The garden party takes place in a large backyard. The grass is green and perfect, looking as though it's never been trampled on or played in. The lines from where the man of the house had mowed early that morning are obvious. The tables, all covered in white cloth and flower petals, are filled with "anybody who's anybody around here." as the host will tell you. They all laugh boisterously and raise their wine glasses high in the air. Three strings of golden lightbulbs attach from the roof to the gazebo, lighting up the spring night in a warm glow. Ask anyone here, and they'll tell you how much they are enjoying themselves, how gracious their host is and oh, you simply must try the hors d'oeuvres. Isn't it lovely? And the plants surrounding them gives the place such an otherworldly feel. Everything is so perfect.
Yugi hates it.
He hates the way everyone here smiles, so wide and forced and fake. Hates the way this garden is decorated -so blandly with the occasional culturally appropriated "artifact" that the owner has and loves to show off. Hates the way everyone here laughs in their clicks, because he knows what they are laughing at. He sees the way their eyes glance at other tables -not at all subtly, mind you- and the way they snicker. The general snobbish and elitist atmosphere this place creates nearly suffocates him. He hates this new neighborhood he was forced to move in to. Worst of all, he hates his neighbor.
"Hello, Yugi."
Speak of the devil.
Yugi smiles and grinds his teeth a little tighter. "Hello, Atemu."
Yami Atemu. Born rich and fed with a literal silver spoon. Always kind and generous and full of the same fake smiles as everyone else here. When he had first moved here a little over two months ago, Atemu had been the one to "welcome" him. A small conversation in the kitchen and a few shared shots of whiskey, but Yugi was no fool. He had seen the way Yami had looked at his home, taken in all his decorations, books, and lack of consistent style. He had seen the look that passed across Atemu's face when he came to a conclusion. He had looked amused, unimpressed, and what Yugi could only describe as 'I know I'm better than you. It's time you saw it too.'
And Yugi would be damned if he took that lying down. Everyone else he had met around here had at least pretended to be kind and put up some kind of facade. But Atemu had taken one look at him and decided he simply wasn't worth it. It was in every glance that lingered too long, every scoff that passed his lips during council meetings. Yugi had grown up hearing those things all around him -surrounding the holes in his shoes and his hand-me-down clothes- and he wouldn't put up with it here. They were adults, dammit. And Yugi had actually climbed his way here. He was not about to be shoved back down.
"How many times have I told you, it's Yami." Atemu had the nerve to smile and slide to stand next to him. "Neighbors have to keep up some kind of friendliness, right?"
Yugi made a noncommital hum and continued to sip his wine. Atemu apparently took that as an invitation to make conversation.
"So what's a fine man like yourself doing over here in the corner and not in the middle of all this being the life of the party?"
"I could ask the same to you."
If Yugi hadn't been so focussed on ignoring the man beside him, he wouldn't have missed the look of adoration and glee that passed over Yami's face. As though there was a right answer to his question and Yugi has just said it. He waved his hand dismissively.
"I get overwhelmed too, you know. It feels like there's always some event or another going on here that you're expected to attend. My social battery runs out."
"Shocker," Yugi mumbles.
"On that topic, Mai's little girl had her tenth birthday party over the weekend. I had thought you would come. I missed you. Could you not make it?"
