#about to meet the BAKURAS

[ectoplasmer]

tumblr cut off my tags of me questioning ryou's dad's parenting ethics so i think that's my sign not to bring it up lol

[forever--darling]

the chosen one

summary: a new life awaits you & yet you can't help the darkness that looms over the old one. to be a jedi seemed wrong to you so much so that the overwhelming feelings for the young jedi you were forced to spend every day with became overshadowed by other things instead, things no jedi were ever to act upon.

pairings: anakin skywalker x jedi!reader

word count: 6.6k

warnings/notes: mention of war, of death, mention of clone wars, swearing, evidence of past reader & anakin, conceited!anakin, angst (early but important for future character development), mentions of the force, fluff near the end

series masterlist | 02

“Master, you have returned from the council I have seen. What did they say? About the princess?” The young Padawan stared up at his mentor, eyes so uncertain as he met the older man’s gaze. 

Obi-Wan met the young man’s question with just as much uncertainty. How was he to put it into words? Words of what he had proposed to the Jedi Council? Of just how exactly he might have jeopardized the very chosen one’s training. Obi-Wan was not proud then of what he had done in the council meeting. Of how persistent he had been without even talking to his young Padawan learner beforehand, but his mind had already been made up the second he had seen your face upon meeting the outside ruins of Bakura, your father left behind to burn with it. 

They successfully extracted you — just to leave you with nothing. 

“Padawan…” Obi-Wan began but trailed off, instead taking a seat upon the couch, hesitant then as the younger man remained standing, a single dark brow arched in obvious confusion. 

Obi-Wan corrected himself then, “Anakin, with regarding the princess I have talked to them about her staying on a more permanent note.” 

“In Coruscant?” 

“Yes, but not exactly,” Obi-Wan said, watching carefully as his young Padawan’s face fell, the confusion melting at the relization. 

“Within the Jedi Temple, you mean.” 

The older Jedi nodded in confirmation. 

“You wish for her to become a Jedi?” Anakin asked, forming the conclusions as quickly as they appeared over Obi-Wan’s face. He could feel it as well through his senses, the anxiety that had befallen his master. The sudden question swarmed him of what exactly his mentor had done; of what deal he had exactly struck with the council. 

“She knows the force, Anakin. I have seen it, with my own eyes. There is a piece of her she has yet to even explore, and I know that with much focus and practice, she could become a strong Jedi. She could will the force just as well as you or I.” 

The young man froze, the very admittance shielding him useless then. Unable to barely fathom what to say or a single coherent thought. He could only stand there, senses wavering, opening up to the mere feeling from just across the temple. You. 

Even from rooms away, it felt as if he sat across from you, observing the expressions on your face, just asking to see your pretty eyes weaken from their steel. You were unaware of his senses, unaware of how well he could feel you. Unaware of how well he knew the pain you dwelled on and the devastation that filled your chest with a gentle ache. Your sadness was loud to him, his Jedi powers strong then. 

But one question still remained. 

“Master, who would she train under? Who would be her Master?” 

Obi-Wan remained silent. His head suddenly bowing in slight shame. Slight worry of offering up himself to the council willingly. 

“I see,” Anakin frowned, “And what about me?” 

The older Jedi’s eyes found his then quickly, trying to offer as much comfort as he could with a soft smile, trying to ease the panic that was surely swirling within the chosen one’s mighty mind, “You would still be my young Padawan learner if that is what you wish.” 

Anakin’s brows furrowed again, “But, I thought no Master could have two Padawans. The code—” 

“Yes, the code does forbid it. But you see at one time ago I was one Padawan of two to my own master. The other being Y/N’s father.” 

“The king?” the young Padawan corrected. 

“Yes, the king,” Obi-Wan frowned, his face wavering at the thought of the loss of his old friend, “He was a great Jedi and an even greater friend. Because of that, our bond within the force was powerful. I was able to remind the council of that. There can be exceptions even within the code.” 

The Padawan nodded understandingly, it all aligning within his mind, and yet that furrowed look still would not cease from his face. Hesitancy was present behind his eyes, the blueness in them holding Obi-Wan’s attention as he tried to read the younger Jedi’s feelings. But Anakin held up a front, his walls strong against his mentor. There was something else not being said. He could feel it. 

“Then what is it? What exactly are you not telling me, Master?”

Obi-Wan inhaled, “They would only allow it upon your approval. You are still the chosen one, Anakin. They want to ensure your learning is not minimized by the addition of someone else.” 

“So it’s up to me?” 

“Yes, very much so,” Obi-Wan nodded. 

Anakin hummed in understanding. Much understanding of the sudden weight that had befallen him. This was no dire decision to make. With nothing and no one, Obi-Wan has stepped forward, offering up a solace for you — something that was not foreign for the older Jedi to do. Though Anakin wasn’t sure he would have done the same, there was a certain power he felt with this foreboding ask of him. Your life, that is. He liked how it felt within his palms, just as your back had against his firm chest upon your first meeting. 

There was something about you. He couldn’t know it then. Begin to understand, how the force was so willful in him to look into you, to try and understand you. He pushed the reasoning onto his senses, how strong they had become — how successful his training had been dubbing him lately. So much so that the trials would be a simple task. 

This was an opportunity though, to forge a connection separate from his master but with you as well. To showcase to the council how truly powerful and one with the Jedi code he could be. To lead you and protect you as his own mentor had done for him. This was a chance to get ahead, but on top of it save you. 

“She has no one,” Anakin said, surveying the obvious fact. 

“No, she does not,” Obi-Wan confirmed. 

He was conceded he knew that, as he imagined saving you over and over again just for the swell his chest would receive at the praise of those around him. He wanted his name known. Anakin Skywalker. 

There was more he was destined for, and that was enough paired with the wallows of sadness he could still very well feel to make up his mind. 

The grass was so green, even soft as if it was Bakura itself. That single field by the capital. It didn’t matter how much it rained, how it seemed to flood the streets, that field remained just as perfect as always. Closing your eyes with ease, you felt the wind, how it tickled your skin around the base of your neck from where your hair was pulled up and out of your face. It smelled like saltwater but not enough to be considered irritating. With fluttered eyelids, you sighed, a deep breath invading your chest before releasing. 

There was a shift then though — within the air. 

A certain sort of energy coaligning with yours enough to make your pulse quicken. You could feel him, that much was certain. 

There was a step, it heavy on the ground, not as quiet as either of you had expected. As another one approached, you quickly swung around on your heels, eyes peeling open just as the flash of light came towards you. With a wielding nature, your own saber ignited a strong blue just like the one before you. Shielding the blow, they collided harshly, sending your heels to dig into the ground while air admitted from the energy collision of the two sabers. 

Peering up, you met his narrowed blue stare with one of your own. Dark furrowed brows shone along his face but there just as it always was — that smirk of his. The single and most infuriating thing about him. 

“Not as quiet as you thought you’d be?” you asked, the sarcasm dripping freely. 

Your ask alone had him leaning closer, challenging you with the newly added tension upon your saber. 

He chuckled, the sound hitting you in the chest, as that Padawan braid of his swung as he stepped back, saber releasing yours, “Not at all. Was trying to test your senses is all.” 

“Sure.” 

Stepping back yourself, you felt the crunch underneath your feet. Peering down quickly, he watched you carefully as you traced the brown and withered grass beneath you. Tracing it along the once billowing weeds, it all was dead and turned to ash. A smog had filled the air, and it was eerily too familiar to you then. 

Sensing your master’s watchful eyes, the Padawan fenced forward, his saber moving around his back into his opposite palm just to meet yours once more as he lunged. A grunt admitted from your throat at the impact, it enough to make you stumble. Shifting your weight forward, his strength loosened, allowing you to swing your blue lightsaber up and toward his left shoulder. With little ease it collided with his once more. 

Then, within a matter of seconds, it had become a swinging match between the two blue sabers. It was a light show of poking, swinging, and prodding at the receiving opponent, only for each blow to be matched. That look was still in his eyes. It was guarded and cold like a warrior appeared even as a young Padawan. It was a look you couldn’t fully understand but felt through every bone and particle within your body. You responded to it as if he was just asking for you to give everything to him, and you hated it. Hated how well he knew you, or how well he could sense every move you made before you did it. 

You had gotten better yourself over the course of the months, learning and studying the code as well as interacting closely with the force. It had intensified in the way that it moved through your veins, not to the extent it did for him, but enough that you were able to sense him, too. When he was near, maybe a doorway away or even a hall. Or which move he was willing to use first within training that day. Even the pit that would form at the base of his stomach every time he and Obi-Wan disagreed on something. 

You knew more than you ever wished. 

He chuckled then, as if able to hear your thoughts so blatantly about him. That look darkened further but remained playful even as he darted for you, only for you to spin completely switching sides with him to meet his saber again with a mighty clash. 

“You’ve gotten better,” he said, voice teasing as he leaned in closer enough that the pair of blue lights reflected rings within his eyes. It drew your attention away from them to him instead. To the way they deliberately stared into your own — too intensely. 

“But not quite good enough,” he finished his saber releasing yours rather quickly. 

It was then you felt the harsh blade sweep you up from under your feet, the pain only coming from where your back met the ground. Leaning over you, that smirk of his remained that glint overwhelming as the smoke-filled haze and the dead grass disappeared. He remained as you were brought back out of your minds and into the training room. The walls transforming around you into their usual metal view.

