I decided to turn this into a dump for one shots. If inspiration hits me I'll write something, but other than that I can't promise if I'll ever add more. Send me prompts if you want. It may give me an idea for something to write. I'm usually influenced by what's going on around me. Meaning I've been rewatching the show again and these thoughts came back to me. If I was rewatching something else I would have written about that instead.
Most of the dialogue will be between Crow and Yusei with some Jack because he isn't the touchy feely type. Jack only calls Aki by her last name so if it's not Yusei, then you should know that it's Crow talking.
Now, I don't think Yusei would ever care about what random people thought of him unless it somehow affected the people he cares about. This gives me a way to analyze the relationship between my favorite pairing in this show. I also think Yusei should've had more than the two or three times the writers gave him to express his fears and doubts because it would make him more relatable and human. It also gives me a chance to rant about a topic that's always been an issue in real life.
Warning: there will be some swearing because I can't see this conversation happening without it.
In the reflection of his D-Wheel, Yusei contemplated the mark on his face that would forever stigmatize him and anyone else that bore it. Despite his actual origin, Satellite would always be a part of him. He's accepted that long ago, but even more so today. His thoughts drifted as he absentmindedly tinkered.
"Hey, Yusei. What are you doing here? Didn't you have some event to attend with Aki and her parents?" Crow and Jack were descending the garage ramp.
"I left early," he said turning his back to them, retightening a screw for the third time.
"You left? Why?" Jack asked while stepping over to his own D-Wheel.
"And where's Aki?" Crow asked, shrugging on his work jacket. He had a delivery to make in about an hour.
"She's probably better off without me there."
"...What?" Crow stopped in the middle of zipping his jacket. He must have heard wrong. He looked over at Jack who had whipped his head over in Yusei's direction before his eyes met Crow's. He probably looked just as confused as the blonde man.
"Wait, wait, wait. What are you saying? What happened?" Yusei sighed, knowing he wasn't going to get away with not telling them.
"Let's just say some of the Senator's acquaintances weren't very friendly once they saw my face."
"What's wrong with your face?" Jack inquired not so eloquently.
"What do you think," Yusei bit out. Crow got it immediately and his expression quickly turned sour.
"You gotta be kidding me. Your marker? Don't they know who you are?"
"Of course they do, but not everyone is open minded about having 'some criminal, not to mention a Satellite' as their Duel King."
"Don't tell me the Senator wanted you to leave!"
"Of course not. They wanted me to stay, but that just made them targets, especially Aki. When they started bringing up her past I told them it was best if I left."
"And Izayoi just let you leave? That doesn't sound like her." Everyone knows how protective of Yusei she is.
"Some people came up to talk to her before she could and I slipped away."
"So you ran away? You should have stayed with her and showed them that you didn't give a rat's ass what they thought of you." Crow never thought the word stupid applied to Yusei until now.
"I don't, but I do care about what they say about her. I want what's best for her."
"And you don't think you are?" He asked in disbelief.
"She could do better," because she deserves the best, Yusei thought.
"She couldn't do any better and that goes the same for you. You'll never find anyone like her because she can understand pain and discrimination more than anyone. We had each other and people who loved us, but Aki had no one except for an asshole that wanted to use her."
"That's why she deserves better. She shouldn't have to feel outcasted again."
"Don't be so naive to think she's not. Aki has powers none of us can understand and people will always remember the mistakes she's made because humans fear what they can't understand and show their worst in the face of it."
"She's not that person anymore," Yusei said fiercely. Aki is Aki. Kind, loyal, and beautiful.
"We know that because we know her. Like we know you," Jack interjected. He was getting more and more irritated as this conversation went on.
"Do you really think Aki sees what the rest of society sees when she looks at you?"
"What else can be seen?" Crow should know that these marks brought them nothing but pain. Their every move forever tracked through them. On the other hand, Crow was getting pissed at this sad imitation of his friend, who almost never lets anything get him down and always looks forward.
"It's a mark of how far you've come! That despite where you came from, you didn't give in to how impossible our situation was. You kept fighting and fighting. Fighting for everyone else's sake and giving us hope in situations where it should have died! That is what we see when we look at you. That is what Aki sees in you because she knows you. She loves you! She doesn't care what others think because they were the ones that abandoned her when you stood by her!" Crow had to take a second to breathe through his frustration and Yusei still wasn't responding.
"Yusei. Answer me something. Do you know why Aki always shows affection to your left side?" Yusei finally looked at him.
"...What?"
"Of course he didn't notice," Jack scoffed, but Crow went on.
"Whenever she touches you, whenever she kisses you," he started slowly because he was going to get this through his damn head, "it's always, always the left side of your face. Do you know why?" Jack and Crow saw the moment it dawned on him. Saw clarity reflect in his blue eyes as his fingers brushed the yellow mark on his cheek.
"Do you finally get it?" Yusei nodded absently. "That woman adores you in a way everyone dreams of. She accepts all of you and loves you for who she knows you are, not what some idiots say you are. Just the way you love her too because you're right, she's not that person anymore, and you know that. You'd be a fucking moron if you let this come between you." Silence enveloped around them. There was nothing left to be said. Moments later, the door opened once again.
"Yusei?" Aki stood in the doorway. Worry reflected in her furrowed brows, frown, and mostly her eyes. She went straight for Yusei the moment she laid eyes on him.
"Aki-"
"Are you okay?" Yusei didn't think his eyes could get any wider when her fingers brushed against his left cheek. It wasn't the first time she's done that, but it was the first time he was seeing her do it while fully knowing what it meant. His heart stuttered and warmth welled up from within him. He barely noticed when Jack and Crow said they were leaving. Her eyes were filled with understanding and love for him. God, he was lucky to have been fated to meet her. His hand came up to hers as his doubts faded away. His eyes softening with bottomless affection and admiration for this amazing person before him.
"I'm fine now."
"Are you sure? You can tell me. They weren't being fair to you," Her thumb swept over the triangle at the corner of his eye. He couldn't help smiling at the small gesture.
"I'm sure." He said softly, bringing her in closer for an embrace. She reflexively returned his unexpected display of affection.
"Yusei?"
"Sorry for making you worry. I promise I'm okay. Better than that," he whispered into her neck, tightening his hold. Silently promising to her that he would stand by her like how she stood by him. Always.
We've all probably been discriminated in some way. It's an ugly reality and it's hypocritical for me to even say that because I've probably done it whether I know it or not. It's only gotten worse in today's world.
In Yu-Gi-Oh, we see it in GX and 5D's, but it's a lot more vicious in 5D's since it involves an entire society, if not the entire world in their timeline, whereas in GX it was limited to the school. They basically branded people on their faces so that everyone can clearly see that they've done something wrong and it was okay to ridicule them because of it. 5D's reminded me of how flawed and cruel we humans can be.
This is just my viewpoint on the subject. Feel free to ignore me. Sorry if I made Yusei OOC.
On a lighter note, they shipped this pairing so hard it's a yacht!
XxUchihaCherryBlossomxX
