A/N: Wow...I'm like obsessed with one-shots lately. Anyways, please RR!
A Lesson to Learn
"Yugi, how do you know if you're in love with someone?"
Two large, amethyst orbs blinked in a confused manner. Their owner pulled himself into a sitting position and glanced in the direction of his brown-haired friend. Giving a small smile, he answered her truthfully. "I'm not sure...I guess you just...know." Tilting his head to the side, he inquired as to why she was asking him.
Anzu Mazaki shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. It's just that, lately, I've been feeling things towards a certain someone that I've never felt before. I was just wondering if that was love or not."
Yugi frowned, not entirely comfortable with the fact that she had feelings towards some other guy. He had liked her for the longest time, and hearing about her feelings towards someone else – again – would break his heart – again.
"Who..?"
The brunette bit her lip. "I don't know if I should tell you. You always get so upset whenever I tell you these sorts of things."
The tri-haired teen blushed. "N-no I don't. I just get worried, that's all." He wrapped his arms around his legs, bringing his chin forward so that it rested on his knees.
"You don't have to worry about me, Yugi. I can take care of myself." Anzu said, standing up with her back to him.
Yugi jumped up and quickly apologized. "I didn't mean for it to sound like you couldn't take care of yourself. It's just that...you're my best friend, Anzu, and I know you've been hurt so many times before. I don't want to see you cry again because of some stupid guy."
"But I won't. This one is different."
"Who is he?"
Anzu hesitated before answering him. She didn't quite know how her best friend would handle the news. She knew he loved her, and that he had loved her for a very long time, but she never returned that feeling. She had always liked other people. But this time it was different. The person she felt she loved was someone so close to, someone so much like, and at the same time, someone so different from, Yugi.
"Your brother," was the slow reply.
Yugi didn't feel like eating that night at dinner. All he could do was stare, from his place on the other end of the table, at his older brother. Crushes on siblings usually didn't happen this late in a friendship, which is why he was so surprised – and so angered – by the fact that Anzu thought she loved his older brother.
He didn't really understand it, either. His older brother wasn't exactly the nicest person. He was known for being a bully, and had been expelled from his college – not to mention almost arrested - because of sexually harassing his female professor and vandalizing school property.
'I just don't get it. What could she possibly see in Yami?'
Yami, looking up from his dinner plate, raised an eyebrow when he noticed his younger sibling watching him. "What?" he snapped, putting his fork down.
Yugi blinked. "What?" he echoed, confused by the question.
"Why were you staring at me?"
The amethyst-eyed boy's face flushed. "Sorry, I guess I kind of spaced out," he confessed with a sheepish grin.
The older of the two snorted; picking his fork back up and stabbing it into his filet. "Loser," he mumbled through the food in his mouth. Taking a large gulp of Pepsi from his glass, his eyes narrowed when he noticed his sibling still staring at him. "What in the hell is your problem?"
"Nothing!" Yugi said defensively. "I was just thinking. Sheesh."
Yami grunted. "Well, go think somewhere else. You're giving me the creeps."
The tri-haired young boy stood up abruptly. "Fine." After clearing his plate, he marched up to their shared room and slammed the door shut. Letting out a large sigh, he flopped ungracefully down onto his bed. 'Yami...Why did it have to be Yami!' Pillowing his head in his arms, he gazed blankly at the wall in front of him. 'I don't get it. What could she possibly see in him? He's a big jerk.'
"Yugi, just give him a chance."
Yugi put his hands on his hips. "Anzu, I live with the guy! Trust me; I know what he's like. And let me tell you, he is definitely not your type!"
The brunette scowled. "And why not?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow.
The short teen opened his mouth to answer, but didn't know quite what to say. What would make Anzu see things his way? "W-well, he got kicked out of school... um, he's a big bully, and he-he smokes!" he sputtered out, waving his hands around to emphasize his point.
Anzu put a hand to her chin. "Oh, I'm sure he only acts like that to conceal his inner emotions." She smiled sweetly at the blank stare she received. "I read about it in a book. Bullies use fear and aggressiveness as a way to express their feelings, because usually they don't know how to express themselves in a more appropriate manner."
