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: New Steps
Romance: Asuka x Manjoume, Edo x Ryou
Word Count: 3,500||Status: One-shot
Genre: Romance||Rated: PG-13
Challenge: Written for the Diversity Writing Challenge, F54, write a post-canon fic; Written for the Halloween Trick or Treat Bag (Advent), day #16, write a surprise encounter; Written for the 2015 Advent, day #13, write something new; GX Non-Flash Bingo, #184, Asuka x Manjoume; Pairing Diversity #41, changes
Summary: Asuka and Manjoume want to take some new steps in their relationship. This requires a little shopping. What they didn't expect was who they would meet while doing their shopping.

We should've ordered this online. Manjoume eyed the building ahead of them and wondered if it was too late to try to convince his companion that it was possible to do just that. He opened his mouth, then closed it again. It really was too late, mostly because a half a dozen steps would bring them to the door, and because even if they hadn't left home yet, Asuka remained the sort of person who would want to check out the merchandise for herself before buying it.

Other meanings to that ran briskly through his mind and he shoved them all behind a mental block. He didn't really want to have to start explaining to anyone why he was suddenly as red as fire.

Asuka looked back over her shoulder and gestured for him to catch up with her.

"Is something wrong?"

He shook his head right away. "I was just thinking." He wasn't lying. His gaze flicked up to the store sign and then back to her. If anyone had ever told him that he'd be coming to a place like this, with Tenjoin Asuka of all people, he didn't think he would've believed them. Especially if someone back at Duel Academia had ever told him that.

He would've easily and gladly believed that she would finally deign to date him, of course. Even if he'd wandered around in a daze for three days after she'd initially asked him out and had needed the reassurance of his entire deck that yes, she'd really done that, and no, he wasn't dreaming.

It would hardly be the first time he'd had a dream that was vivid to the point he could mistake it for reality, nor the first time he'd had such a dream about her.

At least this time he wouldn't find himself waiting on the beach with a bouquet of flowers until long past nightfall and wonder why she'd stood him up, only to find that the 'date' hadn't ever been made outside of his dreams anyway.

He firmed himself up as best that he could and moved closer to the door. Then he stopped and looked at her anyway. He'd at least ask. "Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, we could always get it ordered in." He could even pay for same day delivery. His bank account wouldn't even notice it.

She shook her head right away. "I'd rather see what we're getting up close and personal first."

Exactly what he'd expected. He mentally swallowed, then swung the door open and entered. If they were going to do this, then they might as well do it and get it done. It wasn't as if they were going to meet anyone that they knew here anyway.

He looked around the store curiously once he passed the threshold, taking it all in. He'd never spent that much time wondering what the inside of a store that catered to people with non-standard tastes in this kind of thing would be like. But here it all was. Off the top of his head he could recognize ordinary products such as handcuffs, ropes, and various kinds of whips, most of which he avoided looking too closely at for fear of what his reactions might be. There were plenty of other items that he had no idea of what they were and didn't know if he really wanted to know.

"Can I help you?" The clerk asked as they both came closer to one of the displays. She sounded just a little bored, but put on a polite smile regardless.

Asuka took a long look at the array of handcuffs arranged neatly on the wall. "We're mostly looking for right now," she said forthrightly. "But we might want a little advice later."

The clerk nodded and said nothing more, though she still kept an eye on the both of them. Manjoume approved of that; he preferred shopping without people jumping in front of him to offer him things, but being around if he decided he actually wanted some help.

He turned to give the handcuffs a look himself. He'd heard all kinds of horror stories about what could happen with those and had no intentions of letting them be put on him without at least three different workable keys all within his reach.

The bell over the door tinkled but Manjoume didn't turn to see who else had come in. He focused his attention more on the display and tried to imagine which of those would be most suitable for what they wanted to try. He knew there were multiple types and some of them were even fuzzy.

Fuzzy handcuffs. He'd never thought such a thing could exist.

