yugioh advent 2024

Yusei and Carly had been in the kitchen of Poppo Time working together to get everything ready for when Crow came back. Lua was shouting about the matches that Crow had won, jumping all over the place as he tried to find someone willing to listen to the whole commentary. Luka, in comparison, was trying to tell Lua to settle down and complaining to Jack about how exuberant Lua could be. Aki was absent, as she had gone to the airport to pick Crow and Sherry up and bring them back to Poppo Time.

Overall, this had been exactly what Yusei had been hoping to get out of the holiday. Martha had come over with a batch of baked apples for everyone, and the entire place smelt of cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla. The pot of ramen was cooking, adding an extra savory layer to the scents. Lua had gotten caught three times trying to sneak a cookie before dinner, and Martha had warned him to not spoil his dinner twice. Yusei grinned over this, and slipped Lua two chocolate chip cookies. "Don't forget to give one to Luka," he muttered under his breath, grinning at Martha. "What? It's Christmas."

Martha sighed, shaking her head. "You're going to spoil those kids, Yusei," she said with a roll of her eyes. "When will I get to see Crow and Aki? I feel like I never see any of you kids anymore."

Jack spluttered indignity. "I saw you just yesterday," Jack immediately argued, sounding outraged. "Carly and I brought you gifts!"

"I remember Carly being there," Martha hummed as she stirred the ramen. "I don't seem to recall you being there, Jack."

Carly, for her part, looked utterly pleased by this. "Why thank you, Martha," she said as she glanced over at Jack. "It was nice to be able to meet you properly."

The sound of three Duel Runners arriving cut off any further complaints from Jack, and Yusei perked up. It seemed that Crow, Sherry, and Aki had arrived at the party. Yusei immediately left the kitchen to go see Aki walk in with Sherry and Crow. He went up to her to pull her into a tight hug, spinning her around. Aki immediately laughed, swatting him. "Yusei, you act like I was gone for days," she said. "Put me down! Go say hi to Crow and Sherry!"

"Yeah, are you gonna treat me like chopped liver after we went out of our way to be here for the holidays," Crow asked as Yusei set Aki turned. He turned to him, giving Crow their usual fist bump. "Come on, man. Don't you know that Sherry and I could've totally not come here? Be grateful."

"I would never keep you away from your friends," Sherry immediately said, sounding outraged. She lightly whacked his shoulder, but the slight smirk on her face suggested it was a game to them. "Don't go using me as a shield to avoid hanging out with your friends!"

Sherry and Crow walked off to greet everyone else, and Yusei glanced over at Aki. "So... is this exactly what you wanted for Christmas?"

To his surprise, she texted back immediately, though it sounded generic. Maybe he had just caught her at a good time. He put the phone back down, and let the blue light wash over him.

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed when the door knocked. A brief check of his phone told him it was 2am – last he remembered, it was about 9pm. He rose, grabbing his key from the side. Usually, he would ignore knocks this late, but something told him that he needed to answer it.

He wasn’t sure why, but when he opened the door… It all made sense.

Jack was stood there, hair covered in snow, a small suitcase by her side. He blinked, then glanced back towards the TV, which was now simply showing infomercials. No, she was definitely stood there.

“Is… it too late to come home?” She stepped closer, and he reached out to take her hand without question, tugging her inside. He took the suitcase from her, wheeling it further inside once the door was locked behind them. He hadn’t answered her question, but she seemed to know the answer already.

If she hadn’t been sure, she was after his lips crashed against hers, hands busied by tugging her layers off. She pulled away with a whine, “I stink of flying, you know.”

“And?” He whispered back, before pulling her to the couch.

The haze faded, but Yusei stayed over her, head on her bare shoulder, their skin sticking to each other. The television screen bathed them in soft lights, and he looked down at her, stroking her cheek. She leant into it with a soft smile, sighing.

“I…” He began, but she shushed him.

“I know. Me too.”

They had agreed to give each other their gifts in private, away from the prying eyes of all their friends. Yusei was nervous now that it was time to actually give Aki his gift, and worried that maybe she wouldn't like it. Aki was due over any moment now, and Yusei was pacing as he reconsidered the gift in the small box. Another part of him worried that it would look like he was asking the question, and he was mentally rehearsing a speech that made it clear that wasn't the case. The sound of Aki's bike approaching told him that he'd run out of time.

She entered, and this time she'd put on jeans and a dark blue brocade top under the new jacket she'd bought weeks ago. Aki was smiling softly as she stepped inside the garage, and Yusei's heart skipped a beat. "So," she said as she pulled a small box out of her jacket pocket. "I hope you like it."

Yusei nodded as he handed her the small box that contained the necklace, taking the gift from her. He could tell she wrapped it herself - there were slight crumples on the paper that were clearly rushed, and it felt entirely too thick for whatever was inside. Still, Yusei was touched that she'd made an attempt. He knew how much Aki had a dislike for wrapping paper. He tore through it, figuring there was no way to salvage the mess she'd made of it. He found a deck box inside, and Yusei flushed over the two Signer dragons on the back of it. When he flipped it over, Yusei swallowed the words on it. "I love it," he said softly, reaching to pull off the old deck box that contained his Riding Duel deck, swapping it immediately for the one Aki had given him. "Thank you."

