Chapter Text
Melody put the last of the clothes in her suitcase. Her stomach flutters with excitement, not only to see her best friend, Kat, again after some months of not seeing her, but also to go to college for a water model career, and she is slightly nervous to start anew.
The phone rings from the shorts, and thinking it's Kat, she pulls the phone out, then sees the name on the screen, and her smile immediately vanishes. Stomach twisted as fingers gripped her phone. At a time like this? Seriously, just when she had gotten over the unpleasant events.
Humming a bit, swiping away on the screen without any hesitation, then gets the last of her remaining belongings, and pulls the suitcase along, leaving her childhood bedroom for who knows how long. Pushing her feelings down brightens her smile before she sees her parents.
Finally, outside her house, she hugs her parents for the last time, tightening her arms around them a bit longer couldn't help but feel bittersweet still. Even her parents kept their smile tighten and gave her some supportive words and love. Then pleaded for her to call them the moment she made her destination.
"Send Kat some love from us," Ariel tells her daughter, feeling proud of her, but also having mixed emotions about her being far from home. Alas, her little Melody wasn't little anymore.
"I will." Melody Nobs is excited to see Kat again. Despite being separated for 2 months, it felt too long not to have her partner in crime, sharing snacks or non-stop mischief ways. It was definitely too quiet in her house.
"And try to stay out of trouble, will you?" Eric teases, messing with her hair. She smirked at him.
"No promises!" Melody chuckles at this as her father rolled his eyes, but had a hidden grin.
Despite being the eldest daughter, in their eyes, they see a little girl who loves adventuring in the ocean and enjoys dressing up in her mother's clothing that was too big to fit her.
Yet here she is off to college in a very faraway place. The suitcase was in the trunk, settling down in the backseat. Engine starting off as the car moves while she waved at her parents. The driver glanced at her for a moment.
"Are you alright?" he questioned her, sensing how Melody was acting earlier, the way she gripped her suitcase, and the everlasting tight smile when she was giving goodbye to her parents.
Sighing a bit as she glances at the window, watching her house pass by, pushing down the unpleasant feeling in her stomach from the call she got in her room.
Smiling once more to reassure him, mostly to herself. Not wanting to sour the mood.
"I will be."
Finally arriving at her destination, she sees Kat at the airport, her best friend for as long as she remembers.
Kat had dark violet hair, with her front hair long, one braided on the side, and the back of her hair was short. Had golden eyes like honey. She smiled so brightly teeth gap could be shown clearly as day, and her freckles seemed to be brighter.
She was waving at her happily, all bouncing, and then gave Melody a quick hug, then pulled her hand along, speed walking to get her other luggage. Despite the drowsiness, non-stop head pounding, and the ability to really crash anywhere at this point. Melody was relieved to see her friend again, feeling light from talking to her friend in person after some months away. Even calling and texting it wasn't the same with auto sounds, and seeing her in a video call felt so odd.
Almost forgot about the little call she had from her home.
She shook her head, focusing on Kat's conversation.
Kat could see the bags in her eyes, no doubt due to Melody's displeasure with being on the plane. Ears all plugged, strangers around, and especially afraid of heights.
Noting to herself to help with putting some clothes away so her poor friend can relax for a bit in the dorm room.
Not wasting time, they went on a uber to their apartment, as Kat shows where the bathroom is, the closet, and some snacks she put in the section in the drawer, of course, as any good friend would. Pushing her sleep-deprived friend to the bed as Kat opened Melody's suitcase and started to hang her clothes in the closet, humming happily, no doubt had many plans to do together.
Melody rested for a while on the bed; the soft sheets helped with he neck from sitting so long in the uncomfortable chair, and the pillows felt so cozy that makes her want to sleep for hours, but she didn't want to mess with her sleep schedule.
Finally, after lying down for some time, dragging herself to get up and start braiding her hair into two braids, she opened one of her boxes that had arrived here for some time, and started decorating her wall with her things. She brought over some important things for her, pictures, and other little things.
Hesitation glancing at Kat, who was about to finish putting away her clothes, the pit in the stomach ached. Should she tell her? Then again, just got here and knows how she feels about the touchy subject. The memories of how her slightly taller friend's arms were around her, hair being brushed away as Melody cried her eyes out, all curled up, body shaking, and how she could gasp for air.
During that time, Kat was the quietest of the whole time, didn't crack a joke as usual, not even make a threat to the person who hurt her, just comfort, and that made Melody nervous for the first time.
Then hell breaks loose right after that.
Then again, keeping some secrets never ends well, not to mention that Kat figures it out eventually impossible to hide things from her strong senses.
Taking a deep breath, finally speak.
