Yu-Gi-Oh! and Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds
He Don't Live Here No More
By Lucky_Ladybug
Notes: The characters are not mine and the story is! I left some pretty big plotlines open in my YGO Classic Pendulum Swings timeline that did not get addressed after Christmas, Caroling, and Scary Ghost Stories. I want to see what I can do with them. This takes place at some point after And in the Darkness Bind Them. As always, Radley is a good guy, the way I honestly see him. I have finally made some needed alterations to chapter 2 of And in the Darkness Bind Them to reflect how Radley's backstory was fleshed out in May You Find Some Comfort Here. Those alterations will be reflected here. For Duke, meanwhile, his store manager David Tanaka is a canon character, just a canonically unnamed one. He appeared in Duke's first episode, talking with him about Duke's plans for Yugi. They appear to be quite close, considering David teases Duke, who is his boss! They have a very complex past in my verse. Finally, the idea of only certain people being able to go through a portal is an idea I came up with for my Wild Wild West fics. Amber2002161 is using the idea in a collaboration RP fic we came up with together. I'm using a variation on it here.
Chapter One
"A little more to the left."
Duke gestured at the construction workers as they put up the next beam in what would become a living room. Despite looking somewhat put-out and exasperated, they complied.
At his side, David watched with folded arms and an amused look. "I really think they know what they're doing, Dukey-Boy. Why don't we leave them to it and inspect the rest of the frame?"
Duke stepped back with some reluctance. "Yeah . . . maybe we should." Casting another glance over his shoulder, he started down the hall.
David followed.
This had been a long time coming. It had been so long ago when Duke had first determined that he wanted to move into a house with his childhood friend and store manager David Tanaka. But after many tries and not being satisfied with anything currently on the market, Duke had decided that the best thing to do was to design their own house and have it built. Finally it was underway, and Duke wanted everything in it to be perfect. David couldn't blame him for that, but he was still gently amused by the lengths to which Duke was taking it.
"You think it's too much, don't you?" Duke spoke when they were alone in a hallway.
"No, not at all," David insisted. "It's our house; it should be exactly the way we want it."
"That's what I think too." Duke stared off into the distance. "I don't want anything to ruin this. Including Zero Reverse, if we're unable to prevent it years from now."
"We've done plenty of research on that by going through the portal to check," David said. "This area is the least affected by Zero Reverse and is still standing beautifully thirty years from now."
"Yeah, I know." Duke walked over to a large window looking out over the hill they had chosen in one of the city's ritziest neighborhoods. "Finally, I'll be free." This he spoke barely above a whisper, but David still heard him.
"And it's about time," he replied. Duke had been afraid for so long of living in a house after years of cruelty from his father. He had locked himself in an apartment high-rise and had insisted he would not consider a house. For years he hadn't. But now he was finally ready, as long as they did this together.
David was all-in. This was a huge step for Duke and it made him proud to see Duke able to take it. This would be a good thing for them both.
Duke turned around, leaning back against the wall as he studied his friend. "When it's ready, should we have an open house for everyone?"
"As long as they know how to behave," David said. "I know they'll be excited."
"Most of them anyway." Duke sighed and looked away, back to the window.
David knew what Duke meant without anything needing to be said. Tristan was still aloof around them, and largely had been since the incident with the Eon Dagger from Melody Nosaka's house. He said he had finally forgiven Duke for being the one Serenity had chosen, and it must have been true or he could not have revived Duke after the Dagger had fatally stabbed him. The Dagger's enchanted deaths could only be broken by true forgiveness. But now Tristan was unable to forgive himself. His and Joey's refusal to trust Radley in the Duel Monsters world after the warped story Lawton had told them about Crash Town had only compounded the problem.
Finally David sighed too. "Duke . . . Tristan has to find his own path. I wanted so badly to help you through the years, but there was nothing I could really do until you were ready to accept it."
Duke gave a vague nod. "I know that. And I'm sorry I put you through so much when I wasn't ready. I'm sorry I had to lose you before I really realized what I was doing." He finally turned back. "What worries me is that I'm seeing that in Tristan. How I was then, I mean. He's lost. I finally fell so far that I became obsessed with getting you back no matter what, even if I had to mess with ancient magic to do it. I guess I'm just wondering if Tristan will end up feeling so bad that he'll try to re-set time so he didn't cause me to get stabbed or distrust Radley so much."
David frowned. He hadn't even thought of anything like that. "You guys are both still alive, though. Would Tristan really feel driven to that point when you're not dead?"