"If you two are looking into getting started with this, I'd suggest that set on the end there," a voice that he would've recognized even if he hadn't heard it in a thousand years spoke up. He stiffened but didn't turn around still. If he didn't look, it wouldn't be real. If it weren't real, then it hadn't happened. If it hadn't happened, then it wasn't something he needed to think about.

Asuka, on the other hand, turned easily, her eyes brightening at the sight. "Really? Why those in particular?"

Edo Phoenix moved to stand right next to her. "Because those don't lock in the traditional sense. They can pop right off when you put pressure on the right point, and it's impossible to not be able to get to the right point even if you're the one in them." He waved one hand to a particular point on the cuffs. "They're good for beginners."

Manjoume's breath caught in his throat. That would be good for the problem that he'd been envisioning.

A second person walked up to the other side. "If you'd rather try for ropes instead, then the silk ones are very soft and slick. I do suggest having something to cut through the knots nearby, just in case, though."

Manjoume's shoulders tensed more. "Is that so?"

He could see Hell Kaiser nodding from the corner of his eye. He'd never imagined finding them there, or being found by them here, or whatever. He'd known they were seeing each other. It wasn't that much of a secret; one of the dueling magazines had even interviewed the two of them a few months earlier. But nothing involving just what kind of things they did in the bedroom had been brought up at all.

"I think we should probably stick to those for right now, though," Asuka said, gesturing toward the handcuffs. "What do you think?" She looked toward him and Manjoume knew that he didn't want to blush and he kept doing it anyway.

"Right," he muttered. He hadn't really wanted to discuss this with people that he knew around. Talking about it with her had been embarrassing enough and they'd been dating one another for nearly a year!

"There's one brand that are easy to open like those and come with padding on the inside," Edo offered as well. "They're pretty much made for beginners."

Manjoume twitched a little more. "Why are you telling us this?" The question burst out of him before he could control himself. It wasn't that he especially disliked Edo or the Kaiser – in point of fact he genuinely respected both of them – but this was different.

He could almost feel the look that the two of them exchanged with one another, even if he didn't actually bring himself to look at them.

"Because you need the help," Edo said at last. "We got some advice when we were starting out."

This was already more than Manjoume had ever wanted to know about either of their private lives. He fidgeted a little more. "That's it?"

"You don't want to lose a key if you're getting into handcuffs or bondage in general," the Kaiser said. Manjoume looked up in time to see the side of his mouth quirk up. "That happened to me once."

He slid his gaze back to Edo, who just rolled his eyes. "It wasn't my fault."

Asuka looked alive with curiosity, but Manjoume wasn't surprised at all by that. Clearly nothing bad had come of it, but how had it happened in the first place?

"It wasn't that complicated. There was a bit of an earthquake and the key ended up under the bed." Kaiser shrugged. "I managed to get it, though."

Manjoume had a feeling that there was a lot being left out of this, and he was perfectly willing that it should stay left out. He stared back at the cuffs, wondering if this really was what he and Asuka wanted. They'd talked about it for weeks and it did seem pretty interesting.

Not to mention, the idea of giving up all control to Asuka sent all kinds of thrills through him. They'd already tried a few things, mostly verbal directives, and oh, the thought of not being able to do anything unless she said so…

He swallowed and fought to get his head back into what they were talking about now. "So what are you two here for anyway?"

"Just a little shopping, of course." Manjoume didn't have to look up to know the smile that slipped across Edo's features. He knew that tone of voice very well indeed, despite not having heard it often during the time he'd spent as Edo's apprentice. He just knew how Edo thought.

The Kaiser strolled over to a display of collars, tilting his head back thoughtfully. Manjoume glanced quickly over there, then back over to Asuka, who gave him a quick nod. He made his way toward the display, trying not to look too fascinated, even though one of them did look very, very tempting in its simplicity: and the fact it looked as if it would match his coat almost perfectly.

"My last one is wearing out," Kaiser said matter of factly, as if the terrifying Hell Kaiser wore a collar every day of the week. "So I came to get a new one."

"Oh." Finding out that Marufuji Ryou had thrown away respect for victory all those years ago had been startling enough. This was an entirely different kettle of fish, one that Manjoume wasn't certain if he was ready to deal with.

