AN: After watching as many of the fansubbed eps of the season with Dartz (I forget if it's 3 or 4) I have come up with a few conclusions.
1) Yu Gi Oh is pretty good uncut and with the actual Japanese dialogue
2) 65% of Anzu's dialogue could have been done with the voice actress saying "Yugi" just once...and it's freaking annoying
3) That whole season would only be slighty more slashy if Yuugi and Yami started making out in the middle of an episode...so many undertones, so many blatant undertones (not that I'm complaining ;) )
Also, btw, the title is "Misconstrued" but I really don't think there's anything misconstrued about it, seriously, that show is slasherific all on its own. Also, I don't own Yu Gi Oh, lots of other ppl do and make money on it, unlike me. I just fuck with the characters :) Enjoy!
Also, if anyone enjoys this and asks for it I have a follow up chap in mind, but if no one really wants to read it I'll prob move onto other stories I'm writing, so just let me know if you're interested
It all began with a duel.
No Shadow Games, no fate of the world at stake, just a normal, everyday, internationally televised, commonplace, world championship duel. Uneventful, boring, normal.
At least that's what it had started out as.
The duel had been like most of their duels, Yami had been at the helm and Yuugi had remained inside, watching and working in tandem with his dark half to thwart their opponent and maintain their title as the 'King of Games'. All had been going according to plan too: they had waited patiently for days as the tournament progressed and their challenger was decided through elimination games, the winner had eventually emerged to challenge them, and the next day the duel had begun. Yuugi had assumed that the duel would be interesting and, as with all of his duels, was to be taken seriously, but it was relieving to have no more than his title at stake during this game. It was relaxing, the concept of the rarely occurring nonlethal duel.
Oh how wrong he had been.
Oh sure, the duel had started out normally enough. Cards were drawn, monsters were summoned and subsequently destroyed, and of course, as with any good duel, snarky insults were traded. And that, unbelievably enough, was the tiny little snowball that became an avalanche.
The opponent had been cocky and arrogant, just as prideful as Yami and just as determined to win. The insult he had thrown at the reigning king had been rather petty and moronic, but Yami, of course, had refused to let it go sans rebut . Feeling both his and his hikari's honor being mocked the duelist had smirked and shouted, "You will never defeat me, not with my aibou at my side."
Normally it would have been a very flattering statement. Normally Yuugi had nothing but gratitude for the affectionate nickname that had been assigned to him, but today that one utterance, that one carelessly said 'aibou', was the worst possible thing Yami could have said.
There had been, of course, a cry from their opponent. "Hey, you can't have a partner! That's cheating!" Reputation being slandered and pride flaring to life the King of Games had felt the need to justify his statement, to clarify his words.
"My aibou is a part of myself, the lightness that helps guide me to victory. He is the other half of my soul, the one who understands the heart of these cards as well as I. He and I are of one mind, that is the way in which he aids me, and it is for that reason, the understanding we have that you lack, that you will never be able to win against me."
Yami had spoken those words with all of the flair, poise, and drama that he usually spoke such words with. His finger was pointed at their opponent by the end of his little declaration, triumphant look on his face at the other man's stunned appearance. Yuugi could only bury his invisible face in his invisible hands in embarrassment.
Had it been someone else who had heard those words, Jounouchi, Honda, Anzu, Bakura, even Kaiba, they would have understood what Yami had meant. They would have known that Yami's words were very, very literal. It wasn't Yami's fault that he was unaware of how contemporary society might interpret his words.
Yuugi had prayed that Yami's words wouldn't be misconstrued, that everyone would ignore his dramatics and return to the duel at hand, but the rather shocked features of his opponent and the hushed silence that had fallen over the announcers and the crowd didn't bode well. When he looked to the stands closest to the stage, where his ever supporting friends sat, he met the sight of a rather uncomfortable looking Honda and Otogi, and Anzu angrily scolding Jounouchi as he continued to laugh loud and hard, so hard in fact that he needed to be pounded on the back by Ryou Bakura from his seat behind.
Oh god, how he wished they were dueling Yami Bakura right now...and those were words he'd never thought he'd say.
