Disclaimer: Plain and simple. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.
A/N: I wrote this a while ago, and since I seem to be in a dry spell of writing (I've been far too occupied with moving to have the energy to write) I thought I'd post this to give you guys something to read.
This is an incest story, so if you're uncomfortable with that I will not be offended if you do not read it. I don't particularly care for incest myself, but this was written for a friend and, well… you know what we do for friends. Also, it's the only other story I have that's on paper and not just in my head. *wary grin*
Dedicated to and inspired by Maiden of the Moon.
WARNING: Homosexuality, Incest, Religion, Graphic Sex
~ Ocean
The Garden
By Ocean
The building itself was outwardly simple; a small shack of a once prominent meeting hall whose outer appearance had deteriorated over time due to neglect and the uncontrollable growth of the suburb. Located at the end of an extended dirt driveway that was lined by maple trees and curved into a gravel parking lot, patrons parked their cars in safe surroundings so they could attend the services inside. A modest, white Christian cross stood tall and welcoming at the apex of the cathedral roof. Families dressed in their Sunday best exited their vehicles, chatting quietly with each other, interrupting their conversations when a friendly and familiar face came into view, taking arms and sharing news as the people made their way through the church doors and into the room of worship they had come to visit.
The interior of the church, though not opulent, had faired the passage of time much better than its outer visage. The walls were painted a pure white that held no tint of peach or yellow. The indent of columns stood at the end of each wooden pew, the pews themselves made of a deep, rich imported wood from India. Old, well-read Bibles whose pristine black covers were streaked with use could be found in the pocket-well on the back side of each pew for those parishioners who found solace in reading the word of God. There was a deep, slim red carpet that bisected the church, ending at the base of a large wooden cross that was the focal point of the back wall. The priest was making his way down the trodden carpet to the pedestal from which he would convey the day's sermon, having stood at the front doors to welcome each member who had passed him. Once everyone had made their greetings and taken their seats, he smiled kindly at the respectful faces turned towards him and began delivering his message: Tolerance.
The Motou family sat in the fifth pew, as was their custom, bordered by the Sato family that lived down the street from them and the young couple that had just moved into the vacancy beside the church. The patriarch, Sugoroku Motou, sat attentively next to his grown daughter Gina, dressed in his exceptional Sunday suit. Gina, wearing a simple but fetching dress, clutched the Bible she had brought with her from home lovingly in her hands, watching the priest and heeding his words. Her twin sons sat to her left, donning dress shirts and slacks she was only ever able to get them to wear inside the walls of the church. Glancing over to them quickly to assure they were behaving, she withheld a sigh when she noted one looked bored and the other looked indignant.
Yuugi Motou, the youngest of the twins by an eternity of seventeen minutes of labor, was making a valiant effort to keep his azure eyes open. His hair was shorter than his brother's, falling just above his shoulders, but held a straightness that the elder twin hadn't ever been able to achieve, even with the assistance of a determined and well-equipped hairstylist. The black tresses held a midnight blue shimmer due to the assistance of some hair dye, the long and separated bangs bleached a rich honey-blonde color. His blue eyes held a roundness that was uncommon, though not unheard of, and they stood out brilliantly against his light tan. Yuugi smacked his cheek lightly to wake himself and tucked a portion of his bangs behind his ear, the one currently missing the earring he was not allowed to wear in church.
Tolerance my ass, Yuugi thought. Tolerance of everything they tell me is more like it. It was incorrect to assume that Yuugi didn't believe in God and the Bible, or most of the teachings of his church. It was more accurate to say that he was a free spirit who questioned everyone and everything around him. He had no intention of being led by the nose with a blindfold over his eyes and firmly believed that God had given him intelligence so he could question what he saw and heard and distinguish good from evil himself. He came around to agreeing with the Bible's teachings anyway, so he didn't see the harm in having a little fun along the way.
