#screwtherules

[x-heartofthecards-x]

@screwtherules

Seto fully winced as Yugi lashed out. But he didn’t make any further effort to end this interaction. He understood well enough at least that Yugi needed to let this out. He hadn’t really given Yugi a chance. It was just like he’d said— emoting was always hard for him. He didn’t deal with it well.

“I know that I should have talked to you. That I should have communicated how I was feeling and gave you the the space to do the same. But I did not,” he replied, more pathetically than he would have liked to admit. He tilted his head to look sadly at the boy. “I should have treated you better. And been honest with you.”

Sighing, the CEO took up a lean on his car and pocketed the phone. It was too late to have this conversation— both literally, now past midnight, and figuratively, it having been so long since they broke up. Lowering his head, Kaiba offered the boy a helpless shrug. “It wasn’t that I didn’t want to talk to you. It was never that I didn’t care for you or… Or love you. I had feelings for you before I even knew who Atem was. I didn’t want to burden you with what I was feeling when you were going through so much, too.”

The CEO winced. He knew that didn’t sound any better. It didn’t make anything any better. And there was a high likelihood that he could never say or do anything that could fix the mess he had made. “Your anger is perfectly justified. I wasn’t a good partner. I know that and I’m sorry. But it was never because I didn’t want you.”

The response from the CEO earned a derisive snort from the smaller man who replied, "If all of that is what you need to tell yourself, that you didn't reach out because you didn't want to burden me, that you really cared and all that, fine. But… come on."

Yugi pushed his hair back as he continued with just a bit of exasperation, "You are Seto fucking Kaiba. There has never been a single thing that you have wanted that you have not gone after and gotten with gusto."

Which was true. There had never been an obstacle thrown in front of Seto Kaiba that Yugi had not seen him overcome. Things that would absolutely cripple other men. But Seto had never backed down from difficulty. He hadn't even let death separate him from the man he actually loved for long.

He gave a dramatic shrug and added as he turned back around and started heading out of the parking lot, definitely feeling like he would be getting to the bottom of every bottle in his apartment tonight, "You didn't even fight for us. If everything that you say now was true, this would have turned out differently."

[uncrasimaticbore]

Wholesome Week 2 Day 4: (WOT IS) Game Night(?!?!)

Marco grabbed his controller and turned on his Xbox. Star sat down next to him almost at the edge of her seat, gripping her controller with excitement. “So what’re we gonna play tonight, Marco? One of those shooting games? Ooh, or Mortal Kombat?”

Marco shook his head, “Nah, tonight we’re gonna play a little game called Minecraft.”

Star frowned and crossed her arms. “Sounds boring.”

“Quite the contrary. In this game you can basically do whatever you want. You can build cities, explore dungeons, fight monsters, the list goes on.”

“Fight monsters? Sign me up!”

“Well, we’re not doing that tonight. Apparently Janna made some challenge that, according to her, is the ultimate test in human endurance. I’m guessing it’s some kind of parkour course.”

“Sounds fun.” They put on their headsets while they waited for the game.

As soon as the game was loaded, they received a party invite from “BaJanna413″. They checked the party roster and it included “SurferGal95″, “GlowingBark505″, and  Xx_Dark_x_Assass1n_xX, along with their OhaiMarc0 and OG Delirious. While Marco knew that OG stood for Oskar Greeson, he warned Star that other people might think the wrong thing about her gamertag. “So who do we have here.” Marco asked.

GlowingBark505 sighed and spoke sheepishly. “This is Tom.”

Marco laughed a bit, “Then who’s Dark Assassin?”

A very proper voice came on. “That would be me.”

Star was shocked. “MOM?!”

“Hello, Star.”

“What’re you doing here?”

“Well, I have the castle to myself for the evening and this Janna girl invited me to join you in this ‘Game Night.’“

Jackie interrupted, screaming in a fake British accent, “WOT IS GAME NOIGH’?!?!”

“...Well, anyways I thought, ‘What a splendid opportunity to meet my daughter’s friends.’ So here I am.”

Janna chimed in. “I thought I was your dad, but your mom was using profile.”

Jackie coughed. “Guys, I think I lost my voice,” she said faintly.

“At least you can’t imitate me anymore,” Moon said.

“I wasn’t...”

“Who cares,” Star said. “Let’s just get this challenge started!”

