This is just some fluff. I can't decide which ship is my favorite. By the way, this is the furthest thing from the canon but I'm in love with the idea of Mai and Mana being friends, it's the cutest thing! And it fits perfectly with Vaseshipping and Polarshipping.
I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!
"Mana, over here!"
Big green eyes found the blonde girl standing next to her locker, motioning her to come closer. She had somehow managed to make Mana hear her in the bustling corridor, which she was grateful for. She felt lost without the older girl.
Mana walked her way over, trying to avoid people who were passing by and kept her eyes on Mai, so she wouldn't lose her in the crowd. Which was actually a dangerous thing to do, given that not everyone was so gentle about not pushing people, and you had to watch where you're going so you wouldn't trip over something. Most likely, your own feet. Unfortunately, Mana seemed to think that everybody was like herself; careful and forgiving.
She smiled widely at Mai and waved, just before her foot tangled with somebody else's behind her. Her smile gave it's place to shock and she fell on the ground. Not knowing whether if she should laugh, or gasp; Mai quickly walked over to the girl.
"Ow..." Mana lifted her head, and looked around with her squinted eyes. Everybody was walking to their own destination and no one was minding her. Ah! So you just make me fall and then ditch me? You could've at least apologized! I swear I hate this place, so much... She rubbed her head and lifted herself up in a sitting position. While she was wondering where the hell her bag was, she heard a groan behind her.
She turned towards the voice, and saw him. Hand running through big wild spikes, narrow eyes closed and face cringing. He was also lying on the floor, trying to lift himself up with his elbow. How could anyone look sooo seductive while they were getting up from the ground, that was beyond Mana but she didn't pay too much mind into it. It was him, after all, it was only natural.
Atem Moto, the boy who's name was enough for Mana's poor heart to explode from love. Hectic hair letting everyone know he was approaching from miles away, violet eyes always searching. His body language, the way he walked and talked was always confident. He was kind and caring, friendly, smart. He made the people around him feel safe; and against him scared. And he made Mana feel like she was going to have a heart attack every time he... well, when he did anything ever.
He sat up and opened his eyes, his gaze turning softer once he saw Mana sitting in front of him. He smiled softly and tilted his head. "I'm sorry Mana. I guess I wasn't paying attention."
Oh you poor soul, it was my fault and we both know it. Gosh... Mana averted her eyes, and laughed awkwardly. "No, I wasn't looking where I was going, I'm sorry." She looked back up at him, and saw him standing up. He straightened his uniform and walked past her. Mana watched him pick up her bag that was lying carelessy on the ground, and extend his hand for her to take. With a blush and a tingling feeling on her hand Mana took his, and got up from the floor. "Thank you." She dusted off her skirt.
Atem smiled and gave Mana her bag. "No problem." He put his hands inside the pockets of his jacket, before his smile faded, and he started to fumble with the pockets, his hands searching for something. "Huh?"
"What's wrong?" Mana asked. Had he dropped something? She looked around on the floor, and saw a packet of chocolate bonbons scattered around the corridor. "Oh... Um, Atem?"
He stopped moving his hands and stared at his chocolate buttons, being crushed by the students who were passing. "Ah..."
Mana's heart immediately clenched out of guilt, and she frowned. It was her fault that he had dropped his snacks. She knew he loved them. Whenever she saw him - saw, not followed or stalked - he would have some in his hand. It's not the end of the world... but he did pay for them nevertheless. What a waste. She forced a smile on her glowing red face. "Hey, uh... Can I buy you a new packet?"
"What? No, come on." Atem laughed it off, shaking his head. "Not a big deal."
"Yes, it's not, but you fell on your butt because of me and dropped your chocolate and felt sad and I saw it and there's no way I could live with that so..." Mana took a breather. "Can you let me buy you a new one? It's the least I can do." She smiled at his face that would not move except to blink a couple of times. I'm making it obvious obvious obvious how are you not seeing this?!
"No, it's okay." He patted her shoulder briefly. "I should cut down a little anyway. You saved me the trouble." He looked to his right, the sides of his lips tipped up. "Besides, I don't think Mai has the patience to wait for you." He nodded at the blonde watching them from afar, then met the shorter girl's eyes. "I'll see you at Geography?" he asked. Mana nodded, and the boy smiled. "Great. See you then. And be more careful." He took his leave, and Mana turned to Mai. Both hands on her waist, she quickly got closer to Mana.
