The first day of Aiballweek is now here and I am participating for it! I usually don't ship Yusaku and Ai together because Yusaku is a human and Ai is a Ignis/A.I. and it's kind of weird. And even when Ai develops a human form and becomes a bad guy for season 3, I still don't ship them together, but then episode 120 happened and Ai told Yusaku that he loved him as he died and I'm not sure he meant that in a love way or in a partner way, but I somehow liked the shipping. That and I read some Aiballshipping fanfic stories before episode 120 happened. I guess I'm becoming a Yusaku multi-shipper now, cause besides Aiballshipping, I also ship Yusaku with Ryoken Kogami, Miyu Sugisaki, and with an OC of mine sometimes. So to start off this event, I will do the first prompt, of Yusaku and Ai reuniting! The Reunion prompt was my idea as a suggestion and I am so glad it made it! So, here we go!

Playmaker has been all over different places in Link VRAINS just to get all of the data fragments of Ai.

It has been 3 months since he dueled Ai and his death really devastated him and has avoided all of his friends and even not going to school because of Ai. But then his Link sense has been going off none stop and he heard Ai's voice in some data code. He is still alive somewhere in Link VRAINS. Yusaku logged into Link VRAINS as Playmaker and began to collect the data of Ai to bring him back for 3 months now.

So far, Playmaker has gotten almost all of Ai's data. He just needs to find the eyeball version of Ai.

Playmaker went into an unknown area in Link VRAINS as it located the final data of Ai in there. It is dark in this area, but Playmaker can manage to walk through the dark by touching the wall. Then some purple data flows through the area and Playmaker knows that color scheme anywhere.

Playmaker follows the purple data that would lead to Ai. The purple data leads Playmaker to a room where he sees an item that he is familiar with. It's the eyeball version of Ai.

Playmaker slowly walks over to Ai, trying his best not to let the tears form in his eyes, and picks him up. Ai opens up his only eye and is surprised to see Playmaker, then moves around Playmaker's hand in panic.

Playmaker puts the eyeball version of Ai inside his duel disk and locks it so Ai won't escape. Playmaker release a sigh of relief and then he logs out.

Yusaku has been working on putting all of Ai's data together and then will transfer them into Ai's SOLtis body, which he kept after Yusaku defeated Ai. He made it very clean for the last 3 months now.

Once all of Ai's data is complete, a disk came out of the computer and Yusaku takes it, walks over to Ai's SOLtis body, and inserts it inside of it.

Yusaku takes a step back as Ai begins to power-up. Ai opens up his eyes and looks around Yusaku's apartment and then looks at Yusaku.

Yusaku smiles at Ai, but keeps hold of the tears to form in his eyes at the sight of Ai's awakening. "Ai… You're back…" He walks to Ai and was about to hug him, but Ai takes a step away from Yusaku.

There was fear in Ai's eyes as he was backing away from Yusaku. "Ai?" Yusaku is concern for his partner as he tries to walk up to Ai, but Ai keeps backing away.

"Why?" Ai finally asked with fear in his voice. "Why did you…brought me back?"

Yusaku was silent for a moment when Ai asked him that. It was obvious to him for the last 3 months now. "I… I just-"

"Do you realize what you just did?!" Ai asked in anger. "If I'm around here, then you'll die because of my existence! That's why I wanted to die so you can live!"

Yusaku just stands there as Ai yells at him for brining him back. He knows why Ai behaved as a bad guy 3 months ago. It wasn't because of bring his Ignis friends back, but because he saw him die in a simulation and he couldn't accept that kind of future without Yusaku.

Yusaku slowly walks towards Ai with his head down for a bit. "Stop! Stay away from me!" Ai yelled. "I don't want you to perish because of me! Let's just log back into Link VRAINS and duel again so that I'll vanish again!"

Yusaku didn't say anything. He keeps walking towards Ai. "Stop coming up to me, Yusaku! I mean it! I just want to-"

SLAP

Ai's eyes widen in shock when Yusaku slapped him across the cheek. It stings so much. He held his cheek with his hand and stares at Yusaku.

Yusaku couldn't keep the tears forming in his eyes and gives Ai an intense look. "Ai… Just shut up for once and let me talk."

It's been a long time since Yusaku told him to shut up. He kind of missed that. So Ai gives a nod to let him speak.

"After our duel, and you vanished into my arms, I've been avoiding everyone for the past 3 months now and was in despair because of you. I cry in my sleep because you were gone. I even have nightmares of you of even worse than you vanishing. It's worse than my nightmares of the Lost Incident." The tears in Yusaku's eyes began to streak down his face, but keeps on explaining. "3 days after our duel. My Link Sense was acting up and I knew, just knew, that you weren't gone. So I have been gathering your data for the past 3 months now, to get you back. Because I can't accept you being gone forever, Ai." Then Yusaku starts crying and he clutches his chest where his heart is tight, as if he is having a heart attack (Which he is not having. Don't panic!). "I-I don't care if something happens to me because of what the simulation predicts! I just wanted you back, Ai!"

Ai just stands there watching his partner cry in sorrow, feeling so bad right now and can feel the tears forming in his eyes. "Yusaku…"

Yusaku takes two steps to Ai and hugs him and cries into his chest. "Please, don't ever leave me again… Promise me that you will never leave me alone, even by death… Okay…?"

He never knew his death cause Yusaku so much pain. And to that and looking for him for 3 months, he avoided Kusanagi, Takeru, Aoi, and even Revolver-sensei to find him! Did he even have any sleep or eaten anything?! He felt so thin when Ai hugged him back. He felt so bad that he had hurt his partner physically.

"I… I promise Yusaku… I won't leave you again. Ever…" Ai said, his voice being cracked, but is trying his best not to break down.

"Thank you, Ai…" Yusaku said, calming down a bit from crying, just a few tears fall a bit. "Also, I never got to tell you when you left."

"Hm?" Ai looked down at his partner with a confused look.

Yusaku gives Ai a genuine smile. "I loved you too. And I still do…"

Ai was a bit surprised when Yusaku said it, but then a few seconds, Ai finally breaks down and hugs Yusaku tight, never letting him go. "Yusaku…!"

It doesn't matter if the simulation showed Ai the future of what his existence would do to Yusaku. He was glad to be with him and he hope that will change forever. Because right now, Ai is home with Yusaku.

Right now, they are reunited at last.

Awww! What a great start for this event to began and what a very sweet story I did here for this prompt! I am so glad I came up with the Reunion prompt for this event!

Tomorrow, I will be posting the new chapter once I get back from MyEscape at Hollywood, but anyway, I hope you enjoyed this story and what you guys think of it!