Yubel's POV
Yubel floated beside Judai as he shambled across the barren landscape, his head hung low. He'd barely said a word to them since the Johan incident. The empty bitterness that consumed Judai tore at Yubel like an old wound. Neither of them spoke about it. What was there to say? Yubel knew exactly how Judai felt: he loved Johan and was bitter toward Yubel for making him choose between them and Johan.
Yubel hadn't intended to take it as far as they had. They had been trying to ignore Judai's feelings for Johan, insisting that they didn't matter in the long run and Judai would stick with them. Yubel had been right about the latter. Judai did choose them but they didn't understand why. He had been just about to confess to Johan before Yubel showed up. In the moment Yubel tried to rip Super Polymerization, they genuinely believed that was what Judai wanted.
Yubel still felt Judai's love for them. Now, however, it was blanketed by bitterness and doubt. Meanwhile, even though it had only been a day since the incident, his longing and anxiety for Johan had only grown. Surely it would only be a matter of time before it overtook Judai's love for Yubel. They cringed at the thought. It was Yubel's fault Judai was feeling this pain: why didn't he just leave?
Yubel let out a sigh. Maybe there Was something to discuss with him after all.
"Judai..." Their voice was hardly more than a mutter.
"Yeah?" Judai's voice was devoid of emotion, and they didn't meet Yubel's gaze.
Yubel winced. Would it always be like this? If they kept him with them, would Judai just resent them and wish he was with Johan? That wasn't worth it. Yubel loved Judai, they wanted him to be happy, not to possess him.
"I'm sorry..." Yubel sighed, dipping their head. Judai stopped walking. "I admit, I'm terrified of losing you but it hurts me to see you like this..." They trembled as they let the words spill from their mouth. "If you want to split from me and go be with Johan, I won't stop you."
"Yubel, that's not the point!"
Yubel glanced at him. "Huh?"
Judai's eyes were narrowed and his fists were clenched. "I don't want to split from you!" he exclaimed, resting his hand on his chest. "You claim you feel all my emotions, shouldn't you know that?!"
Yubel's eyes widened. "Judai..."
They could tell he wasn't lying, they just couldn't understand why. He couldn't be staying for Yubel's sake. Yubel had made it clear that he could and should leave if he loved Johan, hadn't they?
Judai looked away, letting out a sigh. "Yubel... I love you. My feelings for Johan don't change that fact. I'll never regret fusing with you and I never want to leave you. But... my heart has room for you and Johan."
Yubel stiffened with anger. "Does it? How can you love me with all your heart if part of it belongs to that boy?!"
Why couldn't Judai just pick one of them?! Yubel would've been less hurt if Judai would just leave him and stopped torturing them with this 'I love both of you' nonsense. That wasn't how it worked!
"Yubel, Johan doesn't have part of my heart, he has my entire heart, as do you," Judai replied firmly.
"But... but how is that possible?!" Yubel's wings bristled with anger.
"I don't know..." Judai looked away, his voice trailing off. Then his eyes narrowed. He looked back at Yubel, continuing firmly again. "But it's how I feel. Tell me Yubel, am I lying?" He held his arms out.
Yubel stared at Judai, allowing all his feelings to wash over them like a wave in the ocean. In his heart, Judai's love for Johan was blazing. However, his love for Yubel was still burning as strong as ever, the fog of resentment just that: a fog that would clear up in the light. Yubel opened their mouth to speak. Before they could say anything, Judai's eyes suddenly widened.
"What's going on?!" he gasped, staring at something behind them.
Yubel turned around. In the distance, they spotted the figure of a predominately white and blue pegasus.
"Is that Sapphire Pegasus?" Yubel asked aloud.
"Johan!" Judai gasped.
Before Yubel could say anything, Judai charged forward toward the distant ravine. Yubel floated after him. As they got closer, Yubel realized what was happening. Johan had been backed toward the edge of the cliff by an unfamiliar intimidating looking man. The two of them were dueling. The man had a huge fusion monster on his side of the field. Meanwhile, all Johan had was Sapphire Pegasus and a few gem forms of the other Crystal Beasts, seemingly having been destroyed in battle.
"Attack his Sapphire Pegasus!" the man exclaimed, swinging his arm.
The man's monster slashed Sapphire Pegasus to pieces. Johan yowled. The force of the attack sent Johan flying backwards.
"JOHAN!" Judai cried out, throwing himself between the two duelists.
