I didn't expect people to actually read this tbh! So I got so excited by all the alerts and favs and that one review, thanks so much! I've been writing for years but still every little thing excites me so much haha, that said here's a chapter that is 4x as long as chapter one!
(also, I didn't mention this last time but small shout out to shaman king, since the whole split soul is vaguely inspired by the whole Hao and Yoh thing)
One To(2) Three
There are very few things Haou thanks his supposed parents for; he resents them more than anything else –not that they'd ever notice. He cares very little that they birthed him, if it hadn't been them than it would've been some other set of people, who it is is nothing special in the grand scheme of things.
(Judai goes without saying, though he is still somewhat loath to admit it.)
Regardless, he is quite thankful the day they appear at some point during the day – a rarity in itself – with wide smiles and hand each of them a deck of cards. "We heard just how fond you two have become of the game so we thought we'd get you a deck." Their father had said.
"We don't know too much about the game though, so if you'd like you can ask your sitter to take you to the shop if you don't find them to your liking." Their mother had continued.
He takes them with a nod, as much of a thanks as he is willing to offer, and is inwardly pleased when their smiles waver minutely. He's not sure what they think of him, he knows he makes an odd child and he makes no intent to hide it, especially not for them of all people. In fact, it's quite amusing to unsettle them on purpose.
He turns away from them as he looks through the cards, one eye on Judai who is practically vibrating as he bounces around spinning the deck cards around with him. These kind of cards are not new to him, though what is done with them now is. Dueling in his time was for battle; the monsters were real and aided his people in times of war. He is not surprised by duels for entertainment, he is no stranger to them either, but the extent to which it is taken to now is somewhat off-putting.
Battles held solely for fun, by people who can't even sense the life in the spirit's they summon. He will not deny the passion and talent of some of them – Judai has forced him to watch enough duels to determine that – but it still seems wrong to him. Still, he has little control over what these people do as much as that angers him to admit.
Regardless, he is glad to have these cards back, and he truly does mean these, a good number of them are the same cards he had so long ago. He can't help the sense of nostalgia that overcomes him, the spirits within them appearing beside him, it's almost comforting in a sense to have them with him. Yet at the same time a reminder that this is all for a reason, it does not stop him from enjoying having them back with him though.
"Wow Haou-nii, how'd you do that?" Judai asks, having stopped his jumping around to openly stare at the duel spirits that have placed themselves around him. Haou watches his gaze go down to his own deck of cards with an expectant expression, as if he is willing them to reveal themselves to him –he isn't surprised when they do, sight isn't so much of an ability to them as it is a given right.
"Woah, I can do it too! So cool!" He takes the moment to observe Judai's monsters, some familiar and some not, as they float around as Judai shows them around the room, his eyes wide with awe as they listen to everything he tells them. He's glad his parent's left at some point; he's not sure what they'd make of what's happening, though they are still young enough to pass such a thing as a simple imaginary friend.
For a moment, he thinks Judai might have forgotten that he wasn't alone in the room, or that he had been talking to him just moments prior, but then Judai whips around to face him eyes blazing.
"Haou-nii, Haou-nii, come on we gotta duel right now!" He hasn't even responded yet and Judai has already begun to set up, laying down the mat they'll use to play.
He inclines his head as he sits across the table from him, "As you wish," he replies, giving a rueful smile at his choice of words.
-o-
Judai takes to the game like a fish to water, though try as he might he has yet to beat Haou. He takes it with more grace than he would have expected as someone so driven to win and competitive as Judai.
"You're just too good Haou-nii, besides losing to you doesn't count anyways." He says, though whenever Haou asks for clarification on what exactly that means Judai just smiles, wide and knowing and then ducks away with a laugh.
Still, he's the best player in their class – Haou refuses to play any of them, so as far as he's concerned he doesn't count there – though he's not sure how much that means when most of his opponents still confuse trap and magic cards. It's all practice nonetheless, every battle is a learning experience for what will one day come.
Even if Haou is the better duelist, there is only so much Judai can learn from dueling the same opponent over and over again.
-o-
On their 7th birthday Haou finds another reason to thankful to their parents, though at this point he's more inclined to thank fate than he is them.
