A/N: Hopefully this chapter contains some of the romance people have been waiting for! Not too much but a little more progress...huzzah! Revolutionshipping-centric! I was planning to wait to upload this chapter but at the begining of the month it resets the traffic and it makes me sad to see it so unloved...so for those of you (if there are any) who were waiting for this chapter, you can be very glad October decided to start! Hope you enjoy ;)
Disclaimer: Not Mine!
He stepped out of the car, chirping the keys once to lock it. The driveway with his car in it was more full than usual because Yuugi's car was also there tilted up on some sort of lever as someone messed around underneath.
He knew he'd been meaning to get it fixed but he was surprised he didn't just take it to a shop. Walking by he noticed that despite the rather tattered and grease stained overalls rolled up to the persons knees which stuck out the end of the car, it was a pair of very feminine legs and girly flip flops underneath them.
Since when did innocent Yuugi know any female mechanics? With a vengeful grin for all the manual labour he'd been doing this week he quickly entered the store to the sound of familiar chimes.
"Hey, Yami! You came!" Yuugi called happily from the front of the store where he was sorting booster packs of duel cards.
"Of course I came," He said then cut to the chase with a wicked smirk. "I saw you're girlfriend working hard out there though," He teased but to his surprise Yuugi returned it with a sneaky grin of his own. It was a slightly frightening expression for the innocent boyish features of his face.
"Oh I wouldn't say she's my girlfriend," He replied with a little laugh, an impish expression on his face as he continued sorting, waiting for it to sink in for the older boy.
"Wait...you mean that was Anzu?" He asked sounding surprised and Yuugi nodded cheerfully. "You're not trying to play matchmaker are you?" He growled suspiciously, crossing the room to glower down at Yuugi in what most people would think was a threatening way but Yuugi just smiled wider.
"Of course not! Her dad's a mechanic and since we're friends she said she'd come and help. It's not my fault she knows more about cars then most guys I know," He defended his innocence not-so-innocently.
Yami looked doubtful but accepted the story to an extent. After all she had been working...maybe it was just his jealousy getting the better of him.
"You should go talk to her, I'm sure she's lonely," Yuugi decided to try pushing his luck but was met with a stone wall.
"I don't want to make her uncomfortable," Yami insisted, knowing he would find it strange if he had to talk to one of his college Profs outside of class.
"Oh come on, you guys are friends, you have to admit that much!" The shorter complained and he felt his determination waver. It was true, despite his half hearted efforts, they were very much friends and probably a little more if he was honest with himself.
Truthfully he was a little worried that it would be awkward going out to talk to her which would definitely wound his ego. The weather was gorgeous though and he hadn't had a chance to talk to her for two days...plus there was just something sort of sexy about her knowing how to dance beautifully and fix a car in his opinion...making up his mind he headed back out the door, ignoring Yuugi's small snicker.
Sometimes his lack of willpower amazed even himself.
Noting from the clanking coming from under the car that she was very into her work and seeing an array of gleaming tools lying just outside the car he walked over and crouched down on the pavement. Sliding the nearest wrench looking object out of the way he laid his hand there like a cat waiting for a mouse to wander haplessly into the trap –and eventually she did.
Got you, mouse, he thought with a small smirk as she put her hand right onto his. She was just staring at the complex structure of Yuugi's car and had reached blindly for the wrench when she realized that it was a little too soft and a little too...not wrench shaped to actually be a wrench.
Looking over she was met with a pair of startling crimson eyes framed by gleaming golden bangs.
"Anzu-chan," He said in a calm voice and his usual light almost breathless tone sent shivers through her whole body despite how hot it was under the car.
She could only blink in shock, mouth slightly parted as she stared at him for a long moment, trying to comprehend the fact that she was under the sweltering car, in overalls, covered in grease and that an extremely good looking man was crouched just to her right with an unlawfully sexy smirk on his face, holding her hand.
Oh yah and it was her crush who was also her TA.
"W-what are you doing here?" She demanded finally getting control of her tongue. He smiled a little slyly, eyes narrowed, probably from the sunlight, but it wasn't helping her racing heart problem.