Aki flushed. "It took me forever to figure out what to get you," she admitted quietly, toying with the small box in her hands. "Please tell me this is not an engagement ring."

"It's not, don't worry," Yusei said quickly, shaking his head. It would be ludicrous to ask Aki to marry him - she was only seventeen after all and he wasn't that much older. As much as Yusei knew he one day wanted to marry her, he was definitely not going to propose to her like this. "When I propose to you, it'll be more romantic than this. And... after you've settled into wherever you're going."

"Good," she said. With that Aki unwrapped the gift, and when she laid her eyes on the necklace, her breath hitched. "Yusei... this is..."

"Do you like it?"

Aki nodded quietly, glancing up at him. "Put it on me?"

"Okay," he said softly as he picked up the delicate chain, undoing the clasp as Aki spun around. She lifted up her hair from her neck (it was getting quite long), and Yusei pulled the chain around her neck. Aki gasped softly as Yusei's fingertips grazed her neck by mistake, and he closed the clasp. "It looks nice on you."

"It does," she agreed as she glanced down at it, spinning back to look at him with a soft smile. "Thank you. I'll... be able to look at it and know you're with me, even if..."

Aki trailed off. With her graduation looming and expectations upon her to continue her studies somewhere, there was a very real possibility Aki might not always be in Neo Domino City. Yusei nodded. "I feel the same with this," he said as he motioned to the deck box she'd gotten him. "It's like I have a part of you with me, always."

The gifts were swapped, and her cheeks flushed a bright red as she realised just how insane her present actually was. Sure, the chances of it being thrown back in her face were incredibly low, but… She was still nervous.

She focused on opening her own first, gasping. It was a small book, bound in red, and when she opened it and flicked through, her head went blank. She knew Divine wrote poetry in her spare time, but she could never have imagined that she was her muse.

Not considering some of the things written on those pages – suddenly, she felt her present was entirely appropriate.

“You… Wow. You’re amazing.” She glanced up, biting her lip. “Your turn.”

Divine nodded quietly, cheeks flush and a small smirk on her lips. The paper didn’t take long to tear off, leaving her face to face with the box. It was impossible to ignore what it was.

“This a hint?” She turned to Aki with a raised brow, opening the box to have a proper look inside. The harness was of a good quality, and she nodded in approval, setting it aside before pulling the dildo itself out. “You’re sure you can take it?”

Both Yusei and Aki knew the deadline for gifts was approaching fast. Yusei, for his part, was pacing between book stores to try to figure out something that Aki hadn't already read yet. Getting her a journal after she'd seen that he tried to gift her one at the White Elephant felt like a cop out, and he was certain she'd guess it anyway. It was why Yusei wound up switching track to head into a jewelry store. It was there that he saw the perfect gift for her - a simple silver chain with the letter 'Y' engraved on it. Something of him that she could take with him wherever she went.

Yusei knew that wherever Aki wound up going in life, he couldn't hold her back. As much as the idea ached, he was fine with the idea that maybe one day Aki would leave Neo Domino City to chase her dreams. It was something that he was trying to come to terms with the more everyone around him seemed to move on to bigger and better things. And yet... at least he could say that he left a mark on them. That their bond would be real, no matter the distance between them. And if he could ensure that Aki would at least be able to think of him in some way, well, that was all that mattered.

While Yusei had managed to find something, however, Aki was still struggling. She had no idea what Yusei would want, and she was struggling to think of what he'd let her give him. Anything super expensive was out of the picture, as she knew he'd be unhappy if she outspent in terms of a gift. Their duel was still fresh on her mind, and she considered what would be useful to him. Certainly she could try to show a little more support for him working at MIDS by getting him a nice button down shirt for work but... that didn't feel like a proper Christmas gift. Not when it'd been a source of anxiety for him.

Aki frowned as she glanced over the clothes, realizing none of them were the answer to her problem regarding a gift for Yusei. She needed something that reminded him that she supported him and would be by his side regardless of how the future turned out. Aki had no idea where her future would take her, but she knew she wanted Yusei to be in it. She examined a display of leather deck boxes, ones that could be customized with engraving. "How much for a quick turn around on a customization," she asked, biting her thumbnail nervously when the price was given to her.

Well, she could always pretend she ordered it earlier to avoid the rush processing fee. She agreed to pay the fee, asking them to put 'with you always' and she handed them a sketch of Black Rose Dragon and Stardust Dragon for the main imagery. If anything, this was a far better gift than a reminder of the way the future could separate them. She nodded when she was told she should pick it up in a week, and walked out of the shop.

His hand was in hers, grip tight, as they weaved through the crowds. “Thanks for coming with me.” He said it as if she had a choice – she scoffed in response but squeezed his hand, so he knew she wasn’t that annoyed.

