First and foremost…408 reviews!? I LOVE YOU ALL!! *huggles each and every reviewer*
Difinity: -.- Well chapter 14 stunk.
Yami: Yup. Sure did.
Difinity: …I'll agree with you on that one.
Yami: ^_^ Finally
Difinity: But don't count on it happening in the future ^_^
Yami: =_=() I won't
Yugi: Aw, poor Yami *huggles Yami*
Yami: ^______________________^
Difinity: Yeah, I figured you'd like that ^_~
Yugi: ^O^
Difinity: And we have someone helping us today! Meet Shining December!
Shining December: Hi! ^_^
Yugi: Oh, I like your name! It sounds really nice ^_^
Difinity: Yugi's fond of pretty names. Ne, Yugi-chan?
Yugi: ^-^ *blush*
Yami: O-kay, that's enough of that
Shining December: Aw Yami, don't be like that ^_~
Yami: Eh? *blush*
Yugi: *blink*
Shining December: Aw! You guys are just so cute! *huggles Yami and Yugi*
Yugi: ^_^
Yami: _^
Shining December: I never knew Yami liked being hugged! *squeezes harder*
Difinity: He'll eventually start to hate it again XD
Shining December: Well, I'm sorry to hear that Yami!
Yami: T_T
Yugi: On with the story! …Yami? Daijabou desu ka?
Yami: T_T
Disclaimer: I wish I did, but I don't. *sigh*
Note: This story contains Yaoi, shounen-ai, Anzu bashing, and all that good stuff. If you don't like it, then why are you here? No offence to all the Anzu fans out there! ^O^
'…' is thinking "…" is speaking
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Land of Forever
By: Difinity
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"Have you got anything planned out for winter break?" Yugi asked eagerly, eyes bright and shining. Yami grinned at his friend's enthusiasm, knowing fully well what he wanted to do during the holiday break. The two boys sat in a café, warm and cozy, protected from the cold snow that was covering the city of Domino outside. Yugi looked around the café, his face radiant and looking adorable in his winter outfit. Yami looked at his friend, capturing the small boy's gaze for a moment. Yami reached out and took a hold of Yugi's hand. The amethyst-eyed boy looked away, a blush creeping up his cheeks. The taller of the two grinned as he pressed his lips against Yugi's hand softly.
"I know exactly what I want to do during winter break," Yami said, smiling broadly at the blushing boy in front of him. "And who I want to spend it with." Yugi looked at him with wide eyes, his blush deepening greatly. It took all the will-power Yami could must to NOT pull Yugi forward and kiss him senseless. Still, he enjoyed just having a strong friendship with the boy, and decided not to rush things. Besides, it was still uncertain to Yami if Yugi had been experiencing the same feelings towards him. Every moment he spent with Yugi was memorable. Every moment he treasured.
"Ano…," Yugi said, obviously flustered. "Aha, ano, a-after we're done here, w-where do you want to go?" Yami smiled, standing up as he kept Yugi's hand in his own. The smaller boy's heart skipped a beat, his knees growing weak. Yami pulled him out into the snow covered streets, the snow flakes rapidly accumulating. The shorter of the two looked up in awe, and felt Yami squeeze his hand gently. He looked over at Yami, and saw something in the taller boy's shining ruby-eyes. Yugi looked deep into the fiery orbs, looking for a trace of mischief or a glimmering hint of teasing. He found nothing. All he could see was Yami's eyes shining in adoration, and an emotion that looked stronger, but Yugi couldn't quite place it.
"So, where do we go?" Yugi asked.
Acting on what he was feeling, Yami leaned close and softly rubbed his nose against Yugi's. The smaller boy blushed brightly, startled by Yami's actions, yet feeling a warm, familiar tugging at his heart.
"Wherever you want to go, ore no tenshi*," Yami said, winking. Yugi nearly fainted at the nickname, but slowly lost his balance for a brief moment. Yami allowed Yugi to lean against him, but brushed his lips across the boy's forehead before doing so. Yugi felt nothing but trust and adoration from the flirtatious actions that Yami was making. Though they made him uneasy and insecure, Yugi loved them, and never wanted Yami to stop. He felt Yami tug his hand gently, leading him on. Yugi nodded and followed him.
'Then again,' Yugi thought. 'I'd follow him anywhere in the world.'
~*~
"Yugi? What are you doing here?" Jou asked, surprised. The small boy giggled and placed his index finger over his lips.
