Loving the Best - Yu-Gi-Oh! GX

Breaking Free from the Chains

Lucine Otoko walked numbly down the hallways of Duel Academy, not even bothering to make eye-contact with anyone. She knew that if she looked into anyone's eyes, she would see that emotion in their gazes: Pity. Pity, oh how she hated seeing that emotion on everyone's faces. Couldn't they see that it wasn't pity they needed to show her, but compassion? Guess not.

"I don't need their stupid pity," Lucine thought as she picked up the pace and started running. "They all think that just acknowledging the fact that I'm having big problems at home and that I'm hurting inside will make it all go away. Well, that's not how life works, pain doesn't disappear like the stars do when daylight comes. Oh no, it stains you like spilling ink on your favorite shirt! And no matter how hard you scrub, it never comes-"

Her inner monologue was cut off by crashing into someone bigger than her. She fell back flat on her rump, her Duel Disk and Beast Deck clattering onto the cold ground along with her.

"Ugh, sorry about that," Lucine grumbled, rubbing the back of her head. "I wasn't paying attention to where I was going."        

She opened her eyes to look at the person she bumped into, but gasped at who she saw. Standing before Lucine, was Zane Truesdale, the top duelist at the Academy. She instantly leapt to her feet and dusted off her Ra Yellow jacket.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry!" she apologized frantically, panic seeping through her veins as she stood stock still. "I was being stupid as usual and ran down the hallways like a mad-women. Anyway I'm really sorry for crashing into you like that, I can make it up you if you wan-"

Lucine was interrupted by Zane putting a single finger against her lips, silencing her. Confused, she looked up into Zane's blue eyes and tilted her head at him.

Zane sighed, "You don't have to make anything up to me," he explained. "Mainly because you bumped into me by accident, and that I prefer doing things on my own."

Just then, he paused and looked at Lucine more closely, "You're Lucine Otoko," he observed. "The girl who's rumored to be having some problems at home. Am I right?"

Lucine tried and failed to hide the slight growl in her voice, "Yes. Yes I am," she told him, pulling away from Zane's finger. "Now before you say anything else, listen closely. I don't need your pity, I don't need anyone's pity-"

"I know."

A dumbfounded expression formed on Lucine's face as she looked at the older student, "What do you mean by 'I know'?" she inquired, eyebrow raised.

Zane sighed, "I mean I know that pity is just a sorry excuse people give to the ones hurting to not waste any time," he explained. "While they are completely blind to the fact that compassion is the only way to help heal the wounded."

Lucine felt tears of happiness form in her lilac eyes as Zane asked her, "I know we barely know each other, but please, will you let me help you heal your inner wounds?"

Lucine nodded, then instinctually threw her arms around Zane's mid-section. It took a moment, but soon Lucine felt Zane hug back. And in those precious seconds, the chains of the past that held the Ra Yellow student shattered, and she was free thanks to Zane.

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Hope you all liked this one-shot, the next one will be coming soon.