Being back in City and staying in their nice bedrooms again felt a little surreal. The Friendship Cup felt like it had happened ages ago, when it was actually just a few months. So much had happened since then, so many new things he never could have dreamed of, and when it felt like it had calmed down, suddenly something else popped up.
Like going to a ritzy Tops banquet.
Which led him to now, walking over to Rin's room to escape from the crawly feeling that has been creeping under his skin ever since the tailors that visited him earlier to adjust the suit he was supposed to be wearing.
He finally saw the door, crossing the last stretch with a small skip and gave the metal two knocks before he opened it.
"Riiin? Are you there?"
Looking inside, the room was empty. Frowning, he walked inside, the doors sliding shut behind him. Was she not here? She could be in one of the other girl's rooms, maybe he should have sent her a message asking where she was. Though the thought of doing that was still weird to him, they tended to find each other pretty well without it anyway.
Then, he noticed something laying on the floor, looking like it had been thrown there. Walking over and picking it up, he recognised it as the dress Rin had been given for the banquet tonight. Sparkly blues and light, light greens, with white details and decorations, it reminded him of Winter Bell in a way. Looking at it made his stomach flutter a little in excitement. Probably because he knew Rin would look great in it.
But, why was it on the floor?
Frowning in confusion, he placed it on the bed, smoothing it out and hoping the fabric hadn't gotten wrinkled. Now he was getting a little worried.
Rin's duel disk was still here, sitting on the desk by the window, and she never went anywhere without it. Her jacket hung on a hook next to the door and underneath it, her shoes sat, one laying on its side.
The bathroom door, however, was closed.
Stepping closer, he gave the wood a knock. "Rin?"
He hears a hitched breath behind the door and it made his heart plummet.
"Rin? Are you okay?" He tries the handle, only to find it locked. "Are you crying?"
"No," was the muffled response. "I'm fine, Yugo. I want to be alone."
"I don't believe you," he says stubbornly. His gut told him she didn't want to and it had never been wrong before with Rin. "Can you let me in? Or open the door, I want to help."
"It's just something dumb, you don't have to worry."
His hands slammed into the door without thinking. "It's not dumb if you're feeling sad!"
Silence, then he hears a breathy laugh. He hears shuffling and the sound of bare feet walking on the bathroom tiles as she moves towards the door. The lock makes a soft click as she unlocks the door, opening it just a crack and peeking out. Just seeing this much makes the knot of unease in his stomach loosen up a little.
"You're way too stubborn, you know?" Rin says, amusement clear in her voice.
"Same for you." He smiles, then blinks in surprise when he notices she only has her underwear on, a big, fluffy white towel over her shoulders the only thing covering her. He then frowns in concern when he sees her eyes are a little red. "Rin, what's wrong?"
She averts her eyes, letting out a big sigh that made her shoulders sink, the hand holding onto the doorframe clenching around the wood. "It's just… god, this feels so dumb..."
"It's not dumb," he repeats.
The corners of her mouth twitch up into a small smile, but it's not a very happy one.
"...Can I come in?"
Rin nods silently, backing into the room again. He follows in after her and closes the door, watching her sit down heavily on the edge of the giant bathtub. Why anyone would need one that big Yugo didn't know, you could fit like two people in those things.
He sits down next to her, fiddling with his fingers and trying to come up with something to say. Rin stays silent, eyes fixed on the tiles covering the floor, feet brushing mindlessly against the soft bathroom carpet in front of the bathtub.
"Uh, does this have anything to do with your dress?" he hesitantly asks, not knowing where else to start. There had to be some reason it had laid in a heap on the floor, right?
Rin's expression tightens up, hands clenching on the towel around her. "Pretty much," she chews on her lower lip, thinking.
"...You didn't like it?" he asks, confused. It was a beautiful dress, he remembers how Rin had been excited about it, getting to wear a pretty dress she herself had chosen.
