"I can't believe you jumped like that," Judai was practically cackling over his cheeseburger.

Yusei snickered across from him and shook his head, downing some more of his drink so he could reply. "A prosthetic leg fell out of a closet onto my head. What did you expect? At least I didn't scream after uncovering a mannequin."

"It was covered in fake blood!" Judai defended, perhaps a little too loudly. They earned a few stares from a few of the other patrons in the restaurant, but it didn't bother either of them in the slightest.

Each of them laughed over the events of the escape room, exchanging witty comments and teasing one another until it seemed the conversation had died down a little. Yusei could hardly remember the last time he'd spoken so much in a single sitting since he, Jack and Crow last got together. Though, really, he didn't have to do much of the talking with them or with Judai. The brunette across from him was more than happy to fight off the silence and didn't appear to mind too much that Yusei was content listening and only making brief comments from time to time. Now though, they'd fallen into a quiet, comfortable lull, giving the both of them a break to finish up the last of their dinner.

"Judai, what was your time like?" He shook his cup a little to displace some of the ice inside and finished it off. "I only saw it in passing, and… well, it was on fire and in ruins. You've really only ever mentioned your friends a couple times as well."

"For starters, I can assure you it was not on fire all of the time. Just… most of the time." Judai laughed, munching on more French fries. "Anything in particular you'd like to know? It wasn't too different than what's going on now. I mean, it's only be 40ish years. We just didn't have a lot of the technology you have, so no riding duels."

Yusei shrugged, "Alright, just…tell me about yourself then. What was your life like?"

"After I graduated, I traveled the world. I went anywhere and everywhere I could, just searching for people who were struggling. I wanted to help as many as I could, especially after all that I'd done." It didn't seem like Judai was going to elaborate on that, he kept going with an increasingly distant look in his eyes. "I went wherever the wind took me. When Paradox attacked, I'd just left France and was honestly just sightseeing through Italy before trying for my next adventure."

"H-How did you even afford that?" Yusei couldn't imagine traveling the country let alone the world. Transportation was expensive and beyond that hotels or places to stay were another small fortune on top of that.

Judai looked up at and laughed. "Well, I camped out a lot and hitchhiked with those who would let me tag along at the price of a story or a duel. Otherwise, I just… walked. As for placed to stay, camping was great when the weather was good, and when it wasn't, I'd do my best to find shelter. I kept up odd traveling jobs for the most part to pay for things like food and actual hotels when I could. It…wasn't exactly glamorous or anything, but I'm glad gas stations and travel stops have showers you can pay for. Also…it made me happy."

"I see… It sounds very fulfilling." Yusei agreed, offering a half smile. His heart sank a little as he thought about it though. If Judai was used to traveling and being out and about, then how smothering was it living in the small house with Martha and himself and rarely going out into the city?

He felt something warm over his hand and looked up to see Judai had reached across and was smiling brightly at him.

"You want to know what my favorite adventure has been so far though?" He gently moved their hands and intertwined their fingers, holding his hand firmly. "This one. I've fallen pretty hard for you, Yusei. These past couple months getting to know you, and now tonight… It's still just getting started, but I really get the feeling this adventure's going to be the best I've ever had."

Yusei felt his throat close and his face heated up as though a trial engine had blown up in his face. He swallowed thickly and gripped Judai's hand a little tighter. He tried to think of something to say, but his mind came up blank and he dropped his eyes down to their hands instead.

"I… Me too." He smiled softly and rubbed his thumb on Judai's hand. He wished he could think of something to say more than that.

"Come here," Judai left his place across the booth from him and plopped down next to Yusei instead, wrapping an arm around him and keeping his other hand hostage. "You're so cute when you're flustered."

The warmth in his face nearly doubled and Yusei tried to squirm free of the brunette's iron grip, but to no avail.
"I'm not cute," he huffed angrily once he'd given up on escape though there was no real bite or venom to his words. "We already went over this."

