Just a little one-shot story I wrote a few years ago, set in the original YGO universe, directly after the episode with Anzu and Yami's "date". Don't ask me to remember which episode it was or what it was called. But I don't think it ended nearly as well as it could have, what with that stupid duel they had to shove in and everything. This is my effort to fix that.

FYI, this is a Yami and Anzu pairing story. If you don't like this pairing … then why are you even here?

Disclaimers: I don't own Yugioh or any of the characters from the show. I do own this story. Steal it and die.

Kiss the Girl
by Quickening

He was nervous.

The King of Games, the former Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, the always smooth and self-assured one was actually nervous. His palms were sweaty, his heart pounded, and he was sure he'd started to sweat a little as he faced his newest, and so far greatest, challenge.

Namely … how to properly bid a girl farewell.

He'd had a surprisingly wonderful time that day after his other half had so sneakily tricked him into spending most of it with Anzu. After the first supremely awkward half-hour or so, he'd managed to relax and let himself have fun for the first time in, well, a very long time.

It definitely helped that Anzu had done her best to be cheerful and considerate, even though it couldn't have been any less uncomfortable for her. They really didn't know each other, after all, never mind that he happened to share the body of her best friend. She'd obviously realized he would have no idea what he was supposed to do on this strange, modern outing called a "date". He could barely remember anything from his past life; it stood to reason that he'd know next to nothing about any sort of customs in this one. But Anzu was a patient teacher and more than willing to help him out, even though a certain someone had managed to make his presence disappear during the duration of the outing.

Now the day was drawing to a close, and so was their date. After a pleasant walk home, Yami found himself at Anzu's door. The setting sun gilded her hair with golden highlights as she faced him with a whimsical smile and large, expectant eyes.

And he had absolutely no idea what to do next.

I could really use your help on this, Yugi, he thought. Yet again, he was rewarded with silence and fought to hold back an annoyed growl. He'd forgotten how much of an imp his lighter half could occasionally be, and Yugi had apparently decided to remind him with this little vanishing act. Anzu really did appear to be expecting something, but he had no idea what it might be. His pride, of course, refused to allow him to simply ask her.

"Thanks for putting up with me today," Anzu said after a few long moments of silence. She seemed to realize that whatever it was she expected wasn't going to be delivered anytime soon. Her voice jerked Yami out of his inner musings and he blinked at her, almost as if he'd forgotten she was there. "I hope it wasn't too boring for you," she added, a bit awkwardly. "I hope the museum helped you to sort a few things out."

"Yes—I mean, no, it wasn't boring. Not at all," he replied, stammering in the face of her brilliant smile. "I greatly enjoyed myself today. Thank you."

Her smile brightened further as a light blush touched her cheeks. "Oh, there's no need to thank me. I was glad to help. I'm sure you'll eventually remember everything and find what you're meant to do, and until you do, you have me!" Her eyes widened and the blush deepened. "Er … I mean us," she amended hastily. "Y-you have all of us."

"Yes. Thank you." He smiled a little and admired the way the dying sunlight cast a glowing halo in her chestnut hair. Then, before he knew what he was saying, "Perhaps we can … do this again sometime?"

"R-really?" She looked adorably surprised, pleased, even a little flustered.

"Of course. Despite what you may believe, I do enjoy spending time with my friends."

A hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes. "Oh. Yeah, of course. Your friends," she replied with a forced little laugh. He tilted his head curiously at the odd note of frustration in her tone.

"Anzu...?"

"I'd better go in," she said quickly. "Thank you for spending time with me today. I really enjoyed myself and I'm glad you did, too. Especially when we got to whoop that guy's ass at the arcade!" She flashed a wolfish grin that surprised a chuckle out of him.

There was another moment of hesitation, another expectant look. When he merely looked back, still unsure as to what she wanted, she seemed to deflate a bit. She offered another small smile and turned to enter the house with a soft farewell.

Yami breathed a huge sigh of relief as he walked slowly home. He couldn't help but feel as though he'd just missed out on something important.

Yugi lay sprawled out on the bed, the covers showing right through the translucent spirit-form he wore when Yami was in control of his body. He stared up at the ceiling with an incredibly bored expression on his face, but as soon as Yami entered the room the boredom instantly disappeared as he scrambled to his hands and knees and began bombarding him with eager questions. "So, how'd it go? Did you learn anything? Did you have a good time? Did you ask her out again? Did you get to kiss her? What was it like?"

Surprised and amused, Yami merely stood and waited until Yugi ran out of questions before he attempted to sort them out. "It went … well," he began, hesitant. "I did learn some things, which I'll discuss with you later once I've thought them over a bit more. Yes, I did have an enjoyable day with Anzu."