Poking his brother in the leg, Yuugi rolled his eyes dramatically and gestured toward the priest, a good-natured smile on his face. Smirking enough only for Yuugi to see demonstrated his brother's agreement, and Yuugi obediently returned his efforts to staying awake before his mother caught him dozing. His Partner in Crime had kept him up all night tackling their latest video game obsession, knowing full well that his cohort would have trouble concealing their late-night activities from their elders. Oh well. It had been pretty funny watching his brother throw a silent fit after having been beaten by the boss for the eighth time in a row.
Atemu Motou closed his eyes in humor. He was proud of how still Yuugi was holding himself today. He certainly knew it wasn't easy for his younger brother to control his boundless energy or sporadic attention span, but he was doing rather well. He kicked Yuugi's foot with the side of his own, and when his brother turned towards him with an open expression of expectation Atemu raised a finger to his own lips and shushed him. A grin appeared at the offense Yuugi experienced, and then he was forced to direct his attention purposefully to the side when their mother turned on Yuugi for being disrespectful. He hated abandoning his brother to his fate, but if he had watched, let alone intervened, he would not have been able to withhold his laughter and would have become a target himself. No, Yuugi's trial would be brief and uneventful only if his elder brother was not involved.
Pretending to observe the structure of the columns that lined each pew, Atemu allowed his thoughts to fall into a peaceful state of inaction. The sharp, throbbing sting in his head that enveloped his ears and eyes and temples in an elastic band was escalating in intensity despite his efforts to divert its path. He'd endeavored in the past to grow his hair extra long – no, not simply to irritate his mother, but for the reason that with long hair he could hide his face when one of his many migraines caught hold of him and he hadn't yet had the time to conceal the pain and discomfort behind a mask of indifference. His black hair that held a cocoa sheen waved and curled to its heart's content around his head; the only control he had over his hair was its length, where a mutual agreement between parent and child resulted in his hair never being longer than his shoulders, and was never to be shaved unless he was joining the military.
In a single outing with his dear younger brother to celebrate the beginning of their senior year in high school, they had managed to find a barbershop and been talked into trying a new style in bangs to make them long and wavy, hanging in pieces over their eyes and noses. Atemu had always believed Yuugi's bangs to have been crafted with more care. He could not recollect agreeing to have his newly formed bangs bleached platinum; much, much lighter in color than Yuugi's were. The increased pigmentation in his skin made him a darker color than his twin, and the brightness of his hair contrasted starkly. Yuugi liked it, liked it so much that he was forced to smile and laugh every freaking time he saw it. It was easy to understand why the sound of his brother's laughter was not always music to Atemu's ears. His brown eyes remained closed, the swirls of rich mahogany that tinted red veins in proper lighting trying their best to focus on the sermon and not on allowing the severe pain he was in to visibly show. The house of his Lord was no place to loose his composure.
Before long it was time for the parishioners to stand and take part in singing the first of three hymns for the day. Gina and her father stood and pulled lightly on their clothing to remove the light creases that had formed from their sitting. Instinctively she prodded her youngest son's shoulder, experience reminding her that he often lagged behind due to lack of attention. She also pointed her finger towards her eldest son unconsciously, gesturing for Yuugi to pass the massage along to his brother.
Yuugi was quicker to his feet than usual so managed to receive the prod in his arm rather than his shoulder. He let his hand trail up his twin's arm in a silent communication to gain his attention and motion for him to stand. He kept his eyes forward, having long ago memorized the hymn, and was prepared to begin singing when he felt his brother sway next to him. The movement was hardly noticeable, but the twins had always been extra sensitive to the actions and feelings of the other, and so the lack of balance that went unnoticed by his mother screamed at Yuugi and demanded consideration. His eyebrows furrowing in concern, Yuugi turned to his brother to find that Atemu had one hand clamped on his forehead beneath his bangs and his other fisted at his side. He placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently, offering what silent comfort he could. Atemu dropped his hand and gave a quick smile to his brother but winced at the dizzying movement it caused.
