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Johan was reading a book in silence as a frantic knock resounded at his door. He looked perplexed because Judai wasn't to return for another week. He closed his book put it on the table before standing up and going to the door to open it. “Huh…? Jun, what are you doing here?”
The teal haired male dressed in a plain baby blue top and black jeans looked at the dressed in black slacks boots and dress shirt as he grasped his knees having ran all the way from his place 4 blocks away from Johan’s apartment that he held with a busy brunette who was away on a trip.
“Johan… You have to see this…” Jun pulled the tablet he had in his bag that he had draped over him unlocked the screen and showed him the article on the internet about a explosion on the bridge involving a bus and a collision.
“It… it can’t be…” Johan’s emerald eyes shook with dismay as his eyes scanned the newsfeed. Jun looked at the distraught bluenette. “He was going to surprise you… His bus was in an accident.”
Johan read further that everyone made it out of the bus except the savior a young 23 year old army solider Private Yuki Judai never made it off the bus. Johan choked on a sob nearly throwing the tablet at his black haired friend. “GET OUT! It’s a lie! Ju-Chan… Ju-Chan can’t be dead!” The bluenettes broke wails echoed in the apartment as he buried his hands into his locks before covering his eyes wishing oh so badly he hadn’t read the awful news.
“Johan, He’s gone!” Jun cried out gripping the bluenette’s shoulders. His own heart was quaking from the pain that was jerking through it. Johan clenched his eyes shut as streams of tears fell down his face as he wailed before Jun stopped shaking him to knock sense into him and just held the crying male.
“Ju-chan…!!!” Johan gripped the back of Jun’s black shirt as his tears fell into Jun’s shirt.
Unbeknownst to the both of them a brunette who stood in the green army uniform he wore that day with his red jacket draped across his shoulder. He watched in pain seeing his beloved sob for his sake.
“Johan…” he whispered his voice unable to reach them both as he tried to touch the two his hand unable to reach them.
xxx
A week later a funeral arrangement was made and Judai’s closest friends from Duel academy were welcome back to the island. As most of them haven’t seen each other since graduation and only a certain few could actually make the time to attend, it ended up being Sho Asuka Fubuki Jim Jun and Kenzan who showed up with Johan having been dragged along by Jun who was an emotional wreck.
Jun had to go into overhaul to make the poor mournful bluenette look half decent for the funeral visit to Duel academy. However a silent presence was in awe of the treatment of his funeral, he still couldn’t pass on to the afterlife.
Something kept him grounded and as much as the angels prodded him they couldn’t get the brunette to turn his back on his mournful lover and the state he was in. The last memory he had spent with Johan had been a fight the two had the night before Judai would head off to join the military, a spur of the moment decision that the brunette thought of doing in order to give back to even more people than he could even through dueling.
He never gave up his passion for dueling tho because a week after he had departed for the military Johan had mailed him his deck and duel disc knowing fully well the brunette was homesick.
“Only he would know how big a fibber I am..” he shook his head seeing the package contents while sitting on his bunk. He read the letter smiling seeing Johan’s worry and consideration bleed through the written words on the paper. The last words on the paper being, my dearest Ju-Chan, I have a surprise waiting for you when you come home so please come back to me in one piece alright?
“Don’t worry Johan, I’ll make it back home…”
Judai never thought when he took an early leave from the army base that the bus ride he would take to get to the airport would end in his death as he had helped everyone get off the bus but was unable to save himself before the engine of the bus exploded due to a leak in the gasoline line.
He died a true hero, but at what cost to those who knew him and loved him dearly? His gaze refocused as he saw the small group join together in the old slifer dorm which the brunette adored with even Dr Crowler joining the group apparently having hosting the funeral since it was summer vacation for the new generation of students.
“Thank you guys so much.. for coming here today..” Although they all couldn’t make it in person they managed to get both Ryo and Edo on video call to attend the funeral. Johan addressed the group inside the small cafeteria which was enough for the small group that had gathered for the event.
They didn’t need anything grand or extravagant for someone as special as Judai who touched everyone’s heart with his compassionate nature, dedication to his friends and love of dueling. Johan had a pained smile on his face looking at his friends. “I have a video to show you guys… Its of graduation… and a bit after..”