He comes into their room early, too early to be awoken on any say let alone their birthday, and flicks the light to their room on. He sits up with a scowl, glaring at their father for doing this, throwing a pillow at Judai as he does so, who had simply grumbled and buried deeper into the covers at their fathers unwanted entrance.
"I'm up!" He exclaims, hair forming an odd-looking halo around his face as he slumps forward slightly, eyes drooping with exhaustion.
Their father, paying no mind to both of their annoyance and discomfort, continues with whatever it is that he planned to do. He steps further into the room, eyes gleaming with an odd sort of excitement, it bothers Haou but Judai seems to pick up on their father's excitement and it jolts him into further awareness.
"I found something I think you'll both enjoy on my last trip –there's only one copy though so you'll have to share it."
His glare withers, wondering what could possibly be so grand that he'd think they'd prefer it over something they can each call their own. His already horrid mood dampens further and he fails to understand why Judai only looks even more joyous at the news. His eyes snap to Haou's, as if sensing his thoughts and smiles benignly –he hates these smiles the most, as if he knows something Haou does not. He scowls and turns away back to the man who has been talking for god knows how long about god knows what.
How many more years will it be until he can take Judai and leave this place?
"Anyways, without further ado I present you; Yubel!" His head swivels so quickly that it leaves a dull ache in his neck, but even that reaction is not faster than Judai's, who has somehow already gotten out of bed and holds the card between his hands. Their father ruffles Judai's hair and then leaves, probably off to work or something but Haou pays him no mind –his focus is entirely on the card that Judai now holds.
Judai holds the card gently, as if it's something precious – which she is – and he wants to reach out, but he finds himself rooted to the spot. He hasn't seen Yubel since his first lifetime; despite their promise, their vow, not one of his reincarnations had seen her in any shape or form whatsoever. Until now.
"Haou-nii, she's back." He's wearing that smile again, and Haou hates it, he does, the small things Judai does that leave him feeling so unsettled.
Still, he takes the offered card from Judai and allows for the small smile to come to be as he feels her presence surround his. He hears her quiet laugh float through the air and then the soft whoosh of her form finally appearing.
She looks like just he remembered, just like the card he's still holding presents her as. Her edges shimmer slightly, a reminder that she is but a spirit, and he is tempted for a moment to use his powers to give her physical shape, if only for a moment. He doesn't, or perhaps right now he simply can't, continuing to stare mutely at her instead.
"It has been a very long time, my beloved." Her smile is small, her words hinted with the same bittersweet feeling he refuses to admit is threatening to overflow within him. He frowns instead, turning his head a way in an act that is most definitely not caused by shame or embarrassment.
Judai laughs, leaning back towards Yubel despite the fact he would simply faze through her, and his frown turns into a scowl.
He was, is, a king and yet lately he seems like nothing more of a joke. How disgraceful.
He looks at them discretely from the corner of his eye, all gentle mirth and joy as they sit their quietly; how truly, utterly disgraceful.
-o-
Both he and Yubel decide that it should be Jaden that holds onto her card for most of the time. Yubel is the sworn protector to the Herald of Gentle Darkness, her duty to protect him from the Light of Ruin and all else that may come to harm him, and in this case where his soul is split in two Judai is a higher priority. Haou has his memories, he knows what to look out for, and how to defend himself above all else. Judai, however, is defenseless and too young – especially in this era – to be taught what it is he needs to know.
Yubel will be more than enough in the meantime.
-o-
Much later, he'll berate himself for not noticing sooner, for not stopping this before it got this far. In his defence, he pays little attention to the people in his classes or Judai's so called friends. Well, that's not true either. Haou is always alert of his surroundings; he just never thought that his classmates tripping or falling ill would in any way affect him.
So he paid it no mind, Haou goes to school out of obligation and being too young to have a say otherwise. He does his work because he is a king and he will not do something as shameful as forgoing ones responsibilities. His classmates, however, his teachers even? They are of little matter to him –all below him whether they know it or not.
They stay away from him, or at least they usually do because they'll hang around him if Judai is around him –which is most of the time. It's only because of that that he starts to notice something is wrong.
He notices when Judai starts to spend more and more time with him at school. Judai has always spent a large amount of his day near him, much to his annoyance, but over the years has drifted to spending more and more time with his classmates, to his even greater annoyance. Yet as of late it seems that he spends less time with them, he doesn't know what's going on but questioning Judai about it reveals nothing on the matter.
