I'm not really sure where this came from, but despite the fact that it is slightly dark and frightening, I hope you enjoy.
Ahh, too bad I missed Halloween!
I've named this fiction after a Jeff Buckley song called: "If You See Her, Say Hello." He was an amazing artist, it would do you well to give his music a listen.
Disclaimer: I do not own YuGiOh or its characters.
Warning: This story contains lime, though in a considerably small portion!
If You See Him, Say Hello
"Why are you frightened, partner?" The figure beside him hissed, running cold fingers down Yuugi's unclothed, alabaster skin.
It was only a moment later that he awoke from what he assumed was only a dream, merely an illusion created by his resting mind.
It took several moments of deep, ragged breathing before Yuugi was able to sit up in his bed. He clutched his chest, nails digging into the bare skin as he examined his over-worked heart. The beating beneath his skin was enough to drive him crazy; rigorous, unyielding heartbeats amidst his quiet room in the night.
Yuugi briefly wondered if that had been a dream at all, it leaned more towards a nightmare. He found that he could barely remember anything from the reverie other than shadows and movement. He remembered everything working so fluidly in his dream. There was contact, touches that were abnormally smooth.
Feelings that were too deep and meaningful to be real.
It couldn't have been a nightmare.
So why was he shaking?
Why was he too scared to move?
Running a hand through his sweat-matted hair, Yuugi realized that he had probably set himself up for this sort of early morning scenario. His windows were covered by thick shades that not even the brightest moonlight could pierce. Although he couldn't be sure that there even was any moonlight on this particular night. The darkness was overwhelming to the teen that had always been considered the lighter, more fragile half of his shared soul. The other half, who had helped to keep an equal and calming balance, had left for the afterlife months ago.
Yuugi had truly been happy for his partner who had been able to finally find the peace he deserved after three-thousand years locked away in frightening reality that made the darkness of Yuugi's room seem like the sun.
He could not hold back the other him.
He could not ask him to stay in a time where he did not belong; a time he did not want to belong to.
Finding courage in the memory of his dear friend, Yuugi kicked off his thick covers, bare feet reaching out to touch the cold floor of his room.
He instantly regretted his choice to not have carpeting. Vacuuming was a chore, but the soft bristles that he lacked would have felt so much better to walk across in the middle of the night.
Yawning obnoxiously, Yuugi entered the bathroom that was conveniently connected to his bedroom. He tried his hardest to ignore the sudden chill that washed over him as he stepped toward the sink. Finding an appropriate lukewarm temperature, Yuugi proceeded to splash himself silly with handfuls of water. As if soaking himself would help him get back to sleep after dreaming of his other half.
He paused for a moment, frowning at his blurry reflection in the mirror. Somehow he had come to resemble a sleepless zombie over the past week. Whether he should blame his lack of sleep on a variety of nightmares or his own inability to find the peace he was sure he deserved, he did not know. Despite whatever bullshit theory he managed to come up with, Yuugi knew he would eventually have to come to terms with the fact that he just wasn't over the death of his friend.
No matter how often he smiled or how much time he spent with friends, regardless of how hard Yuugi would try not to think of him, he would always be there.
The other Yuugi was like a road block on a busy highway, the way he made living nearly impossible for the young teen.
Yuugi, not one to give up on anything, managed to convince himself that he was on the correct road. These things took time. Moving on took a lot of time, especially if you were incredibly close to the person. This particular man had shared a life with Yuugi in a way no other two soul-mates had before. They literally shared a body and mind. How many people could say such a thing?
He sighed, wiping off his face on a nearby towel. The cloth was thick and warm, relaxing him as he massaged himself carefully. If only he had that kind of support with all things. If only someone could massage his mind.
He ignored the fact that the bathroom lights had just blinked, assuming it was his tired eyes playing tricks on him. The duelist was rather drowsy, hoping that the return to dream world would not be a long and difficult path, as most things in his life were.
He stumbled out of the bathroom, leaving on the soft light for 'moral support.'
The awkward trip back to his bed was, at least, an easy one, considering the short distance he would have to travel. It was unfortunate that the trip was interrupted by movement near his open window.
This open window had been closed previously and covered by massive amounts of curtains which were now carelessly pulled aside and exceedingly mangled beyond recognition. Unable to process this in his weary mind, Yuugi wondered if he was actually still in bed, dreaming.
Part of him wished that he was as he continued to stare at the phenomenon, mouth slightly agape. What if a burglar had broken in and planned on murdering Yuugi to steal his title as 'King of Games?'
His fists clenched unconsciously as he walked toward the open window with the intention to shut it. He fought the cold air that leaked in, familiar as the chill that ran down his spine in the bathroom minutes before. Familiar and unusual, he mused, since the night's air was warm and welcoming. It wasn't the chills that alerted him now, though. It was the ragged breath that met his ear, the slight hissing sound that reminded him of an enraged snake. Yuugi was quivering, but this time in fear.
