Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Yu-Gi-Oh!
Warning: So, the same as last time. The cursing should be relatively mild but grows a little more at times, Season 0 Yami whose a bit more unhinged in this story than he was in Behind You, so keep that in mind.
Note: There are various/copious mentions of blood, some graphic images of death, sensual moments and feelings, touches of violence/abuse, slight OOCness but it's due to stress (and it's mostly going to be from Yugi whose going to suffer pretty badly where Yami is involved and choices he makes in order to help Yami), slight touches of depression, possible triggers
Update Schedule: I'm going to try (again) for bi-weekly updates
Okay so I'm updating earlier than I thought (I was going to wait the official two weeks and post on the 30th like I had planned, but I work that day and I doubt I'd have to time to squeeze it in with my schedule the way it is). The slight OOCness is more apparent here for Yugi (because of stress). Yami is just being his usual self at first. He hits OOCness towards the end of the scene (and that'll be explained further into the story and definitely in the upcoming sequels to this one).
Chapter III
Yugi was already pretty annoyed by the time he got to school. Yami's disappearing act had thrown him off balance and his night had been filled with sleepless pondering. He'd panicked that he was dying. He'd tried once to summon him, but had failed when he found himself unable to force himself to use the deity's true name. It had hit too close to him that he might summon him there but leave him stranded and unable to leave if he was too weak…
When he got into the classroom, only his blond best friend was there. And Joey shot him a look that bordered so close to lewd that Yugi looked over his shoulder to see if Mai was there. When he turned back, the blond waved him over hurriedly.
Did he have another porn tape?
Yugi furrowed his brows but shrugged it off. When he got closer, Joey waggled his brows at him briefly, his brown eyes bright with humor and a hint of seriousness which made Yugi's stomach knot. He frowned at him, unable to think of the best way to ask what was going on, and stared at him pointedly instead.
"Come on, sit down already," Joey sniped at him playfully. Yugi hesitated, then slowly took a seat and moved to put his notebooks on the desk in front of him. Tea and Tristan were a few feet away, in the doorframe, coming over rather slowly, when the blond finally began to explain himself.
"So, Yugi, dude, there's this new kid who loves games, hates physical activities, and loves Duel Monsters," he announced with a wicked grin. The small teen furrowed his brows and frowned deeply, confused. His insides had grown cold, as if filled with ice, and Yugi found himself wondering at the way he continued to stare at him. Joey was leaning towards him when the other two of their group began to take there seats and Yugi found himself stiffening uncomfortably when he spoke again. "His name is Bakura Ryou. You'll like him when you meet him."
"Um…Okay…I guess." He couldn't exactly shake away how strange and tense the entire situation made him feel. But he couldn't let Joey see that either. So he turned away and picked at his notebook for a few minutes. When the staring did not alleviate, he finally turned back with a puzzled frown while Joey remained grinning at him almost as if he had a secret he was dying for Yugi to guess at.
But the smaller boy had lost any sense of temptation. His curiosity did not even peak. After the long night he'd had, he could only find so much to care about. And, whatever it was Joey was so excited about, it didn't fall into that realm at all.
He was becoming unnerved and embarrassed as the minutes passed. The bell would ring soon and the class would have to settle in. And the idea of asking if he had a porn tape or something that he wanted to share was not a question he wanted to breathe in front of anyone else. Joey was braver than him in that respect; he would talk about that all he wanted. Yugi didn't want to have people know what it was he was doing and what day or with what tape.
It also did not help that Joey tended to be incredibly crass and talk about porn in front of both Mai and Tea. Mai would quirk a brow and Tea would roll her eyes and grow annoyed. But Yugi tried his hardest to keep from sharing the same space as Tristan and Tea and Mai when such a discussion was brought up.
So he turned away again, struggling to ignore the way the blond's gaze burned into his skin. And the other two sensed the tension, he was sure, but thankfully neither did anything to question it. They looked back and forth between them once. Then Tristan launched into a conversation with the blond that kept him busy, their talk turning into their usual banter. And Tea watched Yugi with a confused expression even as she made mild conversation with the other two.
He, however, did not bother to try to talk. It took too much energy, and he was so tired as it was. Besides that, he was not sure he wanted to have a conversation. And his mind was back on Yami again, anxious with where he might be hiding, whether he was okay or not. He doubted he could be okay when he himself was so exhausted. Yami had to be feeling similarly, right?
He chewed his cheek, picking at the metal spiral of his notebook and trying his hardest to ignore the sickness that seemed to swell in the pit of his belly.
In his distracted state, it took him a minute too long to realize what his best friend had been implying in telling him about the new boy. He was still fiddling with his notebook when the student walked in. Joey nudged him as a sense of dread began to tighten his spine. He jerked his head in the new boy's direction and Yugi followed his movement with a confused expression.
Then the cold feeling in his stomach coursed into his blood and pulsed through his body in thundering beats. A chunk of ice as hard as granite dropped to the pit of his stomach. And then, abruptly, he found his body heating with anger. He spun on him, anger rising to infuriation, and a hideous blaze of intense rage swept through his marrow.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" he spat furiously. The tone startled both Tea and Tristan enough to make them jump in their seats and turn to him with confused looks. But he hadn't lowered his voice, he realized a second too late, as the class grew silent and everyone in the room turned to look at him. He would have flushed under normal circumstances, unnerved by all of the attention, but now he merely breathed raggedly through his teeth. "What the actual fuck do you think you are doing, Joey?"
"Yugi, you're making everyone stare," Tea whispered, horrified. When he ignored her, looking ready to snap at the blond again, she reached out to touch his elbow. He spun on her, confused, and she cleared her throat awkwardly. "Everyone is staring."
"I already know that, damn it."
"Who, Yugi, calm down a second," Tristan objected, startled when his friend turned to him with a glare to match the one he had shot Tea seconds before. He stiffened in his seat and backed up a little in the confines of his chair, eyes wide and owlish.
"Motou, is there a problem?"
Normally such an admonishment would have made Yugi bow his head and apologize. On a normal day he would have been too ashamed and embarrassed to do more than shake his head. Today was not that day.
In his rage, he turned on her as well, spitting, "I don't know yet. I'll have to get back to you on that." Her astonished expression went more or less unnoticed by the small teen as he turned back to launch himself at Joey again. "Well? What the hell do you think you're doing, Joey? Because I know it had better not be what I think it is."
