Zarc wondered why he was doing this to begin with.
There's probably a million better things to do now for him, probably far more productive and that require his attention, he could name 10 of the top of his head.
But no, he had to be standing in front of the residence for the Akaba's of his dimension to see the one person that doesn't want to see him.
"Zarc you're such an idiot…" He said to himself…and yet he knocked the door still.
"...I could leave, they could just believe it's a prank and I can move on from this stupid idea-"
Zarc was cut from his mutterings when he heard the door getting unlocked and opening.
He was greeted by Leo Akaba, who seemed perplexed as to why he was here.
"Zarc? What brings you here?" Leo asked him.
That's a good question, one he asked himself too…
"Hi Leo, I um…came to see Ray"
Leo gave him the mother of all weird looks, not surprising, nobody wants to see Ray (for good reasons) and of all people, Zarc was probably the one Ray didn't wanna see in the least, and the feeling logically should be mutual…logically.
"Why?"
"Yeah, I wonder myself that too, I promise it isn't anything bad, I just…need to talk to her"
Leo just sighed.
"I'm not worried about what you wanna do to her, you already proved beyond a shadow of a doubt you're a good person…it's what she might do that worries me, especially since I need to go out soon"
"Don't worry, I can handle her"
Both of them knew he spoke from experience.
"Well, if you need to, that's fine by me…just…"
"Just what?"
"Nothing, forget about it"
Leo allowed Zarc to enter his house, he lived in a big house which is a bit isolated from the rest, not far enough that getting to the city is a hassle but enough so people don't feel uncomfortable that the angel duelist was living in their dimension.
He didn't see the merit of living in a big house, always preferred a normal size one, even back when he could afford it thanks to the money he won for tournaments he didn't bother with them.
That remained true even today, same as living alone even when people offered him to stay with them.
"So uh…how have you been?"
"Well, aside from everything that's happened…I can't complain, I'm trying to reconnect with the family I made in this dimension after slowly drifting apart with ARC-Area project, it's been going relatively well…though I don't think Reira is gonna call me father anytime soon, although I don't mind that"
"Well, as long are you're getting along…how's things in the Fusion and Xyz Dimension?"
"That has been going well, I stepped down from my role as director for Duel Academia, but I still help there, heartland is fine and the alliance between the two dimensions is as strong as always"
"That's good…how are the little me and Rays?"
"Serena is still demanding Yuri to Duel her 24/7 and he's still acting like he doesn't enjoy her company. Yuto and Ruri are same as always, everyone keeps telling them to get a room. You should know how Yuya and Yuzu are doing, they're glad that the rivalry between schools have dropped and are now on friendly terms, I think they're finally admitting their feelings for each other's, Yugo and Rin…"
"Yeah, I know, it's still a mess after everything that happened…"
Leo sighed. "I don't meant to judge…but you and Ray really messed them up"
"I'm gonna be honest, it was really idiotic of me making him a common, I don't know what was I thinking"
"He's not taking it so bad, Rin on the other hand…"
"At least he talks to me, I can't imagine how Rin feels about Ray"
"Not good, I can tell you that"
"Yeah…I imagine that…"
The two finally arrived at what Zarc assumed was the door to Ray's room, Leo knocked at the door.
Nothing happened, Leo sighed and knocked harder.
"Ugh, what do you want dad, I was having a nice nap until you-"A woman's voice was heard from the other side until the door opened.
Zarc wasn't sure what to expect, the sight of a messy Ray Akaba wasn't on his bingo card this day.
Neither was her looking at him in surprise and quickly closing the door.
"Dad what the fuck!? Why did you bring him here!?"
"I didn't bring him here, he came and said he needed to see you"
"WHY!?"
"I just need to talk to you, I'm not gonna do anything bad, I promise"
"Couldn't you do it over the phone?"
"I don't have yours, plus it's personal"
"Uuuugggghhhh"
"Ray, I need to take care of some matters, so I'm gonna leave and you're gonna stay with Zarc"
"WHAT!"
