In A New York Minute (Part 2)

It didn't take long now to get to her apartment. She opened the door and they went up some flights of stairs. She didn't trust the elevator at night. Having Yuugi at her side though, having a nice conversation with him, it was making the experience of walking home feel so much better. "So you don't know Mai or Jounouchi's relationship?"

"No. I hadn't even met her since school," Yuugi admitted as she opened the door. He walked in, continuing the conversation. "So, they've visited you recently? Sorry. It's been a good . . . four years since I've seen you."

"Yeah. Last time I went to Japan," she admitted as she placed her purse on the arm of her little couch. "I probably should have called more."

"Oh, time sort of makes us forget things," Yuugi said. "I could have called more too. Sorry. I've been busy?"

"That's fine." Anzu gave him his jacket back. "Thanks." She took off her own jacket.

Yuugi looked toward the ground. "Oh, hi kitty." He bent down to pet her cat. "I didn't know you got a pet."

"Oh yeah, that's Destiny." Anzu heard practical screeching in her head now from Satiah. "She's like a member of the family."

"Of course." Yuugi stood back up. "So? Um." He jostled his hands in his pockets. "I'm sorry."

Oh. Anzu knew what that was about. Her dashed dreams. Not knowing what to say, she kept it subtle with a shrug. She didn't want to discuss that. Her friend traveled all that way to America, she didn't want to focus on that. "Is there anything I can get you? That must have been one long flight."

"Anything to drink would be good," Yuugi said. "If you can."

She looked around for something in the cupboards, while she heard muttering from Satiah in the back again. Nothing specific and she wasn't going to pay her any mind. Her childhood friend was there right now with her. What were the chances of that? It didn't happen every day and she wouldn't waste it.

She opened her fridge to see what she had. Not much. A couple of older bottled sodas, a beer, and some juice. "Soda, beer, or juice?"

Yuugi came over and looked. "I'll save the beer for Jounouchi. Maybe water?"

"Sure." Anzu went over and opened the cupboards, fetching a glass and getting him some water. "Here you go." Yuugi drank up relatively well. He was thirsty. He was either very thirsty or something serious is happening. ///Anzu: What does Jounouchi want to say? What is Yuugi not saying?///

///Satiah: I don't like the way your co-worker left in such a hurry once the vessel showed up, Anzu. I haven't liked the way anything has felt lately. I am worried.///

"That really helped," Yuugi thanked her. He looked down from the window, like he might have been suspicious of her co-worker's car too. "Just watching for Jounouchi. He and Mai shouldn't be too far behind me." He put the glass on the counter. "What do you usually do when you get off work?"

"Watch TV," she admitted. "Sometimes." Depending how late it had been. Sometimes it was a game with Satiah. Sometimes it was just something small like a shower, food, and off to bed. Food. She had been so comfortable naturally with Yuugi she forgot. "You must be hungry." She was going to fix a sandwich before crawling into a shower and bed that night. "I can make you a sandwich? I wasn't planning on a big meal tonight."

"Nah, I'm fine. I ate before I came." No, he was more interested in watching the street. Was he really just waiting for Jounouchi? "Did you know that guy you were talking to just a couple blocks from here really well?"

Same thoughts as Satiah. "New co-worker," Anzu said. "Not real well. He wanted to make sure I made it home."

"He sped off kind of fast." Yuugi backed away from the window and went to sit down.

Getting a chance to relax on her couch, she got caught up on several things, and so did he. They both seemed to take turns sharing what they could. Well, almost everything. ///Anzu: Satiah. I need to tell him.///

///Satiah: No, you don't.///

///Anzu: Nervous Nelly, Yuugi is fine. He came out all this way, he should know./// Anzu listened to Yuugi finishing up his latest reveal. "Your kidding. Honda wants to propose to Shizuka?"

"Yeah, I didn't get a chance to tell him the terms yet," Yuugi said. "He has to duel Jounouchi and win before he can ask, or he'd never respect him." He shook his head. "It's got bad written all over it."

"Jounouchi and Mai have been going to several money based tournaments, they have been making a living that way," Anzu said. "Jounouchi breathes cards. That won't be easy for Honda."