Johan's fingers barely gripped the edge of the cliff.
"Judai!" he yelped, flinging his other arm over the cliff. He was trying to haul himself up, his nails desperately clawing at the rocky ground as he kept his grip.
"Hey, get out of here kid," the man grunted. "This duel doesn't concern you."
"It does now!" Judai raised his arm, his duel disk shifting into position. "I don't know why you're battling him but I'm taking over this duel for Johan!"
"Fine," the man growled, placing some cards on his duel disk. "I set two cards facedown and end my turn."
"My turn! Draw!" Judai wasted no time, slapping three cards onto his duel disk. "I summon Legendary Hero Neos and Neo Spacian Flare Scarab then use contact fusion to fuse them together!"
The monsters appeared for only a split second before they were enveloped in light and their bodies swirled around as they combined. Then the light disappeared and a dark figure took its place.
"Flare Neos!" Judai pointed at the man. "Attack his monster directly!"
Flare Neos attacked the monster, splitting it to pieces and sending the brute of a duelist flying backwards with a yowl. Johan's arm slipped off the cliff. He yelped, squirming a bit as his fingers barely clung to the rock. Judai whipped around.
"Johan!"
He charged toward him, his arm outstretched. Johan's fingers slipped.
"JOHAN!"
Judai's scream pierced Yubel's heart and before they knew what they were doing, they threw themself forward and grabbed Johan's arm. His weight dragged them down, their heart skipping a beat. Gritting their teeth, Yubel tugged Johan as hard as they could toward solid ground, stumbling backwards. Johan flopped on top of them. For a moment, Yubel felt dazed. *Why did I save...*
"Yubel..." Judai stared at them, his eyes bright but welling with tears.
Yubel smiled. Of course they saved Johan: he was important to Judai, and Judai's happiness was more important to them than keeping him like some kind of possession.
Johan glanced up at him. "Judai!" He threw his arms around him.
Judai hugged back for a few moments, then backed out, resting his hands on Johan's shoulders.
"What did that guy want from you?!" he asked, his eyes wide.
"He was trying to steal my Crystal Beasts," Johan answered, still shivering. "He cornered me at the cliff and..."
Judai hugged him again. "It's okay. You're safe now."
Johan pressed closer, his arms around Judai and his cheek pressing against his. Yubel stared at them. The happiness swelling within Judai was overwhelming. It was almost enough to knock Yubel backwards and would've made Yubel smile if it didn't reawaken their anxiety. Johan's gaze met Yubel's. Looking away, he let go of Judai, scooting back.
"Judai..." His voice was hardly more than a murmur. "I thought... I thought Yubel didn't want us to ever see each other again..."
"Well, I couldn't just leave you there to die!" Judai exclaimed, standing up.
"Thank you, Judai." Johan stood up, turning away. "I'll... I'll let you and Yubel be."
"Johan!" Judai reached toward him.
Johan met Judai's gaze from over his shoulder. "Judai... I don't want to come between you and Yubel." He cast warm glances at both of them, making Yubel's heart ache. "You two clearly really love each other and I love you enough to let you go be happy, Judai."
Those words... that was exactly what Yubel should've said earlier.
"As do I," they cut in, dipping their head.
"Huh?" Judai and Johan asked in unison, gazing at Yubel in confusion.
Yubel nodded at Judai. "Tell him, Judai."
"Johan..." Judai stepped closer to Johan. "Don't go. I... I love you." Judai took Johan's hand, staring deep into his eyes.
Johan's eyes widened. "You... you do?!"
Judai nodded. "I've felt a connection to you ever since our first meeting and that feeling only grew with time." Judai held up Johan's hand, softly stroking him. "It never went away, not even when I fell in love with Yubel. I just tried to repress it... so I wouldn't upset them."
Yubel's eyes widened. *I made Judai repress so much?* Guilt wracked them like an illness and Yubel nearly keeled over from the ache in their chest.
"Judai..." Johan's fingers intertwined with Judai's.
"I never realized... you were keeping so much from me," Yubel murmured, gripping their chest. They couldn't meet their lover's gaze. "Judai, I love you. I never want to hurt you, but I did..." Their eyes watered. "I want you to be with someone you don't have to feel like you have to hide anything from."
With the final words, Yubel descended into a sob. They trembled.
Judai just sighed, sounding defeated. "You really can't accept the idea of me loving both of you?"