The blond was frozen in place, gaping at him for a moment. Then he blinked, face becoming bright red when he saw the fury in his eyes. "I—"
"You cannot really be trying to set me up all of the sudden with this new kid. I mean, I know you wouldn't take it that far just because you don't like Yami, right? No, I know you wouldn't be doing that because then I might have to reconsider who it is that I think my best friend is," he snapped spitefully. Out of the corner of his eye he caught his teacher gaping at him and only then did his anger begin to dissipate. He couldn't keep up the fury he felt when all he could see were multiple people staring at him with such shocked expressions.
And, oh gods, were some of them snickering now? His cheeks almost flushed but he thought it might take too much energy and even his body rebelled against that. But the humiliation crept over him regardless and he turned away with his head down for a moment.
But it only lasted a breath. Because, then, he saw the new boy. And he had such a horrified, startled expression on his face, that Yugi felt more rage come over him. He had not noticed him before that second, and now he was infuriated even more.
"Yug, look—"
"Shut up. We're in class."
He didn't look at him again. Instead he looked at the clock in an effort to keep from growing any angrier. The exhaustion came over him immediately again, making him feel small and timid as the seconds passed. His face was burning when he looked at his notebook and picked at the metal spiral again, fingers aching when it caught beneath his nails.
But, from the corner of his eye, the new student was still gaping at him. And now Yugi tilted his head to get a better look at him, unnerved by his continued staring. He was taller than Yugi, he realized, though it was not by too much. And his eyes were shaped almost like his own, though they appeared more like Tea's when he turned his head just enough to see better. But the edge of the arches of them was far more akin Yami's. His hair was so white he thought of snowflakes and the color of his eyes was a bright and almost mesmerizing shade of purple that made his stomach toss violently to the side.
He thought immediately of Yami's eyes, so full of life and color and strength. And, for the briefest of seconds, he almost imagined them in this new boy's as well. It caused him to raise his head, body cold and frosted with ice, but the moment had passed before it even truly began. Disgust made him bristle and shame made his heart lurch in his throat.
He turned back to the chalkboards. No one had eyes like the deity's. And it stung that he had ever even considered comparing the two gazes.
Yugi ignored him when he took a seat nearby. When he introduced himself to some of the other students only a few seats away, he kept his eyes on the front and stared at the boards. The teacher was watching him, awkward in appearance, almost flustered, as if she did not know what to do with the idea that he had snapped at her minutes before. He was acutely aware of the stare she gave him around her lecture, though she did not call him out on it. And so he did not bother with an attempt to apologize for his outburst.
Even when the bell rang, she did not say a single word. So, despite his shame, he crept out the door behind the others and refused to say a word in apology.
He finally spoke to him hours later, when lunch had come around. The day had dragged by so slowly that he was beginning to think that it would never come to an end. In his head he had been unable to push away his thoughts of Yami, of how small he had looked, how exhausted he had seemed.
But then he would try to force himself to picture him as he had been before. He would try to recapture the sight of him in the snow at the park, when the flake had landed on his nose and he had been utterly stunned upon seeing its existence.
He made a mental note to explain it to him—what snow was, why February had only twenty-eight days. He would tell him anything in the world he wanted to know, if it would only make him stay. And then he would not have to feel incompetence for his lack of comprehension of the subject.
He was so desperate. He had been terrified, convincing himself for a moment that it might be enough to bring the deity back. If he made the promises louder in his head, maybe the god would return back. But the loneliness bit at the edges of his strained logic and he knew too well that Yami would not come back for something so small. But he did not think he would come back for physical union either. He closed his eyes.
But he could not stop himself hoping. And he could not think of anything else. He was beginning to feel small and weak, nearly sickened with his inability. There was nothing more he could do than worry and wonder fearfully.
Yugi opened his eyes long enough to duck out the door and into the quad. His friends were feet away, waiting in the usual spot. He took a seat against the brick, sliding down the wall with his heart in his throat. His eyes burned faintly.
Eventually that disgusting, immobilizing paralysis would creep upon him. At any moment he would be rendered all but useless. He was waiting for it, much like a dog would its master. The last time they had been apart, it had come on just as suddenly. Why shouldn't it now? It had only taken a week, hadn't it?
One week was not long.
Yami would stay away and Yugi would rot…
He doubted it would take that full seven days now, however.
"C-can I sit here?"
The voice startled him from his thoughts. At first he thought he was hearing things. Then he blinked stupidly, confused and wondering. Then he turned his head to face the source of his growing bewilderment.
He was so focused on Yami, on the million of things he needed to tell him, that he almost thought it was him in front of him. For the smallest fraction of a heartbeat his chest swelled with happiness. But then his mind registered, very slowly, that this newcomer had stutter. And Yami had too much physical prowess and regality to care for such weakness in his voice.
His tone could crack and fall away. His voice could shatter. His words could shake.
But he did not stutter.
His entire body rebelled against the very concept of the red-eyed boy doing such a thing. And he knew that the taller teen would never have asked him such a pitiful question. If he wanted to sit beside him, he was more likely to kick him in the hip to nudge him aside and plop down where he had been seconds before. Experience told that he would simply sit there.
From there he would either await his acknowledgment or speak into his ear to keep their conversation private. He did not often use the link that seemed to exist between their thoughts.
And so, Yugi felt the illusion shatter before him.
The red of his mirage's eyes faded into a bright and deep bright brown. The long, sharp bangs became wispy and flickered away as if stroked by fingers. They curled inwards, lighter and fluffier, and the goldenrod shade drained to a pale white. The golden-bronze of his exotic skin began to grow ashen and soft, creamy.
He blinked, frowning up at him in clear reluctance. The hope crashed within his insides and the truth of it stung. Yami would not return…
He nodded as he turned away again, sighing softly.
"Do whatever you want."
The other boy hesitated next to him. His mouth opened and closed, but Yugi did not pay him attention. The seconds passed and finally he lowered himself to take a seat beside him.
The weather was just nice enough that they could all sit outside and eat instead of being inside of the classrooms. Yugi watched his friends from his vantage point. He was too low for them to immediately spot him. The gentle decline of the hill their usual spot rested on did well to conceal him from their eyes.
He had no desire to sit with them as of yet. He was still too upset to sit near Joey. And he was still so distracted by Yami's disappearance that he couldn't keep up conversation with them. But he knew they were looking for them. More than once they had sat up and looked around, confused and unsure of themselves. It was obvious that they expected him to come running at any moment.
But he was still so stung by the blond's earlier actions. He knew as well as the next person that he was blowing the situation out of proportion. But knowing did nothing to make him calm down. His anger was not eased in the slightest.
He knew the other boy was not making a mockery of him. Nor was he making fun of his admittedly confused sexuality—what did it mean if guys didn't interest him and Yami was the only one? He did not know how he was supposed to phrase that. And anyone to see them together would assume him to be gay. No one would comment on the fact that he had dated Tea for that short period. That wouldn't count in the slightest. They would say it was a cover up.
But, for only a split second, he had felt the mockery and the sting of his words the day before. And it had burned so badly that he had reacted badly. It would not be eased anytime soon, he realized. And it did not help that their conversation the day before had seemingly gone in one ear and out the other.
How dare he attempt to make him turn his attention to some random guy like that. How was he supposed to call himself his best friend when he pulled something like that? If he was going to show such disregard for his choices in life was it truly okay to remain calling him his friend? If something as stupid as his disregard for the boy Yugi had decided to date could create such an immense drift between them…?
He drew in a deep breath. It was pathetic to him to consider the amount of anger Joey let control his thoughts in regard to Yami. It was over and done with. He had told them all that he was going to date him. It would simply take them time to get over it. They would have to let it go.
But none of them truly seemed able to…
"Why aren't you sitting with your friends?"
It could have been a trick of his ears, but his voice…was it too soft, slightly wistful?
Yugi turned his head, about to say he didn't want to yet. But then he fell silent. The words rushed back down his throat. His lungs were too tight again. Something caught and held his tongue as they looked at each other.
His gut churned with a motion that nearly made him queasy. There was something there—in his eyes—and it made his insides cold. It made his blood feel too thick to move in his veins. It made his skin crawl…
He frowned at him. Had his eyes…?
Had they always been…?
He frowned at Yugi with clear confusion in his eyes. And his head tilted to the side as he studied him more closely for a moment.
Yugi couldn't think straight around the alarm blaring in his ears. His mind was on alert. But he could not place it. There was no reason for it. And the last time it had come like this, Yami had been there. He had thrown him into a wall and pinned him there. He had…
Yugi almost flushed at the thought. He'd jerked him off in that alley…the same one he'd killed Ushio in. The thought made him queasy. He didn't know if he could ever truly use that as his route home again…
Yet he remained staring at the boy. Every sense he possessed was geared to find this trigger of his alarm. But there was no unusual smell, there was no visual cue, he didn't feel any different than he had before the new boy had joined him. And he didn't think his tongue or his ears could truly do much to help him. He drew in a deep breath, exhaled gently.
"I'll go over there later," he finally remarked. He could not place it. There was nothing he could readily detect. He blinked at him slowly. What more was there he could do? Yugi was not ready to ignore his instincts, however. They had never exactly done him wrong before…
He had not felt this brand of eeriness since the moment he had encountered Yami in the arcade. But this was much weaker than that, thought it possessed a similar thread of sensation which bore down on him painfully. He felt it, but it did not make sense. It was as if the strength of Yami's power were being projected beneath the weight of intense heat and frozen water.
Perhaps, however, it was because of his irritation. He considered himself for a moment. Was that possible? He supposed it was. He was still so upset with Joey as it was. His blatant disregard and suggestion to move on to the white-haired boy still angered him.
He almost snorted out loud. No, that was not it—not at all. He was upset, yet, but that had nothing to do with the alarm blaring in head. It did nothing to temper the hot marrow which surged through his bones like this.
"Bakura Ryou, right?"
"You can call me Ryou." He had an easy smile, but his eyes were still strange to peer at. And Yugi felt sick. What was wrong with them? He knew there was something—but to pinpoint it was impossible. "Bakura sounds too formal for me."
Yugi watching him for a long minute. He couldn't shake his unease and it bore on him painfully. His voice dripped with ice, though it seemed subdued somehow with his uncertainty. "What kind of accent is that?" he asked in a low voice, mind churning desperately. Something about the statement made his spine tighten uncomfortably. Something was definitely wrong. Perhaps he could keep him talking… "I don't recognize it."
"It's British. You know, that place across the pond?"
Something about the joke made Yugi bristle furiously. "I know where the fuck Mediocre Britain is, all right?" he snapped in an icy tone, the distaste bleeding from each syllable. He could not pinpoint what made him act like this. It was jarring to hear his own voice, so hateful and angry.
Ryou gaped at him at first. He was visibly thrown by his ferocity, so much so that he could not think of a single word to say at first. Then, his feathers ruffled, he spat, "Then don't look so damn confused all the time. I was just answering your question."
"No, you were acting like I was stupid," Yugi snarled, cutting his next sentence into nothingness. He narrowed his eyes; did the other boy's eyes glitter? He couldn't tell what it was, but there was something clearly wrong with them. He knew it. He saw it. He just didn't—couldn't—recognize it. "And I'm a hell of a lot smarter than you could ever hope to be!"
This time, Ryou threw his hands up. "I wasn't insulting your intelligence!" he cried in annoyance, shaking his head angrily. "I was simply saying—"
"Whatever. It doesn't matter." Yugi turned away again, glancing towards his friends and breathing in roughly. Oh gods…where was Yami? Why wasn't he anywhere nearby? Why had he even left? Wasn't it more dangerous for him to be away from him than it was for him to be near? His heart was in his throat. Why would he endanger himself further if that was the case? "I'm just really tired. I'm sorry."
If this kid was a threat…wouldn't he have come to help him by now? Wouldn't he have appeared to warn him off? He had come after Ushio the same night of the attack. He could recall from his memories. And he remembered the mammoth of a student missing those few days after…
What had Yami done to him then? Hadn't he inflicted a tumor in his brain?
Perhaps he was just overreacting. Yugi drew in a deep breath. Was it his separation from Yami that made him so high strung? Was that why he was so keen on finding something wrong with everything around him? What if it was actually on Yami's end and he was just reacting to his unease?
Was that possible?
But…if it wasn't…
Ryou hardly looked like a threat. But there was surely something terribly off. He couldn't put it into words, and it pricked at his senses, but…
No, there was something wrong. There had to be. He knew that. There was something…
He had not always understood his instincts at their fullest, but he had never ignored them. To do so now would be stupid of him. Especially if Yami did not come back. He was on his own if he didn't return…
Ryou gave him a distinctly dissatisfied, dubious look. But he did not bother to comment on the evident insincerity in his tone. Instead he cleared his throat and began to speak again. "Motou Yugi—"
"Yugi." He corrected instinctively. "Everyone calls me Yugi."
He did not bother to look at him again, instead looking across the quad to his friends again. They were all searching for him now, visibly twisting around in their seats. They were talking quietly to each other, whispering about where he might have gone. Soon enough, he suspected that they would get up and come looking for him.
Yugi didn't plan to let that happen first. He would get up and go to them before they decided to start truly searching for him.
But this thought didn't distract him from what happened in his peripheral vision. Something had glinted, flickering brilliantly if only for a split second. He thought for a moment of the way Yami's gaze grew fierce or glacial, hard and unyielding, when he was truly upset. And for the briefest of seconds they would flash like the sun had hit them. They would glitter and glow, with a power so eternal Yugi was often scared stiff.
And, for the briefest of seconds, he thought to glance at Ryou and see if he had somehow mirrored the effect. But he could not draw the courage to do so.
He was afraid of it.
Because, if he had somehow managed to mimic that reaction, what did that truly mean?
Yugi suppressed a violent shiver.
"What is that god-awful thing around your neck?"
Yugi stiffened visibly, then turned to him. His eyes were hardened and his voice was as sharp as knives. "Excuse me?" he spat in a voice that would have made even Yami pause. But Ryou merely blinked at him, then reached towards his Puzzle. The smaller teen was faster, however. After having seen the effect touch had when it came to Yami, he had made sure not to expose him to it physically. He had often moved his hand to shield the deity if the pendant swung too close to him. His reflexes to protect Yami from it had often proven second to his, but the deity had never questioned him.
They proved faster than Ryou's however. His hand lashed out and smacked into his violently. A bristle caused his shoulders to rise in a defensive gesture. He was breathing hard now. "Don't you dare put your grubby paws on my Puzzle!"
Yugi was shaking finely. The tremors made him fiercer and it occurred to him that he was acting like the lover of someone abused. He had thrown himself between a potential threat and the artifact hanging around his neck. The fact stunned him faintly. Had Yami been there, wounded and in his tired state, what might he have done then?
He was actually scared to consider it.
"I was just asking what it was. I couldn't see it properly be…" Ryou trailed off, his voice distantly pleased now that he had gotten the smaller teen to face him fully enough. Now he could see the item around his neck. Yugi had unconsciously moved to cup the golden artifact, his fingers almost shielding his view of the center piece, but he recognized it immediately now. "Oh, it's the Millennium Puzzle!"
Yugi blinked at him, unable to fully process the statement. Why was he so excited and why did he even know about it? He furrowed his brows, drawing in a breath. "What do you…? How do you know about it?" he managed to mumble, frowning and tilting his head to the side like a curious dog. He was given the smallest flash of an image—a shiba inu, with a sesame pelt, brown eyes wide, head cocked—and it unnerved him. He remembered all too clearly the argument he had had the day that he had originally seen that dog in his head. He'd snapped and snarled at Yami and the image had been a distant, dubious glance into his thoughts.
He did not lower his fingers from the cold surface; instead he cupped it a bit more firmly than he ever had before. A strange, benign warmth soothed at the frayed ends of his nerves.
"I didn't think anyone else knew that much about it."
"Well, I don't know much about the Items, but I do know that there are seven," Ryou said, beaming for a moment before his eyes grew somewhat smug. The pride of such knowledge seemed to be a true accomplishment for the taller teen, Yugi realized with a bewildered sensation in his gut. His frown deepened as he studied him. Did he know nothing about how destructive and powerful they actually were?
His blue-violet eyes narrowed, first in distaste, and then in momentary confusion. What had led Ryou to know about them? There had to be some reason that he had any idea that they existed. The Items were so powerful and so few people actually knew of their existence…
Ryou blinked in surprise. There had only been a split second between the confusion and distinct caution which now colored those blue-violet eyes. He blinked, frowning in puzzlement now as he looked at the smaller teen. "But the last that I heard, five of them were destroyed in a quake when the tombs a team was excavating collapsed. Or at least that's what they speculate anyways. Of course, they could just be perfectly fine. They're probably just buried somewhere in all of the rubble. Anyways, to answer your question, my father is a treasure hunter. He collects rare artifacts and gives them over to museums. He gave me this though."
When he pulled at his shirt, undoing the top buttons, Yugi almost thought he might take a pass at him. Who in their right minds went around nearly tearing their shirt off? The whole idea made him queasy and he nearly spat at him in an effort to deter the other boy. He wasn't attracted to him in the least.
But the moment passed. And his thoughts spiraled now to the sight of the thick hemp rope around the other boy's neck. It fell into the center of his chest, though in their position it nearly seemed to swamp his entire abdomen. It was dark against his skin, with a flat center, a level version of his own Puzzle. But it was upright like the pyramids and did not hang down as his own did. It was encircled by a thick golden chain of similar color, tipped in seven different areas with small ringlets which held charms that reminded him of elongated pyramids.
Yugi frowned as he considered it. Something unnatural seemed to come from it. And it was not the comforting touch that the Puzzle always seemed to share. He felt nearly sick as he continued looking at it. There was something new about the atmosphere around them, he realized now, with an intense sense of dread creeping over him. His skin tingled and his stomach began to burn, as if his insides were caught on fire. And, when he raised his eyes, he swore Ryou seemed to realize it as well and even smirked minutely before it disappeared instantly again.
Yugi was frozen for a moment, unable to comprehend whether his mind was playing tricks on him or not. Was that possible? Was it the stress? He supposed it very well could have been. Slowly, not wanting to ruffle the other's feathers again, too alarmed by the thought of that smirk inching across his face as he was sure it had, he began to speak again.
"It's an Item…but what is it called?"
"It's the Millennium Ring," Ryou boasted. "Legend says that it could lead its wearer to the rest of the Items if they so desired it."
Yugi frowned further. His eyes flickered to the artifact hanging around the other boy's neck. He had never heard of it. He had heard of the Necklace, the Scales, the Rod, and even the Eye. But the Ring was a complete mystery to him.
And, of course, he knew enough about the Puzzle to know that he should never have laid a hand on it in the first place. But he did not know much else about anything. His grandpa had told him a lot of stories about Egypt while he was growing up. Most of them were those about Shadow Magic, Games, Punishments, and then the Items, but never once could he recall a Ring being mentioned.