"Shh, me and Yami are having a snowball fight. I don't want him to find me," Yugi explained, winking up at the tall blonde. Jou nodded in understanding, not paying attention to the ruby-eyed boy that stood behind him. Yami held his breath as he continued to mold his snowball into a perfect sphere. Yugi continued to look forward, unaware of the lurking, madly grinning boy that was preparing to stuff a snowball down his shirt. Yami lunged onto Yugi, stuffing the cold, ball of ice down the smaller one's back. Yugi yelped loudly, along with Jou, who shrieked out loud. Yami broke out into laughter, not believing the girlish squeal came from Jou.
Yugi laughed along with him, his laughter ceasing as he noticed how handsome Yami looked when he laughed. His smile was gorgeous and it made him so much happier and at ease with everyone, instead of the scowl or frown that was always pasted on his face. He looked like a completely different person when he smiled genuinely, his eyes would shine bright and light up his expression. Why Yami never smiled more often, Yugi didn't know, but if he loved Yami, he would find out.
"It's starting to snow again!" Yugi cried out happily. Jou laughed while Yami smiled and looked at Yugi. The small boy began to catch snowflakes with his tongue, and Jou joined alone with him. Yugi looked so innocent that way, enjoying the snow, having fun with friends, and just being a normal teenager. Yami wondered if Yugi had ever been this happy with someone else back in his home in Kyoto. Yami hoped he didn't, wanting to be the only person to show Yugi true happiness. The ruby-eyed boy continued to watch Yugi carefully as he got up to start a snow war with Jou. Yugi's face lit up brightly, cheeks flushed red with excitement. His laughter rang in Yami's ears, his heart pounding wildly at how innocent it sounded.
Though Yugi had been through many things in his life, he was always so optimistic about things. He always looked on the brighter side of life, trying to light up a little happiness in someone. His natural gift was to love and care for people, making them happy and giving them a sense of hope. It was hard to believe that someone would hate him, but unfortunately, there were people who didn't like the young boy's kind spirit. It saddened Yami to see people hate such an adorable boy. Not only was he very cute, he was kind, gentle and understanding, which was hard to find in anyone. He stood up and looked around. There were so many people who were enjoying the fun-filled winter day at Domino Park. Yami wondered if he ever wanted to do something like this when he was young. He wondered if Melanie ever wanted to go out and play, and pretend to be a naïve little child without a care in the world.
Yugi cheerful call startled Yami out of his train of thought. The hyper boy ran up to Yami, clasping Yami's hands in his own.
"What now?" he asked, eyes filled with curiosity.
Yami smiled at him. "Let's go home," he said softly.
~*~
Yugi snuggled closer to Yami, pressing his face against the taller boy's side. He sighed contentedly, eyes watching the lively fire in front of him dance wildly. Through all the warmth and haze, he barely noticed Yami's arm wrap securely around his waist, pulling him closer to Yami's side. Not that Yugi would've complained, of course. His eyelids felt heavy, but the small boy refused to sleep, wanting to be awake during every moment of sweet bliss. He heard Yami sigh softly, resting his head atop his own. Yugi swore he could feel Yami grin against his hair, but decided to keep the humorous thought to himself.
"Comfy, Yugi?" Yami murmured.
"Mm, very comfy," Yugi said, his voice slightly muffled by Yami's side. The two sat there together, watching the fire dance wildly, enjoying each other's company. Yugi's heart swelled with happiness, not wanting the moment to end. He shut his eyes as he heard the faint sound of Mrs. Mutou's grand piano. She was quite skilled, and her music made the amethyst-eyed boy contented and feel at peace. No wonder he had taken a liking to the lovely woman instantly. He felt Yami murmur against his hair, inducing sleep even further. Yami took Yugi's hand in his own, and intertwined his fingers with the smaller boy's.
"You make me very happy Yugi…," Yami said, eyes shut, nuzzling Yugi's hair. "You know that?" Yugi blushed warmly, not caring anymore. Sleep was beginning to claim him, dragging him downwards into the peaceful bliss. He nodded slightly before shutting his eyes and completely relaxing against Yami's warm body. Yami felt Yugi relax and knew that the small boy had fallen asleep. He smiled softly, looking down at the small gift from God that was cuddled against him.
Yami yawned as well, feeling drowsy in the romantic haze. He lay back, holding Yugi close to him, wrapping both his arms securely around the small boy. He pressed his lips against Yugi's cheek, loving the tender feeling of Yugi's silky cheek against his aching lips. Yugi pressed his face against Yami's chest, seeking more warmth. Yami positioned himself so that he and Yugi would be comfortable. The large room was silent, the sound of the fire crackling and Yugi's gentle breathing the only sounds in the room. Yami held Yugi tightly, loving the way the small boy fit perfectly in his arms. It was as if Yugi was made especially for Yami to hold.