"Nothing's impossible, but it'll be tricky," Yuugi agreed. "Especially now. Duel Monsters sure has changed. I can't even risk holding my old deck. I bought nearly new cards of all of them to replace. They work just as well when I do play, and my best cards stay safe."

So he did still play. Probably not as much though, Yuugi was a game fanatic. Not just of one game. Duel Monsters had consumed a lot of his time because of what they all had to go through with Atem. "So what are you playing right now?"

"Oh, I've completely got a great set up game playing with Monster Worlds with Bakura right now," he said excitedly. It was exactly what she needed to ask. "Virtual dueling is great, but I love games of all different kinds. I am Game Master this time around, and I've been devising some great adventures. I was able to get Jounouchi to play with us once, but he's usually gone on tournaments." Then his eyes stopped lighting up. Like he had wanted to continue, but knew he shouldn't.

"What?" Anzu asked.

"I think it'd be great if you played a game with us," Yuugi admitted to her. "Games are great, but they are nicer with more players."

"Well, next time I come down, I guess we'll just have to do that," Anzu admitted. "So, did you rent a hotel for the night? Did you plan on staying here?" Once again, Yuugi seemed to clam up until Anzu heard her intercom.

"Are we interrupting anything up there? If so, we can come back later."

Mai's voice. While Anzu got up to answer the intercom, Yuugi looked over relieved. "Come on up."

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Oh there was so much Yuugi had wanted to talk about with Anzu, but he couldn't broach the subjects without Jounouchi being there. If he did it wrong, he could mess up every chance.

"Jounouchi and I took a hotel for tonight," Mai said as Jounouchi scarfed down on a sandwich. Anzu had joined them, needing to eat herself.

"Yeah, so." Jounouchi finished his sandwich and looked straight at her. "I'll give you a few minutes to finish your sandwich, then we're going for a little walk. Some potentially serious shit happening, Anzu. I'm not kidding. Yuugi, watch Mai while I'm gone."

What? Yuugi watched Mai come over toward him, then glanced back at Jounouchi. "Where are you going?"

"Privacy. I'll be back after the visit." Jounouchi looked seriously at Anzu. "Let's go, Anzu. Small walk with Jounouchi. Just bring your sandwich actually. No crime in that, right? Nah, nothing wrong with that."

Yuugi watched them leave. Jounouchi probably wanted to get into personal details he would rather leave out. He looked toward Mai. ///Yuugi: Okay. I haven't been alone with Mai Kujaku since before Atem left. Small talk./// "How is your dueling going?"

Mai didn't seem eager to talk either. "I'm more here for Anzu than making small talk. Jounouchi won't be thrilled if I get caught up in conversation with you."

Really? "Why wouldn't he want us getting along?"

"I didn't say that," she said as she got up and looked outside. "I said caught up in conversation. They better not walk too far."

Okay. "So he wants us to get along, but not have a conversation?"

"He said you're really good at figuring things out. Me and him have some things to say, but he's not ready to share it all yet. Too much happening."

Oh. ///Yuugi: They are a couple. I knew it./// "I understand. Then, how often did you see Anzu?"

"I came by a couple of times," she admitted. "Whenever I had a tournament in America, I had a place to bunk. It was only a couple of times, but I made up for it by taking her out and having fun. Jounouchi too. That other thing about her Jounouchi said at your place was just a joke."

"I know," Yuugi said. "I know Jounouchi's sense of humor." He wasn't mad about that, he was just mad that Jounouchi was hiding information about Anzu. Yuugi watched outside too. He could see both of them. Anzu grabbed Jounouchi below, embracing him in a hug. "I know my friends."

"I do too." Mai went quiet. "There isn't a chance it's someone else."

Hm? Yuugi looked down at Anzu and Jounouchi again. "Trust me, that's friendship. Jounouchi cares for you." He watched her back away from the window. "Jounouchi is just there for her. I wish I could help her, but Jounouchi, in this case is better."

"It won't take the King of Games who never loses to convince Anzu," Mai said knowingly. "It's going to take someone who knows how to lose, and lose hard. It's scary and if she comes back, a lot of things are going to get tough. Rent, her job, she could end up with a real problem."

Anzu. Yuugi put his hand up to the window. "I never win all the time." He stared down at the window. "Sometimes, losing is the right option, for someone's happiness." He backed away again. "They look like they are coming back up."

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