#set it

* * * * *

I convinced Rick to go let off some steam in Vegas for the weekend, so I would be free to take Y/N out on a date. So she could have time to go home and change, I picked her up an hour after work.

I walked up to her apartment and hesitated at the door. I tried to get rid of the nerves flooding my body before knocking on her door. The second the door opened and revealed Y/N in a cute sundress, I forgot how to breathe.

"Hi," I stuttered.

"Hey," she smiled. "You ready to go? I am starving."

"Let's do it," I smiled. I reached over and instantly grabbed her hand. With our fingers intertwined, I led her out of her apartment building.

We went to a restaurant not too far from her place and spent the night laughing and talking. In the past, we've only ever talked about work. Now, being able to ask her about her life, her schooling, and her family, felt more intimate. More real.

And all the while, my guilt was building up. Even though the date was perfect, I kept thinking about Steven's stupid bet. To be fair, I wasn't on this date to win the bet. But if Y/N found out about the bet, she'd think that I was using her.

After dinner, I decided to take Y/N out dancing. As we danced to the music, she was giggling the entire time. A few songs later, whoever was in charge of the music changed it to a slow song.

Without a second of hesitation, I pulled her into my chest. She didn't hesitate to wrap her arms loosely around my neck. Tension fell between the two of us as we stared into each other's eyes and swayed to the music.

When the song was over, neither one of us let go of the other. Y/N was the first to break the silence.

"It's getting kinda late," she said under her breath.

"You're right," I smiled at her. "I'll take you home."

Neither one of us moved right away. My eyes instinctively drifted down to her lips. I quickly looked back up at her eyes, holding my breath to see if she had noticed. If she had, she didn't show any sign of it.

I grabbed her hand and led her out of the club. We drove back to her apartment in silence. I got out and jogged over to her side. She smiled when I opened the door for her and helped her out.

With her hand still in mine, I escorted her up to her apartment. I was surprised when she didn't immediately reach for her keys and go inside. Instead, she turned toward me.

"I had a lot of fun tonight, Charlie."

"Me too," I said with a small smile.

"I mean it," she said a little forcefully. She cleared her throat before admitting, "I haven't been out. . . with a guy. . . in a very long time. I forgot how it felt to be the center of someone's attentions all night. It was nice to have someone focus solely on me. Thank you."

"It was my pleasure," I said a little teasingly. I dropped my smile as I added, "It really was my pleasure, Y/N. It's been a while since I've spent a night focused solely on one girl. Thanks for letting me."

We stared into each other's eyes, that tension from the dance floor returning. This time, however, I didn't ignore it. I reached up, gently grabbed her face, and pressed my lips to hers.

I smiled as Y/N grabbed my shirt and pulled me closer as she kissed me back. Our lips moved in sync, starting slow and gradually speeding up. As I kissed her, I held her close to me and focused on the feeling of her in my arms.

My heart slowly slid back down my throat when Y/N broke the kiss and looked up at me. I got lost in her eyes as we caught our breath.

"How about a nightcap?" I asked, my voice soft. I was about to take it back when the look in her eyes dropped.

"Not tonight," she whispered. She paused before adding, "I don't want to rush things, Charlie. I really think that this could be something, you know. Something. . . real."

"I know," I said a little too quickly. I cleared my throat, forcing myself to relax. "We will take this at whatever pace you are most comfortable with."

I gave her one more kiss before leaving, hating myself with every step I took away from her.

* * * * *

Monday morning, I walked into work instantly wanting to see her. I stopped across the street and picked up her favorite coffee. Instead of going straight to my office, I stopped at Y/N's law office.

"Hey," she smiled when she saw me. Her face burned bright pink when her eyes saw the two coffees in her hand. "Double-fisting it on a Monday morning. Bit much, don't you think?"

I walked over and, with the coffees still in my hands, I leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss. When I broke the kiss, her face was even pinker.

"One of them is for you," I said softly. She smiled before taking the coffee I handed her.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Any time, gorgeous," I said with a wink. Without breaking eye contact, we each took a drink.

Y/N opened her mouth to say something, but her boss beat her to it.

