//. here without you
closed starter for @pxzzlepieces
A small happy noise vibrated in Jonouchi’s chest when he flicked through the cards of the booster pack he’d bought at the game shop. He didn’t know all of them, but recognized two pretty good ones right away. ( Score. ) Pulling them out of the pile he placed them on the table to show off his luck to Yugi. “Look, I got good ones!” he said cheerfully, grinning at his friend. No, his date. Even though it had been his idea to ask Yugi out on a ( romantic ) date he kept forgetting that they weren’t hanging out like they used to, but spending the day as more than friends. ( Potentially. Hopefully. )
The previous night Jonouchi couldn’t have imagined feeling so at ease about it, as stressed as he’d been at the prospect of dating his best friend. There was just so much that could go wrong, ending in not only a disappointing rendezvous but a crack in their friendship too. Thankfully, so far their date had been a success; at least as far as Jonouchi could tell. They’d gone to two different game shops ( something they’d have to keep a secret from Yugi’s grandpa ) and afterwards to the arcade to play some video games. Right now they were taking a well-deserved break in the lounge area of the arcade, where visitors could buy soft drinks and little snacks.
Figuring it was his responsibility to provide refreshments since he’d been the one to initiate the date, Jonouchi had gone to get a soda for both of them and a bowl of chips to go with it. Before asking Yugi out he’d spent a lot of time thinking about where to take him and eventually tossed all ideas of restaurants, cinemas or concerts aside in favor of the arcade. Why create an unnecessarily unfamiliar - and potentially awkward - setting when he already knew what they enjoyed and were comfortable doing together?
When Yugi had agreed to go out with him Jonouchi had been everything from excited to anxious. It was new territory for both of them and after Atem’s parting Yugi hadn’t quite been himself. More than once Jonouchi had asked himself if Atem had meant more to Yugi than he’d let on. They had shared a body, merged souls.. it wasn’t hard to imagine falling in love with someone you were that close to. But Atem had left and whatever they’d had was over. It would be a lie to say that the thought hadn’t intimidated Jonouchi when he’d first discovered his more-than-friendly feelings for Yugi, after all how could he compete with someone like the pharaoh? But after a while he’d found the courage to move past that. Atem was gone and Jonouchi wasn’t going to let whatever chance he might have with Yugi go by unseized because they were both mourning a ghost.
The lounge was almost empty; aside from them only one other couple was sitting at one of the tables, engrossed in their conversation. When Yugi didn’t answer right away Jonouchi tilted his head to try and catch a glimpse of his eyes that were glued to the table. “Yuug? You okay?”