X: "I’ll be there bright and early with pancakes!"

[fluffybun]

Last one!

(Though I want to continue this, I need to do some more canon review of Season 4 first. :()

Title: Crumble
Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh GX
Prompt: Stalkers
Medium: fic
Wordcount: 1297
Rating: PG
Warnings: none

Summary: She can’t speak, but she’ll be helped through the ordeal.

Other notes: Slightly Fianceshipping, Valentineshipping.

It was Manjoume-kun who told Asuka about the stalker when he visited her at her university.

"Tenjouin-kun," he said lowly when he turned to go.

"Yes, Manjoume-kun?"

"My ace says someone is following us, but his eyes are fixated on you."

"Huh."

 

"Has this happened before, Tenjouin-kun?"

 

“No, not that I know of,” she said honestly. “Not since that time at Duel Academia anyway… I have felt some eyes on me lately, though I thought I was being paranoid.”

 

“I don’t like it,” he muttered. “Ne, Tenjouin-kun, maybe you should tell Fubuki-niisan.”

 

She frowned. “Why would I tell him?”

 

He scratched his head. “He would probably want to know. He worries about you, Tenjouin-kun.”

 

“He shouldn’t, he knows I can take care of myself. I did well enough when he was taken by Darkness,” she said firmly.

 

“But this is the real world now, Tenjouin-kun, and we’re not in Duel Academia anymore” he said sadly. Asuka could see what he meant. “As someone with older brothers, even if we don’t have the best relationship, they do still worry about me in their own way, so I’m sure that Fubuki-san would definitely worry about you.”

 

She sighed. “I’ll tell him, then. But he’ll probably overreact.”

 

“Ne, Tenjouin-kun, would you mind holding on to this card for now?”

 

She stared at the card. “Ojama Black? But why, Manjoume-kun? Don’t you need it for your matches?”

 

“Just give it to me tomorrow, before my match with Edo. You are watching, right?” He blushed as he handed her the card.

 

“Of course, Manjoume-kun, all of us are. But-“

 

“For my peace of mind, Tenjouin-kun” he said and with that, she agreed, tucking the card into her coat.

 

***

 

The conversation with Fubuki-niisan does not go well, but Asuka would have been surprised had it gone well.

 

“Asuka! A stalker! With evil plans and lusts for my dear beloved sister! Wait for me, I’ll come right over!”

 

“Nii-san, it’s fine. I did take those self-defense classes, remember? The ones you signed me up for before I left for America? Besides, your hotel is thirteen blocks away.”

 

“But Asuka-“

 

“It’s fine, Nii-san. I’ve locked all the windows and doors securely and asked the guard of the apartment building to note any suspicious activity.”

 

“But-“

 

“If you want, you can pick me up tomorrow and we can go to Manjoume-kun’s match tomorrow.”

 

“I’ll be there bright and early with pancakes!”

 

“Fine,” though she smiles when she ends the call.

 

She slips Ojama Black out of her coat pocket and places it on her bedside table. Manjoume-kun meant well, she knew, but she wished he wouldn’t worry so much about her. It was sweet though.

 

It is somewhat comforting to sleep with Ojama Black’s card nearby, knowing that Manjoume-kun’s Duel Spirit, even if unseen by her, was standing guard.

 

***

 

As promised, her nii-san comes bright and early, knocking hard on her door enough to cause some yelling from her neighbors. She flushes with embarrassment as she runs to let him in.

 

“Nii-san, don’t be so loud!”

 

“Ah, Asuka, I’ve missed you!” He hugs her cheerfully.

 

“Nii-san, of course I’ve missed you too,” she said, carefully rescuing the pancakes from landing on the floor. “But you don’t have to be so loud!”

“Hai, hai” said Fubuki-niisan as he set out the plates, his voice now serious. “Anyway, how was last night?”

 

“Um, I didn’t feel or hear or see anything, but Manjoume-kun lent me his Ojama Black so that it could observe anything suspicious.”

