synthneon | YGO PSL | ❝ i forget why i stay, and wonder if they'd notice if i slipped away. ❞

			RAIN
		

( for once a post not continued from a meme!! we just continuing this hurt/comfort train down the way to hell. )

[ It was almost strange coming back home to Japan. It wasn't as if he had gotten used to being in America or their customs (or food - the size of the portions). More of it had to do with routine and getting back to normal day-to-day life. School work, tests, helping in the game shop. There were no tournaments, no life threatening situations. Strange is the word he guesses he'd put to it all if he had to find one. Somehow he had gotten used to the duels, the stakes, the adventure. Everything else is just... mundane.

That isn't the only issue, even though he'd like to point it to being the only one.

As the days go on and life returns to normal? The reality of time just becomes more apparent to him. Each day brings graduation closer. Graduation means the next step in their lives... and that means everyone will be going their separate ways. Usually Yugi can look past that. He can enjoy the time he has with everyone, but, it must be the combination of everything this particularly rainy autumn day. Graduation, what he'll do after school, and what he should do as the keeper of the Millennium Puzzle versus what he wants.

Autumn... graduation is in March. He'll be nineteen afterwards. It'll have been three years since he solved the Millennium Puzzle and woke the spirit that resides in it. Only three years. It feels like a lifetime, but, one he's glad to have had. A lifetime that he can't help but feel is going to be ending sooner rather than later despite what everyone around him says.

He knows everyone has noticed how quiet he has been the last few days. Atem still has been rather distant from everyone since they arrived back home. Yugi has decided not to bother his other self with what is going on in his head. Oh, he's sure Atem has sensed it and has even figured it out, but, he's still contending with his own issues left over from Dartz. Yugi doesn't plan to complicate that more with his own emotional battles. He'll have to rely on just himself if Atem ever leaves anyways...

Yugi steps into the entrance way of the school to grab his shoes. That is when he notices Anzu standing outside underneath the cover of the entryway. He looks down - making sure that she doesn't notice him - before trying to make the mental leaps on how to avoid her inevitable questions if he has been alright. He doesn't want to think about it. As far as he can tell, she has chosen which one of the two she likes, and he can't blame her for that. He knows she isn't going to take I'm fine as an answer too much longer. He doesn't want to think about how she'll be leaving shortly after graduation to study abroad - just like she has always wanted to.

Everyone has someplace and somewhere they plan to go but him. Even his other self has a destined path that moves him forward. Maybe all Yugi is meant to do is make sure each of them go where they're supposed to go. That might be his role in all of it. What is the point of all of it then? He finally makes the friends he wants and then has to see them all leave him behind?

He sighs and pushes down his frustration. It'll just bring more unwanted attention to himself. Especially from the spirit of the Pharaoh who is most likely worried but hasn't addressed it all.

Yugi closes the locker door and stares at the ground for a moment. With a sidelong glance at Anzu outside, he turns his back to the front doors. He supposes what he is about to ask is highly uncharacteristic, but, he's probably entitled to some alone time in his own soul room after everything.

'Other Me?' He gently calls out in their shared link. Part of him hates to ask this because it must seem spineless to a person that commanded armies and controlled a kingdom. 'Can you do me a favor?' ]

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[ For Atem, it's been a quiet night. In a way, it's been a welcome change from how things have been lately, and for the most part, he hasn't minded having nothing else to do but either relax inside his soul room or climb the endless stairs as he tends to do when he needs to pass the time.

It's difficult to tell just how many hours have passed since Yugi went out for the evening, but in spite of himself, Atem finds himself growing restless, feeling as though his partner should be returning soon.

He has many questions for him, namely about how the date went, what the two of them did, and what they talked about. It's not an exaggeration to say that he's been eagerly waiting for the chance to pelt his partner with questions about his night.

Still, it takes him a handful of moments to realize that Yugi's returned and has made himself comfortable on the bed in what has become their shared room. Once he does, he doesn't hesitate to exit the soul room and greet his partner with a somewhat rare grin that betrays his excitement. ]

Did you and Anzu have a good time, Yugi? [ He all but blurts out the question instead of a customary greeting, further indicating how curious and interested he is in learning how it went. ]

[ His thoughts drifted slightly as he waited for Atem to notice they were back home. So much so, that when Atem appears in the room and asks him the question? Yugi jumps straight up and halfway falls off the bed. He realizes then he's caught by the back of the faithful Shiba Inu that has been patiently waiting. ]

Other Me!

