ow the edge (open)

[blue_ice]

Who: Kaiba (blue_ice) and you!
When: One early September morning
Where: All over campus!
What: DUELS. In any and every game. Or try to talk him down from this madness, idk.
Warnings: Excessive edgy shonen rival behavior. Possibly some dark themes, will be labeled in subject lines!


Kaiba's request, in hindsight, was a foolish one. Every interaction between their worlds and this one thus far had been a disaster with unintended consequences, why would this be any different? And why would he risk his most priceless possessions this way? He could kick himself, but that's not going to save his Blue Eyes White Dragons. His hand trembles as he holds them, watching their attack and defense values slowly tick toward zero.

You are not the worthy heir we chose, says the trio of voices in his ear. Your emotions have made you weak. We seal our power from you until you prove that the spirit of a champion lurks within. Crush your foes with precision! Or are you now a coward?

No. He's no coward. Kaiba sweeps through the hallways with an icy expression, searching for prey. Any instrument they might hold for a game draws him...a deck of Fantastic Foils cards. A basketball. A chess board. A wand. Any game, anywhere...he absolutely must win. He swivels to face his chosen opponent.

"You. Duel me. Now."

Are you game? Or more inclined to tell him he's out of his mind? It's your move.

Comments

[blue_ice]

"Not the kind I meant," Kaiba shook his head. He's focused his gaze on the deck of cards, his mouth a thin line. He'd apologize, but he's really short on time. And being nice was what got him in this mess to begin with.

He took a deep breath, his voice rather tight-sounding, but less hostile.

"I want to play a game with you."

[temptationaccomplished]

Oh. That I'm refusing to be nice, but am straining something trying to be not un-nice tone and expression were painfully familiar, even if the face and situation were not. The young man was obviously in need of a friend, if he was challenging random classmates to undetermined games. The angel could certainly attempt to help in that regard, now that it didn't seem like discorporation was going to be an issue.

"Right. Well," Aziraphale gathered his cards back into a stacked deck and turned back towards the boy, offering a handshake. "That's at least a little better." A PLEASE would have been too much to ask for, he supposed. "My name is Mr. Fell. May I at least know the name of my opponent and the game he wishes to challenge me to?"

[blue_ice]

Kaiba eyed the man warily. This...would be an interesting challenge. It reminded him of someone...no, no. He needed to think of anything but that.

"Seto Kaiba."

He shook the offered hand curtly. "What card games do you know, Mr. Fell? I'm on a tight schedule, so we should both know the rules."

[temptationaccomplished]

"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Kaiba." Aziraphale was all manners, even in face of a brusque attitude.

"Oh, many!" he said, more than delighted. It had been a while. Having a long existence meant a lot of time to learn social leisure games. The gentlemen at the club had been especially fond of parlour games, but he had learned cards as well (and Crowley had taught him a few interesting ones over drinks in pubs). It was difficult to recall them all and probably missed a few of both the best known and more obscure.

"Rummy, of course, and Beggar-My-Neighbour. Egyptian Ratscrew--terrible name, of course--Old Maid, that one with the Eights, and Go Fish. Bridge and Whist, but that would require more players usually. Blackjack. Baccarat, though I haven't in forever and I'm afraid I'd need a refresher. A few variations of poker, naturally." Ah, yes. Naturally.

[blue_ice]

"Nothing Egyptian," he says almost reflexively, shaking his head. "Poker will do. Seven card?"

[temptationaccomplished]

A brow raise. Not that he couldn't understand the objection to the name, but specifically objecting to anything Egyptian was a curious trait.

"Seven card stud? That's fine." He riffle-shuffled the deck with the ease of someone who handled cards before, but thought himself much better at it than he was. Aziraphale had once learned magic from a professional magician, and while he couldn't quite do card tricks well, he could at the very least handle cards with the ease of a mother prepping the deck for the kids' game of Uno. The back of the top card flashed with a message that hadn't been there before: HEY NOW, YOU'RE AN ALL-STAR. "Except I must warn you, I don't have much of anything to bet with."

[blue_ice]

"That's fine, I wasn't looking for a wager. I only need to play."

He waves his wand, summoning a pile of little colored stones that can be used as chips. Kaiba is honestly a little rusty at this game, but the rules are simple enough to remember. He takes his hand and considers a play, starting off conservatively to try to get a read on his opponent.

Even as serious as the situation is for him, he snorts when the card flashes. What a strange message.

"Do you play often?"

[temptationaccomplished]

"Can't say that I have in a while," he admits, after dealing their hands and examining his cards and his opponent's visible ones.

He isn't sure what to make of Seto Kaiba, but he can't possibly be as wily as Aziraphale's usual competitor, so he isn't too concerned. And nothing but pride and bragging rights is at stake. No money, miracles, fiddles of gold, or clothes to be lost in the process.

The card backs flash another semi-ominous, overall ridiculous message before fading away.

"I once played seven card stud on a brief excursion in the Americas, on one of those grand riverboats they like so much, but I've been a bit too busy as of late to spare time for card games." Armageddon to thwart and all that. "Bookshop to run, you know. Are you a--" He waves a hand vaguely to the cards and Seto's everything. "--Do you play a lot of games? Is that why you're so adamant on finding someone to play with?"