The mat was sticky under your form, felt across your bare back where the tight top didn’t cover. Your stick was prodding at your side, not truly your saber as it had felt only moments ago. You sighed then, melting into the ground momentarily as the chosen one laughed from above you, his arms crossed over his chest. 

“It seems I have won again,” he teased, “Shocker.” 

You rolled your eyes, suddenly unamused by his charming wit or wandering stare. Sitting up on your forearms, you heard the hiss from the other side of the room. The disappointment filled your chest as you looked over to find Obi-Wan tutting softly to himself at the sight of the two of you. 

“Anakin,” he warned then as he felt the heat that truly was forming within your veins.

The young Padawan sighed as he looked back down at you and offered both of his hands to you. With much hesitation on your end and a quirk of his lips, you were taking hold of his outstretched palms. A tingle shot up through your arms, and you wondered briefly if he had felt it, too. He pulled you up from the ground quickly, enough that you almost collided with him. Laughing like a teenage boy at the mere stumble of your feet, he didn’t dare comment on it, still fully aware of master staring him down. 

Playfully flicking a piece of your hair behind your ear with a simple curl of his fingers, you slapped his hand away from where it engaged within the force. Glaring, you couldn’t help the frustration that formed, the anger that you knew was not to be acted on or used by a Jedi — it wasn’t applicable with the force, but you couldn’t help it. Not when he stood inches above you, sweat gathering along his brow, shirt tight on his chest, and that look upon his face. It was humiliating the more it happened day after day. 

“It isn’t fair,” you muttered then, taking a step back, enough that you could no longer feel the heat radiating from him. 

“What isn’t?” he asked, almost feigning a sense of compassion but that was replaced quickly, “That I’m better than you.” 

Obi-Wan sighed from off to the side but neither of you disengaged from the gaze of the other. Anakin smirked again and you grumbled in response. “No that you know every move before I do it.” 

“Well if you expanded on them, I wouldn’t know every single one so well. You will find sweet Padawan that you’re enemy will soon become accustomed to it as well.” 

You huffed then, hating how he spoke to you as if he were the master and not Obi-Wan. It was so enraging knowing how he truly saw you. “You’re infuriating!”

“Because I’m right?” 

“No, because you are so fucking full of yourself,” you snapped then, knowing how off putting it really sounded at the way his eyes widened slightly, brows raising. 

Gawking, you tried to withhold from glancing at Obi-Wan too afraid of what glare he would hold then. The moment had become too great and you had gone against the basic traits of the code with so much ease. It billowed up, consuming you, how much he could affect you, draw out the most outrageous words that you had never used for anyone in all your life. Worst of all he found it entertaining. 

“So, is that what you truly think of me?” Anakin asked, that smirk of his never ceasing, but somehow lessening as he realized the extent of your feelings towards him. His face hardened then as if feeling too the code slipping from the confines of his mind. “Well, maybe if the council had actually considered a Padawan I could compete with, I wouldn’t be. Instead, they brought me you.” 

You felt your resolve crack then, something in you shifting at the hardness in his tone. Sure he liked to tease you, be sarcastic in anyway he could to gain a reaction out of you, but in all those months you had spent training together, discussing the true works of the Jedi, he had never been so cruel. Since the day he had rescued you, he had never been anything short of kind and a little immersive towards you. 

Anakin was very passionate, held so much inside, but it had never transferred to anything other than that towards you. Until then. 

You couldn’t help it. The force and not even Obi-Wan could stop it then. Lifting your hand, you flickered your fingers so naturally, Anakin had not even noticed. Not until the stick from the ground had smacked him across the back of the head. The sound echoed off the walls and he barely even flinched at the contact. 

You noticed though how his eyes had darkened, the blue more intimidating than it ever had been. He huffed out watching the way your chest rose and fell with anger. The worst you had ever directed towards him. He couldn’t help it either in the way his own hand lifted, ready to surely do something he would regret but his master’s voice stopped him all too quickly. 

“Anakin!” 

You both were pulled back from one another, stares finding Obi-Wan’s, and you crumbled slightly at the realization of what you had done. His glare was set on both of you, a frown evident. A disappointment that the two young Padawans couldn’t be more similar to how he had been with your father. Anakin’s form deflated slightly, his hand dropping to his side, and his eyes found yours again, this time far lighter, softer, as if realizing too his actions. Shaking your head, you turned then, unable to take it anymore. You left the room, the door closing behind you in a fit of steam that very well could have matched the kind coming out of your ears. 

Anakin watched you go, suddenly filled with guilt at the thought of his senslessness having taken over. He was young but had been commended on his wisdom, his understanding, his strength and yet he couldn’t feel as if he had any of those things then. Turning cautiously to face Obi-Wan, he struggled to even speak. 

“Master—” 

“Why are you always so hard on her?” Obi-Wan asked then, taking the young Padawan back by surprise. 

“Me?” Anakin gawked then at the way Obi-Wan easily took your side more so like he always did. The chosen one became spiteful then, “Well somebody has to be.” 

“Anakin—” 

The young Padawan stepped closer, tall enough and old enough now to meet his master’s height. He felt defensive, how could he not as his master looked at him as he did. “She has been acting out against me for nearly two months now, Master.” 

“Well maybe if you wouldn’t provoke her with your words as you do she wouldn’t be so indifferent.” 

Anakin chuckled then almost finding it amusing at how Obi-Wan went about explaining your reactions to him. That boyish look appeared again, showing yet again that even though he appeared old, an adult like his mentor, there was still much to be taught. “Oh come on, Master, you know I don’t mean any of that. It is all in good fun. My words are never to bring her any harm.” 

“Intentions are not always seen so clearly.” 

Obi-Wan watched as the young man huffed, annoyance proudly showing once again, “Well, it is hard when all she wishes is to act upon anger and frustration towards me. It’s set clearly in the code, but—” 

“You know this, and yet you act back upon it towards her. You know better, Padawan. I have taught you to be better than this. You are a wise young Jedi which is why I can’t understand why you don’t see any of this for yourself.”

“Becuase it seems she has blinded me,” the young Jedi admitted, sounding suddenly far older than he was. 

“What?” 

“Everyone is trying so hard to push us together, even the force is willful of us getting close, and yet it seems she wants nothing to do with me, Master. Where I try, she pushes me away as much as possible. She doesn’t trust me,” he sighed, eyes not wavering from his mentor’s then as he repeated, “She has blinded me, and thus I feel lost.”

Obi-Wan felt his own frustrations subside at his young Padawans, both trying so hard to seem wiser than they truly were. The chosen one, especially. He had so much pressure on him all the time; he thought he had to be older and seem more ready than he really was. One day, he would make a powerful Jedi; Obi-Wan knew that. As did everyone else, and yet it takes time, energy, and understanding to get there. Most of all, it takes the simplest compassions. 

The older Jedi reached forward his hand sliding along Anakin’s shoulder with ease. “You have to give her a reason.” 

“What?” The younger Jedi let the question fall freely from his lips those eyes of his once again narrowed in confusion, his pink lips slightly parted. 

“If you want her to trust you, you must give her a reason to.”

The sun was setting on Cruscant, and its four moons would soon take its place in the sky. The stack of books were heavy in your palms — ancient ones — anything you could use to rid yourself of him and what had happened earlier. Yet as you gave up upon reading them in the library and began to bring them to your chambers, you knew it would be no use. Not even as you had showered, brushed your hair, or tried to meditate, he still remained. 

Anakin Skywalker. 

It was as if he had folded himself within your chest, and the force was accepting of it. He was everywhere all of the time and you couldn’t, just couldn’t escape it. Or the simple pull you got when you felt him near, even as you felt him from across the temple. It wasn’t something you had ever had before, not when you were a little girl having first discovered the force or even upon becoming a Padawan. You had never been able to sense someone as you had been with him, and it was too much to bear. Too much to understand as you tried to wrap your head around the universe’s reasoning. 

It made you despise him. Him and his handsome face — his smile or his laugh or a mere look from his eyes. It was as if you would never be free, free from this hold, from this strange feeling that had encompassed your entire being. It was also why you knew you couldn’t leave the Jedi Temple or Obi-Wan. He knew of this strange connection which meant so did the council. It was as if you owed this to the chosen one, to sacrifice yourself for him. 

Your robes hung loose around your frame, almost dragging across the floor; you realized because it was one of Anakin’s from the first day he had come to your chambers, the stack in your hands. As if he couldn’t have even thought to get some from the few women of the temple, but rather wished to give you another reminder of him. They were warm, no longer smelling of his sweet cologne as they had on that first day. 

Cursing yourself for having even thought about it, you strayed in the long corridor of the temple, the towering pillars unable to even grace your attention then. Even as other Padawans and Jedis strolled by, you couldn’t move but instead leaned back on the wall, eyes locked onto the rays of disappearing sunlight. Bathing your skin in the softest of colors, you closed your eyes unable to fully rid the anger that had been permanently tattooed upon you since that day. That godforsaken day in Bakura. A version of yourself you didn’t even remember anymore. 

Jedi’s who engaged in anger, in aggression, would be forsaken. Especially those given up to the council. It seemed that is all you had accomplished so far, the exact things that opposed the code of being a Jedi at all. And yet you felt it in him too. Within the chosen one, the anger, that hatred that was brewing — for what you couldn’t be sure — but only knew that it was there. Hidden away behind the banter, the smiles, the boyish actions he played into on most occasions. It was there just as it was within most of humanity. 

How had the two of you gotten here? To this point, to this unspoken feeling rooted deeply between you and him? You couldn’t help if a part of it was you. Had it been you that had done this? Manifested this feeling upon you and him? This conflict. 

