You all probably hated me for the curveball that I left you off with and I assume that you are all upset that I took so long, so please forgive me. As you all know, this is a gift to Jade546, and I'm so thankful that they have been patient with me. Things haven't been going very well for my aunt. She was diagnosed with cancer two years ago and they revealed that her cancer has spread to her brain. This chapter is dedicated to her and I hope it reminds her of the days we spent together when I was younger. I don't own rights to Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds, but I do own this fanfiction.

At the Crossroads

Power Band

Akiza smiled as Yusei's eyes slowly opened, his temporary room coming into view. "Hey, there." Viktor's personal doctor had paid them a visit not to long after they had been returned to her home and had promised that Yusei would make a full recovery without any complications so long as he didn't strain himself. Crow and Jack had arrived at the hideout mere seconds before their departure. They had been overjoyed to see the duo, but they had stayed behind to properly "introduce" themselves despite my efforts to convince them that they were no threat. They will never change, and it was a comfort for me knowing that they still valued their friendships over themselves. She held a hand against his shoulders as he moved to sit up. "Not yet, you have to rest for right now until the scab develops."

His cobalt eyes locked with hers, revealing worry. "What about you? Are you okay?" She smiled and stood, twirling slowly as if to show him that she was perfectly fine. Yusei's eyes searched every inch of her body. As if planning on his want to see for himself, she was dressed in a wine red tank and white denim shorts. It wasn't until he was satisfied with seeing that she was perfectly fine that he inwardly expressed appreciation of her clothing. He had never seen her in such casual normal clothing and the sight was…unusual yet fitting. He blinked as she sat back in her seat and placed her hands in her lap. "What is it?"

"I'm sorry," she hung her head, a hint of regret entering her voice and eyes. "I didn't mean for you to get caught up in that."

"Akiza," his hand shifted to rest on hers that was on the bed. "the only question I have is if you had friends like them, why didn't go to them with the Darwin problem before now? You didn't come to us and you didn't go to them. It doesn't make any sense."

"I guess I thought I could handle it," she shrugged. "A part of me thought that if I could handle Misty, then I could handle anyone." His sigh caused her to raise her head and a blush bloomed across her cheeks as he shifted forward and pressed his lips against her forehead.

"You weren't alone then, remember?" he whispered, pulling back and smiling softly. "Will you promise me that the next time something like that happens you tell someone? It doesn't have to be us but at least tell someone what's going on, okay?"

Her vision grew hazy as tears began to gather in the corner of her eyes, warmth growing in her chest as she nodded. That was Yusei for you. Not easily angered and caring down to the very smallest cell in his body. She wiped her tears away and smiled. "I'm really sorry about the date being ruined, it was absolutely dreamlike. So." Almost hesitantly, she stood and moved to the desk where a large flat screen now sat as well as a Roku. "I thought that we could improvise."

Yusei raised an eyebrow. Was she suggesting a "Netfilx and Chill" date? As in, cuddling with fuzzy blankets and snacks? His surprise must have reflected on his face despite his effort to hide it, judging from her giggle. "I would like that," he murmured, a smile tugging on his lips. "What would you like to watch first?"

"I was thinking we could start with a horror movie or maybe you want to start off with some HTTYD?" she shrugged, moving to the doorway. "Any requests for snacks?" He made a comment about pretzels or M&Ms, and she nodded. "I'll see what I've got! Be right back!"

Yusei sat up the second she stepped out the door, his hands flying to his hair as his cobalt eyes grew wide. They were going to cuddle while watching Netflix! Her body was going to be slightly pressed against his! He wasn't expecting her to propose this until they had been going out for a while or until she felt comfortable enough to- His thoughts screeched to a halt as a message came on his phone. It was from Crow saying that they would be swinging back for their things before heading back to Domino, that they both had been called in by their superiors. This meant that until he was 100%, he would be alone with Akiza in her own house. A part of him was ecstatic but the rest of him was nervous. He quickly responded with a quick "Okay" before turning his phone to silent. He was just shifting to the edge of the bed when the door reopened and Akiza walked in, her arms full of multiple snakes and a cooler trailing behind her.

"I brought all the snacks and drinks I had, so we should be set." Her movements stalled as she caught sight of him attempting to stand. She had asked Crow to change Yusei's clothes and she couldn't help but mentally thank him. He was wearing a tight navy tee that left little to the imagination, defining his figure to the point where his gym shorts rested lowly on his hips. The sight made her heart skip a beat. "N-Need something?" He sheepishly shrugged, saying that nature called and slipped past her into the hallway. Akiza waited until the bathroom door closed before she moved to open the window and gather some fleece blankets from the spare closet. It was 51℉ outside, the furnace was off, and she had purposely worn these clothes so that she had more of an excuse to be closer than necessary. She was just turning on the TV and Roku when Yusei reappeared and settled back into the bed. "You ready?" she asked, moving everything into reach so that they wouldn't have to get up and shifted next to him.