"Don't do anything bad while I'm gone"
"Are you serious!?"
"Yes, I trust you can behave yourself?"
"You really believe it's a good idea to leave him here alone with me? There might not be a Zarc when you're back"
"Considering you never beaten him, yeah I think it's fine"
Damn, Leo went for the OTK.
"...You know, I think that hurt more than any blow I took in Real Solid Vision"
"The Keys are in living room, see you and good luck" Leo told Zarc.
"Thanks, good luck in your business"
Leo nodded and walked away away, not before passing by Zarc and putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Hn? What is it?"
"...Just make sure to use protection" Leo whispered.
"What?"
But Leo didn't answer and just left, leaving behind a perplexed Zarc.
"...He probably means protection in the case Ray gets violent or something" Zarc muttered and he was now alone with the door.
…
"...If you don't wanna come out that's fine" He told her.
"...Give me a minute"
Zarc shrugged and waited for her…and waited…
He didn't wanna be sexist and stereotype her but damn why was she taking so long? She didn't need to be that prepared, right?
This could have been his chance to run away, but he came too far just to quit now.
Suddenly the door unlocked and a clean Ray Akaba as he knew her was right in front of him…
"...Is that perfume what I'm smelling?"
"Um…yeah…" She said awkwardly.
"It…Smells good…"
"Oh thanks" Ray said happily before hastily correcting herself. "So…wanna come in?"
"We can do this outside your room if you want"
"No, I don't mind, come in…" She motioned him to enter.
Zarc found that a little weird and suspicious, but he took a deep breath and ventured in…
He didn't know what to expect from Ray's room, though he could say messy was not on the top of his list.
"You don't clean your room?
"Why? Nobody comes here, why bother?"
"Your dad?"
"He doesn't complain, he even cleans it up for me when I'm not in it whenever he can, even if it gets messy again"
"I guess that's understandable…"
"Besides, who are you to call messy? I seen how you have your room"
"No you don't, you never entered my house, not in our home dimension nor in any other"
"I did, through Rin"
"That's Yugo, not me" Zarc rolled his eyes.
"...He's literally 1/4th of you"
"He's still his own person"
"Yeah yeah, sure thing…"
"And even so, using that logic you're still messier, I seen Serena's room through Yuri"
"Did you come here to bitch at me? Is that what you wanted so badly?"
"No, it's not that"
"Then what is it?" Ray asked annoyed.
"I…I honestly don't know"
"Hero of the dimensions everybody" Ray said sarcastically and sat on her bed with her arms crossed.
Zarc sighed and sat on a moving chair Ray had on her study, frustrated with himself for this…thing he's feeling.
He tried to avoid Ray's annoyed glare and his eyes diverted to the ankle monitor she had on her leg.
"What? See something you like?" She noticed where he was looking.
"No"
"Oh come on, I thought you would like seeing this, what's better than seeing your nemesis under permanent house arrest after she got beaten by you a second time?"
"I don't feel that way"
"You sure? Or do you like the fact it's the lightest punishment I could get because univercide isn't a crime we can properly comprehend? I guess I got lucky you, my dad and I are the only survivors of the original dimension"
"I vouched for you in trial"
"I know, even after everything you're still such a softie…even after it bit you in the ass"
Zarc rolled his eyes. "I bet you're still proud of that"
"Why would I be? I was about to lose until my mortal enemy offered me mercy when he had me on the ropes, had you went all the way maybe our dimension would still exist"
"And maybe if you hadn't started destroying everything it would still exist and it wouldn't be a wreck"
"And maybe if you hadn't started violent duels and encouraged them for a time, nothing would have happened"
Zarc glared at her.
"What? Dragon got your tongue?"
"No, but if we keep the blame game going is gonna reach someone we both don't wanna hate"
Ray glared venomously at him, even despite everything she wasn't gonna let anyone insult her father, even if he believes he's to blame as well.
It was sweet in a way, knowing that despite all their differences father and daughter were still close.
