Lounging Around
In their flat, their home, they have a needfully long lounge because no one ever uses the ends of it willingly. Instead, they all prefer to be in the middle. Of course, they take turns on who is allowed to be most comfortable. More or less. It's something of a competition as to who can get the prime spot on the lounge first.
It is all decided by luck, or simply who is and isn't around at any given time of day. They all have lives to upkeep so it's not a constant problem but on the rare days in which they're altogether and a tad bored, unused to be idle, then it can be something of an issue.
Especially given Jack's love for space. It's always a hassle when he stakes claim to the middle of their long lounge first.
Jack loved the middle of the lounge because it means he has the best position in front of the television they have set up. He likes to have the best view so he can examine the details of his past Duels individually; to the best of his eyesight. Watching from an angle is strenuous and that leaves room for mistakes.
He also likes to have the middle because he's just a selfish person in general. He likes to have his arms over the back of the lounge and knees apart. He doesn't even notice that he just naturally sits to claim as much as space as more than necessary. He doesn't even notice compared to how Yusei and Aki sit. Luckily for him, his partners don't mind at all. It's just another one of his quirks that they no longer notice because they're so used to seeing him like that.
That and there is quite the benefit for them as well. With his arms outstretched and still plenty of space by his side, it left his partners the perfect opportunity to annoy him by cuddling up to him. On rare occasion, it could be all three on the lounge; left to right: Aki, Jack, and Yusei. Jack, trying to watch television, with Aki's hand on his right shoulder and her face on his life with Yusei opposite; with his hand on Jack's thigh and resting on Jack's body. Warm and comfortable.
Except when Jack's trying to reach for the remote so he can wind back the program because he thinks he missed something whilst Aki and Yusei were distracting him by bestowing somewhat subtle affection upon him. Still, it's nice to have them all like that. Jack relishes it even; how Aki smooches his cheek whilst Yusei traces circles idly on his leg; or upon his left shoulder if he's outstretched his arm too so he can entangle his free fingers on Aki's sleeves. Most days, they weren't that messy. They preferred to keep their affection subtle. It was far too unnerving to have limbs go numb and to forget who was touching who.
Though, some days its likelier for only two people to be on the lounge.
If Jack is alone and tired then he will most definitely use the lounge for a nap over the bedroom. It was something of an instinct left over from his youth in Satellite. He didn't feel safe under blankets like most people. He felt like he was too likely to become entangled and trapped if he were to sleep underneath one. He didn't like the vulnerability of it and the slight, off chance that he might be attacked. So, he would remain ever vigilant and that resulted in his odd habit of simply napping upright, arms across his chest, and a scowl that made him seem to be in the most deep and furious thought rather than anything else.
Yusei understood that. He really did. That's why if he wants to share the lounge with Jack when he's in a state like that, he is ever so careful to never wake him. Instead, he joins Jack for a power nap. Yusei rarely sleeps touching Jack when they're like this; preferring to keep some distance so Jack doesn't feel breached should he wake first – but has yet to. He may not even be aware of the many power naps he's taken with Yusei.
Instead, Yusei prefers to have it so his back is against the arm of the lounge and his feet barely touch Jack. Though, he somehow knows that Aki is waiting upon the day in which he and Jack finally just conk out together: heads resting upon each other and all just so she could be a romantic cliché and place a blanket over the both of them. Neither have spoken about this but he feels like it is something Aki would like to do; he was privy to her thoughts when they watched cheesy rom-coms together – something they all did as a guilty pleasure. Let it be known now that they all prefer a bad romantic comedy over some brilliant action sequences. As professional Duellists, the saw plenty of that in their day-to-day life.
Aki is not as careful as Yusei when it comes to sharing the lounge with only Jack.
If Jack has claimed it and Aki is in the flat, she may meander over and decide that Jack's lap is the best place for a mid-morning or mid-afternoon nap. Jack doesn't mind at all, usually. Only if he's watching something unimportant. That is because Jack always succumbs to an odd temptation.
With Aki in his lap, her legs over one of his and her hands on his shoulder, her face in a nest of her shoulder and hair, Jack always finds and fails to disobey the temptation to play with Aki's hair. It is easy to say out of the three of them in this relationship, Yusei has the worst hair: it's always coarse like animal hair. Not that Jack could talk with all the product he puts in his Still, the point stands: Aki's hair, however, is far nicer; always smelling of flowers and soft as silk. Jack finds it to be a very lovely feeling to idly wind his fingers in one of the tendrils of her magenta fringe if she has it down; and when she's feeling safe and secure, which is far often than now compared to when they had first met, it usually is down.
Initially, Aki hated it when Jack touched her hair. It felt far to personal but now, it had come to be one of her mundane pleasures. If she's in his lap and he's not playing with her then what was the point?
