writetomyheart | [Team one] poker face

I just keep writing more scenes for this angstshipping yugioh fic and nothing ever happens. Whoops

"Play nice," Yugi laughs even as he's scolding someone. "I don't want to have to explain to Grandpa why we suddenly have a broken table."

Jou, who had just slammed his hand down on said table in frustration hard enough to rattle everyone's drinks, laughs sheepishly in return and promises not to do it again. Malik watches as Jou gathers the cards and starts shuffling again for another round.

The game is poker and Malik has nothing to lose.

Honda starts teasing Jou about his inability to bluff which, of course, just makes Jou more flustered than before. Ryou laughs quietly as he watches their conversation dissolve into silly banter, while Yugi just playfully rolls his eyes and reminds them not to spill anything on the table. Jou's exasperated hand motions had threatened to topple his glass of water at least three times this evening. Malik wonders if Yugi ever gets tired of their antics.

"Maybe you should just deal the cards?" Ryou suggests, kindly breaking into the loud talk around the table. "I happen to be winning if you remember." He gestures politely to his large pile of poker chips that he'd been collecting all night.

"That's because you have the best poker face," Jou laughs.

Malik assumes this is a skill Ryou picked up from his time sharing headspace with a crazed thief spirit who kept taking over his life, wearing Ryou's skin like a nice comfy coat. Malik wisely decides not to voice this theory out loud.

He looks down at the cards Jou just dealt around the table. Another bad hand. He's pretty sure you need some sort of luck to win this dumb game, and luck isn't a skill Malik has.

Yugi bets a few chips which causes Honda to sigh dramatically and fold for this round. Malik matches the bet, but he knows he's only hastening his loss as his chip count continues to dwindle.

As the game continues and the friendly chats and taunts roll around the table, Malik just feels more out of place. He's only here because Ryou had invited him. He can't fathom that the boys actually want to spend time with him. Don't they remember everything he did? Don't they remember when he was sharing headspace with his murderously psychotic darker personality? Did they really just "forgive and forget" and just move on?

"I have a full house!" Jou shouts enthusiastically, shaking Malik away from that dangerous train of thought.

"Four of a kind," Ryou says as he calmly reveals his own hand.

"Oh man, I really thought I had it this time," Jou pouts as Ryou claims his winnings. Yugi and Honda laugh again at his bad luck.

"I've got nothing," Malik says, tossing his bad hand back onto the pile.

Yugi smiles at him, full as far as he can tell with genuine friendship. "Maybe next round will be your lucky one?"

"Maybe," he shrugs.

He's about to tell them that he actually plans to quit the poker game and go home early, but then he catches Ryou's eyes. They look happy. He remembers listening to Ryou earlier as they made their way to Yugi's place. He remembers Ryou talking quietly about how he finally feels like he's a part of their friend group now, how he'd worried at first they would abandon him after the Millennium Items chapter of their lives had closed. But they'd accepted him just as he was, just as his normal self.

It's Ryou's turn to shuffle the cards, and he shoots Malik a happy smile while his hands move expertly.

"I'm going to win this one," Malik declares suddenly, slamming his hand down on the table like Jou had done earlier.

"That's the spirit!" Honda cheers, throwing his hands up in the air. Yugi scrambles to save his drink which almost tips over.

If Ryou can find a place here in this group, maybe Malik can too. Ryou makes him feel like he wants to try at least.

Malik flips over his cards to look at what he's been dealt. He grins. "Let's get started."

Here ya go

miyeokguk