It hadn’t always been that way. Not even close. 

“Are you going to lock yourself away in this room forever?” 

You sighed because, sure enough, he found you. He always did amidst the temple. You sat within the confines of a small lounge, one often Master Obi-Wan would go to for mediation. It was decorated with some of the comfiest couches, places to sink yourself into for hours on end. Then there were the plants, so green, so large, all reminding you more of home in ways you couldn’t have imagined. Weeks had gone by, weeks of beginning your Jedi training, and for some reason, it had all felt like a temporary dream sure to fade in due time. 

Turning, the young Jedi leaned within the doorway, that familiar light forming across his expression, one you had found to be quite common since that morning within your chambers where he had brought you a stack of robes — the very ones that drowned your frame at that moment. It seemed he almost knew you were thinking about it and chuckled at the sight of you swallowed up in his clothes. 

“No. It’s not as if I have been in here for days,” you bated back as he stalked closer, towering over your seated frame upon the small couch, knees hugged closely to your chest, almost resembling a child. 

“Could have fooled me. I have felt you sulking away in here for almost three hours now.” 

Your brows quirked up in curiosity, a bashful look forming and heat appearing across your cheeks at his small confession. His smile widened, that glint intensifying as he stopped just before you. He looked just as handsome as the day you had met him weeks before, with broad shoulders confined behind loose robes, his Padawan braid that now matched your own laid across his shoulder. 

“Master has sent me to come find you. He wants to try another mediation session and thinks it will help you with your lightsaber training.”

You nodded but didn’t respond to his ask of your Master. You couldn’t, not when his previous words were still holding your attention. 

It seemed he had known what you’re questionable staring was from. His sole words of how he had been able to feel you through the force, through his senses — something he had quickly become accustomed to as you had moved into the Jedi temple. 

“My senses are strong,” he explained, taking a seat on the couch next to you, close enough that you could feel his heat but not enough that he was touching you. Leaning back, he stretched his legs out, eyes refusing to leave your smaller frame, “They have gotten quite strong more so recently. The force has been all-knowing with me, and because of that, I have had the ability to see into the feelings of those who remain close around me. Jedis are very in tune with their surroundings, and one day you will feel that as well.” 

“So, you’ve been spying on me?” you asked carefully, the only thing of his whole explanation you could focus on. 

He chuckled, the sound deep, and causing goosebumps to form along your arms and neck, “Not exactly. It’s not something I can particularly control.” 

“As a Jedi or the chosen one?” 

His brows furrowed, too, taking in your features carefully, “Both, I guess. You know, one day, I will be the most powerful Jedi the council has ever seen, or at least that is what they say.” 

“You are very fond of yourself, young Skywalker,” you teased then, a smile of your own slowly forming. Only one of few he had ever seen, and he couldn’t help the feeling it gave him, some sort of comfort at the fact as if the sight could wash away any frustrations he felt. 

“I suppose I am,” he agreed, leaning in closer to test the waters by bumping his shoulder lightly with yours, “Is that so wrong of me?” 

There was a pause, some hesitation on your end, as your eyes somehow betrayed you then in favor of tracing his features, slowly as if you would never have the chance again. You shook your head then, holding his attention completely as you said, “No, not at all.” 

Your eyes fluttered open, the sun near the edge of the horizon, no longer holding much comfort as you felt something else instead. That stutter within your chest that was called a heartbeat seemed to shift, almost like it was pulled by a string. His aura seemed to invade as his heavy footsteps could be heard entering the corridor, the energy buzzing around your frame. He was desperate to find you. You could feel it. Hear it in the way he walked all while he picked up his speed, upon spotting your frame. 

Appearing around the corner, dressed in a set of robes and tunics aside from what he had been wearing earlier, that all too familiar look was there. That smirk of his, you could never escape. 

Huffing, you went to turn to head in the opposite direction of the corridor of where you came from, not caring as long as you were away from him. It didn’t matter, though, as he broke out into a jog and stopped you short with one hand blocking you in by your head. Not daring to face him, you continued to look at his hand and the way it caged you in so close, fully aware of his blue pupils locked in on the side of your face. His scent swarmed you and despite the despair and the contempt you felt for him, you couldn’t help inevitably how that scent made you feel. How it had since the first day you met him — comforted. 

“What do you want Anakin?” You finally asked, turning enough to face him and his intense gaze. 

Your back flushed against the cool wall, and his other hand appeared on the other side of your head, so you were completely caged in beneath him. That smirk of his widened slightly, not quite ready to ask you what he needed from you. “Seriously, first names, now? No, Skywalker or asshole, even?” 

You couldn’t respond, couldn’t engage in his playfulness. Not then. Not like that. 

“Y/N…” he scolded then, your name coming out intently upon his tongue. 

Your silence was insulting. You knew that. Knew it based on the annoyance that appeared in his eyes, the discomfort at just the thought. “We need to talk.” 

“I don’t have anything to say to you,” you sighed, chest tightening just as the mere fact he was as close as he was, lips pursed, brows of his furrowed in concentration. Seeming to not care about the other Jedis close by who noticed the strange interaction. 

As you went to slip out from under his arm, he moved closer, enough that his chest was pressed up against the books in your arms, the only thing separating the two of you. He refused to look anywhere else than you as if he needed you to know how serious this was, how serious he was being. He needed you to know just how much he needed this. 

“I’m not leaving until you talk to me.” 

He was being serious. So completely serious, it had you almost collapsing to the ground. Unsure of where it had suddenly come from. 

“You’re stubborn,” you observed, unable to keep your gaze from faltering, flickering ever so slightly to his mouth. 

If he had noticed he hadn’t done anything to give it away. 

“And you’re closed off,” he replied back, the corners of his lips lifting in slight satisfaction, “I never said either of us was perfect.” 

Shaking your head, you couldn’t help the way he had begun to wiggle his way past the barrier you had been hiding behind for far too long. It was those eyes and that smile of his as he tried to be humorous. Slipping under his arm again, this time succeeding, you reached back to take hold of his forearm, palm meeting skin from where his sleeve had been pushed up. The warmth of it had your full attention as you pulled him further down the corridor and into the first empty room you could find. 

It was empty, dark, and slightly dusty, with mediocre desks and mats for mediation. Closing the door behind the two of you, Anakin watched as you set the books down on a nearby desk and then turned to face him. Leaning against the small furniture, one arm crossed over your chest, you waved him on as if telling him to continue. 

He was surprised, slightly taken aback by how forthcoming you seemed at that moment, and could only internally curse that he hadn’t prepared what he wanted to say. He paused for a moment, unable to as he watched the remaining peaks of golden light wash over your face, illuminating the long hair that fell along your back, the top pulled back in small braids. It was shorter than when he had met you, as you had cut almost four inches off a few days into staying at the temple. There was so much more about you that had seemed to change since that first day.

You weren’t you anymore, that much was clear. 

“I’m sorry,” he said it with so much conviction that you felt your eyes lock upon his, the way he had never held so much care in them for you until that very moment. As if he ever could. 

You couldn’t believe it, and suddenly you couldn’t want it. Not if he didn’t mean it. 

Standing then, you reached your hands out, unsure of how to even feel as just the sight of him every day reminded you of where you came from and how you got here. “Anakin—” 

“Just let me say what I have to say.” 

“Why?” you asked, suddenly exasperated with your arms outstretched, “As if it could change anything. As if none of it wasn’t true.” 

“W-What?” he stammered, suddenly aware of the glassiness that was appearing within your eyes, the true pain he had always felt a few walls or perhaps corridors away but never this closely. Never like this, where it was so loud he felt as if his senses were on overdrive. 

“I don’t belong here. I never did, and you know that.” 

He stepped closer then as if he couldn’t believe what you were saying. Not after the countless hours, days, and months that had been spent alongside one another. You had dedicated so much to being a Padawan and had sacrificed so much to understand the ways of the Jedi. For you to question that, he couldn’t understand.

“What are you saying? That you wish to leave?” 

You shrugged, the tears threatening to spill, threatening to reveal just how broken you truly were to the only man who had been able to feel it. “I don’t know, maybe.” 

“How can you even think that? Y/N, you have what it takes to be a great Jedi,” Anakin took another step closer, his frame suddenly towering over yours once more, his gaze unable to leave the tear-filled ones of yours. 

“I don’t think that I do. I feel like I’m only here because Obi-Wan knows I don’t have anywhere else to go. He pities me. I mean, look around you; Padawans are beginning their training when they are merely children. I am an adult, Anakin. I am so behind in everything, so why else would I be here?” 

“No. He cares for you. He knows what you are capable of.”

The tear slipped then, and Anakin followed it slowly with his eyes, the way it bathed your soft cheek, wetting the surface of it. Your lips were chapped, practically chewed to bits, and you appeared as if you hadn’t slept for days. 

Noticing the way he was looking at you so intently, you wiped the stray tear away, hating the thought of him seeing you like this. 

“How can I be capable of being a Jedi if I don’t even know who I am?” You offered, hands suddenly shaking so much he just wished to take hold of them to ground you at least. Turning, you faced the inside wall of the room, using all the strength you had to will those tears away. “I don’t even know if I am a good person.”

“Y/N, how could you even—” 

“There is something inside of me, Anakin. Something cold. Dark. You’ve seen it, you know. Since that day, I have felt nothing but pure hatred. I want them all to burn. I want them all to be destroyed, those who did what they did to me, to my people.” 