Johan clicked a few keys on his laptop which was connected to a projector.
“And! ACTION!” A laughing brunette cheered at the camera that was pointed at him. “That’s such cheese and you know it Sarge.” Kenzan snarked in the video as the camera turned to the tanned male still in his uniform. He took the camera in place of the person behind it which turned out to be O’Brian who just rolled his eyes. “I’m only doing this cause Saijima wanted it.” He wasn't dressed up in a graduation gown but had a red blue and yellow cap on his head with the tassel trying to get tangled in his short locks.
Asuka giggled watching the video. Kenzan grinned even with tears on his face. Sho leaned close to the tanned vest wearing male trying to wipe his glasses clean from the tear stains that were on them.
“Alright chill out fellas. It’s your Graduation day, you should be more excited than this.” Jim walked in his croc following behind. Judai shook his head before slapping his hand on the tall Aussie’s back. “Hell no, it’s all our day! We get to spend this together and thats the best part!”
“I want no part of this damn thing!” Jun shouted from across the room wearing his own robe which was died black than it would be red uniform. “Aw cmon Manjoume!” Sho called out the door that Jun left through. “This will be the last time we might see each other before we go our separate ways! Let’s make it special!” Judai dragged the two back inside making Johan and Asuka laugh in the background of the video as Jun was dragged back inside his arms crossed over his chest and a heavy frown on his face.
“Oh cmon Jun smile damnit.” Asuka groaned pulling his ear as she entered the frame as the black haired duelist blushed and rubbed his ear before cracking a decent smile only for her.
“Hey who knew Mr. Moody could actually smile!” Kenzan cracked behind the camera making Jun glare at him before he chased after him causing Kenzan to pass the camera to Jim who just caught the tail end of the two running out the door as Jun threatened to kill the dino duelist.
“I WAS JUST KIDDING!” was the only cry Kenzan gave making the group burst into fits of laughter. “You always come up with the best plans Ju-chan!” Johan had slung his arm around Judai’s shoulder and the camera didn't fail to catch Judai’s reaction to Johan’s action a brief blush faded in and out across his face.
The video cut to the graduation event everyone cheering crying and throwing their caps around with Judai being the life of the party as he took the microphone from Crowler and did his own rendition of Feeling Way Too Damn Good by Nickleback to how high in spirits he was and everyone got into it with their cheering.'
“THANK YOU DUEL ACADEMY YOU’VE BEEN WONDERFUL! SEE YOU GUYS IN 15 YEARS!” 15 years was the mark for the reunion everyone wanted to have back on Duel academy where they would talk about their success after school and what they had been doing with their lives.
For Judai and Johan their lives were spent inseparable.
The video cut again to something Johan had forgotten about and it made him turned red and Jim nudged him. Jim who was holding the camera had caught Johan in the usual spot on the docks just humming a song and sometimes singing said song.
“I could set this song on fire. Send it up in smoke. I could throw it in the river, watch it sink in slowly.” Jim snuck up on the unexpected bluenette proudly stating. “Well you ever gonna work up the nerve?” Johan yelped and accidentally threw himself off his seated position and landed with his ass in the water as he broke the surface to see who freaked him out before groaning.
“JIM YOU SCARED THE EVER LOVING SHIT OUT OF ME!” Jim chuckles loudly the camera shaking as a response as he reached down and helped pull the male back onto dry land.
“Didn’t mean to freak you out that bad. So you ever gonna tell him?” Johan hugged his knees to his chest and smiled sadly. Jim shook his shoulder gently. “You cant live the rest of your life without breaking the mold and telling him how you feel.”
“Your right.” Johan looked at Jim a smile spread slowly across his face. “I’ll tell him one day. If Jun can get Asuka to go out on a date with him.” Jim groaned in response as did the whole group in the cafeteria in a mock fashion then broke into a laugh at Jun and Asuka’s expressions were bright red not looking at the other.
It took about 2 years for Jun to finally get that date and when Jim found out he immediately told Johan who groaned over the phone in such pain Judai had thought he had died through the bathroom door. If Johan had known sooner that Judai had been holding back his own feelings the whole time, he would’ve kissed that foolish brunette back at graduation in front of everyone.
