years fall away

[madimpossibledreamer]

Main Points:
Yugioh Reunion!Verse
Chapter Summary: Anzu goes to talk to her oldest, bestest friend.
Word Count: 1621
Rating: teen

               As soon as lunch begins, she stands and heads over to his desk.  He glances up and his shoulders slump a little.  “I’m sorry, I don’t, um…”
               But his voice is drowned out by five others who appear next to her.  “Hey, you’re the King of Games, aren’t you?”
               “Do you think maybe you could give me a few pointers on my own deck?”
               “Shush, we’re bothering him.  We should probably…”
               “Are Shadow Games real?”
               “Where’d your characteristic good luck charm go?  Is that why you haven’t appeared in tournaments lately?”
               “Why are you all making such a fuss about some punk kid?” Nagano asks, and Anzu reminds herself to be calm.  One of the others speaks up to defend Yugi, though.
               “He’s not just any punk kid!  He’s the King of Games!  He’s, like, famous!”  That’s another shock.  And not just for her, judging by the gobsmacked look on Nagano-chan’s face.
               “Thanks, I think,” Yugi states dryly, and she glances over.  Yes, that’s amusement and slight embarrassment in his eyes.  “I just…can I get this out of the way?  I don’t know why people get the idea that I’m some sort of delinquent, but…”  He starts checking things off on his fingers.  “I hate violence.  I hate bullying.  Fighting against the rules is more Seto’s department than mine.  Um…I’m pretty sure there’s things I’m forgetting, but I can’t think of them right now.”
               You’ve always dressed like that.  And always been about this clueless, she thinks fondly.
               “W-well, maybe you should think more about what you wear!” her friend stammers, taken aback.  Again.
               Yugi blinks.  His eyes are large, but not overly so.  They look more natural on his face now than he did when he was younger.  Guess he grew into them.  “But…what’s wrong with my clothes?  I like what I wear.”
               Katsuya chuckles from behind them.  “Don’t worry ‘bout dem, Yuge.  It might be a little unusual, but dat fits ya, ya know?”
               He’s pouting now, which is a good deal more attractive than simply adorable, as it had been.
               “Come on, don’t worry about it.  It’s like Kaiba’s trenchcoats.  I can’t picture you guys wearing anything else.  Though, seriously, that golden pyramid…I kind of really miss that thing.  You look very different without it.  And, you know, taller than I thought.”
               Yugi chuckles, even as he looks a little sad.  “Yeah, he does have quite the collection, doesn’t he?  And, yeah, I did grow a little taller over this past year, so that’s probably it…”
               “You didn’t answer the thing about your good luck charm,” someone points out, and Anzu’s eyes are drawn by the way Katsuya shifts behind them, suddenly quiet, serious, and ready to jump in and help if necessary.  What’s so important about this necklace?  It’s clearly more than just that.
               “Miho has found you all!  Miho’s looking forward to the lunches at this school, for variety…”  Hiroto goes to the pretty long-haired girl and shakes his head, and even she falls quiet.
               Yugi shifts, unhappy, and breathes quietly before opening his eyes.  Anzu stifles a gasp.  The difference is like night and day.  There’s confidence, and…well, his gaze looks powerful, now.  (Behind them, Katsuya’s vigilance lessens, and...Yugi can take care of himself?  Well, good.  She misses him depending on her so much, but he’d finally taken her advice, stood up for himself.  He really has grown up.)  “Grandpa found it in an Egyptian tomb,” he states quietly and…well, there’s that deep voice everyone was expecting.  “This was before the laws became quite so strict, but it’s not like it was…you know, perfectly legal.  So my friends and I returned it.”  His eyes are gazing into nowhere, and he’s distant, almost untouchable.  “It wasn’t easy,” he admits, a slight downturn to his lips appearing.  “But it was for the best.”  The voice takes a hike upwards, to what is apparently Yugi’s usual voice, now.  And he’s…smiling?  “I couldn’t rely on it forever.”
               “I didn’t think you could be any cooler than you already are!” one of them exclaims, and Yugi’s blushing again.
               “Aw, come on, I wouldn’t say…” he protests, which is the point when her classmate winks.
               “That’s why I did!”  he laughs.  That earns a chuckle from everyone.  “I know, maybe it’s presumptious, but maybe during lunches or whatever, we could duel you?”
               There’s a gasp and a quick shake of the head, but Muto doesn’t look at all annoyed by the suggestion.
               “As long as you give me time to actually eat!” Yugi laughs.  “And, of course, hang out with my friends.  As fun as dueling is, I don’t want to just do that for the rest of time.”
               “Sounds like a deal,” the others nod, looking excited.