Slowly stepping back towards him, you turned to find his stare had never wavered. But something else had appeared. This look as if he knew you were right, a confirmation of your words. Something that now no longer only remained within the confines of your mind. Guilt appeared on his face as you smiled sadly. 

“The princess of Bakura is truly dead,” you mumbled, turning to grab your books but stopping at the feeling of his hand taking your arm gently, “Some Jedi, huh?” 

You halted then, able to feel his breathing as he stepped closer, so close it was enrapturing. With the smallest whisper, he said, “Stay.” 

Your eyes flickered up to him, unsure if you had even heard him right. You shook your head in confusion as he said it again.

“Stay anyway.” 

“How in good conscious could I ever—” 

“Because you’ll have me,” he cut you off, so much intention behind every word then, hand refusing to drop the gentle hold it had around your arm. The most he had ever touched you since the day he had swept you up from Bakura.  “You are a product of war, Y/N. That doesn’t make you a bad person, not in the slightest. And I’ve been going about this all wrong.”

You were leaning into him without even realizing it. Pulled in by his words, some of which you could have never expected, especially from him. “Anakin…” 

“You need time. You need guidance. You need to be able to instill your trust in me. There is something here, and you know it too. The force favors us together, but that can only be if we can trust one another. If I truly am the chosen one, I am capable of something such as this.” 

His hand slid from it’s hold around your arm down across your wrist and to your smaller palm. It was cold and unsteady but he didn’t care, not as he held it within his own. 

You knew then that this wasn’t normal; it couldn’t be. People couldn’t have the ability to feel this way, not even the most powerful Jedis. Anakin Skywalker had become your only line of vision, and as that feeling returned — that warmth upon your chest, that evident shift in energy, you couldn’t accept that any of it wasn’t more than either of you thought it was. 

[facets-and-rainbows]

Guys I gotta talk about Yugioh characters' pronouns

and by pronouns I mean the second-person pronouns that they use for other people

and by yugioh characters I mean exclusively bakura

Okay so in Japanese, pronouns have synonyms. You have OPTIONS for which "you" to use for someone, and it depends on your relationship and how polite you're being:

Safest option for you, the learner, is actually to refer to them in third person, by their name (or title, or nickname). This is both nice and respectful.

貴方（あなた） is the formal polite one that's most often taught to beginners.

君（きみ） is informal and friendly-sounding, for friends! Don't use it for like your boss.

お前（おまえ） is informal and rough-sounding, like walking up to someone and going "hey man"

てめぇ is actively insulting. You are possibly picking a fight. Either this is a close friend who likes tossing around friendly insults, or you want them to meet you behind the denny's for an asskicking. Maybe both.

貴様（きさま）is also insulting. Was once a polite term that got used SO SARCASTICALLY that now it's almost like saying A POX ON YOUR HOUSE. You are probably an anime character with anime enemies.

And fiction makes full use of all this to help you understand how characters feel about each other.

For example, in Yugioh we have Ryou Bakura, a decently polite and mild-mannered teenager. He says the friendly-sounding 君 to most people, at least when he's not just using their names/titles.

He is possessed by the evil spirit Yami Bakura, who is allergic to respect and has a standing invitation to literally anyone to meet him behind the denny's for an asskicking. Yami Bakura only says 君 when he is pretending to be the nice Bakura. When he's being himself he actually defaults to a mix of てめぇ and 貴様, the insulting ones.

But the part I like is their use of お前.

See, Yami Bakura is a guy who says お前 to be nice. Or at least as nice as he's capable of being. In his hands it can end up sounding creepily familiar, like "hey buddy we're cool right? you don't mind the murder do you pal?"

He'll say お前 occasionally to a lot of people, but I can only think of one that he uses it consistently for, and that's his host. Even when he's mad at him.

お...お前は...！　獏良了！！ (Y-You're... Bakura Ryou!!)

Ryou Bakura, meanwhile, also uses お前 for exactly one person as far as I can tell. And that person is Yami Bakura. The demon living in his brain doesn't get the friendly "you."

ボクは獏良了。お前に友達は殺させない。ボクも闘う。 (This is Bakura Ryou. I won't let you kill my friends. I'll fight too.)

It's just so hilarious to me that they use the same "you" for each other, but one says it to be "nice" and the other says it to be mean. Like that's great. Isn't that great??

11/10 they should have interacted for more than like three scenes

[twisted-art-wounders]

Ryou got the peacock Miraculous form his father and thought of it as nothing more then a old brooch . Then he got akumatized and after he was de-akumatized he finally started to find a real fascination with them and wants to learn more about them. So when he meets Duusu he's a bit freaked out but they become fast friends, Ryou keeps this from his friends since he doesn't want to put them in danger just in case Hawkmoth discovers he has a miraculous.

Yami Bakura starts ask questions as well and once he figures out Pegasus is also Hawkmoth he decides to releave him of both his Millennium Eye and his Miraculous. But just as he's about to do so he's stopped by Marik who he eventually ends up teaming up with so we kick off season 2 with the pair acting as a duo!

[x-atlas-x]

The bedroom is quiet as Yugi shuffles around, finishing up his night routine before settling down. Atem is already laying in the bed they now shared—the same bed that Yugi used to sleep in alone. It’s small, but it’s big enough for the two of them.

Yugi is taking off his jewelry when Atem speaks up, “Do you mind telling me the story of how you met Baku—I mean, Ryou?”

The question surprises Yugi. He freezes in the middle of removing his cuffs. He continues after a moment, not bothering to look at Atem. He couldn’t see him in the dark room, anyways. He clears his throat and replies, “Well, he transferred to our school in the middle of the semester during tenth grade. It wasn’t long after I solved the puzzle.”

He hears Atem hum in recognition, “Right…”

Slowly, Yugi turns and looks at the corner where he knows Atem resides. He folds his arms and frowns, “Atem, you were there. Don’t you remember?”

“I do,” Atem quickly assures him, “I just wanted to hear the story from you. I suppose I was wondering if there were any details I missed. Everything happened so quickly with him and Bakura.”

Crossing the room, Yugi sighs, “No, nothing else happened. We’ve talked about this before. You haven’t missed anything.”

“There’s no harm in double-checking, now is there?”

Yugi eyes narrow at the slight waver in Atem’s voice, He sits on his side of the bed and stares at the lump next to him, “Atem, what’s going on?”

“Nothing,” Atem blurts a little too quickly.

“Atem,” Yugi repeats more sternly.

“Don’t use that tone of voice with me…” Atem grumbles, somehow sinking deeper into the shadows that cast over Yugi’s bed.

Yugi gently pulls at Atem’s shoulder until he turns. Even in the darkness, their eyes meet, and Yugi whispers, “Talk to me…”

“I…” Atem trails off, his teeth gnawing at his bottom lip with uncertainty. He sits up and hugs his knees to his chest, mumbling, “My memory… I’m having a harder time remembering things from the past.”

“What do you mean?” Yugi tilts his head in confusion. “Your past or…” He glances away, “…our past?”

Atem’s words are uneven when he admits, “Our past.”

“How so?” Yugi forces out as he does his best to ignore the ache in his heart.

“I can remember everything about who I was back in Egypt thousands of years ago. It’s all there. My memories about what happened during my time within the puzzle—our memories—is becoming foreign to me. It’s blurry,” Atem admits, “and I don’t understand why. It used to be so vivid to me.”

“I want to say that’s normal,” Yugi shrugs, but his body feels paralyzed. He blinks away tears, “especially since memories can get foggy after a few years. You’ve been living here for a while, Atem. It’s just something everyone experiences—“

“Not this!” Atem interrupts him. Yugi’s head whirls around to meet Atem’s face, his eyes widening at the tears streaming down his partner’s cheeks. Atem sniffles and shakes his head in frustration, “This is… Yugi, something’s wrong. I don’t know how to explain it, but this—it doesn’t feel right.”

“Atem…” Yugi breathes out. He isn’t sure what to say to comfort him. He doesn’t know how to figure out what he’s thinking without their mental connection. Reading Atem was so easy, but in this moment, Yugi didn’t have a clue what chaos was brewing in his head—well, he had that much to work with. Chaos. It was always typical of Atem…

Atem slumps, “I’m being irrational, aren’t I?”

“No, you’re not,” Yugi reaches for Atem’s hand and laces their fingers together. “It makes sense. You’ve been pretty distant lately and asking a lot of weird things…”

“I have?”

“You asked me where I was when the whole situation with Dartz was going on a few days ago,” Yugi points out, recalling his discussion with Atem one morning while making breakfast. “You playing the Seal of Orichalcos traumatized you. That’s not something you’ve been able to forget.”

“I didn’t ask that—“ Atem pauses, then stares at Yugi in horror, “—did I?”

Yugi’s heart plummets, and he chokes on a sob, “We need to call Ishizu.”

“Oh, Gods…” Atem murmurs in disbelief.

He clumsily stumbles after Yugi as he leaps out of bed. He continues to hold his hand securely while they rush downstairs to the home phone. His chest is tight, and he feels like he can’t breathe.

Once they reach the phone, Yugi dials Ishizu’s number that he’s memorized from calling her many times after the Ceremonial Duel. It’d been a while since the last time, and both of them assumed it’d be the end of those random phone calls with ridiculous questions that sounded absurd, but only made sense to the three of them.

Atem stops listening and tunes Yugi out as he talks into the receiver. He leans into Yugi’s embrace and rests his head on his shoulder. The tears never stop, and it makes him curl in on himself. He buries his face in the crook of Yugi’s neck and pretends he doesn’t exist.