He had especially enjoyed the part where he'd gotten to watch Anzu dance. She always spoke of dancing, of how much she loved it, and now he fully understood why she wanted to pursue it so badly. She wasn't just good at dancing. She'd been … incredible. He had always thought Anzu was a pretty girl, but when she'd been caught up in the passion and joy of her dancing, she was far more than merely pretty. She'd been breathtaking. She had absolutely glowed.

"And?"

The question brought the spirit out of his thoughts; Yugi gazed up at him expectantly, a lot like Anzu had looked at him from her doorstep. He fought back a flash of annoyance. "And what?" he grumbled.

Yugi rolled his eyes in a "duh!" gesture. "Did you ask her out again? What did she say?"

"I … did," he admitted, still surprised at himself for having done so. "She seemed … pleased with the idea."

"Great!" Yugi crowed.

Yami cocked an eyebrow at him.

"I mean … I'm glad you two are getting along so well," he added, sheepish. "Anzu really likes you, you know. Well, she's never actually admitted it, but I can tell." He nodded wisely and Yami's jaw dropped a little. "Now answer my last question!" He bounced eagerly on the bed. "Did you kiss her?"

Yami choked. "I—Wha—No! I most certainly did not kiss her," he sputtered, and even the back of his neck burned from the deep flush he could feel spreading across his face. "Th-that's hardly appropriate behavior for—"

"What are you talking about?" Yugi scoffed, exasperated. "A kiss? Come on, Yami, that's how most dates end these days. It's practically tradition!"

The Spirit's brow furrowed as he recalled Anzu's hopeful expression. Was a kiss what she had wanted from him? Was that why she'd seemed so disappointed when she'd finally gone inside? His stomach gave a strange, pleasant sort of lurch at the thought. He had never considered doing that sort of thing with a girl before. He was always too focused on finding his identity and dueling for the fate of the world and other such things. He'd never tried to figure dating into the equation, and judging by what little he could glean from his memories, he didn't think he'd been very experienced in the ways of romance in that life, either.

"I can't believe you didn't kiss her," Yugi sighed as he flopped back onto the mattress, arms askew. "Poor Anzu. I'll bet she was disappointed." He appeared not to notice Yami's slight flinch. "Well, I guess it isn't your fault. It's not like you knew or anything. Besides, if you're gonna go out with her again, you'll have more chances. Just don't blow 'em this time."

Yami chose not to respond. He relinquished control of his body back to his other half and drifted to the windowsill to stare out at the darkening night, lost in thought.

Yugi changed his clothes, then crawled back into bed; Yami's date had worn his body out, it seemed. "So," he said around a yawn. "When ya gonna go out with Anzu again?"

It occurred to Yami that he'd forgotten to ask.

The trouble with not having a body of his own was that Yami never got tired.

Oh, his spirit could become weary, but it wasn't the kind of weariness that sleep could overcome. He couldn't fall into unconscious oblivion the way a mortal could. No matter how much he rested, his mind was always active, always thinking, and at the moment, it was fixed on his date with Anzu. Or more specifically, about the end of his date with Anzu.

He couldn't get the image of her disappointed eyes out of his head. He felt … guilty for letting her down, even unintentionally. For not kissing her goodbye as Yugi said he ought to have done. He doubted Anzu would hold it against him. She wasn't the sort of person to hold grudges, but he still felt bad for disappointing her after she'd tried so hard to help him.

He also couldn't help pondering on why she'd been disappointed. Had she wanted his kiss so badly? Yugi insisted that Anzu liked him, and Yami knew he wasn't talking about the kind of like friends felt toward other friends.

Yami knew he shouldn't do anything more to encourage the girl, such as taking her out on another date. He was, after all, only a spirit living in a borrowed body, searching for the answers to his forgotten past. From what he'd learned so far, it seemed his future looked a little sketchy, as well. Anzu was someone special; she deserved more than anything he could offer. All the same, he couldn't help but feel a little flattered that the girl felt so strongly toward him, as mystifying as her reasons were.

Until today, he had never considered Anzu as an individual so much as "Yugi's childhood friend". She'd always been there in the background, shouting encouragement during his battles, keeping Jounouchi and Honda in line when they needed it. In the beginning, he had kept his distance from all of them. After all, they were Yugi's friends, not his, and he never wished to intrude. But over the months, he had allowed a tentative friendship to develop between himself and the two boys, which Yugi highly encouraged.

