Better Late Then Never

Chapter 1: Better Late then Never


“Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way. Oh what fun it is to …”

“Hush now Jiro, Christmas has already passed you will have to wait for next year to sing that song.”

You smiled sadly at the conversation between mother and son as the five year old boy tried to sing a song he had probably heard playing on the sound system of a local store as that children had flocked to look at the decorations and hear the songs only heard once every year in the small sea side town of Domino, Japan.

*Hard to believe Christmas is already over, it seemed to take forever for it to get here and then it is gone in a flash and everything goes back to the way it was before.* You thought as you hooked a lock of hair behind your right ear and continued on your way looking through the local shops that you had been desperately searching in over a week ago, to try to find one last gift, one special to give to one person weren’t sure would accept it.

Your eyes seemed to dim slightly with the thought as a sad smile settled over your face. *It has been over a year since he came back in a body of his own and some things have changed, he isn’t as cold as before and seems to be making a genuine effort to make up for any wrongs he has done but then again some things haven’t changed.* You thought to yourself as you remembered.

~Flashback~

You were a duelist hoping to raise your level in Battle City when you first ran into *him*, even in the body of another you knew there was something different about this young man, something ancient and powerful, something you had no business getting involved in.

But like a moth to a flame you were attracted, and so trying to keep a low profile you kept an eye on him, becoming familiar with not only his dueling skills but habits and appearance, you could always tell when he would switch places with his host and so also learned of the Millennium items, Shadow Games and what was really going on.

So you was both scared half to death and elated when *he* sought you out one night before the last leg of Battle City, you had been taking a small stroll before you had to leave in the morning, you did not gain enough cards fast enough to becoming one of the eight duelists champion and for you the tournament had ended. That was when he found you.

It was the scariest sight you had ever seen, him appearing seemingly right out of the shadows in an alley as you walked passed, you had your mind on other things that night and had not realized it was him until you found yourself pulled out of sight. Sure you were going to be mincemeat or worse by the cold blank expression on his face as you found yourself caged in by his arms against the wall.

But you weren’t harm in the slightest, he only asked questions seeming to have already realized that you knew more then the majority of people around you but wanting the conformation from you.

Still, even after the line of questions started to slack he hadn’t moved an inch from his former position, his hands pressed to either side of your shoulders, leaning down slightly to be eye level with you as his Millennium Item brushed against you every time he so much as took a breath. And he didn’t seem to be in any hurry to bring distance between the two of you even after silence fell and his unnerving stare forced you to finally look away.

“Stop staring at me.” You finally managed to find your voice to make the order after a few tries, quite proud that you had manage to keep from stuttering, as was your habit when you were nervous, though your voice was far too quiet for you own liking.

Silence met your order before there came a sound, low at first but increasing steadily until you realized what it was and finally had to look up to see just what was so darn funny.

That was all the warning you had before the hands that had been previously laying on the wall came to clamp down on your shoulders (nearly making you jump out of your skin) and the movement causing him to be close all distance between the two of you, his mystical item caught between your pounding heart and his chest as his body seem to imprint upon yours.

Your eyes locked with each other for a few moments, yours wide with surprise and his filled with amusement and the hint of something else you weren’t sure that you wanted to give a name to.

"Breath, little one." He whispered into your ear as he leant into you, smirking slightly as he felt the shudders that went through you as his closeness and the feeling of breath on against your neck before you realized that you had been holding your breath and took a shallow breath of air as you felt the blush on your cheeks flame even more.

Then, as suddenly as he appeared, he stepped back, catching your upper arms when you stumbled slightly at the sudden loss of supporting weight. After making sure you weren’t going to fall flat on your face he left with only the words: “We *will* meet again Name-chan.” And leaving you unsure if that was a threat or a promise.

~End Flashback~

You could still feel the warmth of his body so close to yours, it was the closest the two of you had been since. Had he been any other guy, you would have turned and walked away after some of his antics wore thin on your patience but it seemed that when ever you came to the point in which you felt you were no different to him then anyone else he would do something; sometimes nothing more then a simple look or word but he always found a way to keep you.

Thus why you had included him when you got gifts for Christmas, perhaps using the gift as an ice breaker could give you some insight on what he was his thoughts on you but alas you were not even allowed that it seemed. He was gone on Christmas Eve, out on the town as his former partner informed, and you were forced to give the gift to the lighter of the two in hopes he would pass it on to your crush.

A week has gone by since Christmas and you have seen either hide nor hair of the Egyptian teen, you were certain the gift had been given to him but he did not seek you out and you did not have the nerve to go to him.

*Well, at lest I know now. It could have been worse, I could have said something to him and really embarrassed myself.* You thought miserably as you continued your slow trudge through the crowd, suddenly not in a hurry to get home.

With your thoughts turned inward on yourself and your crush you failed to notice the large patch of ice on the sidewalk that everyone else avoided. That is before you felt your feet slide across it and lost your both footing and balance, pitching forward as you threw your hands out in front of you to take the harsh surface of the side walk.

But your fall was brought to an abrupt halt as two muscular arms snapped around your waist from behind and managed to keep you upright.

*Who …?* You asked yourself, wondering who could possess such quick reflexes as you looked over your shoulder to see …


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Hope you enjoyed the first part of this story but now it is time for you to choose your fate:

Chapter 2: Spiky blonde hair and amethyst eyes (Yami)
or
Chapter 3: Bakura (ghostly white hair and dark lavender eyes)