What Would You Do? YuseixOC

Chapter 21

A/N: Listening to rock and metal while writing this. Anticipate angst.

--------------------

"No one's here." Rally is at my side, examining the small street at the base of the Daedalus bridge. We haven't seen a soul since we got here.

"Are you sure this is where we're supposed to meet?" asks the tall brunette. Saiga is the only one of us that isn't a Satellite.

"There's only one Daedalus Bridge," I shoot back.

"Maybe security captured Yusei and Crow!"

"Don't talk like that." I give Taka my best stink eye. "Yusei wouldn't be defeated but he wouldn't leave anyone behind either. Maybe Crow lost and he had to back for him?"

"They're here!" shouts Rally, putting our conjecture to an end. I spin with him to see the two D-Wheelers turning the corner at a slow pace. Yusei is smiling and following after his old friend. "Hey, Yusei!"

I'm about to approach them when a storm of young people spews from the corners of the street. There are too many to count waving and cheering at the appearance of the orange-haired duelist. The two machines slow to a halt.

"Where are our presents?" yells one of the children swarming about Crow's bike and legs.

Taking off his helmet, Crow looks at them aghast."What's wrong with you? The moment you see me, you start asking for presents? I gave you presents this afternoon!" The reproach is all for show, Crow giving into the demands after a few of them resist.

"Don't be stingy!"

"Give us some!"

"Fine!" He calms the objections with a movement of his hands, palms down. "I don't have presents, but I brought the new King. The hero of Satellite, Yusei Fudo!" Tossing his palm out, he indicates the blue-eyed duelist removing his helmet.

I leave Rally behind then, going to the man in the center of the little kids.

"I know who you are! You beat Jack!"

"Awesome! It's really him!"

The children shout for him while I approach, prompting Crow to scold them.

"Come on, kids. Don't touch the King with your dirty hands. That's bad luck."

"Yusei," I call him. Our eyes meet, blue and green linking over the head of the kid's heads. When he's finally able to uncouple himself, the kids make a move for the bike he leaves behind.

"Was it hard coming here?" He asks. He almost reaches out but drops it, his hand twitching at his side.

"Not exactly," I confess. "We didn't run into anybody on the way. Nervin put something on my bruise and it stinks to high heaven."

The sky's rosy hues have gone, making way for the inkiness of the descending night. Shade casts the world in a dark tint but the rising moon covers his face in its cool light.

"I meant because of your past." He does reach for me then, his fingers dancing over the ridge of my knuckles and taking my hand in his. The gesture is sweet if unexpected. "Because of your relationship with this bridge."

It makes me look down shyly. I didn't expect him to be thinking of me. "Yeah. I think I'll be okay."

--------------------

She lets me lead her to the campfire. Crow had passed out some extra bedrolls and Nervin, Blitz, Taka, and Rally sit on them, appreciating the heat of the centerpiece.

Three empty bedrolls sit within the circle between Rally and Taka. My oldest friend is nowhere to be seen. She hasn't yet withdrawn her hand from mine, humoring the faint rubbing of my thumb on the back of her hand. I take her to sit next to Rally, releasing her hand only when she sits on the roll closest to him. I drop down on her right, one more unclaimed bedroll between me and Taka.