Work Text:
“I love you,” Yuya said blearily—staring up at Yuto like he’d just found a new religion—as he accepted the coffee Yuto held out for him. “You’re my favorite counterpart,” Yuya added seriously.
Yuto blushed brilliantly, glancing awkwardly off to the side because he couldn’t seem to take a compliment for the life of him. Yuya kind of wanted to pinch Yuto’s cheeks in response to the sheer amount of cuteness he was projecting in that moment. That might have just been the sleep deprivation talking though.
“Thank... you?” Yuto offered unsurely, looking like he half wished the roof would cave in and put him out of his misery. Yuya eyed the roof speculatively, but it looked stable enough so Yuto probably wouldn’t be going anywhere.
(Yuya still had nightmares of Yuto dying in his arms. Would say something in his head expecting a response only to be greeted with silence.
Yuya had a special bond with all his counterparts, but he wouldn’t deny that he was closest to Yuto even now.)
Shun’s cough sounded suspiciously like a laugh from where he stood behind Yuto, trailing after him like an oversized and very intimidating puppy. Yuto glared at him and Shun kept an admirably straight face. Ruri giggled next her brother, eyes glinting with good humor as Yuya winked exaggeratedly at her.
“What were you doing on the ground?” Yuto finally asked, brows crinkled in a way that made him look irritated but actually meant he was concerned.
Yuya sat up more, stretching. “Sleeping,” he explained, yawning.
“On the ground?” Yuto repeated, giving it a dubious glance as Yuya downed half of his coffee in one go.
There had been a time when Yuya hadn’t liked coffee. That was before he’d discovered it’s instrumental assistance in keeping him from collapsing from exhaustion in some half destroyed street. Yuzu had been less than pleased to learn about that particular incident.
“As nice as it is to see you actually resting,” Shun redirected dryly, tone amused, “you know you have a room for that right?”
Yuya practically lived in Heartland these days to help with the rebuilding—feeling desperately like he needed to, in some small way, make up for what happened.
(After, you know, almost destroying the world and the four dimensions.)
Reparations for Heartland were slow going even with everyone pitching in to help where they could. When the dimensions had merged it was less like a complete merge and more like certain areas had overlapped onto the same plain of existence—leaving everyone scrambling.
Yuya was pretty sure Reiji just didn’t sleep at all anymore with how busy he was coordinating all the rebuilding efforts, smoothing over relationships between the different dimensions and their people, setting up a rehabilitation facility for the former Academia students, and doing a complete overhaul of Synchro’s, Fusion’s, and XYZ’s governing bodies. Yuya didn’t know how Reiji did it all.
Yuya was starting to suspect Reiji wasn’t actually human at all, but a robot in disguise.
It would explain a lot honestly.
“Yeah, but that was really far away,” Yuya explained, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. “And I was really tired. This way was more convenient.”
“That sounds eerily like Yugo’s logic,” Yuto noted, crossing his arms even as his lips twitched upwards.
Yuya was helpless to do anything but smile back. “Shhh,” he said, pressing a finger to his lips and winking at Yuto who laughed in response, smile warm and eyes soft like dewy clouds.
Things might be hard now but someday it would be worth it.
Yuya was utterly aghast.
“The world almost ended,” Yuya said in disbelief, “and they’re giving out homework?”
You Show was truly ruthless in its schooling.
It had only been a week since Zarc. Yoko still wouldn’t let Yuya out of her sight, smothering him with love and copious amounts of pancakes. Yuya wasn’t complaining, but he was feeling a little restless.
Gongenzaka shrugged. “I think they’re just trying to pretend everything’s back to normal,” he said carefully, setting Yuya’s accumulated schoolwork down.
Yuya scowled, surprisingly fierce. “But it’s not,” he protested heatedly. “Nothing’s back to normal.”
“I know,” Gongenzaka said looking at Yuya softly with a look that might have been pity if Yuya didn’t know his friend better than that. “I know.”
