Still

Still

Summary: Sometimes it helps to simply be and feel your life.
Disclaimer: I don’t own YGO.
Warning:


Haga swept some of his hair out of his face, putting it behind his ear. The day had gone a lot better than usual and he couldn’t help but think it was because of Rikuo and the jock muscle he had to back him up. He really didn’t want to have it that way.

What if I totally blow this guy off and the next day I have baseball players and soccer players beating me to a pulp?

He pushed up his glasses and tapped on his street shoes, closing the tiny locker.

I’ll just go home, make some dinner and wait for work to start. If I keep a low profile -

“Haga-kun?”

The insector sighed and turned to look into the chest of someone. He looked up and saw Rikuo smiling down at him. He faltered, nearly dropping his bag.

Well, he’s certainly got a nice smile, but who gives a damn. I’ve got to get home.

“Haga, hello. I was hoping to catch you before you went home.”

“Well, you have. Have a nice afternoon –”

The boy looked shocked for a moment, then smiled again. “That’s why I like you. You’re so quick.” He stepped back and looked at Haga. “Would you be interested in getting something to eat? I’ll treat you of course.”

“Eh…” the insector looked behind Rikuo and rolled his eyes as some threatening looking fangirls were behind him.

“You’ll have to call off your fan club…” He said, knowing the boy wouldn’t. Popular kids thrived on their fan clubs.

“Oh, that’s fine.” He turned around and waved at the girls, causing them all to hide in shyness or swoon. “There. I was thinking of going to this café near down town?”

“Eh…”Haga frowned a little. “I never said yes to you.”

They stared at each other and Rikuo just smiled.

What does this guy think he is? Some sort of anime pretty boy? I’m not going to say yes just because he’s smiling at me and his hair’s really really shiny and nice…

“Okay.” He heard himself say without his mind’s permission.

“Great! Let’s go!” Rikuo stood there, waiting for Haga. The green haired boy walked towards the door and Rikuo followed, appearing at his side with that trademark smile.

Many girls and boys called to him and he merely waved good naturedly, grinning down at Haga occasionally. When they got out of the distance of the school, Rikuo talked.

“So do you…still duel?”

“No, not really.”

“Oh…I was never good at it myself. My little sister keep beating me so I just gave up.”

Haga snorted. “Yes well, I’m sure that hurt, but there’s nothing like getting your butt whooped in public to crush your spirit…”

“But you’re Japan’s number one!”

Haga clenched his fist against his messenger bag strap. “Was”

Rikuo smiled down at him. “You’re still my number one. I’ve seen all your battles and in each one of them you had impeccable strategy. That other guy…what’s his name…”

“Yugi.”

“Yeah, whatever. Yugi. It was clear in each instance that there was something else going on…it was clear Kaiba rigged battle city so he could duel Yugi in the end…”

Haga gave a laugh. “So, you’re into conspiracy theories?”

Rikuo shrugged. “I’ve seen you duel. I think you’re really talented and that…that Yugi guy’s just lucky.”

“Whatever.”

They walked for a time in silence until Rikuo laughed nervously. “I’m sorry this is so boring…I just…don’t know what to say to you. I’ve had a crush on you for a long time…”

Haga just blinked and looked into Rikuo’s face. “What?”

“yeah…I wasn’t always Mr. Popular…I used to be really short and I had round glasses that were a bit thick and no one used to pay attention to me…but you did. Don’t you remember from middle school?” Rikuo rubbed the back of his head. “That popular game…Dark Stalkers came out and everyone started calling me Kero-chan because the Rikuo from that game was a…fish guy who turned into a little frog when he was cursed…”

Rikuo babbled on about how he used to be bullied but Haga half listened.

This guy used to be…Kero-chan?! No way! That little geek even I had the rights to push around?!

“…but you never did.”

“Eh? I never what?”

“You were never mean to me like everyone else…then you started to get really famous with your dueling and I wanted to be just like you…I even wanted glasses like yours but my mother said no…”

Haga gave a laugh and blushed slightly. “Well, they got crushed, but you can still have the frame!”

Rikuo laughed. “It’s okay…I really just thought it was cool how you had a beetle on the bridge…was it a Charidotella sexpunctata?”

“No actually it was a common Tarpela I merely had painted gold…can you believe that someone thought it was a Harmonia Axyridis?”

Rikuo laughed. “God what idiots. Like the people I hang out with. The other day, I saw a Byasa Alcinous and some girl thought it was a Muscidae.”

“How pathetic. Some people should only live as long as Muscidae, just so we’d be rid of them within a day’s time.”

The boy nodded, pushing up his glasses. “Well, I’ve learned to just tune them out. It’s amazing who wants to be your friend when you get looks…”

Haga nodded. “You’d be amazed who wants to be your friend when you don’t…”

They made it the café and sat down on the inside, near a window. Rikuo continued to smile at Haga and the boy blushed.

“So…how old are you anyway?”

“Eighteen!”

The insector was confused. “But…you were with me in my sixth grade…”

“I know. I was held back, then I got private tutors and was actually skipped up. That’s why I’m a senior!” Rikuo rubbed the back of his head and gave a laugh. “Life sure is weird.”

“Yeah…”

The waitress came and they ordered. Haga looked outside at the sky.

“It’s going to rain…”

“Aw…” Rikuo leaned forward, his nose nearly to the glass. “That mean when we leave, my glasses will fog up…”

“I hate when that happens…”

The dark haired boy smiled, chin on fist. “Me too…”

Haga blushed again and laughed, feeling odd, feeling comfortable. “By the way, I’m sixteen.”

“I know…” Rikuo put his arm down and looked at Haga. “You’re hair’s the color of mint ice cream you know?”

The insector just started laughing and Rikuo blushed. Haga recovered and shook his head. “I’ve never heard that before…it’s nice.”

Rikuo smiled again. “You’re welcome…I just think it’s really…really handsome. And I like your eyes too. Like the wings on some species of butterfly they are so brilliant…”

Haga’s cheeks were blazing. “Gee, thanks.”

“I just…had to tell you. I finally got enough money to bribe those guys to leave you alone…especially when I found out what they did to you the other day. I used my connections with the sports teams to…make them understand how serious I was.”

“huh?”

“I couldn’t let them keep beating you up…” Rikuo looked down at his hands. “I really like you Haga-kun…”

“That’s fine with me.”

“No…I mean…would you be my boyfriend? I know you’re with Espa…that jack ass…but…I’m way better than him!” He looked into Haga’s eyes. “I’d do anything for you!”

Haga shook his head. “I’m not with Espa. Espa’s with everyone, but he certainly isn’t with me. I give him money sometimes…he’s not even my friend.”

“Oh! That’s great!” Rikuo immediately quieted down again. “I mean…Well, that’s good…so…will you be my boyfriend?”

Haga just shook his head. “I don’t even know you. Maybe we should…I dunno, go out or something?”

“That’ll be great!” the midnight haired boy grabbed Haga’s hands. “We can go out this weekend or even tonight!”

“I work nights.”

“Oh…then…this weekend?”

“We’ll see Friday…”

“That’s great!” Rikuo suddenly realized he had Haga’s hands and let them go, smiling. “That’s wonderful…say, it’s like we’re on a date now, don’t you think?”

The insector smiled again, for the second time that day. “Something like that yeah…”

“Yeah…” Rikuo smiled wider and Haga felt his heart jump.

Maybe his jar had more holes after all.

****
*yay! Haga smiles! But what about Ryuzaki? We’ll see!
*I would like to thank Muzaki_Goddess for inspiring this fic.