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merryfortune · 1 month ago

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Head ✖ Heart ✖ Hands

Written for the 5th Vrains Finale Anniversary + the Rarest of Rare Pairs Fic-a-Thon

Prompt: Any, Any/Any/Any, heart + brain + hands

Title: Head ✖ Heart ✖ Hands

Ship: Saviorshipping | Ryoken/Spectre/Yusaku

Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS

Rating: T

Warning: None

Word Count: 4,580

Tags: Eventual Polyamory, Canon Retelling, Canonical Character Death, Missing Scene

“So what are the other victims like?” Takeru asked. “Do you know?”

It was an understandable question. Yusaku had wondered that himself after all.

“Aside from you, I’ve met two others.” Yusaku replied.

“I see. I bet one’s Kusanagi’s little brother, yeah?” Takeru guessed.

“Yeah. I met Jin briefly. Kusanagi took me to the facility where he lives and gets help. He’s a little shy but I can tell he’s a gentle soul underneath it all. We didn’t talk much but it wasn’t an uncomfortable silence. I didn’t say anything but I think he knew instinctively who I was - or Kusanagi told him advance but not me. Who knows.” Yusaku said. “I remember a nurse walked by and dropped a pen, he was straight up to pick it up for her and she remarked that was something he did all the time, that he loves to be helpful.”

“Ah. Neat.” Takeru replied.

“But um… I have met one other victim.” Yusaku replied.

It was here that he started to get cold feet as he saw flashes of Spectre’s face on the back of his eyelids when he blinked. His face was twisted and gruesome in his vile happiness. Yusaku’s stomach knotted and he licked his lips. His pause made Takeru glance his way and Yusaku finally piped up.

“I don’t know his real name for sure but I duelled him.” Yusaku said. “He goes by Spectre. I imagine that he goes by it offline but I have no idea. I’ve never met him face to face like this, only in the VRAINS.”

“Spectre?” Takeru shuddered. “What a creepy name. What’s he like?”

“Insane.” Yusaku blurted out without thinking.

Takeru laughed.

“He, uh, he’s a bit different to you and I, or even Jin. He’s not someone I thought could exist but he very much does. I think he lives here in Den City but I’m not sure.” Yusaku replied. “He plays a deck called Sunavalon, it’s a protect the castle style strategy which collapses if you can neutralise his centrepiece monsters, of which he has four. They’re all evolutions of each other, the same tree growing bigger and bigger.”

“And stronger and stronger?” Takeru rolled his eyes.

“Not really.” Yusaku replied. “Most his Monsters have zero attack, including his aces. His main beater can get up to four thousand but starts on the board with eight hundred.” He recalled.

“I see. So why’d you duel him?” Takeru asked. “You don’t look like you duel for fun. I sure as hell don’t.”

“Oh, I forgot. I got caught up in his… everything else. He’s the second-in-command of the Knights of Hanoi.” Yusaku replied. “I also believe he’s legally dead?”

“What?!” Takeru exclaimed. “Start with that first, not the intricacies of his deck.”

“Sorry! It's important!” Yusaku sputtered back. He sighed and twisted around in his office chair. He did some typing on his keyboard and got an obituary up. He had it in his favourites for a reason so it wasn’t too hard to find. He stared at it as he folded his arms. “He’s an orphan and, um, has some out of the ordinary beliefs about family. That’s why I got caught up in his deck, it’s his way of, like, playing dolls but with family members.”

“He sounds like a freak.” Takeru said and he got off Yusaku’s bed and came closer.

Yusaku chuckled darkly, “Oh, you have no idea. I’m giving you the abridged version. Anyways come look at this.”

Yusaku indicated his computer’s screen and Takeru began reading off it. He muttered each word under his breath as he read the obituary of a little boy whose body had never been found.

“After the Incident, he didn’t have anywhere else to go. His one safe space was taken from him, he didn’t feel at home at the Orphanage and so, he walked himself straight back to where he was originally taken from: the place where the Incident was held. There, the Knights of Hanoi’s leader found him and took him in.”

“What the fuck?” Takeru exclaimed. “And you think this is him?”

“Location, story, and even appearance lines up.” Yusaku shrugged. “If I’m wrong, I’m wrong. That's why I'm not saying anything definitive. Anyways, the last thing you need to know about Spectre is… He enjoyed the Incident.”

Takeru paused, or more accurately: short-circuited. “Pardon? Come again?”

“Yeah…” Yusaku shrugged. “He said he enjoyed the Incident and based on how he duels, I don’t think he was lying. He also duelled Aoi and I asked about him from here but she clammed up on anything useful but carried on about other things. Called him all sorts of names under the sun, he humiliated her from the sounds of things. Lied, manipulated but conversely, with me, he was very honest.”

He stopped himself there, from calling Spectre a kindred spirit and hence the honesty in their duel together and he was glad because Takeru’s face twisted. He turned scared and underneath that, he turned angry.

“What the fuck. I hope I never meet him.” Takeru snarled.

Yusaku didn’t have anything to say to that. He was quiet but oddly cut. He didn’t know why but he felt protective of Spectre. He shouldn't have been. He understood that visceral gut disgust well but he was still one of them and that had to count for something. Even if he was nothing like Jin or Takeru or himself, he was still another victim of the Incident and that was enough to stir Yusaku’s defensive nature.

But Takeru was free to feel however he wanted about Spectre based on the information about him that Yusaku had provided. It wasn’t enough for a full picture. Yusaku would know.

In between now and having stopped the destruction of the Tower of Hanoi, Yusaku might have gone digging in rabbit holes. How could he not? They were a tiny cohort of six yet they didn't know each other. Besides, Spectre had given him enough to try and do some looking after all. Assuming he was telling the truth and based on what Yusaku had found, he was willing to give Spectre the benefit of the doubt that he was despite the unsavoury nature he displayed.

With enough searching, Yusaku had found a ten year old obituary for an orphaned six year old boy in the area who had gone missing for a stint before he was ultimately declared deceased. But it was the photo which drove the nail into the coffin for Yusaku. The resemblance between the Spectre he met in the Link VRAINS and the grainy photo of this boy was striking. No wonder Spectre felt no need to hide his identity under a mask or an avatar like his comrades, he didn’t need to when his identity was already cremated for him.

So with this article found, Yusaku decided it would be handy to keep in a shortcut and even made a copy of it for himself should the website go down. Clearly that was a good decision now that he could bring Spectre up with someone but that someone didn’t seem to get it.

Though what that “it” was, Yusaku wasn’t sure yet. Kindred spirits. For that guy? The thought of it nauseated Yusaku. Spectre was a freak. He was a creep. It wasn’t just some slip of the tongue that Yusaku had called him insane at the first prompt. But he couldn’t deny: when he pored over his memories of that fight, there was some kind of connection between them. Warped and distorted as it was.

Yusaku’s internal monologue on the subject that was the anomaly of Spectre ended when Ai and Flame returned from the Link VRAINS. They popped up and out of the computer with no news of the other Ignis and their whereabouts. Whatever was stirring on the horizon, with the kidnapping of Jin, was going to have to arrive at its own time as information was thin.

Brick by brick, thread by thread, they did learn more and more about what machinations were on-going and at odds with one another. Though what stuck out in Yusaku’s mind was Earth.

Earth was a good fellow, Yusaku thought. He had his heart in the right place, not all of the Ignis had that, after all.

As such, it hurt to think about what had happened to him. He didn’t deserve any of that. He also confused Yusaku in that he was uncertain how he ended up inside of Bohman. Maybe it was a result of the Neuron Network, maybe there was an unknown weakness in the SOL Tech’s security. It didn’t really matter because the outcome was the same. It's not like Yusaku could go back in time and save him from that.

Earth had been dissected - and desecrated - by humankind. A fate which would have sealed any possible affection for humans though having Spectre as an Origin likely wouldn’t have helped either. His will only bent one way over the other due to his protective nature becoming inflamed by injustice unto Aqua.

Still, the Earth-Spectre connection played on his mind. He had seen it as soon as he saw it. The way Earth turned a fallen log into his glorified podium confirmed it in an instant in Yusaku’s mind. Then seeing Earth’s duel, it was akin to a portal into a more beautiful world where duelling could be fun. For that, Yusaku had to pay his dues to Earth but it did make him ponder what if…

Would Earth’s sense of justice turned the other way like a weather vane had he met Spectre? Or would that have happened to Spectre. Would he have jumped ship if it meant that his Ignis could have lived a little longer, a little more peacefully. It was hard to say.

Especially since the snarl in Spectre’s voice stuck in his head. During his duel with Lightning, he mentioned Earth exactly once. His allegiances were clear, firmly in the grasp of the Knights of Hanoi, yet there was still that vulnerability, that gap in his armour so easily overlooked. It seemed that Ai hadn’t heard - or elected to hear - what Spectre had to say about Earth.

Yusaku couldn’t fault him for that, of course. For a while, Yusaku had disdain for Spectre. Hatred. Even jealousy. Part of it stemmed from the poor impression that Spectre left of him, of course, but another part of it was…

Ten whole years.

Yusaku had searched for Ryoken for ten whole years. Spectre just happened to be at the right place at the right time - though describing it as such for Yusaku disgusted him. That place, those white rooms of torture, were very much not the right place and not the right time for him. So, he felt as though he were a shackle for Ryoken. A reason he couldn’t move forward, into the light, into a more normal life.

Eventually, however, it dawned on Yusaku that what right did he have to tear Spectre out of the picture?

All because he wanted to monopolise Ryoken, that was selfish of him. He had built up such a fairy tale over the years, of what Ryoken’s circumstances looked like to him and that discoloured his perception of what was already in front of him as possibility. He saw now that that belittled his other connections. All of them, even the ones that he had tried to keep at arm’s length at first, like with Kusanagi.

It had even been rude of him to push Kusanagi away. Kusanagi was his first, real ally. In the flesh and online. To think of how he treated Shoichi, Yusaku wasn’t proud of that and so, he saw a parallel in discounting Spectre’s loyalty to Ryoken. He must have some good qualities if Ryoken was going to keep him around.

That’s why he started digging in Spectre’s past in the first place. He wanted to see at least a little bit of what Ryoken saw in him. Maybe that would bring him closer to Ryoken, too, if he could figure out some way towards peace that placated every side. The Knights, the Ignis, his own.

First chance he got, Yusaku vowed that he would try to make more moves towards mediation. Towards getting to know the real Spectre. Not just the one that he had met in the duel in the shadow of the Tower of Hanoi but in other ways. Like the possibility of if the Ignis could come back.

Ai had twice after all. Maybe he could pull off the hat trick and bring them all back but it didn’t seem like he had much left in his engine.

Ai’s depression was getting worrisome. Understandable, though. He had lost his family, his fellow Ignis. Yusaku couldn’t begin to fathom what that despair must be like as the Incident had burned away his memories in his mind so if he had anything like that, he didn’t remember. The best he could do was be sympathetic and let Ai mourn in the way that he saw fit which was, just like his Origin in this manner, isolation. So, Yusaku gave him space even though there was a whisper at the back of his mind telling him that was a bad idea.