Star and Marco joined the game and found Janna and the others as soon as they were in and examined their skins. Janna looked like the Master Chief from Halo. Tom was a Creeper. Fitting. Marco thought. Moon was Scottish Steve, which was obviously her husband’s choice. Jackie was some kind of biker no one recognized. “It’s from this game called Trials.” Star was Banjo Kazooie, which she’d never played before, but thought the bear looked cute, and Marco was Tuxedo Steve. “I like to think I’m actually Tuxedo Mask like from Sailor Moon.”

“Alright. Gather ‘round everyone Tom and I made a challenge for all of you, but first we need to get there by walking. We’ll lead the way so try not to get lost.”

They walked for a several minutes. Marco picked up roses at every opportunity and everyone starting to place bets as to how much longer Jackie had left to live.

“Guys, I feel fine,” Jackie said.

Tom laughed. “Y’know that’s gonna be on your tombstone now.”

“Jackie Lynn Thomas: She felt fine.” Janna added.

Around that time, they reached a small plateau and Janna started making stairs up it. “Follow me up here, and we’re there.”

On top there was large flat area with a large black square all the way around, along with several small rectangles along the outside that were 3x4 blocks all bordered around by black wool. Most had a colored row, depending on where on the square it was. As soon as everyone was up, Janna and Tom headed for one of the corners and called everyone over. Star and Marco wandered around, confused. Marco looked at one of the rectangles and it immediately hit him.

"You got to be kidding me.”

“What’s wrong Marco?” Star asked.

“Oh my goodness.”

“What is this, Marco?”

Marco let out a defeated sigh. “This is Monopoly.”

“Aw no!” Jackie tried to yell as Janna and Tom burst out laughing.

“Well, I’m just gonna leave the game now,” Marco said.

“Don’t you dare Diaz! We’re in this together,” Jackie said menacingly.

Star was so confused. “Is this that game that you were telling me about that never ends.”

“Yep.”

As soon as he collected himself Tom spoke, “Honestly, we probably spent hours on this just for that reaction.”

“Get comfortable guys and gals,” Janna said. “ ‘Cause it’s gonna be a long night.”

[mrscreepy-pasta]

Seto Kaiba and one of this blue eyes white dragons. I’m actually quite proud of this *^*)/~<3 Still haven’t got the hang of hands though >.<)

[x-heartofthecards-x]

Things had not really gone the way that Yugi Mutou had imagined they would.

He had been prepared to go at life on his own the moment that he and the Pharaoh had begun their ceremonial duel. He thought he had the resolve to do it. He had kept it together as he watched his partner in life and in all things walk beyond that shimmering veil into something unknown— stepping into death with a thumbs up and without even a backward glance.

For a while, he managed.

He graduated school and had intended to become a game developer, like he had told his friends he would. He tried to do his best without the heavy and familiar weight of the puzzle around his neck and the comforting sound of his partner's voice echoing in his mind as a constant companion.

But things didn't work out that way.

His grandfather had gotten sick not long after his graduation. He had tried to keep the game shop afloat, but with the medical bills racking up and then with the additional cost of his funeral when the time came, Kame Games, and his home, had to be sold to cover the bill.

It was a little record shop now, but he hadn't been able to bring himself to go check it out.

He picked up odd jobs for a while and got a few cash prizes for tournaments here and there. It was enough to get him into a studio flat in the sketchier part of Domino City.

The prizes were not enough to keep on top of his bills, though. On top of that, the job market wasn't great for someone with his minimal life skills. After some time of futile job searching, he ended up biting the bullet, swallowing his pride, and he put in an application at KaibaCorp.

He got a position as a game tester. The pay wasn't bad and he got to spend most of his working days in a dark room, playing games and not having to make chit-chat with coworkers. He just had to take extensive notes to turn in before he left the office to spend his nights drinking alone in his apartment.

Which was about all he had the mental energy for.

Sometimes, he didn't even have the spoons for that. More than one shift had seen him sleeping on the job or nursing a hangover. As was the case that day, when he was doing both of those things— snoring loudly in his reclining gaming chair as his avatar on screen tapped its foot impatiently in its idle animation.