But not Anzu. It wasn't that he deliberately tried to snub her. He simply never had anything interesting to discuss with her. He'd often wondered why she remained friends with the three boys, given how often they seemed to exasperate her. She was mature, quick-witted, and seemed to have very little in common with any of them. She also lacked the passion for Duel Monsters that they all shared, whereas Duel Monsters was the only thing Yami knew.

Now that he'd spent so much time with her today, however, he realized he would never be able to keep her in the background again. She had finally caught his full attention, and with it, his interest. She had already proven herself a valuable friend, with an open heart and genuine affection for anyone she felt deserved it. Yami felt a bit ashamed of himself for being so indifferent to her for so long, even though she'd always been there to offer support. Until she had come into his life, he'd almost forgotten what caring about others felt like.

Yami sighed deeply as a sudden urge to see her again overcame him. He wished to thank her for helping him open up and realize his destiny. He wished also to apologize for his lack of understanding outside her door. The memory of her disappointment haunted him, and he longed to somehow make up for it.

He turned decisively and drifted to the bedside. "Yugi," he whispered as he reached to shake him awake. Unlike with other people while in spirit form, his hand didn't pass through Yugi's body but landed solidly on it. He could affect objects around him, but only if he concentrated hard on what he touched. With Yugi, however, any physical contact always came without thought or effort. Neither of them pretended to understand how it worked. Perhaps it was because of their connection through the puzzle, or maybe because they shared a body. At any rate, he gave Yugi's shoulder a brief, hard shake and was rewarded with a disgruntled mumble and a pair of sleepy eyes blinking open.

"Whuzmatter, Yami?" the boy questioned around a huge yawn. "Iztime t' get up already?"

"No. It's only ten-thirty. I'm sorry, I know you're tired but … I was wondering if I might borrow your body again for a little while."

Yugi rubbed his eyes. "What for?" he asked, obviously surprised.

Yami couldn't blame him. He never requested to borrow Yugi's body for anything other than dueling opponents, and even then, he never asked so much as forcefully took it over. But he'd always felt surprisingly shy when it came to life outside of Duel Monsters. He preferred to keep to the Soul Room and observe events through Yugi's eyes. He would have never willingly agreed to come out and spend the day with Anzu if Yugi hadn't outright tricked him into it.

He hesitated, embarrassed. "I, erm, I thought I'd take a walk," he muttered sheepishly. "It's a rather nice night out."

Yugi stared up at him for a moment, silent, before he gave a sudden, knowing smirk. And Yami realized he wasn't fooling his partner one bit. "Okay," he said, and in another moment Yami found himself blinking up at the ceiling from the bed. "Just so you know," Yugi continued, far too smug, "Anzu's parents left two days ago for a business trip of some sort, so she's living by herself right now. You'd better behave yourself over there." He flashed a cheeky grin. "If you need to let yourself in, there's a key hidden in the fake rock outside her door, under the bushes."

Yami could feel his face heating up again and inwardly cursed. Stupid mortal body. "I … I wasn't—That is..."

Yugi laughed at his discomfiture. "Just don't wear out my body too much, okay? I do have school tomorrow. And I want details! About everything."

"Just what are you implying?" Yami huffed, indignant, as he scrambled to his feet to glower down at his smaller counterpart.

"Nothing!" Yugi's attempt at innocence was ruined by the smug grin that refused to leave his face.

Grumbling to himself, Yami turned and stalked from the bedroom … only to be called back a moment later. "Yes?" he questioned stiffly.

The damned smirk was still in place. "If you're gonna go see Anzu … don't you think you ought to, I dunno, change first, or something?"

Yami blinked, glanced down at the blue-and-red rocket ship pajamas that adorned his body, and promptly turned red again as Yugi chortled loudly.

Nobody answered the door when Yami knocked. He waited a moment, knocked again. When he still received no reply, he searched the giant, flowering bush beside the door for the fake rock that hid the key. He realized with some dismay that Yugi had failed to mention the bush was ringed with small, round white rocks, all of which felt distressingly real. He hefted no less than six of them before noticing one in the back that seemed slightly out of place, its color more of a pale mauve than solid white. He picked it up. Its texture also felt different, and it was far too light to be stone. It also rattled. Bingo.

"Anzu?" he called softly as he stepped into the dim house. He received no answer, but he heard a burst of noise coming from just ahead, from what he remembered to be her living room. He'd never been in her house by himself, but he'd watched through Yugi's eyes several times when he'd gone visiting, so at least he had some vague idea of its layout.

The noise came from the television, which was playing one of those anime shows Yugi had once shown him. It didn't look like a Japanese animation, though, and the language was obviously foreign. He couldn't be certain, but it sounded an awful lot like that tongue Yugi always moaned about having to study, that "In-ger-ish".