In the meantime, Yusaku scraped by on what he could. He supported Takeru through his grief, too, regarding Flame, even Aoi with Aqua. Though in the back of his mind, he thought of Spectre, too. Jin and Windy’s Origin were more nebulous due to them possibly being better off without their Ignis but Yusaku wasn’t certain he wanted to subscribe to that. The idea of Lightning and Windy being fully beyond redemption wounded him but until their Origins were in a better state of mind, Yusaku figured he better not touch those ideas. It was too soon. Now was a time of licking wounds.

That was a lot to put on his own plate, though, but Yusaku was a glutton for punishment in rain or shine. Especially when he finally got that opportunity to touch base with the Knights of Hanoi again in the flesh.

It was the middle of the afternoon - all azure skies and fluffy white clouds - when his favourite customer came to visit them at Cafe Nagi.

Ryoken came down the bend. Alone. Like usual. But Yusaku watched with eyes which burned with inquisitiveness. The lunch rush had been about twenty minutes ago and he knew Ryoken’s order like the back of his hand - surprising him yet, not at all. It miffed him just enough to change something up, he would have tomato sauce on his fries this time, too, not plain. He had to at least feel like he had an edge of unpredictability.

Once his food was cooked, it was all business underneath the greasy smell of it.

“Where’s Spectre?” Yusaku asked. “Is he okay?”

Ryoken was taken aback by Yusaku’s question as he reached up to accept his bag of fast food.

“He only eats rabbit food.” Ryoken said. “But, he’s doing fine. Why do you ask?” His brow furrowed as his acceptance of his food turned into a rude and standoffish snatch.

“Just curious.” Yusaku shrugged. He didn’t seem offended by Ryoken’s gesture, though.

“You are never “just” curious, Playmaker. You and I both know that. What’s the angle?” Ryoken asked.

Yusaku pouted. “I really am just curious.” he insisted. “He’s another victim of the Incident, he suffered quite the loss to Lightning and, well, with Earth. I can’t help but wonder.”

Ryoken sighed and pointed to his head. His tattoo glinted in the sunshine. It always had an unusual sheen to it, like it was less ink and more silicon. “He doesn’t think like us normal people.” Ryoken said. “So don’t worry about him. He’s resilient, he bounces back and with a smile.”

“Yeah…” Yusaku chewed on his reply. His stomach turned.

Ryoken’s demeanour softened. “I appreciate that you are concerned.”

Yusaku’s eyes widened.

“Aside from myself and the Lieutenants, it is fair to say no one else in this world cares about him.” Ryoken professed. “So, thank you. I’m not surprised though, I figured you would eventually realise that you and him are a lot alike.”

“What, no?” Yusaku argued. “I’m nothing at all like him.”

“I know you are capable of better lies, Yusaku.” Ryoken chided him, even wagging a finger at him. “Well, I’m sure with your other talents, you can track down information on him from before his “happy times” - unless you already have and have hit the inevitable brick wall.”

“Well judged.” Yusaku praised him.

Ryoken gathered up his food under his arm and made it obvious in his body language, he wanted to go. His hot dog and fries were getting cold. Yusaku felt a lump in his throat.

“I’d like to see him more often, if possible.” Yusaku said. “I want to test your judgement of character in person.”

“You can make it sound less stilted, you know.” Ryoken said. “We can be friends. We can be…”

More.

His voice trailed off.

They both knew how deep Yusaku’s feelings ran for Ryoken - and he wasn’t the only one who felt that way. Spectre, too, of course. Yusaku still had to scrub his hands anytime Spectre’s voice rattled off his line about Ryoken being his “one true master” but whether or not it was disgust, jealousy, or arousal remained to be seen. Hence Ryoken’s courteous silence. His way of demonstrating that his head was caught between two blades of swords, that of Decode Talker and that of Sunvine Thrasher.

See? More alike than they would admit.

“Well,” Ryoken said, licking his lips and already tasting salt, “he already likes you quite a bit. I’m sure if he knew you were asking about him, he would be flattered. If not, I’ll drag him by the ear to satisfy you.”

“Thank you.” Yusaku replied.

Though, he had a suspicion that he was not going to know when. He was fine with that, however. He would wait for whenever the ghost was ready to haunt him. He wasn’t superstitious like Takeru but there were probably rules about that.

Yusaku nodded his head and farewelled Ryoken. Ryoken waved him off.

And that was that. At least for a little while.

That little wasn’t entirely inaccurate. Yusaku saw glimpses of Spectre here and there as disastrous things continued to happen around him. Ai put Spectre through the wringer but alongside his comrades, not his assignment to accompany Ghost Girl and Blood Shepherd. His abandonment of his post stuck out in Yusaku’s mind as oddly honourable for someone as lily-livered as Spectre.

It was a hell of a lot more courageous than what Yusaku would pull in the aftermath of his duel with Ai, anyway.

Three. Whole. Months. That’s how long he ran away to be all by himself in his own maddening grief. He couldn’t go on without the partner that he had in Ai. He couldn’t let go. He was running on fumes and he came out worse for wear but it was worth it in the end. Every minute, hour, and day that he dedicated to hunting down proof that the internet was forever, it was absolutely worth it in the end and as a result…

A new gale blew.

One which was felt by everyone connected to him, near or far. Whether it was Brave Max or Soulburner, Aoi and Kusanagi, or even Revolver and Spectre, it seemed. His life had touched others. Even though he never wound up feeling like a hero, like someone was worth the time of day inside or outside the Link VRAINS despite how he protected it time and time again.

Still, he was starting to look into that zephyr and see what others saw in him. He was accepted back into his old life with open arms but it wasn’t just his old life. It was a new start. Some of it was bad as he had to restart his grade at high school and he had to find new accommodation but everything else was a new opportunity to start anew. To grasp his connections and never let go this time.

Shortly after this miraculous return, it didn’t take long before his path crossed with the people he had wanted to see most in the flesh. It was all too familiar of a scene. He was flipping frankfurters on a grill, thinking about algebra homework and listening to Kusanagi sing along to the radio after his breath when he looked up and saw a certain pair of people.

Yusaku’s heart genuinely seized when he saw two figures walk out of the sunset, from down the hill, and into the shade so they came into view. Ryoken… and Spectre. Just like he asked. He ripped his apron off and Kusanagi let him have the early mark. It had been slow this afternoon and it was a random Wednesday in the middle of the month, it was highly unlikely that there was going to be a dinner rush.

Yusaku linked up with them both and Ryoken laughed at his puppyish demeanour. Spectre rolled his eyes but all three of them found a place down along the fencing over the cliffside where they could see the ocean. The sun was slowly being eaten up by it, it was hard to see but easier than facing each other.

After all, they really ought to be at odds with one another rather than co-existing factions teamed-up towards mutual goals. Yusaku was still Playmaker, underneath his skin and in his head, and they were still the leader and second-in-command of the Knights of Hanoi respectively. That made them enemies but Yusaku had olive branches on his mind.

“You are an elusive man, Spectre.” Yusaku commented to break the ice.

“Am I now?” Spectre airily replied. “The same could be said about you.”

Ryoken snickered. True on both counts, as far as he was concerned but he knew they would both bow to him if refereed but until that was necessary, he tried to keep his opinions to himself. He rested himself against the fence, laced his hands over it and he made some effort to hide the insignia on his right hand.

“So. Here we are.” Yusaku continued.

“Three assholes in a public place.” Ryoken piped up.

Spectre glared at Ryoken for that one but chose to ignore it, “I’m a very busy person, Yusaku, I imagine there’s something you want to discuss.” He turned around to face away from the sunset and into the park. Figures.

“I guess there is something.” Yusaku supposed. “As I’m sure you are both aware, I’m back and as is Ai.”

“Yes, we are well aware.” Ryoken said.

“That means I have a long list of five other Ignis I would like to search for and bring back. Is that okay?” Yusaku said.

“I imagine you would go ahead with this plan of yours regardless of if you had our blessing or not.” Ryoken sighed harshly.

“True.” Yusaku replied.

He checked on Spectre out of the corner of his eye. He looked… afraid. Afraid to be hopeful, that is. His expression was caught off-guard, in between worlds, duties, emotions. Vulnerable, actually. That probably encapsulated everything and how he was getting so caught on his words, he couldn’t speak. Instead, he merely parted his lips and met Yusaku’s eyes in the periphery.

“I would like to start with Earth. Or maybe Aqua. I think it’s a travesty that they never got to meet their Origins face-to-face.” Yusaku said and gently added, “I think Earth is a lot like you, you know.”

“I see.” Spectre said.

“Don’t be guarded. You can say thank you, I don’t mind.” Ryoken corrected him. “We, the Knights of Hanoi, are turning over a new leaf, you, of all people, should know that best.”

“Ah. Okay.” Spectre said, a little surprised, “thank you, Yusaku. Thank you, too, Ryoken-sama.”

Ryoken reached out and he touched Spectre’s shoulder. He gave it a rub, the feeling of his hand sinking into the fabric of Spectre’s blazer grounded him. He smiled a small smile.

Yusaku, meanwhile, began to think aloud, “You saw Earth’s duel against Onizuka, correct? Then you saw his playstyle, how it centres on protecting his G-Golem Crystal Heart, an avatar of the one most precious to him. It reminds me of yours but even his other habits. He saw personhood in a fallen log, for example.”

“Mm,” Spectre agreed heavily, “when he passed away, it felt as though I had a hole in my heart. I don’t think bringing him back would necessarily mend it but it couldn’t hurt.”

“Agreed.” Yusaku said. “Having Ai back doesn’t fix everything for me but having him back has made me more courageous. When I lost him, I lost everything again. I isolated, I ran away, I became like a child again but with him back, it inspired me to reach out. Including you.”

“If I didn’t know any better, I would say you were trying to seduce me right now.” Spectre teased.

Ryoken grunted and made a half-hearted gesture with his hand.

Spectre turned his head and gave him a funny look.

“Yusaku has good memory. He’s not about to forget that it’s obvious to him how we both feel about each other.” Ryoken pointed out. “And don’t you feel the same way?”

Spectre sputtered, getting nowhere fast but it’s not like this was being sprung on him out of the blue. He had proudly proclaimed, after all, to have watched Revolver and Playmaker’s final duel which resulted in the neutralisation of the Tower of Hanoi over a hundred times.

“You were the first member of the Incident’s child cohort that I met. You made quite the impact on me and I learned from it. You made me think about things I didn’t think were possible.” Yusaku said. “Ryoken is my three reasons why, my reason for going and to search for the truth. He means a lot to me and he means a lot to you. We have that in common at the very least.”

“Heh.” Spectre laughed through gritted teeth. “I must admit. Though I thought you were a weirdo at first-”

Yusaku guffawed. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

“But you are a charming weirdo.” Spectre finished his sentence. He sounded like butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth.

Yusaku huffed and Ryoken made an amused noise. Ryoken, for one, could get used to it. Even if his responsibility just doubled. There were bound to be teething issues, they were still getting to know one another in this kind of way.

So, Yusaku settled and let his hackles lower. He bit his tongue as he contended with the realisation that that was just Spectre’s humour and way of riling him up for entertainment. He was probably going to have to get used to that if he was going to make this work.