“Yeah, yeah. Just hurry up.”

Yusei nodded, ducking into the next store. It took her a moment to realise where they were – Tiffany’s. She blinked, then stared blankly at him.

“What’re we doing in here?”

He didn’t answer, letting go of her hand to make a beeline for the necklaces. She stood stunned for a moment, before following after him. When he glanced back, his expression told her that she was best off staying put.

Try as she might, she couldn’t quite make out the conversation he had with the clerk. She grumbled to herself, busying herself by looking at earrings – she didn’t want to appear to care about what he was doing.

When he finally returned to her side, he was grinning, a small box in his hands. He didn’t speak at first, instead just lingering behind her.

“Can you hold your hair for a second?” He spoke softly, and she couldn’t help but give in, holding it up and out of his way – surely, she knew what was coming next.

The silver chain was delicate, and he handled it with such care as he pulled it around her neck, clasping it at the back before pressing a soft kiss to the bare skin. “Okay. Done.”

She glanced at the mirror by them, squinting at the small charm. There was a small Y engraved in silver, and her heart skipped a beat. She knew these weren’t cheap, and she had never considered Yusei to be the type to spend that sort of money.

The stupid sweater had won them the top prize. It had come at the cost of Divine’s dignity, and he was relieved when he could finally take it off, handing it over to Jack who wrapped it around her waist without a second thought.

“So… A month off?” She smirked, taking a sip of champagne. It tasted cheap, but she really couldn’t expect any better from an office party. “Guess we’re taking a long honeymoon, huh?”

He nodded with a smirk, pulling her closer to press his lips against hers. "Yup. A month together, alone. Excited?"

As much as Yusei didn't want to be here at the Izayoi mansion, he was here because Aki asked him to come. The sweater that Aki had helped him pick out felt embarrassing now, despite the people around him admiring its tackiness and suggesting it was a winner for sure. At least there was a small comfort in knowing that at least Martha's orphanage would soon be given a nice donation that would help for the holiday season. Growing up, Martha had always hidden how costly it was to ensure that all of the winter holidays got some attention, let alone ensuring that "Santa" visited them. Now that he was an adult (or as close as ever to being one, considering he was still a year off from the age of majority), he knew what Martha had struggled to hide.

While Yusei wasn't comfortable in this setting, it was clear that Aki wasn't that comfortable at the party either. Her smiles at her dad's friends were awkward at best, nodding over each of their statements. It was, admittedly, a dull party. At least a few of the people who worked at MIDS would mention knowing his father to him, and Yusei felt uncomfortable as he thought about how he'd have to work with them. Aki took his hand, glancing up at him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he said, and it was mostly true. While Yusei was uncomfortable and felt like too many here were looking past him to see only his father, he knew that at least Aki was here. "Couple of my future coworkers were letting me know they knew my father but... I'm alright."

Aki reached up to gently touch his cheek over his criminal marker, frowning. She stroked her thumb across it, and Yusei blushed. "If they knew your father, why did they never bother to reach out to you? They... left you there in Satellite..."

"Seems most people who were working on the project at the time thought I'd perished with my family," he said, his gut twisting over that. The entire time, Yusei had only grown up the way he had because of a fluke. No one had known that Yusei had survived, with some even apologizing to him for not trying to find him. It was strange to have to tell adults twice his age that it was fine they didn't know he was alive. "They only figured it out when I became Duel King... and were shocked to find out that I... turned out the way I had."

The implication over his criminal marker was left hanging in the air, and Aki glared at the party guests as if it would change the past. "I suppose in that way, neither of us are what anyone expected out of parents who were upstanding members of society," she said, flushing. "After they announce the winner and you tell them to donate it to Martha... Do you want to get out of here? Steal me away on the back of your motorcycle to take me to Poppo time?"

Yusei glanced back at the party, and back to Aki. No, a guy with a criminal marker and the Black Rose Witch would have ever been invited to a party like this. It wasn’t their kind of scene anyway. The only reason they’d ever shown up was for Aki’s parents’ sake. And while he was glad Aki had managed to find common ground with her parents, this party wasn’t one of them. He grinned. "Sounds like a plan to me."

“You’ll be cold,” she had warned Aki, leaning against the doorway with her arms crossed.

“I won’t. I’ll be fine. That,” She pointed towards the white fluff that adorned Jack’s body, “is overkill.”

She certainly regretted it now, and she knew it was obvious. She frowned, staring absently at the flames. Perhaps they were just too far away for any residual heat, but she had no interest in getting any closer. No, fire… frightened her. It was much better to remain at a safe distance.

“Cold?” Jack asked, leaning down with a slight smirk. She was right – she often was – and Aki could already tell that she was going to rub it in just a little. She sighed, rolling her eyes at the pitiful expression given back to her. “Fine, fine. Take this.” She began unzipping the warm coat.

“No, no! You’ll freeze.”  Jack simply rolled her eyes and continued, scoffing at the idea. Her veins were made of pure fire – she would be fine.

