My One Promise
Wow, four stories on the go! Luckily for me, it's summer; so I can update as frequently as I need to. But I'm also feeling a little down; my one-shot fic that I've been working on for the past few days wasn't that big of a hit. 'One More Day With You' was a total knockout *sigh*. I guess people just don't like angst-y fics, ne? Here's a couple of comments to reviews people have left:
StormDriger: Thanks for your review. I've noticed that you've reviewed almost all my stories. Thanks a bunch for that! A Yugi plushie for ya ^_~
rox: I'm glad you like my story. I noticed that you too have been with me a lot. I appreciate it! A Yugi plushie for you too ^_^!
Yami Kari: Did I really make you cry that much? I'm sorry T_T. But if you really don't like sad fics, then . . .maybe you shouldn't read this chapter. (eep, spoiling it!) But thanks for your review! A really big Yugi plushie for you to cheer you up!
Solarious: *rubs her sore head* Owwie! I'm sorry for not updating as quickly as I should be, but I was in exams at the time, so updating was a little hard to do (also considering I have three other fics on the go as well which need updating too.) And don't worry, I would never abandon this fic!! But anyway, I'm glad you liked that part. I did too ^_^.
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, however, Yugi was the only one injured in the making of this fic (how's THAT for honestly? ^_~)
** Words inside these marks are lyrics from the song 'My Last Breath' by Evanescence. For full effects of this fic, listen to the song!**
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"You're Yami!" Joey cried out, raising his arm and pointing straight at the former pharaoh. Everyone kept their gaze towards the stunned spirit, who remained unusually silent for the moment being.
"This is quite fascinating," Bakura said to himself, leaning a bit forward to get a better view of the essence ahead. The others, including Yugi's grandfather, just continued to stare. But after a minute, the pharaoh broke the silence.
"You're . . .able to see me?" he asked, raising a curious brow and tilting his head.
"By the looks of it . . ." Joey replied, slightly sarcastic. He didn't mean to be, it was just rather surprising to actually be able to see the guy Yugi was always talking about.
Yami was still a little confused, but almost as if it didn't happen, he turned his gaze back down to his ill-stricken aibou. And with his free hand (the other was still holding onto Yugi's hand; which occasionally fell through his own hand totally because he wasn't fully solid yet), he gently brushed back a few strands of blond hair from the younger teen's pallid face.
'This is rather frightening,' Yugi's grandfather thought to himself. "He's the exact spirit I encountered in the Pharaoh's tomb many years ago. It was because of this spirit that I just had to adopt Yugi in the first place!' Sugoroku was busy, deep in his thoughts – wondering if the puzzle had something to do with the old pharaoh being here.
"So this . . .is Yami . . ." Téa said to herself, her face turning a slight shade of red as she looked the spirit over. She remembered his voice from before, but never actually knew that he looked so much like Yugi did. His scarlet eyes looked so determined; so hostile. And it was because of these faint eyes that Téa found herself falling immediately in love with the pharaoh.
Soon, however, she snapped out of her trance when her eyes had shifted towards the sickly form of Yugi. He looked so . . .feeble, lying there helplessly as the giant machine continued with helping him breathe. He also seemed to be sweating more, with a face that proceeded to get paler as the sky was darker. This was her best friend . . .her companion since grade school. How could this happen? More importantly, why did it have to happen? To Yugi of all people!? She could feel the warm tears well up behind her eyes again. Téa was one person who didn't like to see anyone suffer.
"Yugi," She found herself crying out. And before she could help herself, Anzu launched herself towards the door, flinging it open and running out. She just couldn't bear to see her friend in pain anymore.
"Téa!" Both Tristan and Joey shouted, running to the door and looking down the hallway – to see where their female friend had run off to. After a quick moment, they both shook their heads and retreated within the hospital room. "Well Gramps, I think it'd be best if we got Téa home." Joey stated, looking towards the old man sympathetically. He himself did not want to go, but he knew that deep inside that he, much like Téa, could not stand to see Yugi in agony much longer.
"Yeah, we'll stop by again tomorrow," Tristan said, taking one last look at Yugi and heading towards the door. He too, found it rather difficult to see a good friend in such pain. But trying his best to shake the horrid images from his mind, he opened the door once again and let himself out. But Mr. Mutou's voice halted him the second he was outside.
"I'll walk you all downstairs. I'm going to get a quick coffee from down there," he declared, rising to his feet once again from his leather-padded seat. He took a firm look at his grandson, then the spirit hovering above him, and figured it'd be all right if he left Yugi there just for a while. He wouldn't be gone too long, and besides, the doctor wouldn't be back to check up on him for at least another hour. So, knowing this, he followed Joey and Tristan out into the hallway, where he very carefully closed the wooden door behind him.
At the very second the door was closed, Yugi's eyes somehow managed to open the slightest bit. He looked up towards his yami, who had suddenly become a lot more visible and physical. This confused Yami, seeing as now he was freely able to pick up Yugi's hand without it falling through his own every once and a while. But when he saw that his aibou's eyes had opened, he felt like he would burst out crying at any given moment.
"Yugi!" he said happily, placing his arms carefully under his hikari and lifting him slightly; enough as to hug him closely without causing him any pain. He was just so happy that the one he loved (friendship-wise) most was finally awake. Was this a sign that the illness was lifting?