Admittedly, he didn’t know what “it” was. Look at them, they weren’t exactly touchy-feely or overly grandiose with explaining and sharing elaborate emotions. He liked how Ryoken put it. They really were three assholes in a public place but it was more than just that. It was connection. It was… to love people. Thus, it settled in his mind, in Ryoken’s hands, and even in Spectre's heart.

#saviorshipping #yugioh vrains #vrains #yugioh #fujiki yusaku #kogami ryoken #spectre (vrains)#writing tag #Head ✖ Heart ✖ Hands #rarest of rare pairs ficathon

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merryfortune · 1 year ago

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this is technically fanart of I fic I wrote and will be posting later today c:

#art tag #yugioh vrains #vrains #yugioh #spectre (vrains)#ryoken kogami #kogami ryoken #yusaku fujiki #fujiki yusaku #saviorshipping #hey merry is this a normal fic that your posting since this is very cute?#:)))))))))))))))))))))))))))

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merryfortune · 2 years ago

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We Rolled More Kindly This Time in the Game of Life (Part 1)

Written for Multiamory March 2023

Day 3: Games

Title: We Rolled More Kindly This Time in the Game of Life (Part 1)

Ship: (eventual) Saviorshipping | Ryoken/Spectre/Yusaku

Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh! Vrains

Rating: G

Word Count: 2,031

Tags: Alternate Universe - No Lost Incident, Pre-Canon, Meet Cute, Childhood Friends, Puppy Love, Fluff, Crushes, Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts

Fujiki Yusaku had known his best friend, Kogami Ryoken of the year and class above him, for all of six months but if there was one thing he knew, extremely well about Ryoken, it was his proclivity for finding people.

Yusaku would describe Ryoken as friendly. He seemed really popular in his own class and he didn’t mind if he got pecked at for hanging out with Yusaku who was in the kindergarten year below him however. Despite this popularity and sociability, Ryoken didn’t seem to have very many close friends. Nope. Just Yusaku in fact.

That was until just now, in what felt like a rewind of six months ago.

Six months ago, Yusaku had only just moved to Den City with his parents. It had been very busy. Hustling and bustling to get moving and Yusaku was really excited about it. Den City was a big place and he wanted to go out and explore it. He was allowed to, as long as he was back around sunset or as the street lights turn on. It was a good, safe city his parents said and one Yusaku thought was full of adventures to be had.

And he did have plenty of them. He quickly sussed out the closest parks and met a lot of children his own age there. He played with them, there was one boy who liked soccer and another, bigger boy who liked to arm wrestle. Yusaku had a lot of fun meeting these different children, some of them, he learned, would be going to the same school as him, others not so much but lived in the neighbourhood.

It was all very exciting, so exciting that Yusaku hardly noticed as the blue sky began to turn orange, until someone pointed it out and he was going to be in so much trouble if he didn’t get home on time so bye! See ya Monday!

Yusaku raced off.

He felt like he was zooming as he retraced his steps to go back home. He was flying as he ran, faster than the wind until thump!

Yusaku was not looking where he was going and so, collided with someone about his own age. Maybe a year or two older, just slightly taller than him and in this collision, they had both landed on their bums and the other boy, he had dropped the library books he had been holding.

“I’m so sorry.” Yusaku said, quick and flustered. “Let me help.” They both clamoured to pick up the three books that had been scattered on the ground.

“Thank you, I know it was an accident.” the other boy said with a placid smile as he accepted one of his books back from Yusaku.

Yusaku felt his heart… do something weird in his chest. This boy’s smile was really pretty. So were his pale blue eyes. And his fluffy white hair. Yusaku felt his cheeks burn but to distract himself, he let his eyes dart around and he realised something.

This part of the neighbourhood… It was really unfamiliar to him. Yusaku paused and he felt panic rise inside his small body. He had not been retracing his steps to get home. He had taken a wrong turn somewhere for sure. Yusaku began to grimace in his alarm.

“Are you okay?” the boy asked.

“I-I, um, think I’m lost.” Yusaku admitted.

“Oh dear…” the boy murmured. “Where are you from? I’m Kogami Ryoken and I know these streets very well so maybe I can help.”

Yusaku’s frown was immediately turned upside down by that. “I’m Fujiki Yusaku, I only moved to Den City today.” He replied and he rattled off his prior address and then his current address. Good thing his Mother hadn’t let him leave the apartment until he could recite it perfectly.

“I see, don’t worry, that’s not too far from here.” Ryoken said. “I’ll take you home.”

Yusaku smiled big and wide in his gratitude. Together, Ryoken was able to turn Yusaku around and deliver him straight to the front door of his family’s apartment. He was all too thrilled to introduce Ryoken to his mother, as well. Already, he could tell this was the beginning of something special.

Even if it was fleeting. It was getting late and Ryoken was on his own way home from the library before encountering Yusaku, so he had to get home as well. But given it was a bit too dark out, Ryoken stayed a little longer whilst he waited for his Father to come pick up - Yusaku’s Mother had rung him. In that little extra time they had together, Yusaku learned they went to the same school and other things like that.

He couldn’t wait. He was still all bouncy smiles as he said goodbye to Ryoken and his Father when he had arrived.

When Monday came, Yusaku was quick to find his friend again and he really had been right. It really was the start to something special. They were fast friends and soon enough thick as thieves. He cherished their bond. It was them against the world and it was because of that he wasn’t worried at all when Ryoken introduced this other boy to him.

This other boy did not go to their school. He didn’t have parents, either. He was an orphan and he preferred to go by his self-appointed nickname. Of which, that was the only thing Yusaku found weird about him. Even if he did wear muddy pants and had clearly been crying recently. Those should have twigged more about what was weird about this boy as Ryoken explained how they had met. All of twenty minutes ago.

“This is Spectre and its good to meet him, right?” Ryoken cheerily said.

“Yup, good to meet you, Spectre. I’m Yusaku.” Yusaku replied.

The boy he grimaced. He had big blue eyes which reminded Yusaku of those old-timey, super expensive glass-eyed dolls. He had short cropped, blondie-grey hair and a sloped nose. He wore clothes that Yusaku thought looked like hand me downs, a faded jacket and again, the mud stains were pretty obvious on him as well.

“And I was on my way home when it started to rain,” Ryoken said, he spoke animatedly, though with only one hand as the other boy held onto it, “when I saw him sitting under a tree crying. I couldn’t leave him be, especially when he said he didn’t wanna go home. So I thought he could come here.”

Yusaku listened intently. It was meant to be him and Ryoken tonight for this sleepover but now they had this third. But he really didn’t mind. The more the merrier, surely, but Spectre clearly did not think the same. He was not so thrilled that Yusaku was here at Ryoken’s big, grand house like a fairy tale castle set in minimalism and glass.

This Spectre boy, he seemed determined to have a not very good time. Not even when Ryoken had brought out his favourite game to play: he had been really into Duel Monsters lately and Yusaku liked them too. Spectre wasn’t fussed. It being a two-player game didn’t help but he did like to watch. He seemed really impressed whenever Ryoken was on a roll with his summons or attacks.

Though overall he seemed like a sourpuss. A really clingy sourpuss. He was always sitting close to Ryoken, even when Yusaku wasn’t. And again. He wasn’t really interested in playing, either, but sometimes spoke up about what he did enjoy; he liked reading books.

As it got closer to dinner, it was becoming increasingly apparent he really didn’t want to go home. Ryoken’s Father had tried to push him out since Spectre was very much not here on anyone’s permission but his Father’s assistants, who were more like two uncles and an aunt to Ryoken because of their closeness, managed to placate Kiyoshi. What was one more kid? They’d do the ringing around to where he was from so for now he could stay. They had plenty to eat after all, what was one more mouth at a sleepover?

Very well.

And so, Spectre was allowed to stay a little longer, until morning, just like Yusaku. He borrowed Ryoken’s clothes to change out of his muddy day clothes and since it was already a party, they didn’t worry about him brushing his teeth. They were staying up late and snacking anyway. Even long after their dinner of hamburgers.

That’s when Yusaku realised something about Spectre. Though he pointedly didn’t talk much about himself, happier to nod along to whatever Ryoken was talking about or scowling whenever it was Yusaku’s turn, he did notice something about him.

They had something in common.

All three of them were sleeping on the floor of Ryoken’s room. It was lucky they had an extra sleeping bag for Spectre but it was adult sized so he was swimming in its fabric but he didn’t seem to mind. He was huddled underneath it with a bowlful of popcorn, picking from it occasionally as he laid down on his belly. He was staring intently at Ryoken across from him, kind of ignoring Yusaku who was adjacent to him.

If Yusaku didn’t know any better, he would say that Spectre was too excited to sleep. Even if he did look very comfy under the blankets and slinky material of the sleeping bag. And even if Ryoken had already drifted off to sleep. He had his head to his pillow, a little drool seeping out the side of his mouth. Honestly Yusaku was a bit the same.

They had talked and gamed the night away and now it was time to sleep but before he did. He wanted to mention something to the tenaciously wide awake Spectre, so Yusaku turned his head.

“Psst, Spectre, can I ask you something?” he whispered, not wanting to disturb Ryoken - or worse, alert the adults to the fact only one of them had gone to sleep just yet.

Spectre turned his head and frowned. He looked cute when he pouted, Yusaku thought.

“What?” Spectre hissed.

“Ne, tell me,” Yusaku said, procrastinating, “but… you have a crush on Ryoken, don’t you?”

It all sounded very romantic in Yusaku’s six-year-old head. Much the same way his own first meeting with Ryoken had been. But this time, it was in the rain and a lot of Yusaku’s Mum’s J-Dramas had plenty of kissing scenes in the rain so Yusaku could only assume that had to mean something. Same for scenes at sunset, he supposed.

“Wh-What? No.” Spectre denied.

Yusaku giggled like an imp, “It's okay, you can say it, me too.”

Spectre was aghast. Taken aback, gawking with his mouth hanging out. Then he shut it. And buried his face in his arms.

“Okay, yeah, I have a crush on him…” Spectre admitted.

“Cool, then we have something in common then. Ryoken’s so cool. Anyways, we should go to bed, yeah? G’night. See you in the morning.”

And as far as Yusaku was concerned, that was that. Spectre wasn’t quite so convinced. Yusaku smiled as he snuggled under the covers of his own sleeping bag, nuzzling into his floppy pillow. They could be like the three musketeers. Even if Spectre didn’t go to the same school as them, they could play together after school or on weekends. Maybe they could even go to some sort of club together, like a Duel Monsters club.

Spectre huffed and Yusaku heard him flop down. It seemed like he was ready to go to bed at last. That made Yusaku kind of laugh. He tried not to, again, he knew they’d get in trouble if they were too loud but it seems they were heard anyway.

“I like you two a lot, too.” Ryoken piped up, his voice muffled by his pillow.

Yusaku smiled to himself. He blushed and rolled over. He squinted through the darkness of the room and he wondered if Spectre was as flustered as him to have heard that, too. If so, that would be another thing they had in common and that thought made him more than a little giddy.