"No. I mean yes? Uuuggh, I don't know," she groans, leaning forward and dropping her head in her hands.
"Sooo, what is it?" He really, really wanted to understand.
She stays quiet for a while, but he could tell by the way her fingers tapped against her forehead she was collecting her thoughts to put it into words. It was a habit she'd had for years.
"I was pretty excited for it, you know? It's every little Commons girl's dream, getting to wear a beautiful dress and go to a fancy party. You wouldn't believe how often the girls at the facility talked about it when we were small." She smirks jokingly. "You didn't miss much honestly, it got pretty tiring even for me after a while."
He chuckles, remembering how Rin would often come barrelling towards him when they were kids and declare they were gonna duel or play. He'd only found out long after, by asking, that she did it to escape the other girls. The memory of her declaring he was more fun to play with still made him happy, even years later.
Rin sits up straight and draws in a big breath, letting out in a loud sigh. "I like the dress, how it looks, but when I pulled it on by myself earlier it didn't… feel right. It just dawned on me that I hated it, how I looked in it. I just felt…" she draw the towel tighter over her shoulder. "...Uncomfortable. Gross, almost."
Yugo frowns hard, giving in to the urge to wrap his arms around her in a tight hug, rubbing his face against her shoulder in protest. "You're not gross, Rin!"
She laughs for the first time since he got here, hugging him back as best she can, leaning her face against his hair. "Thanks, Yugo."
He hugs her tighter in response. "I didn't really like being poked with needles or wearing that suit, and they kept calling me 'young man' all the time, it was weird."
Rin laughs a little, a real one even if it was low, so he counted it as a plus. They shifted so they sat side-to-side again, one arm still wrapped around each other
"I should have just said something earlier," she says, sighing. "I was a little apprehensive when I picked it out, yet still excited? But every time I tried it on something felt off, and everyone said it looked great, that I'll get used to it. Finally putting it on when I was alone, everything just kind of swelled over." She rubs the corner of her eye, fingers coming away wet. She looked so disgruntled over it he almost laughed, but then she heavily leans her face against the side of his head.
"...I hate that I don't like it," is whispered against his hair, but he stays where he is and lets Rin speak. "Because I have to wear it, there's no time to change anything or get a new outfit. So I have to spend the whole night wearing it, even though the thought of putting it back on is making my skin crawl and makes me want to throw up and I hate it-"
Her words abruptly cut off as her voice chokes up and she sniffles, gripping onto him tighter and burrowing her face in his hair as if to hide from the world. It made his heart shatter in his chest and he felt so useless when all he could do was hug her again and rub a soothing hand up and down her back as he shoulders tremble. Rin usually never cried and when she did all he could really do was talk to her and hug her until she felt better.
This time it didn't look like he could do that. But then what could he do…
An idea popped into his head.
"Hey, Rin."
She draws back with a last sniffle, hurrying to rub away the wetness in her eyes before he could see. "Sorry, sorry, I don't know what-"
"If you don't wanna wear the dress… how about a suit instead?"
Rin looks at him with a confused look, but he only grins at her.
Yuya was having a blast. What he'd feared to be a stuffy, classy party turned out to be much more relaxed and fun. The prim and proper aura still lingered, mostly around the Tops folk, but much more people than he expected was making an effort to mingle with all kinds of people. That it was both outside and inside helped, people were less packed in and it made dancing easier.
He was brought out of his thoughts as his arm is grabbed from behind and pulling him forward. The flash of pink easily told him who it was.
"Yuya, act calm and walk," Yuzu says, pulling at his arm until he starts walking beside her, then she lets go.
"Getting hounded by fans?" he asks, smiling in amusement as they walk outside.
She sighs irritably, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "They won't. Stop. I was FINALLY able to escape by making up some excuse about talking to you about something. I will never say you're boasting when you complain about fans ever again."
Yuya can't help but laugh even as Yuzu looks sourly at him. "Should we go find the others then? Pretty sure everyone's arrived by now."