Atem fears that he’d cease to for much longer.

[bakawitch]

Random au where Ryou dies and goes to Christian heaven because he was technically christened in a church or whatever, but he's like so furious because out of all the cool afterlifes there are he just had to go to the most boring one. So he decides to break out of heaven and go on a journey to witness all sorts of afterlives. His mum and Amane probably find out, but they support him, and his dad doesn't get a say because he is either in Christian hell or he did make it to heaven, but Ryou's mum decided to end their union.

Ryou starts off in the duat where everyone just mistakes him for a minor god, but he eventually makes it to aaru somehow. There, he meets with Atem, who begs Ryou to let him join because he just can't take the mundanity of his afterlife any longer. Ryou agrees and asks about Bakura and Zorc. Atem tells him that him and Mana also looked for him, but he doesn’t seem to be in aaru, and none of the gods are willing to disclose it. So after an educated guess, to the Darkness they go! Ryou and Atem combat monsters and demons and eventually make it to Zorc's castle. They make some sort of bet or deal with Zorc, and they win Bakura's soul back, but surprise, surprise Zorc doesn’t let them go anyway out of sheer pettiness.

Bakura is enraged that Ryou got himself into this dangerous situation and possibly even more enraged that he brought his arch nemesis along. They manage to come up with a truce, and the three of them escape the castle and the shadows. Bakura tries to leave them, but the deal Atem and Ryou made with Zorc still seems to be in effect, so he can't. The three of them continue their journey and get into many afterlife shenanigans across different belief systems.

Possibly ends in rubyshipping =)

[judgedarts]

Hi!!! I was at Otakon today and brought the Kaiba bag I bought from you last year and while I was in line for a panel the person next to me noticed and started talking to me about it since it turned out they had bought a Bakura one last year!! It was really nice lol

oh my god!! this is such a sweet moment, thank you so much for sharing that with me! i feel really happy that my bags could spark a conversation between you guys - meeting another ygo fan spontaneously like that is so magical so it really is nice to hear!! thank you so much again, and i hope u guys have a great otakon!

[alectoperdita]

Who's ready for a random and silly short featuring hacker!Seto, hitter!Jou, and that "Girl Dinner" Monster sticker design that gave me a uniquely bad case of brain rot today?

Taking a moment to explore the group dynamic a bit, so no smut this time. Just Seto and Jou being cute? And also Seto's made a friend???

---

Everyone was getting awfully chummy.

Don't get him wrong, Jounouchi thought it was a rather good thing. Nothing worst than a group of criminals who couldn't even get along with each other. He learned that from experience.

The transition happened as abruptly as everything else with their motley crew. One day they were each squared away in their individual offices, and the next they were gathered in the conference room shooting the breeze.

Or maybe, upon reflection, it wasn't so sudden.

The conference room was furnished like the real deal: plush chairs, multiple hi-def screens, and a killer sound system for their teleconferencing needs. The only official meetings they had were briefings before their next job.

But the second most common use?

When Yuugi and him cracked open a few beers, kicked back, and watched the game projected across a grid of six-by-four monitors. As he and Seto became "close," the hacker drifted out of his office to sit with them when he wasn't actively working on anything.

It didn't take long before Bakura and Mai started watching movies together in the same way. Jounouchi frequently drifted in partway through, which often brought Seto to the table, too.

Comradery—Jounouchi hadn't realized how much he missed it until he had it again. As warped as it got at times, the brotherhood within gokudo had been a significant factor of his adult life. The kinship with this group was tentative, newly forged as it was, but he was confident they abided by many of the same principles, even if they were crooked.

Gone were the days of smoke-filled mahjong parlors. Jounouchi had traded them for Bakura and Mai debating French surrealist films, a lukewarm beer in one hand as he and Yuugi shouted at someone striking out in the final inning, and Seto's hand gripping his thigh under the conference table.

(Oh, he and Seto still spent plenty of time behind closed office doors, hungry hands and mouths drawing muffled grunts of pleasure from one another.)

Interacting out in the open also revealed interesting dynamics between people. The criminal underworld was an insular one. If you lasted long enough, you eventually got to know everyone. A few of them knew each other from before teaming up in the present day, such as him and Mai. Yuugi and Bakura shared a History that was palpable. While Jounouchi didn't know the details, he wasn't blind to their "will they, won't they" energy.

(And he did his best not to think about what the others thought about him and Seto. Seto hadn't outwardly adjusted his attitude because he'd always stood too close to Jounouchi. But sometimes, he caught a Look from Mai or Yuugi when he let Seto do as his wont.)

But the most baffling pair was Mai and Seto.

At first, Seto was no more cold toward her than he was to everyone else. But he became progressively more standoffish over the course of the first few jobs. Jounouchi had wondered if it was because she was the lone woman on the team. He soon discarded the theory for one where Seto took offense to her profession, which was even more silly given they were all very much criminals.

Then something shifted, he didn't know what, but the two settled into a more neutral relationship. Or more accurately, Seto appeared to be warming up to her.

(Jounouchi asked Mai once. She studied his face for a second before laughing, giving him the "you're cute when you're dumb" pat on the cheek she used to do when they were both younger, and walking away without another word. He thought it best to drop the matter afterward.)

But Jounouchi wouldn't classify them as fast friends.

"Everyone knows what they're doing?"

Yuugi's question jolted Jounouchi from his reflection. He nodded along with the various "yes" coming from around the conference table. One by one, the members rose from their seats, ready to tackle their next job. Jounouchi hung back because he wanted to ask Seto if there was extra equipment to be loaded.

Mai also stayed to speak to the hacker.

"I almost forgot. I saw these and thought of you," she said, blase. She fished something thin, paper-thick, out of her purse and slid it across the conference table to Seto.

Jounouchi leaned over to catch a glimpse around Seto's laptop. They were cut-outs of hand-drawn art depicting he was intimately familiar with: Seto's favored energy drink. Each can was rendered in its trademark black with an electric green M. The only oddity was, instead of the brand name, "Girl Dinner" was rendered in the same jagged font.

Seto glanced down at them and pulled them close. "I love it," he deadpanned.

"Anything for you, bestie," replied Mai in the same tone before she sauntered away.

Okay, that had to be a joke because she proudly proclaimed money and diamonds as her best friends.

Seto gathered the gift(?) and his laptop before making his exit. Baffled, Jounouchi remained rooted to his spot. No, now wasn't the time to question his teammates' sanity. He had to get the van out of the garage for the job.

***

After parking the van in a lot across the street from the cafe, he joined Seto in the back. Yuugi and Bakura were already in the cafe, waiting for their mark. They'd distract him while Mai did "intelligence gathering" at his home several blocks away.

Which left him and Seto as backup and monitoring from the van.

Jounouchi used to dislike being in the van. Nowadays, he didn't mind it as much. The interior was a bit stuffy but Seto did what he could to make it comfy for himself. There was a desk in the back to hold Seto's computer and any other equipment they needed. Jounouchi unfolded a stool and settled next to the hacker, who was pulling up the CCTV cameras from inside the cafe and apartment building on the dual monitors. His laptop sat on the left side of the table, right in Jounouchi's direct line of view.

He noticed a new sticker among the collage that blanketed the device's lid. Nestled between a clown and "Bad Dragon" stickers, in a tall, thin space that seemed tailor-made for it, was the black can labeled "Girl Dinner."

Air hissed as Seto grabbed an energy drink from the minifridge and cracked it open in comedic timing Jounouchi never guessed he had.

Had that not been sarcasm when he told Mai he "loved it?" Did he earnestly enjoy the present? Was he calling Mai's bluff?

"What?" Seto sighed, sounding exasperated.

Or even more unthinkable, was this an in-joke between them??? When did they have time to develop one of those?

"Huh?"

"You have that 'I'm about to BSOD thinking about this' look."

"Hey!"

Seto punched several keys. On the window showing their commlinks, his and Seto's lines were muted. They weren't deafened though. Yuugi and Bakura's quiet chatter droned on in their ears.

Jounouchi tapped a knuckle against the newest sticker. "It's nice to see you and Mai getting along."

"Of course, we do. Why wouldn't we?" Seto remarked dryly.

Jounouchi recalled the "back off" glares Seto casted at Mai months ago. Brat thought he was being subtle, but he really wasn't. Now that Jounouchi thought about it, Seto stopped around when they started fucking...

A wandering hand crept up the length of Jounouchi's thigh. He considered batting it away but Seto would merely become more insistent. Plus, it was nice to have a pretty young thing like Seto all over him.

"You mind explaining one thing to me, though? Why 'girl dinner'?"

Seto's hand stopped in its tracks. They gazed into each other's eyes for several long beats. Jounouchi resisted the urge to bounce the leg upon which Seto's palm laid. Seto broke first, shifting from his seat to Jounouchi's lap in one graceful motion. He brought his hands up to cup Jounouchi's cheeks, one in each palm, and lifted his chin to lock eyes once more.

"You're not on social media, are you?" he asked, studying him.

Jounouchi shook his head.

Pause.

"You are adorably out of touch," Seto declared.

"Uh, thanks?"

"I could explain it," drawled Seto, squirming before settling more firmly atop him. "Or we can use the fifteen minutes before the mark shows up to not talk."

Without thinking, Jounouchi gripped Seto's slim hips to steady him. He really should put up more of a fight. Giving into Seto spoiled the brat. The best he could do was not let him have the last word.

He poked the side of Seto's belly. "Fine, but only if you eat actual solid food for dinner tonight."

