Notes – For the gx_100. Set post-GX, but not by long. Unfortunately focuses around OCs, but I've tried to keep them vague.
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"Ryo left home almost as soon as he graduated."
"Can you blame him? You are a harsh master."
"That's not a subject you should particularly be joking about," the man's voice said harshly, contrast to the much more relaxed tone of his friend.
The second man shrugged casually, reaching forward to refill his glass from the jug of water on the table.
"He's an independent person, more so than anyone I have met, save for yourself. He would never be satisfied bowing down to tradition when he could prove his skill to the world," he went on to say, after taking a drink.
A grunt, followed by, "I would have liked it more if he'd just followed in the paths I'd set out for him, he would have been granted a comfortable life and he'd never have had to go through… that whole Hell Kaiser affair."
"But that is part of who he is, I admire him for not pretending it never happened," the man went on, a little amused that he seemed to understand Ryo Marufuji better than his own father did.
"He could never come home after that," the Marufuji-father commented, "But I'm surprised he didn't stay long enough to wait for Shou. If he hated us that much then why would he leave his brother in our apparent clutches."
"Sometimes it's for the best if siblings don't get too involved in each other's affairs," his guest said, looking thoughtful for a moment, "If Ryo is as stubborn as we say he is then he probably respected Shou enough to let him prove he could do it on his own without having to piggyback from his brother's skill forever."
When Marufuji didn't reply he went on, "And his method worked. Didn't Shou graduate as a successful Obelisk Blue student, even inheriting the Cyberdark deck? Really, Ari, you should give them a lot more credit."
"I don't like you referring to me so personally," the eldest Marufuji, Ari, objected, "We are not the friends that we once were."
"That's another way in which your son takes after you," the man muttered darkly, "But regardless, the only reason that you're so sore at your children is because you've lost them."
"What?" The tone was bemused to say the least.
A smirk, followed by, "You're not such a tough guy as you make yourself out to be. Ryo left you two years ago; he's out of your control now. But you always counted on Shou to be the one to stay home and be good. Now that Shou's graduated too he's becoming much more independent, thanks to the support of his brother and those friends of his. Pretty soon he's probably going to move away as well, then you'll have no children to follow you."
"I really don't have to take this from you," Ari said, turning to look away.
"And you're lonely. If you weren't so stubborn you wouldn't have to be," his friend went on. Ari felt an awkward heat travel through him, "But maybe it's best for the sake of our children that you remain lonely."
"That's another subject I'd prefer to avoid," replied Ari.
"What, my son and your son? I think it's cute really, in a dysfunctional kind of way," he chimed.
"You always were inappropriate," Ari answered, glancing back at him.
Downing the rest of his water, the man got to his feet and shrugged.
"I suppose Fubuki's got to get it from somewhere."
