A big thanks to my beta, DreamixAngel, for putting up with my random bouts of nonsense. :) *Large round of applause*
I can't say that everything's okay
'Cause I can see the tears you're crying
And I can't promise to take the pain away
But you can know I won't stop trying
Angel by Your Side- Francesca Battisteli
It had been a rough weekend, to say the least. Yugi refused to speak to anyone, he simply curled into a ball, dead to the world, occasionally crying into someone's chest. Even his closest friends couldn't get a word out of him.
The doctors offered to give him some therapy to help him heal mentally, but he wouldn't hear of it and just shook his head, going back to his own world as he curled back into his little ball.
Every day, Atemu, Tea, Joey and Tristan would come to see their friend. Shortly after they would get there, Annie would arrive. She wouldn't say a word, simply watch Yugi silently.
Sunday came and went, the group leaving a little earlier than usual, leaving Yugi and Annie alone.
"I understand that you're hurtin' and nothing I do can stop that right now, but I am here for you, anytime." She reached into the pocket of her jeans, pulling out a dark blue Motorola Razor phone* and handed it to him.
"If you need to talk, my home number is the first one on the contacts screen,"
Yugi stared at the phone in his palm, as Annie left, promising to stop by on Monday.
~Monday~
Yugi was finally released from the hospital on that day, his injuries having healed up nicely, save for a few lingering bruises. Elicia, Annie's older sister, had been overjoyed to hear that Yugi would be living with them over the summer and would be meeting Ann at their house.
Looking through the rear-view mirror in her truck, Annie could see Yugi staring out the window, lost in thought, as she turned into the driveway of her home.
"I wish there was some way to comfort him."
The Jonee sisters' home was a three-bedroom single level, with meticulously groomed landscape.
A raven haired woman was chopping vegetables in the kitchen, her olive eyes resting on the Midnight Blue Ford F150 as it pulled up next to the emerald 2000 Corvette.
The house was a one-story, blue and beige with light mocha shutters. It seemed just right for three people.
Annie gently urged Yugi inside, opening the door and holding a bag from the hospital.
The small entryway opened up into a large county-style kitchen, where a raven haired girl was chopping vegetables. The kitchen was large and inviting, the white walls and light hardwood floor gave it a laid-back feel. Clear glass on several cabinets allowed the display of dishes, giving it a modern-meets-southern look.
"Wow, this place is nice," thought Yugi, taking in his surroundings.
"Wilma, I'm home!" Joked Annie
The ravenette chuckled. "I was wondering when you would get here."
Eyeing the vegetables and the stew pot on the stove, Ann spoke. "Anything I can do?"
Elicia turned and surveyed the kitchen, her gaze landing on Yugi. "Get him settled in, I'll worry about supper."
Ann nodded, motioning Yugi to follow. He did follow, but walked slower as if he's afraid.
Walking into the living room, which was connected to the kitchen, she took him down a tiny hallway, opening the door to his temporary room.
Beige walls with small, orange stripe, chocolate coloured curtains and a birch wood floor, desk and a dresser along the side of the bed gave the room a kind of boyish look.
Setting the hospital bag down on the green, black and brown striped bedspread, Annie turned to her companion, a nostalgic smile on her face.
"This used tah be my younger brothah's room. He stayed here for about three months until he went back to help Momma n' Daddy. Elicia and I meant to redecorate this room, but didn't have the heart to do it."
Images flooded Annie's mind of the good times she had with her brother before he had left.
"Don't cry, you don't want to upset Yugi by making him feel unwelcome." She thought.
Walking over to stand in the doorway, Annie spoke once more.
"Well, I'm going to go change and go help Ellie with supper. I'll come and get you when it's time to eat." She walked out, shutting the door quietly behind her.
Yugi climbed under the covers, the toll of many sleepless nights making his eyelids feel like lead. He fell into a dreamless sleep, comforted by the cosy room and the feeling of safety.
Elicia watched her sister come out of Yugi's room, heading for her own, frowning as Annie stopped to look sadly at a photo on the wall before walking into her room, shaking her head.
Elicia sighed, adding a pound of hamburger to the soup she was making.
Perhaps Yugi can help me heal, too.
A gentle shaking woke Yugi from his slumber. Elicia was standing over him, smiling kindly, a soup ladle in her right hand.