'Another migraine?' Yuugi mouthed. He sighed when Atemu clenched his eyes as a wave of pain overcame him. "Darn it," he muttered. "Is it one of the bad ones?"
"It's getting there," Atemu mumbled. He took a deep breath and held it, releasing it slowly through his nose to maintain the pressure in his head that earned him a moment of reduced pain. He unclenched his hand and patted it against Yuugi's thigh, then proceeded to sing in a very soft, restrained manner.
The pat against his leg was a common gesture between the twins and Yuugi knew it was his brother's way of telling him that he was alright and that he needn't worry. Atemu had had migraines for all but the first five years of his nineteen year life and so was well equipped with handling the pain and discomfort that arose from them. There were some that he was unable to fight through that put him in bed for days before releasing their grip on him, but thankfully they were farther between then the less severe, but no less involving, migraines that took his focus without taking his health.
Yuugi hated watching his beloved brother suffer so unnecessarily. The pain took his humor and tolerance and minimized the affectionate personality that Yuugi adored, and most importantly it stole time that he and his brother could be sharing together. His mother and grandfather firmly believed that prayer was the answer to the young man's pain and that it was through the grace of their prayers being answered that Atemu did not suffer more of the debilitating migraines. Yuugi believed that prayer helped, but not nearly enough, and tensions had risen in the family when he voiced this opinion. Atemu pretended he didn't think on it one way or the other, but had confided in Yuugi that if it was prayer that allowed him to experience the frequent migraines he had, he could wait to see the effect of direct divine intervention. If he lived a saintly life, he may be allowed to suffer one less migraine per month. He'd grinned here, suggesting that the choice between living recklessly versus one less migraine was not worth the trade.
Yuugi could see that the migraine was getting worse as the service continued. His brother's attention grew more and more inward as he tried to keep his poise. His complexion was paling just enough to be noticeable, and his usually proud posture was beginning to slump under the strain. When they were seated Yuugi kept his hand on his brother's, hidden between their legs and from prying eyes while he rubbed his thumb and fingertips over what was very sensitive skin for his twin. The action often provided pleasant distractions for Atemu to focus on, aiding him in his fight against the pain and nausea. But his eyes were hooded more than usual, and clouded in distant thoughts that did not react easily to his brother's ministrations. When it was time for the third hymn Yuugi pushed down on his twin's shoulder, not allowing him the chance to try and stand. His mother turned a questioning gaze to him and winced in sympathy when she saw the pain her son was experiencing.
Gina leaned over so she could whisper into her younger son's ear without disturbing the other church goers while they sang. "Has he been suffering this whole time?"
"Yeah."
"We could leave," she suggested.
Yuugi sighed, looking down at Atemu who had taken to leaning against his brother's side and closing his eyes. Yuugi placed a hand on the top of his head and lightly played with his hair. "It's almost over," he finally said. "He wouldn't want to make us leave when he's lasted this long."
Gina nodded, knowing full well her son's willful and spirited nature. "I wish he'd say something earlier." Yuugi smiled at his mother, who smiled understandingly in return. It would be a cold day in Hell when Atemu would deprive his family of an activity they enjoyed simply because he had a migraine. "We'll leave as soon as we can."
Yuugi joined in the hymn if for no other reason than to pass the time until he could get his brother home and in bed. It was the only cure for the bad migraines. Slowly, he let his fingers trail down the side of his twin's head and come to a rest on his temple, his palm covering his ear and pressing the head against his leg to drown out the sound of the singing and offer continuous reassurance. His fingers messaged in small circles and random lines, and he was happy to feel Atemu relax into him with the ministrations. He was still very tense, but at least Yuugi was able to provide some relief, temporary as it was. At the end of the hymn he carefully sat down, adjusting Atemu's head so it rested on his shoulder and placing his hand over his eyes to block the light that was no doubt causing sharp slices of pain. When his brother only barely responded to the repositioning he frowned, and Yuugi found his patience for the length of the sermon coming to an abrupt end. Gina was eventually forced to give a warning glare to her fidgeting son to get him to settle down.