Seto laughed and wiggled closer. "I want katsu curry, and I want you to make it."

Again, he should resist spoiling Seto. Instead, he muttered "whatever you want" before sealing their lips together.

[morimonchi]

I made a list of all Real and AI characters in Duel Links so far! (with some of my own theories too)

So, one day I decided to take the time to investigate/study the lore of Duel Links because the voices in my head won’t shut up, is not an easy task since not many people archived that much info of the events and lore of this game until recent years. So, with the help of talking with some people online, the insane and cool people of Tumblr obsessed with this game and its lore as much as I am, and me playing the game myself and seeing the event and making my own theories, I ended up with this list! Warning: is a very long wall of text.

(shoutout to @cyberdragoninfinity and @fortuneangel on Tumblr, they are very cool and obsessed with the Duel Links lore which is based and their posts helped me out a lot, I even copy-pasted from some of  Cyberdragoninfinity’s lore posts and Fortuneangel's own list because turns out they made a list of this stuff too, very good for me it made my job easier, although it would've been cool to find out about that earlier and not after I finished my initial list that took like 2-3 days to make lol)

Ever since the game first came out, the clues where always there that the Legendary Duelists and NPC duelists were all AI made by Seto "mentally unstable" Kaiba, which is kinda fucked up to begin with.

However, they are pretty bland and boring AI, since Kaiba probably only had second hand knowledge of some of the Duelist or he meet them but doesn't know them on a deeper level to make a good copy of them (heck some of them he didn't even meet at all). It’s all stuff Kaiba either heard about secondhand, or was physically present for to see in some way. He made the best approximation he could, on his own, but they’re just that: approximations.

however, starting from a certain event, things got weird: The Yami Bakura Event.

Easy best example is the first ever event character, Yami Bakura. A fascinating character in Duel Links lore, simply because he's the first Self Aware AI! So now, all character after the Yami Bakura Event aren't basic AI copies like the ones before, but instead AI SOUL copies (that's how I call them at least, but I'll be saying AI copies here for easier understanding/reading).

Meaning that they are copies made by the Kaiba's soul printer machine (insert crazy explanation of what the heck that is supposed to be) that uses the memories of the people connected to Duel Links in order create the DL world and the new AI copies in it.

suddenly characters felt way more alive and "real", even evolving pass their latest character developments from the manga/anime somehow? (and yes, the DM world is based heavily on the mangaverse! but somehow the characters have memories from the anime events).

However, not all characters moving forward are AI copies, some are the actual Real-Life characters, so I will only talk about the Real Life and AI characters that are self-aware to some degree, and some AI that I think might be unaware-

If I don't mention a character is because they’re probably 100% AI copy with zero awareness of what's going on in this Cosmic Horror Trading Card Mobile Game.

DM WORLD

All other DM characters before Yami Bakura are normal old AI copies, they were made by Kaiba himself so that's why they kinda bad, specially Yami Yugi being the first one to be made, making it the blandest AI of all and not like the real Yami Yugi at all.

So, starting from the original anomaly we have:

-Yami Bakura: the first self-aware character AI copy, 100% fully aware of it and even comments on it.

-Yami Marik: AI copy, iirc I think he’s fully aware of it too? He’s just here to have a good (violent) time.  (EDIT: Fortuneangel on Tumblr was informed he’s fully aware of it, so yea, he’s an AI 100% self-aware).

-Pegasus: AI copy of mangaverse!Pegasus specifically; not only is he fully aware of that, he’s also aware of the multiverse inhabiting DL AND the fact that he’s dead! Fun!!!

-Ishizu: she’s a weird case I just got reminded by the fact that she like. can tell something is Amiss and wonders why she’s still wearing the necklace. So, she’s like an AI clone of post Battle City Ishizu being kind of forced to play out the role of mid-canon BC Ishizu, and she’s not fully aware of the details. ok cool Kaiba!!!!!

Now funny thing with Pegasus, when the Thousand Illusion structured deck was released, you can actually go check it and the text in front of it says:

"I'd like you to meet my key monster! Thousand-Eyes Restrict!"

so yea for this one Structured deck I think Pegasus pretty much told Kaiba "stfu this are MY monsters and I WILL present them!" which is very cool and epic and go Pegasus slay.

DSOD WORLD

Now here is where we have the man himself, not the DM one, but the DSOD one:

-DSOD, Seto "In need of goddamn therapy" Kaiba: who is 100% the real Seto Kaiba, playtesting and all that stuff. He's here doing crazy people stuff and playing God. I’m pretty sure DM Kaiba was only an avatar unlike this one, who is the real deal.

-DSOD, Mokuma: is also real and helping his brother with his ego projects and digital world domination or whatever the heck Duel Links is supposed to be.

-DSOD, Yugi Muto: is probably the only real Yugi Muto in the game, and is very sad when he duels AI Yami Yugi and I want to hug my boy Yugi pls.

Ok then, unlike the clear as day old and new AI copies of DM world, I'm pretty sure all the members of the DSOD world are the real-life characters themselves who actually got into Duel Links somehow (this is based on Joey's unlock event and the dialogue where he says that some KaibaCorp employee put a VR device on his head, I wonder if that happened to everyone else in DSOD World?).

Well, everyone except maybe that ugly humpty dumpty looking ahh dude, Scud is probably AI. Reason being he freaking died in the movie and we never see him come back, so I just assume he stayed dead and this is some AI error or smth, the game does say something about an error in the system when you get the Scud unlock available.

GX WORLD

Ok so, at first, I didn't think any of the GX would be the real versions other than Jaden/Yubel, but after some research I found info that makes it seem likely that Dr. Crowler of all people might be at least 1 of the real ones, this is because in his event he says something along the lines of “…Unbelievable! There are so many Duel Academy students here! WHEN THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO BE IN CLASS! If they stop showing up to my class, Duel Academy will cut my salary...”.

There’s also another dialogue with Jaden where Dr. Crowler says he’s on vacation so, we can be sure that AT LEAST Dr. Crowler is a real person, and that he got into Duel Links on his own.

And again, I found this info of Dr. Crowler and I’m like “ok so is just this two people, Jaden/Yubel and Dr. Crowler, cool” but then I found new info and…

THE CHAZZ

Yeah, Manjoume Thunder of all people is ALSO probably the real deal, the one and only, The Chazz himself. And that is only because of the “friends” he brings with him, Ojamas Yellow, Green, and Black wouldn’t be there if Manjoume was an AI, and even if they were they wouldn’t Leak Yubel's Event like Yellow did. I didn’t know this info before so thanks @ask-maxie-boy on Tumblr, owner of the one and only @incorrectduellinksquotes.

Then the list we have is:

-Professor Crowler: the one and only character I can say for sure is (maybe) real, like 90% probability of being real. If not, then I was lied to, backstabbed and quite possibly, bamboozled.

-The Chazz: another one with hard evidence to be the real thing, proving his humanity thanks to Ojama Yellow. truly only the best for The Chazz.

-Jaden/Yubel: is probably real? like at least he's aware of the AI copies and stuff, he knows about AND can see the other 2 Jadens and the one Yubel in the game, it should be clear as day for him.

-Supreme King Jaden, Yubel and Satorius: These are AI copies for sure but I don't know if they are aware of it.

-Jim Cook: He’s suspicious of Duel Links during his Character Unlock Event iirc, not sure if he's the real one or an AI.

And everyone else in GX is a mystery! I can’t say for sure if they are AI or not and don’t have enough clues to make a strong argument for neither of the two options.

5D'S WORLD

-Team 5D’s: WELL OK I WOULDA SAID THEYRE AI BEFORE BUT THIS LAST CHARACTER EVENT (Z-one) MAY BE IMPLYING THEY (yusei, jack, crow, akiza, and the twins) ARE ALL THE REAL DEAL SO.  THAT’S AN INTERESTING TWIST IF SO!!! (Fortuneangel on Tumblr said calmly). Yeah, I agree with this information.

-Bruno/Antinomy: 10000000% AI copy, is actually fully aware he’s just some code on a hard drive and has commented on it!

Not sure if he knows he's dead but knowing Bruno, he probably knows that.

-Kiryu: OK, hear me out, this one? I'm not really sure if he's real to be honest, BUT, during Z-one's event he had such a cool interaction with Z-one that I think he's a "post-canon" version of Kiryu????

which is very freaking cool and not something that I could say is AI. But again, is my personal theory that this Kiryu is THE real Kiryu, however, I could be wrong.

-Paradox: aware of his own dead, Pegasus dead, the Illiaster's deaths, the multiverse and that he is probably an AI copy (thanks for that Pegasus, very cool).

-Z-one: Aware of being dead and all that, not sure if he knows he's an AI? probably knows, if anything Bruno might've told him

-Aporia: indeed, all Illiaster are self-aware of being dead, yippieeee!!!

-Primo: AI copy 100% for sure like no doubt and probably unaware of it, a sad creature (also, during Z-one's event, he had a realistic depiction of a panic attack).

For the rest of the 5D's cast, I have no idea but I think they are AI? say some of them like the Dark Signers are definitely AI, no doubt, but I’m not sure about the others.

But then we have someone like Tetsu Trudge… Who I have no fucking idea what's the deal with him. Is he a copy of first season Trudge, the one with no character development? or is he the real one? He can’t be the real one, he’s a mean dude again! I really have no idea about him and it annoys me. I’m going to say he’s AI.