Johan took a shallow breath as tears cascaded down his cheeks once more. the video skipped again to a conversation that was recorded in secret between Jim and Johan. “Hey so hows the relationship going?” Jim asked sitting across the bluenette his arms casually crossed as he looked at his Norwegian friend.
“Jim…Am I ridiculous?” Jim looked at him confused. “Dont know what you mean. Whats up mate?” Johan had looked away before pulling out a blue velvet box. Nobody could hear the gasp that was done as it was voiced by a ghostly brunette who’s eyes welled with tears he couldn’t truly feel nor shed. “No…Its not possible..” Judai whispered.
the video continued playing. “Whats this Johan?” Jim looked at the male across the table at him. “Jim… I wanna ask Judai to marry me.” Everyone in the cafeteria gasped loudly. everyone’s gaze went to Johan as the video continued playing. “I’ve had to endure two years without him….When he comes home, I never wanna let him go again.” Johan’s face in the video was bright red a smile spread across his face as he fingered the box before he puts it back in his pocket.
“How long have you saved up for it?” Johan chuckled. “Thats the crazy part. I started saving back in the last year of duel academy. I was so sure he’s the one i want to spend my life with and now having been with him and watch him leave me to get on that plane, I decided when he came back home I wouldn’t let him go again.” Johan’s tears fell harder over the video that was made almost half a year ago after Judai had left for the military just shortly after he had bought the ring and made the video of the conversation with Jim.
“If you feel so strongely for him, Johan…. Then nothing will stop you from proposing to him.” the video ended as Johan closed his laptop his tears still falling down his sunkissed skin tone.
“Oh Johan…” Judai’s ghostly voice echoed around himself as he clenched his fist and held back his own tears.
“Judai Yuki… He was a friend, someone we depended on greatly. Someone who go dragged into too much danger at times… but he was selfless to the end. He was someone I looked up to as well as being someone he looked up to as well. I still remember him asking me, Johan why do you duel? Because he didn’t know the reason he did, even tho so far he had been dueling for fun. He protected others through his own actions.”
The others looked on with solemn or grim looks on their face Crowler bawling the loudest occasionally uttering Slacker under his breath as he sobbed.
“Even as his last day on earth, he spent it saving the lives of others. He saved all those people on the bus. He’s such a selfless person. The only problem with selfless people are is that they're careless of their own lives… He had a place to come home to and even in a crisis he still put himself in danger.” Johan continued as he stood speaking to the group in Judai’s honor.
Jim clapped his hands as did the others as they sniffles or tried to blot their teary eyes. The group moved outside to the plac Manjoume got made for Judai’s honor. It was placed right next to his favorite dorm which read Here lies the memory of Yuki Judai, a Hero a Guardian a true friend and lover. They put the ash box next to the plac and made a small hole for it.
“This good?” Kenzan looked to Jim and Johan who both nodded respectively as he covered the ash box up. “Sayonara, Aniki….Hope your view of heaven is beautiful up there…” Sho spoke saddenly his voice thick with emotion as Johan patted the shorter male’s shoulders along side Kenzan who feeling overwehlmed himself.
Fubuki held his sobbing sister in his arms while he tried to shed his own while Jun looked meloncoly. Judai’s ghostly figure stood next to the Plac and Johan looking regretfully at his bluenette lover. “I should’ve never left you…I’m so sorry Johan.” Judai murmured quietly knowing fully well nobody could hear him.
Xxx
Days passed as the funeral had ended and everyone went their separate ways. Johan by his lonesome self slowly and carefully packed Judai’s things away, somedays not getting the strength to get out of bed.
One thing he kept around were recording cd’s that Judai had made for Johan of his singing that Johan had convinced the brunette into doing which he had enjoyed thoroughly, giving them to his teal haired lover in return as a thank you.
One of the songs on the list was his rendition of Someday by Nickleback and it struck home with Johan as he remembered the day the two fought just before Judai’s flight.
“WHEN WERE YOU GONNA TELL ME?!” Johan had cried out in outrage that day suddenly finding out about Judai’s enrollment into the military which came in the form a care package the bluenette had found under his bed when he was cleaning up Judai’s room.
“I never got around to it…I had wrote my name down for enlisting way before I went to Duel academy! I’m just glad they didn't try to do anything while I was still attending.” Judai ruffled the back of his hair chuckling half heartedly making Johan’s eyes widen further.
