A Summer Dream

Pan: Woohoo! I like writing stuff! OK, that was just weird.

~

Yami sat up in bed, noting by the clock next to his bed that it was midnight. On the opposite side of the room, a desk lamp glowed golden, illuminating the small form that sat at the desk, working hard at something. "Yugi..." Yami said, rubbing his eyes. "It's late. Why don't you come to bed?" Yugi hardly bothered to glance over his shoulder. "I have to study!" he answered harshly. "Yugi, we have another three weeks to study!" Yami said wearily, climbing out of the double bed. He walked over to his koi, and rested his hands on the boy's shoulders.

It had been nearly six months since they had met. In that time, they had succeeded in getting Anzu sent to prison, and encountered a strange woman claiming to be Yami's mother. But what happened between then and now?

Seto had put forward the prospect of doing some proper exams, so that they could live on their own someday. Yami and Yugi saw the sense in this - so did Ryou and Bakura, who had grown considerably closer. Seto had put them in as 'external candidates'; they would study at home, but go to the local high school for the actual tests. They were only studying basic subjects, since none have them had had any education past the age of fourteen (and in Yami's case, none at all). So, a lot of their time was now devoted to studying Japanese, English, Maths and Science. Yugi worked harder than any of them - only Yami knew to what extent. The smaller boy sat up until all hours of the morning, reading textbooks, writing essays, etcetera, ad infinitum.

"That's not long enough, considering the amount we have missed!" Yugi said wildly. "We'll be lucky if we scrape the lowest passing grade!" "Yugi..." Yami sighed. "I obviously can't change your mind. Just be aware - I'm worried about you. You get hardly any sleep, I've seen you unable to keep your eyes open, and you don't eat much any more. Please, take a break sometime!"

Yugi jumped up from his chair. "Yami, it's none of your damned business if I want to study hard! If you care about me so much, why won't you leave me be?!" Yugi shouted. Yami winced - Yugi had probably woken up everyone else now. "But..." he said quietly. "Leave me ALONE!" Yugi yelled, throwing his textbook at Yami. The taller teenager dodged it deftly. "Fine." he nodded. "I'll leave you alone. I'll be in my old room if you want me." He turned and walked out, slamming the door behind him. His old bedroom - the one he had occupied before Seto had let him share with Yugi - was just next door, and still had a few of his possessions in it.

Throwing himself down on the bed, he hugged the pillow tightly as tears coursed down his face for the first time in a very long while. "Yugi..." he murmured before he fell asleep again.

~

Yugi sighed sadly, picking up his textbook from the floor. "I didn't mean any of that..." he murmured, placing the book on his desk, and slipping into bed. "Gomen yo, Yami-chan..."

~

"Kimi ga kimi de aru tameni wa... nani wo nozomi yume miru..." Ryou sang loudly as he made breakfast the next morning. Yugi yawned widely as he walked into the kitchen, still dressed in his baby-blue pyjamas, covered in little yellow stars. "Ohayo..." he said quietly to Ryou. "Ohayo gozaimasu, Yugi-kun!" Ryou said, always more polite than was necessary. "Was that you and Yami having an argument last night? You gave me quite a shock when I woke up!" Ryou noted the look in Yugi's eyes, just before the shorter boy looked away. "Gomen nasai..." Ryou said apologetically. "You haven't broken up, have you?" Yugi shook his head sorrowfully. "No, though I doubt Yami will want to be with me anymore..."

Ryou smiled. "Come on, I'm sure he still cares about you. You were just tired, you've been working too hard." he said comfortingly. "Yami would understand that." Yugi looked out the window absently. Ryou sighed, and returned to making breakfast.

Yami walked down the stairs slowly, lost in thought.

Maybe he wants to talk... maybe he just wants to be left alone for a while...

He shook away the feeling that he was about to cry, as he reached the bottom of the stairs.

I hope this doesn't change anything...

As he came to the kitchen door, his eyes met with those of his smaller koi for a moment. Unable to face the boy at that moment, he stuffed his hands in his pockets, and walked quickly down the hall. The sound of melancholy flute playing echoed quietly through the halls.

Yugi frowned slightly. "I should go apologise..." he murmured quietly, leaving the kitchen. Ryou glanced up as he left. "I hope you're alright, Yugi-kun..."

~

Yugi pushed the music room door open quietly. Yami was standing with his back to him, flute at his lips, and eyes focused on the sheet of music before him. Yugi stood silently, listening until the last, minor, drawn-out note. He then heard something that sounded distinctly like a stifled sob, as he watched Yami rub his eyes.

"Yami..." Yugi said quietly. Yami jumped, and looked over his shoulder, saying nothing. The brief glimpse of Yami's face that Yugi got showed deep ruby eyes, glistening with unfallen tears, and golden bangs, normally kept neat, falling around his face limply. Yugi saw no more as Yami looked away again.

"Yami..." Yugi repeated, but he continued. "I'll understand if you don't like me anymore, I'll understand if you never want to speak to me again, but I just want to say I'm sorry, Yami, really, truly sorry. I've been taking you for granted over the last two months, and I'm sorry that I yelled at you." He paused. "Yami?" Tears formed in his own eyes now. "Yami, please say something!" Yugi pleaded. Yami sighed quietly. "I have nothing to say," he said in an almost-whisper.

Yugi squeezed his eyes shut tightly, bidding the tears not to come. His body shook with unheard sobs, fists clenched in an effort to hold his sadness in...

~

Pan: I am Pan, the authoress of evil! In other words, I can't really be bothered to write more right now, so I'm leaving you hanging. Mwuhahahaha! *goes into hiding from angry peoples*