Chapter Text
"May I talk with you?"
Those were Kaito's words to Mizael at the school gate. Mizael would've liked to believe that he wouldn't have been so slow to reply if it weren't for the fact that it was the first time he'd seen Kaito after... everything. After their duel, after all of them being brought back, after Kaito's death...
And yet, Kaito seemed unbothered, his eyes focused. If it wasn't just the sight of him, it was that look that made Mizael pause. He used to be ready to throw a snarky remark his way, to bite back at any opportunity, but now, he felt like all that fierceness was gone. Mizael had taken note of this before, but it hit him like a bag of bricks now that he was face to face with whom he previously considered his sworn rival.
Mizael nodded, not even attempting to speak in the case that his voice failed him. Kaito turned and without further instructions, the other boy followed him, unsure of what to expect. They walked in silence, Mizael's thoughts racing. What was he even supposed to say to Kaito? Apologize? Or not mention the past as if it never happened? Had he truly forgiven Mizael? With the way he spoke on the Moon, his last words… Mizael bit his lip.
Where they ended up was some sort of cafe - Mizael knew that much, but he'd never been there before. There was a whole lot to Heartland city that he had yet to see. Kaito found a table for the two of them and sat down, Mizael following suit, still hesitant.
"Do you have a place to stay?" Kaito started, his voice as matter-of-fact as it had always been. Mizael had to pause but nodded slowly.
"At… Ryoga's - I'm staying at Ryoga's place. Or Shark's, I should say."
And the first thing Mizael managed out of his mouth was a jumbled mess. Kaito could tell he was about to instinctively call Shark Nasch.
"And the others? The Barians?"
Mizael pushed aside the want to correct Kaito. They weren’t Barians anymore, were they?
"They're staying at Ryoga's as well."
"If you'd like, you can come live in Heartland Tower with me, my brother and my father. It seems crowded over at Ryoga's place, big as it is."
In spite of his uncertainty up until now, Mizael wanted to laugh at how unceremonious Kaito's offer was.
"I can't deny that it is crowded... I don't want to be a bother to you and your family though."
"I think you'd be much less of a bother to us than to the Kamishiros."
Kaito made a good point, Mizael had to admit.
"To be perfectly honest, Ryoga himself alluded to it. I figured I could take you off his hands."
Mizael wasn't exactly fond of Kaito talking about him as if he were an obligation or obstacle to anyone. Although he couldn't deny that until he found his footing in this new life, he kind of was.
"Well, I don't want to be a bother to anyone. I've been working at a different cafe, and I was thinking I could move out with my own money."
"Mizael, you'll need a lot more money to settle anywhere. If that is your end goal, it's going to take you a long time."
Mizael hung his head slightly, a bit embarrassed of being corrected on such a naive thought. It wasn't the first time.
"But, you getting a job so soon is impressive, I'll give you that. You seem to be adjusting well."
Mizael scratched his neck, wondering if he was. There were so many things he still didn't know or was confused by, but he supposed he was off to a good start. Ryoga had said something similar, and Mizael still held his word in high regard.
"I appreciate the offer. I'll... consider it?"
Kaito gave a small nod.
"Do you have a cellphone?"
"No."
"I see. Do you have a Duel Disk?"
"...No.”
Kaito frowned, thinking to himself. He always seemed to be on top of things so seeing him genuinely lost as to what to do was a rather amusing sight to Mizael.
"Ryoga will figure something out. Unless we bump into each other, he can contact me on your behalf.”
Not much else was exchanged during that afternoon. Mizael felt an overwhelming sense of tension and awkwardness between himself and Kaito, but in the end, he ended up moving in with him.
Admittedly, it was tough for Mizael to adjust. Not only to this human life but another living space so soon. He didn't think big spaces like the tower were his thing, but it wasn't so different from Ryoga's home. The different floors offered variety in their structure and layout. Somehow, he found his way up to the floor where Haruto apparently used to sleep more often than he cared to admit. The view from his bedroom window simply did not compare to this entire floor where Mizael could even step outside, he soon discovered, if he wanted to. Like an unconventional balcony. Also probably very dangerous.
Right... He had his very own room now. Back at Ryoga's, he and Durbe were the only ones ready to voluntarily sleep in anything but a bed. Girag, too, but Ryoga did not want him being cramped on the couch. In the end, Mizael slept on a cheap futon, but he did not complain. Ryoga and Rio had enough on their hands so Mizael and Durbe tried their best not to bother him with their needs.
Having his very own bed now - actual bed, felt very strange. It was comfortable, like... too comfortable. He figured it wasn't a particularly expensive or big bed or anything, but to him it felt like luxury.
