Author's Note: Hi guys! I know I shouldn't be writing this when I have a thousand other things to do (including slowly work on my update for Higher Stakes), but here I am. Anyway, I have a confession to make. I've been writing fanfiction for about 8 years, and I have never once written puzzle shipping. I usually don't ship it-I grew up on the anime, and to me the Pharaoh has a big brother/mentor role that is almost paternal, so shipping him seems wrong somehow. However, puzzleshipping seems like a rite of passage, and I do occasionally read it if I find an author and a plot that I find particularly compelling, so I've decided to give it a whirl and see if I could find a situation in which I could ship it.
***Just so you know, it's really more fluff than anything. So no worries about reading something you might not be mature enough for!
Warning: Puzzle shipping. (That's Yugi x Pharaoh, in case you're new to the fandom).
Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh.
Let us begin!
-TheEagerScribbler
What we cling to
The day had been long and hard for Yugi. Tournaments were still rough even though he rarely competed because he was always swamped with last minute customers from a week in advance to about half an hour before it's beginning.
Although loved games he rarely got overly competitive, so after the magic was all said and done he had decided to leave the competing to those who truly craved it. That wasn't to say that those days hadn't left their mark-some nights he dreamed about them and the magic and all of the chaos that came with it.
They took place in an alternate world not so different from his when he was only sixteen and finally had cracked the mysteries of the puzzle there. He was defenseless against the bullies that had tormented him until he met him. Atem. Pharoah. Yami. Other Me. The names for the one who had made him stronger didn't matter, because whatever you wanted to call him they all meant the same thing. Yugi loved these dreams because he got to see his face, but in a way they were just as painful as his waking thoughts about him. Their relationship in these dreams was close, but it never grew into something more than platonic. There the Pharaoh had been his guardian, advisor, friend, and closest confidant, but nothing more. His smile still made Yugi's heart melt when he thought about those dreams, but that smile was different from the secret ones they shared when they were alone. This smile was indulging, full of pride, and wasn't so different from the one he sometimes saw on his grandpa's face. The differences were maddening because his words still held the same warmth that had given Yugi the courage to overcome his doubts.
Yugi chuckled to himself. What use was it to get so upset over a dream? What mattered was his reality, the one where he received the puzzle when he was seventeen after befriending Tea. He had learned to defend himself because they had been backed into a corner, and the other options were unpleasant. The Pharaoh had always considered Yugi his equal. If he hadn't he had kept it to himself.
He was still lonely, because as much as he liked Tea she still had other friends and a boyfriend who was exactly the sort of person that he'd expect her to go out with-someone who was as fun loving, energetic, and kindhearted as she was. Yugi and Tea were situational friends and little else before that fateful day. So when he put together the puzzle and made his wish he wished for the same warmth in his life that his friend felt-he had wished for friendship and love...and it delivered.
There were few things more intimate than sharing a head with someone else. Lying become nearly impossible and your feelings are often accidentally exposed. That was how the Pharaoh had discovered Yugi's feelings. He had seen the longing that Yugi had been trying to hide when he saw Tea walk hand in hand with her boyfriend so he tried to distract Yugi. They talked duel monsters and before he realized it had been tricked into talking about what had been bothering him.
"Yugi, we may as well not play if you're going to get this distracted." The Pharaoh had said. He put his deck down and directed his full attention to Yugi.
"Sorry," Yugi apologized in embarrassment.
His friend leaned forward just enough to let Yugi know that he was interested in what Yugi had to say, but Yugi remained silent. "What is it that's bothering you? You always seemed content before." That was because he had never dared to admit it. He had been alone for so long, and then out of nowhere he found such amazing friends, asking for more would have been the height of selfishness.
"It's nothing." Yugi waved away his concern. "Now, I was thinking that we could try that new Capsule Monsters game. I'm pretty sure I saw the box somewhere in here." Yugi stood up to rifle through the stacks of games in the corner of his soul room. Games, comics, and pictures of his friends filled every available space. Looking for the game should buy him some time.
Yugi's heart beat faster when The Pharaoh grabbed his hand to pull him back down next to him."Sit down Yugi, I'm not letting you go anywhere until you talk to me. You shouldn't just bottle things up like that. It gives you unpleasant dreams." How had he known that? He replied to Yugi's thoughts hesitantly, "There are many nights when I am overwhelmed by the mysteries of my past and find that I cannot relax enough to sleep. I spent five thousand years sleeping, so doing it now feels wasteful. When I find that I am unable to stand another moment in my soul room I sometimes leave the puzzle as a spirit." Was that his way of saying that he had stayed up all night and watched him sleep?
Yugi obliged, but kept his eyes directed towards his hands in his lap. "I'm grateful for everything that the puzzle has given me, I really am, but sometimes I…" he paused to decide how to best phrase what he had wanted to say. "...look at Tea and and Mark and I want what they have. Lately I've been having these dreams and…" he didn't want to embarrass himself by saying it because he knew that the feelings weren't mutual. They couldn't be. How could someone as brave and talented and confident as him want to be with someone like Yugi? "…and I want what they have." As expected he nodded with understanding. He had wondered if the Pharaoh had accidentally caught glimpses of his dreams.
