I don't remember where we were even headed. I can't remember why we decided to pick up and leave like we did. I don't remember what time it was when we left. I don't even think I remember what kind of car we were driving.
I remember that he asked me to drive, and how I hated that. I didn't like cars, I still wasn't that used to them. But for him? …Of course I would.
The highway had been dark, only the stars and the moon (aside from my obvious headlights) to guide the way. There hadn't been another car around for miles. The long stretch of road ahead reminded me almost like our lives. Just one long path that we were destined to walk. I'd always felt that way.
It was cold, he started shivering. I offered him my jacket but he refused and just smiled at me. I couldn't help but smile back. So instead I'd reached out to turn the heat on. I myself hadn't even noticed the cold, which was rare, because I hated it. It was nowhere near as cold as it used to get in the desert at night, but I still didn't like being out in it.
He tried to strike up idle conversation, talks about the latest version of the Duel Disk, the new cards Pegasus was coming out with. I liked it; I liked talking about these things with him. Soon enough the conversation turned to our lives, what we were doing, what we planned on doing. His head came to rest on my shoulder as I pressed the gas down, reaching ten miles higher than the speed limit.
Maybe I was anxious to get where we were headed, or maybe I really wanted to test the car out, I really can't say anymore. I knew I never should have been that reckless, but he had encouraged me. Never would I ever blame it on my partner, I'm not saying it was his fault. I just remember revving it up more because it somehow caused a light to shine in his eyes.
But it didn't last, eventually he got tired. He snuggled up to me from his seat, eyes closing. I could tell he was fast asleep, his breathing deep and even, almost calming against the quiet of the night. It had to have been late, maybe early morning hours. Maybe I started dozing off, or maybe I just can't recall-
There was a blinding flash of light, a truck going the wrong way? I'm not entirely sure. All I knew was out of pure instinct, I pushed harder on the gas pedal, trying to swerve out of its way. Too little too late.
It clipped us in the side, Yuugi jerked awake as we tumbled down the side of a short cliff and into a ditch. It all happened so fast. All I could think to do was to pin my arm against his chest to try and do any last thing I could.
When we stopped I couldn't move, I could barely breathe; had felt like something pierced me right through the chest. But none of that mattered.
"A-Aibou…" I called out weakly, not able to see anything even though I knew my eyes were wide open.
He didn't call back to me, his ragged breathing the only thing that alerted me to the fact that I hadn't taken his life with my recklessness. It was a saving grace as I tried to pry myself from the crushed front of the driver's side. "Aibou." I tried again, forcing myself to be firm.
There it was, a soft cry against the harsh silence. I winced, though not because of the pain or the blood I felt trickling down the side of my face. I winced because I'd hurt him. This was never acceptable. Wriggling as best as I could, ignoring the feel of bones splintering in the skin, I reached over to push his door open, and then push him with it.
I covered his body with mine, trying to keep him warm and safe in this unforgiving night. He cried against me, repeatedly asked me if I was okay. I told him to focus on himself. The rest became a blur. Paramedics had to literally pry me away from him.
I closed my eyes, opened them, lights were shining overhead. Yuugi's name was the only thing on my lips. Closed, open, faces in green masks loomed overhead; again I called out for Yuugi. Closed. Open. Blackness.
I blinked a few times to clear my vision, eventually it returned to me. Yuugi was again the one I called out for.
"Mou hitori no boku." His own voice was soft, and to my left.
I shot up in bed, recoiling immediately against the pain. I was bandaged up, hooked up to an IV and another machine. He looked less damaged. Even if I wanted to take some sort of pride in that, I couldn't. I was the reason he was here in the first place. …here-
"Hospital…?" My own voice was hoarse. He nodded to me, folding his hands on his lap. I looked around the room. There were a few other beds around us, though covered up by those security curtains. My eyes fell back to Yuugi, instantly he knew what I was thinking.
"Don't blame yourself."
But how could I not?
Conversation passed about where we were, who had treated us, did any of our friends know? How long had Yuugi been awake? Was he okay? Eventually we came to the topic of my own health which was last on my list of things I cared about.
Morning turned into night again, and I was already fidgeting. I didn't want to be here, I didn't want to be stuck, least of all have Yuugi stuck for my own careless mistakes. But even when he was allowed out of his bed, he wanted to be nowhere else but by my side. I can't really say I deserve everything he is and does for me, but then and in moments like those, I have always appreciated it.
I remember falling asleep to the sound of his voice, our fingers laced together in a telling embrace. I didn't want him to leave, even though I desperately wanted for him not to be here. But I didn't want to be without him. Selfishness at its best.
Eventually they had to let me go, and I was wheeled, to my complete dismay, out of the hospital. Still in pain, the clothes rubbing every wrong way against the bandages still wrapped around my body; walking tall, I strode through the streets of the city we'd been brought to with Yuugi. Still hand in hand. I wasn't letting him go for anything. And I was determined to make this up to him.
"Where are we going?" We both found the question on our lips at the same time.
We shared a smile and a soft laugh. He turned to hug me. I was still raw with pain, but I embraced him tightly as the first few flakes of winter snow began to fall.
"I'm so sorry, Aibou." I told him.
"I know. And I forgive you, mou hitori no boku."
It was all I needed. He was all I needed.
"Thank you."