Work Text:
Once upon a time long ago, so far in the past Yubel scarcely remembers it – they had been a single human, once, with awkward limbs and steady eyes. They barely recall what it was like back then, before they took on a dragon's scales through days of excruciating transformation.
They'd evolved to a higher form, the alchemists had told Yubel. The guardian to the future Supreme King was a fusion of human and dragon, mortal and spirit. They were the best of multiple worlds, a perfect being transcended above them all and aimed at a single purpose.
The prince told them they were perfect, too, but for very different reasons.
In the present, Yubel knows they were all wrong. Being fused into a dragon had made them into something more than they once were, that much was true. But taking that and becoming one with Judai has made them into something even more, something whole.
Judai shouts as Neos clashes with Kenzan's Super Conductor Tyranno, commenting on how Kenzan's improved in the year and a half since graduation. He's free with his following laughter, a beautiful joyous bubbling exclamation that lifts Yubel's heart with his own, eyes focused only on the duel before him.
His side aches from the fight early this morning, but he need not fear the return of the thief who chases the rare Botanical Lion Judai is safekeeping for a girl at Kenzan's university. He's secure in the knowledge that Yubel has their eyes on everyone within a kilometer's radius, and that he'll know of any trouble approaching them long before it gets the chance to try anything.
Yubel rides the high of his joy, and continues their lookout.
Judai grins, all teeth and righteous anger, readying his duel disk alongside Johan. The woman in front of them cackles something about an opportunity to take the legendary Gem Beasts alongside the mysterious Neo Spacians, while her brother fumbles with some kind of contraption for capturing spirits.
Johan shouts something indignant, but Yubel only half listens as they feel the rush of adrenaline and settle into Judai's blood, hearts thrumming together as they peer through his vision. The brother stammers something about the change in his eyes and the sister snaps at him, and when Judai laughs it's with some of Yubel's throatiness.
Later Yubel will be summoned to Judai's side, ever the terrifying guardian. Eventually Neos Wiseman will shield both Judai and Johan in this tag duel. But for now Yubel grits their teeth with Judai, exposing fangs elongated by the resonance of their joined souls, and prepares.
"Duel!"
Judai flops gracelessly on his back into the motel bed and lays there, staring at the ceiling and sinking into a pit of self-loathing.
He'd done the right thing, summoning Neos to save that child. Both he and Yubel know that. But the sting of being called a monster never goes away entirely, and the child's scream when Judai tried to take his hand and the weak push against his chest had done much more damage to Judai's heart than to his body.
Yubel lets him wallow for a few minutes, letting him feel the ache just long enough to let the worst bleed out, and then they slowly inch away the thin barrier that separates their consciousness from Judai's.
Old heartache resonates with new, and their hearts curl around each other and mix together. Somewhere in this process their pain is diluted - or perhaps neutralized. They never listened as intently to Professor Daitokuji's alchemy lessons as they could have, in class or on their travels, but in the end it's the same thing right?
What matters is that they are one, and their feelings are one as well. They are something the rest of the world will not understand, but they are never alone - they are together.