A/N
Note: I know I've uploaded this before, and then I took it off. But I didn't like the formatting and the way I wrote it out. I'm going to go back over and edit everything until it A) makes sense and B) is to my liking. It's now a oneshot which will have two parts to it. So, please review and tell me if I did an adequate job of it, okay?
CONNECTION
"To be one, to be the
same. To be yours, forever more."
Part One.
In the corner of a bar, on some distant street, sat a youth with his head bent over the table. His tall, dark hair drooped over his face as he stared emptily at his bottle, lost in dark thoughts.
He was unaware of his surroundings and so missed the questioning stares sent in his direction by the other customers, stopping by for a bottle of this or that.
His attention was focused inward, replaying earlier events in his mind and cursing himself into oblivion.
XxX
Yami didn't ask for much, considering he had only recently regained his long-lost memory. Or even the fact that he'd saved the world and been screwed two times over, saved Kaiba's company without so much as a thank you, and relived his past for the sake of his memory...Well, considering all that, what he wanted didn't amount to too much.
There had been a time when Yami had not believed in soulmates; didn't believe, didn't know any, and didn't want one. Of course, it had come as a shock when it had finally dawned on him that he had one. That had been one of the stranger parts of his life.
Put simply, Yuugi was the balancing act to Yami's darkness; he kept everything together in the equal pressures of Light and Dark. They were totally opposites, yet almost identical. But not to sound cliche, or anything.
Yet, Yami felt that something was still missing. The desire to find the last missing part of his life was eating him up inside. More and more, he had found himself drifting in his thoughts, always coming back to rest in the empty place. Was it another missing section of his memory...Or was it his heart, the one with the missing part?
Yami's thoughts turned back to that time, that now seemed so long ago, when he and Yuugi had finally found out a way to achieve separate bodies. It had been torture at first, when he had felt that long-ago established bond with Yuugi ripped apart. He had regretted it then, and cursed his naivete that all would turn out okay in the end; but it had, had to happen so Yami could have his own body. Both souls had spent those next months together, slowly and reluctantly getting used to living separately.
When he had regained sufficient independency, Yuugi had gone back to school, finally able to learn on a daily basis. That hadn't lasted long before he realized that he was so far behind that it was almost impossible to catch up unaided. The rest of their friends had shared the same sentiments, and while all recieved tutoring from various sources, Yuugi had gotten him.
Yami had become his tutor, as well as becoming a professional Duel Monsters player, and since his skill was unmatched, he quickly became the best player Kaiba Corp had. Thinking back, Yami recalled that Seto Kaiba had predicted his success when he had said during one of his tournaments 'Only I will have the honor of defeating you'.
As busy as he was, flying around the world and satisfying his great dueling and gaming appetite, Yami always had time for Yuugi. It was an unspoken agreement that no matter what, they would find time for one another. It was almost a vow, this promise between the longtime friends.
Yami and Yuugi had been through so much, and felt and survived such unimaginable things that they had a whole world of understanding. They knew the meaning of compassion and mercy, and they knew the value of bonds and hope as well as the price of evil and failure.
This knowledge had brought them even closer and soon, though in separate bodies now, that telepathic bond they had shared before had returned, with a vengence.
On another one of many normal days, in which Yuugi had come to Yami for tutoring, they had returned to Yami's apartment. Seldom had they used it, and in hindsight, Yami cursed his decision to retreat to it.
Yami had been scheduled to go back to work in a couple of days, the long-extended break he'd been on almost over. Kaiba had been patient up until now but the company needed his games to make money, simple as that.
On this day, that should have been the same as any other, they were coming back from one of their walks around the city. But it had begun to rain and instead of bidding each other goodbye, Yami and Yuugi had run to his apartment and sat down to do some tutoring.
Yami was looking over his aibou's work as Yuugi, being the better cook, prepared a late meal; To tell the truth, Yami couldn't cook to save his life, not that he'd ever admit to it.
But when Yuugi brought the food into the living room, he found Yami asleep on top of his homework.