"What were you two talking about?" she sang and batted her eyelashes.
"Nothing. I was just asking if I could buy him chocolate bonbons, but he refused." Mana looked back at the crowd. She watched him meet with his friends. After Atem came, they all walked to wherever they were going. She turned to Mai. "And by the way, what were you doing standing there and watching me while dived face-first on the floor? You could've helped me out."
Mai shrugged and yanked Mana to the sidelines so she wouldn't get toppled over again. "I was going to, but when I saw Atem with you I thought I'd give you space, you know?"
"I don't need space, I need you to be there for me so I won't embarrass myself." Mana shook her head and tried not to cringe.
"Oh, you were fine! Not everyone would give the same reaction he did. You're lucky he's kind enough to not lash at you." She kneeled down and adjusted the girl's skirt. "Now come on, I'm hungry."
The girls luckily found a table to sit at - and by luckily I mean Mai scaring some freshmen off so she and Mana could sit down - and they settled.
"Man, you are a master at manipulation." Mana trailed off, her head resting on her hand.
Mai chuckled lightly. "Not really, it's just that they are scared from the older students."
"I'm an older student. But no one even flinches when they see me?"
"That's because you're adorable." Mai reached out to her and squeezed her other cheek. "Don't worry about stuff like that. I'll teach you how to flirt your way out of things later some time. That could work out for you." She winked at her.
"Nah, scaring people is much cooler. Otherwise you wouldn't have done it either, right?" Mana pursed her lips.
"Those guys were not worth the trouble, dear." She turned to her right and saw the line was getting shorter. "Oh, look! I better go now and get our food. I'm gonna get us the same meal, alright?" Mana nodded, and watched Mai as she stood up and made her way over to the line.
She was so lucky to have a friend like her. Mai was the type of friend that everybody wanted to have. The one who protected you, laughed with you, cried with you and helped you out with pretty much anything. And Mana, being one of the few girls who weren't trying to get in her close contacts, somehow made her way into Mai's usually guarded up heart; and became her best friend. Mai assumed it was because Mana was not fake. Most people tried to get close to her, wanting attention and a social status. It was refreshing to meet someone who actually wanted to spend some time with her.
And as she was returning to their table with two trays in her hands, Mana knew pretty much all eyes were on her. Her long blonde curls jumped up and down with her every step. Head up high, amethyst orbs focused and lips formed into half a smile. The clanking sound of her high heeled purple boots made every head turn to her. Even the school's uniform looked good on her. Navy blue skirt pulled up a tad bit higher, untucked white shirt's sleeves rolled up, and only the buttons in the middle were done. Mana wondered how the teachers weren't warning her every five minutes because of the dress code, but Mai kept wearing it like she desired, so Mana figured it must be fine.
They ate their lunch, while Mai told Mana about her summer plans. "...so you should convince your brother because I don't want to do any of those things alone. Mana. Mana? Are you even listening?"
Of course she wasn't. The sight of someone very handsome was too distracting. Oh how he looked so cute while he was chewing on something! His cheeks would move like squirrel's and all Mana wanted to do was to squeeze his cheeks and pull him into a sweet kiss. She sighed and kept staring at this wonderful boy. If she focused hard enough, she could separate his voice from the loud noises. She couldn't exactly understand what he was saying, but still.
A laugh from a girl was heard. It was from the same table, coming from Téa Gardner. Mana sometimes wondered if they were a thing. Téa and Atem. Because she sure acted like it. This bothered Mana deeply. Though Téa was a good person, and never did anything to upset her, it still stung. Who would want to see their crush date another person anyway?
While she was in her thoughts, Mana caught someone's gaze from the very same table. But they weren't the violet eyes she feared to meet. "Why does he keep looking over here?"
"Who?" Mai questioned, and looked behind her where Mana was looking.
"Wheeler." She tilted her head and giggled when the blond guy shifted in his place, noticing he had been busted. His friends laughed at his usual antics. Mana sighed loudly and watched Atem chuckle. His upper body shook when he did. Mana had been paying attention to his movements.
"Who are you to judge?" Mai shook her head and smiled. "You're as bad as him."
Mana took her seat next to the window, at the back of the classroom. The farthest corners of the room was always her favorite place to sit. That's why she made sure to arrive at the class early and get the best desk possible.