"So..he tried to call me the other day." starting with. Kat was silent now, holding a shirt, and wasn't turning around. Slowly, she turned her head to Melody, her pupils almost looked silted as a cat's would.
"..Oh heck no!" Kat fumed at this while Melody sighs now sitting on the bed.
Kat huffed at this, working on the last remaining of Melody's clothes away, trying not to attempt to tarnish them, then made a decision right there once she was done.
"OK, well, I'm hungry, let's go eat. I know a place to go to." The now grumpy friend, as she pulled Melody from her bed, was rearranging her side of the bed with some decorations, pictures on the wall, her little trinkets on shelves, etc.
Melody just went with the flow and followed Kat's lead, "Yeah, sounds good." Grabbing her purse, rummaging for a bit to see her wallet and keys, then left their apartment to go outside, keeping her pace with her now moody friend.
At a diner, the girls were eating their meals peacefully and having some small chit-chat. The indecent call was long forgotten as they enjoyed themselves and were excited to share the dorm room.
Kat was slurping her soda for a bit as she eyed Melody dispensing, then pulled away from her straw.
"By the way, we're gonna meet up with some people later on," speaking so quickly as she went back to drinking, out of habit growing up together for years, Melody understood what Kat just said.
Melody made a face when Kat mentioned meeting the others; she halted from eating, brows furrowed together, gripping the fork now.
"Alon's idea?" she questioned Kat, brow raising, her eye twitching at this from knowing her brother.
"NOoo not at all" Kat grinned like a cheshire as she drank her soda, if she had ears, it would've been a moving mischief gesture ways. Her eyes looks else where, yet her smile says it all. The young girl sighs at this, picking at her food, flicking around, her lips now look like she sucked a lemon, the sourness she tastes.
"Does he think I can't make friends on my own? Or to assign me to have some bodyguards around since my dear little brother isn't here?" She scoffs at the idea, knowing from growing up despite their age differences, Alon has always been protective of her, even with male friends, his own as well. She knows Alon means well, and as much as Melody loves her brother, there are limits she's not fond of. Even far from home, he still tries to take care of her.
Melody is definitely gonna give him an earful the next time they talk on the phone.
"I could ask Sebastian for a favor to pinch his nose," the older sister thought, humming to set Alon straight to not be involved with her independence.
"You know how he is, wanted to be sure his sister is looked after, " her friend says, swirling around with her straw, messing around the ice to have it melted to get more drink from it.
"But I have you, that should be enough," stabbing at her meal, her cheeks were puffed, imagining herself hitting Alon upside his head. Not like she's against being friends with her brother's friends, but still, she's in college now for Trident's sake?! It's not like she's that important in this world.
"I mean, it's a nice start before starting our school." Kat brings the bright side of this.
"Also, I've met them myself; they're cool and funny if you stick around," she winked at her best friend from her experiences. Clearly, Melody won't need to be worried of being checked with her brother ever seconds.
"I guess," Melody trusted her words, grumbling at this, then shrugged it off. Shaking her head a bit at Alon's stunt. She wonders if her parents knew about this.
"Besides, it'll just be the ones who are going to the college with us, like Yugi for now," the friend says, waving it off, though Melody was busy eating some of her food. Her mind is elsewhere.
"Yugi..hm, I think I heard of him from my brother's Discord call," Melody commented, recalling the times she barges into Alon's room for something she needed or to mess with him. She had heard their voices before, but never seen their faces. But remembered their names from hearing the conversations with Alon.
"Yeah, he's really nice, too nice if you ask me." Kat huffs at this pouting as she sips her drink, now chewing the straw, mumbling things like "no limits" or "too kind."
"Too nice for you to mess with?" Melody grinned a bit at her recalls the times Kat does pranks and messes around with people. Her ways of giving affection to friends. By the sound of it, Kat seemed to have limits on this one.
"No!..OK, maybe, but seriously, Yugi is too good a person and makes me wonder how he has patients and here I thought YOU were too nice." Kat huffed as she slurped her now-melted ice to drink out some of the soda.
Melody rolled her eyes at this, knowing what she was talking about, but not in the mood to speak of the past and focus on the present. Not wanting to waste her energy on THAT indecent. Finishing up the meal and then having the waiter's attention as she rummaged through her bag to find her wallet.
Though her friend had other plans.
Kat eyed the waiter, then quickly slid her credit card in and shooed the server away as Melody gaped at her. As she had just gotten her wallet out.
"You little-" Melody curses under her breath and goes on to get some cash out for the tip. While Kat smiled in victory, chuckling slightly, feeling the familiarity with her friend coming back now.
"Yeah, no, today is your first day being here, not on my watch." She sticks her tongue out playfully, knowing these next months will be non-stop fighting to pay for the meals.
