never tire of seeing her smile, or how it always made her look even more beautiful.
"I'd love to go."
She slipped her arms off him a moment later, Ryou taking her hand as she did. Something about holding her hand felt....right.
I think I love you. He thought.
"Tee Hee!"
"What? What's so funny?" He didn't say that out loud just now, did he?
"Look!" She then pointed to the fronts of their shirts. "We match now!"
That's when he saw their matching soda stains with some popcorn butter here and there. It suddenly hit him how funny their date really was and he started laughing with her.
"Do you think well be able to get dinner without becoming a floor show?" He'd said it with a laugh, but he really was ready for thing's to be a bit calmer now.
Kristina looked thoughtful for a moment, then smiled. "Only if we don't invite Rin."
"Oh, and I was soo looking forward to seeing him again."
"I know, we might need his help ordering our food."
"Well, I suppose we'll just have to manage without him then!"
"Good idea. Let's go eat!"
As they walked out, they were handed some brightly colored Mardi Gras beads by a girl at the entrance, and Ryou happened to look up above the large revolving door. That's when he spotted the huge figures made to look like giant court jesters. As he looked at them, he noticed the faces had been painted to look like the owners of Jordans, Barry and Eliot. Large words had been painted on the wall between the two, so large that he had to step back quite a bit to read them.
'THANK YOU FOR BEING THE WORLDS SMARTEST FURNITURE SHOPPERS!'
-That reminds me Hikari.-
He'd been so quiet for the last hour that Ryou had forgotten he was even wearing the Millennium Ring, or that his Yami was there.
Speaking of which....
/Yes Yami, I remember. We'll come back here tomorrow for a new T.V./
-Good.-
As they went into Kelley's, Ryou heard a song from a nearby car that covered everything he'd thought and felt since they'd come here tonight.
"I think I love you!
So what am I so afraid of?
I'm afraid that I'm not sure of
A love there is no cure for.
I think I love you!
Isn't that what life is made of?
Though it worries me to say,
I've never felt this way."
Suddenly inspired, Ryou leaned over and returned Kristina's kiss.
The End
Now for the credits! First off, I own none of the characters portrayed in this fic. Here they are roughly in order of appearance:
Fruits Basket: Yuki, Kyou, and Shigure Sohma with their friend Tohru Honda.
Yu Yu Hakusho: Yusuke, Hiei, Kurama, Kuwabara, Botan, Keiko, and Shizuru.
Yu-Gi-Oh: Yugi, Tristan, Joey, Tea, Ryou Bakura, Yami Bakura, Seto, Mokuba, Duke, Mako, the Roba brothers, and the Ishtars.
Inuyasha: Inuyasha, Kagome, Shippo, Miroku, and Sango.
Please Save My Earth: Rin and Alice.
Song, 'I Think I Love You' by Kaci.
It should also be noted that I dont own Kristina (Dark Shadow Flame), Mamono, or Red (Red Phoenix Star). Go read their stuff when you're done here! I DO own Aura (she's me!). Also, I do not own Jordans Furniture, Kelley's Roast Beef, the IMAX theater,or Comcast. For my feelings on the last one, see my bio.
Okay, now for the most important part, REVIEW!