Wow! People actually like this!
Yami: I'm just as surprised as you are.
X_X
Yami: Ehehe.
Just for that, I'll have you locked in a room w/Anzu for a week.
Yami: O_O IIE!!
You're right. That's too cruel a punishment. XD
Disclaimer: Nope. I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! Nope, just don't.
Dedicated to: Maiden of the Moon
Note: This story contains Yaoi/shonen-ai. Couples include Y/Y, B/R, and S/J. Slight Anzu bashing
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The crowd swarmed into the lunch area, the tables rapidly filling up. Tired amethyst eyes slowly scanned the mob of hungry children, searching. Squeezing through the crowd, he tossed apologies over his shoulder at everyone he pushed or was knocked into. Finally spotting a cluster of dirty blond, brown and white, all belonging to his friends. They seemed to be searching for something.
"Jounouchi-kun! Honda-kun! Ryou-kun!" Yugi cried out desperately, hoping he could be heard over the large crowd of students. "M-Matte!"
Ryou immediately whipped around in the direction of the anxious plea. Through the mob of bodies, he saw distinctive bright amethyst eyes peek through. The chocolate-eyed boy pulled his companions in the direction of his small friend, sighing at the bickering boys that he was dragging along. Ryou and the others approached him, smiles on their faces. Yugi just managed to push his way out, panting for breath. Looking slightly concerned, Ryou stepped forward and offered him a hand.
"Yugi-kun! Daijoubu desu ka?" Ryou asked. Yugi managed to smile as he looked up at his worried friend. If it was tinged with sadness, well, it matched the anguish in Yugi's eyes. He stood up straight, ignoring the sharp pain that shot through his body as he straightened his back. He stood still for a moment, remembering the angry bruise that had blossomed there when his father had brutally slammed him against the wall. Ryou said nothing, though he took notice of the small whimper Yugi had let out. A sharp pain sliced at Ryou's heart. It was almost impossible for him to see his best friend suffer like that without wanting to go do something painful to the poor boy's father. Something involving dull knives, rope…maybe some acid… He quickly focused on his friend to distract his mind from the violent turn his mind had taken.
The white-haired boy walked over to Yugi and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. The shorter boy looked up and smiled. "Hai. I'm fine, Ryou-kun," Yugi said. "I guess that after squeezing through so many people sort of knocks the wind out of you." Jou and Honda simply laughed, walking over to an empty table on the far side of the lunch court. Yugi walked besides Jou, chattering happily about the new Duel Monsters cards he had just received. Ryou tagged along behind, watching Yugi closely. Almost of its own volition, his hand made its way to his chest, grasping the Sennen Ring that was concealed by his school uniform. Ryou stopped walking and, quickly making excuses, wandered off into the courtyard, looking for a more secluded area. The British boy stopped once he reached the far end of the yard, when the loud voices from the other side had softened to an indistinct murmuring.
He let himself slide down to the ground, his eyes growing blank. His senses began to swirl slightly, his vision leaving him as he slipped into his soul room for a conference with his darker half. The world faded away, and a new picture began to form in front of his eyes. Ryou blinked hard, his vision now unusually focused and clear, scanning the dark room. He shivered slightly, cold air chilling his bones, even freezing his insides. Bakura was always fascinated with the cold, not being very fond of heat. Approaching footsteps could be heard from far down the hallway, a dark figure walking amongst the shadows. Fiercer, dark brown eyes, almost like his own except for the barely controlled insanity in them, emerged from the darkness, a devilish chuckle rippled through the nearly empty hall.
"B-Baku-chan!" Ryou said. Bakura emerged fully, sighing tiredly.
"Ryou, I have told you time and time again; Do NOT call me 'Baku-chan'!" The spirit of the Sennen Ring sighed. "Aren't you supposed to be with your friends? I'm sure you're still in school." Ryou smiled sheepishly.
"Well, yes," he said slowly. "But I really needed to talk to you."
"What is your concern?"
Ryou looked at his yami with pleading eyes, his heart grieving. "Bakura, I know we aren't to interfere, but Yugi can't go on like this! He needs him! He needs him now!" The sad boy paced around, ringing his hands. "It eats me up inside, knowing that there's someone that will save Yugi from all this misery. I…I just want Yugi to be safe again."
Bakura looked at his aibou with pensive eyes. "But you know that Yugi must first complete the puzzle. You can't help him with that," Bakura warned. "As for his memory, you know the one little fragment of Yugi's past that remains. It's still inside of the boy, but he needs to recall it. Once he does, he will remember the Pharaoh, and he will then be saved."