#multiamorymarch2023 #yugioh vrains #vrains #yugioh #saviorshipping #kogami ryoken #ryoken kogami #fujiki yusaku #yusaku fujiki #spectre (vrains)#writing tag #We Rolled More Kindly This Time in the Game of Life (Part 1)#heads up: part two is not currently written and will be from spectre's pov but the main ship will be lieutenant

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merryfortune · 2 years ago

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This is where it all begins (right here, on the outside looking in)

Written for Multiamory March 2023

Day 17: QPR

Title: This is where it all begins (right here, on the outside looking in)

Ship: not applicable | Ai/Earth/Ryoken/Spectre/Yusaku

Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh! Vrains

Rating: T

Word Count: 1,365

Tags: Not Canon Compliant, Alternate Universe - Everybody Lives/Nobody Dies, Ai & Yusaku, Earth & Spectre, Queerplatonic Relationships, Polyamory Negotiations, Outside POV

Ryoken was never going to get it.

Deep down, he always knew that. He was just an observer. The one looking in. But it had become a lot easier as of late.

The creation of the Ignis had been traumatic for Ryoken to witness. It was treated like a school trip, an excursion. A fun little romp in science and ethics: history was being made in secrecy here.

History just so happened to sound like the screams of electrocuted children and how the Ignis were created either. That wasn’t pretty, either. To see the melding of the organic and inorganic, created from the inside out and from top to bottom. It was all very disturbing and it all haunted Ryoken’s nightmares.

He was a child. What was he doing in that laboratory? What were any of them doing in that laboratory? Either him or the children they were experimenting on. His Father… His Father, Ryoken had come to accept, was not a good man and he was not a man that he had to obey anymore.

Perhaps the most important decree that his Father had made that Ryoken no longer had to adhere to anymore was his rit that the Ignis were to be destroyed.

The very creatures that he had violated ethics and ruined lives for, unsurprisingly from such origins it did seem like they would be bound for destruction. They would kill their very creators and wreak havoc on the world around them, causing armageddon or various other catastrophes that would end humanity.

Knowing that, it did seem noble to destroy what had been created but they had allies. They had people who fought for them and their true nature was revealed.

They were more like the children they had studied from, they just wanted to be hugged and loved and nurtured. Not put into little tanks with only themselves and agony. They wanted to grow up well, not remain stagnant or menial.

Ryoken could see now the bonds that the Origins and the Ignis had between each other. It was psychic. It was soulful. It was powerful and it was all consuming. He was just glad that, although it had taken more than ten years, they were finally at peace with themselves and humanity. Protected and sheltered in the network, flitting between here and their own Cyberse World. Caring not for the world at large, just for what was closest to them.

He got to see that most obviously in the platonic pair-bonds of Ai and Yusaku as well as Earth and Spectre.

He was their lover and the Ignis were their attachments.

Ryoken was never going to quite get it. Why they were so bonded and why it went so deep that when one was hurt, so was the other or what it was about this partnership which did not remain with the usual constraints of a defined relationship. He had no Ignis of his own. He had merely watched and he was going to continually watch but now, it brought a joy to his heart to see the recovery and the healing. That meant a lot to them all, himself and his Knights included.

Ai and Yusaku were of course the template. They were the tried and tested, put through everything and they came out the other side of it. Even death. They wanted to prove that the Ignis and the humans could get along and so, they were partners. They defied the digital fate of the simulations and they changed the world.

Or maybe just their world. Their little world which was always going to be tied back to the Lost Incident but it was the centrepoint for many important bonds. Even if they were, at times, painful.

Just look at Earth and Spectre.

Earth did not take kindly to learning that his Origin was a Knight of Hanoi and had been plotting his and his kin’s downfall. Spectre did not take kindly to the chance of being rejected. There was a hole in his heart, a tear in his cheek: both because of Earth. He simply could not risk that he would incur Earth’s wrath and there was some.

The Earth Ignis did not have a way with words but he did have a way with glares and stubbornness. Only softening up, like mud, when Ai managed to mould him into something a bit more open to the idea of change. As things had changed. It was no longer us versus them but unsurprisingly, the cuts ran deep. He was right to have a mistrust of humans given what he had been put through and his own Origin had not exactly filled him with sunshine and rainbows on that front either during the Incident.

It was hard to believe that such a fiend as Spectre had turned over a new leaf but he had. Ryoken would vouch for that. Although, his word was not trustworthy to Earth but eventually, he came around. He believed in the trustworthiness of Yusaku and if Yusaku said that only good things could come from concepts of reconciliation and the like, then he would give it a try.

With a little time, Earth and Spectre were able to cultivate a bond that just as deep and unique as the other Igis and Origin pairs, sewn in forgiveness and that made the others happy to see. Ai and Yusaku especially. It had taken a lot of work but it really did seem like peace in paradise, even beyond what Ryoken kept a close eye on with regard to Windy and hs Origin as well as Jin with Lightning.

He tried to look at it all but Ryoken did often find himself coming in closest to him, both physically and emotionally. He shouldn’t have favourites of the Incident and yet he did. It couldn’t be helped. Yusaku was the boy he had honeypotted beforehand and Spectre was the boy he had brought home afterwards.

They both wanted him and what was best for him. Though they disagreed on methods and morals, Ryoken could say that he liked where it had ended up. It had ended in the Kogami Mansion but no longer was it a mausoleum to his Father and his sins. It was now a place he enjoyed, where the colours on the walls were not solely because of the orange sunsets that it attracted or the blue nights and so on and so forth. But rather, because there was genuine joy in the household.

It all seemed impossible to Ryoken, and yet it was not and for that, he was thankful. He dreamed enough nightmares when he slept from what he had observed as a child, he did not need his life to be a waking hell either. Not anymore, not that Playmaker had finally unshackled him from being a prisoner of his past.

He would never have believed that he would be able to observe such domestic and idyllic bliss between his own right hand man and his previous arch-nemesis and yet. He did. He had breakfast, lunch, and dinner with them, cups of tea and coffee in between, and went to bed with them.

Best of all, Ryoken could see them in what was a highly unnatural habitat for them given their previous containment of being inside of little, white boxes but this, he so much more preferred. He liked to see them smile and bicker, to be happy and annoyed.

He liked to see them with their Ignis, too.

Ryoken liked to catch Yusaku and Ai out the corner of his eye. They liked to do schoolwork together and Ai often made Yusaku watch his soaps and Yusaku would be a good sport about it. He liked to overhear how Spectre and Earth made plans to garden, what was and was not in season and the like. It was much more heartening to him to be witness to this over the screams and sobbing.

Ryoken was never going to understand the specific bond between Ignis and Origin but at least he had the privilege of watching them in far more agreeable circumstances than where they had come from as children.

#multiamorymarch2023 #yugioh vrains #vrains #yugioh #fujiki yusaku #yusaku fujiki #kogami ryoken #ryoken kogami #spectre (vrains)#earth (vrains)#ai (vrains)#saviorshipping #motherearthshipping #aiballshipping #networkshipping #rockdustshipping #writing tag #This is where it all begins (right here on the outside looking in)

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merryfortune · 2 years ago

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Living in their own impossible and unlikely domesticity

Written for Multiamory March 2023

Day 25: Unlikely

Title: Living in their own impossible and unlikely domesticity

Ship: Saviorshipping | Ryoken/Spectre/Yusaku

Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh! Vrains

Rating: T

Word Count: 1,214

Tags: Introspection, Character Study, Pining, Established Relationship

Sometimes, Ryoken liked to just lay in bed and stare at the ceiling in the dark, rather than go to sleep.

Most of the time, he liked to think thoughts that were specifically meant to hurt his own feelings. Trigger his own trauma, languish in angst and self-loathing but this wasn’t one of those times. It seemed to be optimistic to declare but Ryoken had been having less and less of those sessions in his head. He had an inkling as to why but tonight, instead, he traced the patterns and the shadows on the ceiling and he felt his heart swell in a good way.

He was thinking of his lovers. Neither of whom were joining him in bed tonight. Yusaku’s claustrophobia was kind of not good when he was stressed and it was exam period at his university where he was studying computer science. Spectre, meanwhile, was preoccupied with researching bonsai and terrariums and whatnot, poring over books and online articles. For once making Ryoken the model citizen, going to bed at a respectable hour.

And now, he had his room to himself and all his thoughts to swirl around with the ceiling fan as it idly went around and around in a circle and all Ryoken could think was just how unlikely this quiet happiness was.

He was very thankful to have it at all.

Spectre and Yusaku were both the most important person in Ryoken’s life and by all counts, that shouldn’t have been possible. By all counts done by Ryoken, at the very least. He had no doubt in his mind that they would digress and digress hard.

His Father had taken them and used them for ends which did not justify the means. He kept them in little, white boxes and starved them. Electrocuted them. All to create a set of artificial intelligences with free will and then later, he would decide that said creatures would have to be destroyed. This Incident changed the directions of both their lives. For better and, of more breadth and magnitude, for worse.

Yusaku lost his memories of a prior life. His six years of age started the day before he had lost it all to the Hanoi Project, as far as he was concerned. Ryoken felt guilty to have a hand in it. That fateful, vibrantly oranged hued evening where they had met each other. By design or by fluke, Ryoken was never properly told by his father.

Then, meanwhile, Spectre lost his own identity. He was… an odd one, to say the least. He wanted to leave behind his previous existence, save for his Mother, and so duelled gallantly, laughing and smiling. He wanted to be tested and he wanted to do good for the scientists but the toll it had on Ryoken who watched from the other side of the looking glass. He couldn’t take it anymore and so, he was the whistleblower who caused the Incident to finally, wretchedly end.

Meeting them both after the Incident, Ryoken thought he should have been a magnet for their hatred and loathing, surely. For different reasons, yes, but it should have been his burden, his punishment. Neither saw it that way.

Yusaku wanted Ryoken’s severance from the Hanoi Project all the same as his own. Spectre wanted to serve Ryoken as another Knight of Hanoi. Both would have gone to the ends of the Earth for him, head over heels and Ryoken felt he didn’t deserve it. Their kindness, their forgiveness, even if it manifested so differently to one another and they were different to one another.

Spectre had put it well in his Duel against Playmaker. Just as Yusaku did not see him, he did not see Yusaku. They experienced the same event but had wildly different recollections and reactions to it and so. They both saw the other as, well, the other. The weirdo.

It was this abrasion to one another that Spectre and Yusaku had initially felt about each other which made Ryoken feel all the more disbelief that somehow, they had managed to align to one another. For his sake. For his feelings.

The evolution of their relationship… That should have been impossible and yet, an olive branch was extended, nonetheless. And it had come in the form of the game they both played for survival.

Playmaker played better than Spectre. He could respect that. He knew he was a dirty cheat at the best of times but that didn’t mean he couldn’t do better. Aspire to do better and his aspirations turned to admirations as he watched, and rewatched, the final duel that Ryoken and Yusaku had had at the peak of the Tower of Hanoi.

The Extra Link. Spectre could hand it to Playmaker, that was impressive but Spectre aimed to do one better and he did. He created a full mode iteration of it with his own Duel Monsters and that was enough to show a kernel of possibility between himself and Yusaku. They didn’t have to hate each other or dislike one another. They could be amicable.

Even more than amicable, if it were for Ryoken’s sake.

He really appreciated that they both tried to get along, for him, and somewhere along the lines, it even became something more proper of a relationship. They had a lot more in common with one another than they wanted to admit. Least of all the fact that they both liked him and considered Ryoken their most important person.

Other things, too, of course, Ryoken observed.

They both took their coffee the same way. Black, that is, though Spectre would first choose tea but otherwise. And they both liked art, albeit in different modes, Spectre had the more gallery tastes between them whereas Yusaku preferred graffiti but it was still art either way. Also, Yusaku absorbed other people’s habits, quite quickly, so eventually he started mimicking Spectre’s own quirks - but against his will. Very much against his will but it still made Ryoken’s heart flutter to notice that Yusaku had begun to do the same salute before his duels as both he and Spectre when he was duelling as Playmaker.

So similar but different, Ryoken supposed at best.

Still, they got along somehow, and given their circumstances, that should have been impossible. Ryoken, honestly, wanted it to be impossible. Fujiki Yusaku. He was a thorn at their side as Playmaker and an even bigger one as simply himself, so it would have been nice and easy were it impossible but.

Ryoken was thankful that the unlikely scenarios were the ones they now lived in. the ones where he got to love both his most important people. The ones where he got to protect the Link VRAINS, not destroy it. Even the one in which the Ignis were able to live side by side with humans, or at least their Origins and their close loved ones, in harmony.

Though, through all this pining, it just made Ryoken wish they were both in bed with him but he would see them in the morning. So, he closed his eyes and he put himself to sleep, looking forward to yet another day of this to follow wherein they lived in their own impossible and unlikely domesticity that he was really glad to have.

#multiamorymarch2023 #yugioh vrains #vrains #yugioh #saviorshipping #ryoken kogami #fujiki yusaku #spectre (vrains)#kogami ryoken #yusaku fujiki #writing tag #Living in their own impossible and unlikely domesticity

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merryfortune · 2 years ago

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Written for Multiamory March 2023

Day 28: Teasing

Title: playfulness

Ship: Saviorshipping | Ryoken/Spectre/Yusaku

Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh! Vrains

Rating: E

Word Count: 1,386

Tags: Plushophilia, Voyeurism, Teasing, Threesome - M/M/M

Synopsis: Ryoken and Spectre come back from shopping with something that embarasses Yusaku.

#multiamorymarch2023 #yugioh #vrains #saviorshipping #writing tag #yusaku fujiki #ryoken kogami #spectre (vrains)#weird that i've written 2 plushophilia fics for vrains huh good thing i have a 3rd on the backburner

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merryfortune · 2 years ago

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The Frog Prince

Written for Multiamory March 2023

Day 22: Bonding

Title: The Frog Prince

Ship: Saviorshipping | Ryoken/Spectre/Yusaku

Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh! Vrains

Rating: T

Word Count: 2,669

Tags: Alternate Universe - The Frog Prince/Fairy Tale

Once upon a time… there was a prince who did not do very much.

Why should he? He was a prince, after all, born to the lap of luxury, born into a world that did not know war or famine. Contentedness spread far and wide. But he was still a prince.

And princes were expected to do things. The sort of things that made for good publicity for the royal family, such as participating in the lawmaking process or make appearances at orphanages to look kind-hearted by playing with underprivileged children. This prince, however, had no such desires to appear even vaguely in public, let alone political.

This prince’s name was Yusaku and Prince Yusaku was a very lazy young man, to the chagrin of his mother the Queen, to his royal bodyguard Shoichi, and even his personal jester, Ai. He simply had a listless personality, he would claim. He would prefer to keep to himself in his room sleeping than do anything else, be it civic minded or otherwise.

And so, his bodyguard and jester had a marvellous idea together on how to put some pep in their prince’s step.

“Hail, Queen,” Shoichi began, “I have an idea for our predicament.”

“We have an idea.” Ai piped up, miffed that he would be excluded from such prestigious planning. Irony totally lost on him since Prince Yusaku was entirely unaware that such plans existed as he was currently lazing his bedchambers rather than sitting with his Mother in the parlour where they took audience.

Queen listened intently and gave blessing to the pair’s plan. It would only be for a week. Less than, even. It’s not like there were any pressing engagements young Prince Yusaku needed to attend and were there any, it was not as if Prince Yusaku was likely to attend, let alone in a lively manner so begone with him and the others, she supposed.

Maybe some fresh air would be good for him. So long as an eye was kept on him. It was dreadful what had happened to that Prince from the Kingdom of Hanoi. Just up and disappeared. No body was found, no news to follow.

Prince Yusaku meanwhile was not as blase about this like his mother was. He was entirely uninterested in going out into the big, wide world and doing even the most minimal of efforts like camping at one of their more neglected castles in the furthest wing of the kingdom.

The forests around here were dense and evergreen in shine, hail, or snow. The weather itself was pleasant and balmy however. The trek to getting this far out into the country was tedious with all the parading and having to say hello to people of all stations. It really tired and exhausted Prince Yusaku who was given some time to rejuvenate in one of the dusty rooms of the castle.

He could completely understand why this particular dwelling of theirs had fallen to the wayside. The castle was unfashionable by today’s standards, or more importantly his Mother’s. It was just a touch too far from civilisation to be properly connected to trade routes and merchants. Not enough folk in the village to staff it when there were more practical and immediate ways of earning money than serving the upper class here who used it as an infrequent holiday home.

Still, for the time being, Prince Yusaku enjoyed some time to himself… for a few precious hours. Once it turned to the next day, his retainers Ai and Shoichi were all over him like the bedbugs in the linen which was already here - and he had refused to use.

Bombastic and bawdy, Ai and Shoichi took him into the forest for some fishing of all things. Prince Yusaku was dragged along like a rag doll behind his two good men, forced to carry things like the fishing rods and bait, even the lunch they had brought for a picnic. His poor, weak noodle arms could not take holding one of these things, let alone all of them.

Prince Yusaku was more than excited to finally have to put them down because as it would turn out, fishing was an entirely suitable pursuit for him. Just sitting and staring at the water. Perfect. He would pretend to get a bite here and there but really he was just sleeping with his eyes open.

The water of the lake was pristine as it reflected the sun and sky above. The surrounds were large and tranquil. The lake itself, and all its contents like the fish and molluscs, werekingdom property, technically, so there were no pesky intruders. There was sure to be a fine or similar to be inflicted were someone not with royal blessing and permission were to use it. Assuming they were caught or dobbed on.

As they fished, Ai and Shoichi made small talk. Yusaku vaguely listened in.

“Did anyone else feel like the lodgings were weirdly… lived in? Despite being abandoned so long? Like the kettle in the kitchen and some of the pots and pans. Way cleaner and more used than I was expecting.”

No, Prince Yusaku did not notice that. He yawned to himself. At least to show he was listening and that he was reacting, even if he was terribly bored by it.

“I know exactly what you mean,” Ai agreed, nodding his head, “it was surprisingly tidy in the banquet hall, too. As though someone had gone through to make sure all the chairs were lined up but a couple seemed more used than others. If that makes any sense.”

Ai and Shoichi hummed thoughtfully. Very strange, very odd. Or at least that’s what they thought.

“Maybe the Castle is haunted.” Ai suggested.

“By one of Yusaku’s ancestors, perhaps?” Shoichi snickered.

“I’m going to go for a walk, if you don’t mind. Just around the circumference of the lake.” Prince Yusaku announced. “I simply can’t lose precious braincells with your bizarre speculation. There are no such things as ghosts.” He huffed.

Ai and Shoichi gasped. They never thought they would have seen the day. Let alone so early! Their Prince Yusaku was… doing something? Of his own volition? Heaven forbid, so surely. And the dramatics that ensued from them both just convinced Prince Yusaku that as nice as sitting was, he would much prefer to get away from them. Just for a little bit, he would still be within eyesight of them both as he got up and began his walk around the lake.

The weather continued to be pleasant the further away from the bottom of the lake, where the dock was, Prince Yusaku was pleased to discover. The mud underfoot was not too soft nor too mushy that he was prone to sinking in it. Distantly a lovely and cool wind blew gently. He could hear it in the treetops that rustled, too, same with birdsong and the chitter of squirrels or other, woodland creatures.

Not to think about his future or anything but Prince Yusaku could see himself retiring here one day. That would surely be nice. He just had to get to the age of retirement. The age of which was arbitrary at best considering there had been members in his family tree who had come into their position as king or queen before they left the nursemaid’s tit and those who had retired when they had been beheaded who were barely older than he was now.

Prince Yusaku continued to wander. Just slowly following the round curve of the lake. Just listening to the birds and the squirrels and the cicadas, too. It was all very peaceful and from across the lake, it occurred to Prince Yusaku how far he had walked. He wondered how long it had taken him. Ai and Shoichi from across the lake were so very small on his horizon now. He wondered if he looked the same to them.

He thought about waving to them but they were having a grand time fishing. He watched as they reeled in something of a large size, water flicking up and Prince Yusaku smiled. They were having fun and that’s all that mattered.

He looked away for just a moment and something caught his eye in amongst the trees. A flash of white. He blinked. Prince Yusaku did not believe in ghosts but he did believe in intruders and trespassers.

He took one step closer and he saw that person. Not upright, not trying to walk away but merely trying to escape into the undergrowth, crawling on the ground like a worm. In suffering. Muted grunts and groans.

Prince Yusaku hurried his pace as he tried to find this person in the long grass and shrubs. He put his knee down to their side.

“Are you okay?” Prince Yusaku asked.

He was past the threshold of the forest with this person. A young man in servile clothes akin to that of Ai and Shoichi’s but the fashion of white with hints of silver, yellow, and red: another country. The one which bordered on this very forest, actually. Prince Yusaku licked his lips as he tried to get information from this person as he held his chest.

“D-Don’t worry about me.” he said. “It's my Master I’m - we - should be more worried about.” His voice was strained as he dealt with whatever affliction of his chest which had him agonised so.

“Your Master?” Prince Yusaku echoed.

“We were attacked by a witch,” he said. “Th-This witch put a curse on us both. We’ve been doing, argh-” He screamed in pain, he tried to still himself but in this wounding, his legs thrashed involuntarily.

Prince Yusaku flinched.

“We’ve been surviving as best we can until we can remedy this curse but alas.” this man continued to speak through gritted teeth and a sheen of sweat.

Prince Yusaku's heart hammered in his chest. He was really not the person who should have encountered this wounded man and his missing master. Ai or better yet, Shoichi, would have been much better. They weren’t too far, however.

“Let me get you to my henchmen, they can help.” Prince Yusaku said.

“No.” the man spat. “The witch told us that this curse-” he yelled again in pain, his fingers raking through his chest and under the white of his blouse, Prince Yusaku noticed he had something underneath which jutted out, it looked almost like a strip of iron but surely he had to be mistaken. “A kiss from a royal is the only way.”

Prince Yusaku had to bite his tongue before he let out a very loud and very rude “Huh?” in response.

“Master Ryoken! Where are you?!” this man yelled at the top of his lungs.

Loud enough to make birds fly away, for squirrels to scatter, and for a frog to jump closer to him. To atop his shoulder, even. He didn’t seem to mind, in fact he smiled. His eyes were blurry as he turned his head but his expression softened. The frog was unusually coloured: white with lilac stripes.

“Master Ryoken, thank goodness…” the man murmured and then he turned his gaze unto Prince Yusaku again. “This is… This is my Master Ryoken, transformed by the witch’s curse and I. My heart is bound in iron, too. I - I fear my heart cannot go on much longer with this bondage and this grief. Oh, please, gods, save my Master Ryoken.”

“I’m… My name is Prince Yusaku of the Sol Kingdom. Allow me to help.” Prince Yusaku declared.

“My word,” the servant gasped, “truly fortune smiles upon me.”

He near fainted promptly after. Unable to hold himself up much longer, he let go his chest and his body went limp against the trunk of the tree. The frog on his shoulder pawed pitifully at his sweaty, pale face. As though with real and genuine concern, not like a pet but no… Prince Yusaku had to be rational. He was anthropomorphising this frog.

All in all, Prince Yusaku wasn’t sure how much he believed this servant and that his master was a frog transmogrified but Prince Yusaku did believe that this man was severely hurt. Possibly made delusion or otherwise delirious by the very real affliction upon his body. But maybe if he indulged this alleged witch’s curse’s remedy, he could gain his trust and get him to safety.

Prince Yusaku reached for the frog and scooped it up off the man’s shoulder. The servant watched with a tear glimmering his eye and a loose, wonky smile as he held his breath in abated hope.

Prince Yusaku was certain, to himself at least, to disappoint. Nevertheless, he brought the frog closer to his mouth and kissed it on its own. The frog was soft and slimy, Prince Yusaku almost gagged but there was no time to ruminate on the taste of rising bile and other displeasures as the most impossible and marvellous thing happened. A miracle occurred.

From out of his hands, the weight of the frog grew heavier until Prince Yusaku let go. A bright, blue and white light erupted from the frog. In this burst, the silhouette of the critter changed from that of a frog, to that of a human who stood tall above him.

The frog smiled and then brought himself down to one knee, he placed his hand over his heart in the utmost gratitude unto Prince Yusaku. Who could only stare and gape like a beached fish.

“What in the world…?” he breathed.

“Thank you, Prince Yusaku of Sol for breaking my curse, I am glad that Spectre was able to find you in our time of need.” he said, his head bowed low, his gaze just slightly towards his servant, Spectre, who had yet to regain strength but was grinning in mad and wild delight that his master’s humanity had been restored. “I am Prince Ryoken of Hanoi, it is good to make your official acquaintance.”

“Yes, the same.” Prince Yusaku replied. Still very much in shock.

Prince Ryoken got up and he offered his hand to his servant. Weakly, Spectre raised his hand and was able to place it in Prince Ryoken’s awaiting palm. At the moment of such contact, as Prince Ryoken pulled his servant up, the bonds of Spectre’s heart crumbled. The outline of them beneath his shirt disappeared as he was pulled up - and into a kiss.

Prince Yusaku blushed, averting his gaze. He would hate to intrude but his presence did not seem to impede the apparent lovers. Not when Prince Ryoken turned his head and offered his other hand to Prince Yusaku.

“Please,” he said, “allow us to properly introduce ourselves. We have been using your family’s facilities here as Spectre could not bear to bring me back to my kingdom in my sorry state as a frog. Thank you for the hospitality, I hope we did not infringe.”

Prince Yusaku couldn’t believe that the dithering between Ai and Shoichi had, in actuality, been astute observations. Their castle had been in use. He accepted Prince Ryoken’s hand, pulled up into a three-way embrace.

“We should celebrate my return to good health, no?” Prince Ryoken asked.

“I would like that immensely.” Spectre said.

“Then allow me to bring you back to my castle, as proper guests.” Prince Yusaku offered, knowing full well he would have to do things like entertain and host were he to.

Yet, somehow, for the first time ever, the lazy prince did feel obligated to at least try and be social and perform regal duties of figuring out inter-kingdom relations. And also how he was going to explain to his retainers that he had gone out for a walk and come back with a seeming lover and concubine. The former of which had just ceased being a frog.

Oh goody, Prince Yusaku was certain, Ai and Shoichi were going to love this tall tale but at least it was one with a happy ending.

#multiamorymarch2023 #yugioh vrains #saviorshipping #ryoken kogami #fujiki yusaku #spectre (vrains)#kogami ryoken #yusaku fujiki #writing tag #the frog prince

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merryfortune · 2 years ago

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Written for Multiamory March 2023

Day 8: Sick

Title: Baby Fever

Ship: Saviorshipping | Ryoken/Spectre/Yusaku

Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh! Vrains

Rating: E

Word Count: 1,139

Tags: Alternate Universe - Omegaverse, Heats/Mating Cycles, Threesome - M/M/M, Breeding Kink, Male Pregnancy, Non-Human Genitalia, Knotting, Penis in Vagina Sex

Synopsis: Love sickness is in the air... and so are heat pheromones.

#multiamorymarch2023 #saviorshipping #yugioh #vrains #writing tag #baby fever #omegaverse cw

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merryfortune · 2 years ago

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After the Storm (in the Backyard)

Written for Multiamory March 2023

Day 2: Supernatural

Title: After the Storm (in the Backyard)

Ship: Saviorshipping | Ryoken/Spectre/Yusaku

Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh! Vrains

Rating: T

Word Count: 1,497

Tags: Alternate Universe - Youkai, Meet Cute, Childhood Friends

AN: I’ve had this AU in mind for a year or two so it was nice to finally write it down

It had rained all through the night but now, come morning, the skies were clear and an azure blue. Not a cloud to be seen, nor was it even overly windy. Instead, it was fresh and balmy with puddles on the ground, with a breeze that was a charming and cool spritz down below. There were birds singing, their nests having survived the storm but, for all the serenity of the morning, there was a stranger in the backyard.

He was dressed in a pale purple kimono and standing by the far tree which had taken quite the beating during the storm. It was missing a branch, maybe two, all its foliage had fallen off and already, it looked worse for wear.

From their vantage point in the kitchen, Ryoken and Spectre had no idea what to do. They were currently hiding behind the kitchen sink, the morning sunlight coming in through the window just above, the curtains fluttered slightly as they tried not to panic. Occasionally, they ducked up and popped out in order to see if he was still there.

He was.

Lingering, almost, looking around left to right, as though waiting for something, his hands hidden in the billowing sleeves of his garb that he wore - and it was rather pretty garb.

“Where did he come from?” Spectre hissed.

“I don’t know.” Ryoken hissed back.

“Should we call the police?” Spectre asked.

“And tell them what? We have someone peacefully loitering in our backyard? I’m sure they would just tell us to get him to move along on our own.” Ryoken replied.

“Then… should we try to ask him to leave?” Spectre grimaced.

“I - I suppose, so.” Ryoken stiltedly replied.

Neither liked the idea very much but it was the only idea they had so. They rose to the occasion and to their full heights. Together, they slunk out the sliding door and made no sudden movements as they approached the young man in the kimono.

His serious expression lightened, but only slightly. The corners of his mouth upturned, not in a smile but it was certainly a kinder expression to the dour look he wore before. There was even an expectant light in the green of his eyes.

“I was wondering when you’d come outside. I didn’t want to be rude and go inside since we’ve never been inside together.” he said.

Ryoken and Spectre exchanged a very concerned look. With just their eyes alone they asked one another and replied: “Do you know this person?”

And a resounding, “No, absolutely not.”

With just the strain of their pupils and then back unto the youth. He did not look familiar at all, one would absolutely remember someone with such a dashing streak of pink in his hair or his slender frame. His countenance, as well, was rather unique, too, in that it was distant yet overly familiar - on one side.

He closed his eyes as he bowed forward, “Though we’ve known each other all our lives, please, allow me to introduce myself properly, Ryo-chan, Spe-chan. My name is Yusaku and it is a pleasure to finally say so.” He opened his eyes as he released his courtesy. He blinked, confused, by

Ryoken and Spectre were very taken aback by Yusaku’s introduction. The pet names, in particular, were not only gauche and embarrassing but were exclusively between themselves. Though, they hadn’t used those pet names at all, in recent memory, and now called forth memories of their halcyon childhood days, playing chaseys in the backyard and playing red-light, green-light… in front of this very tree.

The one which was now all but dead and had Yusaku standing in front of it.

Spectre glanced at Ryoken. No, it couldn’t be. Surely that was too odd even for him to say but he had to take that chance.

“Yusaku, just who are you?” Spectre asked, his suspicions furled in the furrow of his brow.

“Fujiki Yusaku, the spirit of this wisteria tree.” Yusaku replied.

“I thought so.” Spectre said but he seemed - and sounded - quite concerned.

Ryoken glanced between them both. Surely it was not possible but Yusaku’s eerie appearance. It became more obvious as he turned, just slightly, so that he could place his hand on the tree. It was at this profile that the sharpness of his ears were shown off, they were elfin. His hands, too, were odd. There was a glimpse of impossibly purple veins on the inside of his wrists and his nails were more like claws, too.

So, perhaps it was possible. Spirits, ghosts, and other phantasms in this day and age. Not just horror stories from the frivolity of the past long since gone. Yet Ryoken’s practical mind kept him from entertaining the notion. He was the son of a scientist and that impacted him. He wasn’t ready to take hearsay on such a top.

He wasn’t as open to the idea of it, not like Spectre was. Spectre was completely unlike him that way. He had been an abandoned baby, left in the wilderness, and by all accounts, he should have died in those circumstances. From frostbite or starvation but something had kept him protected and he always felt it was the spirit of a tree.

To have one - in the spiritual flesh and bone, in pure visage like Yusaku right now - it was both a miracle and comforting to him. Thus, Spectre listened intently as Yusaku explained his origins.

“I came of age approximately twenty years ago, that’s when my consciousness surfaced and I became aware of my surroundings,” Yusaku explained, he sounded a little airy to be speaking about himself, “and I got to watch you both grow and play. Now, at one hundred years of age, I’ve fully manifested and shed my original vessel. It's sad to be parted from my own being but, look,” Yusaku turned his head, “now my wish has come true.”

“Your wish?” Ryoken echoed. “Just what exactly is your wish?”

“I wanted to be with you both.” Yusaku replied, blithe. He reached out and took both Ryoken and Spectre’s hands. “I’ve watched you both grow up and without realising it, I was always there so I’m very happy to have my wish come true.”

Spectre frowned, he ripped his hand out of Yusaku’s, “So our wisteria tree? Will it recover from having you parted from it?”

Ryoken wanted to sigh and chide Spectre. There were more pressing questions to ask but it was Spectre and he had to admit. Looking at how the wisteria tree had become so withered, a husk, behind Yusaku, it did sadden him. He could all too easily imagine it in its prime, in its beauty.

The hanging, purple flowers that made for the perfect shade in a hot summer’s day, a place to play. When it wasn’t in flower, it was a good post for them to involve in their games. Ryoken’s heart ached for those childhood memories with his lover. It even ached, bittersweet, for stories he had been told of previous generations of his family caring and tending for this tree, of picnics his grandparents had had and even his own Father had proposed to his Mother under this tree.

