Disclaimer: I don't own anything, and I make no money

FOLLOW YOU UNTIL YOU LOVE ME

-FOURtwo-Nish

He didn't have a camera, he didn't spy behind trees. He didn't try to hurt her when things didn't go his way, but he still chased after her and was still her paparazzi.

NOTE: Spur of the moment writing. I was trying to come up with something cute and then "Paparazzi" by Lady Gaga started playing in my neighbor's place…again. At first I thought "how many times can they play this song in a week?" then I thought "aw, it's kind of like Chazz because he wants Alexis to love him". And so this was born.

(Also, it gets better as you go along, the beginning isn't the best. And don't worry, the OC in this chapter will disappear after this chapter. She is unimportant. Not a MarySue, just a plot-pusher.)

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They were being permitted to socialize for the last five minutes or so of class, but since there was no one in the class that Chazz particularly wanted to talk to he just sat with his head resting on his hand and stared at the front of the room blankly. People didn't really talk to him anymore. Sure, there were times (when he was dueling) that everyone cheered for him, pretended that they all really cared, but most often they were all apathetic to his existence. It was like his dark clothes made him dark and gave him all of the characteristics of a shadow—no one paid much mind to shadows unless they were scared or sneaking around. So he had been left of peacefully mind his own business for a while before he felt someone tap at his shoulder—and none too lightly.

He turned around irritably, and recollected the face of the Ra Yellow girl that stood there, but her name was lost. Something generic…Kim, Lee, Ann…something… something…what did it matter?

"Chazz?" He grunted in acknowledgement and she continued. "Some of the other students and I were asked to take some photos for next year's enrollment brochure—you know, to hand out to possible applicants—and I was wondering if you'd be willing to be in one."

"Okay," Chazz replied with mild surprise and excitement. Photos weren't something people asked of him anymore…not since he'd lost his stance in Obelisk Blue. "Yeah, sure." The girl whose name might have been Kim...or Ann…smiled slightly.

"Okay! The teacher's asked us to get candid shots, but all of the ones I attempted to take ended up blurry, so I'm staging one. I've got someone else to be in it with you, so if you could come to the front steps of the Academy at twelve thirty—it won't take very long." The other students stood up and began shuffling towards the door as the class period ended—Kim…or was it Lee?—started to follow them when Chazz didn't say anything else.

"Hey—Wait!" He called after her when a thought struck his mind. She turned towards him as the onslaught of students forced her towards the door. She looked annoyed. (Good for her, Chazz thought. Typical bait and switch, all polite and kind to get your attention and then SPLAT, she's really not so nice at all.) "Who is the other person in the photo?" Her face lit up again as she moved farther out the door as he tried to squeeze through at the same time as two other boys. (She's only acting all happy now because she thinks I'm trying to get out of it.)

"Oh! Alexis! You know—Rhodes?" She didn't wait to hear his reply. As he was shoved out of the door, she disappeared in the crowd. He knew…Rhodes? Of course he knew Alexis Rhodes! Who didn't know Alexis Rhodes? There wasn't another Alexis in the school to mistake for her!

Alexis!

He was going to be in a photo with Alexis! And no one could say it was another stunt by him to "win her love" because he didn't set it up. Even Alexis couldn't be put off by it because he'd said yes before he knew it was her that'd be paired with!

Someone up there really really liked him…and maybe, if it wasn't too much to ask, they'd like him enough so that he could get to class on time…

By the time he awoke from his giddy stupor the hallways were empty.

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He arrived on the steps at the time ordered because he couldn't get away any earlier. At first he thought he was in the wrong place—no one was there—but after seven minutes of suffering, Alexis and Sara (he found out that it was Sara) came out the front doors. Alexis, who Chazz's eyes were immediately drawn to, was carrying in her arms a bundle of blue while Sara carried only her camera.

"Good, you're here," Sara said immediately after her eyes fell onto Chazz.

"We were worried that you might think we changed locations," Alexis said with a friendly smile. It didn't even show her perfect teeth…Chazz felt that she was holding back. "Sorry that it took so long to get here. We were putting this together." She extended the blue bundle that she had been carrying so lovingly out towards him and he accepted it graciously even though she stated immediately after he opened his mouth that he wasn't going to be able to keep it.

"So hurry and put it on so we can give it back." Sara pushed him towards the door, much to his dislike.

"What is 'it'?" Chazz asked, sounding more spiteful than he'd intended. (He couldn't help it—no one was letting him talk and he hadn't even gotten the chance to say "Hello" or even "Hi" to Alexis. What girl would ever love a man that won't even say "Hi" to her upon seeing her?)

"An Obelisk Blue uniform," Sara stated matter-of-factly. "Alexis and I spent most of the day trying to piece it together—borrowing from other boys that are about your size."

"It's important that you look like a student since it's for the brochure," Alexis said, sounding a little uneasy after Chazz failed to respond to Sara's statement. He looked at her the way he always did when she was speaking but, still, he said nothing. It wasn't that he was angry, or sad, he looked a bit surprised…Alexis didn't want to know the exact reason why. "And, after all," she added on to break the silence.