A soft sigh and the rustle of fabric made him forget all about the television as he turned to look behind him. And there he found Anzu, stretched out on the couch with a soft afghan draped over her legs. A plate containing a few crumbs and a half-full glass of milk sat on the low table beside her. A gentle smile touched his lips at the sight of her closed eyes. "Asleep, are you?" He knelt beside her to watch her sleeping face for a few moments, completely unaware of the soft expression that graced his own. "Well, never mind then," he murmured. "I shall speak with you another time." He'd gotten to see her again, at least. And in such a soft and vulnerable state. He impulsively lifted his hand to brush lean fingers over her cheek and push a lock of chestnut hair away from her lips.

Anzu was having a wonderful dream. She was with Yami again and they danced under the late-night sky, surrounded by moonlight and stars. A soft wind blew, but she wasn't at all cold; the excitement of being with him, of being held in his arms, was more than enough to warm her all the way to her toes. The breeze blew her hair into her face. She laughed for no reason at all, closed her eyes when he reached out to brush the strands away. His long, warm fingers brushed her mouth. And then, suddenly, his lips were there instead, and he plied her with soft, deep, drugging kisses that sucked all the strength from her legs and turned her body to liquid fire. She had never been kissed before. Even her imagination had never come up with anything so wonderful. She moaned with pleasure and reached to hold him, longing to melt into him entirely.

But he suddenly vanished, the soft pressure of his mouth and warmth of his arms disappeared and left her cold. Her eyes snapped open as his name fell from her lips on a shuddering breath, and she abruptly found herself on her own couch in the dark living room. The television still played the American cartoon she'd been watching, and in the flickering blue light, she saw a dark form seated beside her on the coffee table. She bolted up with a sharp gasp of fear before she recognized the familiar, spiky-haired youth who watched her silently.

"Y-Yugi?" she stuttered in confusion. Almost before she uttered the name she realized it was not Yugi perched so closely to her, but rather his counterpart. Yugi didn't possess such an overwhelming aura as the dark spirit did. She remembered her dream, in vivid detail, and flushed bright red. Had that actually happened? But no, Yami sat there perfectly composed, as if he hadn't just kissed the living breath out of her, whereas her lips still tingled from the intensity of the dream, no doubt brought on by his mere presence at her side.

She struggled to contain her disappointment.

"Wh-what are—How did you get in here?" she stammered. She rubbed the remaining sleep from her eyes just so she had an excuse to not look at him. She hoped the room was dark enough so he couldn't see her burning face, but his eyes were sharp, and she'd die of embarrassment if he figured out she'd been dreaming of him like that. She only wished she knew if she'd actually called out his name when she woke up, or if that had been part of the dream, too.

Yami held up a small silver key, which she recognized as her house key. She frowned in confusion. "Did Yugi give that to you?" She didn't even remember giving him one.

"He told me where it was hidden, in the rock," Yami replied. "I hope you don't mind."

"N-no, it's okay. I mean, if he knows, it makes sense that you should, too."

"I apologize for disturbing your rest, Anzu," he murmured as he rose to his feet. "I'll leave you now."

"Oh … wait!" A slender hand shot out to grip his, and he blinked down at her, nonplussed. She hastily released him. "I, um, there must have been a reason for you to come. Since you're already here, maybe you should just tell me what it is. Is something wrong?" Her face suddenly brightened. "Did you remember something about your past?"

"No, nothing like that," he replied. "It's only that … I wished to … thank you. For today. For spending time with me and helping me to discover a bit about myself."

Her brow furrowed. "Well, you already did that, remember?" She began to absently pluck at the afghan across her legs, awkward and nervous. She found it difficult to meet his intense gaze. "You know I'm always glad to help you out in any way I can. I mean, what are friends for, right?"

She felt his eyes bore into the top of her head. "I also wish to apologize for this afternoon," he finally continued, and she blinked and looked up, confused. "When I left you at your door, you seemed rather … disappointed in me," he clarified. "If I did or said anything to injure your feelings, I am sorry."

"Oh." Her eyes widened slightly as his meaning suddenly hit home. "Oh!" She felt her face flame with mortification as she dropped her gaze again. "I, um, that was nothing, really. Just … uh … nothing. N-no need to worry about it." She came to a stuttering halt, eyes fixed firmly on her lap, and wished the couch would open up and swallow her.

"I see." There was a moment of silence. Then, "Well, perhaps I had better be going. I did promise Yugi I wouldn't stay out in his body for long."