"Mmm, I still beg to differ, but whatever makes you happy." Judai insisted, only letting go of Yusei after a few moments longer. He still kept a grip on his hand though. He wasn't ready to let that go just yet.

"Can you tell me about something else?" Yusei muttered, unsure whether or not he was upset at the loss of contact with him or thankful for it. It did feel just a little colder without that arm around him. "You mentioned when we first met that you could see duel spirits. The only one I've seen was who I think you called Yubel, but that's it. I haven't seen them since. I was just curious. What's it like?"

Judai's entire demeanor shifted. At first, his eyes lit up and he seemed excited, but then it seemed a shadow passed over his brown eyes, turning them from their normal honey color to a darker tone.

Judai leaned his head back and looked up at him, "magical. It's like always having a friend by your side. They've been there for me through everything and have protected me as well." Whatever had been bothering him about it seemed to slowly give way, like a cloud lazily passing over the sun. "For as long as I can remember, I've been able to see them and interact with them. The card spirits were my first friends when I was growing up. There was a time I lost the ability though, and completely forgot I had it." He explained, starting to fidget with a straw wrapper with his free hand. "Then I got winged kuriboh from Yugi, and after that, I could see them again."

"My friend, Luka can see them as well. I think the both of you would get along." Yusei commented. He could only imagine how excited she would be to meet someone who had a similar ability to hers.

"Really? I'd love to meet her." Judai started to smile again and leaned over to rest his head on Yusei's shoulder despite how the other tensed. "Have you really never seen them before Yubel? Not even…sensed their presence or anything?"

Yusei shook his head, trying to look anywhere but at other patrons or Judai, "No, I haven't. At least, not that I'm consciously aware of. The only other spirits I've interacted with were Aki's monsters. She's a physic duelist, so she can manifest them physically when she duels."

"She could? That's amazing. I've been able to do that as well. My monsters have gotten me out of a few tough spots. Especially Neos." He seemed to lose himself in his thoughts, likely reminiscing about close calls. After a time, Judai sat up straight and sighed happily. "Man, I'm stuffed."

"Ready to head home?"

He thought about it for a second. He was having so much fun he really didn't want it all to end just yet, but even he had to admit it was starting to get late. "Can we take the long way?"

"Yeah, of course,"

With that, the pair cleaned up their table and took their leave, returning to the d-wheel and starting on the path back home. Yusei honestly just drove aimlessly with no real sense of direction. His thoughts wandered to the warm feeling in his hand, still seeming to linger despite them letting go. It had been nice, and he'd even been a little reluctant to let go when they got up to leave despite how much he protested physical contact. Speaking of contact, the weight on his back seemed to get a little heavier and he felt Judai either take a deep breath or yawn. It was hard to tell the difference like this.

"Judai?" He asked, trying to look over his shoulder at him. "Are you okay?"

"'m alright…Just getting a little tired…" Judai's voice even sounded sleepy, and Yusei didn't need to see him to imagine the face the other was probably making.

"Alright, hang on," Yusei reassured, starting to officially make his way back home.

He pulled into the driveway not long after that, but even after he parked, Judai didn't make a move. "Uhm… Judai?"

The other stayed silent.

"Judai?" Yusei pulled off his helmet and tried to reach back, to nudge him. "Y-You need to get up. We're home."

"Nooo…" his voice was a quiet groan and he gripped Yusei tighter. "You're stuck here."

"What are you talking about? No. Judai, let go." Yusei protested, starting to push on Judai's arms. "Let's go back inside. You can lay down on a proper bed which is far more comfortable than laying on my back."

"I disagree. You're more comfortable than my bed. Like a warm, teddy bear." Judai mumbled, only letting go long enough to take off his helmet before latching back onto the other's waist despite how Yusei started to squirm. "A very reluctant, but good smelling teddy bear."

Yusei huffed and glanced back at him, narrowing his eyes a little despite the pink flush that dusted over his cheeks. If this was how Judai was going to play this game, then so be it. He put the arm up on his runner and swung his leg around, standing up and practically dragging Judai with him. The other let out a cry of surprise, scrambling to hold onto him as he lost his balance.

