So... I wrote this thing a few months ago and forgot to post it lol

I DO NOT OWN YGO! DUEL MONSTERS

Their first date.

Their first date as an official couple since they confessed their feelings on Valentine's Day.

Yes, that first date.

That important first date had been disastrous.

Atem squeezed his eyes shut as he walked a step away behind Mana and mentally smacked his face. What a disaster of a date for god's sake.

Of course, it hadn't been the first time they'd hang out together. Since they were children, Atem and Mana were used to meeting in the mall, watching a movie, with their friends or just the two of them, but since they had confirmed how they felt about each other, everything had become so… clumsy? Awkward? At least that was how he felt it. Of course, it wasn't like he regretted having changed things between them, but —Atem breathed out —why was everything so complicated all of a sudden?

He didn't even know how Mana was so relaxed even after everything that had happened. If he didn't know her better, he would even say that she was really happy.

"Atem?" Mana then called him. Without realizing it, he had been left behind.

He watched her and she tilted her head. The pretty dress she was wearing was dirty. She was probably hungry, since they hadn't even been able to eat dinner and the worst thing was that they couldn't be alone together since her brother had returned from his trip a couple of nights ago and at his house was, well, his whole family.

"I… uh… um…"

He wanted to apologize, but why exactly? For having confused the reservation at the restaurant? For having pulled her chair more than necessary? For having tripped over the waiter when she fell resulting in the food he was carrying falling on her and someone else?

God Atem knew he should have planned something simpler.

Then he heard her laughter and frowned.

"Oh, come on, it wasn't that bad!"

Atem blinked, confused. That it hadn't been that bad?

"Mana, they literally asked us to leave."

"Yeah, so what?" she replied, retracing her steps to approach him. It wasn't even 8 at night. "It's not like we have dinner there every week. They will forget our faces in a few days."

Atem was not so sure about that. He had no doubt that both employees and customers would be able to remember the weird-haired boy with a face as red as a tomato, who had to leave the restaurant with his girlfriend, for more than a few days.

"Besides," she decided to add. "It was fun watching you while you tried to convince the manager to let us in, and you did it!"

"At the worst table, we couldn't even have dinner."

"It was because that guy got hysterical!" Mana kicked the ground. "They should have taken him out."

"He got hysterical because I ruined his partner's designer dress when… well, you know."

Mana laughed again at the memory only to later exhale. She finished closing the distance between them by taking his hands and entwining his fingers with hers with a warm smile. Atem smelled a slight smell of dressing when they were less than a meter apart and it only made him feel more embarrassed.

"Seriously, though," she said, looking into his eyes. "We've known each other since we were children, why so much nervousness?"

"Did you notice?"

Mana raised an eyebrow.

"Were you trying to hide it?"

Atem sighed.

"Right…"

"So?" Mana insisted. "Where did my cool boyfriend go?"

The date had started well. Mana would never have imagined that Atem's surprise plan had been to take her to a fancy restaurant —she wasn't so sure how he could afford it, but decided not to question. It was a beautiful place, maybe a little too beautiful, but Mana wasn't the shy type. She had decided to enjoy the evening even after all the little incidents.

And to be honest, Mana didn't care at all. She had thought about it before, but seeing Atem so desperate, shy and embarrassed was quite an experience that she adored. Although, of course, she would have adored it even more if her new dress wasn't collateral damage.

"I… since it's our first date, I wanted it to be, I don't know, perfect…?"

Mana's heart leapt at the statement. She definitely loved the cool Atem, but she really adored the shy and insecure Atem.

"I honestly didn't know that first dates were so complicated…"

She, then, blinked. Seriously, how did this man manage to ruin one statement with another so fast?!

"Oh, please, it's not like this was your first first date!"

If anything, the only one who should be disappointed was her, but Mana wasn't! Was it possible that he was thinking that she was so hard to please?

However...

"It is though!" he replied.

It was his first date with her. With someone he did love. He wanted it to be perfect so they could remember it for the rest of their li—!

Atem interrupted himself when he realized what he was saying. He gulped and looked away. He wasn't lying, Yugi would tell her that if he were there, but he didn't plan to say it out loud.

He released one of Mana's hands to bring his own over his mouth, just in case he thought of saying something else. Meanwhile, Mana could only look at him with a smile.

Although it hadn't been the best date of all —and she had nothing to compare it with —it was clear that she would remember it forever. She expected that. She wanted that.

And, if possible, she wanted him to remember it with her.

Mana then leaned forward a bit. Atem looked at her in genuine confusion and, after a few seconds, she squinted.

"Oh please, we've kissed before, it's not that difficult!"

Well, Atem thought. That was true.

So, trying to forget the evening for a moment and remembering Valentine's Day instead, he cupped her cheeks and pulled her close to kiss her.

"See?" she told him when they parted and held his hand to continue their way. "It wasn't that bad."

Atem smiled and paused for a second to give her another kiss. If every day was going to end with them kissing, nothing could be that bad.