Hello again, and welcome to this revised edition of For The Sake of My Beloved! This story is a one-shot that takes place after the Ceremonial Duel between Yuugi and the Pharaoh (whose real name is Atemu or Atem, but if you've seen the ending of the show or read tons of fanfiction, like me, you probably already know that). This is a YuugixAnzu/Tea fic, with implied AnzuxAtemu (I guess you can say it's one-sided). has some coughretardedcough rule that stories with song lyrics are no longer permitted, so I've placed the lyrics into the story, and you'll have to read closely in order to catch them. I dunno if anyone's tried this before, and if so, don't take offense, I'm not stealing your ideas (if anyone will be doing any stealing, it will be Yami Bakura, not me).
If you don't like Anzu/Téa/any possible past incarnation of either, you have to decide for yourself if you want to continue reading into this story. Anyone is welcome to read my stories (that's what is for!), but DON'T WASTE MY TIME WITH MEANINGLESS FLAMES! Thanks for understanding!
Without further adieu (aside from legal garbage) here's the story!
Disclaimer: I don't own any elements of Yu-Gi-Oh! (shoot!) or Fushigi Yuugi (bang!)
" "- speech (duh!)
italics- thoughts
For The Sake of My Beloved
By AnimeFantasy Fan
Anzu waited patiently outside the Kame Game Shop for her longtime friend, Yuugi. The wind blew furiously, almost threatening her to leave. She leaned against the wall and placed her hands on top of the short blue skirt, mentally cursing Domino High School again for having such short skirts on the female uniform.
Anzu looked upward towards Yuugi's window. What was taking him so long! Usually he was very punctual and was waiting for her when she arrived, but ever since Atemu's departure, Yuugi had seemed more secluded, almost aloof. It made sense, in a way. Atemu…he was this way after Yuugi was taken by the Seal of Orichalcos.
It had been strange to think of her childhood friend and the mysterious spirit as separate entities; she had always imagined them as two parts of the same being. However, after witnessing the events that took place after Atemu and Yuugi had become separated, she understood that they were in fact, different individuals. This had forced her to reconsider her feelings, not just for the Pharaoh, but for her friend as well. Anzu knew that what she had desired between her and the spirit (for that was what he was- a wandering spirit) could never be, and her feelings for Yuugi had evolved tremendously after they had been reunited. Anzu had developed a new form oflove and respect for her shorter friend, after seeing Yuugi become more and more independent of the spirit...
She sighed, looking at her watch. If Yuugi didn't come soon, they were going to be late.
The door to the shop opened, and Anzu smiled, expecting Yuugi, but instead saw Grandpa Motou standing in the doorway.
"Sorry Anzu," Mr. Motou said, "But Yuugi won't be going to school today, he's feeling a little under-the-weather."
The young girl nodded, showing an understanding smile. "Okay, I'll bring by his homework later, if that's all right."
"Of course," Mr. Motou replied, "I'm sure my grandson would appreciate that."
Anzu bowed politely, and turned to head off to school, "I've gotta go, have a nice day!" she said.
Mr. Motou nodded in reply and waved farewell as he reentered his store.
The brunette glanced up toward the window, and uttered a silent prayer for Yuugi's health as she ran off toward Domino High. Unbeknownst to her, she was seen off by a shadowed figure. He watched Anzu as she rounded the corner out of sight. He closed his violet eyes and sighed. Anzu…
Anzu made it to her class on time, beating the bell by about five seconds. Her friend Jounouchi, however, was not so lucky, having been just outside the door when the bell rang. The teacher handed him a detention slip just after he got inside the room. After receiving the slip, he sat down next to Anzu.
"Man, I always get caught for being late!" Jounouchi muttered. "How did he know I was there?"
"You're late almost everyday," Anzu grinned. "It's practically tradition."
"Besides, it's hard to ignore your smell, the teacher can no doubt smell you all the way from the east wing," Kaiba commented, not even bothering to glance up from his book.
"Hey wise guy!" Jounouchi hissed leaning onto Anzu's desk to get at Kaiba, who sat on the other side of his friend, "Who involved you in this conversation?"
Kaiba put down his book. "It's hard not to be involved when over half the room is forced to listen to your pathetic howling, Mutt."
The blonde boy looked around, but saw no one was paying attention to either of them, save Anzu.
"You probably think you're real smart, don't ya, Rich Boy?" Jounouchi snarled.
"Kaiba, please leave him alone," Anzu stared at the boy to her left.
"If the dog," Kaiba looked past Anzu, "Wouldn't keep pestering me, then I wouldn't be inclined to deal with him."
"Quit calling me a canine!" Jounouchi lashed out to grab the arrogant CEO, but being confined to a tight area of desks and chairs, merely succeeded in shoving (accidentally, mind you) Anzu into Kaiba. This not only caused Anzu to end up in the arms of her best friend's archrival, but also caused Jounouchi's chair to flip, which dragged all three of them down to the floor.