She took out her notebook. It had hard yellow covers, and her name was written in italics at the down right corner. She used it for lots of things; mostly to keep an agenda. But she often drew in it too, or used it as a diary.
As she scribbled some things on it, the classroom door opened, and Mana wished it hadn't. Atem peered inside, and walked further in the classroom. "Guess we're early, huh?" He chuckled and smiled at her.
Mana nodded, and she jumped in her place. "Oh! Wait a minute." She bent down and began frantically searching in her bag. Her hurried voice stopped the young man from going to his usual seat. Instead, he got closer to her. "Ah, there it is!" She raised her head, and pulled a packet of chocolate bonbons.
"Mana, you shouldn't have..." Atem grabbed the packet from the girl's hand and sat down next to her without realizing as he spoke. "I told you it was fine."
Mana shook her head and smiled. "Well, I already bought it. I guess you're just going to have to eat them." Even though it was subconsciously, Mana was aware he was sitting with her and it took her everything not to scream.
"Well, if you insist..." He chuckled, and opened the packet carefully. Before taking himself first, he offered some to Mana.
"You know, you don't strike me as a person to have sweet tooth." Mana mused, and put one of the bonbons in her mouth.
Atem smiled. "I don't, really. It's just that I'm addicted to these." He stuffed a handful in his mouth.
Oh my god he's doing the chewing thingy! God you are just- I want to- Ah why are you so- Mana was trying so hard not to make lovesick faces. She flinched a little when he touched her forearm. "Mana, I just got the best idea." He smirked. Oh no. Don't make that face. I think I'm gonna pass out... "Would you like to play a game with me?"
"Uh... a game? What game?" Mana blinked.
Atem leaned back in his chair, and tilted his head back, staring at the ceiling. "Have you ever noticed that the teacher uses the word 'like' every other second?"
Mana did realize it. It was very annoying and made it hard to concentrate on the lesson. "I did, yes."
"Okay, how about this; we each eat one bonbon every time he says 'like'. The first one to get caught loses." He looked at the still almost-full packet resting on the desk.
"What if we don't lose?" Mana stared down.
"Then we play it until one of us does. What do you say?" Atem watched Mana's fiddling fingers.
Mana suppressed a grin. "What happens to the loser?"
Atem seemed to think for a while. "Well, I think getting caught and being sent out of the classroom is enough punishment. So the question you should be asking is; what does the winner should get?"
A kiss! A hot, burning kiss while you press me against your chest and my hands are running through your hair- She looked up and words spilled from Mana's mouth without her realizing. "A kiss..."
"Hm?" Atem raised an eyebrow and met her eyes. "A kiss?"
Mana's eyes widened immediately, and she escaped his gaze. "Hershey's! Hershey's Kisses, they are my favorite." She laughed awkwardly. "If I win I want you to buy me some. Is that good?" Nice save Mana. He definitely bought it. Next time you should go 'Sax! I said saxophone, they are my favorite.'
"Seems reasonable. You already know what I want then..." Atem trailed off. Oh, is it also a kiss? Because that could be arranged. Mana shook her head. It was about time she stopped thinking about irrelevant things.
Atem extended his hand. "We have to shake on it." Mana hesitantly grabbed his hand, and her heart warmed at the contact. Her hand fit perfectly in his, and she never wanted to let it go.
Wait. Does that mean, we're going to sit together during the lesson? That we're going to sit together until one of us loses? This is serious. I can't afford to lose, because I know he won't.
They sat together and chatted about the classes they had together. The teachers, that one kid in Algebra who always got an A even though he usually slept through the lesson, the girl with the giant pencil case... Mana actually owed that girl big. One time, she had dropped the enormous thing, and being the kind hearted people they were, Mana and Atem had helped the girl pick her pencils off the floor, resulting their hands to touch several times. Mana was a blushing mess later that day, and Mai was done.
During the lesson, the first 'like' came in the first five minutes. Atem turned his head to his left and grinned playfully. "One." he whispered. They both slowly grabbed one chocolate bonbon from under the desk. Mana rested her head on the desk, hiding behind the students; and Atem covered his mouth with his hand.
The second one came when the teacher was checking the homework. Atem leaned into Mana and made a piece sign. This one was dangerous. Atem popped one in his mouth and nudged Mana to do the same. She wasn't moving, with the teacher walking around the class she could be seen easily.