Instantly, Yuugi recalled that when Yami had come to pick him up earlier he had looked and sounded worn out. Yuugi had offered to do a rain check but Yami had pushed it aside and declared that nothing came before his hikari; Yuugi had been touched.
"Yami," he giggled as he whispered to the almost sleeping Pharaoh, "I think we should cancel today's tutoring lesson. You're worn out!"
Yami groaned something about annoying students who don't pay attention before falling into a deeper sleep.
He must be really tired, then. Usually, he has at least enough strength left to give me a proper retort! Yuugi observed before narrowing his eyes in concentration. I better try to get him to his bed.
Gently pulling Yami into an upright position so as to not shake him awake, Yuugi dragged him down the hall and heaved Yami into his bedroom. It was amazing that Yami was stil asleep, but Yuugi just put it down to exhaustion. Looking around, Yami walked into the closet, and after much poking around, found another quilted blanket. He threw it over Yami's form and surveyed the room.
Wow, I've never been in here before. He realized. Why didn't I remember that before?
It seemed Yami's bedroom had a large window that faced the main street below.
He often talks about ideas coming to him when he watches the road below, he must be talking about sitting at this window, Yuugi thought.
The walls of the room were a pale purple and the drapes over the window were dark purple, as was the bedspread on which Yami was snoring.
Geez, doesn't he get enough sleep? This room looks almost unlived-in! Yuugi thought to himself. How much time does he spend in his apartment anyway?
Yuugi suddenly had an urge to explore and his itching hands moved to open the drawers of the dresser and desk standing against the wall.
Upon quick inspection, both contained nothing but ordinary clothes and items. Almost against his will, Yuugi continued his search, although he didn't know what he was searching for. After much watching and tearing apart of Yami's room, Yuugi collapsed in a heap in the middle of the floor on the persian-looking rug.
He glanced over at Yami.
Yep, still sleeping. I could hear that snore a mile away! Yuugi laughed to himself.
Now, all that was left was the nightstand drawers. But, Yuugi hesitated, the nightstand is private.
A voice in his head answered him. Isn't the entire room private?
Well, that theory goes out the window, he replied with an amused huff. Since when did he fight with himself?
Still feeling unexplicably uneasy, Yuugi carefully pulled open the first drawer of the stand: The top drawer contained ordinary materials and Yuugi sighed in relief. So, his Yami was normal after all, he thought jokingly.
Yuugi moved to open the bottom drawer, expecting to find similar items: TV remote, random pen, hairbrush.
What Yuugi failed to prepare himself for was the journal that awaited him.
His eyes widened as his hand worriedly traced the spine of the book.
Is this a breach of privacy if I already know all there is to know about Yami? Would he allow this? Yuugi questioned himself, frustrated at his inability to decide what to do.
But in the end, Yuugi's curiosity overpowered everything else so he flipped open the journal guiltily and started to read.
Around an hour later, Yami woke in the darkness of his room. He glanced around, trying to remember how he'd gotten here and failing, to find that his journal lay on the floor, and Yuugi was nowhere to be found.
Instantly, he figured out how he'd gotten to his bedroom, to his bed.
"Yuugi..." He breathed.
This could mean only one thing; Yuugi had read the journal and fled.
Yami cursed himself for his stupidity. He'd been able to keep it hidden and secret up until how, and everything had been going fine, if in the opposite direction of what he wanted.
Most of all, he had been able to keep his secret from Yuugi. By letting it leave his mind and sealing it in his journal, he had prevented his hikari from finding out.
On almost every page of the journal, Yami had written his feelings for Yuugi, with the finality of it leaving his mind. Although his feelings still pertained, Yuugi couldn't feel them coming from him. It was almost like Yami had given them to the journal for safe-keeping, and only Yuugi would have been able to break the spell lock, even unknowingly.
He'd written many things in that blasted journal, lying so innocently on the floor now; how Yuugi was his savior and his tormentor, how Yami loved Yuugi more than he could bare, and how his feelings had threatened to overwhelm him before he'd figured out a way to hide them.
But it seems fate had found another way and rejection had still come.
No more Yuugi...
The thought echoed in Yami's mind. With the recklessness born of fleeting hope, he threw himself from the room and ran out into the embrace of the night.