His other simply grins and assures him that nothing is going on, that there's a small problem but nothing for Haou to worry about. Behind him, Yubel rolls her eyes for some reason and with a firmer voice than Judai's affirms that everything is fine, and that she is doing her job well. He finds it an odd thing to note, he has never doubted her ability to protect Judai in the first place but it is Judai who reacts at the words. He throws her a glance that Haou fails to catch, turning just as quickly back to face him as if he had never moved in the first place.
"Really, Haou-ni, it's fine."
Haou doesn't believe that, not for a second, but he's willing to let Judai be if that's what he truly desires.
-o-
Haou is only patient when the situation demands for it, he is not unreasonable, he knows certain things demand time and he's willing to wait. However, this right now is not one of those moments. Judai said he'd be a little late, that he had something to do but he'd meet him at the gate.
That was twenty minutes ago, and Judai would have said something if he planned to take this long –probably insisted he go home not that Haou would. He scowls, turning to head back into the school, remembering Yubel's expression when Judai had told him to wait.
.-.
He finds Judai easily enough, there is always a vague sense of where the other is at the back of his head, behind the school pressed against the wall, arms held out pacifyingly in front of him as he smiles wanly. Beside him, Yubel hovers with teeth bared, not that the kids cornering Judai can even see her.
"Demon," one of the kids hisses at his brother of all people and Judai flinches ever so slightly in response.
Haou swallows, shoving down the rage he feels at the statement, because he would tear these imbeciles limb from limb for hurting what is his but Judai would never approve and it would only make things worse.
"Just what, exactly, is going on here?" He demands, voice thick with power and he is so very pleased when all of them shiver in fear at the words.
"Haou-nii stop!" Judai exclaims, moving himself to stand as if protecting them, even though they clearly had no qualms against harming him moments prior. "It's just a misunderstanding." The kids now cowering behind Judai nod like bobble-heads, it disgusts him how weak and cowardly humans truly are.
His hand flexes, scowl firm on his face as he glares at his other. Judai's eyes are bright as he returns the gaze and he knows that's a response to his own power leaking through. He clenches his hand, takes a breath, and reigns it back in.
"We are talking about this later." Is all he says before grabbing Judai's arm and all but dragging him home.
-o-
Despite his ever growing ire on the matter, Judai remains tight lipped on whatever it is that's going between him and the kids at school. Even Yubel refuses to shed some light on the situation and Haou curses this modern civilization that leaves him no place to go to release some anger.
At the very least, he never sees those kids even dare come near Judai again during school, and after school he makes sure to drag him straight home.
-o-
There is a small part of him that would rather remain clueless than do this, but Haou squashes it down because this has gone on long enough and he's beyond done with all this secrecy.
He waits until the right moment – it's lunch, and the teacher had just sent Judai off on some errand – and approaches one of the girls he can vaguely remember Judai used to talk to. He taps her shoulder and then grimaces when she fails to respond, the second attempt garners her attention and her grin dims as she lays eyes on him.
"Ah, yes Yuki-kun?" He resists the urge to sigh; it is not as if doing this is any easier for him than it is for her.
"I would like to know why you all have taken to ignoring my brother." Her grin goes from weak to just gone and she lets out an awkward sounding laugh, gaze sliding away from his.
"Well it's just…" She stops, hesitating, and he's about to snap at her to continue when one of the other kids interrupts.
"He's a demon!" The boy shouts, leaning forward against the table, and the girl smacks him in the arm in response, "what it's true, everyone who duels Judai gets sick or injured if they win –sometimes even if they lose! I dueled him once and it felt like someone was staring into my soul, spooky dude."
He nods, curtly and barely noticeable, and turns back towards his seat.
"I know he's your brother and all, but be careful." The kid calls to his retreating back, and he wants so badly to tell him that it is not Judai that he should be afraid of, but he doubts it would make a difference to anyone in this room.
-o-
It is about a week later when he decides he has had enough of this. Yubel seems constantly on edge and there is a constant hint of stress behind Judai's eyes.
They have not, cannot, deal with this, yet they still refuse to tell him what it is that is wrong.
Haou is patient when the situation demands it, and the time for this one has long since run out.