@screwtherules

[x-heartofthecards-x]

@screwtherules

Seto did not want Yugi to leave, did not want to watch the boy head up into that dingy apartment building with the broken windows in the worst part of town. But he would, just to make sure that Yugi made it in alright. For a brief moment as the King of Games slipped out of his car, he wondered if sending a security camera drone might be a good idea before swiftly shoving that back down— that would definitely be a breach of privacy and boundaries.

"You don't have anything to apologize for. You are owed the chance to say the things you need to say. I didn't give you that," he replied, giving Yugi a little nod as he started the car back up. It was going to be an incredibly long night for the CEO; he was sure he was going to spend most of it trying to find some way to offer Yugi support that wouldn't be inappropriate or overstepping. "The likelihood is high that we will see each other again, what with you working in my favourite department. Forty-second is, objectively, the best floor. Aside from mine. Take care of yourself, Yugi. You know how to find me if you need me."

Of course, Seto had no plans of going into the office to work for the next few days. He could work at his home office just fine at the manor. In any case, he needed to get Yugi out of his direct line of sight at this point before he continued to get emotional. "Have a good night."

"Goodnight, Seto," Yugi replied before closing the car door and turning to head into the building. He honestly probably should have had Seto dropped him off a couple blocks down the road. The incredibly fancy and expensive car definitely was drawing attention. But he just tried to keep his head down as he began climbing the stairs.

When he got inside the apartment and flicked on the light, he hoped that would be a good enough signal to the other that he had made it inside alright. He didn't have it in him to look out the window to see. All he could manage was navigating around old takeaway bags and bottles to pluck a half full plastic bottle of vodka from his counter, which he took with him to collapse on the couch.

He got about a third of the way through what was left in the bottle before he actually started to feel any better. Once the warmth of the cheap liquor settled in, he found himself following a backlog of text messages. There weren't all that many. The bulk of them were from the week of their break-up. After that there were only birthday and Christmas messages, besides one message in which Seto had asked if they could talk, which was from just after he had been hired at KaibaCorp.

He let out a sigh and decided that he was not ready yet for the voicemails, which had to be painful to listen to, based on the timestamps that they were almost all from the night of their break-up. He tossed the phone to the side and as he finished his drink, he wondered if he should have just kept his distance.

[x-heartofthecards-x]

@screwtherules

In contrast, Seto completely deflated when all of his potential offers to help were turned down. He had initially opened his mouth to interrupt try and argue, but the words were stopped before he could utter a word. He watched Yugi unblock his number and immediately he felt embarrassed and stupid.

Of course Yugi had blocked his number. He hadn’t even thought it was in the realm of possibility— he thought that Yugi was just ignoring him. That all those calls and voicemails and texts didn’t even get to him. He hoped, now, that the boy would just delete them without reading or listening to them.

“Ah. I, ah… Thought you changed your number,” Seto replied, straightening up and flicking his eyes back up to the building. “But… Alright. Just, please. Promise me that if you get into trouble, or if you need anything, you will call me. And… Yeah. I will do the same. Or, memes, I guess.”

The man sighed and brought his hands up to rub the back of his neck, clicking his tongue in thought as he did his best to settle his nerves and soothe out not just the tension, but hopefully the rest of his tumultuous emotions. “Thank you for letting me drive you home. And talking to me.”

Yugi could only shrug as Seto commented that he had thought his number had changed. He didn’t have any guilt surrounding blocking the man. They had broken up and he had needed the space. But there was absolutely zero chance that he would not be reading every message and listening to the voice mails that came through. Of course, he would do that later. 

As he straightened up, he replied, “No, it is the same number.” The shorter man let out a sigh and added, “I will. Or, at least, I will try to reach out.”

As he opened the door and stepped out of the car, Yugi leaned down enough to look in and say, “Thank you for the ride, Seto. Again, I’m sorry for fighting with you tonight. Maybe I’ll see you around sometime.”

[x-heartofthecards-x]

@screwtherules

Seto was thankful for the moments of silence and for Yugi’s voice finding a softer timbre than he’d had before. Even the attempt at humour was enough to keep the man from going into a full-blown panic attack. It helped his shoulders to deflate, his expression settling, frustration and anger slipping away to reveal the worry that lay beneath. He shook his head and pulled up onto the curb outside the apartment building.