There wasn’t anything left to say because he did. Everyone did. Even if some weren’t accepting it just yet.
“I come bearing food!” Yuya announced grandly, holding up his offering.
“YES!” Crow... crowed in delight, shooting up from whatever he’d been working on to snatch the bag from Yuya.
“Yuya!” Yugo greeted excitedly, waving his arm frantically. Rin eyed his hand that kept just barely missing her. “Did you know it’s impossible to find you!? You’re never in your office!” He complained, pouting.
‘Office’ was a generous term. It was more like a dilapidated corner of the former Resistance’s headquarters that happened to have a functioning desk for Yuya to work at. And sleep on.
“Sorry,” Yuya said sheepishly. “I’ve been busy lately.”
“We noticed,” Rin said, eyeing Yuya’s exhausted appearance.
Sometimes Yuya got the distinct impression that Rin was evaluating him. Which was a slightly terrifying thought after seeing her right hook.
“You’re very popular,” Rin added dryly, crossing her ams.
“Ah...” Yuya said intelligently, at a loss for how to respond for a moment. “How are things going?” He asked finally, genuinely curious.
Yuya spent dozens of hours every day helping out with various tasks as a glorified errand runner but he could never seem to do enough.
“Good!” Yugo answered brightly, gesturing proudly behind him. “We finally got the power up and running!”
The enthusiasm. The energy. Yuya almost wished they were still merged just so he could remember what it was like to feel those things again.
As it was, “I... can see that,” Yuya said, blinking at the dozens of Christmas lights strewn up, every one of them lit up; an explosion of color and twinkling lights.
“I tried to stop him,” Crow offered, though based on his amused grin he clearly hadn’t tried very hard.
Still, “Where did you even get Christmas lights?” Yuya wondered aloud, because that definitely hadn’t been listed in the supplies runs. Yuya would’ve remembered that.
... Probably, he amended in his mind. He was pretty exhausted these days.
Crow grinned, his expression edging into something smug. “Jack,” he answered triumphantly.
One of these days Crow might actually forgive Jack for what he did but today—and tomorrow, and probably the day after that too—was not going to be that day. Until then Jack would just have to survive Crow’s petty revenge.
Yuya wished Jack luck. He was in for a long road, even with him and Reiji pushing for a bridge to connect Satellite and New Domino City.
“Okay,” Yuya said, nodding along sagely like this was all perfectly understandable, “But why?”
Yugo’s gaze was abruptly directed to rock by his foot that he nudged as he said, “Ah, well...”
Yugo blushed then, actually looking shy and God if Yuya’s mother could see him now-
“It’s just...” Yugo paused, looking uncharacteristically hesitant for moment. “It’s stupid but Yuto said that Heartland used to be really colorful and full of lights so...”
(It wouldn’t surprise Yuya if Yugo also felt like he had something he needed to make up for—to Yuto especially.)
“Ah,” Yuya repeated, staring at the lights with new eyes.
(In Yuto’s memories Heartland was a bright, wondrous place—glittering with the city lights. Absolutely nothing like the grim battlefield it had become.)
Perhaps this too, in some small way, was just as important as rebuilding.
Yuya smiled warmly. “I think it looks great,” he said brightly and Yugo beamed back at him.
Yugo’s smile was blinding in it’s brilliance. Yuya almost felt like he needed to squint at the abrupt brightness being thrown at his face.
“Thanks,” Yuya added sincerely, “for all your help.”
Yugo flushed. “Not you too!” He complained comically, burying his face in his hands. “Yuto already came by to thank us yesterday!” He whined.
Rin handled Yuya’s thanks with far more grace and composure, simply waving a dismissive hand as she smiled kindly at Yuya. “It’s no problem. This place is better than the Satellite anyway. Less Sector Security at least,” she added, humor wry.
Crow barked out a laugh. “Got that right!”