"I did tell you I was helping out around here didn't I?" Her face suddenly lit up as she wrapped her head around the fact that Mutou-san, her Mutou-san, was actually here. Releasing his hand she grabbed the nearest bar above her head and gave herself a huge push, wheeling herself out from beneath the car before springing up from the rolling platform she had been lying on with her back to the ground.
Racing around the car, he stood up just in time to be tackled by her embrace as she wrapped her arms around his neck tightly.
"I missed you!" She exclaimed, out of her mind happy just to see him and not caring whether or not it was an appropriate way to great your teacher. He stumbled, almost landing back on the ground but managed to hold his ground and hesitantly put his arms around her waist as well with a small chuckle at her enthusiasm.
She acted just like Yuugi sometimes only there was something cuter about it when she did it, maybe because she wasn't normally as innocent as his former hikari...maybe just because she was, well, herself. He warmed up to the hug immediately, holding her in a rather cuddly way in his arms.
"I must admit, I didn't think I would ever miss tutoring quite so much," He replied in his own cryptic way as she pulled back, beaming. Grabbing his hand in hers she started all but skipping towards the shop. He felt his gut lurch as he noticed from the back what she was wearing.
Washed out jean overalls that were clearly too large for her hung on her slim frame, the legs rolled up as high as they would go to her knees and the straps slung over her shoulder. It wasn't the tattered grease stained and baggy pants that caught his attention but the fact that under the loose straps of the overalls was a skin tight soft yellow t-shirt that fell several inches short of her waist line.
When she turned to smile at him he couldn't help noticing how it clung to the curves of her chest and did nothing to cover her flat stomach. He was lucky she was too excited to notice his provocative stare.
Slight guilt aside he could feel her happiness becoming contagious. He really was pleased to find her here and her clearly stated enthusiasm with seeing him made it even better. He didn't really care why she was here so much as the fact that she was.
It was a strange feeling, this happiness that made him smile so much more noticeably then he normally did. It wasn't that he was normally unhappy but more content at most times, and this surprise brought him far above contentedness. He liked it. It was strange but also nice.
"Look who I found!" She sang out as they entered the store, still dragging him along behind by his hand. Jii-chan who had re-emerged from the stock room looked surprised though once again Yami wasn't sure why. He had been coming after school let out every day since renovations started.
"Nice to see you here, but I'm a little surprised, I didn't know you two were dating," He commented with a raised white eyebrow obviously noting the smile on his 'grandsons' face and Anzu's clear excitement over 'finding' him.
Anzu froze, turning a very unsubtle red as she glanced at Mutou-san then at their connected hands and quickly released it, bowing rapidly to Sugoroku in one smooth movement.
"No, no, we're not dating! I didn't mean to give that impression, this is just the first chance I've had to talk to him in quite some time since he's been busy helping you. Mutou-san is my tutor at school, you should be proud of how hard he works!" She said with a faithful smile on her face and the old man chuckled slightly.
"Mutou-san, eh?" He asked good naturedly, putting down his dusting rag as he saw Yami grinning a little, an expression that was rare to be seen on his usually serious face. Some habits die hard. Sugoroku knew he had always liked Anzu-chan, and this was just one more reason on the list of why she was good for this rather perplexing family.
"I told you my students like me," Yami said sheepishly then put a casual arm around her slender waist, knowing it would cause great teasing later but for now not caring. Such smooth bare skin...would Ra smite him down for flirting with a student?
He really hoped not because she was simply too cute when she blushed to pass up the opportunity.
"I can see you're rather fond of one yourself..." Muttered Sugoroku with another teasing laugh as he shook his head and went back to his cleaning.
"They don't like you, they're just scared of you," Yuugi insisted and Yami just looked confused.
"But I haven't done anything to most of them," He responded and Anzu laughed at the expression on his face.
"Have you noticed lately that you have red eyes and a voice like winter?" Yuugi asked and he just blinked.
"Huh?"
...
"Moshi-moshi?...I've been at Yuugi's shop for a couple hours 'kaa-san, I told you I'd be here...alright, I'll be home before the sunsets...yes I know it's setting now!...alright, enjoy your dinner...love you to...ja ne!" She hung up the silver phone, sliding it back into her pocket gently with a sigh.