"Just how long are the two of you planning to keep this from me?" They both open their mouths, presumably to protest, and he waves his hand before they can continue, "Silence!" He demands, voice firm, "I already know what is happening, what I do not know is why both of you have kept this knowledge from me."
"I can handle it!"/"I am just doing my duty." Judai and Yubel say, voices overlapping and ending with a tempered glare at each other. "Well if you'd just stop!"/ "There is nothing to handle!"
They start arguing them, and it doesn't seem like something new, he is not sure if he's ashamed of not having noticed it sooner, or impressed they managed to hide this from him for so long. He leans towards the latter, if only because it seems less unbecoming.
"Enough!" Their argument stops short, Judai huffing and turning away from Yubel as her lips twist downwards in displeasure.
"Yubel as much as I would love to tell you otherwise, you cannot harm people simply because they displease or upset Judai, it is not the way this era works."
"I told her that but she won't listen!"
"Those children deserve it! Hurting Judai as if they are worth something half as valuable as him."
They look like they're about to start arguing again and for a fleeting moment Haou imagines just existing within Judai and not having to deal with any of this, he shakes the thought away –something tells him that wouldn't have worked out to well either.
"Yubel if you keep doing this their injuries will only get worse and they'll eventually make the connection to you. These people do not understand; they have lost their connections to the spirits they will just try to send you away –if that's what you wish than keep doing as you are doing."
"But –"
"But nothing, yes you are Judai's protector but you cannot defend him from things like this." He stops her next protest with a look; he will not allow her to hold Judai's hand through life that is no way to grow. Especially the way she is going about it, it will only lead to ruin.
"I understand," she finally relents.
"And Judai," he begins,
"I know, Haou-nii," Judai interrupts, not making eye contact as he stares at some point on the ground.
He nods, that is fine with him, he has already spoken far more than he would have liked, but this situation needed to be addressed now. He doesn't want to think of what could have happened if he had simply let them be.
-o-
It doesn't change much in the end, the damage is done and rumours have spread; no one is willing to even come near Judai let alone duel or be friends with him.
Judai simply smiles and says it's fine but Haou knows full well that it is not, that Judai has always taken rejection harder than most. He can't even enjoy the fact that Judai is no longer spending time with these lowly people because it is not out of choice but circumstance and it just leaves him frustrated.
He almost regrets putting a stop to it, if only because they deserve all of what would have happened for how they are treating Judai, but he knows that was a necessity.
It does not stop him from growing increasingly irate at every child – even some of the adults, these absolutely useless and ignorant people – who flinches and hides whenever Judai comes near.
-o-
Sometime during all this commotion, a contest was announced; you design a card, and if you win then it gets launched into space for some reason. Haou finds the entire premise dumb and senseless but it doesn't stop most of the world from going crazy over entering.
Judai is one of them, and Haou watches with tired eyes as he creates card after card despite the fact Haou's relatively sure you're only supposed to make one. He's concentrated, even turning down their sitter – some boy from down the street, Osamu, Haou thinks is his name – when he offers a duel despite Judai always jumping at a chance to duel him since he has yet to win.
Probably Osamu shifts his gaze than to Haou and he gives an unamused state back. Haou doesn't duel outside of necessity, a child beating adults as soundly as he would, would leave a bitter taste in their mouths that, while he relishes in, would draw too much unwanted attention to him.
Thankfully, he backs off at just the look so he doesn't have to bother with actually voicing his displeasure and Haou goes back to giving Judai a bored stare. There isn't much to do and usually it's Judai that offers some form of entertainment but he's been busy with making those cards for days and frankly Haou has realised that without Judai he doesn't much to do since he's too young to go anywhere on his own.
"I'm done!" Judai exclaims proudly, a drawing of a grey being with red markings in front of him. Beside it, a stack of similarly sized papers that could probably constitute at least half a deck rests neatly. He slides them over to Haou with an expectant look, as if Haou's approval of them is of the upmost importance.
He looks through them carefully, a bit unnerved by Judai's eager gaze as he does, and is rather surprised by how well thought out it is. All the monsters have effects and attack/defense points given and they are actually reasonable – there are even spell and trap cards that fit into the theme. It is almost too well thought out; that a child Judai's age could be so intricate in making these is odd.
