Yuugi made his way up the small flight of stairs, fluffly white cotton
towels in hand. As much as Yami still wanted to stay in bed to let his ever
present pain ebb, he still needed a bath.
Dropping the towels off in the bathroom, Yuugi made his way over to the spare bedroom and pushed open the door. Like he expected, Yami was lying motionless on the bed, sleeping.
Yuugi felt bad for disturbing such a restfull slumber, but was determined. Brushing his thumb across Yami's cheek, he softly spoke the other's name. "Yami, I need you to get up now."
Mumbles and an innaudible sigh, slight shift in position, but no ruby eyes opening. "Yami. . ."
"What is it Yuugi," he mumbled, eyes still closed.
"I need you up. Please? There is a bath waiting for you."
Another groan, but Yami decided to comply. It's not like there was much else for him to do. With Yuugi's arms around his waist, he slowly sat up, and was pulled off the bed much like the time he was escorted to the living room.
The young teen tried to be carefull, cringing every time Yami winced in pain. Yuugi could never remember the trek to the bathroom down the hall taking so long before.
However, they did reach it, Yami finding that indeed, the bathtub was filled with pleasently warm water with few bubbles, so as to not irritate his wounded skin.
Still keeping a tight hold around Yami's waist, Yuugi slowly undid the buttons of the pajama top that the other wore, carefully helping to remove one arm, shifting position, then the other arm.
Blushing, Yuugi realized that the pants needed to be remeoved. "Yami, I need you to lay down on the floor so we can get your p.j. pants off. You can't stand up on your own." At the nod of affirmation, very slowly did he lower the taller person to the floor, lying him down on the soft towel that had been deposited to absorb water.
The demon could not believe that this was really happening. He felt completely helpess, and completely vulnerable. Two emotions that he detested.
Without any mishap the article of clothing was removed and tossed into the hamper next to the wall, and Yuugi gently helped Yami back up and put him into the tub, proceeding to wash the unruly hair that was so much like his own, and run a soaked spunge delicately over the tanned, frail body.
Yuugi, had Yami been in any more pain, would have been panicked, and for some reason, new that he should have been. Not since the night that Yami was brought home had any of the wounds healed, and Yami ate barely anything. If anything at all.
Yami could feel hot breath raining down his wet skin, and felt a soft hand around his shoulder as the sponge continued to wash away all of the dirt and grime that covered him. It was oddly comforting, and he found that he could live in this feeling all day. If not longer.
"We're really worried about you, Yami." The young teen's soft voice glided over his ears, drowsy and warm. "You haven't healed. Grandpa said that there are some poeple that have a condition where their skin doesn't close if they get hurt. He thinks that maybe we should take you to the doctor."
Finally, the sponge put down, the bath was nearly over. "No. I don't need a doctor. It wouldn't do any good, and would only cause trouble."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because of what I am."
Yuugi was getting slightly disgruntled. "And what are you?"
The demon looked away. He couldn't tell. He would be thrown out of the house, and those hunting him would kill him, and then his very existance would be extinguished. "You don't want to know."
The water drained from the tub, Yuugi wrapped a towled around Yami and lifted him up, proceeding to dry him off a bit before returning to the bedroom. "Yes I do."
"No. You don't." He rested his head on Yuugi's shoulder for comfort and support, as his legs were quickly giving way.
"If I didn't want to, I would not have wanted to help you as long as I have. I told you that I won't abandon you, no matter what or who you are."
"You don't know what you're saying," the demon uttered sadly.
Carefully the two made their way back to the bedroom, easing Yami back onto the bed.
"Please tell me what you are."
"No."
"Please."
"No!" Yami closed his eyes in frustration. Yuugi had been prodding him for weeks on end. "I can't!" he exclaimed, almost desperately.
"Please!" Gods, did Yuugi want him to answer.
Finally, after weeks of isolation, loneliness, and depression, Yami snapped.
"You want to know what I am? Do you?" He struggled off the bed, towel still draped around him.
Yuugi starred awe struck as Yami, somehow, managed to keep somewhat of a stance, his back arching.
This wasn't real. Nope. It wasn't. Not real.
It was.
Black feathers, absorbing light and sound and creating their own, contained little void, drifted around him and landed on the floor.
