Title: Moth to the Flame

A/N: I thought of this while on the hour-long ride to the skating rink while listening to Avril Lavine's 'Nobody's Home'. So we'll see how this turns out, ne?

One-sided(?) JouxSeto, One-sided(?) AnzuxYuugi. Let's let the angst muses run abound! (cough) This is set in Jou's POV.

-Moth to the Flame-

I gaze down sadly at the brunette that's using my knees for a pillow. Her shuddering sobs wrack her frame as I run my left hand in soothing circles on her back.

This has become a cycle, a circle, a ring of events that we can't seem to get out of. I wish that this ring wasn't set in gold, and instead was set in stone. Then it wouldn't glint so beautifully to be repeated.

Stone can break with enough ice.

Heaven and all deities know that the two of us have seen it enough to last ten hundred ice ages.

Too bad gold looks pretty, either hot or cold, no matter how malleable it is.

Anzu sniffles slightly before dropping off the edge into sleep. With a sigh, I pick her up off my lap and rest her down on my bed and tuck her underneath the covers.

She'll feel safe there.

I've got a sleeping bag I can use.

Gentleman to the last, ne?

With a bitter bark of laugher, I set down in the chair beside my window. Running my hands blearily down my face, I contemplate what lead us to this.

The taunting flame of love, ever eluding, dancing away from our fingertips just as we're about to grab it. And we follow it, like a moth to the flame.

Anzu's flame happens to be happy, ever-go-lucky Yuugi. Too bad the boy's too dense. She constantly makes subtle hints, and tasteful at that. A very good trait. I haven't ever seen or heard any one who can make 'take me out to the movies next Friday' sound so pleasant and...just...I dunno. What ever she does, she's good at it. Too bad Yuugi can't see.

I don't know what's gotten into Yuugi lately. I thought I knew him well...but I guess I know hardly anything. Then again, the kid has a superb poker face. Has too, in order to win all those card matches.

Usually, he's so happy and cheerful, little Mr. Sunshine himself. But lately, he's become depressed, and is just as tactfully--or obliviously--able to turn down Anzu's hints. I can see purple moons starting to appear under equally purple eyes.

I wish I could help Anzu on the Yuugi front, but I'm fighting my own war. And losing pitifully. All I can do is help to pick up the pieces of her broken heart, super glue them together again, and be there to collect the pieces when the glue breaks.

As of this week, the cycle has happened every day.

Anzu goes to school. Anzu gets shot down by Yuugi. Anzu cries at Jou's house and stays the night before Anzu goes to school the next morning.

Looking outside, I can see that it's started to rain.

With a resigned sigh, I trudge over to her backpack to attempt to copy her handwriting in order to do her homework.

It's the least I can do.

Besides, I finished mine in school.

Humming lightly as I dash out the last of her homework, I look up when I see a shadow in the doorway.

Using the doorframe as a support, Otosan is grinning, eyes a little blurry from all the alcohol he's consumed. His head keeps wanting to loll to the side, but the smile stays firmly in place. Sloppily, he motions for me to get out into the hallway so as to not disturb Anzu.

I motion back that I'll be a moment and he nods, and wobbles down the hallway, most presumably to the living room.

Carefully putting Anzu's books back in her book bag the way I found them I then place the backpack at the foot of the bed.

With a sigh I trudge to the living room.

Otosan is in the blue reclining chair, head tipped back, drunken smile still in place. His eyes snap to me when I enter the room.

"Yo's gi'l f'ined ish back, ne?"

Giving a weak grin, I plop down onto the blue couch. "She ain't my girlfriend 'Tosan."

I watch, semi-amused as a put-on pained look washes over his face. "Ta'k righ'."

It's amusing, considering that he himself can't fully pronounce the simplest of words right now.

Pulling myself up to my full sitting height, I blink in mock surprise and ask rather snobbishly, "And would you like me to annunciate words correctly? Is that what I can gather from the words, 'Talk right'?"

He chortles with amusement. This is a running gag. One he happens to love to death.

...Well, maybe not to death. But still.

I smile just a shade. "Yeah, she's back." I run my hand through my hair. "She's had a hard day and she just kind of fell asleep in my room."

"I shees." He smirks, eyebrows wiggling up and down.

Laughing, I say, "No! A friend Otosan! I don't like her like that." I pause to become solemn. "Anyway, the reason she's had a rough week is 'cause the guy she likes doesn't realize it."

All previous mirth is wiped clean of Otosan's face as soon as the sentence clears the alcohol. His eyes focus, as if his brain is clear of the haze for once. "Dat gam' kid?"

I nod.

He returns with a nod himself. "K'nda ob'vi's."

I nod for a last time before I get up. "You would think so."

As I head to walk out of the room, Otosan catches my arm. "An' yous dun like 'er, righ'?"

I just give a weary smile. "I've told you who I like, 'Tosan."

His head titles to the side before his brain focuses on that bit of information. He nods, an apoligetic smile on his face. "Righ'."

I give a wry smirk. "'Night, 'Tousan."

So far, that's all I have. It's funny. I write a stupid Seto and a smart Jounouchi. (shakes head.) Oh well, ne?

-Glue