Chapter Text
He couldn’t focus.
Which wasn’t anything particularly out of the ordinary–there was always something on his mind. It wasn’t like he didn’t care per se…well, okay, maybe whatever the hell his teacher was droning on about wasn’t exactly on the top or even real high on Joey Wheeler's list of priorities so sue ‘em.
No, that wasn’t out of the ordinary. Not at all. What was though was the fact that for some strange, unpredictable (he knows that just maaaybe he should have expected it–but like a lot of things in his life he chose to ignore that fact) reason all he could think about was what he had said probably about twenty-minutes ago to the kid he was bullying only two days ago.
He had meant it. What he said that is. Probably the corniest thing he’s said in the past few years but he meant it. If only it wasn’t so fucking 𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨. Joey Wheeler. Declaring a friendship. With a 𝘱𝘶𝘯. Who the hell does that?!
After a moment he then asked himself who 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩?! What was even thinking? He leaned his head against his hand and tried not to groan. At the very least it didn’t seem like Muto minded. In fact it looked the opposite. It was almost like he had said the exact right thing. Even though he got a cheer and a smile out of the guy, no one really knew what went on in Yugi Muto’s head.
Joey thought back to that moment before he freaked and ran. The one where Yugi seemed almost overwhelmed. It had taken a second for the guy to respond and when he did his voice was lighter than he ever heard it. But that might’ve just been the wishful thinking (a habit he could never abandon no matter how hard he tried) convincing him it meant more to the guy than it actually did. Hell, he could have sworn he even saw the guy 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘶𝘱! And wasn’t that ridiculous? Even he knew when his brain was just makin’ shit up.
…Unless it 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 in his head and he had totally nailed it. From what he already knew about Yugi it seemed likely. Or was that the wrong way of thinking considering what he thought about the guy not too long ago, before he was shown just 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 he is? What 𝘥𝘪𝘥 he know about Yugi Muto?
For starters he knew the guy liked to bring in all sorts of games to school and play them on his lonesome–he spent most breaks alone in classrooms the more Joey thought about (what was up with that? Wasn’t that Mazaki chick supposed to be his friend?). He wore a lot of eyeliner and had those black leather bracelets with the buckles on ‘em over the wrist of his uniform sleeves…..okay this shit was just the obvious damn it!
The blonde picked up his pencil and began to fidget with it. He knew the guy was kind. But that was the type of thing you could see in someone's eyes. He knew he was a pacifist..and now he was just starting the obvious 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯. Whatever, scratch what he knew. He had to focus on what he learned. The main things being he won’t hesitate to get his shit rocked for two jerks that didn’t deserve the save and that for an unknown amount’ta time he’s considering him and Honda friends. Which was insane to think about considering up until today they hadn’t been much but douches to the guy (fuck man, Honda ain’t even included in that).
It made his head hurt because it didn’t make sense. None whatsoever. He couldn’t fathom being so willing to put his neck on the line for assholes who ain’t never done him any good. ̶H̶i̶s̶ ̶o̶l̶d̶ ̶m̶a̶n̶ ̶d̶i̶d̶n̶’̶t̶ ̶c̶o̶u̶n̶t̶.̶ ̶T̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶ ̶d̶i̶f̶f̶e̶r̶e̶n̶t̶.̶
He decided to drop it lest he make his head start spinnin’. Joey’s pencil spinning became light tapping against the paper that was placed in front of him around five or so minutes ago. How long has it been since class started? Doesn’t matter, he’ll know when the bell rings. His mind went back to what he said before class.
𝘔𝘺 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘪𝘵,
𝘠𝘶𝘶𝘑𝘰𝘶
That’s what he told Yugi. A pun combining their names set up with a play on the phrase he read off the guy’s gold box. The one that had held the unassembled puzzle now being worn around his, Yugi’s, neck. It had felt good to say. 𝐆𝐨𝐝 it felt good. It was corny as shit but he didn’t care. He could lie to himself, say it was just words to convey the start of friendship–and indulgence for Yugi’s sake. But that’d be a bold-faced lie. Not only would it betray his new resolve to prove he’s 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 than who’s been but it’d also be lying on 𝘠𝘶𝘨𝘪’𝘴 name. He couldn’t do that. (He’s already fudged the truth to his Grandfather and that was enough lying or anything of the kind to a Muto in Joey’s books.)
What he said may have been juvenile but it felt right. He had actually almost pussied out to try and figure out a different way to show he wanted a 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 friendship with the other teen but right as he thought about doing that, he heard Yugi laugh to himself in the corridor. (Joey still wasn’t sure what had made the guy so cheerful but now he knew the short teen had a real nice laugh.) So all he could do was grow a pair and go through with it. He, of course, ran right after but still. Joey was a man, he didn’t run until after he had gotten some sort of response for Yugi.
He smiled to himself. He was going to do this right. (Was someone saying his name?) He was going to be the person he used to be, the kind of guy his sister’d be proud of and the type of guy that deserved to be known as a friend of Yugi Muto. Joey Wheeler was going to change. Joey “WHEELER”
…just nearly had a heart attack. The teen jumped in his seat as whoever was teaching this period slammed her hands on his desk 𝘢𝘯𝘥 empty paper.
Fuck.
As he heard classmates laugh at his humiliation he didn’t hear Yugi’s.