Disclaimer: I don't own YGO GX, but I do own STM. Inspired by the song "Things I'll Never Say" by Avril Lavigne.
Things I'll Never Say
Anika sighed as she climbed onto the giant fallen tree. Propping her leg up, she began to retie her boot laces. It was just after sundown, and she had gone on a Nature Hike, just to get away from it all. Max had wanted to join her, but the last time she let him accompany her...
It had been chaos.
"Jim..." His name fell from her lips as she pictured him in her mind.
She was head over heels for, as Zoe would call him, Indiana Jones.
It was a cute little name that annoyed him yet made him smile every time she used it. Though Anika didn't know why. All she knew was that every time she saw him, her heart would race, her knees would shake, and her mind would go blank.
"At least I've the ability to talk to him around other people." Anika sighed, now retying her other boot.
But never alone. Alone, things just didn't work out between them. Everything would go down hill the moment Anika opened her mouth to speak. She pulled out her MP3 player, shuffling to one of her favorite songs.
I'm tuggin' at my hair, I'm pullin' at my clothes, I try to keep my cool, I know it shows...
"Yeah, just like me." Anika thought, singing along softly, as she turned her dark brown eyes on the stars. "Just a glance and I start to feel nervous, tryin' to be so perfect. But Jim's worth it."
That's at least what she kept on telling herself anyway. They were alike and different in so many ways. They had even been on a double date with Jesse and Cyrah once. But Anika just didn't want to have her heart broken again. She shivered subconsciously at the memory of the pain.
She had been young.
She had been stupid.
She had to go and ignore her brother.
"Andrion, where are you when I need you the most?" She whispered, picturing her older brother clearly.
"Chin up, Nika! Everything's gonna be alright. You just gotta toughen up and be strong. Just like Mom, eh?"
Anika let out a small laugh at her brother's voice in her head. His Canadian accent always made her laugh. Born in Canada, Anika was the only one without an accent. It made her special. She reached up and ran a hand through her wavy honey-blonde locks. She had gotten her looks from her mother. Andrion had too. Their father, well...
Their father was the one subject everyone chose to avoid. They didn't even have his last name, but their mother's maiden name instead. The Eldoras had never liked Anika and Andrion's father. Maybe because he had hurt their daughter in more ways than one. Maybe because he had abandoned them just when Anika was three.
Maybe...
But that was all in the past.
"Nika?"
Anika jumped at the sound of an Australian voice.
"J-Jim?"
Jim appeared beside her, sitting next to her, and smiling at her.
It don't do me any good, it's just a waste of time, What use is it to you what's on my mind?
"Everything alright, sheila?" Jim asked, concerned.
"Yeah, just missin' my Mom and Brother a little."
If it ain't comin' out, we're not going anywhere, So why can't I just tell you that I care?
"Wanna talk about it?"
Anika paused and looked at Jim before she responded, "Why do you care so much?"
Jim sighed, "I just worried, Nika. I've worried a lot when it comes to you."
"Shirley kidnapped me."
"And I am still mad at her over that."
"Max doesn't like you very much."
"I can tell." Jim started to rub his thigh subconsciously, praying the Great Dane was no where near there at the moment.
Anika saw him, "Don't worry. Maximus is safely with Sheena and Zoe."
"You call that safe?"
They both laughed.
If I could say what I wanna say, I'd say I want to blow you... away...
"Just say it."
"J-Jim, I... I wanna tell you something."
If I could see what I wanna see, I wanna see go down, on one knee. Marry me today; guess I'm wishing my life away, with these things I'll never say.
"Hmm?" His blue eyes looked at Anika and he smiled.
What's wrong with my tongue? These words keep slipping away. I stutter, I stumble, like I've got nothing to say...
"N-Nevermind."
"Tell me, Nika. Please."
Anika bit her lower lip, before she sang in a quiet voice, "If I could say what I wanna say, I'd say I want to blow you... away. Be with you every night. Am I squeezin' you too tight? If I could see what I wanna see, I wanna see you go down... on one knee. Marry me today, guess I'm wishing my life away... With these things I'll never say..."
Jim blinked, stunned. A hot blush was already creeping towards his face. Anika kept her gaze away from his own, her hands nervously pulling at her clothes.
"Anika... I..."
She looked at him with her dark eyes, "I love you, Jim." She confessed, her lower lip quivering. "But I'm scared that I'm gonna end up hurt again." With a choked sob, Anika buried her face in Jim's chest. Startled, Jim did the first thing that instinct told him to due.
He comforted her.
"Hush, now, sheila. Everything's alright now. I'm not gonna hurt you." Jim coaxed, hugging her tightly. He then kissed her on the top of her head. "I love you, Anika. I always have."
Anika looked up slowly, "Y-You have?" He didn't even get a chance to reply because she then leaned up and kissed him on the mouth. Jim closed his eyes immediately.
He had admired Anika ever since he had saved her from Shirley. All around him, he saw signs of love occurring. Jesse had fallen for Cyrah, Axel and Sheena were still having their little love-hate relationship, and even Adrian had found the courage to tell Zoe how he felt. And Jim had already been told what had happened to Anika a couple years ago by Zoe.
If he ever got his hands on the creep who had hurt Anika, he swore the boy would have less body parts intact than more. Anika was a sweet girl who understood him. Who didn't deserve to be hurt by anything or anyone.
And Jim just wanted to protect her.
To love her.
"Anika...?" He whispered, as she finally pulled away, her face red in embarrassment.
"Yeah, Jim...?" She whispered back, staring at him.
He stared back. Anika's long locks were the color of honey. Her eyes the color of dark chocolate. It took all his restraint not to reach out and touch her soft skin. And he had never seen such a kissable mouth like hers before.
"I won't hurt you. I swear it." Jim gently reached out, watching her cringe in nervousness, and he gently brushed her bangs out of her face. "I love you... and I don't wanna be without you..."
Anika felt his fingertips brush across her cheek. She knew deep down he was telling the truth. She wanted to trust him. She wanted to be with him. But the fear of being hurt again... it was unbearable.
"I-I'm scared..."
"I know. But you don't have to be afraid anymore."
"I can't be hurt like that again, Jim. I just can't."
"You won't be. But you can't reject the whole world, Anika. You can't escape what happens in life."
Anika was pulled into a tender embrace. She took in Jim's warmth and felt her lips forming a smile.
"I'll face my fear, Jim... because I want to be with you and only you." She whispered in his ear.
"I love you, my sheila."
"And I love you, Indiana Jones."
The End
A/N: JIM AND ANIKA 4-EVER! WAHOO! (stops waving banner) Please R&R!
Syrus Fanatic 4-Ever