The coat was wrapped around her frame before she could argue any further. “There.” Aki watched as she wrapped her scarf further around herself, seemingly content like that. “Better?”

Yusei couldn't really see the point in getting out of bed today. Which was already strange for him, considering how often he stayed up through the night most days. But today felt especially exhausting, as if the looming dread would never go away. He'd said his goodbyes to Martha yesterday, and arrived back at Poppo Time where the place was empty yet again. Bruno was dead, Jack was spending more time at Carly's place, and Crow had only been temporarily back for the gift exchange before leaving again to France to be with Sherry as she visited her parents' graves. It felt like a glimpse into the future: where everyone moved on and he stayed still. Accepting the job at MIDS felt less empowering now and more like another chain that tied him to his family legacy.

He stared up at the ceiling contemplating his own complicated feelings with his father. Some days, he almost resented the man for not trying harder to shut down the Moment research project, and that resentment was followed by guilt for even feeling that way. After all, it wasn't like his father could have known the long term consequences for the project's very existence. What was worse is how no one seemed to resent his father or him for it: it was as if no one wanted to admit the catastrophic failures they were responsible for.

There he laid until Aki's voice called out to him. "Yusei," she called from downstairs, and he could hear her heels clicking on the garage floor. "Yusei, where are you?"

Yusei didn't want to admit to Aki that he'd spent the better part of his day in bed hating that he'd agreed to take a job that only tied him further to his father's legacy, so he finally got out of bed and threw on whatever his hands touched first. He went downstairs, and there she was. She'd traded her usual outfit for a black lace top with long sleeves under a black corset with red detailing, with a very flouncy (and short) black skirt with black tights underneath. Yusei liked the new looks she'd been trying out. "Aki," he said softly. "What are you doing here?"

Aki flushed, stepping forward to him. "Well, I thought... since you'd be alone," she said, placing her hands on his chest. "Perhaps we might... get to enjoy some more time together?"

Strange how on most days, such a suggestion would be a welcome distraction. Yet right now, Yusei was struggling to feel much of anything. Normally her body pressed this close to him would evoke some sort of reaction, and he badly wished it would. He'd give anything to focus on something other than the storm clouds in his mind. "I..." Yusei had never really been in a position where he needed to turn down Aki's advances, and he wasn't sure how to. "I've got a lot on my mind today, Aki."

That took Aki off guard, and she pulled away instantly, looking confused. "Is... everything okay? Not that something needs to be wrong for you to not want to, it's just... you don't normally say no." Aki was rambling, and it was clear she felt guilty for even questioning why Yusei might not be up for sex. "Sorry, you don't have to explain anything to me."

He placed his hands on hers, and she finally ceased rambling, staring up at him with concern etched on her face. "I took a job at MIDS a few days ago," he finally admitted. "And I was just... thought about the ways it would tie me to..."

Yusei trailed off, but he didn't need to say anything more. Aki hadn't pulled away, as if she knew that he still wanted her here. "Your father's legacy," she said softly, her light hazel eyes (bordering on light brown with the softest hints of green, like a forest's undergrowth) staring deep in his. "I can't imagine it was easy to accept that job... are you sure it's what you want to do?"

"It'd... pay decent," he said evasively. No, Yusei wasn't sure it was what he wanted to but... he'd be ensuring another Zero Reverse could never happen again. It was the one thing that was keeping him from utterly spiraling over it. He wished he could muster up something that wasn't just an endless void where his feelings should be. Yusei thought of Jack, and how Jack could simply continue his life uncaring towards the weight of the past. He thought of Crow, away in France, living his life. And he wondered how long until Aki was gone too. "And well, someone has to fix the guardrails to ensure that this city's safe. Might as well be me."

Just last year, Yusei was picturing a future of tournaments where he could Duel with only his pride on the line. Instead, he found himself tied even deeper to his father's legacy, with even his name a reminder of what was expected of him. Instead of looking happy for him over the new job, Aki frowned. "You're still going to Duel, right?"

It wasn't the question he'd expected her to ask. In fact, her sharp glare was the last thing he expected in terms of a reaction. "I won't have time to Duel," Yusei said immediately, almost feeling defensive about it. "Aki, someone has to -"

"No, I know. Preventing another Zero Reverse is important," Aki said, cutting him off and stepping away. She looked... upset. And he couldn't fathom why. "Yusei, you entered the WRGP to find yourself. And instead you took your father's job. You told me how the past doesn't matter and doesn't define us. Was that a lie?"

If Aki had punched him in the gut, it would have dealt far less emotional damage. The sun was already setting behind them, inviting them into the longest night of the year. "Of course not," he immediately replied, confused how they'd gotten here. "I don't understand why you're upset. The pay would be -"

"I don't care about the pay!" Aki's hands were on her hips, staring up at him in disbelief. "You... You know you don't have to save everyone, right? That it's okay if you lived your own life, separate from your father's, right? It's not like I want to go into politics!"

