This is a birthday fic for Higuchimon, who asked for Johan and Yubel. Happy birthday, hun, and I hope you enjoy it!

Also, many thanks to Satari Raine for looking this over for me!

Shadows Cast

People definitely weren't made for crossing eight timezones in a single plane flight. Johan had arrived in Domino in the morning, arrived at Duel Academia by noon, and slept most of the afternoon away. Now, at one, he was still wide awake and craving dinner. He'd tried valiantly to ignore the rumbling of his stomach, but when even the Gem Beasts had started complaining, he'd given in and put on his clothes, Topaz Tiger's, "Just go eat already, you're keeping us all awake," still ringing in his ears. He padded out of his room quietly. This late at night, the hallways of the Obelisk Blue dorm were deserted, but the lights in quite a few rooms were still on. Students excited over tomorrow's graduation, no doubt. It was their last night at Duel Academia too.

O'Brien's room was completely dark. Johan shrugged. He had the Gem Beasts for company, and O'Brien probably wouldn't appreciate being woken up at this hour. Unlike Johan, O'Brien could shrug off jetlag like it was nothing.

Obelisk Blue had kitchens on every floor, made especially for students craving a midnight snack. Johan grabbed some onigiri with a silent apology to the original owner and leaned out of the window while he ate. He could have done without the persistent mosquito buzzing around his ears, but the warm July air was a welcome change from his fully air-conditioned room. His bed didn't sound all that tempting.

"I'm going out," he said through a mouthful of rice. The main entrance of the dorm had been locked at eleven, but his few months as a student had taught him about the window on the first floor that didn't quite close properly. No one'd ever felt inclined to report it to the staff, so a few minutes later he dropped down to the grass and opted for the long route around the lake. The moon, nearly full, cast its glow over the entire island, and he was silently grateful for it. He'd never been afraid of the dark, but after the Dark World, and then Darkness and being trapped and alone, it made him uncomfortable more often than not. He squared his shoulders. If he'd never been afraid of it before, he wasn't going to start now.

It shouldn't have come as a surprise that he veered into the woods instead of heading back the the Obelisk dorm, or that he climbed the stairs to Osiris Red – now Juudai's alone - only fifteen minutes later.

"He's asleep," Yubel said.

Johan, poised to knock on the door, dropped his arm. "Oh."

He cast Yubel a sideways glance. She had appeared near the roof, but was looking at the night sky pointedly. A dismissal if he'd ever seen one, but Johan wasn't quite ready to go back to the guest room he'd been given. Even when he'd been a student here, he'd spent more time in Osiris than in Obelisk. He sat down and swung his legs over the edge of the platform. Yubel hadn't disappeared. Either she was waiting for him to leave, or making sure he wouldn't wake Juudai. The silence all too quickly became oppressive. Johan swung his legs and looked at Yubel again.

"I haven't seen you in a while."

"No."

Truly talkative, Yubel was. If the Gem Beasts had been awake, he'd have someone to talk to, but they had the same thirteen-hour flight behind them, and they wouldn't take well to seeing Yubel.

"How's Juudai?" he asked instead.

"Asleep," said Yubel, but continued before Johan could actually roll his eyes. "He's glad it's quiet now."

Johan nodded. The last few months had been bad for everyone. Luckily, nothing else had reared its head in the month after Darkness' defeat.

"Nothing causing trouble?" he asked. He tried for levity, but he was sure Yubel could hear the undercurrent of worry. Last October he'd looked forward to a peaceful year in Japan. Suffice to say he'd had better years.

"Nothing immediate. The Light's still out there, but-"

Yubel cut off abruptly. Johan sucked in a breath. Too close for comfort, but he'd have to face this eventually. If Juudai were here, he'd have acted like a buffer, but Juudai had already fought too many of Johan's battles for him. He turned and craned his neck to face Yubel, who wasn't inclined to get down from the roof.

"How are you?"

Clearly Yubel hadn't been expecting that question. She unfolded her wings and folded them again. Johan hid a smile. Cobalt Eagle and Sapphire Pegasus did the same whenever nerves got the better of them.

