duel 11. video (cw: death or dying)

[puzzlingly]

「It's been a while since he's made a video post in which he looks actually serious, he doesn't look sad for a change, just thoughtful.

When he finally speaks he does it uncharacteristically (for him) quietly, even though, firm.」

How do you deal with loss?

When people leave this place or, when you know you will never see someone you care for again?
When they pass away.
Do you try to forget about them... or... 「No, that thought actually hurts.」

What is that helps you to move on?

「If they do at all.

This has been in his mind ever since Maedhros and Celebrimbor were gone, and even way before. He didn't knew them personally, but he could see how much pain their departure had caused — only one person had made him feel that way, but it wasn't Yugi who left, it was him. Atem left them all and he cannot help but wonder, was he the cause of grief among his loved ones, the ones that survived him when he decided to give up his life, and then when he had to move on from the world of the living a second time?

He doesn't wish to think so highly of himself, but it's hard, specially when all his life the world did use to revolve around him. But he worries about those he left behind, they would be fine, wouldn't they? Heh, if only they knew he hasn't moved on at all, that he still talks to his partner in his head all the time... What a little hypocrite.」


「private text: Kaiba Seto」

Mokuba is gone.

「But Atem is sure he already knows. He doesn't expect a reply.」

Comments

[puzzlingly]

「Because...?

Longest thirty seconds in life.

He doesn't buy that shit, at all. Nope.」

Fine, just grandpa will do.

「Okei? Okei」

[murderpotato]

[Look, it has to do with his soap opera of a former love life and Atem needs to reach Friend Level Four to unlock his bullshit backstory or whatever. Keep leveling up those social links, bro.]

this is fuckin karma or some shit. my life is full of assholes and i mustve done somethin to fuckin deserve it

[puzzlingly]

「Goddammit don't put it that way! He'll win this! KING OF GAMES!

Only not really, but... he wonders — he's also had a lot of reminders that he should not meddle in people's lives! This doesn't help...」

Hey, you said it yourself, you're not a good person or something, I don't remember anymore. Maybe it is Karma after all.

「Eh, he has a terrible tendency of pushing himself into people's lives...」

Do you play card games?

「Oh noes.」

[murderpotato]

[How many busybodies can Gren have in his life? At least one more, apparently.]

i aint bad at poker and blackjack. what, you some kinda card shark? it aint like we got money to lose

[puzzlingly]

Betting is useless here, and I don't cheat. Never heard of Duel Monsters, have you?

「No. one. does.

Won't stop trying!」

[murderpotato]

the fuck is that

[Sorry, King of Games, Gren doesn't know about your monster-based card game for children with improbable hairstyles.]

did you just make that the fuck up

[puzzlingly]

「SEE THE SADNESS IN HIS EYES Aw man, what is with these worlds lacking of the best game ever?」

Of course not. It's a game from my world. And from my world only it seems.

Poker or blackjack will do, thought those are not nearly as fun.

[murderpotato]

kinda need more than two people for a poker table. you get enough together and yeah ill join in, why the fuck not

it aint like you can fleece me for cash

[But what ELSE can Atem win from him???]

[puzzlingly]

Can do that. I'll let you know.

「✨friendship✨」

[murderpotato]

[He has the most ominous feeling right now.]

dont invite either of the taacos theyll fuckin cheat

[puzzlingly]

「Ominous is good!」

Tch, you think I don't know that? That's the only way Lup could have won at paintball.

「He's probably still a tiny bit sore about that, and nothing will ever make him change his mind.」

[murderpotato]

your first fuckin mistake was thinkin that lup would ever let herself play a game that she could lose

shes good at cheatin at cards too

[He knows, he kind of... taught her when there was that whole stupid event where everybody turned into kids. That's what Gren does with children, he teaches them how to cheat at poker.]

[puzzlingly]

Hey! I didn't know her at the time!

「Tiniest pout!」

I wouldn't be surprised, but I'd still win anyway.

「Such conviction.」

[murderpotato]

[Don't pout, Atem, you're like a thousand years old.]

so what you sayin that you can cheat better? that aint really a good incentive for me to play

i mean i aint half bad myself but still

could at least pretend that we aint all gonna cheat like assholes

[puzzlingly]

I told you, I do not cheat.

「Not when you're a lucky motherfucker.」

[murderpotato]

yeah sure right. i dont either. and i dont fuckin lie too

[If you believe that, he's got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.]

sometimes you gotta make your own luck

[puzzlingly]

「He could use a bridge.」

You don't believe me.

「He doesn't care! But it's amusing all the same, it shows on that little smirk.」

Is that what you've been doing?

[murderpotato]

i aint exactly been playin much around here. i didnt fuckin do it before for shits and giggles yknow? it aint like i fuckin love playin poker that much.

i did it to make cash so that i could like. fuckin eat and pay rent and that kinda bullshit. i didnt give a shit about bein sportsmanlike or whatever, i needed to fuckin survive. end of the day? didnt fuckin matter if i got the cash by cheatin or playin fair.

but i aint so hard up here that i gotta cheat anybody outta shit.

[puzzlingly]

「And Gren proceeds to keep making himself better and better to this guy's eyes. That alone can explain a lot of behind Gren's attitude already. Atem can also guess that it's very much the same thing Lup and Taako had to do to survive, putting two and two together wasn't that hard, them being alone and everything. Atem was not only goddamn lucky at games, he had a very lucky life too, he cannot judge them for that, he's not like them, even though he honestly does not approve, he can let it go.」

So, what does that make this place for you? Vacations, second chance or purgatory?

「He's heard them all.」

[murderpotato]

[His!! Reputation!!!!]

none of the fuckin above i guess

this sure as fuck aint a vacation, and i aint dead yet back home so it aint the other two either. i just want these fuckin god assholes to figure their shit out with the door so i can get outta here

[Mostly so that he can try to find Wade again, because his life is now apparently an interdimensional B-movie of a soap opera.]

[puzzlingly]

「It's gone, flew out the window, go catch it.」

That works.

How... long have you been here anyway?

「That dreaded question. Can't say he's a little curious about it.」

i have been here forever

[murderpotato]

fuck

like almost three years? something like that i dunno

[Not only is he old as balls, he's also a Hadriel veteran, too. Old all around.]

👻

[puzzlingly]

「Holy wow. Guess what this guy is thinking just from that alone.

Old, old guy. Fits him, totally.」

Is it better now? After so long?

[murderpotato]

got its ups and downs

theres more shit around than there was when i got here. wasnt a whole lot around other than the houses when it was just fear and hope. theres booze and weed now so thats a major fuckin improvement.

but now we gotta deal with the null and all that bullshit. that kinda blows.

[puzzlingly]

You mean it was even more boring that it is now?

「Sans the ridiculous stuff the so-called gods put them through, that's it.」

How did you manage?