He had remained rather silent and withdrawn the rest of the duel, as had his opponent and the rest of the stadium...and much to Yuugi's chagrin Yami seemed to be under the impression that it was because he had wowed everyone with his gaming skills. The duel had thankfully concluded rather briskly. Apparently the other young man across the stage of the arena was still too taken aback to be a very good duelist; his words came out in stutters when he summoned his monsters and ordered them to attack, hell, the guy's jaw was still dropped open slightly long after the duel when Yami strode by him, confident and erect with victory and pride.
"Aibou?"
Yuugi forced himself not to flinch at the affectionate name. As politely as he could he replied to the air, "Yes, mou hitori no boku?"
"Aibou, you were so silent during our duel, even now you're being very quiet. Usually you seem so happy after we win; is this because of what he said? He's a fool aibou, pay him no mind, either one of us could have easily beaten him even if we were separated from one another."
The ghostly apparition of the former pharaoh stood in front of him and stopped him, serious frown turning into a soft smile as he rested a firm phantom hand on his hikari's shoulder. Yuugi's eyes cast themselves to the left of their own accord. He bit his lip and missed the frown that again crossed his dark half's face. Oh boy, he couldn't really explain this could he? How could he tell the pharaoh what his words had implied? How could he tell him that everyone had assumed he was talking about...romantic matters? A light blush settled on his cheeks. This was just too embarrassing...though he wasn't sure if it was the pharaoh's pride or his own that kept him from explaining.
"No, it's not that mou hitori no boku. It's, um, about what you said before. During our duel."
He stopped, and worried his lip again, more harshly now. He really couldn't go on, how the hell was he supposed to explain to the pharaoh that his words assumed a more intimate meaning to those unfamiliar with dual souls and Shadow Games? He sighed. Damn the pharaoh's intent focus, it helped win duels, but it apparently served as much a purpose for incidental slips of the tongue as it did for saving the day.
"I meant what I said aibou, I don't know what I would do without your light." The hand on his shoulder stayed and when he dared look he saw the pharaoh's eyes were soft and kind. It was an intimate confession, a declaration of care that Yami seemed capable of expressing truly only to Yuugi. It was very endearing, and very genuine, and it seriously wasn't helping Yuugi summon the nerve to clarify what had happened this afternoon.
He sighed again, cheeks flushed a light pink. He debated once more if he should explain to Yami what had most likely been interpreted from his little statement or if he should just forget it and hope against hope that everyone else already had too. Uncomfortably he shifted his feet and focused on the semi-transparent form in front of him; everything on that face screamed only care and concern for his precious aibou. It sealed his decision; he couldn't do it.
Yuugi shook his head both to Yami and himself; it wasn't fair that someone who played Shadow Games and supposedly had so much more life experience than himself could remain so painfully naïve about something like this.
"I know mou hitori no boku," he gave the spirit a smile. "Nevermind, let's just go ho-"
"Yuugi Motou! Mr. Motou we want to ask you some questions about your duel today!"
"Motou-san, is what you said true? Motou-san!"
"Who's your lover Yuugi?"
Yuugi turned around to see a small horde of reporters and duelists approaching him at an alarming speed. Oh crap. He didn't even have time to notice the blood drain from his face, he was already busy running as fast as he could from the coming crowd. Perhaps he shouldn't have ditched his friends earlier...even if it had been Jounouchi's endless peals of laughter that had prompted him to do so.
"Motou-san, wait up! We have some questions for you!"
Oh like hell he was going to stop. He kept running as fast as his short little legs could carry him, not even daring to look back at the source of those ever closer voices. Nor did he bother to reply to Yami's confused question, "Aibou, what are they talking about? Aibou?"
And there was that nickname again. How could something he'd secretly loved hearing just this morning be driving him nuts less than twelve hours later?
"Why are we running aibou?"
The exertion and distraction of trying to avoid stray objects and cracks in his path made it easier for Yuugi to think than speak. "Um,...because I don't want to talk to any reporters?"
Yuugi looked ahead and ignored the confusion his yami obviously felt at his own anxiety. He looked ahead and for a moment felt a great wave of relief; a bright wide open grin lit up his face. The Kame Game shop was just in sight, looming at the edge of his vision like water to a man dying of thirst. Success! Soon he would be safe within the walls of his room, where he could hide from the world until this thing had blown over...or until tomorrow when his grandfather forced him to go to school anyway.