"Oh. Right, of course," she agreed as she hastily scrambled to her feet. She shoved down her embarrassment to precede him into the brightly-lit foyer—he must have turned on the light when he came in—and that was where she caught a glimpse of herself in the round, deco-art mirror hanging on the wall beside the door.

She stopped dead in her tracks and stared. The strange tingling in her lips hadn't yet faded. They still felt bruised and now she could clearly see why. They actually looked bruised, as if she'd really been thoroughly kissed. Yami's image appeared in the reflection behind her, and her breath caught when she finally saw what the dark living room had hidden before. His lips were also bruised, full and red, and two fine lines of red slashed across his high cheekbones in a delicate flush. His eyes met hers, sharp and intent with a predatory gleam.

"Th-that wasn't a dream!" she blurted before she could quite realize what she was saying. She flinched and slowly turned, half-whispered, "Y-you really kissed me, didn't you?"

His smile was faint, a bit sheepish. "I also wished to apologize for not ending our date properly." His voice was a low, husky timbre that caused a fine shiver of desire to tremble up Anzu's spine. "I merely wished to remedy my earlier lack of manners."

She felt her face flush all over again. "W-why not wait until I woke up?"

"Forgive me," he murmured, "but I couldn't seem to help myself." He stepped closer to her, and her breath caught when he tilted her chin with long fingers to search her eyes. "Shall I apologize more properly, now that you're awake?"

Completely flustered, all she could do was gaze up at him with wide, astonished eyes. She couldn't reply, and she couldn't seem to move. And the fact that she didn't pull away seemed to be all the consent he was looking for.

Kissing Anzu, Yami decided, was the sweetest pleasure he had ever experienced, and it felt even better now that she was awake to properly kiss him back. The soft warmth of her full lips clinging to his was enough to make him lightheaded, to send his blood pounding through his heart, his wrists, his veins. How long had it been since he'd experienced such a feeling? Had he ever felt like this before, as if heaven had opened right before his eyes? With difficulty, he worked up enough will to release her lips and pull away, his breath deep and unsteady in his throat. Her breath came quick and shallow against his throat as she opened too-bright eyes to meet his hungry, lidded gaze. "I trust that was sufficient apology?" he teased softly.

She stared at him with something akin to wonder and he felt a flush of pure, masculine pride as he took in her dazed expression. "Yeah," she breathed.

He smiled, tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "It seems I have something else to look forward to, the next time we go out on a date." He sighed. "But for now, I really do need to get back. Yugi will be wondering where I am." He smirked faintly. "Or more likely, what I'm doing."

"H-he knows you're here?"

"Yes, he knows."

"And … he knows why you came?"

"Does it surprise you? Yugi is well aware of your feelings for me. He seems to approve most readily."

"M-my—! Approve? But I'm—N-no, he's wrong! I don't feel like—I mean, it isn't what he—what you think I—"

Yami cut off Anzu's embarrassed stuttering with a gentle press of his fingers to her lips. "If your feelings indeed extend beyond mere friendship," he whispered, "you need not hide it from me."

She glanced away. "But I don't want to trouble you with—I mean, it's not like you asked me to fall in love with—" She abruptly cut herself off, bit her lip to keep the rest of the sentiment from spilling out. "A-anyway, you've got to find out who you are. That's the most important thing right now, isn't it?"

He released an unsteady breath that stirred her hair, tilted her face and encompassed her lips in another long moment of slow, caressing warmth. She swayed as his mouth softly parted from hers and his arms slipped around her waist in a loose embrace to hold her steady. He nuzzled at her cheek with gentle affection. "How could I deign to ask you for such a gift as your heart?" he murmured, voice low and husky in her ear. "It is far more precious to me when it is freely given." He raised her hand to it press to his chest, where his own heart thrummed rapidly under his skin. "And for the record," he added, "I will gladly exchange your heart for my own. Please accept it."

She gaped up at him, speechless, gave a single, jerky nod of her head. He smiled and kissed her palm in gratitude, released her hand and opened the door. With a last, lingering glance behind him, he stepped through the doorway, blended into the shadows and vanished into the night just like the mysterious spirit he was.

Still in her heady daze, Anzu slowly shut the door behind her, leaned back against it and slid down its length as the remaining strength abruptly bled from her legs. She sat there, staring dreamily up at the ceiling, and a silly grin began to spread across her face as it slowly sank in exactly what had just occurred. In a very uncharacteristic fit of girlish delight, she hugged herself tightly and let loose an excited little squeak as she stamped her stockinged feet excitedly against the floor.

"I cannot wait for our next date."