Thanks for all the reviews guys...I really appreciate all of them....
Maoz-except for Ninja Chibi...we don't like them very much
Agreed...but hey, if they want to flame, so be it...the story is almost finished anyways. This is the last chapter...
Maoz-not counting the epilogue of course
Of course...anywho, on with the story!
Disclaimer-don't own
Warnings-Angst, yaoi (Male/Male), Rape, general torturing of my favorite characters, Dark fic, swearing.
An additional warning, you'll get to see different sides of characters.
Pairings-Yami/Yugi, Seto/Jounouchi (Jou), possible Ryou/Bakura 'Blah'-thoughts "Blah"-talking /blah/- Yugi to Yami, or Ryou to Bakura //blah//- Yami to Yugi or Bakura to Ryou
This chapter is dedicated to my best friend in the whole world, Telpei (DoC)
Inertia
'I am falling; spiraling downwards into the deepest abyss possible. I want to feel no pain...no guilt...no nothing...though, I want this life...I deserve this life. I cannot bring pleasure to myself...but that does not mean others must suffer because of me. I am a machine...a toy...something people can use and abuse then throw away so others can have their turn. I do not see light anymore...all I can see is the darkness...the wonderful darkness that will release me from this world and take my soul to universes unknown...there is no more hope...'
*~*
Sugoroku struggled with his two suitcases as he tried to knock at the door again. 'Where are those two boys?' he thought with a small frown before setting down one bag down on the fairly dirty step before trying to dig his key out of his pocket. 'I thought I had told them to sweep the steps everyday as well...' Sighing, he finally found his key and unlocked the door. Gently nudging it open with his foot, Yugi's grandpa picked up the suitcase he had set down and made his way into the dark game shop. "Yugi? Yami? Where are you boys?"
Receiving no answer, he set down his bags and ventured further into the house. He wandered into the kitchen to find that there was no note on the counter. Frown deepening, Sugoroku reached for the phone and dialed Jou's number. One ring...two rings...three rings passed before someone finally picked up. "Hello? Jounouchi?"
Jou's amber eyes widened drastically and he swore mentally. "Yeah...how's it goin' gramps?" he asked, trying to keep his voice light.
"I just got back from my trip and I was wondering if my grandson and Yami are over there" the elderly man replied calmly. "And if they are over there...could you send them home? It is getting late and I know that the streets aren't exactly all that safe now". Jou swallowed heavily. How the hell was he supposed to answer that with telling the poor man that his grandson was now a druggie who satisfied lonely men and women? There was a small click across the line. "Oh...hold on Jou, I've got another call coming in...". The blonde let out a sigh of relief.
"KAIBA! GET YER ASS OUT HERE!" he bellowed, holding a hand over the mouthpiece of the phone in case Yugi's grandpa came back on the line. The CEO strolled out of the living room where he had been trying to control Yami from running down to the bar.
"What's the problem Katsuya?"
"Yugi's gramps is on the phone"
"Shit...."
"My thoughts exactly" he replied grimly as he listened for a person to come back online. A few seconds later, Sugoroku came back and Jou waved his hand; a sign for Seto to be quiet.
"Jou..." the man replied in an odd voice. "That was the hospital that just called....Yugi's in the hospital...". He paused for a moment, clearing his throat of unshed tears. "He's in a coma...they're not sure if he'll wake up...." On the other side of the phone, Jou froze, unable to believe what Sugoroku had just said. His best friend...in the hospital...in a coma. When had his world started to fall apart so drastically? Why had he lost all the control he had worked so damn hard to get?
"We'll...we'll meet you there, okay Gramps?" he finally managed to get out a few minutes later, though, his voice sounded unusually hollow.
"Okay" the elderly man replied softly. "It's Domino general...please call the others."
"Sure Gramps...just hang in there. Everything will be fine" the blonde replied in a shaky voice before hanging up and turning around to face the brunette.
"Jounouchi?" Seto asked, his voice unnaturally soft. "What's going on?"