Kaiser checked out the collars with an inquisitive eye before he picked one of them up to examine more closely. "I would stay away from the spiked ones if I were you," he said, catching Manjoume's eye. "At least right now."

Manjoume drew in a quick rush of a breath and nodded. "Right." He started again at the one that had caught his attention first. The price tag marked on it wasn't expensive, though it did indeed look made of genuine black leather. He picked up and checked it over, quite pleased to see the tag that said it was indeed of genuine leather.

A mirror hung on the wall not that far from the collars. Manjoume blinked to see the Kaiser standing in front of it already, examining his choice with all the care of anyone trying to find just the perfect suit.

"That one suits you," Edo said, and Manjoume jerked his head around quickly to see who the other was talking to. He wasn't sure just how glad he was to find out that it was Kaiser.

Then Edo turned toward him, eyes resting on the collar still in his hands, then back toward Manjoume's face. "And that one suits you."

"I think he's right," Asuka said, coming over. "Did you want to get it?"

Manjoume looked back at the collar, then toward the mirror. Kaiser moved aside, heading back to the display, possibly not satisfied with his own choice just yet. Manjoume took the few steps until he got to the mirror and held the collar up to his neck. He didn't mind Asuka seeing it there; if he bought it, she'd see it whenever he wore it anyway. Edo and Kaiser, though...well…

"He is right," Asuka agreed, moving her head from side to side to get a better look at it. "It really does suit you."

He couldn't disagree with that. Or rather, he could, but he didn't. "I think I'll get it."

Asuka nodded, satisfaction in the tilt of her head. "I think we should get those handcuffs. The ones that are soft on the inside and can be unlocked even if you're in them."

Manjoume tried to hold back a shudder of anticipation and didn't do a very good job of it. "All right." They were going to have a very interesting evening, he thought, and could not help but look forward to it.

"Are you sure?" She gave him a very serious, penetrating look. "Because if you don't want them, I don't have to get them."

"No, that's not what I said!" Manjoume shook his head, then nodded, then shook his head again. "Let's get them. Please."

Asuka gave him yet another look. He didn't back down; they'd been wanting to take these steps for weeks now, and he knew he was as ready as he was going to get. Even better, so was she.

"All right," she agreed. "Is there anything else that you want while we're here?"

He glanced around; he could see a lot of things that at least caught his attention in one fashion or another, but nothing that he wanted to get aside from the collar in his hands. He did cast a passing glance at the leashes, but that was it. One step at a time, he reminded himself. And they might not even take that step.

"No." He hefted up the collar, checking the size on it before going over to the counter with Asuka.

Edo and Kaiser still browsed around, but Manjoume could tell that they were keeping a subtle eye on himself and Asuka. Was it an approving one? He hated to think about it too much, but he liked the idea that the two of them approved of what they were doing.

And if anyone had to come in there and find them, at least it was the two people who were least likely to question why they were there in the first place. The very idea of Tenjoin Fubuki coming in there, his master in the arts of love, and even more so, Asuka's brother, sent chills down his spine.

With my luck, he'd start making suggestions. So far as he knew, Fubuki didn't even have a concept of embarrassment. Being in here would cause him no more problems than walking into a card store.

Asuka put the handcuffs and the collar on her own card, while Manjoume stood next to her and tried to keep himself busy, even as Edo and Kaiser came up behind them. He didn't look to see in detail what they had chosen for themselves, aside from the finely worked collar Kaiser held, and a small stack of other choices that rested in Edo's hands.

"How did you find this place?" Edo asked as Asuka and Manjoume stepped aside from the cashier.

Manjoume started to open his mouth, then looked toward Asuka. She'd been the one who told him she knew where they could look into bondage materials and the like.

The answer wasn't entirely what he expected.

"My brother told me about it," she said, her cheeks tinging faintly red. "He saw me doing a little online research and suggested it."

The cashier spoke up without warning. "Is your brother Tenjoin-san?" At Asuka's nod, she smiled brilliantly. "He's helped a lot of people find our store. And he helped me with my last relationship, too!"