"It sounds... impossible," Yubel admitted, wrapping their arms around themself.
"You don't believe him?" Johan's tone was accusatory. Yubel glared at the boy but he didn't shrink under Yubel's gaze, glaring evenly at them as he held Judai's hand. "Maybe others say it's impossible but I'd believe Judai over any of them and if he says he loves both of us, then I believe him."
"Johan... Thank you..." Judai stared at him, the affection in his heart like a warm soothing fire. He let go of Johan, walking toward Yubel. "Yubel, I understand if the idea of me loving others the way I love you upsets you. I don't want to upset you. You're the one who really wants to leave, aren't you?"
Yubel winced. It was true: constantly feeling Judai's love for Johan made them paranoid. Johan's words about trusting Judai had stirred something within Yubel, but it wasn't enough to make that paranoia go away.
"M-maybe..." Yubel admitted, not fully sure.
"Then I won't stop you." Judai took Yubel's hands. "I'll never forget you, Yubel. I love you, and I wish you happiness, wherever you find it."
Judai let go of Yubel and reached for his deck, slipping a card into his fingers. Yubel knew immediately which card it was. They stared at Super Polymerization, allowing the memories to wash over them. Judai's words echoed in their mind. *The spirit of Supreme King Judai will move into you to expel the Light of Destruction that's twisting your spirit. Even if that destroys the person I am now, I don't mind. I activate Super Polymerization!*
When they'd tried to tear Super Polymerization, this card was like a prison: something tying them to their feelings of jealousy and inferiority. Now, however, Yubel saw the card for what it really was: the symbol of Judai's love for them. Their eyes watered.
"Judai..."
Johan's voice stirred Yubel from their thoughts and they couldn't help but look up at Judai and Johan. They stood only a few steps away, staring at each other.
Johan twirled his hair around. "Is it okay if... if I kiss you?"
Yubel stiffened. A kiss? Judai had never offered Yubel that. Then again, Yubel had never asked either, and they were rarely in physical form since fusing.
Judai smiled and nodded. "Sure."
He rested his hand on Johan's cheek, who instantly leaned into the touch. Judai tilted his head to the side. Then he froze for a moment, looking unsure as Johan's eyes fluttered shut. He leaned in. *Do it you fool!* Yubel was surprised to find themself rooting for this. Finally, Judai leaned in fully and pressed his lips against Johan's. Yubel stepped closer. Their entire body trembled as Judai's unbridled joy became theirs.
"Judai!" Yubel exclaimed, stepping toward them.
Judai and Johan backed out of the kiss.
Judai's eyes were wide. "Yubel... gosh, I should've... I'm sorry." He looked away. "I should've-we should've gone somewhere else-"
Barely hearing Judai's words, Yubel flung themself at Judai, throwing their arms around him. Judai yelped as he was lifted off the ground.
"I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE YOU, JUDAI!" Yubel exclaimed, tears streaming down their face as they clutched Judai.
"Yubel?" Judai sounded bewildered.
Yubel fell to their knees, letting Judai touch the ground as they continued to hold him close, as if he could disappear at any moment if they let go.
"I love you, Judai..." Their voices quivered as they spoke, but they felt no fear. "I never should've allowed my jealousy to make me forget that. I... I love you so much I'd do anything for you. That 'anything' includes letting you be with Johan." They met Judai's gaze, resting their hands on his face. "Will you still have me, Judai?"
Judai's eyes lit up like lanterns. "Of course I will, Yubel!"
He threw his arms around Yubel, his lips colliding into theirs. Yubel's eyes went wide. Closing their eyes, they eased into the kiss. Why hadn't they ever tried this? Yubel once believed that no physical sensation could ever feel better than Judai's love for them. This kiss, however... Yubel could feel all of that love in just the touch of Judai's lips. Judai backed out of the kiss, panting a bit. Yubel chuckled.
"Glad you came around, Yubel," Johan commented, sitting next to them and Judai.
For once, Yubel didn't resent Johan's presence. They never would again. They would never make Judai repress his true feelings, never make him feel like he had to hide. Yubel would work as hard as they could to make sure Judai felt as loved as possible. And if that meant allowing Johan into their lives, then they would.
Judai giggled. "Come over here, you two!" He put one arm around Johan, looping the other around Yubel's waist.
Johan giggled as well. Yubel, a little overwhelmed, smiled and nuzzled into the touch. They'd clearly made the right choice.