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56. Lost in Stereo – All Time Low

Yuugi loved watching Anzu dance. He especially loved it when she didn't know he was watching. That wasn't nearly as pervy as it sounded, though the one time he'd told Jounouchi and Honda they'd exchanged a look that told him they didn't believe he wasn't just ogling her boobs while she jumped around.

In actual fact, Yuugi just liked seeing her in an unguarded moment. Anzu was good at letting the world see the version of herself she thought was cool. To him, everything about her was cool, but for some reason she had this impossibly high standard for herself that she never managed to live up to. Life seemed this constant battle between being herself and being cool, which she'd been fighting for as long as she'd known her. Yuugi had no idea how she found the energy. He got tired just thinking about all the committees she was on, all the extra-curricular things she did, the amount of shopping apparently necessary to be a cool girl, not to mention the whole, y'know, saving the world deal he kept getting her into. She never seemed to relax – except when she was dancing.

She had a selection of songs she put on repeat when she was stressed. Yuugi had heard a couple. It was an eclectic mix – angry rock chick, cheery pop, some sugary ballads and some things with a baseline that rattled his teeth. No obvious link ran through them, other than listening and dancing to them made Anzu feel better.

He tried to predict which one was playing when he found her sweeping up their classroom, twirling the broom like a character from one of those old American musicals she loved. Her bristly partner flipped from hand to hand and whirled around like a baton, as she kicked up her heels, shifted chairs aside, and finished up the task the rest of the School Bicentennial Celebration Committee had run out on at the end of their meeting. Anzu's training showed in the grace of her movements. She was making it all up as she went along, but to Yuugi it looked as polished as a well-rehearsed dance routine.

She stuttered to a halt when she spotted him. "Yuugi!" she said too loudly before pulling out her headphones. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see if you needed any help."

"But school let out ages ago."

"I know. I, um, waited for you, and then I saw the rest of the committee come out without you, so I figured …" He shrugged, embarrassed.

Anzu smiled. "Thanks. But I can't believe you waited all this time. It's getting dark outside."

He shrugged.

In the back of his brain Yami shifted. I can believe it, the spirit murmured.

"I could use a hand actually. I guess I owe you a hamburger for helping me get home before midnight."

Yuugi blushed, and felt inexplicably thrilled when Anzu put away her beloved music to talk to him instead.