Watching, a yu-gi-oh fanfic

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!.

I've been uploading the detritus of fics saved on my PC. YamiYugi yaoi.

Warning: This could be considered disturbing. And there's a reason it was saved on my PC as 'Yami: emo'.

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Those in the afterlife could keep a watch on the living.

Yami- he still called himself that, as a kind of last defiance to his fate- had spent many hours hunched over one of the swirling pools containing an image of the mortal world when he had first arrived in the afterlife, watching Yugi. He didn't need food or sleep anymore, of course, but occasionally despair at being separated from his other half had clouded his mind and the image would blur and weaken, and he'd shed furious tears over his isolation.

Even when he tried to leave his old life behind him, he'd never strayed far from the gap in the dimensions. Time passed slower in the afterlife, and each day- at least he thought it was a day, there was no proper day or light, no distinct light or darkness, only a constant grey dusk- he'd watch a week, a month of Yugi's life pass by. He could only watch as his aibou got used to his absence and moved on, making new friends, moving through school, getting on with his life in a thousand little ways which Yami could barely remember.

Then, nearly a month after Yami had passed into the afterlife, over two years for Yugi, it had happened. He'd been watching, of course. Yugi was coming home from school- or was it college? So long had passed, so much had happened… The driver of a car had lost control and was veering wildly along the road, so close to where Yugi was walking…

He'd been in the human realm for so long as a spirit, he'd managed to keep a shred of his control over human affairs. It wasn't much of a change, after all. Making the car swerve here rather than there…

Then instead of just an aching dream of his aibou he held the real thing in his arms, sobbing and clinging to him.

Yugi was dead.

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Yami glanced over to the pools of light where the dimension thinned. Through the weak grey mist that covered everything, he could see the shocking yellow and purple that still shone from Yugi's hair, even in the half light. Yugi's face was obscured as the hair fell forward, his head bent over the gleaming circle of light.

Yami silently walked up beside him, kneeling down as close as he dared. Yugi didn't seem to notice him, he was too absorbed in the image. Yami peered at it over his shoulder.

Anzu and Joey were sitting on a blanket in a grassy park Yami didn't recognise. He didn't think it was in Domino. They were laughing about something. In their time it had been about eighteen months since Yugi's death- long enough for them to be able to smile again after the death of their friend. Anzu was gesturing with one hand, obviously illustrating some story that they couldn't hear in this world- the pictures were always silent. Joey burst into peals of laughter again, and Yami heard a pained cry escape Yugi's lips.

'Yugi?' Yami asked softly, trying not to disturb the cool silence too much.

'Yeah?' Yugi didn't even look up.

'I love you,'

Yugi did spare him a glance at that, and Yami was relieved to see no blame in his eyes. Just the bleak despair that Yami had felt when he had been separated from the one he loved.

That made him feel worse. Did Yugi even know what he had done?

'I know,' Yugi was staring into the picture, which had changed. It showed the dark interior of the game shop, closed for the night.

Yami's eyes pricked, and he felt his resolve waver. He shook his head slightly. He had to do this for Yugi's sake, if not his own.

He bent and kissed the top of Yugi's head, burying his nose for a moment in his aibou's hair.

''Farewell,' He whispered, so quietly the words seemed to sink into the heavy air. He stood up and took a few steps away, taking a last look at Yugi. He was taller than Yami remembered him, his build and hair had changed slightly. He wasn't Yami's Yugi. He was a different person, one that he had had no claim over.

Then he turned to face the endless expanse of grey.

Maybe it wasn't a last look. After all, death was for eternity, wasn't it? Perhaps he would see Yugi again. By then, he hoped, his aibou would have found peace and the friends that Yami had taken from him.

He took a deep breath and went forward. He could see a faint glint of light on the far horizon, he would head towards that.

Atem, Pharaoh of Egypt, strode towards his rightful afterlife.

Yami, who had killed and hurt and murdered the only person he'd ever loved, ran from the evidence of his crimes.

And maybe towards redemption.