Dissatisfaction Town

Acceptance

"You wanted to dump Jack and come and live with but you risked losing both of us and ending up alone," explained his theory, pacing up and down his sitting room. Jack was listening down the phone crying silent tears. Yusei sat awkwardly on the couch feeling guilty and confused. He often didn't understand the actions and motivations of others but found it even more difficult in identifying them for himself. Kiryu was actually helping him do that and they all knew it. Kiryu knew him more than he knew himself. "So it was easier to secure me first then break up with him - treating both of us under false pretences. Actually, Jack under false pretences. You straight up lied to me,"

Yusei hung his head a little, feeling ashamed with himself and vengeful from being caught out. "What happens now?" Was his only question. A way to settle most of his nerves.

"First of all, do you still want to dump Jack?"

Yusei tenses and stares at the phone. "If I do... will you still accept me?"

Kiryu crosses his arms, staring down Yusei with a kind of amused vitriol. "You don't get to ask that, right Jack?" He laughs with a manic edge in his voice.

"Right,"

Jack agreeing with Kiryu? What sorcery! Kiryu smirks and disconnects the call, putting it into airplane mode. "Alright. First of all, I applaud you," Kiryu laughs with a clap. "I knew you hadn't changed so much. Ah, you and your sinister streak never ceases to amuse me. Remember when you offered your own life to the Dark Signers? We would have been good Treasurers of the New World if I had succeeded..."

"You hated me..." Yusei reminded. "You would have obliterated me not resurrected me as a Dark Signer,"

"You're probably right. In that case, remember when you were entirely ready to kill Lotin with me?"

"That was for the greater good..."

"Was dumping Jack for the greater good?" He smirked at Yusei's discomfort. Kiryu kneels down, their faves level and inches apart. "Of course I still accept you, Yusei. I love you,"

They hugged for a lingering second, Kiryu feeling the bristles of Yusei's hair neath his hand. He tried to flatten it but it stuck right back up. "But don't ever lie to me again,"

"I won't." Yusei promised. He smiles at his partner. "Plus, now we have so much more time to help you through your drinking,"

He placed a hand on Kiryu's shoulder. "We're going to get you better,"

They dressed, Yusei in his poncho and left the battered house. "Hey!" They heard from afar, looking over to see Nico and West waving from a nearby mountain. "C'mere, we wanna wow you something!" Kiryu froze for a second. He shouldn't be associating with children when he was so withdrawn to his alcoholism. How was he meant to escape this?

Yusei was already tugging him in the direction of the kids. "Nico, West! Long time no see!"

"Yusei-!" Kiryu hissed, tugging on him. "No, just leave it! Say we're busy!"

"They're your friends, Kiryu," he smiled back at him, squeezing his hand gently for support. "You deserve to be in their lives. They wouldn't have lives if it wasn't for you,"

Kiryu has nothing to say in response, just letting Yusei drag him over to spend the day with Nico and West, some temporary respite from the stresses of running Satisfaction town.