What Yusei hadn't accounted for was Judai actually keeping his grip or the fact that the other actually outweighed him just enough that the world rushed by him as he was dragged down with the brunette. It took him a moment to regain his bearings, but thankfully enough he'd had the subconscious reflex to protect his face from the fall. He felt the weight on his back lift a bit, and he rolled over onto his back to find himself nose to nose with Judai.

Time itself seemed to freeze. All he could do was stare up into brown eyes as his mind drew up a complete blank and he forgot how to breathe. Judai's face was framed perfectly in a halo of stars that seemed to glisten around his head and add a starlit tint to his hair. The other's signature red jacket was a gentle contrast, the moonlight seemed to turn it a reddish purple instead. He was hyper aware of how Judai's body lingered over him the moment he dared to take the smallest of breaths and how the air between them was suddenly void of oxygen. He could almost hear the beat of his own heart which started to race in his ears when Judai leaned closer instead of back.

Yusei pressed his head back into the ground in a vain attempt to regain some of the space between them, his hands reflexively clenching to fists as his entire body went rigid. Just before all distance was lost though, Judai turned his head just enough and let their foreheads touch instead.

"You're absolutely beautiful, you know that?" He whispered breathlessly, shifting his weight to one arm so he could cup Yusei's face in his hand and brush his thumb over his cheek.

Yusei let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, and he opened his eyes, unsure of when he'd even closed them. He could feel Judai's breaths tickling his face, but as much as he'd normally be desperate for escape, he felt himself relaxing beneath him and under his touch.

"What are you talking about?" His voice was barely audible, but he wasn't ready to break whatever this was.

"Besides your impossibly big heart, have you looked in a mirror lately? Damn…" Judai smiled, barely lifting his head enough to look at him properly. "Your hair is like the night sky with shooting stars, and don't even get me started on your eyes. Especially right now…they're glittering like stardust."

If Yusei had been lost for words before, he had definitely forgotten the entire alphabet now. He couldn't think of anything to say to that, though he was quite certain that even if he did, his mouth wasn't going to cooperate and let him say it. Instead, he decided to show rather than tell.

Reaching up, he wrapped his arms around Judai and pulled him down flush up against him. He held him there for a breath of a moment only loosening his grip enough to nudge the other's head up with his nose so he could look him in the eye before leaning up just enough to touch foreheads with him again.

They stayed like that for a while, time long forgotten and all but ignored. When they parted, Judai helped him stand and maybe their hands lingered together longer than necessary, their eyes locked on each other for a bit longer before a shiver ran its way up Yusei's back and a soft laugh escaped Judai.

"Come on, it's pretty cold out here," Judai commented, intertwining his fingers with Yusei's and leading him back to the house.

Yusei was fairly certain Martha had already turned in for the night judging by how dark it was when they'd entered, something he was glad for after what had just happened. He still was mentally processing it as he followed Judai down the hall to their room, absentmindedly pulling the hair tie out of his hair and letting it spring back to its normal style.

"Jeez, you don't even need gel for that?" Judai asked, almost startling Yusei out of his thoughts.

"No, actually. It's always done this. I got it from my dad." Yusei replied, sitting down on his bed. He looked down at his hands, surprised by how content and comfortable he felt. He almost didn't want to break the silence that settled over them, but still he felt he should at least say something. "… Judai, I had fun tonight."

"Yeah?" The brunette looked up at him with a gentle, bright smile that seemed to light up his eyes. "I did too. Even if there were mannequins and creepy bloody body parts everywhere."

Yusei shook his head and leaned back, letting himself fall into his bed. "Please, don't remind me."

They easy, comfortable silence returned and settled between them as they went about their nightly routine, each taking a quick shower to wash away the escape room before starting to turn in for the night.

"Hey, Yusei," Judai asked, laying on his side and facing the other's bed. "Can I ask you something?"

"I think you already have but go ahead." Yusei shot back, teasing lightheartedly as he turned to rest on his side and face the other as well.