Yuya’s lips pulled up into a smile without his permissions. “Thanks again anyway.”
Crow seemed to speak for all of them as he grinned, giving a thumbs up, and said, “Anytime.”
“How are you doing?” Yusho asked, worry painted all over his face.
And if the air between them felt a little strained, well. At least Yusho was alive for it to be strained.
(Now, at least, Yuya knew why Yusho had left. And if it didn’t lessen the ache of his absence at least there was a little more closure to it now.)
Yuya smiled and it felt like a lie. “Alright.”
Yusho frowned harder at him. “I heard you haven’t been dueling,” he broached carefully.
Yuya couldn’t quite stop his fists from clenching, his mouth pressing into a thin line before it smoothed out into a smile again. “I just haven’t felt up to dueling yet,” he said with a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of his head even as his eyes darted away; revealing his true feelings.
How could Yuya explain the way dueling terrified him now? How something that had always been about laughter and fun had been twisted into something unrecognizable? How Zarc’s laughter still rang in his head along with the screams of his victims?
How could Yuya explain that, more than anything else, Yuya was afraid of what he might do—become—while dueling.
“I’ll start up again when I feel up to it,” Yuya tried, still smiling, however strained the expression was.
Even Yuya didn’t know if he was lying or not.
Yusho stared at him and it would’ve been inscrutable if it weren’t for the honest concern in his eyes. “Take all the time you need,” he said at last.
Time. That’s all anything seemed to come down to these days.
“We’re going out,” Yuri announced as he swept inside, doing that terrifying thing with his face.
It might, generously, be called a smile. If only because his lips were upturned and for no other reason. It was the same kind of smile Yuya had learned to associate with murder and game nights with Yugo and Yuto.
Yuya squinted at him. “O-kaaay...” He said slowly. “Why?”
Yuri smiled wider. “Because I said so,” he said sweetly, utterly and viciously terrifying.
Welp. Couldn’t argue with that. Or with crazy.
Which was how Yuya found himself walking around Heartland with Yuri.
“Soooo... how have you been?” Yuya asked awkwardly, because the drawn out silence was beginning to feel ominous.
“The usual,” Yuri said dismissively, flicking his fingers contemptuously. “Just dealing with nuisances.”
Yuya laughed uneasily at that. “That’s... good,” he settled on, smile tight.
In what was perhaps the worst—or most terrifying—idea Reiji had ever come up with he’d put both Yuri and Kaito on a team together and sicked them on the more... dedicated Academia students still at large. To this day Yuya was still surprised that the two of them hadn’t killed each other yet.
“It looks like reconstruction is going well,” Yuri commented offhandedly, smiling a little too widely.
Yuya squinted at him with comical suspicion. “It is,” he agreed carefully, wondering where Yuri was going with this because he definitely didn’t care about construction of all things—or people.
Talking to Yuri was like trying to navigate a conversational minefield. And at some point you started feeling like you were forgetting how words were supposed to work.
Yuri seemed more pleased by Yuya’s reaction than anything else, smile growing as he brushed a strand of his hair out of his face.
“Hey, Yuya!” Allen called out as he wandered over, focused on the papers in his hand. “Sayaka needs some help with-“ Allen made the mistake of looking up then.
Yuri’s smile was distinctly homicidal.
“-Or not,” Allen quickly corrected, slowly starting to back away now. “It can wait,” he said, holding the papers up like a shield.
“Are you sure?” Yuya asked, visibly concerned. “I don’t mind-“
“Nope!” Allen practically yelped, shooting another glance at Yuri. “We’re good! You just- uh- yeah,” he said, and then bolted in the opposite direction.
Yuri looked inordinately pleased when Yuya turned to him. “Was that really necessary?” Yuya asked.
“Yes,” Yuri answered, smug and utterly unrepentant.
Yuya sighed. “Did you need something?” He asked at last, because sometimes being blunt as a brick was the only way to get anywhere with Yuri.
