Yugioh Gx made me upset so I'm filling the hole in my heart with fanfiction.
Take it.
Aster was really just minding his own business. He just wanted a small walk and some fresh air- let his feet walk absentmindedly while he reflected on some things. He somewhat expected his feet to carry him to the Slifer Red Dorm, but what he didn't expect was to find Jaden and Jesse rushing out of their dorm room- 'their' because Aster hasn't really seen Jesse sleep in his own dorm room back at Obelisk Blue- and quickly starting a duel right in front of the ransacked living quarters.
"Okay, Jesse? Remember the deal?" Jaden asked as he readied his duel disk. Aster saw Jesse nod his head.
"Course I do! I'm going to warn you though, Jay... since we're playing with an ante, I'm not going to lose!"
The duel quickly started, and Aster's eyes widened in surprise. He was fully aware of the rules surrounding this school, and he knows that an ante game is illegal here at Duel Academy. But instead of saying anything, Aster just continued to watch the two battle it out, laughing quietly when Jaden exclaimed the terms upon his victory.
Soon, the friendly tension managed to attract the rest of the group's friends as well as some wandering students. They all gathered around the two, like moths to a flame.
'It is a rare occasion.' Aster mused. 'That people see Jaden dueling with someone so equally matched.'
Aster was brought out of his thoughts by Chazz asking why the hell they were dueling in the first place.
"I don't know." Syrus answered honestly from in front of him. "But then again, it's Jesse and Jaden. They don't need a reason to duel."
Alexis frowned. "About that Syrus- don't Jaden and Jesse seem... really determined to win? I mean I know they both give all they have in every duel but- I don't know. This one seems... different."
Hasselberry laughed, clapping a calloused hand onto Syrus's shoulder, who in turn glared at him with some annoyance in his eyes."I see what you mean, Alexis! The Sarge really is giving it all he's got!" Jim and Axel just nodded in agreement.
Aster chuckled, deciding to let his friends in on what was going on."That's because they're playing with an ante." Six heads swiveled around almost simultaneously, making him smile. "I managed to hear the stakes when they started. It sounded interesting so I stuck around."
"An ante?!" Syrus shrieked, horrified.
Axel peered over, slightly confused. "Isn't there a rule here against playing with an ante?" He asked, his eyebrows furrowed.
"Of course there is!" Chazz snapped before Aster could confirm his suspicions. "Don't tell me these two losers managed to forget one of the biggest rules on campus!"
"Don't act like you didn't challenge Jaden to a duel with an ante back in first year Chazz." Syrus rounded on him, smirking.
'I didn't know about this.' Aster would have to ask Jaden later.
"How about you shut it shortstop-"
"I just don't get it." Jim interrupted, adjusting Shirley's straps around his shoulders. "I thought they both really cared about their cards. All their talk about the bonds they have with their decks surely seemed real enough. It doesn't seem like something they'd do."
Aster sighed again, his eyes never from between the event happening in front of them. Did these people not realize not everything was about card games? "Who said anything about giving up a card?" When he saw his friends heads swivel around towards him again in confusion he had to stop a grin from showing on his face from amusement. "I overheard Jaden saying that he wanted Jesse's fried shrimp for the next few weeks. But I didn't hear Jesse's." His eyes widened as he watched the match. "Guess we're about to figure it out though."
Everyone watched as Jesse used the trap card Crystal Pair, effectively cancelling out any attack damage from this turn. They saw the grin on Jaden's face at the unexpected countermeasure, and Jesse reflected his grin like a mirror, drawing a card split seconds after Jaden declared his turn over. Jesse didn't even need to look at it.
"This duel's over, partner!" He said joyfully.
"Give it all you got Jess!" Jaden had one more monster, and no more face downs, and no monsters that could help him from beyond the grave. All he could do was watch now.
Jesse nodded once before beginning his attack. "Go, Topaz Tiger! Take out his Hummingbird!" And once Jaden's neospacian quickly faded away, Jesse notioned towards his other monster.
"I'm leaving the rest to you, Amber Mammoth! Wipe out the rest of his life points!"
Hasselberry watched as Jaden got run over by the large beast. "No way! Sarge lost?!"
"What?!" Syrus exclaimed, shocked. "But Jaden almost never loses!"
They were interrupted by the sounds of Jaden's laughter, accompanied by the rest of their monsters fading away. "Haha! Wow Jess! You really got me with that combo there! I never saw that coming!" He was grinning again, standing up from his hunched position and meeting his friend halfway across their makeshift duel arena, seeing that Jesse was smiling too.
Noticing this, Alexis smiled softly. "I don't really think he minds." She said quietly to her friends on the sidelines, not wanting to disturb the moment of congratulation.
The teal-haired transfer nodded enthusiastically. "Why thank you Jay! You were dueling pretty well yourself!"
"I hope so! I was giving it my all!" Jaden accepted the praise. Jesse giggled at him.
"You really wanted my fried shrimp, huh?"
"Of course I did! I love fried shrimp!"
Chazz groaned, looking off to the side in mock annoyance. "Ugh, they're giving me cavities. Someone make them stop." Aster chuckled at this before glancing over at the two duelists talking animately in front of him, still not noticing the crowd of friends surrounding them. It was like they were off in their own little world, not bothered by winning or losing or anything related. Well, if he was being honest, it was really Jaden doing most of the talking, complimenting Jesse on his strategies and cards, with Jesse retaliating with a compliment or a thanks every once in awhile. It was after a small moment that Aster looked at Jesse and noticed... something in his eyes as he gazed at the excited brunette in front of him, and at how the distance between the two was a lot smaller than it had been a few seconds ago.
Aster's eyes widened.
This was an Ante game. Jesse won.
'His prize...' Aster had to stop himself from laughing as hard as he possibly could. 'Oh, oh no way. There is no possible way this is happening. This is- freaking- if I'm wrong I swear to God-'
The dorm rooms, the ante rule... it all made so much sense to Aster now...
"Oh that reminds me!" Jaden said, unknowingly causing both Jesse and his group of friends to snap out of their own little stupors. "We were playing on a bet, and you won! You get anything you want that I can realistically give you. What was it that you wanted? Have you decided?"
If you were to ask Jesse's friends about what Jesse was like, they would tell you he was a friendly, easy going, somewhat shy guy. They would let you know that he is basically Jaden Yuki's blue-haired twin, and that he owns a Crystal Beast Deck, and that he likes bugs. None of them could've possibly told you that Jesse Anderson could make an expression such as the one he was making at that moment.
One that was predatory, and mischievous.
Jesse Anderson was never those things.
"Actually, Jaden I have decided what my prize would be."
And to everyone's surprise- excluding Aster, who was now laughing his ass off- Jesse darted forward, quickly rested his hands on either side of Jaden's face and tilted his head up, not letting Jaden comprehend what was happening before meeting his lips in a kiss.
Later, once making it past the shocked faces, small smiles, and wolf-whistles as they went back inside the dorm, Aster could conclude that the blue-haired transfer must've gotten his newfound boldness from his new boyfriend. The proof?
Right before Jesse closed the door to their room, Jaden could be seen beside him, sporting the most devious grin Aster has ever seen on him.
Aster thinks that's the only time Jaden lost on purpose.