ZEXAL WORLD

Ok so, I have no idea what's going on with Zexal, I think almost everyone is AI? but like, I'm not sure? You see, events in GX and 5Ds are just repetitions of sorts, and everyone seems aware of it and having Deja Vus, that’s why I believe that al least some people in GX and 5D’s are real. On the other hand, we have Zexal which is also repeating itself, but no one is going "Hey didn't this happen already?", which is very odd and makes me believe they are all AI in there, and both Arc-V and Vrains are continuations of the original stories.

 however, we do have one group of people in Zexal that might be relevant:

-The Arclight Family (III, IV and V): probably the only real persons in Zexal, or at least, the only ones we know might/could be real.

during III's event, III decides to study duel links and find out what it is, why events are happening again, what the heck is a KaibaCorp, etc.

also has the theory that Duel Links is a Chronomaly of some kind, because you know, is III of course it's a Chronomaly he thinks about, but he’s theory has some merit I’ll give him that.

Now V... I forgot V's event, sorry, but he's aware too.

IV on the other hand, is also aware, but not because he figured it out or something, III pretty much just told him lol. Doesn't seem to care too much he's just vibing in DL. Of course, he's helping his brother when needed, but he seems chill about it.

ARC-V WORLD

I have no idea who is real or not. We know the events in Arc-V World are a continuation of the end of the anime, so that’s at least a good sign but…

Declan and Shay, Yuya, Sora the bracelet girls, all seem to be aware that something isn’t right here, but to say they are fully aware of what's going on I can't say. So even with the self-awareness, they are most likely AI, all of them.

They at least know the whole "Memories brings people" and are investigating what's going on with that which is cool.

I can say Yuto is most likely AI, same goes for Yugo and Serena. But they don't seem aware of it and think they separated from Yuya/Yuzu somehow instead.

The only one I trust might be able to figure something is Reiji, because is Akaba fucking Reiji.

VRAINS WORLD

FINALLY, A WORLD WERE NOBODY IS AN AI COPY (I mean, there's Ai, who is obviously and AI but like, you get what I mean lol)

So yeah, Vrains World is pretty much just a sequel to the anime so everyone here is not only the real ones, but also the only characters that are aware that the other worlds exist (aside from like, Yugi, Jaden and Yusei because you know, Paradox’s Event and Bonds Beyond Time, but they only know each other’s worlds/eras so they don’t really count).

 This is because in the Ghost Gal event they reach the limits of Duel Links and get to see the other Worlds (DM, GX, 5D’s, Zexal, Arc-V and even Sevens!)

So yea the VRAINS cast in DL effectively becoming horror movie protagonists wasn't on my bingo board but I'm totally in for this.

All of this happening in a free trading card mobile game… thanks Konami you epic.

SEVENS WORLD

Yeah no, they’re all AI SOUL copies let's be real here, maybe Yuga in a future event will do the classic Yuga thing and be like "Oh, I already knew we are AI and that this world is a fake recreation of ours, is the first thing I checked when I got here" or something. And I have hopes in Nail to be cool and epic and figure out the situation but for now the Sevens group knows nothing (except maybe Yuga, because is Yuga).

Now that’s all the characters we have available for now, once we get some new events and relevant information and lore, I will update this list to see if we can add someone else new or an older character that we didn’t know was aware this whole time! This was a fun thing to write, I hope I managed to explain it all correctly and that is easy to understand, if anyone has some information that they would like to share feel free to ask! Again, I want to say thank you to @Cyberdragoninfinity and @Fortuneangel from Tumblr for being so cool and having so much info on Duel Links lore available and for sharing with everyone, now I’ll see you all next time Konami decides to hit us with a sledgehammer of info out of nowhere in a Tag Duel Tournament or something, byeeeeeee!!!

[sesshy380]

Time for my breakdown of the four main characters for my WereKat AU! (Forewarning: This is going to be a long post and there will be a lot of images)

Throwing a tag to @resuri-art! You are the reason this AU appeared in my brain, therefor you must suffer the consequences! 😂

I'm going to start with Bakura, since he's kinda the most 'normal' out of the four (I use the word 'normal' very loosely)

(Click each image for better viewing)

Bakura is the only Human in the group. He's not like most Human's however, as he was found and raised by Naga when he was very young. He knows he obviously had a human family once, but he doesn't remember them.

His Naga family had to learn a lot when it came to raising a Human child ('They eat HOW many times EVERY DAY???'). Can you picture little Bakura trying his hardest to unhinge his jaw like his Naga sister, Dia, so he can eat a rat whole? He developed some rather unique eating habits due to this, which is how he first met Ryou.

Being that he's Human, walking into a butcher shop that specializes in Therian meats got him some very unpleasant looks. The proprietor wasn't very thrilled either, and was giving him a hard time. Cue Ryou's entrance.

Ryou is a Vampire (despite his very not-vampire aesthetic). But he's not just any Vampire, he's from one of the most highly respected Ancient lines: Necrophades. Despite his elevated status, he’s never felt like he belonged among Vampire society. He’s viewed as an outcast since he doesn’t share their hierarchical standpoint on things, but because of his status there is nothing the other Ancient lines can do about it.

Ryou doesn't follow the typical Vampire tradition of feeding off thralls, but instead prefers other, more ethical sources. His meeting with Bakura came about when he went to visit his regular butcher, who he pays well to save the blood of the animals he harvests.

Ryou found Bakura to be quite intriguing, and after some time the two began dating and moved in together.

Humans are notoriously monogamous, while the other races (due to their longer lifespans) are known for having polygamous relationships whenever it suits them. Being that Bakura was raised by Naga, his views when it comes to relationships is similar to Ryou's. Which is why he eventually found himself with not one, but two partners.

Say hello to the little spitball of energy and attitude that is Kat.

(Second image is to show off her markings when in her standard appearance)

Kat is a Felidae, which is a feline Therian (were-beast). She's pretty secretive about her background, only mentioning that she is the illegitimate offspring to a Kemati noble.

Bakura met her at the very popular casino/popular hotspot, Geal'drache, where she works as a cocktail waitress serving drinks to the patrons. She didn't treat him with the same disdain most people treat Humans with. They started talking, and as soon as he mentioned his boyfriend being into tabletop RPG's, her inner nerd flooded out.

No one really knows when it happened, but it started out with Kat coming over for campaign nights, to coming over to plot new campaigns, eventually staying the night on occasion because of how late she and Ryou stayed up plotting new nightmare mode campaigns, to her just suddenly living there. Somewhere along the way, Bakura acquired himself a Therian girlfriend. He's not really complaining. Everyone's cool with it, so why should he?

Then Ryou's old boyfriend, Amir, came back into the picture.

(Yay! Amir has markings too! He was my fave to design! His hair so floof!)

Amir is a Leona, which is a lion Therian. His brother, Marik, is the current King of the Kemati nation, and their older sister, Ishizu, is Marik's advisor to the crown. The three also have an older adopted Pantera (panther) sibling, Rishid, who is Marik's personal guard.

Long before Ryou met Bakura, he and Amir spent some time together as a secretive couple. Due to the politics involved in Amir's life, he couldn't be openly seen with Ryou. When Marik ascended the throne (due to a very unfortunate 'accident' that befell his father one night), Amir felt stuck between his duties and his secret lover. Ryou made the decision for him and told him if and when things changed, to come seek him out.

It's been ten years, but Amir hasn't forgotten what Ryou said...though, ten years isn't much when you live for centuries.

Amir found Ryou again, but was a bit shocked to see who he was now living with...and openly in a relationship with. He always knew Ryou to be a bit...eccentric...when it came to who he dated, but Amir never could have imagined Ryou with a Human.

Amir, like most everyone else, sees Humans as less than the dirt beneath his feet, and tolerates them simply because that was what one did. The idea of being in a relationship with one? Disgusting.

But, he hates the idea of losing the person he cares about most due to his own prejudices, so he simply tolerates Bakura's presence for Ryou's sake. The fact that same Human is also dating his childhood friend/devils advocate has nothing to do with it.

Seriously...his old flame and his childhood friend??? What's so special about that human?????

And there you have it! Four crazy people that are now living together and have their own weird relationships with one another!

Oh, bonus! Forgot to add that Therians like Amir and Kat have TOE BEANS (which is why their shoes are designed the way they are, so that not only is there room for toe claws, but also so there is room if they shift into a full beast).

(I cheated, because I can't draw feet any more than I can draw hands. Pinterest image that I used as a base trace here)

[mirpuzzle]

You know those two grown men that hang out with Ghost whose names I can never remember? Who are they and why are they hanging out with a 15 year old? Did they meet at Duelist Kingdom and after being betrayed by Keith they just decided to stay friends? Are those his cousins? His dads? Just some friends of his?

I'm asking you because I think you're the only one who has even the slightest idea who those guys are and why they're hanging around Ghost.

Hello! ✨ I'm glad you ask, because I love those two, and they rarely get any attention from the fandom, except for a few devoted fans. I hope you don't mind long posts TwT I'll write everything under the cut.

My guess is that the three of them met at Duelist Kingdom when Bandit Keith brought them together. However, I like to think they could've been friends before that. After all, there's so little information about them that we practically are forced to make up headcanons.

In the manga, that's the only time they appear. They weren't with Kotsuzuka during his Duel against Yami Bakura.

I'm glad they did stay together in the anime. Unlike when they followed Bandit Keith's orders, Kotsuzuka's gang seems to have no leader. They treat one another as equals, so much so that they were okay with working together to get at least one of them to the Battle City finals. It would mean achieving what they couldn't at Duelist Kingdom because of Keith. I see them as close friends.