“Now that you mention it...” Yuri started casually, looking up from his nails to smile dangerously at Yuya.
Oh no.
“Oh no,” Yuya said aloud, feeling like he’d just made a grave mistake. And possibly opened pandora’s box in the process.
Yuri’s smile turned downright predatory.
“How are you feeling?” Yuzu asked.
“Why does everyone keep asking me that?” Yuya wondered idly to the air next to him, absently kicking off the ground so the swing would sway.
It was a rhetorical question.
“You still haven’t gone back to school,” Yuzu reminded, smiling fondly at Yuya with enough warmth to power several solar systems. “And you are very easy to worry over,” she added lightly, teasing.
Yuya snorted. “Thanks,” he said, tone dry enough to give the desert competition as he pulled his goggles further over his eyes. “How’s Serena doing?”
“Good,” Yuzu answered, smiling. “I think she actually likes attending You Show because of how isolated she was at Academia. I think she could do without all the extra attention though,” she added, somewhat wryly.
Yuya winced sympathetically, remembering his own experience with bullies after his dad’s disappearance.
“You didn’t answer my question,” Yuzu pointed out as she stepped in even closer to him, her smile not quite as practiced as Yuya’s own.
Maybe that was a good thing.
If there was a list of people that should be absolutely terrified of him Yuzu would be right near the top of it, possibly even competing for first place. And yet here she was, eyes soft and warm with concern.
Yuya didn’t understand it.
“I’m fine,” he answered, trying to fit his usual cheer into his voice. His chest felt too tight.
Yuzu just looked incredibly sad, like she could almost see the intangible wall Yuya had just tried to put between them. “You can talk to me you know,” she said quietly.
“I know.”
He did.
Yuya just wasn’t sure if talking was something he wanted yet.
“This is a terrible idea,” Yuya reiterated for the hundredth time, smile plastic on his face.
Yuzu rolled her eyes. “You’re being dramatic,” she said, arms crossed and looking decidedly unimpressed. “Reiji already approved everything. You’ll be fine,” she reassured.
“Who?” Yuya asked, tone upbeat and still smiling like it was all he knew how to do. “I had a friend named Reiji but he’s dead.”
Sora choked on his lollipop laughing.
“You’ll be fine,” Yuzu reaffirmed, fixing Yuya’s jacket.
“We believe in you Shishou,” Sora added, giving him a thumbs up and looking entirely too amused for Yuya’s liking.
“I haven’t dueled in six months,” Yuya stressed around the smile glued to his face, the expression now bordering on painful to look at. “I can’t duel!”
Yuzu sighed exasperatedly, however fondly. “Yes you can. It’s just for fun remember? Nothing’s going to happen if you lose,” she said patiently, placing her hands on his shoulders.
“Fun,” Yuya repeated, like he didn’t know what the word meant. His smile became that much more strained at the edges, practically falling apart at the seams and looking much closer to a grimace. “Right.”
(Yuya remembered faces frozen in terror—battles fought and won and lost.)
“Yes,” Yuri said condescendingly, finally deigning to step in. “Fun. You remember what that word means right?”
“Haha,” Yuya deadpanned, like he wasn’t screaming internally and hadn’t been for the past three or so hours.
Fun.
Right.
He could do fun.
“It’s time!” Someone called.
He absolutely could not do this.
“I can’t do this,” Yuya said, breathing coming a little too fast.
“You absolutely will,” Yuri told him, an uncompromising smile on his own face.
“Yuya,” Yuto interjected smoothly, stepping forward to replace Yuzu’s hands on his shoulders. “You can do this,” he said, gaze earnest. “This isn’t a battle anymore. It’s something to make people smile, just like you wanted.”
(If Yugo was pure sunshine and Yuri was chaos incarnated then Yuto was the stabilizing element. Cool, calm and collected where they weren’t.)