That wasn't nearly as big of an issue for him as Kaito's father was, however. Mizael got the gist of his, Kaito's and Haruto's relationship at this point in time, but Faker (why was he called that?) clearly had a bit to learn. He also didn't like having Mizael around even if he tried to hide it. Kaito was the one to cover the younger blond's expenses anyway so there was little room for complaint. Mizael couldn't help but wonder what the Tenjos' father really thought of him. He'd seen their duel on the Moon; was the outcome of that what made their father disdainful of him?
Mizael would go about his things quietly or move to another room so as not to risk bothering Faker when he was present. He didn't really mind too much. He had it good as is, and whatever the reason was for Kaito's father disliking him, it was probably justified.
Mizael was still rather reserved since being incarnated, it looked like that part of him was still the same as it was at Ryoga's. He kept to himself especially around Kaito's family though as he bit down his ego to show his gratitude to Kaito in the few ways he knew how. Why he suddenly cared so much, he wasn't sure. Sometimes he failed. That was when Kaito's father started nagging about something and Mizael, feeling misjudged, could take it quietly for only so long. One of the two times, he managed to remove himself from the situation. The other, Kaito had to separate them. Mizael expected to be scolded by him, but he never was.
Either way, it was manageable, and with time, everyone would surely ease up. Haruto for one was a godsend. Mizael found that he enjoyed spending time with him, although he had expected the opposite initially with him being just a child. Yet, he seemed to understand Kaito's desire to protect the younger Tenjo more than ever, even if Haruto and Mizael were not related. Nonetheless, the presence and acceptance of the Tenjo brothers made him feel like he was part of the family. A strange feeling it was, but a place of belonging was more welcome than he'd ever expected. It was much different from Ryoga's mansion. It felt good, and Mizael felt that he could safely settle here for a while.
Around the house, Mizael discovered that he had a knack for cooking specifically. Kaito knew how to make some meals (for Haruto, of course), but never thought himself to be particularly good at it. So Mizael figured he could have a shot at it. Not like Faker was much of a chef either. Mizael drastically underestimated how intricate it really was, but enjoyed and became better at it with each day. There wasn't that much else to busy himself with anyway. Kaito tried to make time to eat together with his younger brother and Mizael, but was understandably busy in his lab and missed the meal times a lot, especially breakfast, seeing as he always woke up before anyone else. He was obviously doing his work though and Mizael knew not to bother him. For the most part. Instead, he would bring Kaito something to eat and drink down at his lab and return a while later to gather the used dishes. Kaito often didn't even notice him, but when he did, he always gave Mizael that same "thank you", no matter how redundant it might've felt to someone other than them.
There was a night on which the two of them bumped into each other in the kitchen, Mizael still awake and Kaito wanting to refill his coffee cup before returning to his lab.
"Is that really necessary?" Mizael had inquired then.
"I need to stay focused." Kaito had answered simply.
"Your Galaxy-Eyes will grow disgruntled if you ditch them for any longer."
"...Are you asking for a duel?"
Mizael turned his gaze to Kaito, his eyes questioning.
"I don't have my Galaxy-Eyes anymore."
"You still have your deck. And, I already told you you were the true Dragon Tamer."
Within a second the air became heavy as Mizael fell quiet, even if Kaito only meant well.
"I'm sorry, I know I was the one to bring it up, but can we not talk about that?"
Kaito gazed at Mizael, mildly surprised, mildly saddened. Although it was hard for him to think back to it, to remember how exactly things went down and how he wound up dead, he figured it was still fresh in Mizael’s mind despite the time that had passed since then. Things were better now, as good as they could be, but he knew such events couldn’t just be forgotten. Mizael must have been blaming himself for what had transpired.
“Of course.”
Mizael was disheartened by the disappearance of his two ace monsters. Tachyon and Neo Tachyon - His Galaxy-Eyes'. He selfishly thought it to be unfair that his had to disappear when Kaito's didn't, but he knew his cards disappeared because they were Numbers, and that was all there was to it.
The last time he saw his Galaxy-Eyes was against his last duel with Kaito, and quite a bit of time had passed since then, not to mention his death. The way Tachyon was inevitably beginning to slip his mind saddened and frustrated him. Tachyon had meant so much to him, even though he'd been told it was his curse. He just couldn't wrap his head around that thought. He wanted to accept it and move on, but a part of him refused to.
“For a while, it felt like Tachyon was all I had. The only thing I could put my trust into.”
Kaito remained silent but gave him an acknowledging look.
“I think I’m starting to forget. How Tachyon looked, the stats, the effect.”