"I'll tell you what's going on," a cold voice growled from the doorway. "Yugi is in the hospital and you are going to take me there. Now." Jounouchi glanced over to see an extremely angry pharaoh standing there, the sennen eye glowing brightly on his forehead. He wasn't counting on the fact that Yami heard the whole conversation.
"Don't order us around pharaoh" Kaiba sneered, wrapping an arm around Jou's trembling shoulders and pulling the blonde closer to him. Yami frowned slightly before taking a step forward, eye glowing even brighter.
"Don't talk like that to me Kaiba" he grounded our, crimson eyes narrowing dangerously. "My hikari is slipping away from me as we speak and I want to go talk some Ra damn sense into him!"
"Calm down Yami...we're going to see him anyways" Jou replied in what he hoped was a normal voice. The glares' intensity lessened slightly.
"Good, then let's go" he replied coldly before stalking out of the kitchen. Sighing heavily, Jou moved to follow him before cursing loudly and whacking his head against his hand.
"Shit...I promised I'd call the others," he moaned, dreading another confrontation with Yami. His boyfriend merely rolled his eyes and gently pulled his lover towards the door.
"There are such things are cell phones mutt...and besides, we can't keep the all mighty pharaoh waiting now..." the brunette murmured before placing a soft kiss on the outer shell of Jounouchi's ear. "Let's just get the hospital and figure things out from there." Jou nodded slowly. It was times like these that he was glad for Seto's logical thinking and comforting presence.
*~*
'Hospitals really need to invest in more comfortable chairs...' Jou though aimlessly as the hour hand of the huge clock on the wall slowly slid to the 12...they had been waiting over 6 hours with little news. His amber eyes skirted to the side to cast a glare to the guard at the door. Only Sugoroku was allowed in to see his grandson while the rest of them had to wait outside with very little hope that Yugi would actually survive through the rest of the night.
His eyes moved away from the guard to scan the room. Originally, everyone had been alert and sitting up straight, eyes glued to the big double doors that led into places unknown...the place where their friend was. Now, after six Ra damn hours of waiting, they had spread out slightly. Bakura was sitting on one of the chairs, hard brown eyes half closed, though still alert. His hand gently stroked the soft white hair of his hikari whose head lay in his lap as Ryou had opted to lie across several chairs, hoping to find a more comfortable position. Anzu had gracefully tucked her legs up underneath her and appeared to be murmuring a silent prayer for her friend. Honey colored orbs then landed on Honda had spread himself over 5 chairs and had his eyes glued to the small TV high up in the corner. The blonde teen slowly turned his head to study his boyfriend who was sitting beside him, ice blue eyes focused on an imaginary spot on the opposite wall.
"Seto?" he whispered, glancing up at the brunette. "Do...do you think everything will be okay?" The CEO nodded automatically; an action he had learned to do. His own eyes traveled over to the pharaoh who was leaning against the wall next to the big double doors. Everything had to be okay...Seto had never seen Jou act like this and he wasn't exactly sure how to help the blonde cope, as it had never been his strong suit to help other people out. Just as he was about to reply verbally to the blonde, the big double doors swung open, giving Yami just the chance he needed to slip inside unnoticed as Sugoroku and a doctor emerged to confront the small group of teens.
After having a few soft words with the doctor, Sugoroku nodded softly and approached his grandson's friends while the doctor went off into another part of the hospital. The arrival of the elderly man startled the teens out of their stupor as they call began to crowd around him...well...all that is except for Bakura and Kaiba. They kept their distance from the group.
"Is Yugi okay?" Anzu asked, voicing the question that everyone had in his or her minds. Grandpa just sighed and motioned for everyone to sit down.
"There's no new news since the last time I came out to talk to you" he replied gently. "But...the doctor needs to know what happened to Yugi...and I do mean everything..." The group of friends glanced around at each other, each of them with an equally guilty look on his or her face.
"We only know bits and pieces of it Mr. Mutou" Ryou admitted softly. Jounouchi nodded in agreement.
"I know about ¾...but Yami is the one who would know it all..." the blonde student replied honestly. There was a soft snort from the other side of the room.
"Fools" the former tomb robber grumbled under his breath as he focused his hard brown eyes on them. "If you wanted to know the whole story you could have just asked me." His hikari turned around, wide eyed, to stare at his yami.
"And you couldn't have told us this before hand Kura?" he asked, trying to sound angry. "It could have helped out a lot!" The white-haired spirit merely shrugged and walked over to where the others had gathered.
"You didn't ask"
/yami...how do you know? / Ryou asked mentally, a hint of curiosity in his voice.
//When I was reviving the Ra damn pharaoh...against my will I might add // the spirit grunted. //I got a huge chunk of his memories from the past month or so //
"Please tell us Bakura..." Mr. Mutou murmured softly. "The doctors need to know..." Sighing mentally, Bakura sat down, still keeping a few chairs between him and the group.
"A little over a month ago...Yugi was raped by Otogi and needless to say...he didn't handle it well. After nearly killing Yami, he ran and decided to take refuge with drugs...prostitution...he's been missing for about 4 weeks now" Bakura replied, keeping his voice neutral. "And I'm guessing that he's not stranger to pain at the moment." Sugoroku's face paled considerably but he said nothing, as he could not think of anything to say. His grandson...raped...and he never even knew until over a month after it happened. What kind of caretaker was he if he couldn't even see that his own grandson was in so much pain? Did he even deserve to offer comfort to Yugi now?
*~*
Crimson eyes flashed dangerously as Yami entered the dark hospital room and sat down beside the bed, staring at the small, fragile body that lay there hooked up to various machines. 'You are not allowed die aibou' the pharaoh thought firmly as grasped Yugi's small pale hand in his before closing his eyes against the scene before him. 'I will not allow it and the pharaoh's word is law.' Grasping the newly completed puzzle in the other hand, Yami let his mind slip inside it. He gave himself a moment to adjust, as he had not done this for a long time. After a few moments, Yami opened his eyes again, blinking at the darkness. It had never been quite this dark before...as he continued down the narrow hallway, his sharp eyes picked up new hieroglyphs that hadn't been there before. The tri-color haired teen stopped to run a hand over one.
"This is pain," he murmured after a few moments. "And this one...death..." The pharaoh ran his hand over another part of the smooth wall. 'And this...this means not able to be loved...cursed' he thought sadly before tearing himself away from them. Yugi had unconsciously created them and if they had affected the hallways of his mind, he was afraid to see what the small boy's soul room would look like now. Swallowing his fear, he continued walking until he reached the two doors farther down the hall. He glanced at his own, sighing at the padlocks and chains that kept anyone from opening it. It truly wasn't his fault that it was like that...his own subconscious created the barriers. Yami then looked over at Yugi's, grimacing mentally as he took in the new black décor decorating the hikari's soul room. This wasn't right...his light should not be feeling this kind of pain...no one should feel this kind of pain. Taking a deep breath, Yami slowly pushed open the door and stepped inside, hoping to find Yugi still willing to live. He took a few steps into the darkness as his heart began to beat furiously. "Aibou?" he called out softly. "Are you here?"
"Don't call me that," a cold voice muttered from somewhere in the darkness. The pharaoh stopped walking as he tried to judge exactly where the voice was coming from.
"Then what do I call you? My hikari?" There was a bitter laugh from somewhere in the shadowed room.
"Hikari...don't make me laugh...that name has no meaning anymore. There is no light left in this body..." The tri-color haired spirit took a step towards where he thought the voice was coming from.
"Little one?" He received another hard laugh.
"Another innocent name...how predictable of you" Yugi replied, voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Yugi then...it is your name after all" Yami said quietly, now more confident as to where Yugi was in the room.
"If you must call me something..." he relented a few minutes later. "But I don't see why...I'll be gone soon and there's nothing you can do about it"
"The doctors are going to save you" Yami replied calmly. "You're going to live." Again, a harsh, cold laugh echoed throughout the room.