Who would he meet once he turned around? Would they harm him?
Yuugi was not ready to meet his maker, not like Atemu had been.
The creature from behind him found his voice before Yuugi could.
"Partner?" Yuugi stiffened at the word, wondering how such a simple word could throw his whole world into whack.
The other Yuu—Atemu had always called Yuugi his partner. This had to be some cruel joke. Yuugi was going to turn around expecting to see the Pharaoh standing there in all of his gleaming, tanned glory, and then probably be stabbed in the face by a crazed maniac.
Really, he just wanted to go back to bed. Maybe he was still in bed? Could this be just another nightmare?
That was assuming that his first dream was, in fact, a nightmare.
"Partner?" The voice was pleading and Yuugi could no longer keep his curiosity under tabs. He turned around, not as slowly as he would have liked. Perhaps the excitement of being able to see and speak to the most important person in his life spurred on his eagerness. Yuugi hadn't been prepared for what he saw.
Maybe it was Atemu underneath all of the wrappings.
The smell hit him before anything else: the rotting, stinking smell of death. At was as if the creature had been buried for awhile, dug up, and was now placed in standing position in front of Yuugi. Had this thing been the one to speak to him?
He was thankful that the greater portion of the beast was wrapped; he supposed that the corpse was a mummy. He couldn't fathom what reason a mummy would have for sneaking through his window, even if it was Atemu. Yuugi never really though about what had happened to Atemu's body; he never imagined that he would ever see it, especially not in this condition.
He swallowed, clearing his throat for the intake of air that had been meant for his nostrils, had the smell not been unbearable.
The mummy just stared through sunken eyes, the only feature remotely familiar about him. Their crimson color had not lost their shine in death; Yuugi found himself to be relieved by this. Finding familiarity where there shouldn't have been any gave him the courage to also find his voice.
"Atemu?" He questioned, though he already knew the answer. He couldn't help the shakiness in his words, the fear that was strewn about the three syllables. Apparently, the mummy didn't miss it either.
"Aren't you happy to see me?" The creature's words sounded pained, as if Yuugi's reaction was completely unprovoked. It was unfair that the corpse could stir the teen's feelings like that, as if he was actually at fault for fearing a monster.
"Are you real?" Yuugi asked, backing up slightly, "Is—this what you are now?
Atemu looked confused, lifting his hands in the darkness to be seen through rotting eyes. Yuugi watched as bony fingers prodded the wrappings, breaths coming more quickly than before. He made a vicious noise, like a growl from an enraged tiger. Yuugi made another attempt to back up, but sound found himself falling through the still open window.
He didn't have to time make a noise; he realized instantly that he had been caught. Atemu, even in death, was still saving his partner's life.
"Close your eyes, partner." Yuugi chose to ignore how torn the creature sounded as he spoke and did as he was told. The bony fingers that had been wrapped around his thin arms had become warm and soft. The smell had dissipated and was replaced with the familiar scent of dry desert air. Without meaning to, Yuugi reopened his eyes, violet meeting a much more beautiful crimson, shine and all.
Atemu looked more alive than he ever had before, possibly because Yuugi had never seen him actually living.
"I apologize for frightening you, partner. It seems that when I came back, I hadn't thought of what I would be coming back in. My existing body was rotted and not ideal for surprise visits." The ex-spirit smiled ethereally, causing a sharp intake of breath from his younger half.
"A surprise visit? Atemu, what are you doing here?" He watched his old friend carefully as Atemu, arms still wrapped protectively around Yuugi, guided them toward the unmade bed.
"I apologize," he repeated, letting Yuugi sit of his own accord, "I found that the other world is rather pale in comparison to the one where you live."
Yuugi had no idea that the Pharaoh was a romantic, or rather that he felt so strongly about his ex-partner. This, however, did not change the fact that he was dead and sitting beside Yuugi on his messy bed.
This did not keep the hair from standing up on Yuugi's neck when Atemu's warm breath hit his ear and did not stop the goosebumps from forming where his hands nimbly ran across Yuugi's arm. "I just wanted to see you again and say the things that were left unsaid when we parted."
Yuugi eyed him with sympathy, felling his own emotions welling up inside his mind, begging for escape. With trembling fingers, he placed a hand upon Atemu's left, which lay beside him on the bed. The deceased ruler seemed to acknowledge this gesture appropriately, aware of Yuugi's fear. It was hard not to picture the wrapped monster that he was just seconds before, though the teen felt badly about this since it wasn't as if Atemu meant to purposely frighten him. He would never knowingly harm his partner in any way, mentally or physically.
Yuugi could not help but feel that some of his fear wasn't so misguided.
This was he beloved partner sitting beside him, yes, but also his beloved deceased partner. It was illogical. Once again, Yuugi wondered if he could have been dreaming.
Atemu's hand moved to intertwine Yuugi's fingers with his own, lifting them gently to his silken lips. The warm blush that tinged Yuugi's cheeks caused Atemu to smile, and possibly there had been a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. Yuugi did not notice that the color in Atemu's cheeks had also changed slightly.
"I've missed you," the smaller admitted finally, meeting Atemu's loving gaze, "I didn't expect you to ever come back—I admit that I've been having a hard time moving on."
"I have seen." Atemu scolded, eyes narrowing playfully "It made it hard for me to move on, also." Yuugi would have felt bad, had it not been Atemu's own fault for watching Yuugi in the world of the living.
"You shouldn't have been spying, partner; you could have just as easily played dumb." Yuugi smiled kindly, "but you're here now, I suppose that's all that matters."
Atemu's smile reminded him of the lukewarm water he had splashed onto his face earlier in the washroom. It was beautiful, warm, but not warm enough to soothe the anxiety that the dream had caused. Not warm enough to match Yuugi's own smile.
"What's wrong?"
"Yuugi," his grip on Yuugi's hand tightened slightly, "This is only a visit; I cannot stay forever." His gaze was apologetic, though Yuugi needed no apology from a person who wasn't guilty of anything.
"Then let's enjoy the time we have together." His enthusiasm was faked, knowing the one he loved would soon return to the afterlife, but he would be forever grateful to the gods for the last chance. The last night with the person who meant the world to him.
"I love you," Atemu told him softly, suddenly closer than he had been before. His arm snaked around Yuugi's waist gracefully, with the utmost care not to harm the object of his affections.
"I love you, too." The response was not as automatic as it had always seemed to Yuugi in the movies. It would have been so much easier to lie and wake up from the dream. A lot easier to move on if that was all it was when he awoke in the morning. It felt so real.
Atemu's fingers deftly worked to unbutton Yuugi's pajama shirt, grazing the virgin skin beneath in the process.
When Yuugi shivered, Atemu would pull him closer, well aware that he was no longer trembling in fear. Anticipation was a better word.
His smirk was undeniable now as he looked upon the shorter duelist's body below him, capturing Yuugi's lips in one swift movement. Lithe arms wrapped around Atemu's neck, closing the distance between their bodies. It was incredible how well they fit together, as if they had been designed to. It made sense, seeing as how they were two halves of the same soul. Yuugi had never felt more complete than in that one moment, or maybe the next when his virginity was taken from him by his lover, given to Atemu by Yuugi.
His breath hitched slightly at the intrusion, painful but not as unbearable as he imagined.
Atemu was tender with him, as always. He never sped up any more than Yuugi could handle, never harmed him. It wasn't how sex had always looked in movies or in pornography. This was so much different.
It was gentle and slow. It was pleasurable, but not only because it felt good physically; it was mentally exquisite. Knowing that he was giving himself fully to Atemu, to whom he had given his heart, was beyond incredible. Words could not describe the ecstasy, the delightful bliss that filled Yuugi's world.
Atemu took satisfaction in the small sounds that escaped his partner's lips, moaning softly as he came with Yuugi. Moments later they lay in each other's arms, basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking. Coherent thoughts began to once again fill Yuugi's head as he remembered that Atemu would have to soon leave. He refused to let sadness overwhelm him, however.
It was odd, though, how the Pharaoh's clothing had seemed to disappear as if it had never existed; Yuugi assumed he had magic to thank, the same magic that disguised the creature that Atemu really was.
He attempted to mentally push the horrifying thought from his head as Atemu kissed his head. It was obvious that Atemu had noticed Yuugi's cringe, pulling back slightly.
The teen noticed that the former spirit of the puzzle had begun to look tired, wondering if this meant that their time had come to a close.
And when he spoke to Yuugi, the teen's fears were renewed full force. "Yuugi," he groaned, his eyes sinking in slowly. The duelist's mind screamed for him to run away, though his love for the Pharaoh kept him in his place, watching with terror-stricken eyes.
"Why are you frightened, partner?" The figure beside him hissed, running cold fingers down Yuugi's unclothed, alabaster skin.
Well kids, there it is. I suppose you can decide what happened. And now to work on Hero! Hurray! My incentive for finishing it is my newest story. I've promised myself not to post it until I finish Hero.
I'm not completely sure of the title yet, but I'll give you guys a quick sneak summary:
In an attempt to prove a theory about human soulmates, a mischievous deity creates a perfect world without shadow games and two lovers are forced to meet under different circumstances.
I'm working out the kinks, but I'm thinking it will involve the Elixir of Life.
omg kairi