"Dinner is ready. Do you think you could get Annie? I need to set the table."
Yugi nodded silently, abandoning the warm sheets and rubbing the sleep from his eyes before standing.
He stretched several times before opening the door, heading into the hallway.
He noticed a medium-sized picture on the wall, with a dark metal frame.
It was a picture of Annie and a sandy-haired boy with crimson eyes, both grinning like Cheshire cats. The picture must have been taken at the beach, as Annie was wearing an off-white one-piece. It was high-cut, a crochet lace connecting the bathing suit's top and bottom.
The boy in the picture was wearing light blue, Hawaiian floral swim trunks and had a white towel over his shoulder.
Elicia answered his silent question as she walk past him. "His name is Rian. Annie dated him up until we moved here. They didn't think they could keep a long distance relationship. Ann thought he was the one, too."
Yugi continued to Annie's room, knocking on the door. She didn't hear him knock, as she was deep in thought, in the middle of changing out of her street clothes for something more comfortable.
Deeming her asleep, Yugi opened the door, reddening at what he saw.
Annie's cream-colored skin was exposed, her underwear leaving little to his imagination. She was currently pulling a shirt off its hanger, her back to him.
Frozen, Yugi simply stared at the oblivious brunette.
In several places her skin was horribly twisted, long pale scars overlapping across her body, the worst extending from her right thigh to just past her knee.
But the scars weren't the only thing Yugi noticed.
On her lower back a tattoo contrasted with her light skin. 'Walk by faith' was written in a dark purple script, a dove on either end, as if holding the text in the air.
A second tattoo was on her left shoulder, a stunning brown and white winged wolf.
In seemingly slow motion, Annie turned around, her eyes widening.
She screamed at the sight behind her.
* I Finally got the Just Plain Awkward scene in this chapter! Yay*
*Tried to add more of Annie and Yugi's feelings and thoughts and tried and introduce Rian into the story as well, he'll become an important character later on.*
Rian is pronounced like Ryan
Annie's bathing suit: http:/ /www. divine secrets of adomestic diva. com/ wp-content/ uploads/ 2011 /07/crochet- bathing- suit .jpg
*Ann's phone: http:/ panasystem. com /ebay /Motorola% 20V3% 20Blue. jpg
Ann's Tattoo (Back): http:/ / www .rankmytattoos. com/f /wmimages/ christian-tattoo- 118199473 513533. jpg
Ann's Tattoo (Shoulder): http:/ /static .lulilab. com/1020/starsz/tabimages/ WingedWolf .jpg
Thanks to:
Alice's Sister
AmiaraDemon
BloodGoddess
CharraCharraNya
cutebajanqueen
DreamixAngel
FireFox Vixen
HeartXCrossbones
lonewolfgirl-sademo588
midnight13731
PuppyProngs
SailorXPrincessXHalloween
Sammiieeoo
SecretHikari
Xiaoqing
cmoverkitty
Crescent Moon Lady
HikariYugi
ImmortalAngel92
Redglowingheart
Roxie-fearlessstorm
the2016TC
insanesanity8393
For 23 Favs & Alerts! That blows my mind!
Elicia:http:/ /i 558 .photo bucket .com / albums /ss26/ N3rdyMuffiN /Green_eyes- Anime. jpg
Ann and Elicia's house: http:/ /alt. coxnews web. com/ cnishared /tools/shared/ mediahub/01 /18/00/ slideshow _1001819084 _1107WHATYOUGET _HOMES_SUB_5070160. JPG .jpg
Kitchen: http:/www. houseinterior design. net /wp-content/ uploads/ 2011/05/Country-Kitchen-Design .jpg
Annie's Bedroom :http:/ / thelennoxx .files. word press. com/ 2009/09/jfjfof. jpg
Elicia's Bedroom:http:/ / sandraespinet .typepad .com/ .a/6a00e 55194 2682 883 3014e 8916 4946 970d -800 wi
Chase/Yugi's bedroom:http:/ /1. bp .blogspot .com/-5 Aznlc2wJUY/T l4zzXBgjkI/AAAAAAA AARI/UQ 6m2xfDzf g/s1600 /09_9 10-495x3 64. jpg
Living room:http:/ /www. jamieher zlinger. com/ blog /wp-content/ uploads/ 2010/11/885-06a0004- rebalance .jpg