Yuzu nods as they fall in step and exit the dome-like structure half the party was held in, entering the large garden area the other half was in. Beautiful flower beds and carefully cut bushes decorated the area, dozen of lights scattered around to give it an almost otherworldly glow. The big fountain in the middle with lights pointed up into the water streaming down completed the picture.
Yuzu had been enthralled at first, still was, but being held captured by supposed fans of hers from the Friendship Cup ever since they had arrived had kind of soured the magic a little. But she was determined not to let it ruin the rest of the night for her.
Soon they spotted Yuto and Serena sitting on a stone ledge off to the side, trimmed hedges and flowers behind them.
"Taking a break?" Yuya asks teasingly when they come close enough.
"Just a short one," Yuto says, smile a little tired. He fiddles with the cuffs of his dark grey suit jacket, with a purple undershirt and a grey tie. "I'm not used to so many people, honestly."
"Seriously," Serena says, mouth filled with food from the plate she was holding. She swallows before continuing. Her dark blue, high-necked dress sparkled in the lights, the lack of sleeves showing off her muscled arms. The skirt was short and wide enough to move in easily, but still modest, going high up her waist. Black tights went down to the middle of her calves, with a lacey edge. "I kept getting stopped by people repeating the same thing over and over, I was starting to get irritated."
Yuto huffs, but he's smiling. "So I pulled her over here before a fight could break out. It's pretty secluded."
Yuzu winces, making Serena look up at her. "You too, Yuzu?"
"They're endless," she sighs miserably, covering her face with her hand. "Hopefully they'll leave us alone if we have company."
"Hmph," Serena huffed irritably, taking her frustrations out on her food, chewing hard.
"Aah, that looks really good, Serena! Could I have some too?"
They all look up as Ruri cheerfully walks up to them, Yuri one step behind her. Her bright, sunny dress fluttering around her legs, light blue, sheer fabric peeking out behind the slits in the yellow. Her top wrapped up over one of her shoulders with one long, fluttery sleeve. Serena holds out the plate and Ruri happily picks up one of the small delicacies sitting on top of it.
"Not participating in that tournament doesn't make you safe, it seems," Yuri hums, frowning as he glances around, arms crossed over his chest. The magenta suit he wore somehow didn't look overly gaudy on him, a vest a shade darker underneath and a white shirt under that with a tie the same shade as his vest. He looks over at Ruri. "Never thought I'd have to chase overly pushy folks away from any of you."
Ruri giggles while Yuto looks slightly alarmed. "Chase off?"
"It was nothing big," she says easily, swaying from side to side on her feet. "Some people who were getting very pushy is all. One look from Yuri chased them off pretty quickly," she laughed.
"You don't need to feed the rumour mills further," Yuya laughs. Even in formal wear he refused to leave his goggles behind, still sitting on top of his head. They didn't clash too hard with the red suit he had on, jacket left unbuttoned and showing the black shirt underneath with a matching red tie.
Yuzu smiles humorously, smoothing out her poofy, yet elegant light pink dress, edge trimmed with small, baby blue frills and billowing out from the layers underneath. Her sleeves were poofy and round but not overly large and a round neckline.
"Did anyone see Yugo or Rin yet?" Yuto asks, standing up and brushing off his pants, despite likely not needing to. "He wasn't in his room when we left, though his suit was gone."
Yuzu shook her head in tandem with the others. "Rin said to go ahead when we knocked. It's been a while now though…"
Yuya frowns in concern. "Should we go check on them? I know Yugo was feeling a little anxious over this."
"Rin too," Ruri says, clasping her hands over the front of her skirt. "She didn't say anything, but we could tell she's been on edge since yesterday."
"Unsurprisingly." Serena stands up as well, putting down her now empty plate on the stones as they all start to inch away from their corner and toward the exit.
"So should someone-" Yuzu starts, but stops when she realises the sudden awed and hushed whispers from a small crowd over at the entrance. "What's going on?"
