Walking On Clouds

By SMYGO4EVA

If things couldn't get any worse in the Duel Tower, then the bystanders there didn't have any eyes, because it just got worse. Joey was hospitalized after Marik's Winged Dragon Of Ra in its metamorphosized Phoenix Mode attacked him. After being exposed to its destructive power, Joey then passed out and didn't move a muscle and that worried the others, especially Yugi and Serenity, to death.

There he lay, on the hospital bed with wires sticking to him and an oxygen mask covered his mouth, sustaining his life. Joseph Wheeler was now a wounded warrior, dead to the world before him and struggling to hang on. Serenity kneeled next to the bed, her shoulders shaking and her form trembling as tears continued to drip from her eyes and onto the mattress. The effluence of suffering was too agonizing for her to handle; first Mai, then Ryou, and now her brother!

She wasn't alone in that fact. Behind her, Yami stood his ground and stared at the scene before him. He was filled to the brim with so many emotions: rage, sadness, regret, but what really ate him up was guilt. Guilt that he could've faced Marik, not Joey, and he could've been the one to take the psychotic darkness down so no one else would get hurt. And now there was an unmistakable aura of tension and lost hope coalesced together in the room swirling and building up. Sorrow then broke the barrier of guilt like shattering glass.

The door flew open, revealing Mokuba looking down at the floor, and Duke and Téa both turned to face the young boy's direction.

"Mokuba, when are we taking Joey to a real hospital?" Téa asked the black-haired boy. The latter then raised his head to look at her.

"I've got bad news. I don't think we're going to move Joey anywhere, guys. Those orders came from Seto." Mokuba spoke reluctantly. He really wished there was a way to help, but he didn't understand his brother's refusal to assist unfortunately.

Tristan ran over to the small boy with rage and shock in his eyes. "You've got to be kidding!"

The youngest Kaiba brother then turned his head away from Tristan and shut his eyes, clenching his fists amidst the frustration of the situation. "He said our own doctors are good enough."

The spike-haired male raised his ram and balled his fist, his fingernails digging into his skin. "I don't believe this!" He raised his voice at Mokuba, whom didn't flinch at his words. The boy continued to speak with no questions asked.

"Besides, our engines are damaged and we can't move. It happened when we barely escaped the explosion on our way to KaibaCorp Island. The ship made it here, but now the engines are down. I'm not supposed to tell anyone." He frowned upon this realization.

Téa moved forward to stand adjacent to Tristan, equally as shaken as he was. "So we're stuck here?"

Mokuba narrowed his eyes and lifted his gaze at the two teenagers in question. "Don't worry, I'll radio headquarters for a helicopter to come and help Joey, guys."

"Mokuba, thank you." Yami finally spoke, his stoicism partially masking his appreciation for the boy's efforts to salvage their fallen friend.

"Just promise me you won't ell Seto." The Kaiba brother then ran to the hallway and into the direction of the control room hurriedly.

"Our lips are sealed, dude." Tristan confirmed to his agreement to Mokuba.

Yami turned his head to once again stare at the hunched figure of Serenity, small sobs escaping from her. He bit his lip at the sight of the girl in the pit of despair, but he also felt something that kept bugging him. Something that kept telling him to comfort the poor girl, that wanted to hold her in his arms and replace her sorrow with a feeling like no other feeling she had felt before.

Yugi, appearing translucent next to him, tried his best to keep his sniffles and contrite face in order in midst of the vicissitudes of circumstance. The purple-eyed boy stared at his darker half, confused and concerned at the same time.

"Yami? What are you staring at?" Yugi asked Yami, who didn't seem to pay any attention to him. "Yami?"

"Not now, Yugi. I need to take care of something." Yami replied, his voice firm and distant.

Yugi's shimmering amethyst orbs wavered a bit, but he nodded, fully incapacitated to say anything due to his grief. He faded into the confines of his soul room, quietly wondering what the former Pharaoh was talking about.

The person in question turned his head to the others, and internally debated whether he should do what his Id wanted him to do. "Everyone, I think I should talk to Serenity, especially after what happened to her brother. I can reassure her that everything will be Ok."

They looked a bit stunned at that suggestion, but they figured that he would do his best to comfort Serenity, since he would be dueling soon and he would do what he can help in this situation. They nodded.

"Are you sure about that? She looks pretty torn up." Duke replied.

"I'm sure. The rest of you can try to stay out of trouble; I'll take care of Serenity." Yami established, an unbeknownst agitation in his voice.

Tristan, Téa and Duke exchanged glances, and they looked at Yami once again.

"Sure…" Tristan replied hesitatingly, and the three of them left the room, leaving Yami, Serenity and the unconscious Joey as the only ones in the foreboding location.

