AnzuxShizuke, slideshipping, for Compy's contest.
I can totally work with this, really. My very first yuri ever, but. I can do it. Right? D: Idea/plot given to me helpfully by Moo102.
Hints of YuugixAnzu in there somewhere but.
"The domino effect occurs when a small change causes a similar change nearby, which then will cause another similar change, and so on in linear sequence, by analogy to a falling row of dominoes standing on end. The domino effect also relates to a chain of events." Just for anyone who doesn't know.
The Domino Effect
A soft clack.
"Do you like dominoes Anzu?"
"I do. They're really fun. I like watching them fall though. That's the best part!"
"I think so too."
"If we put our dominoes together Yuugi, we'll have alot more dominoes to knock down!"
"Good idea!" Yuugi ran to his toychest and brought out a box. "These are mine," he said proudly.
And the two children played with dominoes.
---
Anzu always wondered what would have happened if the Other Yuugi had stayed. Would Yuugi have gone to America for college? Would Honda have gotten caught in a spray of gunfire not meant for him one night long after he should have been home and in bed? What of Jou? Would he have driven off the edge of a bridge in a drunken stupor after a lover's spat with Kaiba?
And would she herself have loved him still? Or would his staying have ended in her with Shizuka, as his leaving had?
It had been like a domino effect, she'd noted once or twice in the past years. When he'd left, the world had fallen apart about their ears. Yuugi'd become depressed, and eventually gone to America for school, to get away from the memories.
Without him to hold them all together-he'd always been the glue that kept them in place- Honda had returned to his old ways of gang fights and Jou'd gone to Kaiba.
And she? She'd fallen in love again, with Shizuka.
Was it meant to be like this? Would life have continued on as normal with him, or would it still have ended up in such a mess had he stayed?
---
"Hey Shizuka?"
"Yes?"
"Wanna play with dominoes?"
"Sure." Shizuka smiled. "I think I have some in the attic."
---
Clack.
One for his coming to their lives.
Clack.
One for his saving the world.
Clack.
One for his leaving them.
Clack.
One for Jou.
Clack.
One for Yuugi.
Clack.
One for Seto.
Clack, clack, clack.
One for Honda and Shizuka and her.
Clack.
One for the domino effect.
Clack.
And one for love, that which was and that which would never be.
"There. All set. Ready to knock them over?"
"Ready Anzu."
"Then go for it."
Shizuka tipped the first one, smiling as she watched the rest fall.
Anzu smiled back.
And as they set them up again, Anzu let her mind wander as far back as she could, to a room over a gameshop where two children played with dominoes.
---
"Let's tip them again?"
"Yes, let's!"