Yusei was not expecting the conversation to go this way. He'd been expecting her to understand that he needed to do this, and that he would feel guilty if he didn't. Instead, Aki just seemed angry that he'd accepted the job. "This is different," he argued, returning the glare at her. It felt like she was clawing at his insides, searching for some sort of truth that lay under it. "If I don't do this, people might die."

"Then let's Duel," Aki immediately said, and she immediately walked towards her runner. He knew what she was after with the challenge - she wanted to know exactly what was laying in his heart. For once, the concept was terrifying. Yusei hadn't been scared of letting Aki in like this before, but with her staring him down from her runner, it was like he was being picked raw. Was this how she felt when they first met? "Come on, Yusei. It's not like I can beat you, so what are you so scared of?"

It was her claim that she couldn't beat him that finally had him move to his runner. "You have a better chance than anyone else," he said as he pulled his helmet on, glancing over at her. No one could really claim to know him the way that Aki could. Still, Yusei's heart wasn't fully in it. The sun was sinking on the horizon, and the air was getting colder. "Try and catch me."

Yusei still had more experience on her. It's why Yusei had the first corner, and he glanced down at his hand after he drew. Certainly not the worst hand he'd ever had. He set Synchro Material. "I destroy my facedown to special summon Card Breaker," Yusei called. "I summon Debris Dragon. Clustering stars weave a greater force! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Roar engines, Turbo Warrior!"

"Already Synchroing," Aki responded, sounding almost impressed. "And you claim I can beat you?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if you did," Yusei replied glancing over his shoulder at her. "I set two cards and end my turn."

It was Aki's turn, and she gained speed on him. Aki's deck had received some major modifications since the WRGP, not all of which he was familiar with. In many ways, it was part of what he was so scared of. How long until she outgrew him, like everyone else seemed to? "I summon White Rose Dragon," Aki called as White Rose Dragon appeared on the field. "Due to its effect, I can special summon Red Rose Dragon from my deck. A cold flame envelops the entire world, black flower bloom! Appear! Black Rose Dragon!"

Yusei's eyes widened as he looked over his shoulder. Black Rose Dragon was staring him down, and while she didn't look at him with the same hatred as when they first met, she definitely didn't seem too interested in pleasantries either. It was like she knew Yusei was trying to keep away from Aki the way he'd been feeling most of winter, and would happily beat it out of him for Aki. "Impressive," Yusei remarked. "Your deck brings out Black Rose Dragon fairly quickly now, huh?"

"If I want to go pro, then I certainly can't afford to beat around the bush," Aki responded, and he couldn't quite read her tone. "Due to Red Rose Dragon's effect, I can add Roxrose Dragon and Blooming of the Darkest Rose to my hand. I equip Speed Spell - Rose Malice to Black Rose Dragon. You might be familiar with some of its effects. One of them is that it increases Black Rose Dragon's attack by 800 points. Now, Black Rose Dragon, attack Turbo Warrior!"

Well, he certainly couldn't let Aki draw first blood that quickly. "I activate my facedown, Scrap Iron Scarecrow," he called. "You know what it does."

"Still relying on your same old tricks," she teased. "I set two cards and end my turn."

One of them was almost certainly Blooming of the Darkest Rose, but as for what the other was, he had no idea. Yusei drew a card, and was instantly annoyed. Fake Gardna certainly wouldn't help him out of this position. The best he could do was play defense until he could do something more useful. Ironically, isn't that what he was doing here? "I end..."

"I activate Ivy Shackle," Aki called. "All your monsters now become plant types."

"Right," Yusei said, glancing up at Turbo Warrior as the plants twisted around it. Why did it feel like no matter what he did, he couldn't hide the truth from Aki? It felt like she was twisting around inside him, poking and prodding at his guts until they'd all spill out. And normally, it was him in her position, he knew. It wasn't fair that he didn't want to let her do it back. Hypocritical, even. "I end my turn."

With no way for her to burst past Scrap Iron Scarecrow for now, they came to a stand still. She summoned Revival Rose, and he destroyed it. Until the sixth turn, where he saw Aki smirk. "I'll get you to open up one way or another, Yusei," she said, and while she hadn't intended it to be a threat, it sure did sound like. "I activate Speed Spell - Rose Wind. When I have four or more speed counters, I can destroy one trap on your side of the field. And with Scrap Iron Scarecrow gone...."

Yusei's eyes widened. "Turbo Warrior..."

"That's right: Black Rose Dragon attacks Turbo Warrior," she said. Aki had gained better control over her powers - it was nothing but a smack to his pride when Aki did the first damage of the Duel. "Due to Speed Spell - Rose Malice's effect, Turbo Warrior isn't destroyed and loses 600 attack points. It's your move, Yusei."

It wasn't even enough damage to drop in speed, and yet Yusei had a feeling she wouldn't stop there if he let her. He drew, glancing at his hand for ideas on how to get out of this. He didn't have the levels to get to Stardust Dragon, but maybe... "I activate Speed Spell - Angel Baton," Yusei called, drawing two more cards from his deck. Junk Synchron and Quillbolt Hedgehog. Still shy one level of Stardust Dragon but that didn't matter. He had an option, which is more than he had last turn. He discarded Quillbolt Hedgehog. "I summon Junk Synchron. Due to its effect, I can summon Card Breaker. And due to Quillbot Hedgehog's effect, I can summon it from my graveyard."