"I don't know." Duke pushed away from the wall. "Maybe I'm just talking through my hat. I wasn't even along on that Duel Monsters adventure, so I only heard about it second-hand. But I know Radley died to save everyone when Lawton set up Blast Spheres everywhere. Tristan wouldn't blame himself for that like he did what happened to me, but I know he felt bad that he and Joey pretty much shunned Radley after the way Lawton twisted the truth. Radley didn't deserve that."
"He seems like a nice guy," David agreed. ". . . It's also kind of eerie that he looks like you a little bit. Black hair, green eyes. . . ."
". . . I didn't even think about that," Duke said in chagrin. "Maybe that would even make Tristan think about me, kind of. . . . Like, psychologically make his guilt worse. Is that possible?"
"Probably," David said. "Oh, I know I haven't studied psychology, so don't quote me on that, but I could see it happening."
Duke sighed. "I know it's stupid, but I wish there really was something I could do. I don't like seeing Tristan so miserable like this."
"You're a good guy, Duke," David said.
"Yeah, I guess." Duke walked past him. "Let's check upstairs."
David trailed after him. ". . . How are the others handling what happened back then?"
Duke paused at the top. "I'm not sure," he admitted. "No one really talks to me about it since I wasn't there and can't relate. They all look pretty haunted when I see them talk about it, though. Some of them actually saw Radley fall. And all of them saw how Kalin couldn't handle it." His voice lowered. "I know how he felt."
"I know you do," David said, equally quietly. "And I know how he felt too."
"I don't know that I can say I wish I'd been there, but I wonder why I wasn't," Duke frowned.
"They've been better at including you lately," David said. "Maybe you were busy that day, or maybe Joey was worried that Serenity would go if you went and she knew about it."
"Probably," Duke conceded. "It would have been dangerous. Serenity could have handled it; she's grown so much. But I get not wanting to put her in danger." He sighed and shook his head. "The more I let myself care about people, the easier it is to understand Joey and Tristan being overprotective."
"Funny how that works, isn't it," David mused.
They went over the second floor rooms and then up the next flight of stairs to the attic. Duke crossed to the window. There was an amazing view from each one in the house, just as he'd wanted. To be able to see out all around the city helped a lot in feeling free and not trapped. His father hadn't liked windows or light.
"Are things any better with your family?" he asked.
David's family had never liked him, fearful that he would be a bad influence on David. They had hit the ceiling when David had first told them that he and Duke were buying a house together. But the more it became obvious that he was holding fast to the idea, the more they had resigned themselves to it.
"They're accepting this is happening, at least," David said carefully.
"That's more than I thought they'd do," Duke grunted.
"I really think they're coming to feel better about you, Duke," David said.
Duke just shrugged. "Maybe. Or maybe they were just trying to be nice because it was Christmas and I'd been through a lot right then."
David sighed. "I'll admit I'm sure that was part of it," he agreed.
"But not all of it? Really?" Duke quirked an eyebrow.
"I don't want to think that," David said. "They know I've always cared about you. I'd like to believe they're actually making an effort to understand why."
Duke finally grunted. "I guess miracles could happen."
David smirked a bit. "Especially when it's us."
They stood looking over the fancy neighborhood. Nearby, the mountains of Domino Canyon stood proud and tall and ominous. The portal leading to the future was still there, hidden by brush and only accessible to certain parties thanks to a collaboration between Seto Kaiba, Yusei Fudo, and Antinomy.
David followed Duke's gaze. "Do you want to go visit?"
"Yeah, maybe," Duke said. "Not right now, but I'd like to. Right now I'd like to go furniture shopping."
David was amused. "I don't think the house will be ready for that for a while yet."
"Just to see what there is and get some ideas," Duke said. "I know the stuff from my apartment and what you're bringing from your house won't cover it. Especially when you're leaving most of your furniture for the rest of your family to use when they move back in."
"An excellent point," David said. "Alright, let's go."
They headed down the stairs to the sounds of hammering, drilling, and workers calling back and forth to each other.
It filled them both with excitement.
xxxx
Someone else had determined to visit the other time period now.
Tristan kept his eyes squarely on the road as he drove up the canyon path and to the portal. It scanned him, recognized him, and allowed him to pass through on his motorcycle. New Domino City welcomed him, but he swiftly drove on through the familiar yet not familiar place and into the desert created by Zero Reverse. He had come this way occasionally before, generally at holidays and never alone. But he remembered the path and held his course, and within an hour he was driving under the Satisfaction Town sign and into the Old West town.