Anzu was now (for lack of a better word) pinned between the feuding males. I hope Yuugi's having a better morning than I am…
When it same to matters of public embarrassment, Yuugi was, in fact, having a much better morning than Anzu. However, when it came to terms of physical pain, he was much, much worse off than his friend.
Fortunately for Yuugi, he had been able to carry on without his spirit friend Atemu, and was glad that he had been able to help his partner find his way back to those he had left behind long ago. They were both free… he remembered seeing the images of Atemu's companions in the gateway to the afterworld. Many of the figures looked like people he knew, and he could've sworn that he had seen a girl, nearly hidden from sight, that looked like Anzu!
Yuugi's thoughts drifted to his longtime friend. She had always been there for him, even before he had solved the Millennium Puzzle. He had always loved her, but she only seemed to see him as a friend. He longed to be more than that, but things always had kept him from revealing the true nature of his feelings to her. It would have been rude to bombard Atemu with all of his emotions and thoughts about his love for Anzu, and besides that there had always been a danger to his friends during their adventures. Yuugi knew that if it was revealed that Anzu was anything more to him than just a friend, she would be placed on top of his enemies' target list.
But that time had gone, and Pegasus, Malik, Bakura, and Zorc had been defeated. There was no longer a reason to deny his feelings for Anzu… and to keep both of them wondering what could possibly be between them.
Yuugi shifted, and pain shot through his legs, and echoed throughout the rest of him. He had always wanted to be tall, but damn! Growing hurt!
Downstairs, he heard his grandfather shout something about heading to the store for groceries, and for him to walk around a little bit to help with the pain. Yuugi sat up from his bed and stretched, trying to ignore the ache that had spread from his legs to the rest of him.
Unconsciously, he found his thoughts drifting back to his brunette friend. Grandpa had said something about Anzu bringing by his homework later, could he tell her then? He wanted to reveal his feelings in private, and, as much as he loved his friends, he knew that Jounouchi and Honda would find a way to spoil the encounter. Yuugi didn't want anyone trying to help him with this, he wanted to do this alone!
He grinned for the first time that day. Mere thoughts of Anzu seemed to cheer him. Anzu…my love… I hope that your heart feels for me what mine feels for you…
Anzu's day passed quickly, and she soon found herself in her final class. She worked silently, trying to ignore whispers of the rather embarrassing moment involving herself, Jounouchi, Kaiba, and the floor from her first class. Fortunately, none of them had gotten in trouble for causing the disturbance, thanks to some quick thinking on Anzu's part.
She had just finished her exercise problems and was copying down tonight's homework when she thought of her sick friend. Strangely enough, the thought of him brought a blush to her cheeks, and she was suddenly felt a jolt that made her put a hand to her heart.
Anzu remembered feeling a similar sensation at Duelist Kingdom, during Yuugi's battle with Pegasus, but this one was different. Instead of a sharp ache, this was a tight feeling, that made her feel light, almost as if she was floating. She knew, somehow, that what she felt was what Yuugi was feeling, and it made her blush intensify.
Anzu closed her eyes. She felt her heart beating faster, and she stood, the bell ringing at the same time. Her classmates began moving to leave, and Anzu stood in her own world, lost in her thoughts. She wanted to fly, fly to the one who her heart was beating so wildly for. This miracle, this passion that consumed her, told her to fly to her beloved.
Jounouchi, Honda, and Ryou walked over to her. Honda waved a hand in front of the girl, trying to bring her back to Earth. "Anzu!" he called, "Come on, school's not done yet!"
"What?" Anzu's asked.
"We have that stupid assembly to go to, remember?" Jounouchi replied.
"We'd better be going if we don't want to get in trouble," Ryou added.
"I have to leave," Anzu whispered, not realizing she had uttered aloud.
The others were stunned. "Do you want to run that by us again?" Jounouchi asked.
Anzu just smiled. "I've got to go to him. I'll see you guys later."
"Go to who? Anzu!" Jounouchi called, but his friend had already flown out the door...
The air was thick with falling rain as Anzu ran from the building. Normally she hated running, but now she felt that she could run all the way to heaven and back. She understood everything her heart was trying to tell her, that something was beginning to happen, and this was showing her who she was supposed to be.
She wasn't just some silly little friendship preacher with a schoolgirl crush on a mysterious boy-king. As a matter of fact, she now understood that, when it came right down to it, Atemu wasn't the one she truly loved. Anzu realized that she saw in Atemu the person that Yuugi could be… and had already become.
Yuugi… I love you! Anzu thought echoed within her mind, and knew she didn't need a Millenium Item to show her that he loved her back.
