That very night, I hurry into my coat before sliding out the window to meet Zane. I had been obviously pre-occupied with Jaden and Alexis all day, so I hadn't had the chance to talk to him or warn him of Jaden wanting to duel him. I walk warily up to the lighthouse, where he's standing there peacefully, his coat swaying out behind him.
"Zane?" My voice lifts up in a question, and he turns around and smiles, before pulling me into a comfortable hug.
"Hey, how was your day?" He asks, keeping his arms wrapped around me yet spinning me around so my back faces his chest.
"Well, actually that's what I wanted to talk to you about." I say slightly anxious as usual, biting my lip. "You know already that Jaden and Syrus have to duel in that tag team duel, and they had a practice duel against one another to learn each other's plays. But…"
"Syrus lost, I can tell that much." Zane says into my hair.
"Yeah… but he could've won. He used polymerisation instead of power bond, and Jaden smashed him to pieces." I wait for his reply, it come low, deep in his voice.
"He's still not using it?"
"He said you told him he wasn't good enough to use it." I mumble anxiously. Zane sighs and starts stroking my side as he talks.
"I stopped him from using it when we were younger, he was about to get beaten badly by a bully. He wasn't ready for the drawbacks. I didn't think he'd be afraid to use it after all this time." He sounds sadder than ever, and almost, dare I say it, regretful.
"Zane…" I try to tell him what I really thought he should know. "…Jaden found out as well, and he wants to duel you. I know he won't be able to through the request system, your rankings are too far apart, but he'll ask you straight out, this is Jaden we're talking about."
"He wants to duel me… to prove something to Syrus." Zane deduces, and I nod. "Should I duel him? What do you think?" I'm shocked. I didn't think he'd ask me for an opinion.
"Well…um… I'm not sure…. But um…" I stutter unsurely before trying to get my mind back on track. I mentally take a deep breath. "I think it would be good."
I hold onto his arms around me unconsciously, before continuing.
"I mean, not just because it would be a great duel, but if Syrus were watching… he's quite observant, and your decks are similar, if he saw you duelling his best friend I think it's very likely he'll pick up some strategy, and get some confidence back. Maybe seeing that his deck or in this case a similar deck can be played excellently would make him find what he's missing whenever he duels." As I finish, I end up curling closer into his embrace, almost trying to hide.
"Maybe… I will duel him." He says. I sigh slightly, and he turns me around in his arms. "But you were stuttering again. Have you been getting any anxiety attacks recently?" His voice is concerned, and his eyes narrowed on mine and I look away, biting my lip.
"I, um, well not really." I mumble nervously. "I think… I think I am worried though. Jaden and Syrus are my friends, and at this rate there's no way they'll be able to win against Crowler."
"Azure…" He trails off before pulling me closer if possible and stroking my hair. I feel feather light kisses on my head and take deep breaths of his warm clean scent.
"Plus… I'm worried about you." I whisper. "If Syrus leaves, I don't think it will be good for you either." I almost tremble with worry of what he thinks of that, as he places two fingers under my chin.
"Azure, please don't worry about me." He says smoothly. "Even if I lose Syrus, I'm a lot better off now than before. Do you know why?" My eyes are wide as he leans down and claims my lips comfortably, with a slow and soft kiss. His tongue quietly slips against mine, and my arms fold around his neck, slipping under his coat slightly. His hands trail up under my shirt hesitantly, resting on my sides. Lips nip lightly down my jaw and neck and small sighs leave my mouth before we rest in each other's arms, my face buried in his neck.
"It's late, you should sleep, and you don't get enough without me keeping you up later." Zane says after long moments at a standstill.
"Mmhmm…" I mumble, not moving. He chuckles then carries on.
"Azure, I don't want you to be exhausted all the time." I mumble agreement quietly once again, but instead reach my arms as far over his back as I can, slipping under his coat over his shirt, silently revelling his shoulder blades. Wow, I'm getting weird.
"Well then I guess I'll have to carry you back then." He says boldly as I can tell, as there's a silent question in his voice before an arm leaves my skin cold, looping under my legs and lifting me up as if I were weightless. I noise of surprise laces through me and possibly the deepest blush spreads over my cheeks as my face is so close to his in this intimate position. Though my heart's beating faster than possible and a million questions are running through my head, I force myself to ignore that side of me and start to hum the first tune that came into my head to distract me.
