Title: Picture Perfect
Disclaimer: I am writing this story for fun and not profit. The characters belong to Kazuki Takahashi.
Warnings: Romance/Humor. One-shot. Yami is very OOC.
Pairings: Puzzleshipping
Rating: T
Summary: After days of watching from afar, wishing, wondering and silently admiring, Yami finally makes the first move.
Author's Rant: . . . Puzzleshipping is hard as hell. Kudos to all of you guys for being patient. Brace yourselves. This is candy sweet fluff.
Inspiration: My sweetheart Patd06, her story Imagine Me and You.
Picture Perfect
I watched him from the side of the classroom, laughing and chatting with his friends. They were the same trio of friends he hung with since grade school. He'd matured into himself since we were kids, growing out his wild head of kinky scarlet, black and blond hairs shooting in every direction like sparklers. That killer petite body was lean, finely muscular from occasionally playing soccer after school and his skin tone had this unique way of glowing when the sun hit his complexion just right.
The way his whole face flushed from the tiniest compliment set my blood ablaze. Loved that skin of his, I did. I bet it was sweet as white silk. Yes, the milk not the sheets.
His name was Yugi Muto, somebody I've been feeling since the third grade. Can't really explain my romantic feelings for him. I don't remember if it was the way he smiled at me, the time he shared his banana sandwich with me or the time he came to visit me in the nurse's office when I broke my hand. It could be a combination of all of those things.
In the fifth grade I even told my mama I was going to marry him and she told me if I wanted him I would have to earn him. I had no idea what that mean until I grew older. Imagine me, Yami Jono ll, star wide receiver for Domino City High School, too shy to approach my crush all because I'm afraid of rejection. No matter how kind he was to others, Yugi wasn't a stranger to being hit on. A lot of guys and girls in here had a thing for those cherry deep dimples and sugar sweet smile.
I built up the balls to speak to him one time. Just once after a successful football game during our junior year. We went to a party thrown through a mutual friend, Atem Williams, my boy, my best friend and my guardian to the world of sex, life and fun.
Yugi came alone. So did I. That was pretty much an invitation for me to say hello, right? I took the chance. It wasn't easy swimming through the thong of ass shaking, grinding hips and hyped personalities, but I managed.
There he was, standing there as sexy and lovely as a tulip on a spring morning. Anything about him made me choke up with desire. I came closer, plastic cup in hand full of gin and coke, wearing Southpole from head to toe: navy blue blazer, black sand wash denim jeans, eagle freedom tee. Yeah, gimme a minute, I had to take him all in.
There perched against the wall was him, sporting preppy Dillard clothes: Ralph Lauren long sleeved, color block rugby shirt with his collar flipped, khaki Lucky brand jeans nice and snug around his narrow hips and wide rim black glasses perched on the edge of his nose. In his hand, a small red cup of sprite. No alcohol for him. Another thing, I loved about him. He didn't let himself get caught up in the hype of pure pressure and he didn't fake the funk for anybody.
Yugi stayed Yugi.
He caught my eye a split second and looked away. My heart palpitated in my chest like a caged falcon, scratching to get free. I stood off to the side, taking in his cute face. That's the beauty of Yugi. I could sit here and Mary Sue his ass all day.
"Damn man, you don't just sit there and look at it. You step up and have a sample," I heard a teasing deep voice say behind. I glance over my shoulder, and sure enough, trust Atem to be standing there with his arm thrust around some new honey.
This one's name, I can't remember and no doubt, neither will he in the morning. I bobbed my chin at her and clapped my hand with him before going back to study my secret obsession.
Atem smiled mischievously behind my head. Don't ask how I know. After fifteen years as friends, I'd better know everything about this man.
"So, what's got you standing here instead of being over there?"
"Nerves," I shrugged. "Not about to get my feelings hurt."
Atem came in my line of vision. He wanted me to see that disgruntled look on his face. "Oh Christ, lemme ask Santa to give your balls back off the Christmas tree. You gonna tell me where your dick is? Because it as hell ain't in your draws."
"Fuck you."
"We did, drunk in the closet remember? Anyway, I'd get a move on if I were you."
"Why?"
Atem jerked his thumb over in the opposite direction. "I heard Bakura talkin' shit in locker rooms the other day. Said something relating to Yugi's virginity and his dick being the last thing the kid would remember."
I'll hang that asshole by his tongue before that happened. Bakura knew better than to touch anything of mines. "Hold this." I held my cup out, didn't care who took it and pushed my way through the crowd.
I took up the empty space on Yugi's right.
The noise of excited conversations, the sound of Drake's voice pounding the speakers and the overall colorful atmosphere made me invisible next to him. He was fascinated by the surroundings more than my company. Yugi finally, finally realized I was near when his eyes trailed behind one of his classmates, and landed on me.
I smirked. "Sup' Yugi."
It was all I could come up with. Don't let this cocky face fool you. I was bundle of fucked up nerves. That round, perfect face made butterflies march along my gut.
