Yume No Naka De
***
Chapter 2
***
~~~***~~~
The next day, Noa had been at school. He did not want to go, but seeing as Seto couldn't find anything proving his sickness, he was forced. No one had noticed his odd silence in the class, and had pretty much left him alone like usual.
It was around lunchtime, when the black haired boy approached him again. Noa had been sitting under the oak tree quietly with his novel as usual, reading contentedly. He looked up when his light was cut off.
"Noa?"
The younger boy blinked, and tried to hide himself under a mask of emotion. He put his book down on the grass next to him. "Yeah?"
"Hey, uh… I was wondering if I could talk to you sometime? About something…"
Noa gave him a puzzled look, wondering briefly what it could be. "…Sure."
Ryuuji smiled a bit nervously at that, which was unusual for him. "Okay, thanks." He muttered. "Could I meet you here on Friday, or something? I'm going to need to check something out first."
"Of course." Noa muttered with a faked smile, before turning back to his book as Ryuuji nodded in thanks and headed off, back to his friends.
'Why am I feeling this way? I never have before…' The aqua haired boy pondered to himself. 'I mean... I've always had those dreams, but… you can't just fall in love with someone that quickly… it's ridiculous! Illogical! I... I… it's just the prince's feelings, not mine…'
~~~***~~~
That night was the same dream… the same death. But this time, Noa found himself being awoken by hands on his shoulders. Sitting up, he thought it to be most likely Mokuba, not Seto, if he had to choose between the two other residents of the household. Who he found was definitely unexpected.
It was… him, he thought at first. Very much him. Yet the boy was in a very expensive, highly layered silken kimono. Noa's eyes widened and he sat up, scooting back.
"Who are you?" He asked, scared. The figure responded with a gentle smile, placing his hands in his lap and sitting quietly.
"I am Noa," He said curtly, with a small bow of the head.
"You're the me from those dreams… the prince…" Noa muttered to the other boy, tensing ceased now. He dropped his hands and the other Noa nodded.
"Yes, that was I." The young prince whispered.
Noa's eyes softened and he placed his own hands in his lap. He had a lot of questions for this boy, and didn't know which to begin with first.
"I have been the cause of your dreams," Said the prince. Noa stared at him, slightly confused with all of the thoughts buzzing in his mind.
"Why?" Noa asked. "Why have you been doing that?"
"I sense that you have many things to inquire of me," The prince informed. "I am afraid I may disappoint you, in not being able to answer each."
Noa sighed disappointedly and waited for the prince to begin again.
"It is for my mourning that I have been sharing my life with you." The paler one answered.
"You mean… Ryuuji?"
The prince's eyes lit up and he gave the other an alarmed look. "You know him?" He nearly gasped.
"Well… I know a boy that looks just like your mentor, from my dreams. His name is Ryuuji. I go to school with him."
"What are your feelings for him?" The prince questioned, leaning towards the boy.
"Well, I... I don't know, he's okay…"
The prince look extremely dejected and taken aback. "You do not have feelings for him?" He said softly, voice hurt.
Noa furrowed his eyebrows. "Well… I… began to." He confessed. "But I do not know if they are real feelings. What if they are only yours?"
"If they are mine, then they are yours as well." The prince told him with a small smile. "Please believe in them."
"I…" He muttered quietly. "I do not know…"
"I do not know about his feelings for you," The prince said. "But you must speak with him."
"Talk to Ryuuji?" Noa asked, blinking in astonishment. "Wha... what would I say?"
The prince became sad again. "I am afraid I must go," He told his counterpart.
Noa blinked, before calling out for the spirit boy to wait just a few more seconds. The prince smiled a bit, before making a little plea.
"Please do not let my love die," He whispered. Then he was gone.
~~~***~~~
The next day at school was a Thursday, and Noa was in his seat, as quiet as usual. He did not make an attempt to speak with Ryuuji, deciding that Friday would still be best, after whatever it was that Ryuuji wanted to say.
Around Lunch, he had overheard Ryuuji's friends talking. From the information heard, Ryuuji had become sick over the course of the day and was sent home. Noa was under his tree, trying to discover why he was so worried about the popular boy. With a small and exhausted sigh, he packed up his own bags and headed home from school.
His house was not a far distance away from Domino High School, and he could easily walk home. He knew very well that he would get in trouble, but he had this pain that kept hitting at him - and he didn't want to stay the whole day with it.
No one was at home when he'd returned, so he went carefully up the stairs and to his bedroom. Taking a seat at his desk, he pulled out his early assigned homework and began to work on it, rubbing at his temples as he felt a headache coming on.
"Did you talk to him?" Came an urgent voice from behind him. Noa almost jumped, not expecting to be interrupted.
"No, I haven't. I will tomorrow, though."
Prince Noa's face fell. "Oh…" He murmured gloomily.
"He was sent home sick today." Noa informed the other boy. The prince opened his eyes to give Noa a scared stare.
