this is not the sequel you're looking for

[mightysoxer]

True facts? Even Jaden isn’t entirely sure how this happened.

Sure, so maybe he stands in front of his bedroom mirror two or three times a day to dish out some ~fresh~ new lines for his hella good-looking reflection –

– fine, yes, okay, it’s probably more like five or six times a day if you really want to split hairs.

(Seven. It’s at least seven times a day. Whatever.)

The point is that, despite all his posturing and incessant talk about becoming a superstar rapper, Jaden never actually expected to find himself backstage at a swank venue, listening to the kind of ear-splitting sound that only thousands of raised voices can make – thousands of raised voices coming from the thousands of people currently filling the KaibaCorp Arena, each and every last one of them waiting not-so-patiently for the newest rap sensation Jade Yu*nit blow their respective minds.

Possibly, maybe, like not for sure one-hundred-percent percent or anything, but… he just might have gotten in over his head on this one. Through no fault of his own, obviously, since he never runs head-first into things without thinking. Nope, not him. But this is definitely a thing that’s for real happening, even if he can’t quite believe it. He’s less than an hour away from an actual, honest-to-the-Egyptian-gods live show – his debut show – and he has absolutely no idea how he got here.

The figure staring out at him from the dressing room mirror is a familiar one: he’s wearing the same bling, the same rings as always; the same backwards cap sits atop the same wild, Kuriboh-esque hair he’s always had, which is still doing its damnedest to escape in every possible direction. He’s seen this reflection a hundred times and then some, but somehow…

Somehow, tonight it’s like he’s looking at a total stranger wearing his face. He feels like an imposter, someone has mistaken for the rapper who’s actually supposed to be here, standing where he is now. He feels awkward in his own skin. Instead of sliding easily into the practiced role like usual, all that signature Jade Yu*nit bravado seems to have deserted him. And for the first time ever, he’s not sure he’ll even be able to get his game on.

Not once in his life has Jaden Yuki backed down from a challenge. He is, after all, the best duelist this side of Academy Island. Up until this moment, it’s been a matter of course that Jaden Yuki steps up, ready to throw down and lay some smackdown any time he’s called upon. He’s got fuckin’ theme music, for Slifer’s sake. ~Absolutely flawless~, right? That’s him, without a doubt. No question.

…or, it usually is, anyway.

The roar from out front swells to a deafening tone, loud enough to bring down the rafters – the very hizzouse, if you will. They’re calling for him—demanding the spectacular show he’s promised to deliver with every slick rhyme that ever fell from his lips. They’re expecting the best, because he’s the best. Always has been. This is his jam.

This is his jam, yo, so he should be ready for this. He was born ready for this.

…wasn’t he?

He’d thought he was. Believed it to his core. Hell, look up ‘confidence’ in the dictionary you’ll find his god damn Duel Academy yearbook picture.

Except suddenly and out of literally nowhere, the Jaden Yuki – loveable protagonist, Mr. Self-Assurance and duelist extraordinaire – finds himself feeling like the chump who forgot his deck on the first day of Duel Academy qualifications. Or worse, like the loser who shows up to a tag duel only to realize he has absolutely no idea who he’s supposed to be dueling or even who his partner is. He’s Cyrus on the playground; he’s Chumley facing a legacy of hot sauce. He’s Chazz Princeton completely losing his shit in the school bathroom with no idea anyone’s there to witness him cry.

It’s an utterly foreign sensation for him, feeling uncertainty – a strange and altogether unexpected new experience that Jaden isn’t at all equipped to deal with.

The noise from the increasingly restless crowd doesn’t quiet when he shuts his eyes, as though by doing so he might somehow block it all out. No, instead the deafening tones only seem to get louder, closing in on him from all sides until they surround and swallow him up completely, like the fog summoned by Titan during their fake ‘Shadow Game’. At least with his head bowed and eyes closed he doesn’t have to face the figure in mirror, the persona that until tonight felt like a natural extension of himself.