“You still were never gonna tell me??” Judai looked to his distraught lover and rubbed his hand over his face. “You think I really wanted to tell you??? That I was giving up our dream because a decision I made ages ago came back to bite my ass!”
Johan grit his teeth his fist clenched. “You could die…I could loose you! DID YOU EVER THINK OF THAT?!” Tears sprang to his eyes as his gaze focused on the brunette’s own gaze who grimaced in realization. Johan was never mad about the idea he hated it because he feared losing Judai to fate he wouldn’t be aware of.
Judai could leave and return home a broken man and Johan feared that and more. Judai walked to his shaking love before putting his hands on his cheeks cupping his face making the trembling taller male look down at his slightly shorter lover.
“Jo-kun…Hold onto my heart for me okay? I’ll never die as long as you hold onto it.” Johan let the tears fall down his face as he looked expectantly at Judai who wore a relaxed smile while stroking his lovers tears stained face. “Ju-chan….Don’t ever leave okay..?” He held tightly to the brunette his arms and hands going around him and clutching him to his chest his body still wracked with sobs as Judai ruffled his blue locks.
“I have to go for now…I promise to write to you..” Judai’s words were cut short by Johan’s lips slamming into his with care and forcefulness. Judai returned the gesture and with the same amount of intencity.
“I’ll be back someday okay…?” Judai whispered into Johan’s neck as he held the blunette close for one last hug before pulling away his lover’s hands dropping slowly to his side in defeat. “Someday…I’ll hold you to that Judai…” Johan smiled half heartedly as the two shared a gaze.
“I love you, Jo-kun.” Judai smiled widely unshed tears in his eyes. Johan returned the smile closing his eyes as tears escaped down his face. “Ahh… I love you too, Ju-chan… Come home soon.” he raised his hand to wave him off as Judai taking his bag with a smile waved back at Johan as he entered the airport.
A knock at the door took Johan from that last semi heartbreaking last moments he spent with Judai as he got off the couch and went to the door to answer it.
He pulled the door open and saw it was a delivery man from the airport. “This Andersen residence?” Johan nodded to the dark green haired male with half of his face hidden by hair as he looked at him. “Sign here.” he handed him a clip board which Johan signed out of confusion before the delievery man addressed him again.
“This was Yuki Judai’s luggage from aboard the flight. He had sent it ahead before he ever made it to the airport….I’m so sorry for your loss.” the male tipped his hand took the clipboard back and gently set the suitcase inside the door before turning to leave out the door. Johan looked at the suitcase with unbridled sadness as he picks it up and lugs it up stairs an invisible Judai follows after him.
“Johan… you don’t know how much you mean to me…” The brunette spoke but knew he’d never get the response from his love.
Johan lifted the suitcase onto his bed and unzipped it. It was just a simple red cameo style bag that Judai had picked out because of his love for red. He flipped the lid open and looked inside at Judai’s military and civilian clothes mixed together, his military gear mostly in tatters because of how rough and extreme the brunette would go into training just to show that even tho he was lean he could tussle with the more brawnier men.
Johan took Judai’s jacket and pulled it to his chest, it smelled just like him red cedar and honey which was one of his constant body wash smells he always used. Johan often compared the brunette to chocolate because of his eyes and hair and being just as sweet, but the brunette would always retort that he wasn't edible.
He held a choked back sob as he slowly went through the clothes and found his duel disc and deck at the bottom of it with a red velvet box on the bottom with a note next to it.
“What’s this..?” Johan pulled the note out and mumbled out loud. “Johan… your the shining gem of my world, these last 2 years apart from you drove me crazy. I know I just got off the plane and I've barely been home a short amount of time, but I can already breathe so much better, feel so much better and see everything more clearly… Johan your the light of my world and I can’t stand another day without you by my side…. please marry this love sick fool..” Johan choked up heavily as tears bleed through his vision as tears fell on the page as he held it to his chest.
“Judai… how can I live in this world without you..!” Johan in his weepy state took the velvet box from the suit case and gasped heavily at the ring inside it was a silver band with a rainbow of gems imbedded into the silver down the middle. Johan smiled heavily as his tears fell before he slipped the ring on his finger.