"Don't worry," Noa continued. "I'm sure he'll be okay." Prince Noa let out a sigh of relief, clasping a pale hand over his chest.
"Please talk to him tomorrow." The prince begged. Noa nodded and the prince departed, as soon as he'd come.
~~~***~~~
Sure enough, Ryuuji had shown up at school the next day. And, just as expected, the black haired boy met Noa under the oak tree just as the two had planned.
Noa had offered a seat to Ryuuji next to him on the grass, and the older boy willingly took it with a small, nervous smile.
"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Noa inquired of the green-eyed boy as he put his book away.
"Well, actually… okay, this may sound a bit weird, alright?"
Noa nodded to show that he was listening, turning his attention to Ryuuji's beautiful face. A surge of emotion washed over him, and he had a flash of the prince and his advisor, sitting on a bench together. They were under a sakura tree, alone. The prince took a deep breath - Noa could feel his body taking one as well. And with one swift motion, the prince had his lips gently sealed over the older boy's.
Noa blinked to get the vision out of his head. He was thankful that he did not do as the prince, and set his hands in his lap.
"Continue," He told the other, breathing shaky from the apparition that he'd just been shown.
"I've… been having these dreams," Ryuuji whispered, so only Noa could hear him. The aqua haired boy's eyebrows furrowed and he began to pay closer attention to Ryuuji's words.
"Of?"
"Of… well, you. And I..." The black haired boy blushed, looking down at the grass. He continued. "You were a prince." He said. "And I -"
"You were my mentor?"
Ryuuji gave Noa an alarmed look. "Yeah. How did you know?"
"I've been having the same dreams," Noa whispered softly, nervous. "But… I… don't know what to do about them."
"Do about them?" Ryuuji questioned.
"Yes. The prince - he's spoken to me before. I know that may sound unbelievable, but I'm speaking the truth. He, well, wanted me to speak with you." Noa informed.
"Really?"
"Yes. He told me not to let his love die, and I don't know what to do…"
Ryuuji smiled lightly. "Aren't you going to do what he tells you?" He asked.
Noa brought his knees up to his chest and sighed softly, resting his chin on them. "I do not want to fall in love with you… because I'd been forced."
"I would not like that either." The black haired boy assured him quietly.
"But if... if I found myself falling for you," Noa confessed. "I would not know what to do."
"But… do you think you ever would fall for me?" Ryuuji asked, a small hint of hoping in his tone.
Noa sighed sadly and glanced away from Ryuuji, nervous again. With a deep breath and a heated blush, he replied.
"I think I already have."
***
Chapter 2
***
~~~***~~~
The next day, Noa had been at school. He did not want to go, but seeing as Seto couldn't find anything proving his sickness, he was forced. No one had noticed his odd silence in the class, and had pretty much left him alone like usual.
It was around lunchtime, when the black haired boy approached him again. Noa had been sitting under the oak tree quietly with his novel as usual, reading contentedly. He looked up when his light was cut off.
"Noa?"
The younger boy blinked, and tried to hide himself under a mask of emotion. He put his book down on the grass next to him. "Yeah?"
"Hey, uh… I was wondering if I could talk to you sometime? About something…"
Noa gave him a puzzled look, wondering briefly what it could be. "…Sure."
Ryuuji smiled a bit nervously at that, which was unusual for him. "Okay, thanks." He muttered. "Could I meet you here on Friday, or something? I'm going to need to check something out first."
"Of course." Noa muttered with a faked smile, before turning back to his book as Ryuuji nodded in thanks and headed off, back to his friends.
'Why am I feeling this way? I never have before…' The aqua haired boy pondered to himself. 'I mean... I've always had those dreams, but… you can't just fall in love with someone that quickly… it's ridiculous! Illogical! I... I… it's just the prince's feelings, not mine…'
~~~***~~~
That night was the same dream… the same death. But this time, Noa found himself being awoken by hands on his shoulders. Sitting up, he thought it to be most likely Mokuba, not Seto, if he had to choose between the two other residents of the household. Who he found was definitely unexpected.
It was… him, he thought at first. Very much him. Yet the boy was in a very expensive, highly layered silken kimono. Noa's eyes widened and he sat up, scooting back.
"Who are you?" He asked, scared. The figure responded with a gentle smile, placing his hands in his lap and sitting quietly.
"I am Noa," He said curtly, with a small bow of the head.
"You're the me from those dreams… the prince…" Noa muttered to the other boy, tensing ceased now. He dropped his hands and the other Noa nodded.
"Yes, that was I." The young prince whispered.
Noa's eyes softened and he placed his own hands in his lap. He had a lot of questions for this boy, and didn't know which to begin with first.
"I have been the cause of your dreams," Said the prince. Noa stared at him, slightly confused with all of the thoughts buzzing in his mind.
"Why?" Noa asked. "Why have you been doing that?"
"I sense that you have many things to inquire of me," The prince informed. "I am afraid I may disappoint you, in not being able to answer each."
Noa sighed disappointedly and waited for the prince to begin again.
