AN: Don't own Yu Gi Oh!...but I love you amazing people! Btw, this is an excerpt from "Corrupted" (one of the ideas I've had for a Yu Gi Oh multi chap (it got the least votes in my poll :P) ) so here's a piece of it and you can see if you're interested in reading more? Thanks for reading!

28. Storm

"He really likes you, you know."

"What?" He was shaken from his thoughts with Anzu's soft words.

Atemu felt heat begin to rise to his face and ducked his gaze. He scoffed. "I don't think so Anzu."

She favored his startled visage with a kind, lighthearted smile; her graceful steps never faltered in their slow dance. "He really likes you Atemu. Really."

The young man glanced to where Yuugi sat, looking a little forlorn and aged from his spectator's seat as he watched his date and Atemu dance. Yuugi looked away just a tad too quickly as Atemu's gaze grazed his own; eyes averted too steadily to be a coincidence.

"He sure has a funny way of showing it," he muttered to his partner.

Anzu said nothing as he twirled her fluidly. Heat radiated pleasantly between them as their bodies came back into close contact. The soothing jazz music that wafted through the air and the shining mirror lights that sparkled on the ballroom floor captured the couple in what might have been a magical moment. Atemu's heart might have hurt more had it not already been stung with bitterness.

"He's scared Atemu," Anzu started again, words quiet even in comparison to the soft music.

"What, that I'm a kid?" he interjected, "I've heard that before!" He snarled mutedly, and instantly regretted it.

Once again quiet, Anzu continued dancing. After a moment of silence Atemu sighed.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I didn't mean to snap at you."

The brunette didn't smile this time, but merely shook her head. "That's not it, Atemu, the age thing. Well, not the way you think anyway." She paused and bit her lip slightly. "Yuugi's not used to having someone like you around who actually likes him. I've known Yuugi for a long time Atemu and you're definitely the kind of guy who wouldn't have been friends with him when he was in high school. It's not that you'd refuse to be Atemu," she deftly cut off the protest forming on his lips, "You would never have even seen Yuugi.

It's natural for you to be noticed, to be in the spotlight, but he's different. Yuugi is used to being a part of the background, he's just..."

She trailed off with a sigh and looked briefly over Atemu's shoulder, and he was very aware of who her gaze had landed on. Atemu looked at her expectantly, but when her eyes flickered back to Atemu's own she gave him a sad smile and a soft shake of her head.

"Mm-mm," the fringe of her hair spun out as the noise of dissent left her tight lips, "If I keep telling both of you all this you'll never talk and fix things. Whatever happened between the two of you, you both need to talk about. Yuugi hasn't been himself at all the past few weeks, and I've never seen you so mopey! It's unlike you two to give up on something so easily. So quit it; it's weird."

The mock frown that had briefly formed turned into a soft smile; before Atemu could reply the song came to an end and Anzu released her hold and stepped back from his touch, bringing her hands up to gently clap along with the other dancers and listeners. Belatedly Atemu brought his hands together just as the applause started to die down, mind vaguely reeling.

Still caught in a trance from her words, Atemu had no time to react when Anzu moved forward so that their chests touched, and brought her lips to his cheek in a sweet kiss. Atemu waited momentarily for her to move back, but she stood her ground and kept her lips near his ear.

"Please, Atemu, don't just shut him out; it won't make either of you happy. You're both already miserable without each other, we both know it's true, so, just, when he talks to you, please try to give him a chance. For both your sakes. Rainbows only come after the storm, you know. I should go now though, I think my date is in need of some company."

Anzu pulled Atemu into a quick, but firm hug and let go, shooting him one last reassuring smile before she swished away with the shimmer of her dress and a glow all her own.

Atemu's gaze followed her path across the floor to her destination, where he was suddenly struck with a vision of dark, dulled amethyst. Yuugi straightened from his slumped position when their looks met; his eyes widened with a kind of anxious surprise that made Atemu wonder at what Anzu had said.

They stared at one another, lost in a world completely separate from the one their bodies existed in consisting of dancers and laughter and music and the busy ballroom floor. Their faces locked on one another and did not waver. They didn't share happiness, or eagerness, but a look of deadened anticipation that did not sit well in Atemu's gut or his heart.

It was most certainly a storm that he and Yuugi were caught in, but he wondered with cynical realism if it would ever pass at all.

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed!