Chapter Text
The air in the café hung thick with the aroma of roasted coffee beans and quiet conversation. Ash, crackling with restless energy, bounced his knee under the table. He was acutely aware of the man sitting across from him, Yugi Muto.
Yugi, looked impossibly serene, his tri-colored hair defying gravity as usual. He sipped his tea, the soft clinking of porcelain the only sound he made. Ash, a whirlwind of sunshine and vibrant colors, was a stark contrast to Yugi's understated elegance.
“So,” Ash started, a nervous flutter in his chest, “You think your new deck is gonna be ready for the tournament?”
Yugi looked up, his amethyst eyes, Ash's favorite color in the whole world, meeting his. “I hope so. Kaiba's been pushing me to try new strategies. He seems convinced there's some untapped potential with my Dark Magician.”
“Kaiba, huh?” Ash grumbled, not liking the billionaire’s constant presence in Yugi's life. “He's always been a pain.”
Yugi chuckled, a warm, melodic sound that sent shivers down Ash's spine. “He's competitive. You understand that better than anyone, Ash.”
“¡Claro que sí!” Ash grinned, momentarily forgetting his nervousness. “But even I know when to chill out and grab a burger! You work way too hard, Yugi.”
“Maybe,” Yugi admitted, a hint of weariness in his voice. He had been shouldering the responsibility of being the King of Games for years, the weight of expectations a constant companion.
Ash's heart ached. He wanted to sweep Yugi away, take him somewhere where there were no duels, no pressure, just sunshine and laughter. But he knew Yugi wouldn't leave. He loved dueling, it was part of who he was.
“Hey,” Ash said gently, reaching across the table to cover Yugi's hand with his. “How about we take a break? Just for a few hours. We could go see that new movie everyone’s talking about or… or anything you want.”
Yugi looked at their hands, Ash's tanned and calloused, his own pale and slender. A faint blush crept up his neck. He quickly withdrew his hand.
“I… I appreciate the offer, Ash, but I really should get back to testing my deck.”
Ash's smile faltered. This was always the way. He tried, he really did, to get Yugi to notice him, to understand the feelings that burned beneath the surface like a raging Charizard. But Yugi always brushed him off, subtly, politely, but definitively.
“Right,” Ash said, forcing a lightness into his voice. “Well, let me know if you change your mind.”
He watched Yugi gather his things, the movement graceful and efficient. As Yugi turned to leave, Ash muttered under his breath, “Voy a empezar a morder gente si no me ves, Yugi.” (I'm going to start biting people if you don't see me, Yugi.)
He didn't think Yugi heard him, but as Yugi reached the door, he paused, turned back, and gave Ash a small, sad smile.
“Maybe another time, Ash.”
The words, though kind, felt like a rejection.
Ash sighed, running a hand through his messy black hair. He couldn't understand it. He was the Champion, the best Pokémon trainer in the world. He had confidence, charisma, and a genuine affection for Yugi that he wasn't afraid to show.
But to Yugi, he was just Ash. The energetic, well-meaning kid who probably didn't really mean the way he looked at him, the way he lingered a little too long, the way his hand always seemed to find Yugi's. It was just Ash being Ash, Yugi reasoned, too blinded by his own low self-worth to see the truth.
He couldn't understand why someone like Ash would be interested in someone like him. Five years separated them, and Yugi felt every single one. Ash should be with someone his own age, someone vibrant and full of life, someone who hadn't spent years battling ancient spirits and saving the world.
He pushed the thought away. Ignoring his feelings for Ash had become a practiced art, a dull ache he barely registered. He had convinced himself it was just a fleeting infatuation, a temporary fixation on someone bright and unattainable.
—
Back at the Turtle Game Shop, Yugi struggled to focus on his cards.
Kaiba's words echoed in his head: 'You're holding back, Muto. You're not pushing yourself to be better.'
He slammed his fist on the table, scattering cards across the surface. He was trying. He was just… distracted. By a certain raven-haired trainer with a sunny disposition and eyes that sparkled like lightning.
He picked up a card, the Dark Magician, and stared at it. He had always relied on its strength, its loyalty. But lately, it felt… empty. He needed something more, something to ignite the fire within him, something to make him feel alive.
He thought of Ash, his infectious laugh, his unwavering determination, the way he always saw the best in everyone. He thought of the warmth of Ash's hand on his, the way his eyes held a depth of affection that Yugi couldn't allow himself to acknowledge.
The feeling, the suppressed yearning, rose within him, a tidal wave threatening to break through the dam he had so carefully constructed.
He closed his eyes, struggling to contain it.
He couldn't.
He wouldn't.
Not anymore.
He ran out of the shop, not knowing where he was going, only that he had to find Ash.
—
Meanwhile, Ash was pacing his hotel room, Pikachu perched worriedly on his shoulder.
'Pika Pi?'
“I don't know what to do, buddy,” Ash said, his voice laced with frustration. “I try so hard, but he just doesn't see it. Maybe I'm just… not his type.”
He slumped onto the bed, defeated. Maybe he was too young, too loud, too much. He was everything Yugi wasn't, and maybe that was the problem.
A knock on the door startled him. He looked up, his heart pounding with a hope he knew he shouldn't have.
He opened the door, and there stood Yugi, his face flushed, his eyes wide and filled with an emotion Ash had never seen before.
“Ash,” Yugi said, his voice barely a whisper. “I… I need to talk to you.”
Ash's breath caught in his throat. “Yugi? What's wrong?”
Yugi stepped inside, closing the door behind him. He took a deep breath, and for the first time, he allowed himself to be vulnerable, to let go of the fear and insecurities that had held him captive for so long.
“I…” he began, then paused, struggling to find the right words. “I think… I think I might feel the same way you do.”
Ash stared at him, speechless. The words hung in the air, shimmering with possibility. He couldn't believe it. After all this time, Yugi…
“You… you do?” he finally managed, his voice hoarse.
Yugi nodded, his gaze unwavering. “It's taken me a long time to realize it, and I'm still terrified if I'm being honest. But… I can't keep pretending anymore.”
Ash's face broke into a radiant smile. He stepped forward, cupping Yugi's face in his hands. “Yugi,” he whispered, his voice filled with a tenderness that made Yugi's heart ache. “Por fin.” (Finally.)
He leaned in and kissed Yugi, a soft, tentative kiss that quickly deepened into something more, a kiss that spoke of years of unspoken feelings, of longing and desire finally unleashed.
It was the start of a new duel, a duel of hearts, and this time, Ash and Yugi were finally on the same team. And maybe, just maybe, they could both finally be winners.