Moving On Without You

Disclaimer: If I owned Yu-Gi-Oh, I wouldn't be writing fan fictions about it. Also, spoiler warning for the end of the series. Just so you know.
It had only been a week since Atemu had crossed over into the afterlife, but to Yugi it seemed so much longer. Without Atemu as his "other self," Yugi felt as weak and vulnerable as he had before he had solved the Millennium Puzzle.

The school day had ended and most of the students had left the classroom. However, Yugi was still in his seat. His eyes were so blank that it was like he hadn't noticed that school had ended.

"Hey Yugi, are you all right?" Anzu asked as she walked over to Yugi's desk.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Yugi answered in a monotone voice.

"Then why don't we get leaving now?" Honda suggested, standing next to the door with Jounouchi. "School is over, you know."

"You and Jounouchi go on ahead," Anzu requested. "Yugi and I will catch up."

"Okay, we'll leave you two alone for a little quality time," Jounouchi teased. "Give him one of your pep talks. It might make him feel better. Well, see you both later." He and Honda exited the classroom.

Anzu laid her hand on Yugi's shoulder. "You miss Atemu, don't you?" she guessed.

Yugi nodded numbly. "I feel like I'm missing part of myself," he admitted.

Anzu pulled over a chair from another desk and sat down next to Yugi. "I miss him, too," she replied. "We had a lot of interesting times because of him. It wasn't always pleasant, but I wouldn't trade those experiences for anything."

"He really was great, wasn't he?" Yugi agreed, still not looking up at Anzu. "He made me feel so much stronger. I still want to think of him as my 'other self.'"

"But he's not your other self anymore," Anzu corrected. "You and Atemu are two different people. I'm sure he would have wanted you to believe in your own strength." She sighed, appearing forlorn. "It took me a while to see that you and Atemu weren't the same person. Even when he remembered who he was, I sometimes accidentally called him by your name."

"You thought Atemu was stronger than me," Yugi believed, his voice quiet. "Everyone thought that. And it really was true."

"Don't say that!" Anzu ordered. She took Yugi's hands into hers, and he finally made eye contact with her. "Yugi, you are strong," she continued on. "You just needed help finding your own strength. You just said yourself that Atemu made you feel stronger."

"Of course he did," Yugi confirmed, forcing a weak smile. "He always thought I was strong."

Anzu also smiled. "And I think you're strong," she added. "And so do Honda and Jounouchi. It's your feelings for your friends that make you strong. And nothing is stronger than the friendship between you and Atemu."

Yugi's smile became slightly wider, but he didn't say anything.

Anzu stood up and put her chair back where she had found it. "Atemu would have wanted you to live like the strong person you are," she told Yugi. "It would pain him to see you so sad."

"You're right," Yugi said, standing up and picking up his backpack. "Hey, do you want to play a game of Duel Monsters with me?"

"Really?" Anzu replied. "That'll be fun."

"But just so you know, I won't go easy on you."

"I'd like that. I want to see your strength for myself, exactly the way Atemu saw it."

As Yugi and Anzu left the classroom to meet up with Honda and Jounouchi, Yugi paused briefly and thought, Good-bye, Atemu. Thank you for helping me find my strength.

END