Beautiful, arched, black wings that were too large for the body from wence they came, ruffled slightly, releasing more feathers.
Yami crumpled to the floor under the weight and the strain, fangs gleeming, eyes tearing. "This is what I am, Yuugi. I am a demon."
Yuugi was utterly surprised, to say the least. But he was not horrified.
Yami's wings were utterly glorious, and for some strange reason, the fangs seemed to fit his features perfectly.
Walking over to the demon's side, the young teen wrapped his arms around Yami's shoulders, running his fingers through the now barely-damp hair. "You never told me black was such a fitting color on wings."
Too surprised by the comment, the demon sat there silent, relishing in the warmth of the embrace as he had never been able to before. "But why do you care?" he whispered in the youth's ear.
"Your not a monster, Yami. Monsters don't cry. There are feelings inside of you. I can see them. That is reason enough for me to help you, no matter what."
Yami cried, this time not from sadness, but rather from relief. Utter, utter relief. "Did you fall Heaven? Or did I rip you out when I wasn't looking?" It was now that he decided to hold the young man just as close.
"What happened to you, Yami? Why are you so hurt? And why won't you heal?"
"The Witches," the demon's hoarse voice replied.
"The who?"
"It's the Witches. They want me dead. One hundred and twelve years ago, I killed fifteen angels, and they have been seeking my blood ever since. I haven't destroyed since then, and the oldest demon in Hell swore that if I return with out so much as one feather from an angel, that he's going to banish my soul for eternity. The Witches left me in the alley that you found me in, intent on burning me the next day."
Now, Yuugi was horror struck. "No, Yami. I won't allow it. They won't touch you. I'll keep you here. They'll never find you. I promise. They won't."
"They're hunting for me now, Yuugi. They're already in the city."
"I won't let them."
"What can you do?"
"I don't know yet, but I won't let them hurt you. Not again."
Yami froze, muscles tensing.
"What is it?," Yuugi asked.
"They're here."
* * * * *
MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!! Now what are you going to do? Gods, how I love cliff hangers. Just wait till the next chapter. It'll be a good one. I promise. R&R folks, and tell me what you think. I'm a pyromaniac, so flames are always welcome. *eyes gleeming*
Dropping the towels off in the bathroom, Yuugi made his way over to the spare bedroom and pushed open the door. Like he expected, Yami was lying motionless on the bed, sleeping.
Yuugi felt bad for disturbing such a restfull slumber, but was determined. Brushing his thumb across Yami's cheek, he softly spoke the other's name. "Yami, I need you to get up now."
Mumbles and an innaudible sigh, slight shift in position, but no ruby eyes opening. "Yami. . ."
"What is it Yuugi," he mumbled, eyes still closed.
"I need you up. Please? There is a bath waiting for you."
Another groan, but Yami decided to comply. It's not like there was much else for him to do. With Yuugi's arms around his waist, he slowly sat up, and was pulled off the bed much like the time he was escorted to the living room.
The young teen tried to be carefull, cringing every time Yami winced in pain. Yuugi could never remember the trek to the bathroom down the hall taking so long before.
However, they did reach it, Yami finding that indeed, the bathtub was filled with pleasently warm water with few bubbles, so as to not irritate his wounded skin.
Still keeping a tight hold around Yami's waist, Yuugi slowly undid the buttons of the pajama top that the other wore, carefully helping to remove one arm, shifting position, then the other arm.
Blushing, Yuugi realized that the pants needed to be remeoved. "Yami, I need you to lay down on the floor so we can get your p.j. pants off. You can't stand up on your own." At the nod of affirmation, very slowly did he lower the taller person to the floor, lying him down on the soft towel that had been deposited to absorb water.
The demon could not believe that this was really happening. He felt completely helpess, and completely vulnerable. Two emotions that he detested.
Without any mishap the article of clothing was removed and tossed into the hamper next to the wall, and Yuugi gently helped Yami back up and put him into the tub, proceeding to wash the unruly hair that was so much like his own, and run a soaked spunge delicately over the tanned, frail body.
Yuugi, had Yami been in any more pain, would have been panicked, and for some reason, new that he should have been. Not since the night that Yami was brought home had any of the wounds healed, and Yami ate barely anything. If anything at all.
