Reunited (Zane Truesale X Reader)

Connections

Warning: Steamy ending;)
—(Y/N)'s P.O.V.—

Hating Zane Truesdale is proving to be harder than I thought.
Don't get me wrong, not having the urge to punch him in the throat immediately on sight is definitely a feeling I don't miss, but it's harder to hide my meetings with him. And I wouldn't have this problem, but when I come home happier than when I left, Syrus starts to get curious about where I've been.
I just can't afford to tell Sy yet. I just need to know that his older brother's positive presence is going to stick, and hiding my friendship with Zane from Syrus keeps him at a distance and keeps me a step ahead.
But Zane's positive impact is starting to become something I can't hide, and I find myself in a prime example of why this is such a problem.
Zane's texting me, and Syrus is in the room, so when the smile on my face appears, Syrus' eyebrows raise, "Who's that?"
Freezing up, I say, "Someone from The Gutters. Thinkin' 'bout going there later,"
"Uh, cool. Can I come?" As Syrus asks, Nicky comes out of his room.
"Where are we going?"
Nicky's had an obsession with dueling since he could walk, and especially since I got my pro title, so I can't fake out of this.
If Nicky thinks we're going to The Gutters, we're going to The Gutters.
I sigh, "Wanna go watch us street duel?"

.....

I close my door as I hear Nicky's exited footsteps run to his shared room to get his shoes.
Walking over to my nightstand, I pick up my phone and fasten my duel box onto my thigh holster.
I hit the text back option on my phone and respond to Zane.

Z
What are you doing today?

(Y/N)
Me and the boys are heading to The Gutters today if you wanna bump into us
Maybe see Sy duel for fun?
Interested?

Z
Very
What time?

(Y/N)
ASAP
just waiting for Nicky to stuff his laces in his shoes, or force Sy to tie them for him

Z
Who knows, Syrus could teach him how to tie his shoes himself :)
Maybe see you soon

Chuckling at my screen, I put it in my pocket and put my shoes on at the front door, "Boys, are you ready?"

.....

Syrus got into the dueling scene as soon as we arrived, leaving me with an overeager, albeit adorable ten year old.
And though he's adorable, and I love him, I can only see him like this for an hour before I get extremely tired.
"Look over there!" Nicky starts pulling my hand and making a beeline to a random platform where a duel's taking place, "That guy has a Summoned Skull!"
"Yeah, it's pretty cool, huh?" I look up at the holographic demon, "You could have him in your deck one day, then you might be able to beat me," I pull Nicky closer to me before he runs to another platform that has a cool monster on the field.
"Attack points aren't everything, y'know," a voice behind me says, "being a good duelist requires a lot more than the cards in your deck,"
I know that voice. That voice used to send chills of dread down my spine; now, I smile with genuine happiness as I turn around and come face to face with Zane Truesdale.
And I soon as I see his getup, I stifle a laugh in my throat, "What the hell are you wearing?"
Zane is wearing the most intentionally incognito outfit I've ever seen. Black converse with black jeans and a dark grey hoodie covering a black t-shirt; however, the most conspicuously inconspicuous part of his wardrobe has to be the black baseball cap with a black face mask and black sunglasses.
"Did you're middle school crush just reject you?" I ask, and put my hand on my chest in faux pity, "Is your room covered in Fall Out Boy posters? What happened man?" I continue to throw questions at Zane while I walk him and Nicky in the direction of Syrus' duel, much to Nicky's protest.
"I'm trying to be low-key," I'm sure I'd see an eye roll with Zane's comment if his glasses didn't get in the way, "This is the kind of place where I would get recognized a lot. I'm starting to see why you hide your face for duels,"
"I thought I hid because Astor was ashamed of me?" I crack a small smile before I turn to face Zane and pout.
"Why would Astor be ashamed of you?" Nicky asks, "You're the best duelist I know,"
This sends warmth throughout my chest accompanied by an ache in my gut.
"Thanks Nicky," I say as we arrive at Syrus' platform, the duel seeming to be in the home stretch, "But I was just joking. Zane made a joke awhile ago so I was just rubbing his face in it,"
"Oh, ok," Nicky turns back to the duel and starts cheering Sy on.
Zane leans into my ear, "he doesn't know?"
I look at Zane and shake my head, "he already missed out on so many normal things, I just don't  want to ruin his blissful ignorance for a while. It's one thing to have lost your parents, it's another to know how awful they were and how desperate I was to get away from them,"
Zane nods and turns back to the game, waving at Syrus who waves back, "I get wanting to protect your sibling, you're a good sister. Willing to do so much for him," Zane nudges my arm.
I form a small smile and give Zane a side glance, "Wow, that was embarrassing for you,"
At this point, Syrus sees us and freezes up.
The next few moves Sy makes in his duel are self destructive and are taking him farther away from the easy win he was building to earlier. I grasp is eyes and hold them for a moment.
I visually breathe in and out and give Syrus a warm smile, and he knows. He knows, in that moment at least, that it doesn't matter.
It doesn't matter if he loses, and it doesn't matter if Zane is watching.
Because if he loses, if Zane sees it all happen, I'll be there.
Syrus' eyes flicker over to Zane, and Zane knows what to do. He pulls down his mask and gives Sy a small smile. Syrus closed his eyes and takes a breath, and when his eyes open, we could see he was ready to dive back in.