"Don't tell me you don't blame me," said Yubel abruptly. She folded her wings close to her body and crossed her arms.

"I don't-" Johan began, but that wasn't quite true, was it? If they were going to talk about this, the least he owed them both was honesty. "The Gem Beasts blame you," he said instead. "Quite a bit, and-"

"What about you?" Yubel cut through.

Johan smiled a rueful smile. "Okay, I'll try to be honest," he said. "I feel like I shouldn't blame you. Juudai explained. The Light did all this."

"But you still blame me."

Johan nodded once and broke eye contact.

"I came here to duel and learn things. I don't appreciate being possessed for liking someone." Yubel had literally seen all of his thoughts. He wasn't going to pretend that was any kind of grand secret. "I won't apologize for liking Juudai," he added in a burst of defiance.

Yubel was looking at him intently. Johan met her eyes again. It was hard to focus on both of them, with their colors so different, but he managed.

"Nor will I apologize for Juudai loving me," she said. Johan didn't miss the slight emphasis on loving, but he let it go. He wasn't interested in a fight.

"But," Yubel continued, "I am sorry for hurting you and your family."

Johan snorted softly. Figured Yubel'd be one of the few people to acknowledge the Gem Beasts as his family.

"I think that's the worst part," he mused. "That you hurt them."

"You're so selfless, aren't you?" It wasn't quite a joke, but it wasn't an insult either. Johan could live with that. He grinned slightly.

"Selfless? Sometimes. From what I hear from Juudai, the same can be said about you."

"I swore to protect Juudai. Only Juudai," Yubel said. "I have my priorities."

"As do I," Johan said easily. To this day, he shuddered to think of what would have happened if Juudai hadn't interfered in his duel with Giese. "You saw that duel with Giese, when he took Sapphire Pegasus, didn't you? What would you have done?"

"Saved the horse," Yubel said without a trace of hesitation. Then, more slowly, she added, "But I wouldn't have agreed with whatever you did. If you'd saved the horse-"

"- I'd have been selfish and a hypocrite. But if I'd saved Jerry Beans Man I'd have abandoned someone I claimed to love. Right?"

Yubel nodded.

"Yeah, I'd have thought the same. Good thing we have Juudai, huh?"

"Quite." Yubel looked down at the closed door. "When he bothers to be awake, that is."

Johan giggled. "We can't all be awake at two in the morning."

He probably should be asleep. Duel Academia's graduation ceremony would start at ten, and even though he hadn't lasted the full year as initially intended, he'd still been invited as a guest.

"What are you going to do after Juudai graduates?" he asked. He'd talked to Juudai briefly that afternoon, but hadn't been able to broach the subject before he fell asleep.

"Juudai wants to travel. See where his help is needed."

"Sounds good. You should stop by if you're ever in Norway."

"He'll like that," Yubel said. Johan got up with a groan and stretched. The moon was already starting to set. He should get back to his room, but the cold, impersonal Obelisk room didn't much appeal to him now. He looked back at the closed door of the Osiris dorm. Yubel saw him look.

"He's still asleep."

"I know, just-" he sighed and headed for the stairs. "I should go back."

Yubel looked back at the door. After a long moment, she slumped.

"You might as well stay here," she said when Johan was already halfway down the stairs. "He'll sleep through the building collapsing right now."

She opened the door before Johan could voice any protests, and Johan followed her inside. Juudai was asleep on the lowest bunk bed. He sniffled and rolled over when the two of them entered. Hane Kuriboh, asleep next to him, cracked open one eye and seemed reassured at the sight of the two of them. Ruby'd be in for a surprise in the morning.

"Go on then." Yubel nodded at the ladder. He reached the bed above Juudai's before the weirdness of the situation set in, and he started laughing silently, body shaking with suppressed giggles.

"What?" Yubel asked, wings flaring.

"Nothing, nothing," Johan whispered. "Nothing to do with you, just- this isn't the day I was expecting to have. Or the year."

"Or the life," Yubel added with a slight smile.

"Or the life," Johan agreed. He lay down on the bed, fully clothed.

"I suppose it could have been worse."

"Definitely could've been worse."

All comments, questions and concrit are much appreciated!