"Yami, hi, I didn't see you there." Yugi scratched behind his head sheepishly, the way he would when he knew he made an honest mistake. "You enjoying the party so far?"
I shrugged. "S'cool."
"Oh."
Silence, silence, silence. Nothing else.
"Well, I'm gonna go get something to drink. See you later."
"Yeah, you too."
I beat myself with a mental rod when I got home that night. I was a wreck, an absolute wreck my whole junior year because Atem wouldn't stop torturing me about my failure and every time I saw Yugi, I went in the other direction to avoid ever speaking to him again. I had no kind of tact, no kind of manhood and wherever my pride was, my ego went with it.
Things were about to change. I'd grown up. Today was the day I would tell him how I felt. I built all of my courage to pour my affections and feelings and love for this boy in this letter. My friends laughed, calling me a whipped pussy with my nose wide open, but ask if I cared. They were jealous and even envious that I had the bravado to do what I was about to do.
I finally stood, note in hand and made my way to the other side of the class where he sat eating lunch with his circle of close friends. I placed the note on the side of his desk and quickly went back to my side of the classroom. My friends clap my back, cheering and howling like hounds. His friends tease shamelessly, prompting him to open the note. He looks at me. I shot a wink.
And there it is, that sexy blush. He beckons his friends to hush and opens the notes . . . then his blush intensifies. Yeah, I knew I was in.
Meet me behind the school by the basketball court. I got something to tell you.
That's what I wrote in the note and as I made my way around the corner to reach the black top, I wondered if I should've written something else. Did that seemed too vague? Fuck, my stomach hurt. If he didn't come, I would have to transfer schools. All that shit about bravery and courage and confidence . . . just fuck it. Fuck all of it.
I sighed like a deflated balloon when I spied that short body standing by the basketball goal, fiddling nervously with the folded note in his hand. I take a deep breath and slowly walked over. Yugi notices me coming when my sneakers kick a few rocks across the asphalt.
My heart stops beating as soon as he looks at me, the unbelievable warmth and glow in his eyes, making me smile. I stopped in front of him and shoved my hands in my pockets. Anything to keep from kissing him too soon.
"Hey Yugi," I say soft and confident, pride slowly swelling back in my chest. Yugi shifts his weight from foot to foot, fingering the corners of the letter.
"Um, hi Yami." Yugi returns nervously as I lean in closer. "You asked me to come here. Why?"
I smile wider. "Because, I like you." I surprised myself with how cool and calm I sounded when I finally said what's been in my heart all this time. Yugi's eyes grew ten sizes bigger and a blush spread over his nose. I couldn't stop myself from reaching out to cup his cheek, soft like rose petals. "I've liked you for a long, long time."
Yugi leaned into my hand. "You have?"
"Yeah, since third grade." My thumb slide up to stroke the fine baby hairs near his ear. Then to my stomach-flopping-shock, Yugi cups his hand over mine.
He smiles at me and I'm so thrown into next week, I can't see a tomorrow without him.
"I like you too, Yami."
And that has officially made me feel like I've gained something bigger than an Championship trophy. Nothing could amount to the pleasant feeling in my chest and the fluttery sensation in my stomach. That's what he did to me; made me feel like I could climb mountains and be on top of the world.
"So, you'll be my boyfriend then?" I had to ask.
Yugi's smile sweetens as he reaches down and interlocks our fingers together. "If you'll be my boyfriend."
I squeeze his hand. "Hell yeah." I lean down and let our foreheads touch before pressing my lips to his. I always imagined what a kiss with him would be like. Nice, soft and sweet, just like him.
I've waited so long to do that.
T
Two months into our relationship and you may as well have called us Bonnie and Clyde. We were inseparable, Yugi and me. We're happy, spending every minute of every waking second together, laid back and carefree. No drama, no bullshit or conflict from the outside. Everyone seemed happy about our relationship. It's just me and him against the world, so happy, so in love. As cliché as it sounded, I knew there wasn't another person out there for me besides Yugi. He made up my other half, my heartbeats, my thoughts, my soul.
Atem called me a few hours ago about a small get together at his apartment. College life seemed to somber my best friend up. He wasn't as wild and out of control as he used to be. I guess he owed that to the new love of his life, some guy he met at a game shop he worked at name Ryou Bakura. The way he refused to let the soft-eyed freshman leave his sights, let me know Atem had found his soul mate. They were always together, always touching, always smiling stupidly at each other.
I knew how that felt. I had it around me all the time.
My cell phone finally rung in my back pocket, filling the quiet evening with Luther Vandross's So Amazing. "Hey, love."
"I'm sorry I'm running late." Yugi sounds like he's running and smiling at the same time. "Grandpa needed me to stay a little while after closing to clean up."
"It's fine. I'm waiting at the end of the sidewalk. Hurry up and get here."
"Aww, you miss me?"
"Like you won't believe," I say, grinning. "You know I can never get enough of your sweet love."