“Judai… wait for me please…” Johan whispered as he threw on Judai’s jacket which was slightly smaller than him. Judai looked at Johan’s face, seeing the sheer determination in his eyes. “No! Johan, don’t do anything reckless!” Judai chased after the bluenette who beat him out the door.
Johan got into his car locking the door as Judai ran out and slammed his hand on the door. “No! Johan! You can’t throw your life away! Please! Johaaan!” Judai cried as the car pulled away from him and drove down the street, the ghostly male chasing after the Jeep as it drove out of their street and onto the main road. “No! Johan!”
“You can’t change his fate…” a voice spoke to him making the brunette turn around. “I have to stop him!! He can’t throw his life away!”
The voice continued to speak as the brunette chased after Johan’s vehicle which was at an intersection.
“It’s meant to happen, whether you had died or not.” Judai’s eyes widen heavily. A death meant to happen… That meant his own death had been an accident because he had saved all those people on board the bus… Johan’s death however is meant to happen.
“No… No! Why must he lose his own life!?”
“Because fate has chosen to end his life…” the voice repeated again as Johan’s Jeep rolled through a red light and was quickly slammed into by a semi delivery truck, the same one that delivered Judai’s suitcase to him 30 minutes earlier. The Jeep skidded away from the truck and slammed into the light post, the engine bursting into flames.
Judai looked on in horror as did many people on the sidewalks as Judai ran over to the accident gripping his hair wanting to pull his own hair out for being so helpless.
He dropped to his knees as tears fell down his cheeks. “JOHAAAN!” He wailed sobbing as Ambulances and Firetrucks rushed to the scene making the people part away from the accident. Heavy sobs wracked his body as out of the corner of his eyes see Asuka and Jun in the crowd horrified by the accident.
They were supposed to have visited Johan today to check up on him so soon after the funeral. The only thing they’ll know now is that proposal note Judai had wrote and put in his suitcase and the empty ring box that was with it. They’ll have to once again have a funeral, a tombstone plac and a mourning for a live that was taken too soon.
Judai sobbed his body or lack there of was wracked with raspy heavy breaths trying to calm himself but unable to as he cried out his loved name. Softly a voice spoke out against the noise, drowning out the sirens,
“Judai?”
His gaze snaps up and looks around quickly his tears blinding his vision just a bit as he hiccups. He then felt a familiar warm touch on his hand. If his heart had been alive it would be racing against the touch he knew so well, and the sensation it left on him.
“Johan…” Judai’s eyes raise up still blurry with tears as he felt Johan wipe them from his eyes so he could see love smiling down at him his own tears left unshed in his eyes.
“There’s my love…” Johan whispered as he clutched Judai’s hand tightly as his other hand went around his waist pulling him close to burry the shorter male into his chest.
Judai melted into him wrapping his own arm around Johan’s shoulders as he looked up at him, the bluenette pressing his forehead to his own his eyes closed as he hummed.
“You sure you want to be stuck with me, Jo-kun..?” The brunette whispered for him to hear as Johan opened his eyes up and looked at him, complete bliss and joy on his face that Judai hadn’t seen on his love’s face since before Johan found out about his little military recruitment.
“Ju-Chan…. I’ve had to live without you for two years… I had to feel what it’s like without you in this world beside me… My heart hasn’t been alive in so long that all I want to do is hold you and never let you go again…” Johan kissed his brown haired love deeply. It was hotter than the flames that killed the both of them combined as they held each other close their lips never parting.
From the street as the accident was slowly dispersing, Jun looked on from the side wall and out of the corner of his eye saw a blur of brown and blue hair as he looked up to the intersection to see Johan holding Judai in his arms again. Jun moved to go out into the street when Asuka pulled him back making him look at her as a car drove passed them.
He blinked in surprise as he looked back at the intersection to see the two males were nowhere in sight. “Manjoume! What were you thinking?!” Asuka shouted over the noise around them shaking his arm as she clutched against him.
“I’m sorry Asuka… I just thought I saw something in the street…” manjoume’s gaze returns to the street as he now saw laying in the road the scorched blue vest Johan was wearing that day and Judai’s burnt up red jacket.
His black eyes softened slightly as he wrapped an arm around Asuka tightly kissing her cheek as he spoke making the blonde confused. “I think those two are gonna be just fine…”