"But leaving that aside, I stopped because I knew it's wrong, you thought it was wrong from the start yet still choose to murder people"
"I'm sorry, It's kinda hard to think straight with all the voices of the monsters screaming at me to do so" Ray replied sarcastically.
"I've been through that, even brought the T-shirt" Zarc fired back.
"So is this why you're here? Just to rub your 'Moral' superiority to my face?"
"No, it's not that, though I would think you would have realized you did something wrong, our dimension isn't one and you don't seem to care"
"Oh wow, the univercider doesn't care about the destruction she causes, color me surprised!...What did you expect? That I would be crying and sobbing about the 'wrongs' that I did? I barely care about it"
"So what about all the friends you potentially killed? Or family?"
"I didn't have any friends dipshit, and the only family I care about did survive, so no, I don't care"
Zarc sighed, clearly she wasn't gonna care and it was pointless trying to get her to care.
The two stood in silence for a bit, Zarc didn't know how to continue the conversation and she didn't wanna see him, probably wanted him gone from…existence really.
"So…how have you been?" She asked him.
…Or not.
"I've been…fine, kinda hard to get used to all your surroundings when your old world is…gone" He vaguely gestured.
"Why do you care? The only friends you had were your monsters and maybe my dad, and they're all here"
"It's not just about the people you know?"
"Whatever, how is it hard anyways? Everyone is worshipping the ground you walk on on that world and this one"
"It's not like that-"
"Oh shut the fuck up, it is like that! Need I remind you were everywhere in our dimension? I couldn't turn around without seeing your stupid hand-I mean your ugly face!" Ray cut him
"Yeah, the guy known as the demon Duelist, he who dazzled the audience with brutality, do you think I liked that? Or do you think I stopped because I got bored?" He shot back.
"Yeah, but then you raised up in the world tournament with your 'fun and true' dueling style and had everyone cheering when you won the championship…and when you dueled me when I interrupted at the end of your championship duel, do you know how it feels to have everyone cheering against you?"
"Because you were killing people you heartless bitch! I was protecting them!"
"You know what? Fair or whatever, but that doesn't take away from the fact everyone was cheering your ass, being called 'The Supreme King', 'The creator of Pendulum' and 'The heroic demon who struck down the mad angel' and even now everyone is worshipping your ass for beating me again…"
"Yeah, because I saved them"
"Whatever, the point is you're in the same boat as before, so don't go on about adapting being hard…"
"Ugh…you're impossible…"
"Huh…haven't seen your lizard friends"
"Stop. Calling. Them. Lizards"
"Why don't they come to bitch at me like before?"
"Because they're with my counterparts"
"I thought they would go back with you, given your bond is tight and all"
"We still duel together a lot, but my counterparts do need them and they do love them, so even though it hurts to be separate we want to make them happy"
"Aw~, so sweet, you still coddle them"
"I don't coddle them"
"Yes you do, who creates cards out of nowhere when they're in binds? Or give them extra powers? Or just create new cards for them?"
"I just help them, that's all…you could try it as well…"
"I don't coddle my little mes, they need to learn to stand up for themselves"
"Is that why you never helped them even in dire situations?"
"Yes, they're me so they should be able to beat anyone…besides, why bother helping them when their dragon knights in shining armor were there to save them" She said faux dramatically with a mocking smile.
Zarc growled at that and then took deep breaths…
"You know, there was many things I wanted to ask you…and this is one of them"
"Yes sweetie?" She kept mocking him.
"Why did you put your fragments next to mine?"
Ray immediately stayed silent after that, her mocking demeanor replaced by a thinking one, as if she was thinking what to say…
"...I don't follow"
"When you separated the dimensions you had way more control over it than I did, sure we could both brainwash people and choose where to put them but you could prevent me from putting them all together in the same dimension…yet, instead of putting yours together to resurrect early you…put them in different dimensions…right next to mine…"
"..."
"You shot yourself in the foot to be right next to me…why?"
