TW: weed

——Astor's POV——
"Get me Hell Kaiser on the phone," I shout at his rep, Shroud.
"I'm sorry Mr. Phoenix," he responds, Shroud's condescending tone not masked by the static over the phone, "but Mr. Kaiser has gone home for the day and his personal number is classified information. You're more than welcome to try again tomorrow, but who knows. Bye now—"
The line drops.
I close my phone and stare out the window, watching buildings race by as I get closer to my apartment, "Motherfucker..."
——
I walk into my apartment and lock the door, though that seems futile as I see that Hell Kaiser is standing in my kitchen.
"Nice place," he says turning to me, "Think you'll be able to afford it once Dueling Doll gets knocked out of the league?"
"Get out" I reply in a tone that can only be described as a hiss, "I have nothing to say to you,"
"Really? Because the message I just got from Mr. Shroud says otherwise,"
Kaiser pulls out his cell and goes to voicemail, "Hey Kaiser, Astor Phoenix just called looking for you. He sounded like he just shit himself, what happened at your duel today man? Call me back when you get this— BEEP" Kaiser puts his phone back in his pocket and remained as calm as the day I met him.
"So..." he started, "What'd you wanna talk about?" Though when he was calm then, it was genuine aloofness, now he's just toying with me, keeping me on edge.
At this point, I was done with his little games, "Oh, I don't know, Kaiser, maybe it's about the harassing of my client," with each word I started moving closer to him, " or the Private Eye you had tailing her," 3 feet, " or the blackmailing in exchange for Syrus," 2 feet, "or the now very illegal breaking and entering? You think that's what I was calling about or do you have another topic you'd like to discuss first?"  I was now face to face with this monster masquerading as human, "Well how 'bout it?"
Kaiser shrugs, "Nope, I got no other topics, let's talk," he attempts to stand back, but I'm already yanking on his collar to bring him down to my level.
"Listen to me very closely, I am stronger then when we last saw each other, and I will haul your ass out of this apartment myself and make you wish I had called security. I have cameras set up in every room of this apartment, and ten bucks says at least one of them caught you breaking in. If you try anything to get (Y/N) in trouble, I will show this to the police, leak it to the press, and make sure anyone who can move your career forward is aware of your brash tendencies. Am I clear?"
The look of pure shock on his face made me feel more hopeful than ever as he tries to free his jacket from my grip. I walk to the door with Kaiser still in hand and throw him out.
"You did this to me, you know," he said right as I was about to close the door, "that crushing loss the first time we dueled sent me spiraling with all the destiny bullshit you were spewing. That led me to meeting Shroud, becoming a winner that I thought  my brother could be proud of. But even after I started winning again, Syrus still saw me as a monster. I guess it wasn't in the stars right?" Kaiser stands and stares at me through the crack in the door I leave open, "Now I see the world as it truly is. No matter how much I achieve, no matter how much I conquer, I one person I need hates me. No more," he says as he starts to come closer to the door.
"Ok, good by Kaise-" as I attempt to close the door completely, his boot comes between it. He stares down at me now with a sadistic smirk on his face.
"I suppose I should be thanking you, after all, without your wake up call I would still think that world isn't made of pain. Because of you I've learned to embrace it rather than fight it, and soon Syrus will know it too," his foot leaves the door as he turns at starts walking towards the elevator, "Now I make my own destiny,"

*THUD*

The door closes completely and I lock it once again.  I turn around and survey my now empty apartment only to find a smashed window I can only assume Kaiser used to break in.
I run my hands down my face and sigh into them, "Jesus Christ, how the fuck am I gonna explain this to (Y/N)? How is she gonna explain this to Syrus? Oh shit, I have to warn them..."
I sit down at my kitchen counter and pull out my phone. I'm about to dial her number when I freeze.
Did I really mess him up? I'm I the reason he's this twisted monster? How could I have treated him so terribly? How's Syrus or (Y/N) ever gonna look at me the same way again? They've already had a rough night, I might want to leave this for tomorrow. I have to clean up the glass anyway....
I get my broom from the closet and leave my phone on the counter.

————(Y/N)'s POV————

"HE DID WHAT!?" Syrus tore past me and Jaden in the kitchen and ran to get his coat on.
"Syrus, what are you doing?" Jaden asked concerned.
"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm going to find Zane and kick his butt in a duel!" He slides his deck box into his coat as he says this only to have his jacket removed entirely by Jaden a second later.
"Hey now Sy, you don't even know where he is, and you saw how ruthless he was against  
  (Y/N).  I don't want to see you get hurt because you weren't thinking clearly. That's my job!" Jaden chuckles and this encourages Syrus to join along.
"That's for sure Jay!" Syrus is full on laughing at this point, and all I can do is stare and marvel. I've never seen anyone make Syrus this happy before, not this quickly at least. Jaden seems to have some kind of connection with him that I just don't.
I'm glad he's here.
"How bout we come up with a game plan tomorrow? You won't be any good if you're tired and cranky," Jaden starts to usher Syrus to bed.
"Yeah you're right, I'm wiped. Hope you're comfy on the couch Jaden, see you tomorrow," Syrus' bedroom door closes and I know he's down for the count.
———
"How'd you do that?" Was the only thing I could say at this point.
"Do what?" Jaden turned to me.
"He was freaked about something that has me shaking and you were able to get him laughing about it in minutes. I've never seen Syrus calm down about anything that quickly, let alone something about Zane. It's remarkable,"