"You've hummed that tune before, what is it?" Zane asks while walking back to the girl's dorm.
"I have? I'm not sure. I think it's a lullaby of some sort, but I'm not really sure where I've heard it before." I reply honestly. Zane smiles gently.
"I like it." I smile timidly and continue humming the tune as my blushing follows, and soon he's set me down in front of my window.
"Goodnight." I say nervously.
"Sleep well." He replies, slipping a peck to my lips before I start climbing back into my room.
The next day I rise as usual and shower, and a blush reaches my cheeks as I see the recurring marks on my neck, the same as the times it had happened before. I sigh nervously, despite being alone, and quickly get ready, drying my hair, changing and applying the smallest amounts of concealer, pencil eyeliner and mascara. I meet Jasmine, Mindy and Alexis and head to the library to get some studying done. Being an obelisk has it perks, for example the obvious tip about an upcoming test. Mindy and Jasmine leave before us, and later me and Alexis find ourselves walking back to the girls dorm.
"I meant to ask you after we had got away from that creep at the abandoned dorm, but how did you know that was a picture of my brother?" Alexis asks suddenly, and I turn to her as naturally as I can muster.
"Hmm? The picture? Well, to be honest, I didn't tell you at the time, I didn't want to upset you, but after you first told me about your brother, I looked into him." I say honestly, biting my lip. I'm not lying yet.
"Huh? You did?" I look at Alexis and she seems equally worried.
"Um yeah. I found out how he was one of the students who disappeared at the old dorm, and when I followed Jaden in I saw his picture and just guessed." I tell her, my brow creased. "I know I shouldn't have done it without asking you, and I definitely shouldn't have kept that I knew it from you, but I was only worried. You seemed so sad when you talked about him."
She takes a few moments, but nods her head. "I think… I understand. But please don't do it again." She concludes, and I nod rapidly.
"I would never, especially after what happened this time." I say, and I really mean it.
"Did you… find much out about him? I'm actually kind of searching from him, in fact that's why I know Zane really, he was one of my brother's close friends." She admits, and my eyebrows raise slightly.
"I'm afraid not much other than he was at the abandoned dorm. And the cover up story for it." I don't react to that bit about Zane. "To be honest, I don't think they're anywhere else in the world. This island isn't… normal. The only thing I can really think of is that something happened in the abandoned dorm and they all got caught up in it."
"Okay. Thanks anyway, in fact-" She cuts off and turns around and I realise she's facing the lighthouse. It's quite late actually, sunset, and I can see Zane's outline in the sun.
"Come on." Alexis says to me, so I follow. We walk along the pier and Zane turns to acknowledge us and makes eye contact as we walk up to him.
"So any new leads?" Zane asks Alexis, and her eyes widen.
"Zane… um Azure doesn't um…" I realise Alexis thinks Zane doesn't know I know.
"Oh, sorry Alexis. When I said information, I may have meant Zane." I admit sheepishly, she sighs but smiles anyway.
"Well at least I know that information isn't just floating around for anyone to know." Alexis says. She then shakes her head. "And no, I can't believe he's still gone. I keep looking for some sign, but it's like my brother just vanished into thin air!"
"Don't give up, you'll find him." Zane supports, and I nod.
"Speaking of brothers Zane, we saw yours the other day." Alexis says, and I bite my lip, starting to worry about which way this will turn.
"Oh did you now…" Zane replies.
"Yeah, he lost in a practice duel against Jaden Yuki, your name came up too and not in a good way." Alexis says and I look away as I feel Zane's gaze on me.
"The big bad brother, what does Jaden want to scold me now?" He says sarcastically.
"…Actually, I think he wants to duel you." Alexis says, and something catches my eye.
"Stay back Jaden!" I hear Syrus' voice and my brow creases.
"Look, it's Syrus!" Alexis exclaims, while I try to figure out what's going on. Syrus pushes off on a makeshift raft but not before Jaden jumps on neatly…before tipping them both into the water. Honestly, these slifers…
"Help me, I can't swim!" I hear Sy squeal, and my eyes roll incredulously. It looks like the water isn't even that deep.
"And you were about to raft out into the ocean?! That makes sense!" Jaden exclaims. Alexis, Zane and I start walking over.