Yami could feel hot breath raining down his wet skin, and felt a soft hand around his shoulder as the sponge continued to wash away all of the dirt and grime that covered him. It was oddly comforting, and he found that he could live in this feeling all day. If not longer.
"We're really worried about you, Yami." The young teen's soft voice glided over his ears, drowsy and warm. "You haven't healed. Grandpa said that there are some poeple that have a condition where their skin doesn't close if they get hurt. He thinks that maybe we should take you to the doctor."
Finally, the sponge put down, the bath was nearly over. "No. I don't need a doctor. It wouldn't do any good, and would only cause trouble."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because of what I am."
Yuugi was getting slightly disgruntled. "And what are you?"
The demon looked away. He couldn't tell. He would be thrown out of the house, and those hunting him would kill him, and then his very existance would be extinguished. "You don't want to know."
The water drained from the tub, Yuugi wrapped a towled around Yami and lifted him up, proceeding to dry him off a bit before returning to the bedroom. "Yes I do."
"No. You don't." He rested his head on Yuugi's shoulder for comfort and support, as his legs were quickly giving way.
"If I didn't want to, I would not have wanted to help you as long as I have. I told you that I won't abandon you, no matter what or who you are."
"You don't know what you're saying," the demon uttered sadly.
Carefully the two made their way back to the bedroom, easing Yami back onto the bed.
"Please tell me what you are."
"No."
"Please."
"No!" Yami closed his eyes in frustration. Yuugi had been prodding him for weeks on end. "I can't!" he exclaimed, almost desperately.
"Please!" Gods, did Yuugi want him to answer.
Finally, after weeks of isolation, loneliness, and depression, Yami snapped.
"You want to know what I am? Do you?" He struggled off the bed, towel still draped around him.
Yuugi starred awe struck as Yami, somehow, managed to keep somewhat of a stance, his back arching.
This wasn't real. Nope. It wasn't. Not real.
It was.
Black feathers, absorbing light and sound and creating their own, contained little void, drifted around him and landed on the floor.
Beautiful, arched, black wings that were too large for the body from wence they came, ruffled slightly, releasing more feathers.
Yami crumpled to the floor under the weight and the strain, fangs gleeming, eyes tearing. "This is what I am, Yuugi. I am a demon."
Yuugi was utterly surprised, to say the least. But he was not horrified.
Yami's wings were utterly glorious, and for some strange reason, the fangs seemed to fit his features perfectly.
Walking over to the demon's side, the young teen wrapped his arms around Yami's shoulders, running his fingers through the now barely-damp hair. "You never told me black was such a fitting color on wings."
Too surprised by the comment, the demon sat there silent, relishing in the warmth of the embrace as he had never been able to before. "But why do you care?" he whispered in the youth's ear.
"Your not a monster, Yami. Monsters don't cry. There are feelings inside of you. I can see them. That is reason enough for me to help you, no matter what."
Yami cried, this time not from sadness, but rather from relief. Utter, utter relief. "Did you fall Heaven? Or did I rip you out when I wasn't looking?" It was now that he decided to hold the young man just as close.
"What happened to you, Yami? Why are you so hurt? And why won't you heal?"
"The Witches," the demon's hoarse voice replied.
"The who?"
"It's the Witches. They want me dead. One hundred and twelve years ago, I killed fifteen angels, and they have been seeking my blood ever since. I haven't destroyed since then, and the oldest demon in Hell swore that if I return with out so much as one feather from an angel, that he's going to banish my soul for eternity. The Witches left me in the alley that you found me in, intent on burning me the next day."
Now, Yuugi was horror struck. "No, Yami. I won't allow it. They won't touch you. I'll keep you here. They'll never find you. I promise. They won't."
"They're hunting for me now, Yuugi. They're already in the city."
"I won't let them."
"What can you do?"
"I don't know yet, but I won't let them hurt you. Not again."
Yami froze, muscles tensing.
"What is it?," Yuugi asked.
"They're here."
* * * * *
MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!! Now what are you going to do? Gods, how I love cliff hangers. Just wait till the next chapter. It'll be a good one. I promise. R&R folks, and tell me what you think. I'm a pyromaniac, so flames are always welcome. *eyes gleeming*