Fuck. He’s the guy who faced off with Yugi Muto in a legendary rap battle once upon a time. He sang a villain from the distant future into submission and starred in his own epic spin-off series. He’s done all that and more no sweat in the past. So what the hell is his problem now?

It doesn’t make any sense.

“Is this where I ask for an autograph?”

Jaden’s head snaps up, gaze fixing on the reflected image of Yusei Fudou standing in the open doorway behind him. (And he is absolutely not startled like a deer in headlights, thank you very much. Nope. Nuh-uh. Yusei caught him by surprise, that’s all. Totally chill guy right here, yup. A chill guy who definitely hadn’t just jumped about a foot in the air.)

“A word of advice? Fire your security team.” Yusei’s lips quirk up ever so slightly at the corners, but he has the decency not to mention Jaden’s jumpy behavior. Stepping into the room, he closes the door behind him, though it does little to dampen the raucous screams coming from outside. “Apparently, they’ll let obvious riff-raff walk right into your dressing room.”

Jaden grins at Yusei in the mirror, the expression only a little manic. “Sorry, homes, I don’t know how you got backstage, but you’re gonna have to wait in line after the show just like everyone else. Them’s the breaks!”

Yusei’s almost-smile doesn’t waver as he approaches Jaden, his cool blue gaze pinning Jaden’s eyes in the mirror with that same unrelenting intensity he always seems to exude.

“That’s not what I was told. In fact, I seem to recall being promised the full VIP package...” Yusei pauses, eyes raking brazenly over Jaden from head to toe in a way that could… very easily be misconstrued. Or misinterpreted. Or. Something.

Or something.

Jaden sucks in a breath, realizing that somewhere along the line, he’d forgotten to breathe. When had that happened?

“Oh. Right.”

Smooth, Yuki. Real smooth.

Still, he had promised something like that, hadn’t he? Plus a few other choice ‘benefits,’ back when Yusei had caught him making threats and mouthing off all gangster-like at his own reflection in a different mirror. He’d been full of swagger then, dead certain his new ‘hood’ identity would be an immediate hit and launch him straight into a wicked rap career. And well, it had. Yusei had surprised him that time too, but it had been easy play it cool and keep talking a big game when Yusei was his only audience.

Yusei cocks his head just barely, managing as always to communicate volumes with the slightest movement. (The asshole.) Maybe he’s remembering that other time too, because a faint look of amusement crosses his face, which for Yusei might as well be a full-on comedy special complete with a laugh-track and hokey cymbal crash. It’s enough to distract Jaden from the clamor outside, at least, and the uncharacteristically apprehensive thoughts churning in his head begin to fade away as Jaden relaxes, soaking up Yusei’s familiar, calming presence.

“I also seem to remember the VIP treatment hinged on me showing up to root for you you at your shows… even if I don’t find the rap scene particularly appealing, Jade Unit,” Yusei says quietly. His dry tone and nearly imperceptible emphasis on Jaden’s stage name convey more sarcasm than should be humanly possible for someone speaking almost entirely in monotone. Jaden has never understood how Yusei can consistently say so much and so little at the same time. Yusei has subtlety down to a fucking art form, and Jaden’s lucky if he can pick up on even half of Yusei’s masterfully understated barbs. He’s Jaden’s antithesis in every way: reserved where Jaden is over the top; steady where Jaden is exuberant and excitable. They couldn’t be more different, yet in some inexplicable, indefinable way, they compliment each other. Somewhere along the line, their relationship had shifted, changing fundamentally from unlikely – and in Yusei’s case, exceedingly reluctant – allies into true friends.

Standing next to Yusei, there is no uncertainty, only trust – constant and unwavering – alongside the unshakeable, inexorable knowledge that no matter what, someone will always have his back. Theirs is a bond unlike any other, forged beyond time. Unbreakable, never-ending. Whether centuries or centimeters separate them, that bond will remain.

And it’s in the face of that undeniable truth that Jaden finds his footing – finds himself again. Whether he knows it or not, Yusei serves as a living, breathing reminder to Jaden of who he is – who he’ll always be, even when he falters or begins to doubt himself.