Perhaps he had told him and he had simply overlooked it. He had, after all, been rather absorbed in the Puzzle and solving it. Yugi had always been happy to see it, to hold it, loving it even as he struggled so hard for eight long years to find a way to make it conform to its completion.
If only he had known ahead of time that it had been taken so long because the Puzzle had been taking half of his soul from him. That half was then formed into a weak shell of flesh and blood for a god who wanted nothing more than to kill him.
"Oh."
He did not bother to say anything else. He could not think properly for the moment. What the hell was the Ring meant to do? But then, his silence seemed to have been favorable for him, because Ryou was beaming as he looked down at it.
"It's an awesome little gift. He just recently got back from Egypt. He gave it to me about two weeks ago," Ryou continued with that same bright smile. The smaller boy was almost tempted to grin in response—his enthusiasm was oddly contagious—but the nagging feeling had not left him. "And I haven't taken it off since."
Yugi felt a small sense of hollowness form inside of him. His heart skipped and stuttered in its rhythm. Would Yami be stronger if he had never taken the Puzzle off after he'd first put it together? Would he be okay, rather than wasting away as Yugi suspected he was? He suppressed a tremble, but the thoughts kept coming. Would he still have been at the house when he had come home? Would his recovery be that much faster? Would he have been free by now?
He watched him for a long minute. Then, very slowly, caution guiding his thoughts, he asked the same question that had been formerly directed towards him months ago.
"Do you feel any different?"
Now Ryou paused, blinking at him. His fingers were working to button his shirt back up as he studied him. Yugi wondered briefly, somewhere in the deepest crevice of his mind, if it seemed like Ryou had been flashing him. "Not really," he said in a clearly confused tone, shaking his head. He frowned at him and searched his face. "I mean, aside from the excitement—because it's really pretty cool…but I'm pretty sure that's not what you meant."
"Definitely not." Yugi started to get to his feet. The air seemed to thicken, swelling and pressing upon him painfully. The smaller teen blinked. Ryou looked up at him, frowning in puzzlement. But Yugi refused to meet his eyes again. Something was wrong and the longer he spent near him the more he felt it.
His head was too light, more so than he had ever experienced before. It felt as if something were pushing at the edges of it, attempting to creep inwards. And it was not the familiar coating of ice that came when Yami brushed against him. This was much colder, but seemingly just as ancient.
He shoved the thought away. The Puzzle flared, an innate fire which pulsated through his nerves and pushed upwards into his bones. The smaller teen could have laughed for all the gratification that came with the new warmth. The foreign lightness upon his senses had worn away completely, as if the Item had pushed it away.
"I think I'm going to go sit with my friends now," he announced, struggling to keep the giddiness from his tone for a moment. The Puzzle remained warm and his head was still so clear. It felt amazing after what seemed like an eternity of it being otherwise. "They're freaking out that I'm not over there"
He did not look back as he left him there. But he was sure that the other boy was snickering softly.
Yugi gasped from the force of the collision. His eyes squeezed shut and his body shook from the hit. His spine burned and ached beneath his skin. His flesh was scraped raw by the brick through his clothing. He sputtered and gulped, struggling, as the pressure released from his chest somewhat. The action gave him just enough room to open his eyes into slits. He pressed his weight more fully into his legs. His struggle now was to keep upright rather than fall forward when he was released. But he was unable to and found himself on his hands and knees regardless.
He opened his eyes into slits, gulping for air. The asphalt was dark as if stained with blood. He nearly groaned. Was this the alleyway Ushio had been found? How had he wound up coming this way? Hadn't he told himself he would not come this way? He groaned softly, then tipped his head slightly.
In his vision was a pair of studded black and gray boots. The heels on them were slightly raised, giving his attacker an inch more of height. The style of them was obviously gothic. Yugi breathed out roughly, trembling. He drew in a breath, then exhaled again. It was becoming familiar to him again, though his lungs protested. And then, as he glanced at them again, horror swept through him. The smaller teen scrambled to press his back against the wall, gaping up at the newcomer in shock.
Peering down at him, eyes cold and malicious, the other teen did not look as if he had wanted to release him. His lips curled back, his canines glinting in the streetlight. His jaw was clenched tightly. His fingers flexed at his sides. Yugi swallowed a mouthful of air, gaping at him again. Then, very slowly, he reached behind him to grip the wall. He pushed up and onto his feet again, the movement excruciating. The newcomer merely stared at him, watching the painstaking ascension with cold indifference.
"You will stay away from that brat."
"I…w-what?" he grunted. He blinked at him. The movement made him dizzy. He grasped harder at the wall, but the flat surface did nothing for him. He hissed between his teeth. "Yami, what are you…?"
"You dare to feign such ignorance? The bastard you were walking with," Yami snarled slowly, baring his teeth. "Stay away from him."
"Huh?" Yugi flinched when Yami moved an arm. The movement nearly sent him face-first into the concrete. But a hand caught his shoulder. And the other wrapped lightly around his ribcage, gently easing him into an upright position again.
He had been walking alone…
"You should sit down," the deity announced in something of a pleased tone. "Wait for the pain to fade some."
"But…" I wasn't walking with anyone. Had someone followed him? Yugi blinked stupidly and breathed out roughly again. I was walking alone. I left before the others…
Yami watched him with a highly satisfied yet distasteful expression, as if torn between attempting to help—in which he had no knowledge of how, Yugi realized—or laughing with glee. The evidence before him, that he could still stun an opponent with a swift and efficient hit, had to be one of the most enticing things he had come to realize in a while.
He grunted again. Yami frowned and tilted his head slightly. Then he blinked slowly and moved to help him slide down the wall, though his inexperience and confusion was clear. Yugi was shaking faintly from the pain in his system, feeling almost as if he were caught on fire both inside and out, and the taller boy hesitated, nearly releasing him.
Just keep a grip on me, the smaller teen pleaded mentally. He shook again and groaned softly with pain. Yami frozen for a moment, blinking at him with something almost like wondrous bewilderment, and then slowly nodded. I'll do the rest, but just help me keep my balance.
It seemed to take what felt like hours. Yugi thought he might puke as he continued to take a seat. He scooted along the brick wall, swallowing roughly, breathing labored. Then he tipped his head back, ignoring the urge to stare at the deity. The frustrated confusion which warmed his body was hard to suppress. Rather, the small teen allowed himself to drift down onto the concrete with Yami kneeling in front of him.