Mizael deserved to be happy, Kaito thought at that moment. That was the closest the two of them came to reconciling; something Mizael was almost desperate for at this point, but something he didn't know how to initiate.
Over time, Mizael began feeling somewhat isolated. He avoided Kaito's father like the plague, and Kaito himself worked in his lab all day. Even in the brief moments they interacted, Mizael tried not to disturb his work. He hardly went outside on his own as he ended up being the caretaker for Haruto. (At least that was the term he much preferred over "babysitter". It would have been more of an insult to Haruto than to him.)
He ended up having to leave his job at the cafe, to which Kaito insisted he'd pay him back in compensation. Mizael wondered if Kaito really had that kind of money considering he already covered his needs, but regardless Mizael didn't want it. The conversation had come up one evening when Kaito entertained the idea of hiring someone to watch over Haruto. (In hindsight, Mizael didn't think he had the funds for that either.)
The reason for Kaito's neverending work in the lab was apparently his desperation to get Orbital fixed but he just wasn't able to do it. He needed more time and better focus, he said. But for that, he'd have to spend even more time amidst machinery and his father had work to attend to as well. It was a no-brainer for Mizael to volunteer himself. They could save up on the money and Mizael lived here anyway. That in addition to the fact that he liked spending time with the youngest Tenjo. Their father could surely accept that no matter his personal feelings towards Mizael. In spite of Kaito's protests, it was decided that Mizael would stay home with Haruto. The lack of personal income was a setback, but as long as he had a roof over his head, he had no reason to worry.
Despite the time he happily spent with Haruto, it had become so normal for Mizael to make himself unseen. He wondered if such change was normal in humans? The longer he stayed here the further he felt himself drifting from his flashy, assertive Barian persona. For some reason it made him sad.
Days he looked forward to were those he could spend with Kaito, terribly rare as they were. That was usually when Mizael needed clothes and possibly other things that neither of them trusted for him to purchase on his own. But, with each trip Mizael learned and gradually, he would have to do it alone if not with Haruto.
"Sorry Mizael, but I might not be able to go with you today. I left some change for you on your nightstand."
Mizael had probably heard that same thing more times than he could count on one hand. He had a phone now to help him navigate in the case that he got lost. Sometimes he did, but usually he just ended up taking a longer route to the mall or back home as a result. The urge to call Kaito to have him come and help out was strong for sure, but Mizael's resolve not to bother him always came out on top. At least, whenever Kaito remembered to, he made sure to ask if all had gone well when Mizael made it home. There was a time Kaito swore to tag along with him another time when he'd seen his questionable newly purchased getup. Mizael still didn't understand what was so bad about it.
Other times, they'd eat lunch or dinner together, but never breakfast. Kaito was up before anyone else with only a cup of coffee to get him going until Mizael inevitably showed up with some food. He could tell that Kaito hadn't always eaten 3 meals a day, but he was glad if him being there could help that. He wasn't sure if he'd eat 3 meals a day either if it weren't for that. Perhaps Mizael just really liked human food. He couldn't really remember something so trivial from his life with Jinlon.
It wasn't just Kaito though, not tonight.
In the backyard of Ryoga's mansion, all sorts of people were gathered, many of whom Mizael didn't recognize. This was Yuma's idea so of course he was there. He thought a frisky pink-haired girl looked familiar. Two of the Arclight brothers he once faced off against were there. He made sure to avoid them.
He wasn't sure if this was a party? It was some sort of gathering for all of them to meet up again and make up or something. Not many of them had had fulfilling chances to see each other face to face again, so he supposed it was all in good faith. He really despised hanging out with such a crowd though. He stuck around Kaito for this reason, who also seemed to be keeping more to himself, but was somehow snagged away by Alito. That was oddly nice though. He felt more like himself around those guys, like not that much had changed, besides the fact that they were all reunited under better, non-life-threatening circumstances. Alito hung his arm around Mizael's neck a little too roughly but was off tussling Girag before he could complain. Durbe seemed to be doing well for himself, as Mizael learned after a chat. Ryoga said something to him but the blond was almost zoning out and promptly forgot. All the noise was getting to his head just a bit, until he saw what he thought was a good opportunity to slip away.
Just to get away from the crowd, Mizael traversed the yard that suddenly seemed twice as big, finding his way around the mansion and back to the front. In the bushes and trees lining the mansion, all in desperate need of a trim, was a bench, and sat on it was Kaito.
"Mizael." he greeted simply as the other blond sat down next to him without that much of a thought for once.
"Too noisy?"
"Yeah, a little. But I'm happy to see everyone at least."