"Do you like them?" Judai asks, all wide eyes and smiles, and Haou nods with an approving hum, they truly are well done. "I'm so glad, because they're mine you know, the neo-spacians."
"Judai what do you mean by yours?" He asks, a bit perturbed, but of course Judai doesn't answer, simply picking out one of the cards and showing it to him.
"Except this one," he says, showing the same gray monster that he had finished last, "Elemental Hero Neos, he's ours."
Most-likely-Osamu interrupts any further conversation by announcing the fact dinner is ready. Judai bolts into the kitchen at the statement, leaving the cards on the table.
Haou gives them one final glance before going to join them, there is an importance to these cards and Haou has no doubt they will win.
-o-
When the announcement finally does comes, declaring Judai as the winner, Haou is of course not surprised. The same cannot be said for Judai who for a moment looks like he might start to cry from joy.
From there things happen very quickly, they – it's only supposed to be Judai, but Haou'll be damned if he lets them take Judai to some unfamiliar location by himself – are whisked away to the Kaiba Corporation and then taken to meet Kaiba himself.
Haou is pretty sure the man before him is actually just a teenager but he can't be sure, still Haou takes a liking to him –he radiates an aura of power and holds a gaze that demands respect, admirable traits to him.
He congratulates Judai, and though his expression doesn't change, he seems genuine in his compliments to the cards Judai had made.
They are shown the entire process, from the handling to packaging into some egg shaped container and finally being placed inside the rocket it will be launched in. The entire process seems like too much for him, but Haou will admit that this kind of thing is beyond what he knows; there is too much fanciful technology at work here.
"The launch will be held this Saturday, we can't be sure how long the capsule will be in space but when it returns they will be given to you." One of the workers tells Judai, and then launches into an explanation Haou thinks this man actually assumes is understandable to children, Judai at the very least is attempting to pay attention.
The day ends with an elaborate dinner that Haou and Judai attend alone since their parents are unable to make it –one would think they would make time for the event, but apparently not.
It goes on for far too long and Judai grows increasingly uncomfortable with all the attention people are giving him. Yubel looks about ready to set the reporters aflame for their annoying insistence but before then Kaiba's younger brother appears to shoo them away and offers them a ride home if they are ready to leave.
Judai agrees readily, already half standing just at the offer, and the older boy laughs as he escorts them away.
-o-
It takes months for Judai to stop constantly talking and wondering and staring off into the sky as if doing so will make them appear any faster. It certainly doesn't help that after it all happens kids finally start talking to Judai again, amazement at his winning overpowering their prior misguided fear towards him.
That too fades with time but at least he's no longer some sort of social pariah within the school. Most kids still don't talk to him but at least they stop actively avoiding his very existence. Some of them even go back to inviting him on their outings but this time it is Judai who keeps them at arm's length, usually declining most of their offers. This time, Haou does take pleasure in the decision, and Yubel agrees.
Aside from that, time passes by relatively peacefully until a bit over 2 years later, a few months shy of their 10th birthday they are called back to the Kaiba Corporation.
Judai bounces the entire ride over, his body lined with excitement at the prospect of getting his new cards, and as soon as the car stops bolts out of the car and into the building.
By the time Haou catches up Judai is already being presented the small deck of cards he made, except they actually look like official cards now – how that happened Haou isn't sure, maybe they were made into cards before the whole ordeal.
"The initial plan," Kaiba says, looking slightly irritated, "was to have these cards mass-produced, however a friend of mine," he continues, looking even more irate, "has informed me that these cards wouldn't work as well with other people."
"So that means Judai would be the only person with these cards." Haou clarifies, and casts a glance over at his brother who needs to calm down because he is much too excited right now.
"Yes, he holds the only set of these cards in existence." He says with a sigh, and Haou wants to know what kind of 'friend' can manage to convince this person of doing anything they seem so reluctant to do. What kind of person makes a man like Kaiba relent to anything at all?
"This is so cool." Judai finally says, though his eyes are on the cards and nothing else –Haou isn't even sure he heard what Kaiba just finished saying.
He doesn't get a chance to ask Kaiba who his friend is, with what them being escorted out soon after.
"It's probably Yugi," Judai says on the way back, eyes still glued to his new cards, "I'm surprised you don't know he's like, famous; people call him the king of games."
And well, that's definitely an interesting title.