Clasping her hands together, she continued. "I'm sure that if I got together with him, I could teach Yami some better methods of letting his feelings out. I could make him a better, kinder person."
Yugi slapped his forehead. Did she not hear about all the horrible things Yami had done through the years? Had she been deaf when he told her how many times Yami and his friends were caught doing drugs or spraying graffiti on the walls of the Cineplex? "Anzu, Yami isn't like that. He's very good at letting his emotions show. He's just an asshole, and nothing will ever change that."
"It would be worth a try!"
The violet-eyed boy groaned to himself. How could he get Anzu to realize the truth about his brother? Picking up his backpack, he decided it would be better to think on the subject without his friend around. "I should head home. See you tomorrow."
The brunette nodded. "Bye."
"See you."
Yugi sighed again. He had tried calling Anzu before dinner that evening. She still had her hopes up that a relationship could form between her and Yami, though. She still thought he was the one for her, even though her best friend tried many times to persuade her otherwise.
Upon hearing a knock on the door, the small teenager sat up. "Come in," he whispered.
Yami stepped inside, a smirk on his face. "So, Anzu has a crush on me?" he questioned, crimson eyes gleaming with delight. "How cute." Sitting down on the bed opposite of his sibling, he placed his cheek on the palm of his hand. "Something tells me this is the reason you're being so weird tonight."
Yugi bit his lip. "Well...hey, wait! How did you find out about that?"
The older shrugged his shoulders, the smirk never once leaving his face. "You can't hide these things from me. I knew something was wrong, I just had to investigate a little to see what it was." He held up his brother's cell phone. "She left a message." Flipping the phone open, he pressed the green button and had the message play back.
"Yugi..? It's me, Anzu. Look, I hope you aren't still upset about me liking Yami. I really don't know how it happened, but I really want you to be okay with it...I-I was thinking about telling him. Maybe tomorrow night or sometime around then. Oh please, Yugi, I know you don't like that I like him, but please help me get together with him! ...It would make me so happy..."
Yugi snatched the phone out of the other's grasp. "That wasn't meant for you to hear," he snapped.
"Why not? It was about me."
"But it was left on my cell phone," the younger exclaimed, putting the phone on his bed. "God, I don't know what makes you think you have the right to go snooping around in everyone else's business."
Yami grinned and lay down on his stomach. "So, is that why you're upset? You're jealous that Anzu likes me instead of liking you?" he asked with feigned innocence.
Yugi blushed. "No," he grit out, looking in the opposite direction of his older brother.
The crimson-eyed Mutou chuckled heartily. "I think it is. I think you are jealous of me, little brother. Anzu loves me...and she'll never love you."
The small boy's shoulders sagged slightly. Yami was right about that. Anzu would never see him as more than a friend. He'd always just be the best friend and, even though he was always there for her through all of the good and bad times, nothing would ever make her feel differently. Nothing would ever bring their relationship to the next, more intimate level.
Yami smirked and stood back up off his bed. After giving a good stretch, he walked over to the wooden dresser in the corner of the bedroom and removed the baggy green shirt he had been wearing. Shoveling through a pile of clothes, he picked out a clean, cream-colored turtleneck and threw it on over his bare chest. Then walking to the other side of the room, he turned and winked at his sibling. "See you later, short stuff," he joked.
"Wait, where do you think you're going!" Yugi asked, following the older out of the room and down the stairs.
"I'm paying Anzu a little visit," Yami explained, grabbing his car keys. "I think she'll be happy to see me, don't you?" He grabbed a packet of cigarettes off the kitchen counter and rummaged through a drawer for his special lighter. "I'll be back late, if things go well."
"W-what are you planning on doing?" the short boy asked hesitantly. He knew his sibling didn't have any feelings for his brown-haired friend. So why was he going to 'pay her a visit?'