"Instantly summoning three monsters off one card," Aki said, and he could hear the smile in her voice. "Now there's the Yusei I know."

"I'm not done yet," he retorted, almost starting to feel something sparking inside him. Maybe this had been the real goal of Aki's challenge - to get him out of the funk he'd found himself in. He certainly felt more alive, anyway. "Junk Synchron tunes Card Break and Quillbolt Hedgehog! Gathering roars turn into an echoing arrow which tears through the sky! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Show yourself, Junk Archer! Junk Archer removes Black Rose Dragon from play. Due to this, Speed Spell - Rose Malice is sent to the graveyard."

"Turbo Warrior's attack points return to normal due to Speed Spell - Rose Malice going to the graveyard."

"Battle! Junk Archer attacks you directly!"

"Not so fast, Yusei," Aki purred, now riding side by side with him. She winked at him, and he swore it felt like an arrow to his heart. "Did you forget about my set Blooming of the Darkest Rose? Upon activation, it summons a Rose Token with 800 attack and 800 defense in defense position to my side of the field for every Spell or Trap on the field, and I count two."

"I continue my attack," Yusei half growled, annoyed he wasn't able to end this quick enough. Of course Aki had a trick up her sleeve. "Junk Archer attacks and destroys your Rose Token! Turbo Warrior attacks the other!"

"And in your end phase, Black Rose Dragon returns to my side of the field," Aki said, and the Signer Dragon burst back onto the field in a flurry of rose petals that actively took a swipe at him. "Sorry - she's a little cranky about being banished." Yusei scowled, not surprised that Black Rose Dragon was willing to take a swipe at him. It was as if she knew that he was actively hiding something too. Something he didn't even want to admit to himself, really. "I summon Roxrose Dragon in defense. Due to Roxrose Dragon's effect, I can add Speed Spell - White Rose Storm. When I have 3 or more speed counters in my graveyard and White Rose Dragon in my graveyard, I can activate it and grant Black Rose Dragon a 500 attack point boost! It only lasts for one turn, but I only need it to last for one turn."

"You're going all in," Yusei remarked, well aware there was nothing he could do to stop her. "You know I took that job at MIDS because it's the right thing to do, right?"

"Did you," she challenged, digging deep into the pit of his stomach. It felt like she was trying to yank his heart out to take a good long look at it. And Yusei was scared what would happen if she did. "Black Rose Dragon, destroy Turbo Warrior." It was like his heart exploded in a million tiny pieces. "Due to Speed Spell - White Rose Storm, I can banish White Rose Dragon from my grave yard to attack again. Black Rose Dragon, destroy Junk Archer!"

She was now ahead of him, and he was chasing her. And suddenly he could picture the road to the future, where she was always just out of reach from him. Yusei took a steadying breath. Now was not the time to have another panic attack. The sun had fully set, and the only thing that kept her in view was the streetlights on the road. The air was cold, and he was grateful it wasn't snowing. "You cleared my field."

"It was easy," she said, glancing back at him. Instead of looking pleased about what she pulled off, she was glaring at him. "Stop going easy on me. I set a card and end my turn."

He knew Aki wasn't trying to be insulting, but he wasn't trying to go easy on her. Yusei was just having a hard time finding any heart in him at all. He drew, and glanced at it. It was enough to keep him in the game. "I summon Rockstone Warrior in defense mode, and set a card. I end my turn."

"Is that really all you're going to do," Aki asked, sounding almost angry now. "Where's your sense of pride, Yusei? Don't tell me that you lost it. I banish Revival Rose from my graveyard to activate Black Rose Dragon's effect to switch Rockstone Warrior from defense to attack, and reduce its attack points to zero. Rose Restriction!"

Black Rose's vines reached for his monster, forcing it into an open vulnerability. "I'm fuckin trying," he finally snapped, unable to keep it in any longer. "Don't you get it? I just... I'm not..."

"Maybe you'll find the words after this," she snarled, and he was stunned by her anger. "You can't shut me out, Yusei. You forced me to open my heart to you, and you won't do the same? Roxrose Dragon, attack Rockstone Warrior!"

"Due to Rockstone Warrior's effect, I take no battle damage," he called back, though Roxrose Dragon still managed to get a swipe on him. She was holding back just enough to not hurt him, at least. He couldn't be sure about Black Rose Dragon, however. As much as Aki gained control, the Signer Dragon seemed to have a mind of her own. "Aki, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shut you out... I just... I couldn't..."

"You couldn't what," she asked as he fumbled through his words, trying to explain himself to her. "Black Rose Dragon attacks you directly!"