"Who knows…" Yuya says, squinting and trying to see through the mass of people. A small huddle of people was blocking their view of the entrance to the big terrace they were on. It was the way to enter the party, so was it some new, well-known guest they were supposed to know? "I can't see anything."
The people started to move, as whatever spectacle they were so entranced by seemingly started to move.
Something glittered in the light.
"Ah! I found them! Heeey, you guys!"
"Hey, don't shout so loud, people will stare!"
And all of their respective jaws dropped as said spectacle made their way towards them.
"Hey, Yugo, are you sure this is okay?"
"I already said yes, I'm sure, and that it's okay didn't I?"
"Yes, but..."
"...What, do I look bad or something?"
"No! No! Definitely not!"
"Then it's good, right? You look great too!"
"...Thanks. But uh, can you do me a favour?"
"Hm? What?"
"Don't wander around alone for too long."
"Huh? Why?"
"Please?"
"Ok, ok, fine."
"Right. Shall we go then?"
"Yeah!"
Yugo was sparkling. That was the best description any of them could come up with.
And he was wearing a dress. Rin's dress, to be precise.
The skirt was bell-shaped, stopping just above the knees. High up his waist and covered with a wide, teal-coloured ribbon wrapped around him was a sheer, almost see-through and sparkling fabric, flowing out and down the dress, cut to show the front dotted with crystals. It faded from light green up at the waist to light blue and finally to light purple at the edges. It was wavy and wide, cut into a smooth, vague V shape down the back of his legs. The white dress underneath had no sleeves, stopping at his chest with drop shapes formed by sparkling stones on it, going all the way down to the skirt. A pair of sheer, white gloves that stopped up his hands before reaching his fingers. They flared out at the edge and had a white ribbon wrapped around them. The gloves matching with the actual stockings he had on, white and glittering.
His har was different. It was still pulled back with a hairclip, but now it fell down his neck instead of being pulled upwards. The lock of hair beside his face was slightly wavy, just enough to be noticeable.
Rin, in comparison, was wearing a suit. A suit the others recognised as the one Yugo was supposed to wear, a pure white one with a blue undershirt and no tie. The earrings and necklace sparkled under her shirt and hair, that was pulled back with a white headband. She looked a little hesitant, glancing around, but even so, she strode forward easily, looking at ease and comfortable.
"Sorry we're so late," Rin says as they come to a stop. She carefully runs a hand through her hair, other hand fiddling with the jacket she was wearing. "We uh, took a while to get ready."
"Seriously, I didn't think it would take this long!" Yugo huffs and crosses his arms, careful not to mush the beautiful gradient fabric against his body. "I'm never gonna complain that any of you take too long getting ready again."
Rin giggled, patting his bare shoulder. "Thank you for your consideration."
"Wha…"
"Um,"
The others weak attempts to speak bring them out of their conversation. Yugo ends up speaking first. "What's up with you guys? You're really quiet."
But no one answers, as Ruri manages to snap out of her stupor and ends up flying up to them both.
"Wooow! You two look wonderful!" Her eyes sparkled and she was smiling wide. "How come I didn't know about this? Did anyone?"
Yugo and Rin both flush slightly at her enthusiastic compliment and excitement. Yugo grins and runs his fingers over the hair hanging down his neck. "Hehe, thanks!"
It seemed to snap the others out of their stupor, coughing and swallowing to gather their composure.
"What, what brought this on?" Yuto says, sounding dazed and eyes not leaving Yugo.
"Y-yeah, I didn't- I mean, we didn't, expect this…" Serena stumbles, body tense where she stands.
Rin laughs, flustered. "Well, we decided on it literally a few hours ago."
"It, it doesn't look weird, right?" Yugo asks, shifting and pulling at the dress he was wearing. It made it sparkle and move as the light hit it. "I mean I don't really care but-"
"It looks beautiful on you." Yugo stops abruptly and looks at Yuri, who stared intently at him, before looking away. "Don't go think otherwise."