"You're skilled enough to be in Obelisk Blue, anyway, so no one should be offended by it." No one would be offended by it? Hello, he used to be in Obelisk Blue…

Alexis read his annoyance through his eyes before Sara even finished speaking. To prevent the simple task of taking a photo from becoming extremely difficult, she felt the need to tack on a statement…even if she hated the words she came up with.

"The blue suits you better anyway," chirped with false happiness. Chazz fell for it—the red in his cheeks expressed that.

Chazz wasted no time in running to the bathroom to change into the colours that he and Alexis both knew suited him better than Red, Yellow, and even black, and did not hesitate to return while still attempting to button his blazer with excited, trembling fingers.

"Good, he's back!" Sara called when Chazz exited the building and met with them once again on the front stairs. "Okay, here's what I want you two to do…" So she ordered them around, had them do various "candid style" photos all of which involved them walking down the stairs. Some Alexis was in the lead, others Chazz, some they walked side by side, in some they were talking—it only took about ten minutes for "the artist to capture the shot she needed". Chazz was both elated and sad to see it end. He could've stayed near Alexis for hours, but the receptiveness of going up the stairs to go back down the stairs to go back up again was becoming nothing short of an annoyance.

"I'll see you in class," Alexis said as she began ascending the stairs for the last time and without the intent to descend them again.

"Yeah," Chazz echoed. "See you." He glanced over at Sara who was going through her camera again (they had all looked over the shots she had taken and decided the best ones for the job) and, judging by the beeps, was deleting those that were no good. "Hey," he called, catching her attention.

"What is it?" She looked back at her camera and continued her task of deletion.

"Could you print off a couple of copies of the picture you decide to use? You know, in case I need it…or something." She looked back up at him and he kept his face blank so that she couldn't read him. Sara stared at him for a moment and then back at her camera. The beeping resumed.

"Sure. No problem." Chazz found himself inwardly seething…you should look at someone when he's talking to you.

"Thanks," he said casually, as if he didn't really care if he got the copies or not, and walked back up the stairs towards the building. The span of time it took for him to return to the bathroom where he had left his clothes in a moment of uncertainty as to where else they could be left was a great deal longer than his bolt from it…knowing that Alexis wasn't waiting for him in there—though it was a keen fantasy… …—was a contributing factor, but he was also relishing his time spent in his old colors. He felt like someone else when he wore the blue uniform. He felt empowered, important even. If he ever wore the Slifer Red uniform that was expected of him, he'd probably die from the depression derived from being at the very bottom.

He was better than them…better than that…Alexis had said so herself. The blue of Obelisk suited him the best.

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Sara had gotten the copies of the photo she'd selected to him just before dinner. He handed her back the uniform she and Alexis had pieced together for him from various other students—only after he'd taken it off did he wonder if the uniforms were even clean—and that was the end of their confrontation. When she wasn't asking for something, she wasn't very friendly.

Being careful not to bend the square, cropped photo of him and Alexis "caught" talking together while descending the stairs of Duel Academy, he placed them in his pocket and went to dinner, ate with a less-than-average appetite, and then returned to his dorm as soon as he could. He grabbed for his PDA and sent a message to Alexis, a typed one since he didn't think he could film a clip without blushing or getting tongue tied, and waited for her reply.

She gave me copies of the photo she picked. Do you want one?

Waited…Waited…Waited…She was probably eating and talking with her friends. She was always delicate when she ate, so proper…never talking with her mouth full, never eating too slow or too fast, never pulling one of those anorexic tricks of two bites and "I just can't eat any more". Alexis was perfect…but if she wasn't, maybe she did eat too fast and a speck of rice was on the side of her mouth and she didn't know…If he was there he'd brush it away for her before anyone else could see. And she'd say…

The PDA beeped before the fantasy Alexis could say anything because real Alexis had something to say instead…about a real conversation….he was more interested in her fantasy one, but reality was all he was going to get.

OK. Give it to me tomorrow in class.

Chazz frowned.

Can I give it to you sooner? I don't want Jaden to damage it.

After speaking of the idea, it actually donned on him that it was a possibility. In all honesty, he just wanted to see Alexis sooner—who wouldn't? If he was more manipulative, he would have made the picture come at a price…but it wasn't really his photo and he doubted that Alexis would go for anything like that. She'd just say something cold, but still polite. "Actually, I think I'll just wait for the brochure to come out. That way no one asks why I have a photo of myself with you." Chazz felt a stabbing pain in his chest and checked his PDA. Alexis wasn't that cold, but what if that's what she was thinking?

Good point. Meet me at the gate to the girl's dorm in ten minutes?

Ouch, a public place with many spectators. Did she not trust him or something?

He shook the thought away. She probably just didn't want to take a walk right after eating. Didn't that give you cramps or something?...no, that's swimming…but girls get cramps easily, don't they? Or is that only when they're… … ew, Chazz didn't even want to think about it.

Sure. I'll be there.

OK. See you soon.