“And your best is always incredible. It’s you. There’s nothing you could do that wouldn’t be incredible. And I know that you are managing and that you are fully and completely capable of improving things on your own. But I could help you manage better. Let me do something for you, anything,” he said, putting the car in park but keeping the doors locked. Yugi could still get out, of course. He wasn’t about to trap the boy or something psychotic like that.

“Is there anything you’d accept from me? No strings. At least, no strings that you don’t want. I could rent you an apartment. Buy the game shop back. In your name, of course. Give you the deed. A lump sum to do with what you want and need. A security detail or a raise or groceries delivered every week. If you don’t want me to spend any money on you, that’s fine, I don’t have to. Just… Christ, Yugi. Let me do something. You can’t live here.”

The man turned his head to look at Yugi properly, one hand coming up to brush through his hair from bangs to crown. “I am trying very hard to not be in complete distress at the thought of you living like this. You deserve… To live like a goddamn king. This? I hate this. And I know that is selfish, and I know that is making this about me and not you. I just don’t know what else to do here.”

The way that Kaiba began to spiral, practically begging him to accept his help was partially endearing, but also so tiring. While he had clearly tried to butter him up with that string of compliments, it was clear that Seto didn't approve and definitely looked down on the life that he was able to secure for himself.

The offers were gracious. Generous. Kind. They were all of the things that Yugi knew that Seto Kaiba could be once a person had managed to chip their way through the man's emotional walls which might as well be made of steel, which he had definitely done.

He looked to the CEO and let out a soft sigh as he said, "I can't ask you for anything, Seto. What you are offering is really sweet and I get it. But it isn't your problem. But what I can do—"

The smaller man shifted to tug his phone out of his pocket, swiping his thumb across the cracked screen before navigating down to his contacts. He opened up his list of blocked contacts and tilted his phone just enough for Seto to be able to see him unblocking the man's contact (at which point a backlog of about half a dozen messages began chiming through).

Yugi didn't check any of these, simply turning off the screen and slipping the device back into his pocket as he said, "If I need a rescue, I'll send a signal. And if you need a rescue, you can send one too. Or like… really good memes, or whatever."

[x-heartofthecards-x]

@screwtherules

“I don’t have to do anything. I’m Seto fucking Kaiba,” the man replied, his knuckles whitening in his grip on the steering wheel as they came closer to the area of town the boy lived in. Quite far from the old shop. He could already spot people dealing on the corners.

“I do worry. I am worried. You look like hell, you live in the seediest part of Domino, you haven’t had a chance to grieve your grandfather because you’ve been so stressed about money— don’t argue, I can see it on your face. You’re pale. You applied for a shitty entry level job at my company that you are overqualified for and it is only because I managed to catch your resume that you’re in game testing and not on janitorial.”

At this point, Seto knew he was ranting. But at this point, he couldn’t seem to stop himself. Once again.

So much for poise and self-control. Dignity. But in a way he figured that Yugi might actually appreciate it, rather than his generally cold and unfeeling self. Especially the self he was just prior to the breakup.

He could feel his voice growing louder, more strained, the more he spoke. It was like a damn freight train and at a certain point there was no hope of stopping it before it crashed. “You deserve better than this. Whatever you think you’re punishing yourself for, or just trying to keep your head above water— I can help. I am happy to help. Whether that means you never want to see me again or not. God damn it, Yugi, I can’t take you home and drop you off in a place like this. Christ. Half the windows are busted out.”

The way that Seto's voice raised in pitch and passion had Yugi's brow rising upward. It was not typical for Seto to lose his cool. Not like this, at least. In over the top near villain dialoguing, sure. But not in this protective kind of anger.

It had been a very long time since he had seen the man get heated. Even when they were breaking up. Sure, the man had been sad and had, definitely, begged him not to go. But this passion had definitely been long gone back then. It was nice to see.

Yugi let his feet slip off of the dashboard to drop down in front of him. He glanced back out the window toward his building as it came into view and he said with the slightest hints of humour, "It isn't that bad, Seto. I mean, only one of my windows is busted. It is pretty high up, so it is hard to hit with rocks or stray bullets."

The shorter man looked up at his companion, his ex boyfriend, and he let out a sigh. Really, he knew that Seto was right in a lot of ways. He knew that he needed help and that the worry was justified. He tapped his fingers across knees as he said, "I haven't had many problems here, really. I do know that I look like hell and it isn't a great area. But I am doing the best I can. This is what I can manage."