[Thread] Gone but not forgotten

[blizzardprince]

Characters: OU: Tenjoin Fubuki, AU: Otogi Ryuuji, and all those who wish to remember Chronos's presence
When: Shortly after Chronos vanishes; before the age-shift plot starts
Where: Paj-Pente
Summary: Chronos's friends and students gather to lift a glass in his honor
Warnings: Well, there's alcohol involved, but it's not likely to get rowdy. This

Comments

[hero_of_dark]

Juudai, too, was slightly surprised at the serious atmosphere, especially considering it was a party being held by Fubuki of all people. He could understand it, though, and certainly much better now than before, when he'd been so childish and thoughtless. He'd never have been able to appreciate it then, he was sure.

He looked around and decided to just wander about for now, but avoided the wine table for the moment. Because it was no fun doing it alone... that and he didn't want to accidentally go overboard or something.

[blizzardprince]

Fubuki waved to Juudai and walked over to greet him.

"Hey," he said. "Glad you could make it... Come to think of it, this is the first time you've come to visit here, isn't it?"

[black_seaweed]

Of course Yusuke noticed that Yuuki was here. And said fact did make him nervous still - he wasn't going to deny that he still hadn't completely gotten over what had happened, even months after the fact, even after he had specifically come out and apologized. It still hurt a lot, and he doubted that he would ever get over it completely.

But this was supposed to be an event to honor Chronos-sensei, and Yusuke doubted that the leader of the Obelisk dormitory would have wanted his students to harbor bad feelings for each other. And besides, he'd been doing a lot of thinking, and he'd decided that it would be better for everyone's sake to give him a second chance.

"Yuuki," he said quietly. It was a tone devoid of emotional attatchment - not accusing, not angry, not sad, not happy, not curious, just a simple statement.

[hero_of_dark]

Juudai turned to the voice to see that it belonged to... Fujiwara Yusuke.

Well, he definitely hadn't been expecting that. Looking at him in sheer bewilderment, he blinked and, after an awkward moment, issued the greeting that had been lingering in his mind, which he'd been trying to force himself to just come out with already.

"Ah, hi, Fujiwara..."

It wasn't really enthusiastic, to say the least, but not downtrodden either, just somewhat mildly surprised. Fujiwara was talking to him? This was new; though he had enough tact now to avoid saying that out loud now, certainly.

[black_seaweed]

He paused for a moment - this was difficult for him to do, after all - but then Yusuke took in a breath and said, with a tone that slightly reflected insecurity, "We both know what happened. And... I can't truthfully say that I've forgiven you completely, because if I did, that would mean that it didn't still hurt to think about it." In fact, he doubted that he ever would completely forgive him.

He paused again. "However..."

[hero_of_dark]

Juudai would've been lying if he said he wanted to go there anymore... at least, not completely. Half of him did want to reconcile, but the other half just told him to drop it and let Fujiwara think what he wanted.

"...I know. It will probably hurt... for a long time to come. I don't think Kaiser himself has really gotten over it that much either."

Conveniently, he decided to leave out the part about how he hadn't really forgiven himself for it, either. Time had at least scarred the wound over by now, but he still hadn't found a way to fix himself fully, so he could be certain it would never, ever have to happen again. He fought just to keep his eyes away from the floor and still on Fujiwara.

"However...?"

[black_seaweed]

After taking another breath, Yusuke replied.

"However, there's no one who can say that they haven't made any mistakes in their lives. And as long as the mistakes are learned from and don't happen again, dwelling solely on the past is only destrimental. So..."

He paused again before finishing, "I can't say that I'm willing to give you my friendship. But I am willing to give you a second chance."

[hero_of_dark]

Okay. That was good. It was a start, at least!

Juudai could work for such friendship later, even if it would never be quite as good as what he had with Johan or Shou or Kenzan or Manjoume or anyone else he knew. He was good at working for things he really wanted, no matter what that goal took. But at least Fujiwara was willing to turn over Juudai's page in his book to add to it instead of leaving it on a pungently bitter note, and that was more than he'd been expecting, honestly.

"Thank you," he said, flashing a sincere smile, "I appreciate the chance to do better. It... really means a lot."

And it did, too. Maybe if even Fujiwara was willing to forgive him... it would be a step in the right direction for Ryou as well. Patience and time, he reminded himself. Ideally, in said time he'd be able to treat both of them like his friends, with at least reasonable levels of respect for each other, like he had with Ryou what seemed like ages ago, and like he'd never really had with Fujiwara.

[black_seaweed]

To this response, Yusuke could only nod and give a small, attempted smile. In truth, regardless of everything that had happened, he still remembered his - limited - time back on Duel Academy island, talking to his world's version of Yuuki Judai. And when he wasn't in his Haou mode, this one seemed to have a personality similar to that of the other one, so Yusuke wanted to think that maybe, just maybe, someday, things would be different.

It would take a long time, if it ever truly was to happen, and Yusuke himself still doubted that all of the scars would ever heal completely. But he was willing to try.