For the smallest of seconds, the deity remained there. He seemed to hesitate, as if unsure of himself. But the moment in which Yugi went to speak, breathing out in relief, he recoiled and pulled away. He stood straight and powerful in front of him again. But he did not loom, and his presence was more self-conscious than aggressive now.
But after the punch to his ribs, Yugi was so stunned by the distance in height between them now that he nearly choked. His first thought was that of Ushio, of the way the behemoth student had stood cackling before lashing out violently. He remembered the pain to his ribs when he broke them and the way he choked on blood for weeks afterwards.
Yami tipped his head to the side curiously. But he did nothing more than regard him for a few moments longer.
"W…what's wrong with Ryou?" he finally stammered. It made sense that Yami would react to him this way. He was the only new element. His friends were not an issue the deity had ever showed such hatred and distaste towards. It was clear that it had to be someone else. And the only new element had to be that of Ryou. Which meant he had followed him from the school.
And Yami had assumed him to be walking with him…
Yet he cowered slightly at the thought of looking at the red-eyed teen in front of him. He seemed so immense, raised to heights he could never reach, and he loomed over him as a skyscraper might. The sight of him like this made him tremble. His skin tingled and something in his body began to peak with a sense of perverse wonder. How easy would it be for him to pin him there and—?
His cheeks flushed as he pushed the thought away. "Why don't you want me to walk home with him?" he managed to breathe out regardless. How close had Ryou been when Yami had spotted them? Had Yami influenced his sense of direction to draw him this way? He had been so sure of himself that he was not going to be going near or through the alley in any way…
Yami watched him for a moment longer. Then his head snapped around. His eyes were sharp and glistened like drops of fresh blood. He tipped his head, listening furiously for whatever it was that had caught his attention. The focus in his expression faded immediately, however, and he turned back, his voice low and cold. "I am telling you to stay away from him."
"Why?"
And how did I not notice he was there?
How did I not know Yami was here lurking in the dark and waiting for me?
"Do as I say, Yugi."
"But why?"
Yami looked down at him again. And he realized, staring into his confused and desperate gaze, that it was not Ryou he spoke about. He stiffened, wondering at the way he peered into him. His eyes had seemingly lost their dazed expression and now they appeared to search through him. The deity shied away from such examination, but now he could think of no way to do so without seeming cowardly. A heartbeat passed. What was he meant to say? And what questions was he truly prepared to answer?
But what was the main one Yugi wished to have answered? Yami did not know. He just knew that he was asking him a question that held too many meanings. The deity opened his mouth, preparing for the simplest, the most ignorant he could think of—"Because I said so"—but grew stiff.
His jaw snapped shut again. He glanced around rapidly. He blinked and turned back. His stomach sank for a brief moment. And the realization came to him that he could do nothing more. So he looked at his human charge, snarled softly, and disappeared.
Yugi had seen the turmoil in his face. But all he could hear was the sound of lightning in his ears. The pop of his drums was painful and he flinched violently. He reached his hands up to scratch at them, panting pathetically. Every part of his body burned and crackled as if his bones were morphing under his skin. He choked on a breath, gulping it down. And then he froze as something seemed to settled upon his skin.
The atmosphere was drenched in cold. But it was not the wintry touch that came with Yami. It was burdensome, heavy, and it wore upon his clothes like layers of dirt. Yugi stiffened, recognizing it immediately.
It was the same that had come upon his eyes settling on the Ring at school. He strained his ears, though they were still ringing. His body itched and his bones continued to painfully crackle under his skin. He turned his head.
The sound of something like sneakers against asphalt was incredibly loud. It came in uneven hints of noise. The weight was light enough, but the steps were somehow heavy. Yugi was frozen in place, eyes wide and shining in the dark. Where Yami had stood, there had been light from the streetlamp. Where Yugi was crouched, he was enshrouded by shadows. He thanked the gods for this tiny mercy.
His body was tightened, impulsive with the need to flee for safety. Someone had been following him, just as Yami had hinted. But his mind raced with possibilities. Was it truly Ryou? Or was it someone else? Was it possible that he was wrong and it was someone else entirely?
Yugi blinked and stared out towards the street. They would chase if he fled. He could feel it deep in his bones. It was more substantial in his mind than his marrow was in his bones. The pain pinned him there, however, and for once he wished he could thank Yami for the attack.
But Yugi did nothing more than raise a hand up to cover his mouth. His heavy breathing was stifled only slightly by his palm against his lips. And, in the darkness of the alleyway, he could spy without the risk of being caught. He drew his limbs up and tightened his body further. His back pressed harshly against the wall, allowing him to appear smaller than ever. But it was inconsequential, he realized, as the noise stopped altogether.
And then his stomach dropped. His eyes grew wide. His mouth opened behind his fingers.
What caught his attention first was that the other appeared somehow taller. His back was straighter. His shoulders were slightly broader, held a little higher. But he knew his height had not truly changed. It was the most similar difference between himself and Yami, a fact that pleased him secretly and seemed unable to make the deity blink. They stood at the same height. But the deity could appear taller because of the effortless way he held himself.
The regality he possessed was on display at all times. His eyes made him look more cunning and it added to a mischievous design to allow him to seemingly tower over others. He never appeared as relaxed and small and friendly as Yugi himself did. His shoulders never slumped. His appearance possessed such intimidation that it made many flinch upon noticing him. Part of it was his natural aura, but the rest was simply the brilliance in his eyes and the raw power that showed in his feral smirks.
But this was not the only difference he spotted in this figure at the entrance of the alley.
Those eyes were cold and glinting and, where they were hit by the light, they did not reflect it. Instead, his irises were glowing much like Yami's always did. And he was peering about the narrow pathway, searching for him, Yugi knew. The small teen shivered and bunched himself further into a compact shape.
The rings of bright purple were pulsating. They held the same flatness of what some people called "eyeshine". It was what dogs and cats showed in their retinas when a camera's flash went off…
But it occurred to him as well, staring back at the person, that something was blocking their sight. Yugi trembled and his heart burst in his chest, pounding. The boy was staring straight at him. Yet he could not see him!
He almost panted with relief, but held himself still. He kept his breathing low and muffled by his hand. But the figure kept staring, as if trying to peer through a thick fog or the blackest of shadows. His eyes snapped back and forth about the darkness, sharp and threatening.
But he still did not see him.
Yugi almost thought he could have reached out and touched him and he would still not know him to be there. He almost laughed, his heart pounding faster with shock and delight. Yami had not abandoned him there to suffer.
This had to be his doing. There was no other explanation.