Yugo patted Yuya’s shoulder comfortingly. “We’ll be right there with you,” he added, grin bright enough for the warmth of it to be a tangible thing.
“Right.” Yuya breathed in. “Okay.” He breathed out, feeling a little less like he was going to pass out where he stood now.
“Just...” Yuzu bit her lip, eyes darting around like she was searching for something. “Just smile,” she said at last, demonstrating with one of her own. “And have fun.”
There was that word again. Fun.
“Be yourself,” Yugo added, grinning, patting Yuya on the back a little too hard. “You got this!”
Yuto nodded firmly in agreement and Yuya absolutely did not deserve them.
“Okay,” Yuya said, exhaling shakily but feeling something straighten in his spine and a feeling burn low in his stomach. “Let’s do this.”
Smiles grew on everyone’s faces.
Even in Yuya’s wildest dreams and delusions he’d never imagined Reiji Akaba in his living room, sitting on his couch.
“Um,” Yuya said intelligently, wondering if he was still asleep.
“Sit down,” Reiji commanded flatly without looking up from his phone, the authority in his voice effortless.
Yuya sat.
“Your mother let me in,” Reiji said, scrolling down on his phone—whatever he saw on it making his scowl deeper.
“Uh-huh,” Yuya said, nodding. “Cool. Glad that’s cleared up.”
And that he wasn’t actually going insane. Probably. Not yet at least.
Reiji set his phone down on the table, meeting Yuya’s gaze with what counted as his normal level of intensity. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”
“Alright,” Yuya said agreeably. “About what?”
Reiji’s expression didn’t change, the perfect poker face in place as he pushed up his glasses. “The reconstruction for Heartland will begin soon,” he led with, immediately grabbing Yuya’s full attention. “I was wondering if you’d like to help.”
Yuya nearly jumped at the offer. “Yes! Of course!” He paused. “But- why are you asking me?” He asked then, baffled.
Yuya highly doubted he had anything even resembling skills that would help with rebuilding or rationing or whatever it was Heartland needed.
“I think it will be beneficial for everyone,” Reiji said carefully, which wasn’t actually an answer. But Reiji had long since mastered the art of being a cryptic and mysterious bastard. “We don’t know how long rebuilding will take though,” he added seriously. “So think it over carefully. I’ll await your answer.”
And then Reiji stood and ghosted out of the house like he’d never even been there in the first place and without so much as a goodbye. Yuya blinked dumbly at the recently vacated space on the couch.
“That happened right?” Yuya asked En, who just barked at him in response. “Okay, just double checking.”
Never let it be said that Reiji Akaba had ever half-assed anything in his entire life. This event was no different.
The stadium was filled, the crowd was cheering, the stage was set—and Yuya seriously contemplated vaulting off the stage. Based on the way Yuri slid a finger across his throat amidst the crowd—as if he knew exactly what Yuya was thinking—teeth bared in the barest semblance of a smile, the threat of it obvious, that wasn’t an option anymore.
Shit.
The stage of an entertainer is a different kind of battlefield—one fought with smiles and dramatics and pure entertainment value—but no less ruthless under the judging gaze of the audience. On this stage—under the unforgiving spotlights—one moment could make or break you.
Yuya wondered if his smile looked as fake as it felt.
Across from Yuya Yusho waved to the audience, his own smile firmly in place. “Let’s give these people a show to remember shall we?” He directed at Yuya, something more private in his smile now—meant not for the watching crowd but solely for Yuya.
Yuya felt his own smile fall into place that much easier. “Of course,” he said, falling into his role easily as he gave a sweeping bow. “We couldn’t very well do anything less.”
It was a mask that felt well worn on his face. In that moment it felt a bit like coming home.
Game Nights were something Yuya anticipated and dreaded in equal measure. Fun as they were Yuya more often than not felt like his life was in danger—in no small part to Yuri and Yugo’s fierce rivalry.
