Stargazing (Starshipping)

1: Stardust

It has been far too long, and I know you guys wanted it, so here it is! Another Starshipping story! I haven't written anything Yu-Gi-Oh! in a very long time, and I'm sorry for 'abandoning' you guys like that. However, this story will/should be quite long and full of themes that I've been meaning to cover or express for quite some time.

Key:

♒ = A timeskip.

~*~ = Stargazing.

-End of Key-

I hope you enjoy!

--- Kura-chan ---

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~*~

"Do you think we're like stars?"

"Like stars? What does that mean?"

"Pretend the Earth is the galaxy...we could light up the world, and when we collide...we could be like supernovas, creating a beautiful sight that people can gaze upon and yet we can be so dangerous at the same time. Getting too close will kill you, and even then we try...because we want to be close, we want to see what it's like...even though we know it will kill us."

"I suppose we could be like stars, if it's like that."

"Do you think...do you think that we will explode like a star does when it dies?"

"We don't explode when we die, that's not what humans do."

"I don't mean it like that...I mean our emotions, everything...our essence. It explodes when we die so people can marvel at it."

"I don't get what you mean."

"I don't think I get it, either..."

~*~

Jaden opened his eyes to a grey, unfamiliar ceiling. He could smell the bitter scent of oil roaming around the room, but he loved it all the same. Jaden was reminded of how he wasn't a morning person when he tried to sit up, his body forcing him to stay in the same position he woke up in. He supposed that, in time, he would be used to the scent of oil and his unfamiliar surroundings. He also supposed that, one day, he and his partner could be free to live together, without the boundaries of space and time keeping them apart for days or even months at a time. Sadly, life didn't work like that.

Jaden closed his eyes, noting the body shifting beside him. He could feel their gaze upon him, and knew that they would most likely be expressionless or smiling. Jaden couldn't tell which expression his partner would take.

He felt their hand gently touch his cheek, making Jaden open his eyes to stare at the culprit who let the smell of oil become stronger. Yet, he couldn't find it to hate them, as a smile spread across his face. How could he hate the one person he loved the most for something so trivial like the smell of oil?

Jaden then decided to grab the other's hand, holding it gently in his significantly smaller ones. Waking up in the morning was always such a drag, but when he had his partner by his side, the morning wasn't so bad any more.

He felt accomplished when his other lay down beside him, staring at him. Jaden couldn't help but stare back, opening both of his eyes. He got lost in the royal blue in front of him, and ended up giggling to break himself out of this staring contest.

"What's so funny?" His partner asked.

"Nothing...~ Nothing at all!" Jaden replied, laughing quietly and gripping his partner's hand tightly.

"You're awfully giddy this morning, Jaden."

"You're awfully not-giddy, Yusei!"

His childish language made his partner laugh, and Jaden loved to see that smile. He stared at him with love-filled eyes before frowning. Yusei was now getting up to leave, something that Jaden saw too often. He willed for his partner to stay in bed with him, to snuggle into him as his body accustomed to being awake. Sadly, he knew his partner had other things to do.

Jaden sighed, tearing his eyes away from the figure in front of him to gaze back at the ceiling. The grey, unfamiliar ceiling that he hoped he would be given the chance to get used to. He had three days left. Those days would zoom by, that, Jaden was sure of. He wanted them to last forever, an eternity of just being with Yusei.

"Jaden, are you going to get up or stare at the ceiling all day?"

He turned his head towards his partner, smiling at his playful tone. Jaden cast aside his thoughts for now, slowly forcing himself to sit up as he rubbed his eyes.

"I'll get up...but just give me a minute...I do want to see you off, you know...~" Jaden smirked, the new expression on his face not fitting right.

"Don't smirk," Yusei murmured, leaning over to pull on Jaden's cheek in a teasing manner, "it doesn't suit you."

"All right~" Jaden instantly stopped smirking, replacing his expression with a hearty grin.

His partner couldn't help but chuckle, releasing Jaden's cheek before slowly making his way out of the room, leaving Jaden alone with his thoughts.

Jaden stared at the space where is partner used to be. His eyes wandered from the empty space to the wardrobe, focusing on that instead of the emptiness in front of him. He couldn't bear to look at it. It was somehow...saddening. Jaden didn't like to be reminded of the inevitable.

He sighed, swivelling to the side of the bed and removing the covers. Jaden felt them for a while, staring at the threads. He shook his head, standing up and stumbling over to the wardrobe. Lazily, he opened the doors and found it in himself to get dressed. His actions were slow, as if he was still half way through waking up.

After he had slipped on into his casual clothes, Jaden stared at the wardrobe. He was zoned out completely at this point, getting to the point of the morning when you distinguish reality from fiction. Jaden rubbed his eyes, straightening himself before he took his next few steps to meet Yusei downstairs to see him off before he went to work.

Jaden had the decency to put socks on, so when he touched the floor it wasn't as cold as it would have been. Yusei was up earlier than usual today, maybe he was just being super cautious or wanted to get to work earlier. Jaden couldn't tell what his partner's intentions ever were.

He smiled, though, when he saw him preparing to leave through the front door with his motorcycle. Jaden's half-awake form clumsily went over to his partner, leaning up to kiss his cheek gently. He scrunched up his nose, even if it was only for a second.

"Take a shower when you get there..."

"Will do, mum." Yusei teased.

"Pfft...you wish..." Jaden murmured, allowing himself to be captured by the innocence that was his relationship before stepping backwards, waving his partner goodbye.

The hum of the motorcycle and the rev of its engine managed to pull Jaden from his dream-like state. He could only watch from the door as Yusei left, leaving nothing behind but an odourless gas and a home to come back to.