Geeze...

[ Yugi scratches the back of his head as he awkwardly tries to shift his weight off the now annoyed guest in the room. Umbra lets out a low gruff before shaking his fur, golden eyes moving straight to Atem. A huff of disapproval follows. ]

Sorry, Umbra.

[ He then looks back up at his other self. The spirit practically looks like an excited puppy himself. A smile does manage to make its way on his face. His other self seems to be the one that was most looking forward to it. ]

We did. Though, we had to change most of what she wanted to do. The rain is because of the next typhoon coming in. So, we had to stick to the mall mostly.

[ Atem tries his best to keep a straight face when he sees Yugi almost fall off the bed and land onto the dog that's been faithfully waiting with them. That's another question that he needs to address at some point, but for the moment, his focus is on Yugi.

He lets out an equally rare chuckle in response to Yugi's exclamation. ]

I would have waited up the rest of the night, if the two of you decided to remain out for a longer period of time.

[ It would have been worth it to him. And besides, it isn't as though he requires sleep. The hours don't really make much difference to him. ]

But yes, sorry, Umbra.

[ He reaches out to pat the dog on the head before once again looking back at his partner. ]

Then I suppose that means that the two of you will have to go out another time so that you can do more of what she wished to do.

[ This time, he can't stop the smile that crosses his face, fully aware that he's teasing Yugi, but genuinely meaning it as well. ]

[ Yugi smiles just a little at the laugh that comes from his other self. How long has it been since he heard that? He can't even remember the last time Atem laughed outside of a duel, let alone in one. If anything... it's worth it just to hear that. ]

We have school tomorrow. [ Meaning there's not much of a late night to be had outside the house. ] Besides, I know you want to hear about it.

[ Umbra huffs at the pat and shakes his fur one last time. Once he is certain that Yugi is on the bed properly? The Shiba Inu sits himself back at the foot of the bed and lays down. It's clear to him the two will be up talking further.

Yugi can tell what his other self is getting at.more dates so the two can bond and hopefully come together. At least Atem remains hopeful of the outcome. For now? Yugi is just enjoying spending time with his childhood friend again. ]

What did you do today, Other Me?

[ It does feel good to laugh again, something that he hasn't done in what feels like forever. ]

Oh, yes. [ He hadn't forgotten that Yugi has outside responsibilities such as school; he just got so caught up in his excitement about his date with Anzu that it slipped his mind until Yugi's reminder just now. ] You shouldn't stay up too late, then.

[ He doesn't intend to keep his partner up too much longer. The date went as well as possible, and that's all he could have hoped for.

When Yugi turns the question back to him about what he did while he was out, he shrugs, but his smile remains. ]

I thought more about shogi and how to play it. Of course, without an actual board in front of me, it was more of a challenge.

[ But what does he like more than a challenge, after all? ]

I tried to use what I know so far to think about some strategies. [ He won't be able to test any of them until they're actually able to play, and even he can't say how good they are, since this is a game he isn't familiar with. ]

I shouldn't.

[ But, he most likely will anyways. He values his time with his other self more than worrying about school. Especially as they're still picking up the pieces in their own small ways. ]

You always enjoy the challenge of a game though, Other Me. [ Yugi nods over to his desk. He grabbed the shogi box that morning before he left. They can spend some time looking over it before bed. ] I don't have much experience with it. I guess that means we need to figure it out together.

[ Not that he'd have it any other way. The idea of having another game outside of Duel Monsters seems like a good one. Just in case the two of them really do decide they never want to duel competitively again. ]

Anzu and I picked up a few booster packs too. I haven't opened mine yet. [ He was waiting to share the cards for the first time with Atem. With that, his gaze drops slightly. ] She mentioned wanting to work on her deck in case she ever needed to help us with something. She has the one from Duelist Kingdom still, but, I'm not sure she brought it with her to America...

[ From what Anzu shared? She didn't fight much at all against Dartz. He can see how it bothers her. Usually she is there for support and holding them all together. Though, if his other self spent all that time with Lunafreya that everyone says he did? Yugi can understand Anzu's self-frustration and resolve at it all. ]

So, she might be asking the both of us for feedback now.

YGO PSL | ❝ i forget why i stay, and wonder if they'd notice if i slipped away. ❞

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