“Are you cheating?” Yugo demanded after Yuri’s third win, squinting at him with obvious suspicion.
Yuri gave him a bland look. “It’s Go Fish,” he said patronizingly. “How would I even cheat at Go Fish?”
“You’d find a way,” Yugo insisted petulantly, unswayed from his belief.
Yuto stared at the ceiling, expression patently exasperated.
“Don’t break the table,” was Yuya’s absentminded contribution as he looked through his hand. “My mom actually likes this one.”
As opposed to the last three that Yusho had been the one to pick out.
Yuri’s smile was damningly innocent. “I would never,” he lied blatantly, sugary sweet.
“Uh-huh,” Yuya said flatly, utterly unconvinced. “Anyway,” he moved on, “I was thinking about going to Heartland to, you know, help out,” Yuya announced casually, keeping his gaze on his cards.
Yuto almost dropped the cards in his hand. “You... were?” He said, baffled, head tilted curiously in askance.
Yuya was suddenly experiencing difficulties meeting his gaze. “I mean, yeah. If you’re okay with that,” he added quickly.
“Yes!” Yuto blurted out immediately, before clearing his throat awkwardly and looking away. “I mean... I’d be glad to have you there.”
They share a timidly sweet smile between them, the moment only broken by Yuri’s slow clapping. “How touching,” he said, smile mocking and edging on cruel.
Yuya stuck his tongue out at him, not above being childishly petty when times called for it.
“I think it sounds great!” Yugo burst out excitedly, almost vibrating where he sat. “Can I come too? I promise I’ll help out!”
Yuto’s smile was soft, indulgent even, as he looked at Yugo. “Of course,” he agreed easily. “I would appreciate the help.”
“What could you even do to help?” Yuri asked Yugo condescendingly, sticking his nose up and just generally radiating superiority.
“Hey!” Yugo bristled. “I built my own duel runner didn’t I?!”
That was an excellent point in Yuya’s opinion, though Yuri didn’t looked at all convinced or impressed.
“Will you be coming too?” Yuto interrupted bluntly, gaze set on Yuri.
Yuri blinked, for once looking honestly dumbfounded. “ What ,” he said flatly.
“You should,” Yuya encouraged, giving Yuri a kind smile.
Yuri squinted at Yuya like the expression on his face was something alien to him. It might have been.
Yugo nodded. “It’ll be more fun with all of us!” He declared, throwing out his arms to further his point.
Yuri’s gaze slid away to stare pointedly at the wall. “... I’ll drop by,” he conceded grudgingly, sounding physically pained even as Yugo whooped in victory.
Yuya and Yuto exchanged another smile as the other two fell back into bickering.
“Cheers,” Yuri said, smile as poisonous as his favorite plants as he clinked his glass against Kaito’s for the tenth time in as many minutes.
Kaito looked like he was debating the pros and cons of murder. The pros seemed to be winning out.
“Okay,” Yuya interrupted, stealing Yuri’s glass. “I think that’s enough.”
Yuri sighed like Yuya had just done something tragically disappointing. “Spoilsport,” he said.
The party was in full swing now, with Yuya able to pick out familiar faces in almost every corner. Yugo had immediately claimed a space by the buffet table, Rin watching on in fond exasperation as Yuzu, Ruri and Serena talked nearby. Sayaka and Allen were dancing together with matching blushes but looked happy enough. Yusho looked to be harassing- err- talking to Reiji about something despite the man looking fully engaged with his phone.
Asuka laughed. “It was an amazing duel,” Asuka praised Yuya, brushing her hair to the side and her lipstick glossed lips pulled up into a kind smile.
Yuya scratched his cheek, embarrassed for reasons he couldn’t quite pick out. “Thanks, I lost though,” he said.
(He had.