"Are you complaining that you won?"
"No, I'm confused as to why you did what you did, what was the reason?"
"..."
"So?"
"...I was trying to make you suffer," Ray said after a while.
"What?"
"Yeah, sure I could have made things easier for myself, but could you imagine the sheer pain and irony that I became your closest friend? Your crush? and then betrayed you at that very end? It would be fitting for the guy that got my way" Ray spoke with a cruel smile on her face.
"...Did you just make that up?"
"What!? What the fuck gave you that idea!?"
"I mean, you seriously looked like you were thinking what to say to me, and you're evil, why would you hesitate to tell me about your evil plan?"
"I-I didn't make that up!"
"Sure you didn't" Zarc rolled his eyes.
"Why else would I put parts of me near yours?"
"Dunno, that's why I asked you, you don't really make sense"
"Your face doesn't make sense!"
Yup, she was really defensive now.
Zarc sighed. "Look, for the life of me I can't see why you would do that, but if you don't wanna tell me I can't force you to"
"Yes you can, I'm the evil one and you're the hero, you could kill me now and everyone would celebrate it"
"That's not how it works"
"Only one way to find out"
"I'm not gonna do anything to you!"
"Hn, what a shame"
"Huh!?"
"I said your face is lame"
"What's with the potshots at my face?"
"I don't know, the fact I saw it for over 14 years?"
"And I see your face for the exact same time yet you don't see me complaining"
"Whatever, is that why you came here to talk?"
"One of the things, there's other stuff…"
"What is it then? You keep avoiding telling me about it"
"...I'm trying to figure something out"
"Figuring out what?"
"My…feelings…" Zarc let out.
"Your feelings? About what? What could have possibly possessed you to think I would help you with those? Even if I wanted to, do I look like the prime example of a mentally stable person to you?" Ray ranted on and on.
Zarc growled. "Look, I am as thrilled as you about this, but unfortunately my heart hates me and makes me feel all confused and I have to del with whatever this is!"
Ray jumped back at Zarc suddenly yelling at her about it. "Heart? What doesn't your heart have to do with…"
Ray trailer on as she began thinking of what he meant, her brain working overdrive to process what he just told her…
"Wait…you don't mean…"
Zarc just covered his face with his hands.
Ray just stayed silent for a bit…then slowly began laughing louder and louder.
"Oh my god! This is…this is too much!" She said while Cackling.
Zarc didn't take his face off his hands. "I knew it was a mistake to talk to you about it…"
"Man, I can not believe this! You really…I mean I thought your boys being so stupidly in love with my girls was funny enough…but the man in self being after me? This is the funniest shit ever!" Ray fell onto her bed from laughing.
"It's not that simple!"
"Of course it isn't, I mean I thought you were crazy before but this is on another level…man and here I thought you hated me…" Ray still had her big stupid grin on her face.
"I do hate you" Zarc said seriously.
"What is the point of hiding it now-"
Ray was cut off when Zarc grabbed her by the shirt and made him look directly into his glaring eyes.
"Ray, I am not kidding, I hate you…out of everyone in this world, of everyone in my entire life, I never hated anyone with as much passion as I do you" Zarc said gravely and Ray could see from his eyes that he meant every single word he said.
That surprised Ray, finally knocking off her grin from her face…then her face got angry as well.
"Well then why tell me you love me? To mess with me?" She snarled.
Zarc tossed her back into the bed, which got her annoyed as she flipped herself back up to see him.
"That's the thing I came here for, I don't get how I feel, I hate you…I fucking hate you so much for everything you did to me and our universe…but there's this whole stupid feeling I can't shake off…I shouldn't feel this way with someone, but I do and I thought seeing you would help me sort it out…"
"Sucks to be you then, It's not my fault you feel this way" Ray rolled her eyes annoyed.
"It is your fault actually"
"I'm dying to hear how this is my fault apparently…"
"Ray, we barely knew each other back in our original universe, do you think I developed these feelings back then when our only interaction was our dimension ending duel?"
