Work Text:
Ever since he’d found the text log between Yuugi and “Kurusu” showing that Kurusu was in prison, he’d been wary of Kurusu. He didn’t know why, he’d never met him. And it wasn’t like he was entirely innocent either. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that anyone who harmed Yuugi was dangerous, so therefore anyone with the potential to harm Yuugi had to go? He wasn’t entirely certain.
Still, Kurusu beared watching.
Yami no Yuugi had been staking out LeBlanc for a while now, watching Kurusu work while working on their homework. He felt pretty confident that Yuugi wouldn’t be recognized, as despite the distinctive hair color, that was the only thing shared between their off-school appearances. Still, it was rather annoying when the steam from the coffee would fog their glasses. Maybe this was why Yuugi never wore them? He couldn’t be sure.
Yami no Yuugi glanced up from his Geometry worksheet in time to see Kurusu stripping off the apron he wore while working behind the counter, and quickly ducked his head back down again when he noticed Kurusu coming towards him. Was his cover blown? Had he been too obvious?
His panic reached new heights when Kurusu slid into the booth across from him, and he stared down at the worksheet to avoid eye contact. “Mutou, is everything alright? You’ve been glaring at me all afternoon.” Yami no Yuugi scowled, grip tightening on his pencil. Seems the disguise wasn’t all that great after all. “Hey, are you trying out a new style or something? Your hair’s not usually down. Is.....Is it something to do with your Puzzle?” Yami no Yuugi’s head jerked up, and he glared at Kurusu.
The effect was dampened somewhat by his still-foggy glasses, but the sentiment was there. Kurusu was visibly taken aback—probably because of his eyes—and Yami no Yuugi couldn’t help but feel a curl of vindictive pleasure at even the slight admission of fear. “How do you know about that?” he asked, straining to sound polite. Kurusu blinked, baffled.
“You.....told me?” he said. Yami no Yuugi stiffened, cursing under his breath. “Wait.....You’re not Mutou, are you? You’re the other Mutou. The one from the Puzzle.” Yami no Yuugi stiffened further, a murderous glint in his eyes. “Why are you here, Other Mutou? Did something happen?”
“Did something— yeah, something happened! You went to prison!” It was Kurusu’s turn to freeze, though to his credit he relaxed a moment later. “I didn’t even know you existed until I found the texts between you and Yuugi, and the first thing I learn is that you’re a criminal! How am I supposed to handle that?!” he snapped. Kurusu’s face turned stony, all trace of emotion washed away. Despite himself, Yami no Yuugi flinched.
“I’d hoped that you’d take it with a level head, but I see now that it was foolish of me to hope for such a thing,” Kurusu said, voice so cold it could’ve flash-frozen the steaming cup still sat between them. “I don’t see how Mutou’s friends are any of your business, in any case.” Yami no Yuugi flinched again, the words like a physical blow.
“I just....I want to protect him. He gave me a life, something beyond a detached spirit, and I can’t repay him any other way. Nothing else I do is good enough, so at least with this, I can help him. I have to protect him, because if I don’t, what am I good for?!” Yami no Yuugi looked up, slightly frantic. Kurusu raised an eyebrow, expression invisible behind his opaque lenses.
“Did you ask him if he wanted your protection?” Yami no Yuugi blinked, mouth gaping like a fish. “Or did you just assume?” Kurusu sighed, shifting in his seat. “He’s scared of you, Spirit-kun, and rightly so in my opinion. From his point of view, he’s blacking out and hurting people, causing others to be afraid of him, but he has no memory of these incidents. In his eyes, something he has no control of is ruining every chance he has to make friends.” Kurusu took off his glasses, folding them carefully before looking Yami no Yuugi in the eyes. His sharp gaze, made more intense by the lack of barrier, practically pinned Yami no Yuugi in place. “You need to control yourself. Ask him if he wants your protection, before just giving it willy-nilly. Got it?”
Yami no Yuugi swallowed thickly, nodding. That.....sounded reasonable, actually. The more he thought it over, the more he liked the idea. For once, the white-hot rage settled down into something more like a slow boil. He smiled, tension relaxing. “I’ll talk to him. Thank you, Kurusu.” Kurusu nodded, putting his glasses back on. Almost immediately, the oppressive atmosphere lessened to almost nothing.
Swords Rank UP!
Rank VI: You can now negotiate with [IRRITABLE]-type Shadows!