Atemu emerged from his daze when he felt an arm reach around his shoulder and help him stand. He blinked, confused, when he noticed that everyone around him was gathering their things and heading towards the doors of the church. He looked at his brother, the silent question passing between them.
"Let's go home Até," Yuugi said, his voice soothing any further questions his brother had. He managed to steady Atemu on his feet when his path was blocked by the young couple they had been sitting next to during the service.
"Hello." The woman appeared to be in her early thirties, with short, styled black hair, and wearing what looked to be a secondhand suit. Her eyes were soft with gentleness, and the air of sincerity extended to her husband who was wearing a smile that highlighted his homely features. "My name's Emi, and this his my husband Nobu," she said, gesturing to her husband. "That was a lovely sermon, don't you think?"
"I agree," Gina said. She maneuvered around her sons to stand in front of the couple, bowing politely. "My name is Gina, and this is my father, Sugoroku," she paused while the elder man bowed, "and my sons, Atemu and Yuugi. It's nice to see new faces in our church."
Yuugi bowed obediently at his introduction and felt Atemu do the same, though he really wished his bother hadn't pushed himself. He tuned out his mother and Emi's voices as they continued their introductions, Gina explaining that she was a widow and Emi and Nobu excitingly announcing their decision to have their first child. As much as he enjoyed meeting new people his brother's welfare was far more important than having to hear stories about his dead father. He wasn't sure how to get away without appearing rude.
"He looks so much like you," Yuugi heard Emi say, and his head jerked in her direction from its watchful gaze over his twin. "You have such handsome boys."
Gina beamed at the compliment and looked lovingly at her sons. "Unfortunately so, for Atemu. The poor boy got my unruly hair and dark skin." She ruffled his tresses, ignoring the grunt of protest, and turned to Yuugi. "And Yuugi looks just like his father. Especially in the eyes." Her voice saddened a moment while she and Yuugi looked at each other, but she quickly regained her composure and turned back to Emi. "You'd hardly realize they're twins."
"Oh, that's not so hard to believe," Emi said. "Fraternal twins, right?" Gina nodded. "They're a beautiful credit to their parents."
Yuugi felt the urge to hug the woman for implying that he did his father proud by taking after his image. He knew he did for the way his mother would look at him sometimes, as though looking at a picture of the man she had married. Atemu carried his mother's sharpened features, especially the prominent cheekbones and the accentuated eyes. Though he held pride for looking like his mother's son, there were some unpleasant moments where his masculinity had been questioned because of the resemblance. That had come to an immediate end when he'd joined the high school swim team, much to Atemu's wicked pleasure. Gina had shown her sons images from her ultrasounds to prove to them when they were younger that they were indeed related despite their protests to the contrary. A favorite image showed the two of them spooned against each other, with Yuugi behind Atemu. That was enough to explain to them why it was always Yuugi behind and Atemu in front of an embrace whenever they needed to comfort each other, and why Atemu was rather snippy whenever Yuugi tried to assert his dominance in a situation.
Pushing himself and Atemu against the pew so his grandfather could pass, Yuugi tilted his head to listen to what the older man had to say. "I must ask your forgiveness," Sugoroku said to Emi and Nobu. "My grandson is ill and we need to get him home." He took hold of Atemu's shoulder and gently guided him around the young couple into the aisle and toward the door when they had been excused, Yuugi and Gina quickly following.
"If you're feeling better later this evening," Emi called after them, "we're having a housewarming party and would love for you to drop by if you're able."
"Thank you," Sugoroku said, and Gina told them that someone from the family would certainly attend. Yuugi was just grateful to finally be getting his brother home.
to be continued…