"Yugi?"
The voice was low and timid, familiar in its pitch. But the small boy did not react, instead staring back at him and feeling sick to his stomach. He wanted first to run, but held still. Then he wished to respond, but instinct bid he remain silent. So he swallowed away the impulse, closed his eyes tightly, and counted off the seconds in his head.
It seemed to stretch for hours as Yugi finally listed off a full sixty seconds. He opened his eyes, glancing at the entrance once more. The silence was thick and heavy between them. The other boy still did not see him. And his patience had finally snapped. His unnatural eyes were blazing, intense with hatred and ferocity, and a snarl of a noise bubbled upwards, bursting outwards.
It was guttural, unnatural, spitting, "Damn it."
Yugi still did not move. Aside from his breathing, he was perfectly still. The other boy, however, began to pace in long back and forth strides. He moved from one side of the entrance to the next in mere seconds. He spat and snarled softly, until the noise became a consistent thread of a hoarse growl.
Yugi still waited. The seconds ticked off in his head again. A hundred… And, as they were counted, he wondered why he did not enter the passageway. Was he afraid for some reason? Was there something to fear inside of the alley? Surely he was not afraid of him, however…
It was so strange, that Yami considered him a threat so powerful that he was forced to take preemptive strikes. And yet, this boy was pacing and snarling and occasionally cooed his name in Ryou's voice but did not come closer. He did not step inside of the shadows. He did not try to follow him.
What if something inside of the alley had changed? Was it possible Yami's magic had made it a death trap for this newcomer? It might not have been a physical or visual different to behold, but the pulsing he had experienced from Yami's magic just the day before was not several times stronger. It was harsh enough that it could have knocked the wind from him if it was aimed for him.
Yet, it pulsated in gentle waves against his skin, pushing outwards in ripples of power.
And he wondered, staring at this other boy, if perhaps that was how the deity had found him, how he had disappeared so suddenly as he had.
But why should Yami have run?
Yugi shivered and watched the figure. Two hundred forty… Another long minute passed. He counted the seconds again. The pacing had grown furious. The boy was basically sprinting now, spitting and snarling. He seemed almost to foam at the mouth. The snarling had become a roar.
Then, as if he had been beckoned away by some silent being, he abruptly turned and took off down the street.
Three hundred sixty…
He exhaled a breath, a lengthy sigh. The mad dash away from the alley made him almost wonder how it was that he had been searching when he looked almost panicked. Yugi drew in a deep breath, waiting another long minute. Then another passed, followed by three more, and when the tenth finally swept by, he bent to loosen his legs. He strained his ears and his knees popped painfully.
Then he struggled to see further than the few feet of the street in front of him. His ears caught nothing and his eyes could not penetrate the shadows along the sidewalks. He drew in a deep breath, swallowing hard, and stumbled to his feet. He could remain there no longer…
His spine ached and popped in protest. His knees throbbed, feeling weak and wobbly. But they all held him as he began to take small steps forward.
He glanced around him cautiously once. Then he swallowed hard. His mouth was dry and his throat was sore. But he still managed to speak as he looked about himself in the darkness.
"Yami?"
It was no more than a pathetic whisper. For a moment he thought to speak louder. Then the impulse faded. The weight of it collapsed into nothingness. He paused and used the wall to brace himself. If he spoke louder, then whoever it was—because that thing was not Ryou; he knew that—might turn back. Who knew if they had not already circled back and was just waiting?
He drew in a deep breath and strained his ears again. But his senses were not like Yami's. He could barely hear past his own horrified breathing and the pounding of his heart. And the popping of his ears may have faded, but the pain made them throb. Yugi sighed and glanced around again.
He remained unanswered.
The force of the blow made him almost lash out in his annoyance.
Then he froze in place. There were footsteps.
They were headed towards him.
His head snapped around in horror.
There was more than one person—and they were rapidly closing distance.
Oh gods, had someone else followed him there?
Had the other boy run off for reinforcements? Were they in league to catch him?
"Yami, please—"
"Yugi?" a familiar voice called. He froze, eyes growing wide in shock. Then he blinked and turned around as the shock crept through him. Was it a trick? But it didn't seem like that was possible and he was so desperate to have it be real… "You around here, buddy?"
Yugi hesitated for only a moment. "Yami?" he pleaded softly. The Puzzle tingled against his abdomen, heated with a soft warmth as if in answer. He reached up to lightly run a finger over it. Then he shivered. So Yami would not help him. But Joey would.
"Yeah, Joey, I'm over here…"
He was amazed that he was even capable of speaking so loudly. But it sounded so small and pathetic in his ears. And it took him a minute to finally relax enough to appear casual as he noticed two shapes coming quickly towards him. His heart skipped and shook. The shadow of a skirt alerted him to the knowledge that it was Tea with Joey. The two of them were rapidly closing in on him.
He struggled to still his breathing again. He held the Puzzle between his fingers. The soft heat seemed to spread through his fingers and up into his bones, trailing along his marrow and veins. They both slowed as they noticed him fully, pausing in the entrance of the alleyway and considering him.
Then Joey noticed him and came bounding forward. And Tea grumbled but quickly tried to get to his side as well. Yugi was almost so relieved as to fall over. His heart was truly pounding and his breathing was frosty. He gazed at them, unbearably weak, his chest aching with hurt and horror and desperation and need. And oh gods, did he need them…
Joey was the first to his side. He blinked, straining his eyes. But, even in the dark, the taller boy could see that his friend's face was incredibly pale. He looked ghostly, ashen in shade. His eyes were dilated hideously, the whites of them hardly visible. His shoulders were drooping visibly. It was hard—and impossible—to take in all of his features due to their school uniform. It shielded most of his body and held it in a shade of black he could not decipher. But he could see a small tremor racking his frame with each breath. And, as he listened, he noticed a soft but distinct wheeze which came with each inhale.
"Fuck, are you okay?"
Yugi blinked at him, confused. Did he not look okay? He nearly cursed under his breath. When he opened his mouth to say he was fine, he found himself frozen. He had made the mistake of looking at Tea. And her expression was a mask of horror. Her hand covered her mouth and her eyes were wide and shiny as if she might burst into tears. The other hand grasped at her shirt in a nervous fidget.
He frowned, glancing between them. But his confusion was becoming rapidly lopsided. Yami had slammed him into the wall. And his ribcage was still throbbing with the pain of it. He probably looked as he had felt upon being hit—as if a semi-truck had run him over, dragged him several feet, and tossed him into a neighboring building. The strength the deity had put behind the hit had been so immense he could not think of a single thing more hideous to feel.