See you soon? That sounded so adorable! Like she was eager to see him! She had to be! If she wasn't looking forward to his visit she would have left it at "OK." He felt his spirits rise and a smile curled onto his lips as he pulled the photos out of his pocket and looked over the copy that he would keep. It was a good photo—Alexis was smiling, her hair was swaying, her eyes were lit up, and she was looking at him not the camera…

He felt the stab of pain in his chest again when he looked at it that way. When he was in that uniform he fit with her. He was just as good as her…but now he didn't even belong to a dorm. (He did NOT belong in Slifer—technicality or no!) Why would someone as beautiful and perfect in every way as her ever want to be with someone like…

Do you want to meet by the beach instead? There's a practice duel going on by the gate.

Of course there was. It was obviously a lie…she just wanted to be alone with him. The thought made him smile.

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He arrived at the beach running and Alexis was already there, looking beautiful against the sun that was just starting to set. It wasn't the stereotypical movie night sunset with a clear sky and the delicately crashing waves—it was kind of overcast and the waves were just barely lapping at the sand. The poor setting just made Alexis look that much more beautiful…one day, he knew, that beauty would fade, but he felt that he'd still love her. It wasn't just her face and her figure he loved…it was everything else too.

"Sorry I made you wait," Chazz said when she turned and saw him standing there, trying to catch his breath. "I didn't know you'd left when you told me there was a duel outside."

"It's okay," Alexis said with a friendly smile. "So, did she pick a good photo?" She left the shore to approach Chazz, but he hurried to meet her before she walked too far.

"I think so," Chazz stammered as he pulled the photo out of his pocket. He'd made sure it didn't get bent or creased and was proud to say it looked exactly as it had when Sara had given it to him. Alexis took it from him with curious eyes and looked it over analytically, her brow even furrowing as if there was something she didn't like… "Something wrong?" He asked her, trying to keep the nervousness out of his voice.

Snapping back to attention, her brow relaxed and she smiled softly instead.

"Nothing really," she stated. "You just look better in the Obelisk uniform than you do in that." She made a gesture to his current, saturated colored outfit and he frowned. "So you need to work hard so that you can get back into Obelisk Blue."

"I'm working on it," Chazz answered, looking over her shoulder momentarily and then back at her eyes. She looked displeased with his answer and he felt like saying something about missing sharing a status with her, but fought it back in fear of her interpreting it the wrong way.

He glanced down at the photo she was holding with a lot less affection than he held onto his and then back up at her, trying not to let his eyes trace their way up to her face like they wanted. Alexis would get upset if she caught his eyes hesitating…

"I agreed to do it before she said you were in it," he said firmly. She squinted her eyes with confusion and then scratched her head with her free hand.

"Chazz, I don't think—"

"I didn't do it because I love you and thought it would be a cheap way to get a picture of you…or anything." He regretted it after speaking, but kept it from showing on his face. Just by saying it, didn't that make him sound guilty? But he was afraid that she'd come up with that idea on her own and believe that it was true…he had to deny it, even if she didn't believe him. At least he knew that he was being honest…eventually she, too, would catch on, right? "I didn't know you were in it when I agreed."

"I know," Alexis said firmly. "I suggested you to her." Chazz felt his face burn and let his eyes drop to the ground, too flustered to make contact with hers. "She wanted to have Jaden in it, but I told her that it would be a disaster. He'd try to pose or something and it would ruin the entire 'candid' idea." She said more, but all Chazz could hear was his own voice echoing that she chose him over Jaden. Over Jaden! That made him the best man for the job! That made him number one! "Right?"

Chazz froze up. Alexis had asked him a question and he'd missed it. He couldn't just say "yes". What if she'd said "the camera really does add ten pounds" and was talking about herself? (Or was that just for tv?)

"I'm sorry. What?" She laughed slightly, almost nervously.

"I said that you seemed happier in Obelisk Blue than you do now." The sullen look that her face took on made him feel guilty. I should have been listening—now she thinks I'm mad at her.

"Well yeah," he stated. "I was a winner then." Alexis frowned and he bit his lower lip hard. He didn't know if he'd ever said anything stupider in his life given the context of their conversation.

"But I like you better now, Chazz," she said. And he could tell by her tone that by "like" she didn't mean "love". She'd said it with a harsh tone on purpose. At least she didn't lead him on, he thought. He liked knowing how she was feeling. "You're living on the same planet as the rest of us." She offered him a smile, but he could only lift the left side of his mouth to imitate the gesture for half a second.

Chazz thought of a lot of things he could say, but kept them to himself because they all sounded stupid…stupider than what he'd said before that got him into this mess. "I love you." Out of context… "I was happier." That sounded spiteful. "Well, since we're both living on earth, that makes it easier to fall in love" No…that wouldn't help make the situation less awkward.

"It's a good photo though," Alexis said uncomfortably, looking at the picture again.

"Yeah," Chazz mumbled, envisioning it in his mind because they way she held it prevented him from seeing it. "You look good in it. You know…not like the candid shots of celebrities in magazines…" She smiled and he felt the momentary tension ebb. Alexis's smile made everything better…it always had, and he had that smile preserved forever in that photo.

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Love, FOURtwo-nish