A/N: We now return from our unscheduled hiatus to bring you the next installment of 'A Rose by Any Other Name'. The weekly update schedule has been reinstated. Enjoy!

Tuesday - Akiza

Akiza had pulled the short straw this week - the morning shift at the New Domino Hospital's emergency department. It was only 8:30am right now, but she was still rubbing the sleep from her eyes. As a rule she didn't drink coffee. It messed with her anxiety. This morning it was just her and her supervisor, thank heavens.

"Akiza, there's a patient in bed four I think you can see," said her supervisor, Dr Aru.

Akiza perked up. "Yes, of course."

"He's a twenty-year-old uni student presenting with left wrist pain. Go see him and present your findings to me."

"Right."

The emergency department had several beds separated by drapes along the sides of the room, and at the centre was the doctors' and nurses' work station. Behind was a hallway that led to the rest of the hospital. In front was a door that led to the waiting room. Bed four was close to that door.

Akiza pulled back the curtain. It was Yusei. Sitting on the bed, a pleasant smile on his face.

"I didn't expect to see you until our date tonight," he said.

Her face flushed. Her heart leapt. She had suspected - no, hoped - but now she couldn't deny it. Akiza had a date with Yusei tonight. She tried to fight the stupid grin on her face. Unsuccessfully, but she tried.

Akiza tried to focus her thoughts. "I didn't either. What are you doing here?"

"After all the scraps I've been in, I decided to finally take your advice and come to hospital."

Akiza fought the worry in the pit of her stomach. He looked well. Happy, even. "What happened?" she asked.

"I tripped and fell, and landed on my hands. A bit clumsy, but it happens."

Akiza crossed her arms. "What happened, Yusei?"

Yusei sighed, his geniality falling away. He looked tired. His shoulders sagged, and the spark in his eyes dimmed a little. "I'm sure you can guess. I'll tell you about it later."

"Okay. I'm glad you chose to get help," Akiza said gently. "And don't worry about the bill. I've got it."

Yusei smiled, "You're an angel, Aki."

Akiza blushed. "I'm not, but thank you. I'll get my supervisor to see you. Professional boundaries and all."

"Of course, Dr Izinski."

Akiza stuck her tongue out at Yusei as she left.

Tuesday - Yusei & Akiza

Yusei smoothed out his jacket one more time and let out a breath. He stood outside Akiza's dorm room in the first suit he'd ever worn. It was perfectly tailored and despite the brace on his left wrist, he cut quite a dashing figure. Akiza was sure to be impressed.

After Yusei had left the hospital, Akiza had given him her father's credit card and told him to get the best tux money could buy. She had also recommended several tailors in Tops, but Yusei only went to one. It seemed to be enough.

Now he stood in front of her door, heart in his throat, willing himself to knock. They'd hung out so many times. This wasn't a big deal.

But it was. This was a date. Hopefully his wrist splint didn't stick out too much. And his hair was still a mess. That never bothered him before. Why now?

Nevermind. Yusei wasn't here to waste time. He rapped his knuckles smartly on Akiza's door.

After barely a moment the door opened, revealing a bright and smiling Akiza. And Yusei suddenly couldn't breathe. Aki was always beautiful, but right in front of him…

She wore a sleeveless dress as black as midnight. Low cut and high hemmed, it hugged her figure. And her face…Yusei couldn't stop staring. He had no idea about what makeup went where. There was gentle shadow around her eyes, which glinted with silvery moonlight. Her lips were red, like rose petals. There was something otherworldly about her beauty tonight. It scared him, excited him. He wanted to-

Akiza chuckled. "Are you just going to stand there?"

"Yeah. All night," he said dryly.

"Well I want to watch that musical. Let's go!"

Yusei held out his arm. "By all means," he said with a smile.

Akiza took it, and they left the dorms arm in arm.

The musical they were seeing was at the Waterfront sector. This was where all the high end restaurants and bars and entertainment was. Just adjacent to it were high-class banking firms and law firms, so the Waterfront had a steady flow of rich clientele.

Naturally, Yusei hadn't been there before. He felt odd. Here he was, in a sector living like a daydream, in clothes that cost more than he earned in a month. Akiza looked completely at ease, of course. She had told him all about her previous visits here with her family. Her father was a senator, and a rather well-endorsed one at that. Though nobody at university mentioned it, Yusei suspected that it was part of why Akiza receive the ire she did.