"Oh wow, corny much? Check my teeth for cavities." Yugi chuckles, playfully. "I see you."
I lift my head up. Yugi's jogging down the sidewalk with the phone to his ear, smiling like he just found the gold at the end of the rainbow. He's wearing my varsity letterman jacket. He hangs up his phone when he stops in front of me, hands deep in my jacket pockets. It swallowed him whole.
"Don't I get a kiss?" he says, stepping close.
I lean in and give him one, flicking my tongue in and out. "You taste so good," I whisper against his mouth.
"Stop with the corny stuff," he says, looping his arm through mine and we start walking down the street to Atem's apartment. We're quiet along the way, you know? Just taking in the brisk, cool evening, near one another. It's nice.
"Hey."
We stopped under a streetlight.
Yugi reaches up, cupping my face. I freeze as he leans in and gives a kiss more heated then we've ever shared. That was my doing, wanting to take things slow, not rush him. But with him kissing me like this. . . damn.
He steps away, a very bright blush.
"Just because," he started softly at my quiet question, "you make me happy." He does it, kissing me very slowly, lapping inside my mouth, dancing over my tongue and raking his fingers over my chest.
I deepen it, welcoming the satiny slick stroke of his tongue against mine and his impatient grind against my hips. I dip my head closer, take him in, smell his scent and inhale all that he is. I break away first, touching his gorgeous face.
"You make me happy too."
Four more months come around and by now, we should've expected problems to surface. Nah, not between Yugi and me. Our relationship was tight and squared away. However, you had those on the outside who wanted a piece of our American Pie, by slicing into it without permission.
Fine example, Rebecca Hawkins. Cool girl, sweet, smart as shit and easy to get along with. One great thing me and her had in common was our attraction to Yugi. Can't say I blame her one bit. In fact, I respect her for having good taste.
What I don't like, is how she went behind my back and tried to weasel her way into Yugi's good graces. Like I'm fucking stupid. Even Atem could spot that shit a mile away and he doesn't even attend school here anymore.
I choose to watch from the sidelines, ya know, get a feel of the competition whenever she came around. She'd throw helpless, big eye glances over towards Yugi—which was the strangest, most bizarre thing because in all God honesty, that junk didn't attract men, it made us think you were having this sixth-sense-see-Jesus-about-to-smack-you-thing.
Now, personally, I don't care for confrontation.
I allowed Yugi his space to put the girl in her place. He hated hurting people's feelings, but he was stern enough to get it in her head two weeks later that he and I were a couple and nothing would ever change that. She cried and whimpered and put on the act like her feelings weren't bruised, then trooped on across the hall to class.
I walked up to behind, squeezing my hands in his front pockets and held him close. "You OK?" I asked.
"Yeah," he whispered softly. Yugi turned in my arms and kissed my cheek. "I'm glad you're here."
"Me too."
Graduation rolls around and it's not the easiest step for us to take. Well, walking into our new lives would be easy, but for me, walking into this new life without Yugi wouldn't be. I'd thought long and hard about this and no matter how many scenarios I conjured up, there was no denying where my heart belonged.
The moment I lowered down to one knee in front of twenty-three hundred-student body, staff, parents and friends, I knew it. I knew Yugi was the one for me. Yugi's left hand goes over his mouth as I grabbed his right one in mine.
"Yugi Jeremiah Muto, you have been my—my everything since I laid eyes on you in Ms. Valentine's class years ago. There's no way I can cross this stage without you being in my life. . . so," I reach inside my pocket for a solid gold ring, one I saw in Kay and raised my money for since his last birthday, "will you marry me? Make me happy? Make us happy?"
Gasps and cheers erupted from the crowd gradually building to supportive chants of, "Yes, yes, yes!" explode louder and louder.
I smile up at Yugi from the floor and his indigo eyes are glistening.
"I love you," I mouth quietly up to him.
It seals the deal.
Yugi wipes at his eyes and nods. "Yes, yes Yami. A thousand times, yes!" He pulls me up and wraps us together in a whirlwind of love and kisses. The applause exploded in cheers, exciting whistles, screams and shouts of praise.
I kiss his forehead, kiss his cheek and look in his eyes. "I love you, Yugi."
And he looks at me. "I love you too." Life couldn't be anymore perfect. . .
Well, that's what I hope happens anyway. . .
No time like the present right? The only way to know what the future holds is to give it a go.
I finally stood, note in hand and made my way to the other side of the class where he sat eating lunch with his circle of close friends. I placed the note on the side of his desk and quickly went back to my side of the classroom. My friends clap my back, cheering and howling like hounds. His friends tease shamelessly, prompting him to open the note. He looks at me. I shot a wink.
And there it is, that sexy blush. He beckons his friends to hush and opens the notes . . . then his blush intensifies. Yeah, I knew I was in.
TBC: Oh . . . oh God. I am never EVER doing this again. Too damn sweet, but I hope you liked it anyway. ^_^