In her heart and in her soul, Anzu could remember that they had always been together, even before they had known each other in this lifetime. In some other place, some other time, they had given a piece of themselves to the other that would bind them for eternity. That's why I loved Atemu, and why a part of me always will, Anzu thought. He's Yuugi from another time, another world. He may have been a different person, but part of him, a big part, was still Yuugi…
Anzu's thoughts flashed to all of the experiences that they had shared together. She had helped him, stood beside Yuugi before he had met Atemu, and after they had bonded, Yuugi had returned the favor. Seeing Yuugi mature into the strong, courageous companion she now knew was like a wonderful dream come true.
I want to be with him forever!
Yuugi sat on the couch, watching TV and finishing a late lunch. He felt much better after getting some exercise; he had worked in the store a little bit while his grandpa had gone to the store. Now Yuugi was home alone again, his grandfather had gone to the nearby post office to pick up some mail that required his signature.
He was watching a show about a Duel Monsters tournament in Australia, and noticed that some of the finalists used some pretty interesting battle strategies. A couple of them had commented during pre-tournament interviews that they had based their strategies of the ones used by the finalists in Battle City.
Yuugi had laughed aloud at the youngsters' remarks. He knew Atemu would have found it funny that younger children (none of the kids looked older than Mokuba) were so adamant about this game… the pharaoh had often found the strangest things humerous. Yuugi supposed that being stuck in a golden pendant- or anywhere for that matter- for five millennia was bound to make someone at least a little strange.
Yuugi wondered vaguely how his dark partner was doing. He had no idea what the realm of death was like, but he felt confident that because his friend had regained all that he had lost- his memories, his friends, and his identity- that he would be fine. Perhaps in that place between heaven and earth, he's having another adventure… Yuugi thought, smiling. I know he is. Atemu really didn't seem the sort of person to stay out of trouble for too long.
"There'll always be an adventure for you, my friend," Yuugi spoke into the silence to his departed partner.
Yuugi was brought out of his thoughts by a female voice at the front door to the Motou living area. He went over to the door and opened it to reveal a completely drenched Anzu. Her bangs clung to her face, and her uniform- well, its appearance brought heat to his face. She smiled at him, a sweet, embarrassed grin. "Hi," she said, practically whispering.
Yuugi glanced over at the wall, and the clock revealed that school didn't get out for another twenty minutes. This was the perfect time to tell her, now that they actually had some time alone together…
He smiled and said hello, beckoning Anzu inside, and he went to get her a towel. She shivered slightly and rubbed her arms to relieve the chill. She heard a fall and a soft curse, and saw Yuugi returning with a peach-colored towel.
"Sorry, I've been pretty clumsy lately," he grinned and rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.
"Don't worry about it. We all have our ups and downs," Anzu joked.
Yuugi unfolded the towel and wrapped it around her shoulders, earning a slight blush from Anzu. He then drew her in close to him, and rubbed her with his arms in order to help her dry. This gave Anzu a chance to see how tall Yuugi had become over the past few weeks, and she was shocked to see that Yuugi had surpassed her in height, as she had to glance up slightly to meet his eyes. Anzu could see a slight blush on Yuugi's cheeks, and in his eyes, there was a sort of want that told her he was trying to say something.
The brunette rested her head against her now-taller friend's chest. She loved this feeling, of being watched over and protected by him alone. It felt so… right. Anzu was so lost in her thoughts that it took her a few moments to realize that Yuugi was no longer rubbing her dry, and had now enveloped her in a strong, but gentle, embrace.
"Yuugi…" Anzu whispered.
"Anzu, there's something I've been wanting to tell you for a long time."
"You can tell me anything Yuugi."
"Of everything that's happened, becoming your friend was the greatest miracle of all," Yuugi whispered to Anzu, and she smiled sheepishly. "I'll never forget how kind you've always been to me," he told her.
The brunette put her arms around his waist and furthered the embrace. Yuugi dipped his head close to Anzu's ear before continuing. "Anzu, I love you."
"I love you too," was all she could say as Yuugi's lips met hers, and they shared their first kiss, truly a once-in-a-lifetime encounter.
As they kissed, the lovers' hearts seemed to beat in sync. They both knew that this moment was one eternity out of many that they would spend together. This instant was the first of many to be forever treasured within their hearts and engraved on their souls. Yuugi and Anzu smiled at each other, knowing that their love would always be their salvation, no matter what they faced.
Fin... sort of!
I haven't really changed that much, after rereading it, this story actually didn't seem too sappy (at least to me). Still I saw a couple of errors that needed to go, so I took some advice on improving this… Hope you enjoy, and if you liked this, read the sequel: After the Legend!
Special thanks to: Saiya-jin Spice- I really appreciate your support and advice on making this better! ...But of course, I mustalsothank everyone else who reviewed this originally. You guys are great!