Yusei drank in what he saw around him as the strolled down the street. The buildings were the first thing that stood out to him. They were like walls reaching to the heavens on either side of a street lined with palm trees. Warm lights glowed from some windows. Others were curiously dark. Along the street were parked cars the likes of which made Yusei burn with envy. He knew all about them of course. But he wanted to drive one, to feel that pure thrill of speed. He wanted to feel boundless, limitless. And then he wanted to look under the hood, take it apart, and see what made it tick. Then put it back together and get that rush all over again. The purr of those powerful engines as one of them passed by made Yusei look every time.

Akiza noticed of course. She had never seen Yusei so enrapt before. That look on his face…it left her breathless. What she wouldn't give to be the one who put it there. She'd told him to try a few tailors out before picking a tux, but she knew he hadn't. Classic. By the look of that cut he must've gone to Emmerson's & Co. on Carson St, and of course it fit him perfectly. The tux hugged his slim build and…she didn't know. It highlighted the way he carried himself. All that quiet strength and…she didn't know how to describe it. But she couldn't stop stealing glances. His strong chest. Where the collar hugged his neck. His jaw, and the dusting of stubble beginning to grow. She should've told him to shave, but she sort of liked it. She wondered what it would feel like when he kissed her.

"So you mentioned a musical. Where's the theatre?" Yusei's voice brought her out of her reverie.

"Just down here actually." Akiza pointed down a street, at the end of which sat a monolithic stone and glass structure lit up from the inside by lights of all colours. On it were the unmistakable letters: 'New Domino Performing Arts Centre'.

Judging by the bustle of other finely-dressed folk streaming into the building, this was a popular musical. They lined up at the entrance, got their tickets verified, and were let into the building.

Yusei couldn't help but gawk. It was the same fancy-schmancy getup as the rest of the Waterfront sector, but still. Then he noticed Akiza looking at him, wearing a faint smile. "What is it?" he said. "Is my bow-tie crooked?" He fiddled a bit, but it came undone. He frowned. That had taken an hour and three online tutorials.

Akiza giggled. "It wasn't, actually. Here, I'll do it."

Yusei stood still as Akiza tied the bow-tie. She stood so close to him. He glanced at her delicate rose-petal lips. If he moved his face forward a bare few inches…no. Not yet. She was focused on the bow-tie. So serious. Her mouth was slightly open. But curiously, her eyes…Yusei wasn't sure what he'd seen when he'd picked her up, but her eyes were their normal honey-amber now. No glint. No silver. He must've imagined it.

"Done!" said Akiza.

Yusei grinned. "Thanks. The play should be starting soon. Let's get the good seats."

Yusei and Akiza entered the theatre. It was already almost full. They sat in a pair of seats in the centre near the front. The room buzzed with chattering. Yusei and Akiza didn't say anything, but they stole secret glances. Then they both stole a not-so-secret one, and their eyes met. Yusei smiled. Akiza smiled back and went to hold Yusei's hand. She was gentle. He didn't pull back. Giddy and excited, they turned back to the front as the lights dimmed. The crowd hushed and the curtains parted, drawing them into a whole other world.

This musical was the story of a boy and a girl who lived in a village. Every day, the girl tried to win the boy's heart in little ways. A sweet pastry here. Some flowers there. At first, the boy didn't feel the same way, but he grew to like her company. Her kindness. Her spirit. Bit by bit, he began to feel for her in return. But he didn't know how to show it, and the girl, not knowing how he felt, despaired. Desperate, she sold her soul to a demon to win her heart's desire, but by the time she realised the truth, she had nothing left to give him.

It left Yusei feeling hollow inside with a bitter taste in his mouth. He felt his eyes prickle. When he looked at Akiza, he found her face streaming with silent tears. Yusei's heart ached at the sight. He lifted the armrest that separated them and pulled her into a tight hug. She melted into his arms.

"Hey, are you alright?" asked Yusei.

Akiza sniffled. "Yeah. It's just really sad. Maybe I should've picked a better musical for our first date."

Yusei smiled wryly. "Maybe. But we're still going to have fun tonight."

Akiza hummed. "We will."

After that, they left the theatre. Akiza already had a restaurant in mind for dinner. It was a gourmet fish and chip restaurant on the roof of the tallest building in New Domino.

Yusei and Akiza sat opposite each other on a table next to the railing. Around them were the tall, sparkling buildings of the Waterfront sector. And beyond those, the beach. The wind whistled at this height. It whipped above the railing and rustled Yusei's and Akiza's hair.