"Nothing, I'm just going to have a little fun." The crimson-eyed young man smirked and lit a cigarette, placing it in his mouth an inhaling. "Is that a problem, squirt?"
"Well, yes, it is a problem when your fun involves my best friend!"
Yami took another drag of his cigarette. Walking past Yugi, he ruffled the boy's hair. "No worries. Don't wait up for me!" And with that, he left the house.
Yugi stood by the door, his head hanging. "Anzu..." he whispered, dreading on what his brother might do to his poor friend.
Anzu sat on the windowsill of her bedroom, absently looking down on the street below. Smiling to herself, she glanced at the sunflower that she held in her hands. Plucking out one of the petals, she tossed it out the open window.
"He loves me," she whispered, plucking another petal. "He loves me not." She continued the mantra, removing each of the bright yellow petals from the flower until there were only two left.
"...He loves me not...He loves me!"
She blinked when someone called her name. Looking down to the sidewalk, she gasped when she noticed that there underneath her window stood the object of her affections. He was standing there, clad in a tight, cream-colored turtleneck sweater and loose, dark jeans. His hair was in its usual spiked up style, and hanging between his lips was a half burned cigarette.
His crimson eyes were gleaming as he raised a hand, beckoning her to come down and meet him. A blush spread across the brunette's cheeks as she nodded. Throwing the now bare sunflower on her bedspread, she turned and slowly climbed down the window. Hanging on to the growing vines for support, she lowered herself down to the ground.
"I'll catch you," called Yami, outstretching his arms.
Anzu blushed even more, nodding in response. Closing her eyes, she let go of the vines. She placed all her trust in Yami to catch her, and he came through. She landed in his strong arms, and unceremoniously they fell to the ground together. Standing up quickly, she dusted her pajama pants off. "I-I'm sorry, Yami. Are you alright?"
Yami nodded and brought himself up into a sitting position. Grabbing hold of her delicate hand, he pulled her down into his lap. "I had a question for you, that's why I came by," he explained.
The blue-eyed girl giggled, feeling secure in his warm embrace. 'C-could this really be happening to me? Yami is actually holding me! Does he return my feelings?'
"Do you love me?"
Anzu's cheeks deepened in color. Pressing her head against his firm chest, she nodded slowly. "I...I do." Looking up at him, her eyes filled with tears. "Please tell me you feel the same?"
The tri-haired male grinned, bringing a hand foreword and tracing the girl's lips with his thumb. "Such a pretty girl you are," he mumbled, inching his face closer to hers, his eyes closing slightly. "Could I love you...?" He quickly sealed the space between them, pressing his lips forcefully against hers.
The brunette's eyes shot wide open, and then closed as she melted into the kiss. Bringing her arms up, she wrapped them around his neck and buried them in his thick hair. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she realized her dream was coming true. Yami actually returned her feelings. Everything was going perfectly!
Or...it was going perfectly.
Without warning, Yami pushed Anzu away from him. A boisterous laugh escaped him as he stood up, pointing a finger mockingly at her. Anzu's brows furrowed as she rose to her feet unsteadily. She brought a hand to her lips, touching them lightly. "Y-Yami...?"
Yami continued laughing. "I can't believe you! Damn, woman! You really are as gullible as you appear to be!" He slapped his knee. "Could I love you? Could I love you...?" he smirked. "Of course not!" He blinked, noticing the hurt expression on her face. "Oh, you thought I really did care? Poor thing..."
He sniggered to himself, finding the situation all too funny. "Didn't my brother try and warn you? But still you persisted!" Reaching into his pocket, the crimson-eyed boy pulled out a crumbled piece of paper. "I'm sure little Yugi would want you to have this." He began walking away. "You're a cute girl, Mazaki, but you just ain't my type. And I'm not yours, either."
Anzu's lip quivered slightly. How could he...? How could he do that to her! How could he play with her heart like that? Picking up the paper, she glared at Yami's retreating form. 'Yami Mutou...you bastard. Yugi was right, you're just a big jerk!'
