Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Family Bonds ❯ Interlude Four: Love At First Sight ( Chapter 25 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

September 2007- Domino City- Dragon’s Den

“Hey Ashling, I’ve been wondering about something.”

Ashling rolls over onto her stomach to face Tama and Shizuka, who are laying side-by-side; Anzu is beside Ashling.
“What is it?” Ashling asks.

“I was just thinking about spring break when the rest of your group was up here with you.” Tama says. “Remember how we were talking about how we all met one another? I was wondering how you met Nixx and his brothers.”

“Did Liam tell you that Roman and I dated?” Ashling asks crossly. “Because if he did, that’s a lie. Although…” She bites her lip. “We almost did.”

“Oh, now I have to hear how you met Roman at least.” Tama says. “Come on, lets hear it.”

Ashling sighs. “Alright… it all starts about five years ago when it was mine and Liam’s first day of middle school. We had just moved to Virginia earlier that summer and we didn’t know anybody. And the worst part was that they split up Liam and I…”

An eleven-year-old Ashling shyly takes a seat at her classes lunch table at the very end of it away from the rest of her class. She looks around the cafeteria for a minute to see if she can find Liam. She’s disappointed to find him all the way on the other side of the cafeteria talking to a boy with purple hair.

With a small sigh she opens up her Sailor Moon lunchbox and takes out a partially squished PB&J sandwich and makes a face. Reaching back in she pulls out a sandwich baggy filled with Cheetos and after that a CapriSun juice.

“Hey.”

Ashling looks up, startled. She blushes when she sees a cute boy with royal blue eyes and raven black hair that is tied back into a ponytail standing right across from her with a tray.

“You look lonely. Can I sit here?” He asks.

Ashling shakes her head. “I- I don’t mind.”

The boy smiles and sits down. “I’m Roman.”

“I’m Ashling.” She says shyly. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Polite, aren’t you.” Roman comments. “You don’t have to be that polite around me. It drives me nuts, actually.”

Ashling looks down at her food. “S-sorry!”

Roman rolls his eyes. “Whatever.” He mutters.

“Sounds like you two didn’t have to best first meeting.” Anzu comments. “When did the whole ‘get-Ashling-and-Roman-to-date’ thing start?”

“I’m going to kill Liam.” Ashling mutters. “Lets see… I’d say it was around three pr four years ago that Roman first started flirting with me and about a year later I started responding. It was all in fun at first and then it sort of got out of hand.”

“You said something about the two of you almost dating.” Shizuka says.

“Oh yeah.” Ashling nods. “It was our freshman year of high school and getting close to Homecoming and we were all trying to decide if we wanted to go. Damian and Roman both wanted to go and Liam, Alex, Holly, and I didn’t really want to go…”

“Please go with me, Ash.” Damian begs. “Roman and I need some kawaii company. Onegai?” He drags out ‘onegai’ as long as he can.

“Damian, I just don’t know.” Ashling says. “I really don’t want to go.”

“But it’ll be more fun if you’re there.” Damian says. “And I bet Roman would love to see you in a dress.”

Ashling blushes. “W-what! No! Stop it, Damian!”

Damian grins. “I’ll even lay off and let you and Roman go together. I bet one of the girls from my drama class would go with me.”

Ashling smacks Damian on the arm and hisses, “Would you urusai. Roman’s coming over here.”

Roman stops when both Damian and Ashling look over at him. “Oookay… do I even want to know what you two were saying about me?”

“Who says we were talking about you?” Ashling asks. “Just because we suddenly stopped talking and looked over at you doesn’t mean we were talking about you.”

Roman rolls his right. “Riiiight. So Ash, can I ask you something?”

Ashling nervously nods, having a feeling about what’s coming. “I guess. Sure.”

Roman looks over at Damian. “Purple-boy, scram.” He says.

“Leaving!” Damian says cheerfully. “I see my date-to-be right over there. Hey Constance!” He runs off after a pretty brown-haired girl wearing all black and an anime jacket.

“Ashling,” Roman takes Ashling’s hand with a serious expression on his face. “Will you be my date for the Homecoming dance?”

Ashling blushes for the second time. “I- well, it’s just- I--” She squeaks when Roman kisses the back of her hand and she turns a brighter shade of red. “As friends.” She managed to get out.

Roman looks a little disappointed, but isn’t about to complain since he has gotten her to go. “As friends.” He agrees.

“Awww….” Anzu, Shizuka, and Tama say in unison.

“That’s so sweet!” Anzu exclaims. “Why’d you have to go and say ‘as friends’? You two would be so cute together!”

“Well it turned out for the best, didn’t it?” Ashling asks. “I’m with Malik now. If I were with Roman and we went through all of this, things would not be pretty.”

“That’s true.” Tama agrees.

“Maybe in an alternate universe or something, but not this one.” Ashling says. “Not this one…”

Roman leans down to gently kiss Ashling in the middle of a song only to be stopped by Ashling’s fingers on his lips.

“Roman, I- I can’t.” Ashling whispers, blinking back tears. “I’m sorry.” She says before she flees the gym, tears beginning to fall freely from her eyes.

Roman stands there and watches her leave, at a loss for what to do. Damian sees her running off and apologizes to his date before he chases after Ashling.

Damian finds her standing outside crying with her arms wrapped around her chest. “Ashling?” He softly calls. “Ash, are you al--” He cuts himself off when Ashling launches herself into his arms and clings to his purple shirt.

“Why?” She asks. “Why do I push him away? Every time. I push him away every time and I hate it.” She whispers. “I hate it.”

Damian wraps his arms around her. “It’s okay, Ash.”

“I know…” Ashling whispers brokenly.

The two stand there for a minute before Ashling pulls away from Damian and wipes her eyes. “Thanks, Damian.”

Damian smiles. “No problem. Now come on, kitten. I’ll call my driver to come get us and get you home.” He says. “Do you need anything from inside?”

Ashling shakes her head. “No… no, lets go.”

F-A-M-I-L-Y--B-O-N-D-S--:--I-N-T-E-R-L-U-D-E-S- -F-A-M-I-L-Y--B-O-N-D-S--:--I-N-T-E-R-L-U-D-E-S
Shiro: Here it is, a little look into Ashling's past with Roman. Not much else to say about it.

Next Interlude- Holidays 3: Yule and Christmas (it's got some religious themes to it like the Halloween one did, so if you want to skip it that's okay.)