"Drat!" said Akiza, flattening her hair.

Yusei chuckled.

Akiza blushed. "What's so funny?"

Yusei scratched his chin, pretending to think. "Hmm…probably you."

Akiza gave up on her hair and crossed her arms. She huffed. "Well I'm glad someone's amused."

"You're a very amusing person, Aki." Yusei had a placid, innocent look on his face, but his eyes twinkled with mischief.

Akiza narrowed her eyes. Was that a compliment? Or just teasing? Or both? "Thanks…I think. But you shouldn't laugh. I spent a lot of time getting my hair sorted!"

"Aki, I laughed because it was cute," Yusei said gently.

Akiza couldn't stop the little smile forming on her face. But she hastily stamped it out. "You think I'm cute?" She propped her chin on her hands and looked at Yusei. "Cute? That's the best you could come up with?"

Yusei scratched his head. "Uh…that's…was that the wrong thing to say?"

Akiza glared venomously. "If you're going to seduce me, say that I'm 'beautiful' or 'ravishing'. Cute is for girls. I'm a lady," she finished haughtily.

Yusei was struck dumb. Where was this coming from? "Seduce you?" Seduce Akiza? Seduce Akiza and…Yusei's face went red at the thought. Then his thoughts went further. Suddenly his heart burned. He thought of her delicate rose-petal lips. He thought of her hair and the scent of her sheets - between which he yearned to be tangled with her. He caught a glimpse of Akiza's eyes from across the table. They were cool and wild. In them he saw a silver that danced. He had to have her. Right now.

Then he blinked. Akiza was laughing. When she stopped and wiped the tears from her eyes, they were their normal honey colour.

"Oh, your face!" Akiza said breathlessly. "Priceless."

Yusei smiled wryly. "Well I'm glad someone's amused. Shall we order?"

Akiza grinned. "Of course, I'm starving!"

As Yusei called the waiter over, he tried to regain control of his breathing. What the hell just happened? Why was he suddenly thinking those things? In all honesty, that wasn't the first time, but on this date it's happened more frequently than he could remember. Maybe it's just the atmosphere. Maybe it was her dress. But there had been a glint of moonlight in her eyes that he couldn't quite ignore. He hadn't imagined it, but he had no explanation for it. Unless he had imagined it, and it had just been the result of imagining Akiza's dress on the bedroom floor.

Akiza sat in front of him. Yusei watched her eyes, her smile, as she gave her order to the waiter. There was nothing unusual. The same old Aki he'd always known. Then he tilted his thoughts down where they had been just before. No glint, but his heart still began to race, and his mouth dried out. He swallowed. Yusei frowned. He was probably thinking too hard about it. Taking a deep breath, he cleared his mind. Tonight was for fun. He should loosen up.

Akiza watched Yusei as he ordered. She was still picturing the way he had been looking at her just before. That half-lidded gaze and a dusting of red on his cheeks. Lips slightly parted that she longed to taste. She knew what he had been thinking of, and it had sent shivers down her spine. Akiza had occasionally caught Yusei looking at her, but she hadn't thought anything of it. But that look from across the table…it meant he had been looking at her the whole time. He had been looking at her.

And so the rest of the night passed with Yusei and Akiza both in tentative high spirits. They ate, talked, laughed, and even drank a little. It was late when they started to wander back to the university, both lightheaded and laughing, leaning into each other. Their cheeks were red. Maybe it was the cold, or the alcohol. Maybe it was the warmth that lit their hearts.

Either way, the waning autumn cold didn't touch them. They arrived at the door of Akiza's dorm room, not wanting the night to end. Each other was all they could see. Akiza's heart was so warm and full, and she didn't want to let go of that feeling. She dreaded the cold that would replace it.

Then she heard a whisper. A promise, from the moonlight in her blood. Everything she longed for could be hers, and a shiver went down her spine.

But before she could act, Yusei took her hands in his own. Akiza's pulse spiked. She gazed into his eyes and saw such tenderness it made her heart melt. The moonlight receded. A beat of silence.

Then Yusei kissed Akiza.

A/N: Thank you reviewers for your kind words! If you have any thoughts on this story, please feel free to leave a review. I appreciate every one of them :)

Also don't worry, I haven't forgotten about Jack. He'll be back. As for the other questions...you'll just have to read on and find out!