A/N: Written for the Mega Prompts Challenge at the GX Writing Academy (link in profile), word prompts #002 – winter.


Stretching One's Soul

Duel Academy was rather quiet in the winter break, especially the Orisis Red dorms. Maybe it was because their heating wasn't as great as the other dorms, and they always had to worry about it breaking down in the middle of the night. Or maybe it was because most Obelisks came from the prep school and were over the "missing home" stage, and the Ra students were too busy studying for whatever exam awaited them a few weeks into the new semester, and Orisis students were neither of those.

Or maybe it was just one of those random coincidences in the world. Daitokuji couldn't find himself minding too much this year. It meant he and Pharaoh could roam around the dorms to their heart's content without any of the other students around. Not that he didn't mind the Orisis students – especially the few that knew of his…predicament. Judai, Shou, Manjyoume – he could pop up in front of them whenever he liked. And Pharaoh was always a little slower in the cold, which meant Daitokuji had a little more time away from the cat.

And Judai and Manjyoume were still around if things got lonely, even if most of the other students had gone home for the break. Manjyoume tended to stick to his own room, but Judai – sometimes it seemed like Judai was everywhere. Hanging out with his friends from Ra, from Obelisk, just on the grounds or at the beach or with Tome-san at her card shop…

Though why anyone would go to the beach in winter was simply beyond him. But it was nice to have that extra bit of freedom. And who knew? Maybe that's why people like Judai hung around.

He might try the beach the next time he needed to stretch his soul. Assuming he could convince Pharaoh to take him.