Moreover, Aki loves being in Jack's lap for other reasons too. As she is the smallest in the relationship and he's the tallest so she always feels very protected, balled up in his lap; she refuses to sleep any other way unless she has been the one to stake claim to the middle of the lounge in which case it was an entirely different scenario.
Whilst Aki was not the most competitive of the three, nor was she the most stubborn of the three and she didn't even find the middle to be the best place to be altogether, she did happen to be the most self-indulgent of the three.
Aki likes to have the lounge to herself and the best way to get the lounge to herself was by claiming the middle seat. Aki is a very active person: alert, awake, and usually up to something, most of the time that is. Around the flat, she let her sleepiness arise and succumb to the idea of a nap or lie-down quite easily. She could take a rest in the master bedroom and she does, if she wants some peace and quiet but if she's craving a little company then she'll take a moment to relax on the lounge by lying down on it.
As it is far longer than her, Aki can lie on it like she would a bed. She prefers her head facing the window and her toes pointed towards the kitchen. Her partners don't mind indulging her, letting her sprawl out as she wishes but sometimes, it can be more fun to annoy her. Jack is particularly good at estimating when was and wasn't a good time to irritate Aki when she's having a rest.
Jack may gravitate towards her and half-heartedly straddle her legs. He might put his hands on her back and give her bit of a jostle. Aki, not minding, might laugh or pry herself from her book or hands to tell him to knock it off with a half-serious, unamused look in her amber eyes. All in good jest of course. If not, well Jack might give Aki a massage. He might rub her shoulders and back; something usually received quite well.
Aki practically melts in his hands when she's massaged. She sighs and purrs. She becomes the girl beneath the cold façade and its wondrous. A rare smile crosses her lips and that makes Jack happy. And if it makes Jack happy, well it can make her happy as well.
Unlike Jack, Yusei isn't as mischievous. Aki knows that so she doesn't go around and try to invite trouble so she gives him some room. She crawls up to the other end of the three-pillow lounge so he has room to sit, slant against the arm of the lounge. She'll keep her feet to herself; either pull up her knees or just fold back – whatever is more comfortable on the minute. She can be quite finicky like that and can alternate between many positions in the span of a few minutes, especially if she's feeling a tad ill, before finally deciding how's she most comfortable.
Yusei wouldn't call it annoying but the lounge moves with Aki; sinking and rising depending on how the weight of them both is distributed along it. However, it is mildly irritating if he can't get comfortable because Aki can't get comfortable so he might try and help. No ill intent meant but it can be immature. Aki doesn't mind; sometimes she gets a laugh out of it even. She sometimes encourages it by tapping Yusei's thighs; not often but she has been known to.
To help her decide how she's comfortable, Yusei may idly caress his hand on the inner of her ankle. Her high heeled shoes on the floor next to his feet so she's just wearing her thick cotton socks. He might play "this little piggy" by pinching her toes and wiggling them; of course this is usually unaccompanied by the nursery rhyme for some reason. Aki usually resists that and squirms; usually having decided that she would simply prefer to sit up cross-legged on the lounge rather than sprawled out like a house cat. Yusei might also brush his fingers along the curves of her foot. Fortunately, Aki is not ticklish.
Most of the time. There have been instances in which Aki has instinctively kicked back at Yusei for touching her feet without warning. These instances have resulted in black eyes and other bruises. As well as awkward, seemingly unbelievable talks with others, including Jack. That was a long time ago though. At the beginning of the relationship when they had all felt weird about all dating each other. Such instances have faded, of course but Yusei is still worried one day Aki might accidentally poke his eye out because she doesn't like being touched with cold hands.
However, if Yusei and Jack are both around whilst Aki has claimed the middle of the lounge and both are feeling more playful than usual, then they both will join her. For Yusei, Aki will lift her legs so he may sit down. And Aki will lift her head so she could use Jack's lap as a pillow. No offence to Yusei, they had discussed this a few times actually, but his skinny thighs are not very nice, Aki has decided. Although, to be fair, Jack's weren't all that better either but at least he had some flank to his thigh compared to Yusei who was all skin and bones.
They could stay like this for half an hour at the best before Jack gets restless or Aki goes numb from resting much of her weight on her arms. Still, it was nice just having them all relaxing like this; no sound but their breaths, the turn of pages if someone was reading a book or magazine, and the wind outside. It was small moments like these that Aki cherished most. When her boyfriends weren't trying to mess with her hair or toes, that is.
Finally, then there was when Yusei had managed to get in first and claim the most comfortable seat on the lounge; the middle seat. Much like Aki, he didn't quite get the whole thing with the lounge. It was just a lounge. However, Jack did and though Yusei wouldn't like to admit it, he did find some joy in riling up Jack so he too has his own way to be comfortable on the middle seat.