Kaito gave an expression barely bordering that of a smile as they both fell silent to take in the cold evening air. It felt almost too quiet.
"Mizael?"
Mizael hadn't even realized how narrowed his eyes were or how far bent down his head was, his hair forming a curtain over his face.
"Are you okay?"
If it weren't for them being in this exact situation right now, in this exact mood and at this exact time, Mizael would have decided against saying much. But who else could he confide in now?
"Is it really ok for us to be having fun like this? I feel odd."
"You feel sick?"
"No… I feel weird hanging out and having fun with the others. Can I really do that?"
"Why wouldn't you?"
Mizael looked perplexed, his face grimacing, unable to verbalize his thoughts. Kaito waited patiently but his patience wasn't enough to pry an answer out of him. Mizael stood instead, walked a few steps and stopped, as if he forgot where he was going. There was a place he couldn't stop thinking about, and so he tilted his head up towards the Moon, as if it offered the answer he was looking for. He didn't notice when Kaito stood and stopped not quite at his side but slightly behind him, still so that they could hear one another better even as they spoke quietly.
"Would you tell me what happened to you, Mizael?"
Mizael turned his head to look at Kaito, surprised and clearly contemplating whether he should. He was immediately brought back to their duel on the Moon - the words Kaito had spoken then.
'If we were to meet again, wouldn't you tell me what happened to you?'
A part of him was telling him that this was hardly the place for that, the other part of him wanted nothing more than to get it off his chest. Having been proposed the idea now, his desire to relay everything to Kaito only grew. If no one else, at least Kaito should know, shouldn't he?
"You know of how I died, right?"
"Yes, but I'd like you to tell me your story in full. You remember now, don't you?"
Mizael stared at Kaito thoughtfully, finally turning his gaze back to the ground in front of him.
"The way I met Jinlon... I was stranded in a desert, running away from the village where I was born. It had been attacked by an opposing army and I eventually gave up on waiting for mom and dad, else I wouldn't live to tell the tale either."
He chuckled briefly, wryly. Kaito's gaze was unwavering, Mizael knew, so he avoided looking at him, or else he might change his mind about telling his story.
"I didn't even have time to mourn. I just ran for as long as I could. I don't know how much time had passed. There was nothing but desert around me. ...Jinlon eventually appeared, when I finally collapsed. He took me to nearby population and took care of me. The town folk thought him to be the peacekeeper, and me, they called the hero."
It wasn't as hard to tell Kaito the condensed version of these events as Mizael had thought, but still he frowned as he pieced together the words in his head.
"I tried to protect him. The people of the town said that if I wanted to be a real hero, I'd slay Jinlon."
He couldn't help the anger in his tone even if he tried.
"But I couldn't do that. Of course not. I knew it wasn't true… But there was nothing I could do. The only alternative was for Jinlon to kill them before they could harm him, but they were innocent; fooled by that man and his curse. We couldn't stoop to that level. So I offered my life instead, hoping that in doing so they would believe that Jinlon was not at fault."
Mizael realized Kaito would have been caught up at this point, so he contemplated the necessity of mentioning being shot to death by arrows.
"You already knew that much though."
"I prefer hearing it from you."
Kaito's calm voice offered some comfort. Mizael decided against the details of his death.
"As a Barian I worked together with Durbe and the others. Then you and I and our Galaxy-Eyes' collided…"
Mizael's eyes were fixated on the sky once more, his gaze always returning back the Celestial Body above.
"It was only on the Moon that I was able to accept these memories. Because of you. I was so caught up in our rivalry, I really thought I was protecting the others. I was so desperate to beat you and prove you wrong, but then you called me the real dragon tamer. I didn't even have to win for the title, and I couldn't fathom that. You were ready for that duel to be your last, and because of me…"
Kaito cut him off suddenly, "It wasn't because of you."
"That duel only happened because I pursued you for one. Yuma said it too, that there was no reason for us to have been fighting. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have been there. It was because I…"
Mizael trailed off, trying to find the right words, but he lost his train of thought completely when Kaito took his hand.
"The decision to duel you was mine. If you're at fault then so am I."
Mizael looked to Kaito sorrowfully, and he returned the look with those ever so focused eyes. Mizael's hand was limp in his. The same way he wasn't returning the gesture, he also wasn't ready to accept the other boy's words. Yet, his own eyes were almost prying, asking Kaito for answers to questions he couldn't verbalize. Or maybe he was trying to conjure up the answers himself and mulled over them in his head? He wasn't sure, but Kaito's eyes always brought clarity with them. Mizael felt comforted looking into them, like a sailor studying the compass while lost at sea.
He drifted further yet when Kaito let go of his hand.