Title: Motivated Patience

Summary: "You said so yourself; this way is more 'fun'. Plus, you want to see the Signer girl duel, didn't you?" Lucciano was silent. One-shot.

Notes: Takes place Episode #77, before the in-class duel between Rua and Lucciano.

Rating: K+

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds.

In science class, Lucciano was extremely bored.

It was the one class he did not share with the Signer girl, so he couldn't use the time to gain her trust. All he had accomplished so far was smiling at her from the front of class.

Additionally, the Signer girl's brother was in this class, sitting behind Lucciano. The twin sat next to a brown haired with clunky glasses, and Lucciano could feel the suspicious stare boring holes into the back of his head. It was faintly annoying. Lucciano could just grit his teeth and bear it for another five minutes until lunch break.

The teacher was teaching the pupils about food chains, which Lucciano thought they must have learned last year. Maria-sensei smiled towards the class as she taught. The woman was so cheerful it was almost annoying. "The grass is a producer and insects such as beetles and spiders…"

Lucciano spoke out of turn almost reflexively, and for a moment he abandoned the pleasant tone he had spoken in all day.

"Arachnids."

The teacher looked at the new student with wide eyes. "Excuse me?"

Lucciano took a deep breath. His fuse had already been short, even though this was only the second class of the day. He wondered if he could have the patience to go through with the rest of the plan.

He returned to his 'nice' voice and replied to the teacher, "Arachnids. Spiders are not insects, but arachnids. I'm sure you just misspoke?" Before Maria-sensei could answer, he asked, "May I be excused to go to the restroom?"

The teacher looked slightly unsettled, but nodded her assent. The Signer girl's brother's eyes followed Lucciano as he rose from the desk and headed out the door.

In the boys' bathroom, Lucciano checked no one was in any of the stalls as he dialed the number for the other Emperors on the small white cellphone he had been given for this mission.

"What?" answered the voice dully on the other line, one different from the voice Lucciano would have preferred to complain to.

"Placido! Where the hell is Jose?" Lucciano spat into the phone. Placido merely sighed on the other end.

"Bored already? We told you, it'd take patience for this plan to work. The youngest Signer's relations with the Spirit World and –"

"I know, I know!" interrupted Lucciano. "I don't see why we have to go through with this; it'd take less time and effort to slit her throat while she slept!"

"Easy? Easy to break into the top floor of one of the highest apartment's in New Domino? A penthouse owned by two of the best business people in Japan? You said so yourself; this way is more 'fun'. Plus, you wanted to see the Signer girl duel, didn't you?" Lucciano was silent. Placido plowed on, "Frankly, it's surprising you didn't call sooner. You don't really want to abandon the mission now. The girl hasn't spoken ten words to you and you're already intrigued about her, no?" Placido snickered.

"Just remember the objective. Patience." Lucciano was left in silence as his superior hung up.

Suddenly, the lunch bell rang. Lucciano put his tie back on properly and stuffed the phone into the backpack he wore. He flung open the restroom door and almost hit the Signer girl's brother in the face as he walked past, to Lucciano's amusement.

Rua shot another suspicious glare toward Lucciano. Something about the guy was off to him.

Lucciano spilled out into the lunch area with the other students. Not far into lunch, the Signer girl approached him.

She gave him a nervous, yet warm, smile. "Y-you're the new student, right? Lucciano–kun?" He smiled towards her and nodded. She blushed pink and continued, "Um, uh, my name's Ruka…it's nice to meet you…"

I know exactly who you are.

Lucciano mulled over Placido's words in his mind as the blushing Signer girl – Ruka – stuttered in front of him.

"You're already intrigued about her, no?"

He hated when Placido was right.

Author's Note: Story partially inspired by something the writer Gin no Ryuu wrote in her review for my drabble Spider and Butterfly:

"Because yes, there was something there, something tangible, and knowing Lucciano he probably wouldn't have had the patience to go through with the plan if he hadn't been able to at least /tolerate/ his target."

I think she's right ^_^ I really love Giftshipping…it's a complex relationship, not talked about much in the show, and the closest I will probably ever get to canon friendly fluff is Spider and Butterfly…Remember, reviews are loved!