He glanced over, taking in the form bent over, working on his pride and joy. The bright red D-wheeler was a testament to his loves effort and determination. No matter how patchy the mechanics were, consisting of what ever scrap they could find, it ran with the best of them, as fast as any pro-circuit Dual Runner. All he wished though, was that the creator of this beauty would spend as much time on himself as he did the machine.
"Yusei, c'mon, you've been tinkering away on that thing all day. You need a break." he asked nervously. As much of a good guy Yusei was, he was a bit of a bitch when cranky, and when you've spent the better part of a week slaving over a piece of machinery with little to no sleep in between, it was easy to lose you're cool. Luckily for Crow, Yusei was having one of his 'better' days. With a glare that was worthy of making hell freeze over launched at the red head, he grumbled a reply, before straightening up as much as was possible after such labour. "fine, a few hours, that's all I promise" he grumbled, shuffling towards the bird-brained duellist. Upon reaching him, he was grabbed around the waist,, feeling the other press against his chest, "it's all I ask Yuse, just take a break, that machine's gonna be the death of you", he mumbled into the taller's chest, letting out a sigh as he felt the other return his embrace, even if it was hesitantly. "sorry for making you worry Crow, but thanks. I don't know what I'd do if you didn't have you watching my back." he responded monotonously. The shorter pushed back, the other still in his grasp, "As much as I'd love to continue this moment, you really, really need a shower man. You stink" he ended with a laugh, seeing the scowl that began to re-emerge on the dueller's features. The only answer he got was a agitated sounding fine and a bathroom door closed in his face. Upon hearing the shower running, he let his mask slip, and slid down from the wall. If Yusei didn't have him watching his back, he knew what would've happened. If he hadn't been there then Yusei, the love of his life, would still be with Jack.
…
Jack had given him a hard choice, being together with him or the life of his friend. In the end Yusei did the only thing he could, he dived into that ocean and dragged the unconscious boy out. Once he made sure that Rally was still among the living, he turned to notice that Jack was long gone. Upon this realisation, he stifled a sob and refused to shed tears, to show weakness in the satellite was to ask for death, only the strong survived.
Upon reaching his current residence, carrying Rally, who was still out cold, where the prying eyes of the satellite were blind, did he let his mask fall. No tears were shed, no sobs rocked his body, he just shut off, and Crow was the only one who noticed it. As far as the other guys were concerned, Jack had ran off, ditching the lot of them after stealing Stardust Dragon from Yusei, putting Rally in mortal danger in order to do this, thinking that Yusei was merely pissed off at the royal prick, but out of them all, it was only Crow who was aware of Jack and Yusei's relationship, how they were more than friends.
On the surface, Yusei was the same as ever, always to mysterious, silent type, never one to throw emotions around carelessly. As far as anyone was concerned, he was perfectly fine. Only one was there to comfort his friend, whether it was the simple pat on a back, or a cup of coffee during an all nighter constructing yet another dual runner, it was these little things that Crow did, in hopes of comforting his love and to let him know that he'd always be there. He never saw it becoming anything, but when Yusei came to him one night, he couldn't deny him. He could never deny him, how could he when it was the one whom he loved more than anything, with both a beautiful body and mind to match. Even when the other cried out the name of his past lover, he pushed the thoughts of jealousy and anger aside. He had no right to feel like that, it wasn't Yusei's fault that Jack had broken him, forcing him to be used as some substitute in the 'King's' absence. All he could do was make Yusei as happy as possible, and if it meant that he had to fill in Jack's shoes to do it, he would, no matter how much it hurt himself.
…
After waking up in bed alone, like most mornings, he made his way to the one place that he knew the other would be. Upon reaching his destination, he took in the scene before him, leaning against the door frame. Yusei, yet again, was working on his dual runner. Bent over, fiddling with some wires, his previously clean body already streaked with sweat, oil and grime. It seemed he couldn't bring himself to dress properly today, only being able to pull on a pair of boxers before rushing off to work on his 'masterpiece'. A scowl appeared on the red-head's features, jealously starting to take root. Why was this wheeled monster so important. Why was it more important to be working on it than laying in bed with him. Why couldn't Yusei look, or treat him with as much affection as that piece of metal. He was a real person, just as real as Jack, he wasn't some toy to be fucked with, then tossed to the side when no longer needed.
With a sigh, he calmed himself down. He couldn't be thinking like this. Yusei wasn't to blame, it was all Jack's fault. Jack was arrogant, bossy, pretentious. He hated him. Yusei loved him, Jack knew that, yet he still abandoned him, breaking him, leaving only fragments behind, fragments which he'd tried to put back together, to bring the old Yuse back, in hopes of receiving the love that was once bestowed upon King Arse-hole, but it seemed, try as he may, that Jack's grip was still on Yusei. Even now, while he was living it up in Neo-Domino, he had Yusei pining over him down in the slums, hell bent on rigging up a new Dual-runner in hopes of making it to New Domino in order to be with his precious Jack, willing to leave him, the one who was there for him in his time of need, the one who truly cared about him behind.
"Yuse, c'mon, it's three in the morning, you should be sleeping,", with me, the red head thought, letting out a yawn, "there's no point fretting over that thing now when you're tired, come back when your rested" he leaded, trying to make the other see right, "I can't Crow," Yusei replied, "every moment I spend sleeping is a moment without Jack, the sooner I finish this, the sooner I can be with him again"" he finished with a sad smile. Crow was taken back by this soft expression, it was completely foreign to him, something that he guessed that Jack only had the right to know of, but being part of the satellite, he knew to mask his emotions, choosing to smile in encouragement and understanding, what Yusei wanted to see rather than shed the tears that he so desperately attempted to hide. At this, another foreign expression crossed Yusei's features, another smile, though this one was different. It was one of apology. The blue eyed dualist turned back to his escape, exposing his back to the shorter man. Upon noticing the tramp stamp of Jack's insignia tattooed across Yusei's lower back, he turned and left the room. No matter what, he was always second to Jack in Yusei's eyes, yet he still loved him, and just because he loved him, doesn't mean he couldn't hate Jack as well. In the end, Jack always got everything, a fresh start, a future, the respect of a whole city and the love of an angel. He was a King, and compared to Jack, he was nothing.