-o-
As soon as they get home Judai challenges him to a duel, taking him by the hand and dragging them to their designated duel spot.
He's almost reluctant to agree, Judai has never dueled with these cards before, and playing with a new deck can be something akin to playing for the first time at all. He doesn't want Judai's first experience with these cards an awful defeat. Still, there is a determination and fire in Judai's eyes, that have him agreeing despite his feelings otherwise.
Of course, all those feelings go straight down the drain when Judai actually beats him. He uses those cards as if they'd been his, his whole life and Haou doesn't care that he created them that kind of affinity to them is uncanny.
"Gotcha," Judai says, grinning impishly as he gives him a V-sign.
"This is only one time; I have already beaten you countless other occasions." It's a fact, but even to his ears sounds more akin to a petulant whine, which is just far too degrading.
"But all those losses were with me using your deck, this one was me using my own." He's smug, eyes glinting as he finishes and Haou will not stand to be demeaned in this way. He is the Supreme King not some lowly commoner and not even his other half is allowed to treat him such a way.
(Even though Judai does, constantly.)
"A rematch," he demands, and Judai's grin widens, "I will show you who the better duelist is. Show you why people cowered in fear at the mere mention of my name when I first lived."
Unsurprisingly Haou's words have no effect on Judai, who merely laughs in response to his mini-monologue and begins to reshuffle his deck.
"You're on!"
Random clarifications for things that happened in this chapter: As far as Judai's memories of past lives go, he doesn't really have them so much as he has feelings and instincts about them, there are just something he innately knows though he can't really tell you why, or in some cases notice he knows it.
Yubel/Neospacians/Timeline: As far as I'm aware canon doesn't give us what age Judai is when he meets Yubel, the only thing we get is a flashback and given Judai's size I'm relatively sure Judai is under 10, so idk, 7 seemed good enough. Canon also doesn't tell us why Yubel does what she does? Like the implication is that she's protecting him but what injuring small children when Judai loses really does is questionable. So idk, either way in this au Haou gets her to stop before anything bad (i.e Osamu and his coma) really happens, she's more akin to s4/bbt Yubel here.
Neo-spacians; okay so like? The idea that KC hosted a contest to create cards and than all that became of that was well nothing is kind of extremely ridiculous to me. Those cards were supposed to be Judai's and he only gets them too many years later by finding them (or them finding him). It's clear in canon that Judai doesn't even remember entering the contest until he gets them, but even then the memory is blurry -Judai forgot all about it along with Yubel. So I assume that perhaps Judai's parents did something with the contest? Asked them to pick a new winner or something in fear that seeing the cards would trigger his memories of Yubel (they probably never intended for him to get that card back tbh) so the cards just became lost just like Yubel. Since Judai never forgot then he gets them back as he should/would have. You get an actual thought out explanation but tbh I just didn't want Haou and Judai using the same deck aside from fusion outcomes when they got to duel academy.
Haou: I worry sometimes that the way I write him is OOC, but like, when basically all we got on him si 3 episodes where he's killing everything it's hard not to. That said I actually have a lot of thoughts on how I characterize him and I just, idk he's not OOC to me but idk how other people would view it. Main things though for this au though: Haou just, does not care about people who are not Judai or Yubel they mean absolutely squat to him and could burn in hell for all he cares. Haou cares deeply for Judai but that kind of borders on possessiveness (like I stated somewhere in this chapter, Haou considers Judai his). Quiet, doesn't like talking too much especially since he doesn't consider most people worth his time, can have an entire conversation with Judai based solely on nods and hums. An asshole, but since he's quiet and dignified most people don't notice. Insult him and suffer. And other things, probably.
That's all for now, sorry for the long a/n but I just wanted to clarify somethings in case people got confused.
I don't know when the next chapter will be, but don't expect it until at least the new year most likely. I want to rewatch gx before I write the next chapters since starting from chapter 3 we finally start with season 1 and I won't be able to do that until at least the 18th, exam season is upon me and that's the date of my last one (I have two worth 50% of my grade, no more binge-watching for me)
I might upload some one-shots though if I can find time between studying to write them though, I had a couple planned already but I caught up with arc-v (really good actually! I haven't liked a ygo season this much since gx) over the weekend and really want to write this gx fic based of it, we'll see.
Till next time, thanks for reading!