A few townspeople greeted him as he parked at the diner and got down. He nodded in an offhand way and muttered a greeting with a wave of his hand. Then he climbed the steps and walked inside to another world.
The jukebox was playing, as usual, with one of the Bunch—Scotch?—belting out some 1950s rock song while customers danced and clapped to the beat. At a table near the center, Kalin and Radley were relaxing and watching the imprompu concert. Radley was clapping along, but Kalin, predictably, was not.
Tristan waited until the song ended and everyone broke into applause that Scotch readily ate up beforeslipping into a chair across from the two men. They quickly came to attention, looking slightly startled to have not seen Tristan's arrival before.
"Hey," Radley greeted. "You're just in time for karaoke night. Feel like giving it a whirl?" He smirked.
"Yeah, no," Tristan said. Radley was friendlier than the aloof and serious Duke, but looking at him was an eerie experience. Tristan certainly noticed the black hair and green eyes, so similar to Duke's in color, and the contrasting skin that alternately appeared pale or lightly tanned depending on the lighting. The less pale shades were also much like Duke's even though their heritage was vastly different. Tristan had to wonder if he was cursed to always hurt people with such features.
Kalin looked at Tristan through light blue bangs. "Are you here alone?"
Tristan nodded. "Yeah."
Radley sobered now too. Seeing Tristan at all was unusual, and alone was previously unheard-of. "What is it?" he asked.
Tristan shifted. It was uncomfortable to think of talking here, but he also didn't like the thought of how everybody would stare if they got up to go somewhere private. At least everyone was paying more attention to Scotch right now.
"I . . . does it ever get better?" he blurted, looking to Kalin. "The guilt. . . . Wondering how you're going to live with yourself. . . All of that?"
Kalin was silent a long moment. "It can," he said at last. "But you have to want it to get better. You have to have a purpose, something to put your mind to instead of your own inner demons. And . . . you can't do it alone."
Tristan sighed. "I thought I had a purpose, just trying to get by instead of wanting to punish myself like you did. . . . But . . . I guess I have been trying to do it alone. I'm not good at letting people in . . . especially about something like this, when I feel so unworthy."
"I still feel unworthy," Kalin said. "But Yusei and Radley finally got me to understand that I was hurting them as well as myself when I wouldn't let them in. That's exactly what I don't want to do."
"It's different here," Tristan said. "I mean, no, I don't want to hurt Duke anymore . . . or you, Radley. . . . But I'm pretty sure Duke doesn't want me around. Who could blame him? I helped beat him up being mind-controlled by that stupid comb, and that was bad enough! Then I had to top it all by letting my anger and rage give that evil spirit the power to stab Duke with that dagger!" He dug his hands into his hair.
Radley looked shocked. He hadn't known any of this.
"I know I forgave Duke and that's what broke the spell and saved him, but it's not so easy to fix me." Tristan looked up. "And even after everything I did to him, I still judged you when I had no right. Radley . . . I'm sorry. It's not good enough, but I don't know what else I can say."
Radley smiled sadly. "It means a lot that you're sorry. A lot of people wouldn't be." He shook his head. "I still wonder if there would have been a solution other than agreeing to Malcolm's dusk duels. I just don't know and it's useless dwelling on it. But I wonder anyway. I'll probably never stop wondering."
"Yeah . . . you probably won't." Tristan looked resigned and tired. "And I probably won't stop regretting about me and wondering how I fell so far."
Radley looked further saddened by that. It sounded so much like Kalin.
". . . Have you tried to talk to Duke at all?" Kalin asked.
"A little," Tristan said. "He was jumpy at first and still guarded later. I wouldn't expect anything better. I was surprised he didn't throw me out. Or that David didn't. They would have had every right."
"If you said what you needed to, you should probably leave him alone for now," Kalin said. "Just focus on yourself."
Tristan didn't look terribly satisfied. "So that's your advice, then?"
"That, and I think you need more of a purpose than just 'getting by,'" Kalin said. "Is there something you like to do, something you could put your mind to instead of thinking about what you did?"
Tristan shrugged. "I like bikes. So do some other people who're trying to get over things they did. Maybe we could . . . form a motorcycle club or something."
Radley smiled a bit. "That's a start. That could be a really good support group for all of you. You could all help each other."
