A/N: As I mentioned in Solitude, I was planning to make another one like it. This has the same plot, but it's Jesse centric. Again, no yaoi. Enjoy.
Loneliness
Walking down the island where Duel Academy was situated, all by himself with not a soul in sight, was not one of Jesse's favorite tings. It wouldn't really be a lie to say that he hated those times where there would be no one around except for himself.
This was one of those times.
The place seamed quiet and gloomy. He didn't like spending time by himself for the sole reason that he would start thinking too much about everything and his would always end up heading in unpleasant directions.
So he always made sure to end those times quickly.
"What are you doing here, Jay?" He shut the door behind himself as he entered the room.
See what I mean?
Trying to hide the troubling thoughts that had been bugging him just seconds ago, Jesse smiled brightly towards his friend who cracked an eye opened to look his way.
"Nothing much, just lazying around," Jaden's reply sounded simple and said everything that needed to be said.
After observing him for a little while, the bluenette decided that standing next to the door wasn't comfortable enough and with a few quick steps found himself next to the bed where he crashed on top of the other, lying on his back.
"Uh… What the!?" He hardly kept himself from chuckling at the other's reaction. "What are you doing?"
"Just lazying around," the bluenette threw his words right back at him with a big grin. "But I've been wondering – why aren't you with the others? If I heard right, they were going fishing, that can't be too tiring."
"I don't like fishing. Besides, I just feel like being alone for a while."
"Ah, sorry to bug you, then," Jesse pushed himself up by his elbows and shot him an apologetic look. "I'll be-"
"No, don't!" Jaden cut him and grinned at him. "Since you're already here, I don't mind."
Jesse moved a little to get into a more comfortable position and proceeded lying, closing his eyes.
He had been ready to jump up and leave in an instant – the one thing he hated the most was being a bother to somebody. Still, he was glad that the chocolate haired boy wanted him there or else he wouldn't have known where to go.
Sure, he acted friendly and kind to the others but acting friendly towards someone and being friends with that person were two very different things. And Jesse found achieving the second to be really hard for him for one reason or another.
"So," the other boy started speaking, "Why would you give up the comforts of Obelisk Blue to get to the dump of Slifer Red? I bet it's much more comfortable to be lazying around in there."
"I just didn't really feel like being alone," Jesse didn't have to think one second to come up with the answer. "Success is nothing when you don't have someone to share it with. Sure, the bed might be king sized and more comfortable, but it's for one person only…" Maybe he was saying too much, but things like this had to come out sooner or later. "You know, you're quite lucky, pall. You have a lot of friends here. How do you do it?"
"I don't know," the chocolate haired boy replied. "I guess I just can't stay around by myself for too long."
It figured. Jaden had never seemed like the person to be by himself. So hadn't Jesse, but as faith would have it he had had a lot of problems back-
"How about you, Jess? How were things back North? You weren't alone, were you?"
He tensed just a little. Bull's eye. The brunette's question hit the spot.
"I was never alone!" He tried his best to sound as confident and casual as possible, but had the bad feeling he wasn't doing a good job. "I've always had the Crystal Beasts by my side."
He really had said too much, hadn't he? He preferred for others to think he had a nice life, so that they wouldn't cast him aside like an outcast… The way things had been back there. That was the only reason he never talked about his past.
He could feel Jaden move a little from under him, but refused to acknowledge it.
Acting casual and kind hadn't been that hard, really. He had managed to give out the impression of a friendly and social person, much like what Jaden was, despite the fact he really wasn't.
Despite of how much he wished he was.
Sure, he had always had the Crystal Beasts to be by his side and help him, but they were more like a replacement for a family.
Friends and family were different. He could share with them, he could tell them different things and chat when he didn't feel like keeping quiet, still…
They couldn't really give him an opinion on many things things that were for people to find interest in. Things like movies, music and other things like that – they just saw them in a different way.
And they were never really there. Sure, their Spirits were, but being next to a human body was something different. It was a feeling they could never provide him. Every now and then he just needed to spent some time with people who were close to him.
People like Jaden.
"I'll always be by your side, too."
Jesse was surprised by the sudden words as he blinked his eyes opened and stared at the other with clear confusion. The boy beside him only grinned at that and rose one hand with a fist a little in front of him.
At first the bluenette was confused at the action, but it sunk in and a real smile was brought to his face as he brought one of his hands as well and lightly hit Jaden's fist.
And in a second he felt the sad and depressing feeling leave him, giving way to happiness and gratitude. Just one look in those chocolate orbs was enough for him to see he had been understood.
After all, that's what friends were all about.