"I mean…you spared my life…"
"That was just me feeling you didn't deserve to die"
Ray just growled in annoyance. "So what is it then?"
"Well, how about the 14 years we spent together in more than one reality?"
"...Are you saying our fragments hanging out together caused you to develop these feelings for me?"
"Kinda, I mean even with their differences they're still you…hell even now I can see some of them in you, so I wasn't interacting with completely different people"
"And is that my fault?"
"Are you kidding me? Who's the one that purposely put her parts near mine? You already confessed to it"
"So what? Nobody told your parts to fall in love with mine"
"Because yours never leave mine alone, you insisted no matter what in being around me, it was inevitable that they felt this way"
"Well what else do you want me to say!? I can't control your stupid heart! I wish I did but we don't live In perfect world!" Ray yelled back.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing nothing, just shut the fuck up!"
Zarc just pinched the bridge of his nose and tried to calm himself down. "Whatever, with any luck I be able to finally move on from these feelings, at least now that I think I understand them…you won't see me face to face ever again after this I promise you that"
"Oh so now you just want to wash your hands off this too"
"Wash my hands? What are you on about?"
"You washed your hands off the violent duels once you started them-"
"-I was trying to stop then your heartless bitch"
"Yeah yeah sure thing, and now you're trying to wash your hands off this"
"Wash my hands? It's just my stupid weird feelings! Why do you care?
"I don't care!"
"Then why do you care if I move on!? What did you want me to date you or something?" Zarc asked sarcastically.
He expected a snappy retort or something of the kind, not Ray staring at him wide-eyed with a surprise look on her face and red cheeks…
"...Wait…you're not…surely you don't…" Zarc pointed at her in confusion.
"I don't want anything to do with you! Stop thinking weird things!" Ray yelled in a defensive manner.
"...Back when you returned, you were baiting the others into bringing me back…and you acted weird when I did…"
"That means nothing! I was just itching to beat you!"
"I mean I believe you, but like…if I feel this way…maybe you-"
"I'm not insane like you!" She pointed at him accusatively.
"But you just said you're not-"
"Shut up, I know what I said!"
"Do you really?"
Ray just grabbed her pillow and let out a bloodcurdling frustrated scream on it to muzzle herself.
Zarc just sighed, he expected this to be a mess but not this mess…
"...it's all your fault you know?" Ray spoke after a while.
"Hn? My fault?"
"Yes, all of it"
"Is this about the violent duels"
"Yes…but it goes even beyond that"
"How is it my fault beyond that?"
Ray didn't say anything at first, but an ironic smile plastered on her face.
"You know, the first time I noticed you was when you were starting out, before the stupid accident, you were just a Duelist of millions I seen on TV…were, because then I saw your 'dueltaining' style, all wild and that, I didn't really care…until I saw your big stupid happy smile on TV"
"My smile?"
"Yes, that thing, it was nothing like I ever saw before and it burned itself on my mind subconsciously, I never noticed that…especially because the accident happened and I just buried that hideous memory behind"
"Ok, I don't see how that's my fault…"
"And then, came the big moment, the big stupid mistake that fucked us both over…you sparing me in our duel"
"Wait, how did that fuck you over?"
"You had me dead on rights after using me to make up a new summoning mechanic during our duel, I couldn't counter it with my En cards, I was fucked when it came to your turn…and then, instead of finishing me off like any sane person should do…you spared me,you held your stupid hand and offered me mercy so long as I stopped this, that I could go back to my father and offered me help with my problems so long as I stopped my rampage…you even offered me protection from those who would seek revenge on me…I couldn't understand why you would do this, for me of all people…"
"And you didn't take it"
"Of course I didn't, I used the En card when your guard was down to to split everything in four…but that act stuck on me, I could not comprehend why you would do that, what compelled you to do that, I could do not and it bothered me…then I saw that you placed your fragments in some places and didn't care about hunting me anymore…so I thought that I could learn about you through them…"
"Is that why you did it?"