"Who was that?" A voice asked and she recognized it immediately. A voice 'like winter' as Yuugi had described it. Turning she smiled at him sweetly. He'd been so nice today, still serious at times, but also almost flirtatious at others though she didn't want to read too much into it despite Jii-chan and Yuugi's many sly remarks.
"Just my parents, they worry about me a lot. They're out to dinner for their anniversary tonight so they wanted to make sure I was on my way home," She explained and he mentally thanked her parents whether she liked it or not.
It would put him a lot more at ease knowing she was getting home safely as well. Which reminded him...
"I could give you a ride home," He offered and she looked surprised.
"I don't want to inconvenience you, I was just planning on walking," She said but from the longing look she gave the keys he was jangling in his hands he was willing to bet she wanted to say yes.
Truthfully she would enjoy the walk, it was just that he was wearing that leather jacket again with the collar turned up and he'd been so damn relaxed today that she'd do just about anything for a little longer with him especially because she knew he'd be gone after school for at least half of the rest of the week. After working a couple hours here she knew there was still a lot to do.
"It's not an inconvenience to make sure my favourite student gets home safely," He said offhandedly before putting an arm around her slender waist and walking towards the door in total peace, his mood better than it had been in a very, very long time.
"Favourite?" She questioned and he gave her an innocently serious look.
"Should I like anyone better then you Anzu-chan?" He asked and her amber eyes widened.
"No!" She blurted then looked away quickly as he chuckled lightly but didn't make anything bigger out of it.
"Jii-chan, I'm going!" He called over his shoulder with a half wave of his free hand, still holding the keys, to the two relaxing at the counter.
"Alright, just make sure she gets back to her house not your apartment," The old man called back cheerfully and he stopped dead in his tracks, ruby eyes wide with alarm.
"N-Nani? Why would you say that?" He demanded, whipping around to give both of the laughing males a fierce glare though it was negated by the indignant pink tint in his cheeks. Anzu giggled slightly at his side, putting a hand to her mouth and he looked at her with exasperation.
"She's my student. Stu-dent," He stressed firmly.
"So?" Sogoroku asked, mirth dancing in his violet eyes.
"This is hopeless," He mumbled to himself, shaking his head once then just continued out the door, dragging Anzu along with him. Her giggles stopped as she caught sight of the sleek grey convertible sitting in the driveway behind Yuugi's 'booster baby'.
Her eyes sparkled as she looked at the car, looking to him for permission and seeing the expression on her face it was all he could do to just nod and not hand the keys over right there and then. She truly had him suckered in he realized.
She was immediately gone from his side at the nod, running her hand over the hood with an awed expression as though it were the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.
"It's so...pretty!" She exclaimed and he chuckled walking over and opening the driver's side door.
"Well get in then," Was all he said and she gladly obliged, dropping into the seat like a happy four year old. After directing him the couple of blocks over to her house she explained that her father was a mechanic and that she had been surrounded by cars her whole life.
Even with a clearly used car like this she was very impressed by how 'pretty' it was to which he wasn't sure whether he should be offended or not, since he'd never thought of his car as very feminine before.
"Don't be silly, boys can be pretty to," She said snuggling contentedly back into the seat cover. It wasn't leather but it was nice to be sure.
"Bakura-kun for example, is very pretty," She added and he glanced over at her in surprise.
"Ryou Bakura? I wouldn't call him pretty to his face," He said doubtfully and she giggled slightly.
"That's because no guy likes to use the adjective pretty especially not in context with other guys." He would have argued more but they arrived at the number which she said was her house.
"Well...I guess I'll see you tomorrow in class," She said after a slight pause though her voice was doubtful. They both knew that 'tomorrow in class' he would be her teacher assistant and she would be one of many students once again.
"Yes...to be honest I can't wait until this renovation is finished. It's good to see Yuugi so happy but I would rather stay after school," He said with a small smile in her direction.
"I'll be happy to have you back," She agreed, "Though you might be frustrated with how little I've learned without you." He just shook his head with a sigh.