Yami looked down at the sleeping wonder, wanting to press his lips so badly against Yugi's that his heart ached. To keep him at bay, he would occasionally press his lips against Yugi's forehead, earning a sweet smile from the small boy. Such wonders couldn't be real, but Yami thanked God for sending down the sweet angel he was holding at that moment. Everything was right in the world.
It was at that moment that something hit Yami's heart, opening his eyes to the truth.
He had fallen in love with sweet, innocent, Mutou Yugi.
Yami yawned again, accepting his newly found fact, pulling the boy he loved more than anything in the world, closer to him. He shut his eyes, soon falling asleep along with his friend.
Mrs. Mutou emerged from the hallway, a woolen blanket in her arms. She approached the sofa, smiling with tears in her eyes as she looked at the two sleeping boys. She took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure after seeing such a beautiful thing. Mrs. Mutou covered the sleeping boys with the blanket, smoothing out Yami's hair and kissing Yugi's forehead. She stepped back, admiring the couple. Nothing looked sweeter than that, she was sure of it. The smiling woman stepped away, leaving the two alone to rest in each other's arms. Mrs. Mutou smiled lovingly, so happy that her son had found true love and happiness after so many years of being heartless and distant. Yami was now warm and loving, showing only his true self around the small, timid boy that had captured his heart completely.
She stood in the hallway, giving a lingering glance at the boys.
"Arigatou gozaimasu, Yugi-chan," she whispered. "For making my son so happy."
~*~
"So I'll see you tomorrow, huh?" Yami asked as Yugi put on his jacket.
"Yes," he replied softly. Yami looked out the window and saw that the driver was ready to take Yugi home.
"Oyasumi, Yugi," Yami said, squeezing the shorter boy's hand. Yugi smiled.
"Oyasumi nasai, Yami," Yugi said softly, quickly kissing Yami's cheek before he headed out the door. He waved good-bye, walking towards the dark vehicle that Yami's driver would use to take the short boy home. Yami looked at the car as it drove off into the distance, melting into the surroundings. The house was dark and alone again, just as it had been before. Melanie had already fallen asleep, and his mother was undoubtedly locked in her room, re-writing piano scores and such. His father had returned, but was busy in his study. Deciding that he needed to talk to his mother, Yami walked up the spiral staircase, hearing the faint sound of his mother's familiar grand piano.
He stepped inside the room, seeing his mother sitting at the piano bench, staring off into the night sky. The snow glistened outside as it continued to fall, the stars trying to break through the cloudy sky, eager to shine their light down on the earth. Yami walked over silently in the room, which glowed midnight blue, creating an eerie ambiance. His mother looked over at him, her expression slightly sad.
"Mom…," Yami trailed. She sat there, not moving, listening intently to her only son voice his words of compassion for the angelic boy that had entered his life so suddenly. "I…I…"
"I know, honey," she said softly, tears glistening in her eyes. "I know." She opened her arms to him, which Yami gratefully took. He wrapped his strong arms around his petite mother, needing someone to understand. She held him tightly, taking a shaky breath, wanting to take away any fears that Yami had. Love was a wonderful thing that no one should be afraid of. Yami shouldn't fear it either.
"I love Yugi, Mom. I really do," Yami said, after a moment of silence in the moonlit room. "But…"
"You're afraid," his mother finished gently for him. She touched his face, a tender smile spreading across her lips. "Yami…my only son, you have nothing to fear. You shouldn't be afraid of loving someone."
Yami looked away, knowing he was afraid. But what he was afraid of was still unclear to him. The path to the future seemed unclear and unstable. Without Yugi by his side, Yami was sure that he wouldn't have a future. But, how do you tell someone you love them? How do you voice the strongest emotion a human being can feel? There are no words for such a strong feeling. Actions can barely express it, yet there must be a way to show someone how much you love them. Everyday that Yami saw Yugi, he continued to fall in love with the boy even more, though Yami never realized it. The unconditional adoration Yami saw in Yugi's eyes couldn't begin to describe how much he loved him. Love was too strong, too…deep to express in words alone.
"Don't be afraid, Yami," Mrs. Mutou said softly in the spacious room. "Show him what's in your heart. Love him dearly, and he will love you in return. Don't ever think for a minute that Yugi doesn't love you as much as you love him."
Yami's eyes widened slightly, his heart nearly flying. But a new thought dawned on him; Until Yugi voiced the three words Yami longed to hear, then it was still uncertain. Yet something inside of Yami told him that his mother was right, that Yugi did in fact love him dearly. Yami just hoped it was the truth.