His question was soon answered, however, as Yugi's left hand suddenly lifted from the bed. It found its way to Yami's shirt, where the younger one grasped it as tightly as his body would let him (which wasn't much at all). The pharaoh looked down at his aibou's grip on his shirt, wondering why he was doing this. But upon looking back up, he saw the tears that had begun falling down Yugi's ashen cheeks. This struck him deeply, as he himself was trying his best not to cry.
"Yugi? Aibou . . .what's the matter? Do you need something? Are you in pain -" Yugi's hold on his yami's shirt suddenly got tighter at the mention of pain. Yami had guessed that Yugi was feeling a substantial amount of it. Feeling an unexplained quantity of remorse, the darker one ran his hands through his hikari's hair, knowing that it always used to comfort him. "Don't worry, my light. I promised that I'd always look out for you, and by my own soul I swear I'll keep that covenant too."
For quite a few moments, not another word was spoken between the two. Yami still had Yugi wrapped protectively in his arms, whilst Yugi's grip on the pharaoh's shirt didn't seem to relapse either. That is, until there was a moment when Yami felt himself become increasingly stronger. He seemed dumb struck; still not understanding why he was becoming stronger and more conspicuous.
He figured it out just then.
It was slightly hard to see, but he swore that, as his body was becoming more tangible, Yugi's body steadily becoming weaker and more faded.
** Hold on to me love,
you know I can't stay long -
all I wanted to say was I love you and I'm not afraid …**
"Ya . . .mi," Yugi breathed out, another crystal tear falling from his reddened eye. He struggled against his pain, desperate to try and communicate with his darker half. But due to the curse he was under, he wasn't able to speak with Yami through their mind-link anymore. It had been severed somehow.
** Can you hear me?
Can you feel me in your arms? **
"Aibou! Oh thank Ra! You're fighting it, aren't you?" the pharaoh stated, feeling very proud of his light for putting up such a well-fought battle. But when Yugi managed to gently shake his head, Yami was taken aback – completely puzzled.
Suddenly, the machine Yugi was attached to started beeping faster. The dark one looked to be even more confused now, obviously not understanding machines very well. But he quickly caught on as to what it was signalling; the short teen's breath was rapidly increasing. It looked to him as though Yugi wasn't able to keep his breath in, so he was gasping for more air in attempts of satisfying his lungs' needs.
** Holding my last breath;
safe inside myself,
are all my thoughts of you -
sweet raptured light, it ends here tonight …**
"C'mon Yugi, fight it!" Yami cried, letting his other half go from the hug and grasping his wrists instead. He pulled on them lightly, hoping that Yugi would get the message. It seemed to work (luckily for him), because the machine was once again beginning to calm itself down. The light's breath was regulating itself back to normal. A sigh of relief followed as it had managed to escape from Yami's firm lips. 'What was that all about?' He asked himself mentally.
** I'll miss the winter;
a world of fragile things.
Look for me in the white forest
hiding in a hollow tree (come find me) …**
"I . . .I'm sorry," came Yugi's frail voice just moments later. His head was now beginning to droop pitiably, while his breathing wasn't getting faster; it was getting slower. The pharaoh craned his neck downwards; wondering why on earth his aibou would apologise for something that wasn't even his fault. Did he know something that Yami didn't? The dark one scowled, a sudden feeling taking over his entire body.
Enough was enough. He couldn't help it anymore – couldn't fight it. The translucent tears welled up unintentionally behind his eyes, which soon managed to cascade their way down Yami's cheeks (only to land on Yugi's already damp face). Why, my Yugi? Why are you doing this to me?
** I know you hear me -
I can taste it in your tears. **
Using what little strength he had had left, Yugi opened his eyes the littlest bit, peering up at his yami with pain-filled eyes. He had felt the small droplets splash on his face, evidently showing the pharaoh's grief and apprehension.
Through all the pain; all the suffering little Yugi was going through – he used the last possible amount of strength he had left to smile. One of both hope and assurance. For no matter what happened to him, Yugi would be all right . . .and he showed this in his smile. But his eyes, once again, were beginning to close. But this time, they were definitely going to close - forever.
** Closing your eyes to disappear,
you pray your dreams will leave you here.
But still you wake and know the truth -
no one's there …**
Yami saw this, but also realised that he had become solid. He no longer had the showings that he was ever a spirit at all. But instead of gladdening him, this only made him furious and flustered. For this, as he just recently figured out, meant that Yugi was dying. That he was going to become the ghostly spirit; only able to stay because of his attachment to the Millennium Puzzle.
Yami wasn't about to let that happen.
"Yugi! Come on, stay with me!" he cried out, tears rushing down his face worse then ever. But still, the light's eyes continued to close.
** Say goodnight …**
"Yugi, please?!"
** Don't be afraid …**
"YUGI!!"
** Calling me . . .
Calling me . . .
As you fade . . . to black . . .**
And it was true. Yugi's vision then began to cloud over, his view of the pharaoh going blurry. And within a mere few seconds, everything he knew – everything he hoped for and loved . . .had gone black. His breathing soon after ceased, as well as his faint-beating heart.
Yami yelled as loud as he could, his cry beckoning anyone who heard him to join in the sorrow; the loss of an angel.
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I can't believe it! I killed Yugi! Well, I can't really go and say that. Something might happen that will bring Yugi back, and something might not happen. I dunno yet, haven't thought that far. Well anyway, another chapter down (I'm guessing around two more to go). Thanks again to those who've reviewed. I'd appreciate it lots if you left me more! Heehee, arigatou!
© Chibi Kai Lover: 2003