The red-haired one is Kiyoshi Takaido, or Sid in the dub. His full Japanese name is shown in the episode where we see their rarest cards.

Takaido seems like the kind of friend who backs you up from afar. He doesn't talk much compared to the others. However, he can have an explosive personality, and has no problem with provoking others. He can be a bit of a coward, too. We didn't get to see enough of him. I think his character holds great potential to explore in terms of trust, bonds, and self-improvement.

His rarest card being Firewing Pegasus, along with his hair being red and shaped like a flame, has led many of us to assume that he could be a Pyro/FIRE duelist.

The black-haired one is Satake, or Zygor in the dub.

The scene I mentioned earlier doesn't last long enough to show his first name. However, he may actually have one. I plan to make a post specifically about this in the future.

Satake seems to have experience fighting, so I wonder if he tends to get into fights often or what kind of past he carries. He's shown to be very supportive of Kotsuzuka. I like to see him as the protective one, and the one who keeps the group together.

Due to his rarest card being Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon, and the shape of his hair, many of us assume he plays a Thunder Dragon deck, or specializes in Thunder monsters.

I doubt they have canon ages. We are lucky they even have names in the anime, since they were nameless characters in the manga. They could be 20, or they could be 17. Who knows? I guess we'll have to resort to headcanons, much to my disliking.

With Yugioh, there's no way to tell a character's age based on their appearance alone. Tell me about it. I frown every time I see someone assume Kotsuzuka is 10 or something just because he's short. Sometimes I want to yell 'Kotsuzuka is 15, people, fifteen!!!' at them. He's only 1 or 2 years younger than Yugi's group.

This is one of the reasons why I like to imagine Kotsuzuka, Takaido and Satake as childhood friends. If that's not the case, meeting for the first time at Duelist Kingdom, getting along, and then bonding after Keith's betrayal (like you said) also works.

Thank you SO much for the ask! I love these three guys with my life, and I could talk about them for hours.

[enemyoflactose]

Baby Yami Marik being the reason Ishizu and Yami Bakura meet 👀

Au where Yami Bakura is a daycare worker because nepotism from Shadi or something.

One of the kids he has to deal with is Yami Marik (who is called Namu in this au but because he hates Marik with a burning passion he "stole" his name), and he is an absolute mess of a child.

Hits the other kids, calls them names, takes their toys, bites the other day care workers, has frequent meltdowns, and hates, hates being away from Ishizu.

Then along comes Yami Bakura, who upon being bitten by little Marik, just kinda bites him back. Now he's little Marik's favorite :3

Marik will only be around Bakura, and will throw a fit if someone else tries to play with them.

Then one day, Ishizu comes to pick Marik up early (he has a dentist appointment or something idk), which causes another meltdown because little bro was busy playing Duel Monsters with Bakura! He was playing it wrong, but he was still playing it!

This means, Ishizu's first actual meeting with Yami Bakura is seeing him wrangle her brother by grabbing him in a choke hold and getting bitten and scratched and kicked. Every other time Marik just runs to her when he sees her.

Ishizu of course is very apologetic about it all, but Bakura just kinda shrugs it off. Says "It's fine, I get checked for infections weekly because of him anyway. Don't worry about it."

Ishizu reminds him to call her anyway if Marik ever becomes too much, and after that they become friends! And later, they date

[rainstormcolors]

As I think on Ryo Bakura having lost his mother and sister, I'm also thinking of how his situation and behavior when we first meet him in canon has a certain thematic fit in a way, as Ryo had moved place to place. Ryo being afraid of hurting the people he cares about, Ryo being afraid of the people he cares about being hurt, being afraid of more loss or doing damage, and so he avoids people and tries to avoid friendship and he tries to avoid becoming anchored --- it's like that kind of fear was taken to an extreme with the Millennium Ring.

[twisted-art-wounders]

The fairies that exist in my Fairy YGO AU Yugi is a normal fairy whose best friends with the fairy king Atem; he's very curious and wants to know about humans and human world. One day he meets a human girl named Anzu who he accidentally shrinks down to fairy size and then shrinks her even smaller when trying to change her back. He seems to be okay with her being that size but Anzu doesn't so now he's on a quest to help put her back to her normal height.

Mana is an apprentice sorceress studying under Mahad the high fairy Magician. When Yugi brings Anzu to her she's very excited to meet a real human even at such a small size, she hopes to study her but tells Yugi she can't undo his spell since it may shrink her even more! They must wait for the Mahad to return form his trip with the King. In the meantime Anzu needs to get used to her new size.

King Atem the current ruler of the forest and closest friend to Yugi, he tries his best to be a wise ruler and hopes to keep peace in the forest. Despite the need to keep away form humans Atem is more willing to establish trust with them and hopes with Anzu's help they can. But he still faces opposition from his court who don't want any form of change, so he needs to do his best to prove to them humans can be trusted.

Mahad is Atem's right hand and the highest sorcerer in his court, blessed with powerful magic Mahad made it his sworn duty to protect Atem and their home in the forest. While out scouting a lead about humans at the edge of the forest, he and Atem were attacked by Bakura. Luckily Mahad managed to stop him form harming Atem but this put him on high alert, and now with a shrunken human to worry about things have gotten more stressful for him.

Bakura is from a hidden fae village that no longer exists, he is the soul survivor of a forest fire that wiped them all out. He knows the reason his village was destroyed was to distract humans form finding the main fairy kingdom, so he blames the current king for this. With his familiar Diabound by his side he launches an attack on the fairy kingdom, planing to kill the current king and find the heart of the forest so he can gain the power needed to wipe out all humans.

He discovers Anzu and decides to use her to manipulate Yugi into giving up the location of the heart of the forest. He can change sizes as well but with the power of the artifact he'll get even bigger and more powerful.

Anzu a new intern at Kaiba Corp sent out to find a rare flower that can act as a cure for many illnesses (or so they tell her), she finds herself shrunken down to the size of a fairy after meeting Yugi. At first she's upset about her new size and the fact she's gonna miss out and a big promotion but once she starts to emerge herself in the world of the forest she starts to have second thoughts about her role in KC. Yugi shares the location of the Heart of the Forest and even shows it to her, but now she has to decide to either keep this secret or tell her superiors who will no doubt descend upon the forest and destroy it in order to obtain the artifact.

[theladycup1d1in1the1flesh]

About me:

Oh about lil' ol' me? Well..

Name:

(Redadcted)

What I'd like to be called:

Wing woman, lady cupid

Favorite color:

Mauve

Why?

I'd like to improve my writing skills while also making stuff for people to enjoy

DO NOT INTERACT

Pro shipper

Pedophiles

Sexist

Misogynist

Misandrist

The other normal stuff

INTERACT

Minors are allowed to interact

Feminists

Any1 who doesn't meet the dni stuff

What I'll write

Head canons

Drabbles

Imagines/one shots will only be requested from mutuals no one else please

Who I'll write for

❌:platonic only. ✔:romantically is acceptable

Hxh

Kurapika

Killua❌

Gon❌

Leorio

Detective Conan

Conan(platonic)

Shinichi

Rin

Kaito

Aoko

Akako

Genshin impact

Mondstadt

Venti✔

Barbara❌

Diluc✔

Kaeya✔

Albedo✔

Noelle❌

Amber❌

Lisa✔

Jean✔

Eula(I can't write for her since I don't know her personality)

Bennet❌

Liyue:

Childe ✔

Nigguang✔

Zhongli✔

Xiao ✔

Inazuma:

Kazuha✔

Beidou✔

Itto(don't know his personality)

Yea miko(don't know her personality

Heizou✔

Yugioh

Seto kaiba✔

Mai valentine✔

Yami yugi✔

Yugi muto✔

Duke dvelin(?) ✔

Rizzey (Joey wheeler) ✔

Yami bakura✔

Yami marik ✔

Brawl stars

All underage characters will only be written platonic for

Animals and monsters will not be written for

Every1 over 18 is fine

Die drei Fragezeichen

Bob✔

Peter✔

Justus✔

The good doctor

Shaun murphy

Neil Melendez

Miraculous

Adrien

Felix

Marinette

Luka

Marc

Kim

Max

Chloe

Zoe

And also their hero forms

The kid at the back

Crowe

Sol

Hyugo

Geo

Brittney

Jess

Deryl

Current anons known:

Xixi anon

Naku weed anon

More will be allowed the more I learn about them

The power of mutuals is strong on this account, they can request some characters that I don't write for and request one shots

About one shots I'm too afraid of making some cringe one and be judged so that's why I refuse to write them

I'm so sorry but any request that breaks a rule will be deleted:'( I also sometimes get a bit overwhelmed and completely stop writing

Master list

[bakawitch]

Random au where Atem can't settle post canon at all. He feels weird and detached about being back and like he's a burden to Yugi and his friends, so he decides to leave in secret. He leaves a letter behind for Yugi and only takes a backpack and random necessities with him.

He runs into tkb in a different city, and after Bakura sees how big of a mess Atem is, he sort of ends up tagging along with him on a destinationless backpacking trip around Japan.

During their trip, they slowly grow closer to each other, and Atem starts feeling better about himself (even though leaving his friends without properly saying goodbye still weighs heavily on his soul). Bakura introduces Atem to the "spirit world" that they can access since they're technically spiritual beings, and they probably meet a bunch of yokai.

The story probably ends with Bakura taking Atem back to Domino and helping him and Yugi talk their issues out with Ryou's help.

Could be blind, caste/king, gem, trapshipping, romantic or platonic whatever works really XD