"Come on." whispered Atem, who had already finished his bonbon. "You're losing." he sang lowly. He had a smug expression on his face. Mana shook her head and signaled the teacher coming their way.
Atem frowned. He grabbed a bonbon between his two fingers. When the teacher's head turned to the other way, Atem quickly raised it to Mana's lips and lightly pushed it in. At the sudden gesture, Mana pulled her head back, and hid the bonbon under her tongue. "I won't help you next time." she heard him whisper in her ear.
Mana's whole body shook, and her face went red in an instant. Mai's gonna have a hard time calming me down.
They ate five more bonbons without any action after that. When they started the weather conditions, the teacher said 'like' four times in a single sentence, so they had to stuff four bonbons in their mouth at the same time.
Mana threw a glance at Atem, he was already chewing on them. She was going to lose at this point. Four bonbons in her hand, she put one in her mouth, one by one. She could hear Atem trying not to laugh too loudly next to her. It was fun hearing his voice so close to her, but she wished it wasn't because she was helpless.
And in a brilliant moment, the sound of something spilling on the ground was heard. Atem's giggles came to an end, and he looked down. The bonbon packet had fallen from it's place, under Atem's desk, and a few of them were scattered. To Mana's luck -which constantly failed to show itself when she needed the most- everyone in the room just knew that it had to be Atem's, and not Mana's. But then again, Atem was lucky as well.
The bell rang before the teacher could say anything about it.
The next day, Mana was still thinking of how close they sat together, and how they were always touching, one way or other. He was throwing her looks, his face smug, clearly aware that she was getting more and more flustered. Oh he knew.
Mai snapped her fingers in front of Mana's eyes, and the girl was out of the daze she was in, instantly. "Mai! You scared me."
"You're not listening." The blonde girl stabbed the fork in her salad. Her eyes flickered upwards, and she smiled. "Hey."
"I'm disappointed Mana." A person with a well known voice came from behind the tanned girl, and she froze. "May I sit here?" Atem asked, and Mai nodded. "You don't even listen to your own friend? I sometimes see you do the head bob during History. Which I found it offensive, by the way. It's my favorite lesson of all."
"I don't know, it's boring. Like, how do you even listen to it? It's like listening to a bedtime story." Mana giggled and looked at Mai.
Atem reached his pocket and took out four chocolate bonbons. He ate two of them himself, and put the other two on Mana's tray. "History is not boring, the teacher is. I don't blame you for it. I can tutor you if you'd like? Joey is just like you, so I sometimes give him my notes as well." He took out two more bonbons.
Mana couldn't help but smile that he was still playing their game. "I uh..." She looked at Mai, and seeing the girl nodding for her to accept, Mana turned to Atem. "Sure. I need every help I could get."
"Okay, but can we talk about that some other time? I actually came here for something else..." Atem looked over his shoulder, and saw his friends watching him from their table. He looked back at Mana and smirked. "...winner. I came to give you your kiss."
Aquamarine eyes widened and Mana went tomato red. The way he said made Mana's stomach churn with excitement. Then she was a little bit disappointed, knowing that her excitement was for nothing, and she was going to receive chocolates instead.
Atem moved to pull something out of his pocket, while watching Mana from the corner of his eye. They were sharing looks with Mai that he didn't understand, and even though he couldn't see Mana's, he was certain Mai's face mirrored hers. And Mai looked excited.
When she was too distracted to notice, Atem leaned in and pressed his lips to Mana's cheek. Whatever she was signaling to Mai, she stopped. She stopped, and she felt all her senses leave her body.
Atem felt her shudder, and he pulled back, smiling. His hand pulled out the chocolates and he put them in front of her.
"We'll talk later." He stood up, leaving Mana speechless. Mai smirked wickedly as the younger girl's soul left her body and watched the boy turn around to return to his own table.
"For the tutoring, right Moto?"
Atem stopped, and glanced back from his shoulder. He had a smirk of his own. "Joey says 'Hi.'"
This was a random one-shot, one that came to my mind out of nowhere. But I liked it, and I hope you did too.
So here's the thing: I don't like Revolutionshipping. It's probably because I also don't like Téa that much. And I tried really hard not to Téa-bash. I respect everyone's opinion. Long story short; I did not hint Revolutionshipping. And I never will.
I've been trying different things lately, that's why I have been focused on my one-shots. I want to see how it will turn out. Because I love writing my sweethearts.