The ebony-haired girl scoffs at Kat as the card returns, looks over the receipt, and then gives the waiter a tip.
"I'm paying next time," Melody said to her mischef friend; meanwhile, Kat just smiled all innocently.
"If you're quick enough." More giggles were heard as they both got up from their seats and opened the door, as the bells jiggled and went on their way.
They roam around the area, enjoying the breeze, much better than being on the plane for sure. Melody stretches her arms a bit as her limbs aren't stiff, belly is all full, and way more alert.
The ping sound was heard, she checked in the bag, and nothing appeared on the screen. Glancing over, the phone was being typed by Kat on her right hip seemly hidden from Melody's point of view.
"Hiding from me now, too?" Tried to have a better look at the phone, but Kat moved further away.
"Don't know what you're talking about," Kat declared, sticking her tongue out at Melody, covering the phone with the purple sleeves. At the same time, Melody squinted her eyes at her with suspicion.
"Alright if you say so." She still kept her eyes on Kat before continuing to stroll ahead of her, still pondering the text.
Maybe it's from Alon, no doubt, he would be texting her friend to try to keep tabs on her. Then again, her brother shouldn't be available at this time. For now, shrugging it off, maybe it's nothing but some friend or secret lover?
That would be a sight to see. Melody's lips twitched a bit, but composed herself. Now Kat was eyeing her suspiciously, wondering what was on her mind.
Arriving at their apartment together, Melody's tongue was sticking out as she dug around in her bag, while Kat's hands were behind her back, bouncing slightly, and glancing away from her friend.
Finally, finding the key and unlocking the door. Melody turned to her. "So when are we going to meet the others?" Then flicked the lights on taking her shoes off on the side, and put on her slippers. Kat followed suit, grinning ear to ear.
"Let's see just about.." Kat looked at her wrist, yet there was nothing there at all, then heard some knocks. "Now," chuckling at this, she went ahead to the door to open.
Melody got all caught off guard by the timing, could've sworn her heart would pop out. Snapping out of it as soon as the door opened, and some words exchanged as Kat opened the door further.
There, Melody immediately knew who this person was. The time Alon had spoken about his online friends, and especially having little rivalry with one of them, due to how he could never win in the duel monsters cards game. Despite trying new techniques or other buffs to use, he never wins.
And that always gives her joy at that time of day.
"You must be Alon's rival. I was hoping to meet you one day." Melody smiled happily, and her shoulders stopped being so tense. Had her hand shake with his most likely will enjoy getting along with her brother's rival to spite him.
"I'm Melody, but you can call me Mel for short if you want," interceding herself.
He stutters at the contact and tries to laugh it off at her comment. Scratching his cheek, felt all dry in the throat moment, then finally he spoke. Amethyst's eyes gaze at her once more.
"Same here, it's nice to finally meet you. " smiling softly and shakes her hand. He had the kindness in his eyes, and his voice seemed as if he had never done anything wrong at all.
Now Melody can see why Kat couldn't tease or do anything at all with her common pranks without thinking she's being too mean to him.
"I'm Yugi, though I'm sure you already know that," he commented, but still wanted to introduce himself. Although he may not know what Alon had said about him to Melody.
She shrugged, "Lucky guess, I recognized your voice, and maybe how many times I could hear your name whenever Alon loses." grinning ear to ear at the nice memories of curses and grumbling at dinner time.
In the background, Kat seemed to be up to her shenanigans again. arms reaching for the bag in one of the guy's arms seemed like some goodies of a welcome gift basket, while the brunette was trying to keep it out of her reach.
"Hey, no! These are for the guest! Little stinker," He tells her off, pushing her freckled face away from the basket. Yet that didn't stop Kat's determination for snacks.
"Whatever is hers is mine," with a serious voice, her hands all grabby yet couldn't reach due to him having it above him now. Shifting away from the little grabby hands, he gifted Melody the basket.
"Here, welcome to Domino City. Name's Hiroto, but you can call me Tristan." Grinning at her, his hand on Kat's head as she still tried to grab the gift basket, then pouted slumps over.
Melody thanked him, appreciated the gift sees some goodies of sweets, and could smell the candle and other knick-knacks. Glancing at her roommate, she hands over the basket.
"Try not to take all the sweets," she requested of her best friend, as it's a code between them to share any snacks.
In a flash, laughter sounded like a gremlin as Kat sped up the sound of ripping the plastic to see inside the goodie basket.
Tristan slaps his palm to his face, head shaking, should've known better about how their friendships work.
The last male friend laughs at this scene. "Aha! Guess we have to keep it in mind whenever we give them some snacks." Snickering more than greeted Melody last.
"Heya, nice to meet ya, Mel." He shook her hand; his boyish smile could tell he was the type who gets himself into trouble.
