"How could you leave him?" An accusing voice cut through the sharp autumn air. "He died because you left him! And you have the balls to show up at his funeral as if you didn't do anything wrong!" The blonde, who's voice carried over quiet sobs, was being held back by a tall brown haired man and a young woman who's eyes were red with tears. "How could you do that to him?!"
"Joey…" The man Joey was yelling at had spiky blonde hair with pink streaks through it. He was wearing a back suit and he held a single blood-red rose. "You don't think I'm being eaten alive by guilt? Don't think for a minute that I wouldn't take his place in that coffin if it would bring him back. You can't see that I'm just as dead as he is? You can't see that? Or do you just need someone to pin the blame on because you didn't see it in time to save him!" A feral roar ripped out of Joey's throat.
"How dare you!"
"Joey! Cut this out!" The tall boy who held Joey shoved him away from Yami. "This is no time to be angry at him. Can't you see how much pain he's in?"
"I don't care how much pain he's in Seto," Joey said, shaking his head. "If he hadn't been selfish and left, Yugi would still be alive. I can't forgive him for that. I found Yugi in the bathroom of Yami's old apartment. I found my best friend with his wrists slit, Seto. He had poured bath salts in the water and lit candles. But the thing that haunts me is how happy he looked. He was happy to die " Seto stepped away and looked down. Joey had called Seto right after he had called the ambulance. He remembered the horror and grief in Joey's voice acutely. The ragged edge was there today, and it broke Seto's heart. The girl had left the tree boys to comfort an old man, who had tears running openly down his face.
"Please," The man's voice was a harsh whisper, choked by stifled sobs. "Please don't fight. I've outlived all my blood family, and you're all I've got now. You said that you'd be cool today, so please stop, for my sake." The kids were silent. All that could be heard were muffled sobs of the friends who had gathered in the graveyard. The day was cloudy and the sun couldn't break through the gray.
Fitting for a funeral, Yami though. Fitting for the funeral of the one person who meant more than the world to me. And the worst thing is, I killed him. Not with a knife or a gun, but I killed him all the same. The others were drifting away, taking what little solace they could from the presence of others. But Yami stood beside the small headstone, the fresh brown earth, bearing the footprints of the mourners who had left just moments ago.
Slowly, Yami began picking the petals off the rose and scattering them on the bare, exposed earth.
:Can you ever forgive me love?" He whispered. "I thought I was doing the right thing. An old enemy of mine found out about you somehow, and threatened to kill you. I thought I could go away for a while, deal with things on my own. It would be a clean break. Somehow, months slipped by without me noticing, and when I finally came back to Domino you were dead. And it was all my fault. I didn't tell you the truth and now I'll never see you again." The last petal fell to the ground, a bright spot of red against the drab earth.
Like a drop of blood, Yami thought darkly. I must be cursed. I can't keep anyone that I care about close to me. Not even you. He knelt to read the headstone, running his fingers over the carved words.
Yugi Moto
1990-2007
A friend, a son and a lover
Taken away far too soon
You will always be in our heartsYami turned away, the tears that hadn't fallen during the eulogy pouring down his face.
"Goodnight sweet prince. A flight of angels sing thee to thy rest."
A/N: Sorry I haven't written any more additions to "Despair" or "Forgiveness" yet. I'm working on the second chapter of "Despair" now and will probably have it up tomorrow or Monday. I took artistic license with the dates on the gravestone, so bite me. Brownie points to whoever finds the modified "RENT" quote.