"No, I've purposefully pushed away your thoughts while you were sleeping, but I do sometimes catch the tone of your dreams. I too feel that something is missing-something more than my past I mean." He corrected. "But I have been reluctant to pursue those ends because it seems selfish. It has been written that I must obtain my lost memories and return to the afterlife. When I return anyone who I pursue a relationship with will get hurt, and that is the last thing that I want."
"I think that if you really care about someone love is worth the pain. Who did you have in mind?" Yugi found himself trying to figure how things would work if he decided to pursue a relationship. He supposed that they'd just have to alternate days when they were in control, and when they needed alone time he'd just retreat to his soul room until he was called for. It might be a little awkward at first, but they could make it work. It might hurt a little at first, but he'd do just about anything to make him happy, even if that meant him dating someone else.
"I had come to the same conclusion. I am only explaining why I didn't say something sooner. It's you, Yugi. I might be wrong-being isolated inside of an artifact doesn't give one a good idea of how modern relationships work, but I got the feeling that you feel the same way?" Yugi was left speechless. He had never expected that, but now that he heard it he was overwhelmed with complete and utter elation.
"I didn't act on it before because I didn't want to take advantage of our rather unusual situation. Please forgive me if I am wrong-I promise that it will in no way interfere with our usual-"
"Yes!" Yugi said abruptly. It was all that he could manage say now that the words that he really wanted to speak seemed unable to escape his lips.
A huge grin instantly lit up the Pharaoh's face and Yugi realized that he had never seen him that happy before. Yugi would have to change that. On impulse he embraced Yugi, and they momentarily forgot about everything else.
"Yug! Yugi! You alright pal? Please tell me you're just inside that puzzle o' yours and really sick." Joey was shaking him.
"I think you should probably go and let your friend know you're alright." The Pharaoh said, still grinning.
"I guess you're right." Yugi mirrored it back.
"I'm fine Joey, the Pharaoh and I were just...talking." Yugi failed miserably to hide the big smile that kept trying to creep up his face.
"What, do I have somethin' on my face?" Joey started wiping at his face with his sleeve in alarm.
"You're fine Joey, it's nothing like that."
"Well if you don' find somethin' funny that means...you and the Pharaoh are a thing huh? It's about time you two stop actin' like lovesick puppies."
"Yeah Joey, that's your job. You're the resident dog." Tristan walked in. Tristan gave Yugi a pat on the back, ignoring Joey's protests at being called a dog. "He finally decided to man up and ask you huh? About time."
Yugi was a loss. How did they know when they couldn't even see him? "How…?"
"We're not blind. You get the look when you talk to him. And then after words you look kinda like Tea after talking to Mark. We're not total morons man, no matter Kaiba says." Tristan said.
"Just be careful. He's gonna to have to go back eventually and it won't be easy for either of you. Are you ready for that?" Joey asked seriously.
"We are." Both Yugi and the Pharaoh agreed.
"Well then, congratulations. You gonna buy a cake to celebrate? Ooh I like chocolate, what about you? You seem like a vanilla sort of man." He teased. Is that supposed to be an insult? The Pharaoh asked in confusion. I think he's saying that he thinks I'm boring or not bold enough? Yugi replied. I'm not really sure either.
"Well, then I guess I just won't let you have any!" Yugi teased back.
Yugi still looked at that day with fondness. When he had to face the fact that the Pharaoh was really gone those sorts of moments were the ones that he clinged to. Both of them had gone in with their eyes wide opened, so they took whatever comfort they could in knowing that nothing could erase what they had shared, not even time. It may have ended with tears, but they knew their duty. That's what happens when you date a pharaoh-duty comes first.
The door suddenly opened and Yugi looked down. Somehow he had ended up not getting anything done. He had only sat down for a moment because he had expected another customer to walk into the store frantically pleading for some card that they needed for one last adjustment to their deck.
"Hello how can I-" he looked up and saw a painfully familiar face. He had never met anyone who looked so much the Pharaoh before.
"As fond as I am of the game I came to speak to an old friend of mine. I hear he runs this fine establishment. It's been five years, but I don't think he's forgotten me." The man grinned. "How are you Yugi?"
Yugi couldn't help but stare in disbelief. "Pharoah?" He gasped.
"I see you haven't forgotten me. That's good news on my part." Without another word Yugi launched himself at him and did not let go. "I missed you too." The Pharaoh said affectionately.
"How?"
He pulled back and smoothed a tendril of Yugi's wild hair away from his eyes. "It's our reward for all that we've accomplished."
Tears streamed down Yugi's face as he pulled the Pharaoh back towards him. This time he was never going to let go.
Author's Note: What do you think? I haven't written romance in forever (unless you count the fluff scenes in Higher Stakes, in which Yugi's married), so this might be really bad/cheesy. Please read and review!
Sincerely,
TheEagerScribbler