"I'm coming!" Suddenly Chumley comes running, but as he jumps in, the water only reaches his middle. "It's shallow." Jaden and Syrus surface not far away, and I shake my head to Alexis.
"Why are you trying to stop me Jaden? I stink, please just let me go." Syrus wails. "They'll assign you a better tag partner, and you'll have a much better chance at winning the match."
"Sy that's your brother talking, come on pal!" Jaden argues. "You gotta believe in yourself."
"You've got to believe me! I'm a lost cause."
"He is right you know." Zane speaks and they finally realise we're here.
"Zane!" Syrus says.
"So that's the school's top duellist." Jaden says.
"You dropping out?" Zane asks shortly.
"Yeah, well kinda." Syrus replies. I see Zane hesitate his answer, and Syrus looks startled.
"Zane…" I murmur from beside him and he casts the smallest glance at me.
"If you're so undetermined, it's about time." He finally answers. I see what he's trying to say, but he can't say it outright. It's understandable, but Syrus looks devastated.
"He's wrong." Jaden tells Syrus. He then turns angrily to Zane. "You're his big brother! How can you say that?"
"Because, if he has no determination, he'll never make it." Zane answers. "And I know it."
"Yeah well I bet you think you know it all bus guess what you don't!" Jaden argues. "And I'm gonna prove it right now let's duel!"
"No Jaden!" Syrus gasps, and I place my hand lightly on Zane's arm, almost silently pleading him to take the challenge.
"Duel, a slifer? Sure why not?" Zane says smirking. "It's been a while since I've gone slumming.
"Then get your game on." Jaden says feistily.
"Jaden he's good!" Syrus says worriedly.
"I'm sure he is." Jaden answers shortly.
"Duel!"
"Oh man, my big brother taking on my best friend? There's no way that this could turn out good!" Syrus worries himself silly, and I smile encouragingly at him.
"I wouldn't worry Syrus, whichever of them loses, both have the ego to not get knocked down too much." I say rationally, and Alexis giggles in agreement.
"Okay, now we find out what's going on with Sy and his bro, and we find out, how I rank with the best!" Jaden says excitedly. "Here I come Zane! First I summon, Elemental hero Avian in attack mode! And I think I'll go and throw down a face down while I'm at it."
"That's all huh?" Zane says. As I look at his profile in his duelling stance, I can't help but already admire him. He stands tall and confident, yet with a calculating gaze taking in every move. Butterflies flow through me. No… I can't be attracted to this…
"Okay. For my first move I summon Cyber dragon in attack mode."
"What? How can you bring a level 5 monster out on your very first turn?" Jaden questions. He should really pay attention more in class.
"I can play my Cyber dragon because its my first turn Jaden. With no monsters out he requires no sacrifice. And now I'll play mystical space typhoon and destroy your face down card." Zane quickly explains.
"That was fast." Jaden says.
"Not as fast as your life point meter will go down. Cyber dragon, attack! Strident Blast!" Zane makes the first attack of the duel, and Jaden's life points go down to 2900 already. Zane really is good.
"Now I activate the spell card, different dimension capsule. It allows me to pick any card from my deck, then I simply place it in the capsule, and in 2 turns I can take it out and put it right into my hand." Zane doesn't even stop, and I try to memorise each step in case Zane ever mentions that thing about duelling me again…
"Man, that's gotta be the best card out of his entire deck! I can't wait to see what's gonna come out of there!" Jaden wonders aloud.
"It's your move Jaden." Zane says. Sometimes I wonder whether Jaden's enthusiasm could be a bad thing.
"Alright, round two!" Jaden starts. "And fist I'll rock Polymerisation. And next I'll roll out elemental heroes Sparkman and clayman! And fuse them to create, Elemental hero, thunder giant!" This is the same monster he used earlier, and it has quite a fun ability if I remember.
"And since his special ability destroys monsters with less attack points than him, your cyber dragon, is vaporised! Yeah, it looks like thunder giant just made the big man on campus look a little smaller I guess huh." Jaden continues.
"Yeah, I would say!" Chumley agrees.
"And the best part is that since that was just thunder giants ability, I still get to use his attack! And since your now defenceless, I'm going to use it directly on you!" Jaden says. The lightning attack swirls directly to Zane, and my eyes close as it gets closer to hitting him head on.
…And the next chapter is up! Read and review as always, and please feel free to give some ideas and constructive criticism in the comments!