Ryou sighed. "Hai. I know…," the more innocent of the two whispered. "Demo…"
Bakura stepped forward and pressed his finger to his hikari's lips, effectively silencing him. Ryou looked up, eyes slightly wide, then slowly nodded. "We shall talk later," Bakura said, smirking. "Now go on back." The shorter of the two nodded, not feeling quite satisfied with Bakura's advice. Ryou let himself slip away and then blink, now returned to his normal state. He stood, gently brushing the dirt away from his pants, scanning the area to make sure there weren't any students that had seen him in his state of stillness. A sad feeling dawned on the boy, knowing fully well that it was not his place to tamper with fate.
But Yugi needed saving now. Each day, the abused boy came to school with new bruises that adorned his arms. He was impossibly skinny, and his skin was unbelievably pale. He was tired and weak, and would even sometimes burst into tears for no reason. Yugi's mental state was on the brink of breaking, and his body was battered and bruised. His soul was in no better situation, still tired from a lifelong battle against his father's cruel words. Though he tried to hide it, Yugi seemed to be giving up, both physically and mentally. He had no will left to continue fighting on, no strength left. Yugi needed to be saved. He needed someone to love him, to protect him, and nurture the innocence that blossomed in the boy.
Ryou sighed as he buried his hands deep into his pockets, a frown on his lips.
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Yugi sighed as he looked at the partially completely puzzle in his hand. Great sadness overwhelmed him as he looked at it closely. It didn't look right, being separated and incomplete. It needed to be whole, to be put together the right way. Just like his life.
Tears trembled on Yugi's eyelashes, clinging to the tip. The sad boy cradled the puzzle gently, the despair completely overwhelming him. A small tear splashed onto the puzzle, slowly sliding down the side.
"Iie…" Yugi said softly. "I don't…deserve…to complete the puzzle…" Anguish sliced through Yugi's despondent amethyst eyes. Yugi raised the golden puzzle above his head, ready to smash it into small pieces, but stopped when something snapped within his mind, almost the strings of some long forgotten instrument. He shakily brought his hands down, resting them gently on his desk, the half-completed puzzle still in his trembling hands. Yugi's eyes were wide, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
"Doushite…?" he asked the puzzle, half crying. "Why do I keep remembering parts of a song whenever I hold you!?" The shimmer of the puzzle was the only answer Yugi received. "Just…Just stop it! Do you want to be completed!?" Yugi grabbed the remaining pieces of the puzzle and scattered them all over his desk. With tears staining his newly bruised cheeks, Yugi worked furiously on the puzzle, click after click, each of the pieces sliding perfectly into place. The clock ticked slowly, seconds quickly melting into minutes.
Yugi half gasped when he looked at the nearly completed puzzle in his hands. The pyramid gleamed brightly, the remaining piece missing in the center. With trembling hands, Yugi lifted the last small, golden piece, pressing it gently into the slot. The piece clicked, and Yugi's heart nearly stopped. The puzzle was completed. The small boy smiled tiredly at the pyramid in his hands. Suddenly, the puzzle began to shine brightly, nearly blinding the small boy. Yugi yelped, shutting his eyes, shielding them from the intense white light.
Yugi felt something pull at his heart strongly, overwhelming him, his body to weak and tired to remain awake. The distressed boy fell forward onto his desk, sleep claiming him.
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"…Bakura…"
"Yes?"
"…How long are we going to let him live like this…?"
"Until he has solved the puzzle, his life shall remain this way…there is nothing we can do for him now…"
Tears brimmed on the edge of Ryou's eyes, yet they remained unshed.
"…Oh…I see…"
Ryou rested his forehead against the cool glass, watching the slow movement of the world at night. The full moon shone brightly, reminding Ryou of the special melody that Bakura had mentioned. It was buried deep within Yugi's mind; it was all he needed was to be reunited with the person who wrote it for him. He would be saved from the daily torment that he was forced to endure, and was helpless to prevent.
"I want Yugi to be saved," Ryou said stubbornly. "That's why Yugi needs him now." Bakura raised an eyebrow.
"You speak of this person as if he was Yugi's savior," Bakura mused lightly. His hikari stood.
"In a sense, yes, he is! You told he would save Yugi. Therefore, he must be his savior."
Bakura said nothing. He looked out the window, watching the trees rustle swiftly in the harsh, cold wind.
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"Iie. Onegai…Don't…Onegai…"
The small boy turned in his sleep restlessly, tears forming behind his closed eyes. A shiver of fear climbed up Yugi's spine. Dark light flashed in his mind as he felt as if he were falling deep into an abyss of darkness. No one was there to catch him; no one was there to protect him.
"Someone…please…help me…" Yugi whimpered, tears sliding down his cheeks. The scared boy gasped as he felt someone gently wipe his tears away. He reached over and felt a hand stroking his cheek gently. Yugi struggled to open his eyes, tears making it almost impossible to see anything clearly. Though Yugi tried, his tears continued to flood his eyes, and the room remained dark. A sense of fear crawled through Yugi as he searched around for the warm, gentle person beside him.
"Help me…" Yugi pleaded.
"Shh…"
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