"Y/N, I need the Wessington-Harlem merger file!"

"I'm sorry," Y/N whispered. She put her coffee on her desk and grabbed a file. Before she could leave, I grabbed her arm and pulled her back to me. She started to say my name, but I cut her off by kissing her.

"We'll meet up later, okay?"

"Okay," she giggled. I didn't leave as she turned and walked into her boss's office. Once she was gone, I took a deep breath and left.

When I walked into my office, Steven was sitting on my desk. I internally groaned as I walked over to him anyway.

"How was your weekend, Charlie?" He asked, his voice dripping with ego.

"It was fine," I answered through a clenched jaw.

"Just fine?" He taunted. "A little birdy told me that you and Y/N had a date."

I cleared my throat before nodding, "Yeah, we did."

"Nicely done," he laughed. I opened my mouth to stop him, but he ignored me and handed me a 50. "You successfully got Y/N to agree to go on a date with you. You won the bet. Congrats, man. Here is your 50 bucks."

Just then, I noticed someone walk up behind him. I looked over his shoulder to see Y/N not too far away.

"Y/N. . ." I stuttered. Before I could try to explain, she turned on her heel and ran out. I swore under my breath and chased after her.

I caught up to her outside the elevators. I grabbed her elbow, spinning her around. My heart sank when she instantly tore her arm out of my hold.

"Y/N, it's not what it sounded like."

"It's not?" She challenged. "Because it sounded like you and that creep, Steven, had a bet to see who could get me to go out with them first."

"Y/N. . ."

"It all makes sense now," she scoffed. "First, Steven tried. He failed, so you tried. You, however, were more successful."

"Y/N, it wasn't. . ."

"Congratulations, man," she mocked. "You won the bet. Too bad you lost the girl."

She walked away, but I grabbed her arm again. She instantly spun around and slapped me across the face, making me let her go. She glared at me, but didn't say anything, before walking away.

* * * * *

When I had a minute, I jogged down to Y/N's office. I searched the office, but couldn't find her. Finally, I went to her boss.

"Can I help you?" He sighed when he saw me staring at him.

"Hi," I stuttered. "I'm looking for your assistant, Y/N."

"She went home," he answered without looking up at me.

"She. . . What?" I stuttered.

"She had a migraine," he said without any emotion on my face. "Asked me if she could go home. I said yes."

I knew exactly why Y/N went home from work early. And it wasn't because of a migraine.

RULES CHANGES

1 spell/trap zone; if you activate/set a new card, send the old one to the GY, just like you would for field spells. Simplifies the board state and lets characters make choices/sacrifices.

No defense (position), nor face-down monsters. Simplifies board state, but removes some character choices.

Case-by-case summon costs replace levels. No need for levels if you can just put the tribute summon cost as an effect.

Levels replace ATK (or just lower ATK scale). Without DEF, the name ATK is kinda silly. "Higher level monster wins" is an intuitive, generic way to represent power. Lowering ATK scale simplifies board state; "level 4" is easier to remember than "1500 ATK".

DESIGN CHANGES

Alt. normal summon costs; discard, banish, pay lp, etc.. Lets characters better recover from an empty board without special summoning. Also just untapped design space in general.

Cards should have only 1 on-field effect, 2 at most. Simplifies board state.

WRITING CHANGES

Characters should usually play a max of 2 cards per turn. Playing lots of cards is hard to keep track of, especially without visuals.

Use Normal Monsters when possible. If you don't need an effect, just don't put one on a monster.

The events and choices made in duels should reflect the characters, their attitudes/values/relationship, and the plot.

And I must emphasize CHOICES; if you want to show how a character can predict their opponent, don't just have them draw a trap card that happens to perfectly counter the play the opponent is about to make. That's just luck. Have them make a choice. Like exploiting the opponent's caution by setting a spell as a bluff. Or having such confidence in their prediction that when they draw that convenient trap, they're willing to sacrifice their current spell in order to set it. Or normal summoning Monster B instead of Monster A because they know the opponent will play into Monster B's effect. Drawing cards is not a choice.