Yusei was right: Black Rose Dragon was not nearly as nice as Aki was. Black Rose's vines wrapped around his neck, vaguely choking him for just a brief second before letting him go. He gasped in shock, well aware it was only because of Aki that the dragon didn't try to kill him. "I activate Hope for Escape! I draw a card for every thousand point difference in life points we have," he said. "Because you have four thousand life points and I have 300, I draw four cards."

The cards he drew provided an out... or at least a way to start turning the tables. "Why did you agree to take that job with MIDS," she asked. "You never showed any interest in following your father's steps before. I set a card and end my turn."

"I told you: it's the right thing to do," Yusei said, and he could finally admit to himself that he didn't want to. Yusei didn't want to have to work for MIDS, repairing the mistakes of his father. And yet... "I activate Speed Spell - Angel Baton." He glanced at what he drew, discarding Stardust Xialong. "I activate the effect of Rockstone Warrior. By banishing it from my graveyard, I can special summon another copy from my deck in defense mode. Come forth, Rockstone Warrior!"

"Still hiding behind defenses," Aki said, and spun her runner around to face him. He could read her face - the pure frustration that he wouldn't tell her what was going on in his head. "Tell me what's wrong, Yusei."

"Nothing's wrong," Yusei said automatically. "I summon Hyper Synchron. Hyper Synchron tunes Rockstone Warrior! Clustering wishes will become a new shining star! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Soar, Stardust Dragon!

"I activate Raigeki Break," Aki said as she spun her runner back around. "By discarding a card from my hand, I can destroy one monster on the field. I target Stardust Dragon for destruction!"

"I activate Stardust Dragon's effect! Victim sanctuary!"

"You can't keep sacrificing yourself for everyone forever, Yusei," she responded immediately, glancing back at him in annoyance. "You have to live your own life, for yourself! When we first met, you told me I had to think for myself and that I had to live my own life for myself. It's time you had the same advice." She took a deep breath. "You're below the safety line again, with only three speed counters. You always wind up here, pushing yourself ragged and not letting anyone help you. If I draw a Speed Spell next turn, I win."

Aki was right, and Yusei knew it. And for the first time in a while, in the dead of night on the road with Aki, he found the will to fight for his own future again. "I set three cards and end my turn. Stardust Dragon returns to my side of the field. I end my turn."

"I just have to draw a Speed Spell," she said, and she drew. Judging by the frown on her face, she must not have drawn the Speed Spell she needed to end it. "I remove 7 speed counters to activate Speed World 2's effect."

"Then you won't be able to end this for another four turns," Yusei remarked, amused. "You need at least four Speed Counters to activate Speed World 2's burn effect."

"I know what it means," she snapped as she drew again, glaring at the card she drew. Perhaps she didn't have an out to Stardust Dragon? That seemed the most likely reason for her to be annoyed. "I switch Roxrose Dragon to defense. I banish Black Rose Dragon to add Blooming of the Darkest Rose back to the bottom of my deck. Black Rose Dragon returns during the standby phase of my next turn. I summon Witch of the Black Rose in defense. Due to its effect, I draw, and if I don't draw a monster card, then it's destroyed."

"Who's hiding behind defenses now?"

"Shut up," she said as she drew again. Aki held up Blue Rose Dragon to show him she drew a monster card. "Looks like I'm lucky. I end my turn."

Yusei nodded as he drew again, glancing up at the sky. The endless inky void of space, with the stars hidden behind the city lights around them, greeted him. He glanced back at what he had. "With Stardust Dragon on my field, I can summon Stardust Xialong. Next I summon Majestic Dragon. Battle!"

"You aren't going to Synchro first," Aki asked, glancing back at him. "I told you: stop taking it easy on me!"

It hit Yusei then that yes, he'd been going easy on her. "I'm not," he responded immediately. "Stardust Dragon attacks Roxrose Dragon! Shooting Sonic!" Roxrose Dragon shattered, and Yusei might not have dealt any damage, but he certainly took away some advantage from her. Since she didn't stop him from attacking, there must be nothing she could do to stop him. "I activate Urgent Tuning! With this, I can Synchro during my battle phase. Majestic Dragon tunes Stardust Xialong and Stardust Dragon! Gathering starlights will enlighten a new miracle! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Arrive in light, Majestic Star Dragon!"

"Does this mean you'll finally tell me what's wrong," Aki asked. "You haven't been honest with me yet."

"You're right. I have been going easy on you. I haven't had my heart in this Duel because I haven't felt much of anything today," Yusei admitted. In the light, everything suddenly felt impossible to hide. "I took the job at MIDS because I felt like I wasn't good enough for you, and I'm scared that the future means I'll wind up here while the rest of you leave."

"Oh, Yusei," Aki said softly, glancing back at him. "I'm scared of the future too. But I promise you: you are good enough for me. You don't need to make a bunch of money for that to be true. And none of us have any plans on abandoning you. You're never going to be alone as long as we're around."

It was like he could finally let go of the fears he didn't want to admit he was carrying. "Majestic Star Dragon attacks Witch of the Black Rose," he said, watching as the final defense position monster Aki had on the field left. "You won't be able to end the Duel next turn, even if you draw a Speed Spell. I might be below the safety line, but I'm still in this. Majestic Star Dragon returns to my extra deck, and Stardust Dragon returns to my field. I end my turn."

