Not That Kind of Game Shop
Duke comes into the game shop looking for more than just a deck of playing cards, and poor Yugi has to be the one to tell him that they do not carry those kinds of toys.
Yugi stands behind the game shop register with about as much enthusiasm as Joey at a KaibaCorp luncheon, not quite standing at attention as he props his cheek up with one hand and lets the other rest splayed against the counter. His fingers thrum an idle beat against the display glass as he lets his eyes wander around the vacant shop, praying that he'll finally get a customer or that his grandfather will return from his errand and put him out of his misery.
It's not that Yugi doesn't enjoy manning the game shop when his grandfather needs to step out for a little while. It actually fills him with pride to think that he can help out in any way with the family business. However, if things continue on like this, there isn't going to be a family business for much longer. They've only had a few customers come in today, and they've made even fewer sales.
"I guess it is a Friday evening," Yugi thinks to himself. "Most people are probably out–"
Suddenly, the bell above the shop door startles Yugi out of his thoughts. He had almost forgotten what it sounded like, but now that he's certain he finally has a customer, he quickly straightens up and smoothes out the wrinkles in his uniform.
"Welcome to the game shop," he calls out. "Can I help–" Yugi stops mid-sentence.
He's used to seeing his many friends pay visits to the tiny game shop, but there's one friend of his who is strictly forbidden from visiting. Grandpa practically made him sign a legally binding agreement to get him to stay away. He's not even allowed to step one foot over the game shop threshold, and he knows it.
So imagine Yugi's utter bewilderment when in struts Duke Devlin, miscreant, stud, resident pretty boy and owner of the Black Crown. He's the last person Yugi would ever expect to see in his grandfather's game shop, especially on a Friday evening.
Oblivious or uncaring of the odd look Yugi gives him, Duke smiles and opens his mouth to give a greeting, but before he can stop himself, Yugi blurts out, "What are you doing here?"
"Jeez, Yugi. I know your grandpa hates me, but I didn't know you did, too." Duke's sarcasm isn't lost on Yugi, who gives a deep sigh.
"I like you just fine," he says dryly. "But my grandpa could come back at any minute, and if he finds you in here he'll have both our necks."
"Relax, Yugi. I just wanted to buy a couple things, and then I promise I'll be out of your hair."
Yugi frowns at Duke's use of the phrase that's haunted him since he was a child. He's about to open his mouth to tell him to go back to his own shop when the pharaoh's voice rings through his head.
What harm can come from letting him stay a few minutes, Yugi? Just let him buy what he came for and he'll be gone soon enough.
"Fine," Yugi says, a response to both his friends. "What do you need? And it better be something you can't find in your own shop."
"I would get it at the Black Crown, but we ran out just yesterday," Duke says. Then he grins slyly. "And a man can't go without on a Friday night. Am I right, Yugi?" There's a gleam in his eye as he says this that Yugi can't quite place, and he feels like he's missing something.
"Um…Right. So what do you need? Are you hosting a Friday game night?"
Duke snorts. "Something like that." He looks around thoughtfully with his fingers curled around his chin. "Where do you guys keep your handcuffs?"
"Wh…what? Handcuffs? Why would we…" Then Yugi pauses and thinks for a moment. "Oh. I guess we do have some left over from Halloween." Yugi comes around to the front of the counter and leads Duke off into the corner, where there's a small rotating rack marked "75% off." It's decked with ghoul masks and play skeletons among other cheap plastic novelty items, including a few pairs of handcuffs.
Duke eyes the display with a scrutinizing eye and says, "Is this really all you have? I was looking for something a little…stronger."
The little patience Yugi had before begins to wear rapidly at Duke's condescending manner. He thinks their products are cheap? "Well, these are the only handcuffs we have," he says brusquely. "What else were you looking for?"
"Whips? Do you have any whips?"
"Whips," Yugi repeats flatly. "I'm not sure I'm following–"
And all at once Yugi understands. Duke is asking for handcuffs and whips. Separately they simply seemed like odd requests, but taken together, Yugi realizes that there's only one reason Duke could be asking for these things. His face turns redder than the time he had to ride with Téa on an incredibly crowded train, and he hears the pharaoh cough in the back of his mind.
"Why in the world would we have those?" Yugi shouts. "This isn't a…this isn't some kind of…"
Yugi, I think Duke has truly misunderstood the meaning of "game shop."
Horrified, Yugi turns even redder, if that's possible, and shouts, "Duke, this is not that kind of game shop!"
"What? We have that sort of stuff at the Black Crown."
"And you don't think that's weird?" A shiver runs down Yugi's spine as he imagines the kinds of things Duke might have for sale in some far off corner of the Black Crown. "Ugh…Whatever, Duke. We don't have what you want. Now get back to your shop before–"
The bell above the shop door rings yet again, and Yugi shrinks to find his grandfather standing in the middle of the doorway looking mighty angry.
"Hey, lover boy." He jabs a thumb at the door. "Get back to your own shop before I have you thrown out."
Although Yugi has to wonder how his grandfather would have Duke "thrown out," the old man is apparently better at inspiring Duke to get out than he is.
"Okay, fine. I'm leaving." Duke lifts his hands in surrender. Then he winks at Yugi and says, "I guess I'll have to go somewhere else to get ready for tonight."
Yugi lays an embarrassed hand over his face as the shop door swings closed.
His grandfather sighs and looks down at him in disappointment. "Yugi, you know you're not supposed to have the competition in here to see all our secrets."
"I'm sorry," Yugi says quietly. "He just wanted to buy a few things for…for a Friday game night." He looks up with a sincere apology in his eyes. "I was trying to get him to leave. I promise it won't happen again."
"Well, I guess no harm was really done," Grandpa concedes. He never could stay mad at Yugi for long. "And I have some great news. I was out just now talking with our vendor, and he had a new toy in stock that I think will really go over big." Yugi smiles as he notices the tote bag his grandfather has slung over his shoulder. "Here, let me show you."
Yugi's smile falters almost instantly as he spies the thin, unmistakable leather handle of a whip sticking out among the groceries.
…I don't usually encourage running from your problems, but if I were you, I would run.
That's exactly what Yugi does. He runs straight for the back staircase and up to his room, shouting, "Has everyone gone crazy today?"
Grandpa stares after Yugi with a perplexed expression, and he pulls on the handle to reveal a toy fishing rod.
"I'm sure the younger kids will go crazy for these," he says to himself, "but I guess Yugi was more traumatized by last year's fishing trip than I thought."
Author's Note: Poor Yugi. He can't get a break. I like the idea that Grandpa gets too into the Black Crown rivalry with Duke, but I hope he doesn't start trying to compete with THOSE kinds of toys!
I don't remember how or why I came up with this idea, but I do remember that I was messing around with Dookaller at Subway. That's where the magic happens. I might write a sequel explaining what happened at that fishing trip:P