He definitely sounds familiar.
"Same here, and you're hmm…Jonouchi, right?" Melody questioned him.
"Yep, that's me! But I go by Joey mostly. Did Alon put a good word in for me?" He questioned her finger, pointing to himself, smiling about what his online friend says about him.
"Not really, I just remember your voice over the Discord call, you and Tristan are really a pair." She smiles a bit, memories of could hear some yelling match with the two boys.
Even so far from her room.
Joey sweat drops at this, scratching his head a bit, "I see."
By then, Kat came back with chewing on some gummy bears, glancing around, raising an eyebrow, and turned to Yugi.
"Where's Atem and Yami?" Tilting her head a bit, checking in her phone scrolling upwards, was positive she messaged them when she and Melody were on their way to the apartment.
"I'm not sure, but if I have to guess, most likely either gotten into trouble or helping their grandma with the shop," Yugi guessed due to the years of growing up with his cousins.
"Hmm, bet Yami took one of her kombuchas again." Kat grinned, and could imagine the granny could be scolding him off or better chasing him around with her sandal
Yugi nervous smile at this.
"I wouldn't deny that." Agreed with Kat, shivers the memory of witnessing the wrath of his aunt at the twins, mostly at Yami, though Atem usually tries to calm his grandma down, but alas never worked out.
Melody perked at this, but doesn't recall any of this, and stays quiet.
Usually, she knew a little about others' families from her brother or the gang, but she hardly heard anything about the twins.
"Ugh, wish Tea was here, she would've loved to have another girl in the group," Kat whines at this. Her friend missed an opportunity to see her scolding the boys. As well as having more female friends around to gossip.
"Ah, that's right, she's in New York, right?" Melody also felt a bit disappointed that she didn't have a chance to meet her sounded like a lovely girl to be around. Not to mention starting fresh and making new friends.
Despite she's still bothered by Alon's stunt.
"Yeah, but hopefully she'll come to visit. It'd be nice to have some girl talk," throws another gummy bear to her mouth. Kat hummed at the taste.
"But! We can have a video call so we can talk together," she suggested, heading to the living room to grab the TV remote, turning on the television for a sound background. Plopping herself on the couch.
Melody nods, smiles as she follows as well next to her friend.
As the rest were in the living room having some conversations and some tips around in the neighborhood, Melody learned a bit more about them.
Yugi lives with his mom and grandpa, who owns the game shop where he lived most of his life and no doubt where he learned to play Duel Monsters cards.
Makes sense, honestly, of how her little brother always loses against him.
As for Joey, Melody did remember about his little sister and could see he really cares about her. She admires how he's doing well, going to college, and does part time job at the cafe.
Melody then felt a miss with Kat for a moment, isn't sure why, but feels like something she's hiding. Moving slightly, eyeing Kat, who was thumbing her leg on the floor a bit.
Odd, she usually does that when- there was a knock on the door.
"I'll get it." Melody got up from the couch and went to the peephole to see. Blinking a bit as she rubs her eyes then went on to look again.
Huh, must be them. They sure are related to Yugi.
Once opening the door, she took a look at the twins; despite their sharp eyes and being taller than Yugi, there were a few differences between them.
One hand had a skin that seemed like he was kissed by the sun, while the other had a lighter tone. Their eyes were even different, but they couldn't pinpoint why.
Oh, and seemed like the one with a bandage on the cheek was Yami by the looks of it.
"About time you two show up!" Echoing from the other side of the room, feet paddling along as Kat came to greet them. Then grinned at the sight of one of them.
"Soo what happened?~" in a playful tone could guess what happened.
Rolling his lavender eyes at her, making a scold face, crossing arms together turned his head away to avoid the little mischief as the other twin sighed at this.
"He drank one of Grandma's kombucha" Rubbing his forehead a bit could still hear the yelling and how his twin basically ran for his life around the shop.
It didn't help that it was the last one. Not to mention her favorite flavor.
Kat snickers more as she runs to tell the boys, singing happily of winning the bet, no doubt getting some change from one of the boys or owing her a snack.
Melody shakes her head a bit, then glances at the twins. "If I have to guess...you must be Atem," she gestured to the one without the bandage on the cheek.
Laughing a bit, he nods, "Yes, that's right, sorry if we interrupt the atmosphere," rubbing the back of his neck, giving an awkward smile, yet it was endearing and meant well.
"Don't worry about it, we're just talking, so no chaos...yet," she smiled at them.
Yami grinned a bit as a challenge, almost devious once. "Yet indeed.." agreeing with her. Totally different from Atem's. Could sense her time here won't be too quiet around here from now on.
Maybe she should thank Alon for having this arrangement.
Nah, that's not gonna happen.