"It is for my mourning that I have been sharing my life with you." The paler one answered.
"You mean… Ryuuji?"
The prince's eyes lit up and he gave the other an alarmed look. "You know him?" He nearly gasped.
"Well… I know a boy that looks just like your mentor, from my dreams. His name is Ryuuji. I go to school with him."
"What are your feelings for him?" The prince questioned, leaning towards the boy.
"Well, I... I don't know, he's okay…"
The prince look extremely dejected and taken aback. "You do not have feelings for him?" He said softly, voice hurt.
Noa furrowed his eyebrows. "Well… I… began to." He confessed. "But I do not know if they are real feelings. What if they are only yours?"
"If they are mine, then they are yours as well." The prince told him with a small smile. "Please believe in them."
"I…" He muttered quietly. "I do not know…"
"I do not know about his feelings for you," The prince said. "But you must speak with him."
"Talk to Ryuuji?" Noa asked, blinking in astonishment. "Wha... what would I say?"
The prince became sad again. "I am afraid I must go," He told his counterpart.
Noa blinked, before calling out for the spirit boy to wait just a few more seconds. The prince smiled a bit, before making a little plea.
"Please do not let my love die," He whispered. Then he was gone.
~~~***~~~
The next day at school was a Thursday, and Noa was in his seat, as quiet as usual. He did not make an attempt to speak with Ryuuji, deciding that Friday would still be best, after whatever it was that Ryuuji wanted to say.
Around Lunch, he had overheard Ryuuji's friends talking. From the information heard, Ryuuji had become sick over the course of the day and was sent home. Noa was under his tree, trying to discover why he was so worried about the popular boy. With a small and exhausted sigh, he packed up his own bags and headed home from school.
His house was not a far distance away from Domino High School, and he could easily walk home. He knew very well that he would get in trouble, but he had this pain that kept hitting at him - and he didn't want to stay the whole day with it.
No one was at home when he'd returned, so he went carefully up the stairs and to his bedroom. Taking a seat at his desk, he pulled out his early assigned homework and began to work on it, rubbing at his temples as he felt a headache coming on.
"Did you talk to him?" Came an urgent voice from behind him. Noa almost jumped, not expecting to be interrupted.
"No, I haven't. I will tomorrow, though."
Prince Noa's face fell. "Oh…" He murmured gloomily.
"He was sent home sick today." Noa informed the other boy. The prince opened his eyes to give Noa a scared stare.
"Don't worry," Noa continued. "I'm sure he'll be okay." Prince Noa let out a sigh of relief, clasping a pale hand over his chest.
"Please talk to him tomorrow." The prince begged. Noa nodded and the prince departed, as soon as he'd come.
~~~***~~~
Sure enough, Ryuuji had shown up at school the next day. And, just as expected, the black haired boy met Noa under the oak tree just as the two had planned.
Noa had offered a seat to Ryuuji next to him on the grass, and the older boy willingly took it with a small, nervous smile.
"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Noa inquired of the green-eyed boy as he put his book away.
"Well, actually… okay, this may sound a bit weird, alright?"
Noa nodded to show that he was listening, turning his attention to Ryuuji's beautiful face. A surge of emotion washed over him, and he had a flash of the prince and his advisor, sitting on a bench together. They were under a sakura tree, alone. The prince took a deep breath - Noa could feel his body taking one as well. And with one swift motion, the prince had his lips gently sealed over the older boy's.
Noa blinked to get the vision out of his head. He was thankful that he did not do as the prince, and set his hands in his lap.
"Continue," He told the other, breathing shaky from the apparition that he'd just been shown.
"I've… been having these dreams," Ryuuji whispered, so only Noa could hear him. The aqua haired boy's eyebrows furrowed and he began to pay closer attention to Ryuuji's words.
"Of?"
"Of… well, you. And I..." The black haired boy blushed, looking down at the grass. He continued. "You were a prince." He said. "And I -"
"You were my mentor?"
Ryuuji gave Noa an alarmed look. "Yeah. How did you know?"
"I've been having the same dreams," Noa whispered softly, nervous. "But… I… don't know what to do about them."
"Do about them?" Ryuuji questioned.
"Yes. The prince - he's spoken to me before. I know that may sound unbelievable, but I'm speaking the truth. He, well, wanted me to speak with you." Noa informed.
"Really?"
"Yes. He told me not to let his love die, and I don't know what to do…"
Ryuuji smiled lightly. "Aren't you going to do what he tells you?" He asked.
Noa brought his knees up to his chest and sighed softly, resting his chin on them. "I do not want to fall in love with you… because I'd been forced."
"I would not like that either." The black haired boy assured him quietly.
"But if... if I found myself falling for you," Noa confessed. "I would not know what to do."
"But… do you think you ever would fall for me?" Ryuuji asked, a small hint of hoping in his tone.
Noa sighed sadly and glanced away from Ryuuji, nervous again. With a deep breath and a heated blush, he replied.
"I think I already have."