"Yup, you know I thought I would finally get over this idiotic curiosity and feeling growing in me by actually getting to know you…it was the the complete opposite, the feeling grew as big as your stupid dragon form and I couldn't stop thinking about you, you and only you…it was torturous…"
"..."
"...I hate you, I can't even begin to express how much I despise you with the rage of a million suns…but I also fucking love you, more than I ever did anyone else and I hate that…"
Ray simply sat on her bed and proceeded to lay there.
Zarc looked at the door, he walked there and grabbed the knob…then sighed and went to Ray's bed.
Neither said anything for a while, unsure of how to process what they just discovered.
"...You know, I know it's a bit selfish…but I'm actually kinda happy you feel the same way" Zarc said.
"...I feel the same way, It's why I was laughing…well that and the irony…"
"...You know, I Thought our little mes being into each other was a mistake, the universe playing a prank on us or something…But maybe it's for a reason…"
"..."
"...If you don't want to try it, that's fine-"
"Wait, try it?" Ray rolled around to look at him.
"Uh…yeah, try it"
"...With me?"
"Yeah…"
"Being a couple?"
"Yeah…"
"Are you for real?"
"Look, I know what we feel isn't normal, I mean when's the last time you heard about people both hating and loving each other? But I…I don't know, maybe we can try it? Maybe it would help us clear our feelings and realize what we truly feel for each other…we don't really lose anything doing it aren't we? No friendship to ruin and all that…"
Even after everything I've done? Even despite what everyone thinks?"
"I was done people telling me what to feel 14 years ago, I don't care what they would say about me"
Ray looked at Zarc's eyes full of determination.
"...It's that stare"
"Hn?"
"Ever since you stopped the violent duels and started dueling your way no matter what people thought of you…it's like you transformed, whenever I see your eyes I see someone who would barrel through anything no matter what comes his way…"
"Well, Astrograph and my dragons commented that too…"
"..."
"If you don't wanna try-"
"I actually want to try, I was feeling sad because I thought it would never happen"
"Really?"
"Yes" For the first time Ray smiled genuinely.
"Oh…well then…"
"Man everyone isn't gonna be do so disappointed in you"
"Probably"
"I mean I wouldn't blame them, your taste in woman is beyond terrible"
Zarc rolled his eyes. "I know"
"And I can't believe I bagged the savior of the world…is this what the youngsters call 'rizz'?"
"Please don't use that word again, I know we did as Yugo and Rin but please never slangs like those again"
"If it pisses you off then all the more reasons for it, you're still my enemy, just now you're also my boyfriend…I still don't know how we will make that works but I will try"
"So will I…maybe I can ask if you can come out of the house with me on dates, so long as I keep you under watch"
"Well they let me come out if I got with my dad so probably…and we have to tell him about this"
"...Oh shit"
"What is it?"
"Before he left he told me to..use protection…do you think?"
Ray only broke out in laughter.
"Seriously?" Zarc said even though he himself couldn't help the smile on his face.
"I mean it makes sense, he saw this happen like three times already, of course he saw this coming…"
"Heh…"
"...You know, there is condoms in the house"
"Sorry, not yet"
"Party popper"
Zarc sighed. "Even though I suggested it, I can't believe we're actually doing this…"
"Tell me about it" Ray gestured.
"I don't know if this is gonna work or if it's gonna crash and burn…"
"Me neither, but I want see it, if it works out then awesome, and if it fails it will probably hurt you, it's a win win for me"
"By that logic it be win win for me too"
"Nope, because I know you don't want to see me suffer even if you hate me, you proved that plenty…"
"Yeah yeah you got me all figured out" He rolled his eyes.
"I actually don't, there's still a lot of you I don't understand, and this will help me find about it…maybe I can use it against you"
"Yeah yeah sure thing" Zarc dismissed it, even if he did take it seriously.
"...Hey Zarc"
"What?"
"I love you…I love you so much it disgusts me"
"...I love you that much too"