"Jerk," The other threw back at him, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, why do you still live with Martha? You mentioned before that Zora had rented out her garage to you, Jack and Crow before. Why did you move back in with her?"

Yusei shrugged. "This was easier, honestly. College isn't exactly cheap, even with the grants and scholarships I managed to earn, and I spent most of my winnings from the WRGP on the restoration of the city and on projects to further bridge the gap between Satellite and Neo Domino. Anything I had left actually went to Martha and the Doctor that used to work here. After all was said and done, I didn't have enough to rent an apartment anymore."

He remembered the day everyone decided to go their separate ways. With his delivery business and winnings, Crow had rented his own place and started up at the police academy. Of course, he'd offered to split rent with Yusei, but he didn't want to be a bother on his friend or get in the way. Besides, the rent for his one-bedroom place was much cheaper than if they'd tried to get a place together. Then there was Jack. He'd gone right back to living the tournament life, so he didn't really have a stable residence other than Carly's place and Yusei wasn't about to move in with them. Aki went to Germany and the twins went to live with their parents and reconnect with them. They'd told Yusei he was welcome to crash at their penthouse anytime he needed, but that felt wrong to him as well. It was a bit too much for his tastes.

"I guess I could have stayed at Zora's, but it didn't really feel right after the others had left." Yusei continued, frowning a little as memories of broken red glasses flickered in the back of his mind. It didn't feel right living there after he'd gone as well. "So, I came back to stay with Martha. I do all the repairs and upgrade her home, and in return I get a roof over my head and warm meals. I also help pay for groceries and the like."

Judai nodded along, smiling a little. "That makes a lot of sense. You've really poured a lot into this city, haven't you?"

Yusei smiled as he thought about it. He really had. From the plans surrounding the road bridges connecting the two cities and the special duel lanes so everyone could safely have riding duels without worrying about impeding regular traffic. Now, he was working on his degree so he could work under the city and finish his father's work, providing a sustainable, efficient source of energy for the city.

"Do you have plans to move out? If you were ever to get the money to, that is. I mean, you're working such long hours all the time."

There were all sorts of implications Judai could be alluding to with that question, but when Yusei studied his face he only saw the purest of curiosity. The other's innocence was quite the whiplash for him sometimes, but all the same it was a breath of fresh air and made talking to him almost effortless. Judai didn't have ulterior motives or intentions behind his words. What he asked was usually what he wanted to know.

He really had thought a few times about moving out, but he really hadn't seen a need to until recently. It must be cramped for Judai to have to squeeze into this bedroom with him. He could imagine the other wanted some form of space or privacy every now and again.

"I've considered it once or twice," Yusei mused. "Right now, I'd really only need or want a small apartment. Just somewhere to sleep and work on my runner between school and work."

That earned him a soft laugh from Judai. It held no malice, just amusement. "You really don't need much at all to be happy, do you? Just a bed, laptop and a garage. Oh, and your deck."

"That's not entirely true," Yusei bit his lip and averted his gaze, feeling his cheeks heat up. "I mean… I'd be perfectly content with just that, but I also need my friends. There's no point to all this otherwise. Then, of course, there's you. You make me happy."

Judai's eyes flickered gold for a split second, a confident smirk replacing his bubbly and flustered expression. "I'd certainly hope so, considering we are dating now. Though, you make me happy too, Yusei. You really do."

"I-…" Yusei rolled over to hide his face from the other. He really doubted he was going to get used this and his mind was still coming to terms with the events outside. "It's pretty late. We should probably get some sleep."

"Hm? I guess you're right." Judai's voice sounded a little disappointed, but any traces of it was gone when he chimed a quiet goodnight from his side of the room and started to get comfortable in his bed.

"Goodnight, Judai," Yusei replied quietly, smiling to himself as he curled up and nuzzled into his pillow. He listened to the sound of Judai's breathing, and let it act as white noise to quiet his mind and lull him to sleep.

Kitana: I adore them. That is all.

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