Yusei didn't take up as much space as Jack or Aki. He didn't see the point in it. He prefers to share as well. After all, it is easier to keep warm by being bundled up; not that he has to worry about that in his heated flat with his heated partners. With the two of them around – and all three of them on the lounge at once – it was like having an electric blanket constantly sprawled over them. Particularly so when he's in the middle.
That's because he usually ends up with Aki and Jack using him as the middle ground between them. Each of them taken to a corner and resting their backs against the arms of the lounge. Those two taking some care not to sprawl out and cluster Yusei; their legs and feet interlocked between each other with their knees not quite guarding Yusei. If Yusei was big on watching television, this would pose an issue as screen was now somewhat obscured by their legs but since he wasn't, it wasn't an issue. Still, he felt very protected between their and their resting bitch faces so he almost enjoyed it. Almost being a key word. It was hard to remain relaxed with death glares aimed at you; the result of which could be from playing Duel Links on their phones together or from the fact that Yusei hadn't done the dishes yet. Who's to say?
Other times, when Yusei was clear of conscious regarding the dishes for instance, it was Yusei who felt like he was doing the guarding. Most notably, guarding his beloved girlfriend Aki.
He worries about her sometimes. Not often. But still, sometimes he sees the parts of her that hurt, the parts of her which are her past, seep unto her face and behaviour. That's when he gets worried. Yusei wants Aki to know she's fine and safe but years upon years of emotional abuse, inadvertent or deliberate, have taken their toll upon.
It's easy for Yusei to recognise it. Aki slumps and becomes quiet; quieter than usual and he does his best to keep her grounded. Remind her of their bonds. Something that may end up with her squealing and laughing. And if not, well at least she's dosed up with a bit of affection and solidly reminded of the love she has now.
When she's like this, she doesn't usually want much to do with the lounge but she has to pass by it if she wants to retreat into the master bedroom and that's when Yusei does his best to cheer her up; in that small window of time. If he's in the middle of the lounge, it's very easy to lurch over his knees and hug Aki's waist.
She stamps her foot and grumbles but Yusei just hugs her. He pulls her back into his lap but she doesn't fight. Bemused but not angry; telling him to make it quick because she's feeling moody. He knows. He doesn't have to be told but it goes said anyway.
Aki swings her legs and feels herself become cocooned by Yusei's warmth. He nuzzles up against her neck and back. He holds her steady. He lets one of his arms go loose so he can use it to hold Aki's hand. Their fingers interlock naturally. He kisses the back of her neck and blows a raspberry. She expects it every time and yet it sends her howling, she pushes past him and rolls her eyes. Yusei lets go and smiles. Aki smiles back and Yusei knows he's done his best. She's in a slightly better mood now and is free to overthink as she pleases now.
Whilst Aki doesn't mind having her personal space randomly invaded as she enjoys to randomly invade the personal space of her boyfriends, Jack meanwhile is a completely different story. Especially since he is the crowned, reigning King of excessive personal space which is why when he does decide to sit far too close with Yusei when he's in the middle, there is definitely very good reasoning as to why.
Jack always had something he wanted to talk with Yusei about; usually it was a professional matter. Be it a question about how Yusei's handyman business was going or how his D-Wheeler was going. The chances are, they always have something to talk about and the lounge is the best place to discuss it unless it was of a very serious matter such as financials. That was a dining room table talk.
Jack tends to scoot in next to Yusei and lie one arm across him so they could half-cuddle whilst Jack shows Yusei a video, an article or a piece of audio: anything that he thought needed second opinion on; Aki was also good for this but with Yusei he could use more uncommon – read, "made up" – terms and jargon in the conversation.
Together, they would share ear-buds and watch or listen to Jack's latest finding together. Maybe even read any text that pops up to each other; or parrot and laugh at anything remotely humorous in the media as well. Then they were likely to discuss it in depth or Yusei might shoo Jack away if he's just overthinking something dumb like a thoughtless article on how unconventional it was for the King to have both a Queen and another King in his private life.
It had been quite the media circus before they had confronted the press.
Their relationship – all three of them: Jack, Yusei, and Aki – would not describe the arrangements between them as unconventional in the slightest. After all, it was their lives, intertwined and otherwise, so it was what they were accustomed to. Even in the beginning of the relationship when they were still trying to gel to new and old behaviours, it wasn't that hard or odd to adjust.
No one inside their inner life, their friends and family, had found it odd; not even good, old Senator Izayoi who had a reputation to maintain had batted an eyelash at them for he knew his daughter was in good hands regardless of the upbringing or social class her suitors had once belonged too. The only people who wanted to mock and lash out at the way the three of them were conducting their love lives were those whom they did not know. Those who could not be more removed from their social sphere. Luckily, Carly's articles kept those people straight and narrow whenever questions got too prying and quite frankly, offensive.
Besides, between the three of them, they used their lounge the same as anyone else. And what could be more "conventional" than that?