Yugo blinks in shock at the genuine compliment, feeling a blush form on his cheeks. "T-thanks…"
Yuzu steps up to Rin, looking flustered as she swept her eyes over how her shoulders looked in the suit jacket and how it gave the illusion that she looked slimmer and taller than she actually was. She coughed into her hand.
"You, you look really good, Rin. Truly."
She blinks in surprise, before smiling earnestly. "Thank you, Yuzu."
"Really, you look so handsome and elegant!" Ruri says, leaning against Yuzu's shoulder as they start to crowd around their respective Synchro counterparts. "And you both kinda match! I'm almost jealous."
Rin and Yugo look at each other. Rin wore some of the accessories that were supposed to go with the dress, the earrings, necklace and hairband. Yugo hadn't felt comfortable wearing them, the hair styling was the most he'd agreed with. Doing it all by themselves took while.
They smiled in amusement, laughing.
Then, music started playing, the live orchestra starting to warm up for another round of songs and dancing. People were starting to gather in the part of the garden meant to function as a dance floor.
Yuya smiles, taking a step back, doing a small bow and held out a hand to Yugo, smiling playfully. "May I have this dance, Yugo?"
Yugo flushes bright red, but smiles in embarrassment and takes his outstretched hand. "Dude, no need to act weirdly just cause I'm wearing a dress."
"Just felt like it." He grins and brings his hand up to press a small kiss to his knuckles, before bursting out snickering as they walk to the dance floor. "Sorry if I made you uncomfortable."
Yugo feels how even his ears are burning now. But he still feels happy, giddy and flustered. Rin's happy too and that just makes him overjoyed.
He smiles a small smile, a nice breeze running through his hair and making his skirt swirl around his legs, gripping Yuya's hand back. "Nah, you're fine."
Yuya smiles brightly as he places a hand on Yugo's waist as the others hand settles awkwardly on his shoulder.
"Uh, just so you know, I'm not good at dancing. Like, at all."
Yuya laughs, pulling him closer. "Don't worry, I'll lead."
"Ok… if you say so."
Yuri and Yuto look on as the odd, bubbly filter that seems to appear around Yuya and Yugo when they're together. It was somehow brighter and more glistening than usual, likely thanks to Yugo's new attire.
"He beat us to it," Yuri says with no real annoyance and more amusement.
Yuto rolls his eyes good-naturedly. "We'll get our turn later. For now, we can watch."
Yuri chuckles. "Not like the sight is bad."
They watched as the two started gliding over the floor, Yugo's skirt flowing around them as his steps turned less clumsy and more spirited, turning their dance into less of an elegant waltz and into something more fun and energetic. The effect spread to the other people dancing and soon the orchestra was playing in a more fitting rhythm to match the new mood.
"Uh, hey, Yuri?" Rin taps his arm to get his attention before she's swept away by the girls to dance as well, leaning in closer to whisper. "Can I trust you guys to keep an eye on him? During the times I can't, I mean."
Yuri looks to where she was looking, where Yugo was dancing with Yuya, looking near ethereal under the dark night sky and decorative lights, smiling wide. His laugh carries over the area as Yuya lifts him up and spins around, looking like he was glowing.
And the multitude of eyes lingering on him.
His brows furrow as something possessive curls in his chest. He glances at Rin, taking in the confident line of her back and how comfortable she looked. If she noticed similar looks on her as well, she didn't show it. He trusted the other girls to have noticed, however.
His smile is only slightly malicious when it slides onto his face. "Of course."
"You go enjoy yourself, Rin. I think the others are getting impatient," Yuto says, smiling.
She smiles, walking back to the other girls. Her eyes look over at her best friend, remembering the anxiousness over going out in her dress that he had tried to hide. It was nowhere to be found now, and neither was her's.
The dress suited him better anyway. And in her personal opinion, his suit looked better on her anyway.