"So you're not going to keep pretending everything's fine with me then," Aki asked as she drew, glancing at the card. "Due to Blooming of the Darkest Rose's effect, Black Rose Dragon returns to the field."

"No," Yusei said softly. "I'll be honest with you. I'm sorry I didn't tell you that I was struggling."

"When did it start getting so bad?"

It was a question he hadn't expected. It'd been creeping on him, and it came to a head when he'd had that panic attack in the snow. Everything since then felt like Yusei was trying to seem strong despite something inside him chipping away until he was left with a void where he used to have insides. "I guess since the start of winter," he said, frowning. "Is that relevant?"

"I see," Aki said softly. "I set a card and end my turn."

The one thing now is that he couldn't let Aki gain speed. He drew, and glanced at it. Without knowing her set card, Yusei couldn't be sure it was a way to stop him from going for game. "I active Speed Spell - Silver Contrails. Due to its effect, Stardust Dragon gains 1000 attack points."

"At least you aren't holding back anymore. I'd hate it if the only reason I beat you was because you weren't fighting back."

"You were right: I wasn't fighting back. I summon Healing Wave Generator in attack mode. Due to its effect, I can select one monster on my side of the field and gain life points equal to its level times one hundred. I select Stardust Dragon!" Finally, Yusei was back above the safety line with 1100 life points. It was a strange feeling. He'd spent so long just barely having his head above water that just treading water felt like a relief. "Stardust Dragon attacks Black Rose Dragon! Shooting Sonic!"

Aki was now fully behind him with the hit, and Yusei sped past her. He caught a glimpse of the look on her face: relief. "I know you can't just quit MIDS," she said softly. "Not when you'd already agreed to do it. But promise me that you won't stop Dueling while you're at it."

"As long as you agree to also not stop Dueling, Aki."

"It's a deal," she agreed with a brilliant smile. "Winters won't always be hard, Yusei."

She still wondered why he went to his own bed every night; they both knew he would be knocking on her door only a couple hours later. He had always been stubborn. She remembered how often she would stay awake into the early hours, just so she could open the door to him.

Jack swore it was one of those nights that she had realised – she loved Yusei. It had crept up on her, and by the time she was aware of it, it was already far too late. She wished she could say she got over it, moved on from their nights holding each other in the cold – like he had.

Instead, she was staring at the cookie in her hand – Martha had offered her one, and she couldn’t exactly refuse it, even if she now wanted to be sick. It was a small heart, painted the shade of Yusei Go. She sighed, leaning over to place it on the bedside table; at least there, she could pretend she would get to it eventually.

The door knocked, and suddenly, she was that small child again, watching Yusei walk into her room. He closed the door behind him, quietly making his way over before settling down on the bed beside her.

“They taste really nice,” He remarked, pointing towards the biscuit.

She nodded. It was unlike her to be quiet, but she had a feeling her voice would betray her if she tried to speak. When he leant forward, brows furrowed, she realised – he had already noticed.

“Jack?” He rested a hand on her leg, and she felt the floodgates burst. Her chest ached and her Signer mark burned as tears spilling down her cheeks without a second thought. She could barely see the startled look on his face.

The room was painfully silent, save for the sobs that shook her body. It seemed Jack barely even noticed when he moved, or maybe she thought he was going to leave. Instead, he moved to lay down, taking her wrist and lightly tugging at it.

“Come lie down, Jack. It’s okay.”

Despite her better judgment, she did as she was told, turning around to settle onto the mattress, staring up at him through blurry eyes. She didn’t believe it was okay – nothing was ever okay – but she couldn’t argue. She opened her mouth to rebut him, and all that escaped were more babbled cries.

Yusei’s arms wrapped around her, pulling her into his chest. It didn’t take long for his shirt to dampen as she clung to his frame, balling the fabric in her hands. “You know Martha is always here if you miss home, right?”

He had really expected it to help – instead, she sounded like a wounded animal, hyperventilating as though her limbs were caught in a bear trap. It was that moment that he realised: this wasn’t about cookies, nor was it about Martha and her orphanage. The only times he had heard her cry like this…

Well, he had been in great danger. The threat, or thought, of losing him – that had been what sent her over the edge those times. He couldn’t quite comprehend what had clicked in her head to make her think of it.

“…I’m not going anywhere,” He pulled away slightly, just enough to lean down, forehead resting against hers. “I promise.” He pressed his lips against hers, gently, allowing them to linger until she finally kissed back; the sobs quietened.

This was one of the lines they had never crossed. It had been one that Jack had thought about often – it kept her up at night in Neo Domino. If he had kissed her, would she have stayed? She could never decide the answer until now.

Yes, she would have.

He pulled away, wiping a tear from her cheek with a smile that was so comforting, so Yusei, that it sent her head reeling. His fingers were tracing words on her back, ones that she couldn’t translate from brushstrokes into language.