…

"You have got to be kidding me! Toothless is obviously the most badass dragon!" Yusei shook his head, gesturing toward the TV as Akiza argued that the Snaptrapper or the Flightmare were close behind the Night Fury. "Maybe, but if I were a dragon I would definitely be a Night Fury."

"You're not as silly as he is," she rolled her eyes. "You're more like Stormcutter." Yusei tilted his head, earning a finger in his face. "See?!" She erupted into giggles as his arms wrapped around her waist, his warmth enclosing around her as he pulled her against his chest and his chuckle ringing in her ears like a bell. "That's all for HTTYD, want to watch something else? I could show you Top Gear, but only the UK vrsion."

"What's wrong with the other version?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as she went into a two-minute explanation of how the other sucked royaly. "Thanks, but I think I'll pass. You can pick again. Are you into anime? I've heard that Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles is pretty good, but the timeline of the whole thing is jumbled with a bunch of other anime."

Akiza hummed as she searched for it. She had heard about it as well, but couldn't quite recall what it was about or where she had heard it from. "Does't look like it's on here." Her eyes grew wide as she came across the horror genre. "How do you feel about horror?"

…

Yusei's face was heated and his heart was beating frantically, nearly jumping an inch as a woman on the screen screamed. He thought that he had gotten over his paranormal fear with the everything that has happened. His cheeks were warm for another reason entirely. Akiza's soft body was nearly pressed entirely against his own. She had somehow maneuvered herself into his lap with her chest pressed against his own, his legs on both sides of her hips that occasionally met his own. One of her hands had pulled up the rose-colored fleece blanket until it reached her chin while the other rested against his chest. She occasionally hid her face in his neck when bones were being broken or when a doll moved, causing her hair to tickle his nose and fill it with the smell of roses and caramel. His heart stalled as her arms suddenly snakes around him and squeezes him, her face burying into his neck as her warm breath danced across his neck. It felt as though electricity shot through his system as her lips pressed against his pulse point. "A-Akiza?"

She jumped slightly, as if his voice had woken her from some sort of dream. Pulling away, her eyes rose to meet his and it felt as though the temperature between them grew 100℉. The tension shattered as her stomach loudly made itself known. Akiza hung her head and hid it against his chest as he began to laugh. Fingers tipped her chin upward and she blinked in surprise as a chocolate covered pretzel was slipped between her lips Her eyes wandered as she began munching on it but ceased as the snack shifted. There…on the other end…were Yusei's lips! Her face exploded with heat as his lips lifted into a smile as they paused mere inches from her own. "Y-You tease!" she whined softly as he pulled away. "Just remember that you started it."

…

"Did I ever tell you that I considered doing this?" Akiza looked up to find Yusei's face in utter shock. "It's true! For a short time, I was into body painting!"

"Next you're going to be telling me you wanted to get a tattoo." His eyes grew wide as she nibbled her bottom lip. "You have a tattoo?!" She broke into laughter as he lifted the blankets and he searched her visible flesh. He was just beginning to think that she was joking when he caught sight of something behind her left ear. It was a bud that had yet to bloom, the same color as her hair. Surrounding it was the faintest lines that formed vines that twisted upon each other and disappeared over her shoulder. Without further thought, he pressed his lips against the one behind her ear. His blood boiled as a suppressed moan came from Akiza and her head stilted farther to the right to give him more access. He followed the faint vines towards the middle of her shoulders and found a pair of small wings that looked oddly like- "Black Rose Dragon styled wings," he whispered, placing a kiss on each wing and earned a soft gasp. "How perfect."

"Akiza has a tattoo?!" They leapt apart as Crow's voice came from the doorway, finding Crow and Jack standing in the bedroom doorway, both wearing amused expressions. "Don't mind us, we'll be gone before you know it." Crow crossed his arms over his chest, leaning against the doorframe as Akiza hurriedly stood and asked if they were really leaving.

Yusei took this opportunity to check his phone and facepalmed as the dozen messages that his friends had sent. At least they tried to warn him that they were coming, it was his fault for having it on silent.

Well, that's all for now. Thank you to everyone who took the time to read this and a big thank you to those who have been so patient. Let me know what you think.