A gesture that he had even replicated with Spectre, not just when they were playing house but far more recently than that. He had been so thrilled when Spectre had accepted his proposal but now, he had an inkling something was about to change if the truth really was as the tree spirit said it was.

All in all, the wisteria tree was an important centrepiece of their little world. And when Yusaku spoke, it snapped Ryoken from his reverie. Though he was still unconvinced that Yusaku wasn’t some sort of intruder or charlatan.

“If I remain here, it will recuperate, I promise.” Yusaku said.

“Good.” Spectre replied, he didn’t exactly perk up but he was pleased with that answer. “Now, would you like to come inside for breakfast? I was just about to begin preparing it before Ryoken and I noticed you out here.”

“I would like that, thank you.” Yusaku said.

“Wh-What?” Ryoken stammered. “We don’t know for sure if he is pulling the wool over our eyes or not.”

“Well, we can’t be perceptive on empty stomachs then.” Spectre said. “But, for what it's worth, I believe him. I’ve always thought trees had spirits, after all.”

“That’s true.” Ryoken reluctantly grumbled.

“Come on now.” Spectre said.

“Yeah, we have a lot of catching up to do.” Yusaku added.

Spectre turned around and Yusaku padded along behind him, Ryoken was entirely outnumbered. Arriving at the dining room table, whilst Spectre made breakfast and Yusaku seemed quietly excited to be inside at all with the two people he loved most.

And so beginning, a new and quirky, supernatural love story of two childhood friends and the tree spirit determined to insert himself into their lives after watching for so long. The End.

#multiamorymarch2023 #multiamory march #saviorshipping #yugioh vrains #vrains #yugioh #fujiki yusaku #yusaku fujiki #ryoken kogami #kogami ryoken #spectre (vrains)#writing tag #after the storm (in the backyard)

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merryfortune · 2 years ago

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Placed Under a Tree, Enduring Against an Unwanted Mark

Written for Multiamory March 2023

Day 29: Mark

Title: Placed Under a Tree, Enduring Against an Unwanted Mark

Ship: Saviorshipping | Ryoken/Spectre/Yusaku

Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh! Vrains

Rating: T

Word Count: 4,082

Tags: Alternate Universe - Soulmate Identifying Marks, Canon Retelling, Polyamory Negotiations, Getting Together

When Yusaku was freed from the prison of the experiment, the first thing he begged the authorities to do was find out who Kinoshita Shinobu was.

That person, whoever they were, must be a key to getting Yusaku home as he had no recollection outside of his own name as a clue of where he came from. They simply had to be his mother, or his father, someone, anyone. That was what he believed against the terrifying blank slate of the fact that he had no other recollection of his life outside the little, white box that he had been tortured inside of. The trauma of the incident had all but wiped his memory clean of everything and anything about living. About home, who his parents were or the like.

And if Kinoshita Shinobu was not someone who knew who Yusaku was or where he came from… then maybe he was a part of the Incident as well. That this person could be tracked down and brought to justice.

Unfortunately, six year old Fujiki Yusaku got neither when one of the therapists brought in to talk to him. This therapist, among the many things about society and the world and what it meant to be happy, had to rebuild Yusaku’s world from the bottom up. All over again since he couldn’t remember what it was like outside the little white box that he had been starved inside.

That included the simple but universal fact of life that soulmates existed and their existence was permanently marked upon one’s wrist. Right there, right where Kinoshita Shinobu was written in perfectly computer typed kanji.

Yusaku did not take this news well. He was six years old. He didn’t remember his parents’ faces or what their love was like, unto each other or even unto him. To learn of soulmates, at an age when girls had cooties, for example, it didn’t go over well with him and so, Yusaku resolved: he would not ever look for Kinoshita Shinobu.

He would, however, try to look for his parents. Even a new set to adopt him but that never happened. He abandoned that hope by twelve but by thirteen, he didn’t need hope. He decided that he needed vengeance so he would, however, look into the Incident. What it was, why he had been chosen: anything and everything about that abhorrent experiment.

In doing so, Yusaku learned the names of his enemies: the Knights of Hanoi. He learned the name of his other self to wear as a second skin, Playmaker, and the names of his great ally: Unnamed, Kusanagi Shoichi. He even gave a name to that funny little rogue program that the Knights were hunting: he called the little eyeball-shaped artificial intelligence Ai and everything seemed to explode from there.

Almost literally as the plot that the Knights of Hanoi were building to with their infections and their viruses was the extermination of the Ignis by any means possible. Up to and including taking an entire city with them by turning the Link VRAINS into a bomb.

Even though Yusaku very much wanted to do it alone, two heroes of the Link VRAINS joined him. Onizuka Go and Blue Angel. In the end, Playmaker did have to do it alone but they fought valiantly and it was in the wake of Blue Angel’s feathered data that Playmaker met Spectre.

And Spectre was someone that Playmaker had never paused to consider could possibly exist. He was unfathomable. Unconscionable, surely, that’s what Playmaker thought at first.

“Do you not know the crime of the Knights of Hanoi?” Playmaker yelled across the duelling field. “That ten years ago, they imprisoned six children and tortured them.”

His heart strained against the fabric of the network as he screamed all his pain unto Spectre who took it with an evasive expression. Only to reveal something that Playmaker did not expect.

“Do I know?” Spectre mocked him. “Yes, the six children, put in separate rooms, just as you did not see I, I did not see you. I was one of them, Playmaker. One of the chosen.”

From there Spectre spieled insanity. Playmaker listened and he listened hard, his heart pounded and he wanted to gag violently. He was rattled and Spectre proudly waved around his meat shield in the form of Zaizen Akira and used Playmaker’s now fragmented mental state to his advantage.

Yusaku had met Kusanagi Jin. He was a shell of the boy that Shoichi showed him in photographs and home movies, happy and kicking a soccer ball around, dreaming of gold medals. That was, unfortunately, not the Jin of present time who was frail and screamed when he heard static.

It was sick but he validated all of Yusaku’s assumptions about the Incident. It was bad. Awful. Horrible. An absolute evil to be unleashed on small children and yet here Spectre was. Waxing poetic about how it had been his paradise, how it had given him meaning and purpose and how he never wanted it to end.

Ai had to reel Playmaker back in just so he could win the duel. They had to stop the Knights of Hanoi and their Tower. And Playmaker did win against Spectre, once he was snapped out and brought back to his own present where he could make that lunatic shut his goddamn mouth.

Winning against Spectre it… it felt not bad, Playmaker would admit. His heart rate accelerated as he ran across the bridge, leaving Spectre to his despair. He laughed madly as he accepted the flames but… Playmaker heard him say something.

“At least I am Revolver’s soulmate,” he said, laughing, crying, dying, “at least I am my Mother’s son.”

It hurt but it also hurt oddly less to know that Spectre’s final moments were at least in love but it left a strange taste in Playmaker’s mouth but he had to focus. He still had a duel with Revolver ahead of him, vengeance on behalf of Go, too.

That duel against Revolver, it was one they would even take to the world of flesh and bone and seeing him again, Yusaku’s heart fluttered.

Kogami Ryoken was a familiar face. Seeing him, Yusaku recounted one memory from just before the Incident. They had met at sunset, just like this.

They traded glares. They traded impassioned speeches about right and wrong, about the past, present, and the future but it was all being drawn into the same blackhole. There would be a duel. One would win, one would lose. There would either be catastrophe or a blip to follow.

But there was one thing, just a glimpse, Yusaku as Ryoken spoke with hand gestures. His name. On the inside of Ryoken’s wrist, only when his sleeve slipped down. He strained his eyes but Ryoken’s other hand, it remained firmly planted on his hip as he made his accusations and his denials and his justifications. Yusaku listened but he listened to his own thoughts above all because he was fully convinced: there was a better way.

He just wasn’t sure what it was yet. What it could look like if it wasn’t just taking Ryoken’s hand and jumping out the window into the ocean below. Getting away from everything but everything was a rather pressing and urgent matter at hand.

Of which, Yusaku hated to admit, included Ryoken’s loved ones, his Father, the Knights, Spectre - and his loathed ones.

But, if meeting Spectre had taught Playmaker anything, it was that he definitely did not want to meet Kinoshita Shinobu after that. Something about being underneath trees just made people insane, Playmaker was entirely willing to bet. Nope, nope, nope. But he didn’t know why this was the moral that he was taking away from his duel with Spectre. Surely there were better ones, like cheaters never prosper but for whatever reason, the musing on soulmates was on Playmaker’s mind.

Maybe it was because it was the last word that Spectre got in, maybe not.

Good thing it was. Because he managed to edge it into his meeting with Kogami Ryoken.

The first one that they had had, face to face, in the flesh, in ten long years. Ryoken was Yusaku’s spectral voice. The three reasons why which was what kept him going even in the darkest pits of his despair, eyes blurry from hunger, his body exhausted from losing. From being electrocuted. His fellow prisoner of destiny.

It was clearly against Ryoken’s better judgement but even though Spectre had previously proclaimed that he was Revolver’s soulmate, Yusaku saw it. His own name on the inside of Ryoken’s wrist matched the memory that he had of meeting Ryoken as a child, precious hours before the Incident. They had been so excited, immediately trading names on wrists and Yusaku… not caring about Kinoshita Shinobu because it was his name on Ryoken’s wrist.

Ryoken didn’t bring it up, not as a taunt or a threat or even a honeypot but Yusaku knew what he saw, both then and now as Ryoken had his villainous monologue in the sunset, in the sunroom of his mansion.

Yusaku wouldn’t claim to get it. He was entirely willing to call it a final attempt at a mind game from Spectre but he cast it aside. He was going to do his best to pull both himself and Ryoken out of this abyss that he saw and he was going to win this duel.

And he did win but Ryoken slipped through his fingers once again.

But he’d had another glimpse of a better life, a more recovered life. Yusaku was determined to make that a reality and that included unshackling Ai from him. At least for now because it didn’t take long for another threat to arise. And another, and another, it seemed.

Jin was stolen from his brother, from right in front of him. There were new suspicious characters in the shapes of Bit and Boot. There was whatever was going on with Bohman and Haru. Go had taken up a crusade against him, aligning himself with SOL Tech for his means and also in SOL Tech’s arsenal was Blood Shepherd. Then Lightning and Windy, both Ignises, emerged and were quick to reveal their own plans for the destruction not only of the Link Vrains but all humanity.

New allies emerged as well, like Flame and Takeru. Aqua. And Earth. But Earth was taken from them just as quickly. And that hurt.

It hurt when Jin was taken, like a stab to the gut but there was something strange about the hurt that Yusaku felt, as grief, when he learned of Earth’s decompilation through Ai. He had duelled Earth and had the most peculiar sensation whilst duelling him.

He was Spectre’s Ignis. Yusaku didn’t know why he had thought that, at the time, as little was known of Windy’s Origin and it could have been just as possible that Spectre had produced the Wind Ignis but no. The way Earth duelled. It was very familiar, from strategy to even how he Link Summoned - to how he chose a tree to be his podium in a person-like shape for Earth to sit upon the wrist of. Yes, it was all very familiar.

Yusaku shuddered. He wasn’t sure why he was thinking of Spectre in this dire time but he was.