She sat on the grass of her front lawn, staring until the eldest Mutou brother was out of eyesight. Tears streamed down her cheeks and the wind blew at her already knotted hair. Raising a hand to her lips, she closed her eyes. They still tingled, an after-effect of their kiss.
Standing up, Anzu made her way back inside. It would be hard to explain to her mother why she was outside, why her lips were bruised, and why she was crying. So she was hoping to sneak up to her room unnoticed, which, thankfully, she was able to do.
Flumping down onto her large bed, she dried the tears. Then her azure orbs landed on the bare sunflower. She growled, taking it in her hands and throwing it in the trash can.
"He loves me...yeah right."
Remembering the piece of paper Yami had given her before rudely making his exit, Anzu took it out of her blouse pocket. It appeared to be a passage of someone's journal – a passage that Yami had ripped out without asking the owner, no doubt. She raised an eyebrow, idly wondering why he would give such a thing as a stolen diary entry to her. But then she read, and it all made sense.
The passage was dated back four months ago, and it was scribbled in small, messy handwriting that the brunette immediately recognized as Yugi's.
I don't know what to do, journal. I'm so in love with Anzu, but she only sees me as her friend. I'm too shy to tell her my feelings, because I'm afraid she'll reject me. In fact, I know she'll reject me because she always has her eyes on someone better than me. Not that I can blame her. I just wish, for once, that she could see me in the same light that I see her. That just for a moment, she could feel towards me the love I've always felt towards her. And it's during moments like these, when I'm stuck wondering what to do, that I wish that Yami would for once act like an older brother and comfort and help me out...
Anzu reread the entry a few times, and then her thoughts traveled back to what had happened between her and Yami earlier.
"I'm sure little Yugi would want you to have this." He began walking away. "You're a cute girl, Mazaki, but you just ain't my type. And I'm not yours, either."
She blinked a few times, hearing the words repeat in her head. Had Yami been...Had Yami been trying to help Yugi? Had he been trying to show her that what she was feeling was nothing more than a silly crush? And that, perhaps, what she felt towards Yugi was something more that friendship?
Was that what everything was about?
This made Anzu wonder. It made her really think about her emotions, and about the relationship she had with Yugi now. Sure, she viewed him as a friend. He was always her friend; he had been since they were small children. But...there was always something more than a friendship, more than a brother-sister bond, about their relationship. They were closer than most 'best friends' claimed to be, and they were even closer than most the couples at school could ever hope to be.
It kind of made them perfect for each other.
But Anzu had never thought of Yugi in any romantic way. He was right in his journal entry when he said that she would probably reject him. If he had asked her out even last week, she probably would have declined. But now...now Anzu wouldn't even dream of saying no. Yami had opened up her eyes. Through that simple act of refusing her, he showed her what was truly in her own heart. He gave her a shove in the right direction.
And she knew now that what she felt towards Yugi was more than just friendship. It had always been more than friendship. She loved him. With all of her heart and soul, she loved him.
Smiling, she folded up the piece of Yugi's journal entry and placed it on her nightstand. Then she dressed into her pajamas and got into bed. Surprisingly, she found herself silently thanking Yami before drifting off to sleep.
Yami whistled to himself as he opened the door to the Mutou house. He had to admit that the night's earlier events had gone fairly smooth. He had actually had a good time, too. And he could see why his younger brother was interested in the brown-haired girl.
'She was a damn good kisser,' He commented to himself, removing his shoes after stepping inside. 'Too bad Yugi wants her so much, or else I'd be all over her.'
Walking slowly up the stairs towards his room, he was met halfway by a frantic-looking Yugi. The younger brother glared as fierce as he could at the older. "What did you do to her?"
"What do you mean?"
Yugi gave an uncharacteristic growl. "You know what I mean! What did you do to Anzu? Why...why did you go over to her house? And why do you look so happy now! What did you do!"
Yami shrugged his shoulders and smirks. "Hey, if I tell you it'd ruin the surprise." He let out a loud yawn. "Well, I'm tired, Squirt. See you in the morning."