…which would be like, a super profound revelation, if Jaden were the kind of guy to have anything even remotely close to profound thoughts or revelations. Luckily, he makes a point not to think too hard about anything; he might hurt himself, after all, and then who would please the masses with sick moves and dank rhythms?

“It’s Jade Yu*nit, Fudou,” Jaden quips before the silence can drag on too long, doing his best to look affronted and unimpressed with Yusei’s inability to get his totally awesome rapper name right. His attempt at indignation isn’t fooling anyone, since Jaden doesn’t actually have an irritable bone in his body, but Yusei plays along anyway, falling into their usual banter without missing a beat:

”That’s what I said.”

”Nah, bro. You said, ’Jade Unit.’ It’s Yu*nit.”

“Unit.”

“Yu*nit.”

“Yunit.”

”No, it’s Yu*nit! Listen to the words that I’m saying with my mouth!” Jaden turns abruptly away from the mirror with a flourish, his face the epitome of put-upon exasperation, because they’ve had this argument so many times, he’s lot count.

(But let’s be real, it never gets old.)

“Jade Yu*nit,” he repeats. “Yu*nit! Y-U-*-N-I-T!” How Jaden articulates the asterisk and all-caps is anyone’s guess, but he damn well does it like a dope-ass champ and you’d best believe it! “Seriously, yo, it’s not that hard. Jade. Yu*nit. Easy!”

“Right. So, it’s Jade Uni—”

“Motherfucker, did. I. Stutter?!”

Reflexes honed over a lifetime of dueling allow Yusei to catch Jaden’s hand easily when he moves in to swat at Yusei’s stupidly prettythat?

“Get it right, dog, or I might just have to call this whole thing off. Don’t think you wanna be the one breaking that kinda bad news to all those people out there, do you?”

Yusei’s brow arches at that, his fingers tightening around Jaden’s wrist or the briefest moment before he finally relinquishes his hold.

“Fine. You win.” Everybody gets one. “So, does this mean that Jade Yu*nit is ready to go out and greet his adoring fans? You’ve gathered quite the crowd out there… can’t imagine how.” Another small quirk of Yusei’s lips belies the slight. He might not care much for Jaden’s particular brand of musical ‘talent,’ but he was never going to be anywhere besides here, supporting Jaden’s debut from behind the scenes.

And just like that, Jaden’s confidence snaps fully back into place. Because of course he’s drawn a crowd – like that was ever not going to happen when the one-and-online Jade Yu*nit is here to rock the hizzouse! Even with the arena packed to bursting, there are tons more unfortunates still camped outside, just dying to catch a glimpse the real deal Yuki. Bitches don’t even know ‘bout Jade Yu*nit’s baller style – ain’t nobody as fly as him!

“Ah, don’t be a playa’ hata’!” Jaden levels a cocky, hundred-watt smile on Yusei, the last half hour of near-crippling insecurity apparently forgotten as he jerks a thumb at his chest. “Don’t even try to deny you snuck back here hoping for first dibs at an autograph… and I bet you’re anglin’ for an invite to the totally exclusive afterparty, amirite??”

Though Yusei’s expression has returned to its normal impassive quality, there’s no mistaking the glint of humor alight in his eyes. He could remind Jaden once again that he isn’t a ‘player hater,’ but it’s already been said. Instead, he simply asks, “See you at your ‘crib’ after the show? Or will you be too busy to make good on those promises?”

It’s not Jaden’s first time shooting a suggestive smirk at Yusei. Apparently, it worked out pretty well the last time he did it, seeing as it got Yusei Fudou here in the flesh, against all odds. Hell, Yusei even legit smiled at him. So why not try the same thing again and see what else that smirk can get him?

“Heh, like I said… You’re my boy, dawg. The one and only VIP card-holder for this backstage pass—"

Jaden lifts his cap long enough to run a hand through his unruly hair, tossing a wink over his shoulder at Yusei as he heads toward to the door and his awaiting fans.

“Catch you on the flip side, G! ‘Cause it’s time for me to get out there and…

Get my game on!”