He had never been hit so hard.
It made Ushio's punches and kicks feel like the lightest brushes of a feather.
He must have looked incredibly weak to them. And he probably seemed stupid for going into the alley as it was. Even with the dim lighting, he was sure that he looked like a pale impersonation of himself.
"What are you guys doing here?" he asked instead, shaking his head slowly to emphasize his confusion. Maybe he could get them talking about that instead and they might cease to notice… His head pounded with the movement. He reached up to rub at his head in order to keep from wincing.
Joey hesitated for a moment. Then he reached back to rub his own head. His expression had grown sheepish where the streetlight touched it. Yugi blinked at him, startled. "I…kind of got this really weird feeling that you might need us. I couldn't shake it off and eventually I swear I saw the alley in my head and decided to come and see for myself…" he explained uncomfortably. Yugi swore he thought he was blushing. And he might have teased him for it if he were not so exhausted. "And, it turns out that it was a really good idea to come over this way. You look like you're about to keel over."
"I feel like it too," he grumbled, rolling his eyes and glancing over his shoulder. But his words had struck a nerve. He had seemed inclined to come to the alley. It had appeared in his head. If that was what had happened, was it the Puzzle or Yami himself that had sent them to him? He did not know if the deity could influence another's thoughts beyond his own. And the Puzzle was an anomaly with no rules and magic he could never hope to decipher…
"What happened?" Tea asked quietly, startling him for a moment. He turned back, ashamed and horrified. He had almost forgotten she was even there. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
Yugi almost laughed out loud. He choked on the noise and it came in a strangled huff of breath. It sounded almost shocked, as if her words had startled him. Both she and Joey swapped looks at the hideous echo of it in the stiff air.
What would they say if he were to tell them that it wasn't a ghost but a god that had he had just seen?
And that something wearing Ryou's face had managed to freak that mentioned god out enough to force him to flee?
He almost giggled.
Oh gods, a ghost was nothing in comparison.
"I…I started feeling dizzy all of the sudden," he lied. He bit the inside of his keep to keep the shame at bay. He could not stand to lie to them but he could not explain himself. And Yami was at risk if he should try. His teeth cut through more forcefully. The pain almost made him yelp. But it also cleared his head if only slightly. "I'm just exhausted. I think I need to sit down…"
"We'll get you home and then you can sit down," Joey promised in a mutter. He shook his head slightly and moved to grab him around the shoulder, supporting his slight weight on one side. Tea quickly came to his other side as if he might weigh too much for the blond, and both of them were hunched somewhat as they began to walk towards the game shop.
Had he not been so grateful for their appearance, he might have shooed them off. They had to go home as well. And, after hours of being at the arcade together, he had not wanted much company beyond Yami…
The thought made him glance back. But there was no sign of the deity and again he was forced to wonder if it was the Puzzle or Yami who had brought the two of them to him. And then, his mind circulated backwards. What was it that could have scared Yami into running?
It took him thirty minutes of sitting on the couch talking to them about nothing in particular to allow him to relax fully. He had shooed away their concern and claimed that he was simply dizzy, had taken the shortest route home. But then he'd ended up feeling worse and he'd slowed down before he knew it. And somehow they had come when he probably needed them most.
They both still shot him skeptical looks even around the movie on the television screen. But his state of being made them immediately more concerned. And Tea was especially bad at hiding her horrified, shocked look. He did not bother to comment, however, and let the two of them pick at the channels to watch.
Yugi was stretched out on the couch, lying across it with his legs up. Joey and Tea were arguing over which of the cast played the best character. The smaller teen was ignoring them for the most part. He did not bother to do more than shake his head and grin at them when they tried to draw him in on the conversation.
It was not a question of which character was best with plagued his mind. Rather, he was ensnared with the one thing that horrified him beyond comprehension. Even with their presence, he was rendered unable to think straight nor to pretend against it as it howled in his mind.
Yami had fled. He had quite literally fled. He had run as if there was no other choice for him. And the sad thing was, as Yugi analyzed it further, it was not a strategic move. He had simply cowered and run. He had surrendered Yugi to whatever outside force there was that had posed such a threat to him. If the other boy had decided to come into the alley, Yugi would have been defenseless.
He had ditched him to be killed.
He could not fathom it fully. His existence ensured Yami's.
How was it that a single thing could make him forget that? It could have very easily have cost him his life to leave him behind as he had. It made no sense. Yami was not a coward. And his survival would push him to do anything he had to.
He knew that the deity would rather fight than make a retreat. No matter what odds were stacked against him, he was more likely to lash out than turn away. He knew, without thinking about it, that Yami had gone after Ushio that night even with his breathing problems. He had trailed him until he reached a certain location. And then he had challenged him. And he'd kicked his ass and given him a brain tumor and ruined his life. He'd marked him as a snack for a later day.
Yugi shivered.
Tea looked over but he ignored her.
Would he have come back if that second entity had followed him?
Was that even a possibility? With how quickly Yami had run, was it accurate to even consider such a thing? Would he have turned around rescued him had things gone differently? Or was that simply wistful thinking?
Was it as simple as his abandonment meaning that he would need to fend for himself? Or was there somehow something more to it?
Was there some part of it that Yugi was not aware of?
Yugi could not tell. Yami would never tell him either. He was sick when he got to his feet. His body was shaking and his heart was in his throat. His skin was clammy, he realized in horror. And when they both looked up at him, Yugi could not think to speak. He simply made a quick, mad dash for the bathroom.
They were calling after him. He could hear their voices around the toilet seat hitting the tank. But his retching drowned them out.
What possible force in any world could have made Yami falter like that?
Was it more powerful?
Was it some kind of threat that Yami could not face?
Was that what was killing him?
Was there a way to stop it?
Was there any chance that Yami could ever face it?
Yugi shuddered and puked again. He groaned softly even as his friends shouted again from behind the door, demanding to know if he was okay. Yugi very nearly snarled at them that of course he was not fucking okay. How the fuck could he be? But the words died on his tongue. They had no idea what was going on.
He had isolated himself from them the moment he had begun to let Yami into his life. And, maybe in time that rift could be healed, but for now it would remain raw and jagged. For now he simply reached to flush the toilet, lay his arm on the edge of the seat, and pressed his face into the crook of his elbow.
