A/N: My entry for the YGO FF Contest (Season 9 3/4, Round 1). It's all about the dungeonshipping, which I've never written ever ever ever in my whole entire life. My apologies to all you dungeonshippers out there - here's hoping I got them at least marginally accurate! Please enjoy.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Devlin, but I assure you, that is my final decision."
Duke Devlin's manicured nails bit his knuckles. When he'd received a personalized invitation from his gaming idol expressing interest in the game he'd worked so hard to develop, he'd broken out the champagne. He'd assumed an early victory. And yet, this whole meeting Pegasus had been consistent in his smug resistance to Dungeon Dice Monsters. Did he invite him out to this island office just to toy with him? How had this meeting gotten away from him so fast? But he wouldn't let Pegasus see him sweat.
"Mr. Pegasus, please reconsider."
Maximillion Pegasus leaned back in his expensive office chair. Silver hair fell over one side of his face, failing to obscure his utterly disinterested expression. "Why Mr. Devlin, I'd be delighted, if only I thought there was anything left to consider."
Duke clenched his jaw. This corporate windbag – sure, he idolized the man, but Duke Devlin had never been what you'd call a sugar-coater – was the only thing standing between him and his dream. He'd just have to find some way under that unshakeable professional veneer. But how?
"For one, it's a more…complex game than Industrial Illusions is interested in at the present time. Duel Monsters, our flagship product, is already quite intensive, and targets the same demographic as your little project. I just can't see it capturing any new markets that we don't already have in our steely economic grasp."
"There's a lot of heart in this game, sir." Duke kept his breathing steady and his gestures disciplined. "I'm sure one game shop's predictions can't compare with Industrial Illusion's entire marketing department, so I won't argue about demographics and target audiences. But I do know that Dungeon Dice Monsters will capture people's hearts, because I created it with all of mine."
Pegasus, eyebrow cockily raised for the majority of Duke's speech, gave an amused little smile and began clapping, slowly. "Bravo, Mr. Devlin. An inspiring performance. You should really consider transitioning from the arena to the stage."
Duke fought his frown. "With all due respect, sir, I'm not meeting you as a gamer or an actor. I'm here on business."
"Why of course, Mr. Devlin, of course. Let's dive right back into it then, shall we? A multitalented businessman such as yourself, I'm sure you don't have oodles of time to waste on me and my silly little meeting."
Oodles? "On the contrary, sir. Every meeting I take to develop Dungeon Dice Monsters is very important to me. That's why I'd like to concentrate on the matter at hand."
"Quite right, Mr. Devlin, quite right." Pegasus smirked. "Now, where were we. We discussed your game's irrelevance, impracticality, and considerable expense, and had just begun rehashing its utter redundancy. Is that right?"
"My game is nothing like Duel Monsters," Duke said, more heatedly than intended. "Every detectable similarity has been added retroactively into the original gaming framework, to enhance cross-branding and make Dungeon Dice Monsters fit more seamlessly into Industrial Illusion's gaming family."
Pegasus laughed again, an annoying, condescending chuckle that crawled under Duke's skin and prickled. "My, Mr. Devlin, you really are quite the business man, aren't you? Every argument I've come up with against Dungeon Dice Monsters, you've managed to spin into a positive. Unfortunately, that's all it is: spin."
Pegasus stood. "I'm sorry, but Industrial Illusions won't be moving forward with Dungeon Dice Monsters at this time." All the sparkle and song were gone from his voice. Now it was cold and all business, with a crushing finality that sank Duke's heart. With a swish of his silver hair, Pegsus swept past Duke, who stared disbelievingly at the magnificent vista outside Pegasus' office.
What the hell just happened here?
Duke felt like crying, but wouldn't. If you wouldn't let him see you sweat, you're sure as hell not gonna let him see you cry. Well then, what are you gonna do. Don't just let him leave, you idiot! This is your chance. Grab it!
Duke stood quickly, sending his chair spinning behind him. "Mr. Pegasus!"
Pegasus' hand, inches from the door handle, stopped with a sigh. "What is it, Mr. Devlin?"
Duke stood there awkwardly. Sometimes he moved faster than his brain, which was now struggling for an argument. Christ, what haven't I said yet?
Pegasus let the silence linger a few seconds more before huffing angrily. "Honestly, Mr. Devlin, if you'd like to leave this relationship open and have the chance of pursuing future projects with Industrial Illusions, I would urge you to learn to admit defeat and to stop wasting my valuable time."
Duke's mouth opened, but his brain had picked now, now of all times, to abandon him. "I…"
"Unless you can come up with even one good reason, even one way that Dungeon Dice Monsters could benefit me or my company-"
Something about the way he phrased that flipped a switch - not in Duke's brain, but his feet, which quickly crossed the room to where Pegasus stood, and his hands, which grabbed Pegasus' wrists, and his hips, which slammed a surprised Pegasus into the wall, and his lips, which actually took it upon themselves to kiss the man whose picture had graced Duke's bedroom wall for years.
Hard.
After a few moments, Duke drew back, breathing hard, refusing to let surprise color his features. All part of the plan. Right?
"Well," Pegasus said, breaking a very tense silence, "it seems you're quite the smooth operator after all, Mr. Devlin."
"Call it a benefit of doing business with me," Duke said with a suave smile.
Pegasus lifted one of his hands, which Duke reluctantly released, and brushed an errant strand of black hair from his young admirer's forehead.
"In that case," he said in his sparkliest voice, "I suspect Industrial Illusions might, just might find room in its corporate stable for Dungeon Dice Monsters."
"We're talking horses now?" Duke joked.
"We're talking, Dukey-boy, about gambling on a roll of the dice." Pegasus used his free hand to twist the red die hanging from Duke's ear. "I don't suppose I could convince a busy man such as yourself to join me for dinner?"
"Strictly business, of course," Duke said, a ridiculous grin taking over his face.
"Of course. After all, we'll have lots to discuss, you and I, about how to move forward with all our very important business." Pegasus smiled, squeezing Duke's hand as he turned and left.
Once the door closed behind him, Duke exhaled triumphantly and jumped about a foot in the air. Success! Success! Success!
Walking down the hall to fetch his errant manservant, Pegasus smirked, a glint of gold peeking through his hair. All part of the plan, indeed, Dukey-boy.