Asuka let out a long, but amused sigh. "Yes. He does that a lot."

"He's very good at it!" Manjoume decided he was obliged to defend his master at all costs. "I wouldn't be the same without him!" Granted, he could've done without that 'love duel' but at least he'd kind of gotten Asuka's attention like that? Sort of, anyway.

"He's had a lot of practice," Kaiser added in, the corners of his mouth twitching up. "He told us about this place as well."

Manjoume wasn't surprised at all, not now that he knew Fubuki had helped Asuka as well. It was just the kind of thing that he did, when he could. It was part of what made him a master of love. Manjoume had long since despaired of ever becoming half as good at that kind of thing as Fubuki was. There could be only one like Tenjoin Fubuki, and Manjoume knew that he wasn't him.

"You have a lovely store," Asuka told the cashier, hefting her bag. "We'll be sure to come back here later." Her gaze flicked over to Manjoume. "Right?"

He blinked once or twice, then nodded. "Right!" After all, there was still a lot that they hadn't tried out, and one never quite knew what one would like until it was tried.

"Thank you! Have a nice day!" The cashier waved them all off and the four turned toward the door.

"Are you busy right now?" Asuka asked, glancing at Edo and Kaiser. "We could get some tea if you're not." Her gaze moved from them to Manjoume and then to the bag in her arms and back to Edo. "There are a few things I'm curious about."

Kaiser and Edo exchanged a quick glance, one full of meaning that Manjoume couldn't even guess at. He wondered if he and Asuka would be able to do that when they'd been together longer.

"I think we can do that," Kaiser said. "We're not doing anything that can't be put off until later."

"I know a tea shop around the corner," Edo added. His attention shifted quickly toward Manjoume, the side of his mouth turning upward. "They serve black tea there."

Manjoume bit back an audible groan at the very sound of those words. He would never forget the days he'd spent as Edo's apprentice, with demands for black tea and white suits ringing in his ears on a regular basis.

He could also see Asuka looking at him, one eyebrow quirked up in that adorable way that she had. He'd never really told her that much about what had happened when he'd studied with Edo, only that he'd learned a lot. Which was absolutely true, but very little of it had to do with bringing tea and suits.

"Uh, it's a long story," he told her, refusing to actually meet Edo's eyes just yet. "He just really likes black tea."

The set of her shoulders told him that she wanted more details than that and he promised he would give them to her. Now wasn't the time or the place, though. Not when they had so much else that they could talk about, and in a much better situation than standing on a street corner.

"I'll put these away and meet you there," Asuka promised, heading off down the street to where the limousine waited for their return. Everything remained silent between the three of them left behind for a few moments, until Edo broke it.

"I can't say I'm very surprised, Manjoume." There was definite humor in his voice there, but not the kind meant to hurt someone else. "But there is something that I would like to know."

Manjoume turned quickly to stare at the younger man. Edo did look genuinely curious over whatever question it was he had on his mind. "What is it?"

"Are you happy with this? Both of you?" He met Manjoume's gaze head-on. "Because no matter how deep you are into it, it only really works right if you both are."

He didn't have to spell out what he meant. Manjoume's answer came without a breath of hesitation. "Yes." Even if they decided not to go 'full time' or any deeper than skimming the surface of this kind of relationship, he knew that he wanted this with Asuka. It felt right in every way that he could imagine. He trusted her. He couldn't think of any better way to show that trust than to give up everything to her.

"Good." Edo nodded, then turned and started down the street toward the tea shop. Kaiser fell into pace beside him without another word and Manjoume hurried to catch up. Asuka wouldn't be very long, he knew, and there were questions of his own that he wanted to get cleared up, ones he would prefer to ask in private.

Not to mention it had been a long time since he'd actually talked with anyone from Duel Academia who wasn't Asuka or Fubuki and he kind of missed that. No matter how much he'd been annoyed by them, these days he almost missed how chaotic things had been.

Not that he would tell anyone that. He didn't think he had to. He kind of thought that they already knew.

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.