"Wait a minute!" Yugi grabbed Yami's arm, holding on as tight as he could to stop the other from advancing farther up the stairs. "Tell me what happened, Yami. Tell me what you did to her."
The older Mutou brother growled. "Lay off, runt," he hissed, throwing the short teen off of him. He pushed Yugi against the wall and brushed his now freed arm off.
"Just tell me what happened...I know you did something to her. Please tell me..."
Yami rolled his eyes and turned away from his sibling. "Just go to bed already. Why the hell were you waiting up for me anyways? I'm not telling you anything, so you're going to have to wait till tomorrow when you see her." He opened the door to their bedroom, but stopped before going inside. "I guess I could tell you this one thing, though." He winked, licking his lips. "She was a damn good kisser."
Yugi's face went purple in anger and he ran up the stairs. "Yami!" He stopped as the door to their bedroom was slammed in front of his face. Sliding down to the floor, he sighed loudly. 'Yami...why do you always have to hurt people like this? Don't other people's feelings matter to you? I know you hurt my best friend...and now you hurt me again, like you always do. Doesn't it bother you?'
Anzu stood nervously beside the school gates. She ran her hands over her skirt, smoothing out any of the wrinkles that may have formed in the last few minutes. She looked around, seeing hardly any students on the premises. But then, she caught a glimpse of that spiky black-and-red hair.
"Yugi!"
Yugi turned around, almost in slow motion, and the brunette was frozen. She was spellbound by him...and she knew not the reason. He looked the same as he usually did; only there was an anxious look on his face. But still, Anzu had trouble breathing as she gazed at him.
There was just something about him...some sort of radiant glow...that she had overlooked before. And it was truly beautiful.
"Yugi," Anzu repeated, walking slowly over to him.
Worried amethyst eyes locked on her, and Yugi raced forward. "Anzu," he cried; his voice sounding nervous. "Are you okay? What happened between you and my brother last night! He wouldn't tell me, no matter how much I begged him to."
He placed his hands over hers, searching her eyes. "He didn't hurt you, did he?" he questioned, tears forming in his violet orbs. "I was so scared he might have done something horrible to you...because I know he's capable of doing such things and..."
He stopped talking when he realized that his friend wasn't listening to a word he was saying. Blinking, Yugi tried to catch her attention. He blushed when he noticed her looking him over, a secretive smile brightening her face.
"Is...Is something wrong?" Yugi asked, looking down at himself. "Is my shirt on backwards again or something?"
Anzu shook her head. "No, you're fine...you're perfect, Yugi." She noticed the blush on his cheeks darken, and she giggled. "It's just that...you're glowing today. I hadn't noticed it up until now; I guess...it really is beautiful."
"I'm...I'm glowing?" the short teen repeated, still glancing over himself, trying to find something wrong. "Anzu, I don't know what you're talking about. Are you?"
Before he could say anything more, the brunette silenced him by brushing her lips lightly against his.
"I overlooked you before, Yugi...and I...I never realized how much I've always wanted to do that."
There was an awkward silence. Yugi was trying to fight down his blush, which had now consumed his whole face and was spreading to his ears and down his neck.
Anzu was trying to think of what else she could say. She wanted her friend to understand that this was how she really felt. Other guys had been just crushes, but thanks to what Yami had shown her last night, she knew that with Yugi, what she really felt was actual love.
After a few more moments of quiet, they both opened their mouths and spoke three singles words simultaneously.
"I love you."
And then two more:
"I know."
And then only one:
"Thanks."
The bell rang in the distance, signaling the start of first period class. Without needing to say anything more, the two friends parted and went their separate ways, each with a large grin on their faces.
They loved each other.
The love was accepted.
And they were grateful.
And unbeknownst to them, on the other side of the school fence, a young man was watching and listening to their exchange of words with a smile on his handsome face. And before anyoneelse could notice his presence, he lit a cigarette with his lucky lighter and walked away back towards he and his younger brother's house.
-End-
A/N: Can anyone guess who it was that was watching? It's kinda easy to figure out...:P Please review and tell me what you think!