There it was, haven, growing in size as it bounced up and down with the pounding of his fast feet. So close, just forty-five more seconds of running and he would be safe inside, then all he had to do was lock the doors, unplug the phones, and pull down the shades. Yes, it was the perfect plan!
"Yuugi Motou!"
Out of a small alley a man jumped from behind a high fence, wielding a tape recorder in one hand and pen and notepad in the other like sword and shield. He moved quickly to stand in Yuugi's path, effectively blocking his chance at speedy escape.
Yuugi's breath hitched; he paused momentarily, only to hear the din of the crowd growing behind him. He looked around desperately for a way out, his eyes darted this way and that, finally landing on his salvation. Victory! A fence blocked another alleyway that led off just in front of where the reporter ahead was, but the bottom corner of the chain-link fence was ripped and torn slightly back. It was a small opening, and it would be a stretch, but it was his last hope.
To the surprise and irritation of the reporter in front of him Yuugi quickly darted to the left, toward the alleyway. "Wait, Motou!"
For once Yuugi was extremely grateful for his diminutive frame as he pushed through the small opening in chain-link with minimal scratches. He ran out into sunlight and toward his destination. The back door was less than fifty feet away...thirty feet...twenty feet...five...there it was!
"Yuugi Motou, wait! We have some questions for you!"
Yuugi Motou threw open the door so hard it threatened to splinter against the wall. He whirled around inside and slammed it shut behind him, locking it nearly before he even had it closed. No sooner had he heaved a sigh of relief and rested back, his hand not even off the door knob, when the glass rattled and shook against him, nearly causing him to jump out of his skin.
"Motou-san! Motou-san!"
"Who is your lover Motou?"
Their fists pounded on the door, shaking the frame and the house threateningly. Yuugi turned to face the door and backed away slowly like it was a dangerous beast. After it was several feet from him, still shaking as the reporters continued to pound and hound like barking dogs, Yuugi finally turned back around and made his way to his home above the game shop, careful to avoid the storefront, where he could hear more voices pressing against the walls from the outside. With one last sigh the extremely tired King of Games climbed the stairs, calling out as his steps rose.
"Grandpa! I'm home. Grandpa, if anyone asks for me today, please tell them I'm not here...Grandpa?" No answer met the boy's ears as he cautiously opened the door to their living room. A voice, however, did meet his ears. Actually, several voices met his ears.
Yuugi stepped into the room and was greeted by five pairs of eyes.
"Oh, Yuugi, you're home! Good," Yuugi's grandfather sat on a chair, giving him a wide smile. "These people have all been waiting for you. They said they wanted to interview you on your win today. Congratulations Yuugi, it was a fine match."
Yuugi felt himself go hot and cold simultaneously. "You...saw the whole duel Grandpa?"
"Oh yes Yuugi," the older man's eyes twinkled mischievously, "I wouldn't have missed it for the world." With that his grandfather stood and came over to guide Yuugi to where the four reporters sat like waiting jackals. "A duel truly worthy of an interview. Besides, it will be good publicity for the store," he finished with a wink.
"Grandpa," he groaned miserably; the boy's guardian only laughed in return. There were times when he wondered just how much pleasure Sugoroku got out of watching his grandson squirm.
A woman a decade his senior patted the empty seat next to her like a vicious harpy. Yuugi, with the weight of his grandfather's hand pressing down on his shoulder, sank into the seat cushion with resigned despair.
"Well then, I'll just leave you to it. I'll be down in the shop if you need anything!"
Yuugi watched with wide eyes as his last possible hope of salvation disappeared behind the door, his steps growing softer as they receded downstairs. Helplessly Yuugi looked at the closed door until the sound of a throat clearing made itself known next to him. Hesitantly the boy turned back around; five bodies leaned in close to him, tape recorders and pencils at the ready. There was a deadly kind of stillness as they determined who would strike first. After what seemed like an eternity of uncomfortable silence finally the tension was broken and Yuugi's abject misery began.
"So...Motou-san, Yuugi, let's go over the statement you made during today's duel first, okay?"
Yuugi merely nodded and sighed like a broken man as he prepared for the worst interview of his short life.
AN: Hope you enjoyed! If you didn't read above and you're reading this now, if you want the follow up chap I'm thinking about writing just let me know and I'll get it all written and posted, if no one wants to read it I might just make this "complete" and move onto the next story. Thanks for reading!