"Should I…tell him…?" Yami asked softly. His mother smiled.
"Tell him when you feel it, when you think it's the right time to do so," she whispered to her only son. "Never doubt your feelings, Yami. Your heart will never lie to you."
A lump formed inside of Yami's throat.
"Mom…"
~*~
Melanie woke up at hearing her parent's eager voices outside her room. She heard her brother ask many questions, but then the voices began to slowly fade away. Curiosity got the better of her, as she walked up and peeked out the door. Yami followed his parents to their father's office. After they shut the door, she silently scampered out of her room and walked towards her father's office. She waited for a moment, wondering whether or not she should go inside.
A memory came into her mind; She thought back to the day of the dance, and back to her conversation with Yami.
~*Flashback*~
"Nervous, ne?"
"You know you're not helping."
"Oh. Am I supposed to be helping?"
"Never mind."
The five year old titled her head to the side, staring at her brother, who would occasionally look in the mirror for a minute, then look out the window, and return to getting dressed, his cheeks slightly pink. Melanie sighed, wondering when her brother would just admit the fact that he liked Yugi very much. She was no master in love, but the dazed looks that Yami would sometimes give the wall, and the occasional mumbling of Yugi's name in his sleep was more than enough proof. Melanie hopped off her brother's bed, looking up at him, another very thick book in her arms. Yami stopped and glanced down at her, raising an eyebrow.
"You really like Yugi, don't you?" she asked innocently. Yami blushed and returned to fixing his neck buckle. "Oh just admit it," Melanie sighed. "There's nothing wrong with liking someone, and there's nothing wrong with you liking another guy. So don't you dare give me those lame excuses."
"I'm not ashamed of anything," Yami said calmly. "And I know there's nothing wrong with liking another guy."
"Then why don't you just admit it to yourself that you like Yugi?"
Yami opened his mouth to speak, but decided to not say anything.
Yami blinked. Melanie continued to hum, but looked up at her brother and smiled, her eyes warm and bright. 'But I love her anyway' Yami thought, smiling at his little sister. "You sure like singing, don't you?" Yami cooed. Melanie stuck out her tongue.
"Yes. But don't think that I'm going to go for some childish idealism and say, 'Oh! I wanna be a singer!' I'm not THAT naïve," she pouted, setting her book down. "I have plans for myself." Yami raised an eyebrow. "But, that will only be determined in my life's run."
Yami turned to fully face his younger sister, who now had her eyes closed. He knelt down to see eye-level with the prodigious girl. She opened an eye, then slowly opened the other, her expression one of slight confusion. Yami stared deep into her eyes with a serious expression, one that didn't fault.
"Onii-chan, nan-" Melanie was cut off by her brother's embrace. Her eyes widened slightly, surprised by Yami's sudden actions. Yami squeezed his sister gently in his arms, pulling the little girl close to him. Melanie patted his back slightly, still flustered. The ruby-eyed boy pulled away slightly and kissed his sister's forehead gently. He smiled at her warmly, showing her his special smile that he had only for her.
"Don't try to act all mature," he said softly. "Stay a kid." Yami winked at her and walked out the door.
Melanie blinked.
~*End Flashback*~
After shrugging the memory away, she walked closer to the door and pressed her ear against the door. She heard her mother and father's eager voices. At once, she heard someone slam their fist against something, and someone began to run towards the door.
Melanie immediately jumped out of the way, right before Yami bolted out of his father's office.
"Yami! Yami, wait!" his mother called after him, chasing him down the stairs.
"Son! Yami, what's wrong?" Mr. Mutou yelled out. The two worried parents chased their only son down the stairs. Melanie stood there in her pajamas, confused and bewildered. She walked into her father's study and looked at what was on his desk.
Something inside of her froze. Her heart nearly stopped and tears filled her eyes as she grasped the meaning of everything. Everything clicked into place as she realized what Yami must've been feeling at that moment. Her small hands hung limply at her side as she scampered off to her room, peeking out the window. Sure enough, she saw Yami running through the gate and to the backwoods. Melanie clutched the half-heart locket that was concealed by her bathrobe.
"Nii-sama…," she whispered.
~*~
Difinity: Whee! Cliffhanger!!!
Shining December: Iie! How can you leave it like that!?
Difinity: ^^;;; I dunno
Yami: T_T
Yugi: *cries*
Shining December: Aw…*huggles crying Yugi*
Yugi: *sniff*
Yami: T_T
Difinity: *falls over*
Hope you enjoyed! Please r/r~! ^.~