And like Yuzu had promised nothing had happened. No one died, the world hadn’t ended, Yusho had hugged Yuya after the duel with a proud smile, and Reiji had stepped forward to give a speech about unity and dueling to give people happiness-
And that had been that.)
“Yes,” Yuri said from next to him, unimpressed and smile distinctly mass murderer-esque. “And I should kill you for that just on principle.”
Yuto stepped on Yuri’s foot for that, frown disapproving. Kaito took the brief distraction to subtly edge away from all of them.
Asuka just shook her head. “It doesn’t matter.” For a moment her smile looked unbearably sad. “Winning or losing, that kind of thing doesn’t matter anymore.”
“I guess,” Yuya agreed, his own smile a tad bitter as Yuto laid a comforting hand on his shoulder.
“It was an impressive showing either way,” Shun said, eyes soft as they looked at Yuya but not any less battle weary.
“As should be expected,” Jack said with obvious superiority, staring down at all of them with his towering height and successfully breaking the grim mood.
“Yeah, yeah,” Crow said dismissively as he dragged Jack away. “Come on, you owe me a drink.”
Jack looked like he’d ate a lemon. “Why should I buy you a drink?” He asked indignantly, crossing his arms as he dug in his heels.
Crow smiled widely. “Oh, so it must have just been some other Jack Atlas that abandoned us all in the Satellite then-“
“Let’s get you that drink,” Jack interjected hurriedly, looking pained.
Crow’s smile was distinctly smug as Jack herded him towards the bar. “Great duel kid,” Crow threw over his shoulder as they left.
“I’ll pray for you,” Sora called out to Jack, who sent him a sour look in return. Sora just grinned cheekily, wiggling his fingers in some semblance of a wave.
Yuya had to smother his laughter beneath his hand.
“You all look well,” Edo commented amiably as he wandered over, wearing a perfectly tailored suit. Yuya was pretty those were his initials sewed delicately into the corner of his suit’s lapel.
Asuka blinked in surprise. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here,” she said. “I thought you would be busy with restructuring Duel Academia.”
Edo had the dubious honor of tearing down Duel Academia and restarting it from scratch—preferably with less megalomaniac tendencies in its curriculum this time.
“Pot meet kettle,” Yuto muttered under his breath, only loud enough for Yuya to hear.
Yuya had to work to keep a straight face.
Apparently both Asuka and Edo were workaholics of the highest degree. According to Sora Asuka spent most of her time these days helping rehabilitate the former Academia students.
Edo heaved a dramatic sigh. “I was but now I find myself in the middle of a dilemma.”
Yuya raised an eyebrow, perking up. “What kind of dilemma?” He asked curiously.
“When I leave this party should I make my exit with a bang or disappear mysteriously into the night?” Edo asked seriously.
“You know some people have real problems right?” Shun said, arms crossed and looking deeply unimpressed even as his eyes twinkled with amusement.
“I could make you disappear now,” Yuri offered, smile like a knife’s edge as he held up his duel disk—the carding function long since disabled on it.
Yuya laughed, bright and loud.
This, Yuya thought, was what he’d been fighting for all those months ago. Nothing was perfect, but they were on the right track at least.
Heartland was a veritable pile of ash and rubble, consisting of barely standing buildings and smoking ruins.
“It looks-” Yuya couldn't really think of an adjective that was both positive and honest. “-um.”
“Um?” Yugo repeated, confused, tilting his head to the side.
“It looks like a dump,” Yuri said bluntly, gaze judgmental as he stared out over the ruined and mostly destroyed Heartland.
Yuya elbowed Yuri in the side, a smile frozen on his face. Yuri looked unfazed by the blow and the silent reprimand.
“And who’s fault would that be?” Yuto asked Yuri dryly, raising a pointed eyebrow.
Yuri smiled back, the sight vaguely terrifying like always, obviously pleased. “Touché.”
“Well,” Yuya said, stretching his arms above his head with a smile, “Heartland won’t fix itself. Time to get to work.”