"Yeah, maybe so," Tristan said.
Kalin nodded. "That would be Marik, Mai, Alister, Valon, and Raphael?"
"All of them, yeah," Tristan said.
"They're good people," Kalin said. "You should try that."
". . . I don't know if Mai would get along with Alister and Raphael, though," Tristan realized. "They've . . . got some issues."
"It doesn't hurt to ask," Kalin said.
"I guess not." Tristan started to get up. "Thanks. I'll be heading back now."
"So soon?" Radley smiled at him. "Why not stay and have dinner? And you can take in Scotch's concert, even if you don't wanna participate."
Tristan hesitated, glancing at the clock. "No one knows where I am," he said. "They'll worry if I don't get back soon, and it'll probably take close to two hours altogether. So thanks, but I'd better not."
Radley gave a kind nod. "It's good you're worrying about that. Okay, we'll catch you next time, maybe."
"Right. See you." Tristan quickly slipped out.
Radley leaned back and sighed. "Poor guy. . . . He's young to have all that piled on him."
Kalin grunted. "If he'd controlled his feelings better, it wouldn't have happened. Just like with me."
"I wish I'd known more what to say to him," Radley said. "I was so stunned. I didn't know any of that other than that he's been angry with Duke because of the Serenity situation."
"I knew about the rest," Kalin said. "I was visiting the past at the time. Tristan asked to come traveling with me after it happened. I wasn't very favorable. I didn't want to be responsible for someone else when I wanted to punish myself. Tristan finally decided my path was too extreme for him and he would just try to get on with his life. I can see now that didn't fully work."
Radley gazed off at Scotch performing Elvis songs to the crowd's delight. "I can't pretend to know what it would be like to be in love with somebody who chose someone else, especially someone you felt was inferior to you or them. The only thing that comes close for me is how I tried to reach out to you without success for so long. I didn't know why I couldn't get through. I'm not sure if it would have made it better or worse if there had been a person you wanted instead of me."
"I don't know what that would be like either," Kalin said. "I'm so sorry I hurt you like that." Hestared towards the door. "Tristan's like I was, closed-off and not wanting to open up to his closest friends."
"I'm sure it doesn't help that his best friend is the brother of the girl he loves," Radley said. "But there's a big difference between Tristan and you. Tristan did come for help. He still doesn't wanna be self-destructive."
"I guess that's true," Kalin mused.
"You know what I think? I think we don't get out there to visit enough. How about we give it a couple of days and then go through the portal and see how everybody is?"
Kalin finally smiled a bit. "Yeah. Let's do that."
"And we'll take some of the Bunch too," Radley said. "Scotch especially has been wanting to see Domino of the past."
They both looked to where Scotch was doing an impressive Elvis imitation to Don't Be Cruel. "I don't want no other love, 'cause Baby, it's just you I'm thinking of!" he sang.
Radley sighed. ". . . I guess that's how Tristan feels about Serenity."
"Only now he feels too unworthy to ever have her even if he had a chance," Kalin said. "Which he doesn't. We know she and Duke are married in this time."
"Yeah. We don't wanna screw up their futures. I just hope Tristan can finally find a way to be happy without her," Radley said.
"Right now, the bigger problem is helping him feel happy again at all," Kalin said.
"I kinda think it's all connected, but yeah." Radley folded his arms. "I wonder if he'll really form that motorcycle club."
"I have the feeling he won't, but maybe at least he'll start talking more to Marik or Mai or any of them," Kalin said. "One person who can support him through this could be everything."
"Yeah," Radley mused. "They sure could be."
Scotch's hip-swaying suddenly grew too wild and he banged into the nearest table, which wobbled with all of its contents.
That startled Radley out of his thoughts. "Scotch!" he exclaimed.
"I'm okay!" Scotch said, jumping back to the jukebox.
Radley chuckled and shook his head.
"Yugi said Joey and Tristan used to do silly dances and songs," Kalin said. "I wonder if they ever will again. I was once the party-planner for the Enforcers. Can you picture that of me now?"
Radley looked to Kalin with a start. "No, I can't," he said in amazement and a bit of sadness.
Kalin gave a faint smile. "Maybe someday. The longer I'm here, the more I feel like celebrating."
Radley smiled too. "And you're so affectionate now. Honestly, if you can change to that extent, I'm going to believe Tristan can too. He'll be happy again, someday."
Kalin smiled more. "Let's hope so."
They settled back to watch the rest of Scotch's concert.