"Always putting yourself down about your school work...you'd do fine without me, you just need someone with the right...tactics," They both were a little embarrassed by his word choice though she showed it more.
"I'll see you then?" She repeated and he nodded, memorizing how she looked with her coco coloured hair slightly messed up as it hung straight to her shoulders, in those oversized overalls and undersized t-shirt...beautiful, was the word that came to mind.
She sighed slightly to herself, lips pouting forward as she got out of the car, grabbing her tool kit.
"Let down," She grumbled under her breath just loud enough for him to hear before walking about. "Ja ne Mutou-san!" She called over her shoulder with a small wave and another charming smile before reaching her front door and disappearing inside.
He just sat there feeling confused like he was missing something obvious. Let down? What had he done wrong?
He almost turned the key in the ignition several times in the next sixty seconds, struggling with what he wanted but eventually he decided it was hopeless. Getting out of the car he chirped it locked then pocketed his keys and walked over to the door, hesitating only slightly before knocking loudly.
He knew if he didn't do this it would eat away at his mind all night. She opened it with a curious expression on her face, a large soup ladle in hand, obviously not having gotten far into preparing dinner and looked surprised to see him standing there.
Giving a dramatic sigh he bowed his head, holding out his hands for forgiveness.
"What did I do wrong?" He asked in his own semi-serious way and she let out a small girlish giggle at his prideful begging.
"Don't worry, you're forgiven, it was no big deal," She assured him, squeezing one of his hands gently.
"Alright, if you say so..." He said suspiciously, turning away only slightly before catching the disappointed look on her face again despite her best efforts to conceal it. Narrowing his eyes he wracked his brain. What could he have not done both times he said goodbye?
That was when it hit him. Right. He kept forgetting he wasn't the only one with an unconventional crush. Sometimes he felt completely socially dense which was unsurprising since he'd only spent about two years in this time era which Ra had damned to be more confusing than any game he'd tried to figure out before.
Turning back to her he touched her left cheek gently. She flinched a little in surprise but didn't pull back as he examined her carefully.
"Almost all the bruising is gone," He commented then smiled a little slyly. Her heart stuttered at that expression.
"But just to be safe..." He trailed off leaning closer to kiss the area gently even though it was barely a grey tint anymore. Her eyes fluttered open and shut as he pulled away, looking a little flushed in the setting sunlight.
"Um...I...you didn't have to...I mean I..." She seemed at a loss for words which only heightened his good mood. He liked it when she was flustered. He wasn't sure why, but he did.
"You like that?" He teased then leaned in again to leave soft butterfly kisses along the area with his lips, getting a little bit more seductive as he went. He knew he was getting carried away but the day had set the mood a bit and at least it was just her cheek he was kissing.
She squeaked and pushed him away, a small pout on her face, cheeks glowing under his affectionate gestures.
Ironically, the color completely hid the bruising.
"Mutou-san, don't tease me," She said stubbornly, still gripping the ladle in what now appeared to be a death grip, the other still resting on his hand.
"I would never tease you," He replied innocently with a cheeky smirk. She glowered, knowing he was likely poking fun at the fact that she clearly had less experience with this sort of thing than he did and bopped him over the head gently with her ladle before leaning in to kiss his cheek, pressing her lips there for a long second.
When she pulled away she was smiling despite herself before practically pushing him off the porch. He laughed slightly but promised he would leave, saying goodbye once more.
"I hope to see you again soon, Mutou-san," She replied.
A/N: *Phew* so how was that? I thought it was definitely time to step up the romance between these two, so here you have it! Hope it was satisfactory! Also, that little bit with Yuugi talking about Yami's voice was just my own speculation. I have always wondered if Yami knows how scary he looks/sounds sometimes...Oh well, food for thought!
Here's a preview for the next chapter:
"You know it's that nice-guy attitude that's going to get you in trouble one of these days," He said gruffly then jerked him forward abruptly yet gracefully despite himself to kiss him.
So this chapter was revolutionshipping-centric...and next chapter I share the romance with some other people we all know very well (and hopefully love) ;)