XxX
Hours later, he walked into the bar he sat in now, thinking over all he could, and should, have done differently. Why did things have to turn out the way they had?
Life cannot continue this way, Yami thought, If I cannot live with Yuugi by my side, I cannot live here at all.
Silently, Yami planned his bleak future. He would move to a far away place, where he was not always reminded of Yuugi.
He felt his heart squeeze tight and took a gasping breath. He needed to flee, the sooner, the better. This heartache was almost unbearable.
Better yet, Yami could join a championship tournament in a different country, it didn't matter as long as it was far away, and leave this life behind.
He squeezed his eyes shut. His feet would not move, though he knew he had to leave, his heart wouldn't let him, that dull ache in his ribs just kept getting stronger.
Shadows passed over his bar table as people moved passed and the one shadow stopped next to his table. It was the bartender, come with his bill. Paying it quietly, Yami left the bar and slowly walked in the direction of his apartment.
At the door of his complex, he stopped and just took deep breathes.
Why do I feel this way, about everything? Yami shouted into echoing depths of his mind and slowly sank to the ground, leaning against the wall.
"Because I feel the same," Said a quiet voice behind Yami.
Yami straightened in shock and turned to see Yuugi standing there as they locked gazes.
Oops...Yami had forgotten that Yuugi would be able to hear his thoughts through the link, and in his despair, Yami hadn't realized it was open.
Wait a minute...Open? Yami shook his head to make sure he wasn't imagining things. When he confirmed that he wasn't, he looked back at Yuugi, and every so gently, extended his mind back into Yuugi's.
What shone there, brilliant as the sun high in the sky, was a bond, strong and true. He emerged from his hikari's soul room to see Yuugi's eyes shining with the love and devotion that he had wished to see for so long.
/Why? Why have I not known all this time/ Yuugi thought confusedly to Yami, through their mental connection.
/I hid it from you. I was afraid you would not feel the same and reject me. I cannot bear the thought of losing you/ Yami answered and looked down, in surprise, at his clenched fists.
/Don't you understand? We are one and the same. We feel the same. I feel the same. Look into my heart and know the truth/ Yuugi told him.
And then a new bond formed, the bond of love, making their hearts connect and beat as the same brilliant, loving soul. Yami and Yuugi embraced and kissed as those special bonds emerged and connected their souls for eternity.
Magic sparked the night, and love entwined to show how good the world was, and how passionate.
The two new lovers retreated to their safe haven to explore the bond that now connected them, forever more.
XxX
If anyone had been listening to the corner apartment of the relatively placid complex, one of only three apartments occupied on that floor, they would have heard moans of ecstasy as Yuugi and Yami rediscovered each other, in a whole new way.
They would have heard the usually quiet and reserved tenant screaming his love to his partner. And they would have heard Yuugi reply in kind.
But no one could have predicted or imagined the electrifying passion that seemed to spark along the walls, running through the carpet and floorboards underneath, and burn up the air around both lovers.
Echoing the motions and friction, it was almost magical. Lights grew dim until all one could focus on was the other, as Yami and Yuugi soon discovered. The fine between pain and pleasure melted together until one couldn't be distinguished from the other.
Mind-bending, incredible, soul-screaming, blow-away love-making took place in that unexpected place; beyond comprehension.
Every time one of them cried out, the other was quick to follow in suit. As if one, they thought with one mind; two bodies melded into one.
Bouncing through both of their minds, they shared the same feeling, the same emotion, the same thought:
/This feels so good, so special...So right. Unbelievable.../
Each cry pushed both of them closer to the edge and beyond, until nothing was clear and everything was one. Light turned to Dark, and Dark to Light; equally brilliant, the same shining love glowing from the both of them. Neither could find the power or desire to stop, until the first rays of the morning sun glowed through the blinds and across their heaving bodies.
Matching smiles were on their faces, until exhaustion overcame and both fell asleep, curled in the protection the other brought. Fullfilled beyond reason, beyond rationality, and beyond comprehension.
Love had created the strongest bond of all, through a connection unbreakable.