A/N: Polarshipping for Aqua Girl 007. I don't own Another Heart Calls by the All-American Rejects feat. The Pierces. Please listen to that song. The woman sings some parts while the man sings others. It will make much more sense that way. The quote at the beginning is from Night Drive by AAR. Enjoy.
Oh & I know nothing about Yen or the average cost of anything in Japan, so I am gonna use American dollars and you're gonna deal with it. Deal? Deal. I'm too lazy to Google all that. Plus, I go American on everything else. I just realized that. Sorry, not sorry.
Last thing. Any full lines of speech that's in italics are lines from the song. Okay?
Chapter Thirty..? : Polarshipping
"Every mile further, there's a part of me that slips away…"
"Jounouchi, where are you going?"
Mai Kujaku very rarely cried. Only one person, by the name of Katsuya Jounouchi held that power over her. He sighed rather loudly and turned honey eyes on her own.
Do you remember when we didn't care?
We were just two kids that took the moment when it was there.
Do you remember you at all?
Another heart calls…
"Away," he muttered, turning from her stricken expression. "Away from here." He shoved a necklace of hers into his pocket. She reached for him just as he grabbed his case.
"Away from me."
Her words gave him a pause, but not enough of one to make him stay.
"I'll come back." He swore, causing Mai's face to twist up in anger.
"And you expect me to wait? For God knows how long ,just so you can get away?" Her chest rose and fell rapidly. "Screw you, Jounouchi!"
He looked back at her with an odd expression and his fist clinched in her pocket, around her necklace.
"Give me that back," she demanded, growing into an emotional wreck much faster than she would've liked. He shook his head and she felt the dam holding in everything crack a little. "It isn't yours!"
Yeah, I remember when we stole the night.
Lie awake but dreaming until the sun would wash the sky…
Mai screamed at his back as he fled. Her anger diminished eventually, and she was left with quite the empty feeling. Her hand felt her chest, just to be sure her heart was really still beating in there.
She half-wished it hadn't been.
Four Years Later
Just as soon as I see you
But didn't I, but didn't I tell you
As deep as I need you
You wanna leave it all?
He was the last person she'd expected to walk into her little ship. The bells chiming happily over his head only made the scene that much more unreal.
Jounouchi cast a furtive glance around the dark interior as the door banged shut behind him. Her lifted his eyes, which stood against his skin in deeper contrast against his skin. She thought he might be a bit darker. He was definitely taller, with broader shoulders and an angular face.
"I came back," he said at last. Her face stayed steely. "I… Your necklace." He held it up and her face darkened. How dare he?
What can I do?
Say it's true
Or everything that matters breaks in two
Say it's true,
I'll never ask for anyone but you
Her hand darted out to grab the piece of jewelry just as his darted out to grip her wrist. "Let me go, Katsuya!" Her voice was shrill and held a panicked edge. "You fool!"
His other hand grabbed the wrist that remained free. She swung her legs out, clipping his knee and hipbone. Still, he held onto her until she finally stopped struggling.
"I won't ask you to forgive me," he began. She cut her eyes at him and kicked again, this time catching his shin. "But I will ask for you to listen."
A protest died on her lips as he released her wrists. His fingers lifted the locket that rested against her heart. "Because I know you haven't forgotten me." He unsnapped the small heart, revealing a picture of them their junior year. Right before he left. Tears burned her eyes and throat.
"I want you out of my store," she whispered, her control slipping. "Now."
He took a step back and pivoted, but he did not leave as she had asked. Instead, he browsed the nearby shelves. Her eyes narrowed considerably and she retreated to behind the counter. "Then buy something and get out."
Talk to me, I'm throwing myself in front of you
This could be the last mistake that I would ever wanna do
All I ever do is give, it's time you see my point of view…
He tossed something on the counter, a Harpies' Lady figurine, and met her gaze evenly. "How much?"
She hissed through her teeth but rang the item up. "Sixteen ninety-five,"
He tossed twenty on the counter and his lips quirked into a half smile. "On second thought, I don't want it."
Jou left the store without the money or the figurine. There, on the back of the twenty, was his phone number.
Just as soon as I see you
But didn't I, but didn't I tell you
As deep as I need you
You wanna leave it all?
Three Months Later
Jounouchi hated the winter. Bitter winds and freezing rain were not on his list of favorites. His wrist always turned stiff with the unbearable weather. A black brace peeked from under his jacket and his breath showed in puffs.
"Coffee, sir?" A small girl stood beside a booth, lips well on their way to turning blue and her cheeks flushed. He took pity.