Jaden chuckles for a moment and looks at the floor, "I don't know, that's just the way me and Syrus operate. I'm light hearted enough to keep him from sinking into the earth, and he's grounded enough to keep me from floating to the clouds. I constantly get myself into terrible situations because I don't think, and Syrus helps me think of a solution. Syrus is constantly questioning himself and I remind him that it's important to have fun,"

I continue to stare as Jaden looks back up at me, "I always think about the day he lost to Zane, the day he lost Zane, and I always wonder, what if I found him that day? If he would come back to Duel Academy, if he would continue fighting with his deck; but now I see how he's living, see how he is, I don't think I'll wonder anymore. He still has dueling in his life, but now he does it for fun, now he's surrounded by support and people who love him....
...What I'm trying to say, is that you pass!"
Jaden flashes me a big thumbs up and sports a dopey grin on his face.
"I pass?" I stare with the greatest confusion.
"The big sister test! I've been checking out the way you guys live and I approve! You have the best friend stamp of approval!"
That's the last straw. All the stess from the duel, the terror from interacting with Kaiser, crying in Astor's arms, watching Sy melt down, and now hearing all of this from Jaden has finally built up and I just can't handle standing anymore.
I sigh and turn towards my room, "Good night Jaden,"
———
I can't sleep. Why can't I sleep?
Kaiser, Private Eye, my parents, Syrus, danger.
Oh, that's why.
I turn to see my alarm clock: 4:23 A.M.
Fuck. I need water. Or run a marathon or something. I need to do something.
I climb out of bed and head to the kitchen. On my way there I notice that Jaden isn't on the couch and that the fire escape window is open.
I lean out the window to see Jaden smoking a joint.
I could get used to this kid.
"Ahem..." I lean out the window entirely, "are you holding that for a friend?"
Jaden freezes in surprise and starts coughing relentlessly.
"I'm*cough*so *cough-cough* sorry-" I hold up my hand to silence him and let him cough.
"It's fine Jay, in fact, I'll be right back," I go back into the building and into my room. I lift my mattress and get my weed box and lighter, then I go to the kitchen and get a glass of water to give to a still coughing Jaden when I get back to the fire escape.
"Here, don't want you waking up the entire neighborhood do we?" I hand him the water.
He takes the glass gratefully and I take out my own joint, light it, and take a drag.
"You smoke?" Jaden asks when his coughing subsides, "Does Sy or Nicky know?"
"Sy knows but we don't talk about it, it's a fun, "don't ask don't tell" kind of a thing. Nicky doesn't know, but I'm sure he'll figure it out when he gets older. Does Sy know you smoke?" I breathe in more smoke and puff it out of my nose as I talk, looking over at Jaden whose having trouble with his lighter.
"I don't think he'd approve very much, so I haven't told him yet-oh thanks-," he interrupts himself as I light my lighter for him to use, "-but I'm sure he smelled my bunk back at the academy. I don't like disappointing him, but it helps me deal with school,"
"Hey, no judgment here," I hold up my free hand in defense, "if there's one thing I understand, it's that need to take the edge off,"
"Did you start smoking when you became a pro?" Jaden asks.
"No."
"When did you sta-"
"None of your business." I turn my head sharply towards him and stare him down.
See, not very nice.
"Sorry, sorry," Jaden puts his hand up, "just not sure what the protocol is here. I can't call you 'chick' but I can smoke with you, but I can't ask how long you've been smoking for? What're the boundaries here?"
My gaze softens and I sigh, "Sorry, this is uncharted territory for me. Never really been friends with someone I just met who already knows so much. I'm not sure what my boundaries are either, just that some subjects are touchy for me that are normal questions for anyone else,"
We turn our heads away from each other and stare at the city in silence. That's all we do for awhile until the sun starts to come up.
Jaden sits down next to me, his joint's become nothing more than a filter and ash, mine's almost there too.
"Why does Zane want Syrus back now?" Jaden asks still staring at the street.
"I don't know," I reply. Staring at the street at well.
"Do you think he'll contact you again soon?"
"I don't know,"
"Is Astor gonna help us?"
"I don't know,"
"Are you going to get kicked out of the league?"
"I don't know,"
"How are you gonna support Sy and Nicky if you do?"
"I don't know,"
There's a long pause before Jaden starts to move towards the window to go inside. When he's just about in he turns to me,
"What's gonna happen?"
I turn to Jaden with a constant stream of tears down my face,
"I don't know,"

——————————
And that's a wrap on the first chapter of the new year!
Y'all are lying to yourselves if you don't think Jaden's a stoner 😂
Word count: 2161