It's not like he would later get any blows in with Spectre later when the Knights of Hanoi agreed to be Playmaker’s Faction’s pet and join them in the Mirror Link VRAINS together. That may have been a good thing as Playmaker had nothing good to say about Spectre.

(He certainly wasn’t going to ask for clarifications by what he meant that Revolver was his soulmate when Playmaker was certain he had seen otherwise.)

The costs of the Ignis warfare that ensued had been the greatest yet, unfortunately. They lost all the Ignis. Ai, not yet, but his expression, it was clear that in his grief, he was lost too, all but decimated.

He slipped through Yusaku’s fingers, too, and he wished that he had held on tighter but there was something about his hands… They weren’t really good at holding on tight, it seemed. He always seemed to fail to find what he was after and cherish it properly.

Could be so selfish but to blame the name, like that of a gravestone’s engraving, on his wrist? Connected to these hands? Maybe.

When Ai emerged again, Yusaku was depressed. Defeated. What else was there to be because he didn’t want to have to face his partner in combat but it was inevitable. He was taking out their past allies one after another, as sadistically as he could, he was breaking Hanoi’s new toy in the form of Pandor, and causing mayhem amongst SOL Tech.

All for the aim of inviting Yusaku into a trap disguised as an ultimatum. He wanted to die. He didn’t want to see Yusaku die but he was fine with letting Yusaku see him die: it broke him but he wanted Yusaku to be the vector by which he died.

Worse still. Playmaker could not see a way out of this ultimate duel where he didn’t lose. He had to win and he did. He farewelled his partner in his arms and vowed to bring him back. He hated it. He hated how easily he lost things despite all his hollow victories.

For three months, Yusaku allowed all his self to disappear. To slip away. He went into hiding and dedicated himself to bringing Ai back. It was absolute drudgery and in his own grief, Yusaku decided that he could only do it alone. He broke off all connections he had outside his own little world and was at it madly, hacking away, collecting all the chips and shards that he could find of Ai.

He followed every lead, every rumour, every falsity until he did it. He put all the pieces back together again, like Ai was Humpty Dumpty and he was the King’s men. The difficulty made it all the more worth it, though, when in the depths of the Neo Link VRAINS, he completed Ai and with mirth on his face, watched as all Ai’s data coalesced into him and his eye-like form opened.

“Welcome back.” Playmaker greeted him with his heart soaring.

“Ah. Yes. Welcome back. Because I’m back.” Ai said, in utter disbelief but there was a smile in his voice.

“You are.” Playmaker smiled and there were tears in his eyes again.

“Do I get a body as well? Or is this it for me.” Ai asked.

“You can have your body back.” Playmaker replied.

“And what about you?” Ai asked. “What’s next for you?”

“What do you mean? This is it for me.” Playmaker said.

“Are you sure? I can think of somebody you should try finding next since your so good at it. Plus, I thought it was super-uber important to humans. Like I know I’ll always be your partner buuuuut…”

Playmaker frowned but he let Ai finish his dramatic little pause uninterrupted.

“What about your soulmate?” Ai asked. “I wanna meet this Kinoshita Shinobu person.”

Playmaker’s frown deepened, “I told you. Kogami Ryoken is my soulmate, I know he has my name on his wrist.”

“I thought Spectre was Revolver-sensei’s soulmate? Wasn’t that a whole thing for a little while?” Ai asked.

“Hm…” Playmaker said and he logged out on that note.

Yusaku chose not to engage in that line of conversation any longer. Even though Ai, who was too obsessed with love stories, tried very hard to get more out of Yusaku on the topic but Yusaku was clamped shut. He had more important things to do. Like let Kusanagi know that he was fine and finish his high school diploma. That sort of thing.

All in all, he was really glad Ai was back and in his little Ignis body again, it was giving Yusaku ideas. Ai couldn’t be the only Ignis. The loneliness of it drove him to, well, extinction and though it took three months just to track down all those fragments of Dark Ignis data, it wasn’t impossible. Therefore, it probably wasn’t going to be impossible to do it all over again fivefold for the other Ignis.

They had to be out there somewhere and Takeru agreed. He wanted Flame back and Aoi agreed, she wanted Miyu and Aqua to meet. And even though they were rightfully suspicious of what would happen if Lightning or Windy were to return, both Kusanagi brothers agreed: they deserved a second chance now that their secrets were unleashed and so too were, perhaps, ways of handling them.

�� Although this goal, it meant giving the Knights of Hanoi the heads up so as to ease the possibility of hostility or enmity. Especially since Yusaku obviously wanted to bring Earth back and learning that Spectre hadn’t danced on his grave when he had been killed was oddly heartening. So, Yusaku set a meeting with just Ryoken and Spectre, at Cafe Nagi, of course, and that made Ai wonder.

“You gonna bring up all that soulmate schmutz at the meeting as well?” Ai asked.

“Rack off.” Yusaku replied, which was Yusaku-ese for, “If it happens, it happens.”

He was a prisoner of destiny. He quite liked that title for himself because it meant breaking free. As far as Yusaku was concerned, he was not beholden to the name on his wrist. Never had been, not once, not now, not ever and unsurprisingly, yes, the soulmate stuff did come up. It was an unfortunate but simple and true fact of life.

With all the formalities out of the way, like getting it in print and paper that no, the Knights of Hanoi will not try to kill the Ignis again were they all to resurrect, they talked about other stuff. Like food, what they wanted to order for lunch and yes, eventually that soulmate stuff that Yusaku was rightfully dreading.

Ryoken sighed, “I have two soulmates, it is true at the same time that Spectre is my soulmate and that you are, also.”

He showed off his wrists to Yusaku. Spectre had already seen them both plenty of times and so was not curious as he sipped his lemonade from a paper straw. Yusaku leaned in to examine the names on Ryoken’s wrists. He was Ryoken’s left wrist and Spectre was Ryoken’s right wrist. It was undeniably Yusaku’s handwriting, as well, which was the font his name was printed in. Then, switching his gaze over to Ryoken’s other wrist, with a little straining of his recollection, Yusaku recognised Spectre’s name as being written in the font that the Link VRAINS used for their in-game announcements.

“Huh.” Yusaku said.

“It's rare but it does happen.” Ryoken said. “I’m fine with it, of course, having two soulmates and Spectre is happy to share, but if memory serves correct… The name you have on your wrist, it isn’t mine.”

“It's not.” Yusaku defeatedly replied.

He rolled up his jacket’s sleeve and sighed. He showed off the computer typeset name of Kinoshita Shinobu but it was a name that made both Ryoken and Spectre’s eyes light up with amusement.

“I have no idea who this person is and quite frankly, I don’t want to meet them.” Yusaku declared.

Ryoken stifled a chuckle to himself.

Yusaku glared at him specifically, “And what’s that supposed to mean? I have every right to pursue or not pursue my soulmate. If you have my name and I don’t have yours, I’m happy with that. I’ll learn to share if my twin flame is Spectre.”

“Yes, well, about that.” Ryoken murmured but allowed Spectre to lead instead.

Spectre leaned over the plastic table setting and whispered something in Yusaku’s ear. Something enough to make Yusaku blush, a look that looked very odd on his sharp cheekbones and the furrow of his indignant brows. Ai perked up from inside of Yusaku’s Duel Disc, very curious as to what was just said, regrettably, out of his earshot.

What absolutely horrible, rotten, no good luck he had, Yusaku fumed.

He had heard rumours of people being born with names that their soulmates would take in the future, not necessarily the ones they were given at birth. He had heard rumours of the names on people’s wrists just swip-swapping and changing when their names changed to. This was entirely unfair and incredibly rude that he would be the exception.

“Here, I have a pen right here. You can get it properly corrected in your own time.” Spectre said.

He took Yusaku’s hand and opened up his wrist to him. Yusaku was very vehement about not having that happened and so was very stiff and prone. Spectre wrenched him open and then delicately brandished that pen. He crossed out the name Kinoshita Shinobu and replaced it with his own name written in katakana.

“Look, we match.” Spectre said and he revealed the name - or, names - on his own, matching wrist.

Yusaku looked down so Spectre could show off his now exposed wrist from underneath his jacket and blouse sleeve. Spectre had crossed out his actual soulmate mark in favour of writing Ryoken’s name underneath it. For some reason, Yusaku was utterly unfazed to see his name crossed out in favour of Ryoken’s. That seemed entirely fair to him as the ill feelings were mutual, after all.

“In a sense.” Spectre clarified.

“So, um, yes, this Kinoshita Shinobu person that you are so determined to not meet, well, your way past that point now by sitting next to him.” Ryoken joked.

Yusaku wanted to be angry and disappointed and flustered but instead he just sighed. What on Earth did he have in common with this person right beside him, touching him, writing his name on him. It was bizarre, it was unfair.

Kinoshita Shinobu and Spectre were one in the same. That made… Okay, that made more sense to him than he would have liked as he recalled what little he knew of Spectre’s past, only what he had been told, that he had been found underneath a tree. Why Shinobu? Actually, he did sort of look like a Shinobu, it was sort of in his nose, somehow, if that made any sense.

A somewhat dark thought crossed Yusaku’s mind as he thought about Spectre’s non-username. No doubt his caretakers were the ones who had dubbed him as such and hence why the kanji on the inside of Yusaku’s wrist was so neat, Spectre was likely just another form to fill out for their digital records.

What on Earth did they even have in common? They had both been abandoned as children, kidnapped and tortured as children, and they both had… Yusaku sighed. They both had something very big and very important in common, they made their own destiny, refusing to look or fall in love with their soulmate (for now) and instead, made Ryoken that person. Their most important person.

“It's unlucky to do that, you know.” Yusaku pouted.

“I didn’t realise you were superstitious.” Ryoken piped up, amused.

“I’m not. But I thought he would be.” Yusaku complained.

“I am, but not like this. I think it would be unluckier to just keel over and accept a fate that I dislike.” Spectre clarified.

“Gee, thanks.” Yusaku huffed.

“But perhaps fate had something more interesting in mind with us, all three of us.” Spectre added.

“Perhaps.” Ryoken agreed.

“I, for one, am intrigued to find out. Something about second chances, the possibility of Earth coming back, the turning over a new leaf or something like that.” Spectre mused.

“Yeah, something like that.” Yusaku grumbled.

Yusaku would still describe himself as being entirely unsatisfied with this situation. He never found his parents, he never wanted to find out who the hell Kinoshita Shinobu was despite vowing to never find them, but at least he could say he found out who was behind the Lost Incident and why it had occurred. It seemed like a hollow victory but he had Ryoken again. That meant a lot to him and clearly, the universe wanted his absolute moral and ethical inverse to mean a lot to him as well.

So perhaps, indeed, they would work something out. Yusaku might just do as Spectre suggested and get Ryoken’s name on the inner of his other wrist and update the name Kinoshita Shinobu to better relate to Spectre.

#multiamorymarch2023 #yugioh vrains #vrains #yugioh #saviorshipping #yusaku fujiki #fujiki yusaku #ryoken kogami #kogami ryoken #spectre (vrains)#soulmate au #writing tag #placed under a tree; enduring against an unwanted mark

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