Once the door was closed, Yami walked slowly to the youngest Wheeler's form, her sobs tearing into his heart piece by piece, and he kneeled next to her. "Serenity…"

The namesake timidly turned her head to him, her mouth agape slightly and her hazel eyes glistening with tears, which streaked down her face. Suddenly, she then threw herself onto him and held him close. "Yami!" She cried into his chest, her cries muffled by the proximity in his embrace. "I...I...I just want my brother back…"

Caught by surprise, Yami regained his composure more quickly than he expected and returned her embrace. He caressed her hair soothingly and softly likewise to the wind and softness of petals. "Shh…Serenity, it's all right. It's Ok." His voice was barely above a whisper, but she heard him.

"No it won't be all right! He hasn't moved an inch! What if he's already gone? Gone forever? What if…. what if..." Her cracked voice then broke into pitiful sobs; she didn't even want to think of death. There was so much devastation already.

The remorse returned to manifest itself on Yami's face; he was supposed to save humankind, but it seemed that he was destroying it based on his own decisions. On his decisions to not interfere with a friend's promise. Joey fought hard, but in the end, his stubbornness was his downfall. He fought to rescue Mai from the hellish depths of the Shadow Realm, even risking his own life to do so. The former Pharaoh bit his lip, and narrowed his eyes. He would do whatever it took to keep his friends from danger, including Serenity.

He then wrapped his arms around her waist slowly before he spoke again. "Serenity, your brother is strong. Right now, he's doing whatever it takes to awaken from his slumber. Everything will be Ok. Trust me." He murmured in her ear, smelling her scent and letting it fill her nostrils with her sweet smell. Serenity looked up at him with hope glimmering in her eyes.

"You mean that?" She asked. Yami let a warm smile cross his features.

"I do." He pressed his forehead against hers lightly and he let his lips brush against hers softly. " I truly do."

Her breath was momentarily stolen from her and she tensed slightly. Serenity then felt his hand press against her lower back and push her towards him. She felt her breasts push up against his chest and before she knew it, his lips pressed to hers.

Honey-golden eyes opened wide in shock, but she gave into his kiss and therefore, she returned the osculation she was given. Yami pushed his tongue through her lips, hoping to achieve entrance. She opened her mouth and let his tongue slink in, creating a war of growing vehemence between both tongues. In a matter of seconds, oxygen was more necessary and they pilled away from the impassioned kiss. Yami lowered his head and slowly kissed her neck, earning breathy moans from her and felt her hand tug his hair.

"Yami…please…." She moaned, arching her back slightly in his touch.

He pressed his lips to hers once more, a little more ardently than before, and began to trail his hands on her arms and chest in a rare lapse of control. He found himself reaching down and laying his hand on her stomach. She pulled away unexpectedly and half-sobbed, still in his arms.

"I…I feel…I don't know…" She squirmed helplessly and began to tremble violently in time with her tears. Yami looked at her face for a comprehended moment, and he caressed her back as well as her stomach. He felt terrible for what happened to Joey and now Serenity was at a vulnerable state. Why was he taking advantage of her?

Then it dawned on him. He wasn't doing anything wrong. Serenity needed him and wanted reassurance that everything will be Ok. Yami smiled to himself. And he'll make sure of that.

He slid his hand between her blue shorts and panties, encountering her nether regions and a throbbing bump. Serenity made sort of a choking noise at the lightest tough, her hands fluttering up to take his other hand. She closed her eyes and shivered. Yami felt the sudden urge to draw back, but he kept his hand right where it wanted to be.

"Are you all right?" He whispered, a little apprehension in his voice unearthing itself.

Breathlessly, she nodded and her eyes were wide. She reached to press his hand closer, where one of his fingers would touch her swelling clitoris. Though in despair, she felt aroused by his actions and she bucked her hips forcefully against his hand. "Please, Yami…."

Yami felt for the throbbing jewel and he begun to rub against the sensitive bud; he then started to move her clitoris in a fast, circular motion.

Serenity gasped and elicited a sharp little cry, grasping his shoulders and bucking her hips into his hand. She wanted to push his hands away, but the feeling was so good and she didn't want him to stop. The natural lubrication made it more comfortable for his fingers to move about. Her breathing became quicker and more desperate as rising pressure grew from the pit of her stomach to the point where it coursed through her veins. As her orgasm approached, she threw back her head and opened her mouth in a silent cry, trembling and shivering in his arms.

She tensed before she fell into Yami's embrace, eyes struggling to stay open as her peak continued to ravage her form, holding his hand tightly and her chest falling and rising prettily. Yami drew his hand back from Serenity's nether regions and lapped at her juices from his hand willingly.

The former Pharaoh rubbed her back and lifted her in to his arms, still sitting on the ground and let her rest. He smiled and kissed her lips. Serenity then unveiled her honey-colored orbs and a smile tugged at her lips. "Thank you…for making me feel better."

Before long, fatigue found her in the metaphorical game of hide-and-seek. Purple eyes thinned with pristine perception. This is what it's like…

Yami let her down in a nearby chair, in close proximity to Joey's side, as Serenity continued to rest. Apparently she was more tired than she let the others let on. It was understandable, though. Everyone was in a great deal of stress with the whole thing, and it was up to Yami to fix it. Quietly, Yami eased out through the doorway, coming back only to peek at Serenity's lovely sleeping form.

Owari