"What are you doing, out in the cold like this?" He fished his wallet out as she shifted.
"My family... We do what we must for money." She scuffed her feet on the snowy ground and her hands clasped behind her back. She was ashamed. Jounouchi's eyes snapped up and he stared at the girl.
"How much?"
She chewed her lip and looked down. "Five?" Her voice was barely above a whisper and he could tell she thought she was asking too much of him. He gave a wry smile.
"Fifty it is, then." he mused as he tossed the bills at her and watched as her green eyes widened impossibly. She flew forward and threw herself at him.
"I can't take that," she whispered shakily, though her hand gripped the bills to the point of nearly tearing them. Jou just closed his fist around hers, pushing it away from him. "Oh, blessed be you kind soul. May you what you give return."
He snorted and prayed that wouldn't happen, though it would seem like Mai to just leave in order to get her revenge. His shoulders lifted in a nonchalant shrug and slipped his jacket over her shoulders. He had more. He wasn't rich, but he wasn't hurting. He could afford to give.
"I think you've done more than enough today. Why don't you head home and get warm?" Jounouchi pulled her threadbare hat down over he ears and smiled as she nodded and ran. Of course, it didn't take long for the cold to creep in. But, he told himself, it was worth it.
"Still charitable as ever, I see."
Even though the wind howled in his ears, he recognized her voice in an instant. "Mai," he returned, turning slowly. "You should be inside."
She lifted a shoulder as the wind caught her blonde hair. "So should you." She was being civil enough, but her voice was clipped.
"What can I do?" he whispered. She lifted her chin in that proud way he loved.
"Say it's true," she returned, voice wavering. "Or everything that matters breaks in two."
Jounouchi sighed. Mai was close to tears and her hands clutched desperately at her locket.
"Say it's true?" Jounouchi reached for her. "I'll never ask for anyone but you."
She shook her head. "You left me." she hissed.
"I never left you. You chose to stay behind!" He felt the desperate need to defend himself. She'd always caused that reaction in him, especially when she would roll her eyes. Like she just had.
"I was seventeen, Katsuya." Mai stared him down. He fidgeted beneath her glare.
But I know what you want is to figure it out
And God knows I do too
What can I do?
Say it's true
I'll never ask for anyone but you
"Stop calling me that!" he demanded. She raised a brow.
"Your name?" Mai crossed her arms over her chest. Yes, it was his name. But that was the formal way to address him. The way someone who didn't know him, or rarely spoke to him might. But this was Mai. Mai shouldn't be anything but informal.
"I'm sorry..." Jounouchi tried. Mai sneered.
"So what?" she snapped, throwing her arms up. He swallowed.
"But you don't think I've said enough... I'm sorry." Jounouchi reached for her as she danced away.
"I don't care. You were never there." Despite her cold demeanor and even colder face, Jounouchi felt himself being pulled closer. He knew one of two things would happen. Either Mai would break and let him back in, or she would slap the absolute frigg out of him. He prayed for the first.
His fingers closed around her wrist and tugged gently, pulling her forward just a step. When she didn't fight, he invaded her personal space and looked down at her. His hand crawled up her arm to clasp the back of her neck. "I really am sorry."
She looked up at him, eyes narrowed slightly, but her defenses were weak. "You don't understand what it was like, Jounouchi." she accused. "Not knowing where you were, what you were doing, who you were with."
She didn't voice her biggest fear but Jounouchi knew it anyways. "I haven't been with anyone else."
As soon as I see you
But didn't I, but didn't I tell you
As deep as I need you
You wanna leave it all
Mai didn't want it, truly, but she felt her defenses breaking down and giving way completely. She felt herself tearing up. "Promise?"
Jounouchi pulled her close to him, tucking her head under his chin. "I wouldn't lie."
That was true, she knew that was true. Her fingers curled into his shirt, pulling him down as she moved up. The burst of familiarity she felt when slightly cool and slightly cracked lips met hers was enough to make her truly cry.
Because Jounouchi Katsuya was one of the only people who could make her do so and, in that moment, she was glad for it.
A/N: Not exactly what I usually write but I decided I needed to post something and I'm tired of doing hetero pairings for a bit. I have too much yaoi to catch up on to dwell on this. I like Fearshipping plenty though.(; I'll post Bakushipping tonight. I will. I gotta charge my laptop. I'm at school right now. I also haven't read over this since like... I started it a month ago. Sorry not sorry if it sucks.
Review if you enjoyed. Or if you've missed me... *Nudges you all because I want to feel loved*
~Nightingale.