 

“Wow, Thunder seems cool, Asuka! Maybe you should give him another chance-“

 

She cuts him off by shoving a pancake slice in his mouth. “Not the right time, Nii-san.”

 

Fubuki swallows quickly, beating his chest before drinking some water. “Ah, Asuka, did you know? Judai-kun is coming to watch also!”

 

“Judai?” She feels faint.

 

He smiles at her. “Let’s say hi before the match!”

 

***

 

Asuka hated to admit it, but having Fubuki-niisan next to her kept her worries at bay as they walked to the Duel Stadium. Maybe it was just the power of suggestion, but she did feel someone’s gaze on her as they walked, something… uncomfortable.

 

“Asuka! Fubuki-kun!” She turned to see Judai running up to them, Johan on his heels. “Good to see you here! Are you here to watch Manjoume?”

 

She nodded, feeling her heart fluttering.

 

“But why do you have Ojama Black with you? Shouldn’t he be with Manjoume?” said Judai slowly.

 

“Um,” she wondered how to explain, but then Judai’s eyes focused on what seemed like nothing in front of her. Maybe he was already talking to Ojama Black.

 

“Asuka,” Judai said lowly, seriously. “What’s this Ojama Black talking about you having a stalker?”

 

She was saved from answering when Manjoume-kun appeared in front of them.

 

***

 

She sighed after the match, while washing her face in the bathroom. What Ojama Black had told Manjoume-kun and Judai-kun had been hard to swallow. That there had been a man who followed her up to her building’s lobby. How when she and Fubuki-niisan had left the apartment building, Ojama Black had spotted the same man following them all the way to the Duel Stadium, only disappearing into the shadows once Judai and Johan had come up to them.

 

She felt like she was being watched, even in this bathroom.

 

She berated herself, telling herself to think rationally. It’s not like anything’s happened yet, nor am I that defenseless. Should I consider moving?

 

When she walks back, her smile in place, she meets her friends who are frowning.

 

“Yes?”

 

Fubuki-niisan smiles and cheerfully assures her that it’s nothing, though Asuka knows that he knows she can see through his lies.

***

After the dinner, Fubuki-niisan smiles and tells her that he’s been kicked out of his hotel for playing his ukulele too loudly, and would she mind putting him up for a while. She frowns but realizes the truth behind the excuse.

Judai and Johan ask to walk with them, since their hotel is nearby and they’d rather not get lost. They agree, though Asuka wonders why until Judai pulls her arm to talk to her privately on the way.

“Ne, Asuka” he said slowly. “Would you mind showing me your deck?”

She smiled. “Sure, though I’d rather show you in a duel. I modified it since graduating.”

She handed him the cards, and he flipped through them carefully. She wondered what exactly he was looking for, considering he seemed to be focusing on her usual Cyber Girls.

“Gotcha,” he said, and he handed the deck back to her. “Ne, Asuka, let’s eat breakfast together! Aren’t you on a break now?”

She nodded, “Spring break, yes. Okay.”

“I’ll even pay, and if I can’t, Johan will” he said cheerfully.

She sees Fubuki waving to her from the building, and Johan going back to them.

“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said softly.

“Yeah,” he said, but then his eyes changed, shifting color. “Asuka, don’t worry. We’ll get to the bottom of it.”

“Yeah,” she said softly.

He suddenly reaches for the pen in her pocket and writes a number on her arm which he says is his. “Johan and I will probably be playing cards until late tonight. Call me if anything suspicious happens, okay?”

She was touched at his concern. “Thanks, Judai-kun.”

He shook his head as he turned away. “Remember to call.”

***

He answers after three rings, late at night.

“Judai?”

“Asuka?” He seems concerned, his voice lower than usual. “Is anything wrong?”

She can’t speak, the fear in her heart overwhelming even if her brother was already armed with a baseball bat in her dining room.

“I’ll come over,” he said decisively.

“Thank you,” she gets out somehow before he hangs up..