Disclaimer – So very far from being mine. Not even as a late Christmas present.
A/N – This is a set of five drabbles. Drabbles are only a hundred words long. Therefore, they are meant to be short. Also, I feel I must warn you that I had Close Your Eyes (Buffy and Angel Theme) by Christopher Beck on repeat while I wrote this.
Continuity – Post-series finale.
Pentacle Path
© Scribbler, January 2005.
1.
Yuugi took it the hardest.
Well, obviously.
He sat on the end of her bed and gripped the mattress. "That's … great, Anzu. Really great."
"You sure?" She sat next to him. "Only you're kind of flat-lining my warm fuzzy with all your wild joy."
"Sorry. I just - " He stopped.
She frowned. She thought he'd grown out of self-recriminations for being honest. "Yuugi, it's okay. You can't help how you feel."
He looked right at her with those big liquid, puppy-dog eyes of his. "I'm happy for you."
She punched him on the arm. "Liar. But I forgive you."
2.
"Wow, America."
"USA."
"The Big Apple."
"The Big Easy."
"Hey, you reckon American girls are prettier than Japanese?"
"Rebecca's American."
"Dude, sick! She's a little kid!"
"If you guys have quite finished," Anzu folded her arms, "you could at least say 'well done', or something."
"Huh?" Jounouchi looked up from waving a finger in Honda's face. "Oh. Yeah. WelldoneAnzuyoudidreallywellandwe'reallproudofyou. Now, Angelina Jolie, there's a real American babe."
"Pfft, if you don't mind having your face mangled with every kiss from those lips."
"With a body like that? I could live with it."
Anzu sighed and smacked their heads together. "Jerks."
3.
She was nibbling anpan when someone sat down on the other side of the park bench. Anzu did what she always did when forced to share – she turned a page of her bargain bin manga and took another bite. Just because she had to conserve her money from now until August didn't mean she couldn't have any luxuries.
The other person cleared his throat.
She turned another page and rolled her eyes at the plot cliché.
"Um, Anzu?"
That voice …
Anzu turned to face it very, very slowly. "Ryou!"
He blushed bright pink and scuffed his feet. "Hello, Anzu."
4.
"You'll be careful of all the weirdoes, right?"
Anzu looked Ryou straight in the eye. She'd been the first to stop using his family name, even as he pulled away from the group. Her stare drove big 'define weird after all the craziness we've been through' nails through his feet.
They walked downtown towards her house. She'd invited him for dinner, because no matter how breezy she acted, this was a very big deal, and the last thing she wanted was to leave behind any regrets or missed opportunities.
They passed Kaiba Corp. HQ. She looked up, and for a second thought she saw a flash of familiar blonde hair. She paused, searching, but it was lost in the crowd.
"Anzu?"
"Yeah. Sure. I'll be careful."
5.
The room was small, but not too small – pale blue walls and a sash window. Anzu stepped into it and held on to her suitcase with both hands. Her backpack was heavy, but she made no move to put it down.
"Here y'are," her escort drawled. She was cheerful in a way that had nothing to do with what was underneath. "Home sweet home. Basin, bed, wardrobe, yadda-yadda-yadda – you need any help unpacking? Only they say I'm s'posed to ask."
"No," Anzu said, smiling. It was happening. It was exciting and terrifying and really, truly happening. "I'll be just fine."
FINIS.