AN: Short songfic using the song He Lives in You from The Lion King 2
Night
And the spirit of life
Calling
Listen
It was his first night without the spirit. Without Atem. Yugi sat at the window of his hotel room staring at the chain that, until today, had held the Millennium Puzzle. He closed his eyes and listened to the wind. Imagining the sound of his voice… calling…
And a voice
With the fear of a child
Answers
Listen
It was a tradition now. A month later he sat under his skylight in his room staring up at the sky imagining the pharaoh's voice. "Yami… I miss you. So much it hurts…" Yugi whispered. He sobbed silently to himself.
Wait
There's no mountain too great
Hear the words and have faith
Have faith
Tea had had enough. Seeing Yugi's despair was tearing them all apart. "Yugi, this has to stop."
Yugi stared at her with wide shocked eyes. He thought they understood.
"You can't mourn for someone who isn't gone," Tea said tentatively smiling.
Yugi continued to stare before he chuckled. And then it became a full blown, bitter laugh.
"Trust me Tea, he's definitely gone. I would know."
"Just listen and trust me Yugi," Tea begged.
He lives in you
He lives in me
He watches over
Everything we see
"He's not gone. I see him every time I look at you. The way you carry yourself, the way you stand up for what's right, your fierce determination. And it's not just you, he taught confidence to all of us. He was the reason we were all brought together. And you know he would never completely abandon us. He's watching us from the afterlife, everything we see and do," Tea said confidently.
Into the water
Into the truth
In your reflection
He lives in you
That night Yugi stared in the mirror while he waited for the shower to heat up. In the steam and mist his reflection was fogged over and it truly did look like he was looking at the pharaoh. But I'm not. He's gone. Yugi thought angrily swiping at the mirror to clear it. It cleared up his image so that was clearly him, but Yugi was shocked to still see Atem's eyes staring back. They were full of strength and anger. But… those were Yugi's eyes. He thought about Tea's words again. Maybe… he's not gone. Maybe I do still carry him…
He lives in you
He lives in me
He watches over
Everything we see
"You think he's gone? You think he would ever leave you completely alone? You were his everything!" Seto shouted at him across the arena. "He'll always be there with you!"
Yugi stayed strong. Maybe he carried the memory of Atem, but the man himself was in the afterlife, and he wasn't coming back.
Into the water
Into the truth
In your reflection
He lives in you
Yugi started to fall. It looked like Seto would finally have his victory.
Then a strength ripped through him. One that he hadn't felt in two years. Atem…
I've always been with you Aibou. Every time you see yourself, you see me too. I can only stay to help you finish this, but I will always live in you.
Yugi grinned. Atem always saw the truth. He drew the next card.
Wait
There's no mountain too great
Hear the words and have faith
Have faith
"No way Dad! That's it?! The pharaoh who lived in you just left!? He's gone?!" Yugi's son Mahaad shouted.
Yugi chuckled. "Maybe in body. But I never forgot him or the things he taught me. No distance, not even the one between us and the afterlife could make me forget. And as long as I remember he lives in me. And I'll always have faith in him that he's watching over us," Yugi explained to his young son.
He looked out his son's window. I know now Yami. You never really left.
He lives in you
He lives in me
He watches over
Everything we see
Yugi smiled as he watched his children and grandchildren run around the yard. He could see a little bit of Atem in each of them. Julie's quick temper. Liam's thoughtfulness. Karo's wisdom. Justin's confidence. Isabelle's determination. Ryan's protectiveness. He had managed to pass on a little piece of his dearest friend into each of them. Both of them, Atem and Yugi, would live on in all of them for many, many years to come.
Well Yami, what do you think? I think we did a pretty good job.
There was no answer from an invisible voice like there might've been in his youth, but a warm breeze carrying what felt like laughter and love ruffled his now graying hair.
Into the water
Into the truth
In your reflection
He lives in you
Yugi leaned heavily on his cane as he made his way to the bathroom. Looking in the mirror, an outsider would never mistake him for Atem anymore. In fact, he was more like the spitting image of his Grandfather now.
But to his friends and family, they need look no further than his eyes. The bright violet shone with strength, compassion, and life. Yugi's eyes were always his own, but they shone with the light of two men. They were eyes that saw the truth, through everything.
Finishing getting ready for bed, he lay down slowly. It was hard to deny that he was an old man. His children and grandchildren were grown up. His wife and friends were gone. His body was weary. Still he got up with a smile every day though and life in his eyes. After all, his life wasn't just his own. All his friends, including Yami lived on in him.
He closed his eyes and his breathing slowed as he dropped into sleep.
He lives in you.
His breathing stopped.
He lives in you.
Yugi opened his eyes to a warm, yellow light. A hand slowly reached out.
"Come on Aibou. There's enough people for us to live on in. Let's rest."
Yugi blinked as the arm, the torso, the body, the face, became visible. He hadn't aged a day.
Yugi grinned and his sixteen year old hand reached out. "I knew you never left."
"Of course not," Atem replied. "You're my aibou. I always looked out for you. I always lived in you."
Yugi pulled him into a tight hug.
He lives in you.