               “Don’t forget me,” Katsuya speaks up, and a few look over, clueless, but someone figures it out. 
               “You’re…right!  You got second place in Duelist Kingdom and were one of the Battle City finalists!  I thought your name sounded familiar, too!  And, actually, my deck is a little more like yours, but I can’t get the luck thing to work for me.  Maybe you could give me a few pointers?”
               Instantly, she’s Katsuya’s best friend, and he’s got his arm around her shoulders.  “Well, if you’re havin’ trouble rollin’ what you need, dere’s a trap card Grandpa Muto told me about—it’s a trap card called Dice Re-Roll…”
               The others laugh again.  “Hey, if you need any help, just ask.  It’s a pleasure to have you guys in class!”
               “Looking forward to saying I dueled the King of Games!”  Usually shy Matsushima is beaming ear to ear.  “Let’s make it a great game!”
               “Wow, I never thought I’d have a celebrity at my school!”
               The last glances at Anzu.  “Hey, I didn’t know you played Duel Monsters, too!  You should’ve found us!  We would’ve loved to have another girl.”
               Anzu’s first instinct is to mutter, I bet you would, but it’s probably actually true.  Being one of the only girls in the school to have any interest in games is sometimes a little lonely, and of course, she doesn’t get that hanging out with her friends.  She shrugs.  “Card games aren’t what I’m best at.”
               “Hey, it’s not like the rest of us aren’t amateurs either!  Laters!”  He waves and disappears out the door, and suddenly, just like that, she’s alone with him.
               “I—I’m not exactly, um.  I mean, you’re probably a really sweet girl, but I’m not exactly looking for…I mean, not right now, and, um.”  He’s flustered, staring down at his hands.  “I don’t want to get your hopes up!” he finally yells, probably louder than he means.
               She realizes very suddenly how this looks, and finds herself blushing very deeply, almost matching his.  “I-it’s not what you’re thinking!”  She’s almost matching him, volume for volume, and tries not to get angry as she does when she gets embarrassed.  He can’t stop herself from slamming her hands down on the desk.  He flinches slightly, but he’s not cowering in his seat.  This is ridiculous, Mazaki, get a grip.  “I…you don’t remember me, do you?”
               What if he really doesn’t know who I am, even after I introduce myself?  …Cross that bridge when it comes to it, you idiot.
               Yugi frowns, thinking.  “I’m sorry,” he answers after a while.
               “Mazaki Anzu,” she answers, and his eyes widen, a lot.  He stares at her like she’d stared at him, and then a giant grin appears on his face.  He jumps up from his desk and sweeps her up into a hug, giggling like the little child she remembers.
               “Is it really you?” he asks, moving back, and she nods happily.
               “It’s funny, but I recognized your hair.”
               He laughs and rubs a little at the spikes, which bounce back up immediately.  “I guess it is a pretty distinctive hairstyle.  We really have to catch up.”
               “I’d love to do that…maybe after school?”  She attempts not to shift—it’s her best friend, for goodness sake.  Just because they haven’t seen each other in a while doesn’t mean that anything needs to change.
               He chuckles quietly, looking a little shy himself, still.  “Well, I have to work, but…”  He brightens.  “But I don’t think Grandpa will care very much if you come over.”
               “You’re actually allowed to work?” she asks, and he looks a little sheepish.
               “Well, it kind of is a family business, and it’s more of being paid in cards and an allowance, but…”
               She laughs.  It’s like she’s young again, and even while there’s a confidence there, now, she can still see the old Yugi there.  “Too bad.  I was hoping to pick up a little extra cash.”  He looks flustered, and she laughs again.  “I’m teasing.”
               He blushes a little, but shakes his head.  “You haven’t changed.”
               “Is that a bad thing?” she asks, and it’s only afterward that she realizes it’s actually a serious question, however joking it sounds.
               He looks away quickly.  “No, it’s not.  You shouldn’t change.  Except for growing, and it’s kind of your choice, and, you know what, ignore me.”
               “I would’ve said you shouldn’t change, either, but I like the confidence.  You wear it well,” she states honestly, and his cheeks look like they’re burning even a little more, but he looks back at her.
               “Thank you, Anzu.”  He stands, a little unsure, then suddenly bows.  “I’ll see you after school, then!”  And he practically runs out of the classroom.
               “Aww, Yuug, no time for one of your adorin’ fans?” comes Jounouchi’s voice from outside, and she can hear Yugi’s voice as they walk away.
               “She’s not a fan!”  And then they’re too far away to understand.
               Anzu smiles.  “I look forward to it, Yugi.”