"Perhaps I should shed some *light* on the situation..." he said quietly. There was a soft handclap and as if by magic, a low light filled the room. His crimson eyes blinked rapidly, trying to get used to the change of lighting. Once they had adjusted, the pharaoh struggled to hold back a gasp of surprise. Yugi was sitting on the bed, cross-legged and leaning against the wall. His normal bright violet eyes were narrowed and had lost their usual sparkle. In one hand, he held a piece of glass that had dried blood around the edges. But what was really un nerving about this whole situation was that Yugi was caressing the pale skin of his other arm with the sharp piece, though, Yugi was not putting enough pressure on the glass to break the skin underneath it. "What's the matter protector?" he asked smugly. "See something you don't like?"
"Stop this Yugi."
"Stop what Yami?"
"You know what I mean..." The pharaoh suppressed a soft shudder that ran through his body as Yugi's cold, heartless laugh vibrated off the walls of the soul room.
"I'm afraid I don't Yami...please explain." Frowning slightly, he took a step forward.
"This isn't the Yugi I know...this isn't the Yugi I love" he replied quietly, eyes softening slightly. "Come back to me aibou...my hikari..." This time, Yami could not hold back a wince as Yugi continued to laugh. "Stop that...it's not you...aibou...I'm terribly sorry for what has happened to you...but I can still help if you will let me. We can work through this together." The petit tri color haired boy simply stared at his darker half, a small smirk on his face as he slowly got up from the bed. By doing this. Yami could see just how thin Yugi had become...by Ra...his hikari looked ever younger than he did before.
"Who says I want to work through this? And you can't love me" he replied stubbornly before setting the bloodstained piece of glass down on the bed and taking a step forward. "I am cursed, I am unlovable...I just want to leave this world before I taint it anymore."
"Are you sure that's what you want my hikari?" the pharaoh murmured softly, a sad look entering his piercing crimson eyes. Yugi nodded firmly before crossing his arms over his chest.
"Yes...it's for the best...I can't be healed and I don't want to feel anymore pain...and don't call me that! I am no hikari...I am darkness!"
"I'm afraid I can not let you go without a fight aibou...I challenge you to a shadow game...you should be familiar with them by now. If I win, you must stay...and if you win, you may leave this world and I won't try to stop you," Yami explained while try to keep his voice steady though his heart was racing. A couple of years ago, he had taught Yugi how to play shadow games and like any other game, his light had picked up on it very fast. However, Yami was counting on the fact that part of the old Yugi was still alive...the old Yugi *hated* playing shadow games with a passion stronger than Ra himself. The ancient spirit was jolted out of his thoughts by a comment that made his heart sink down to the floor.
"I accept." Yugi said, narrowing his cold violet eyes. "I accept your challenge."
*~*
A gaunt, raven-haired boy let out a soft moan as bright lights invaded his silent cocoon of darkness. He felt...no...there were no words in the English language to describe how awful he felt. He heard some vague voices through the fog that inhabited his mind and was tempted to turn away from them like he had been doing for a while. However, this time seemed different than the last. He recognized these voices from before...and that he should go towards them this time though it was hard. The teen felt as through he was swimming through Jell-O...why was this so hard to do? Still, he kept on. The lights seemed to get brighter as the raven-haired boy neared the wall of his sanctuary. After what seemed like hours, he had finally reached the barrier separating him from reality. With a quiet grunt, the teen pushed a hand through, followed by another and eventually managed to squeeze his whole body through. He let out a soft groan as his mind re-entered his physical body and all the pain came flooding back. From somewhere in the room, he heard someone gasp loudly.
"Doctor! He's waking up!" a female voice exclaimed. Otogi tried to open his mouth to speak, but found that his body didn't seem to be obeying his commands. With great effort, he got his eyes open to find himself looking at a person who appeared to be a doctor. He uttered another groan of pain as said doctor shined a small flashlight in his emerald green eyes.
"Welcome back Ryuji Otogi" he said, moving to check the other eye. You had us scared for a while...it would be better if you didn't try to talk at the moment. We've had a tube down your throat for a bit so that you could be feed without us sticking needles in you all the time. It'll be taken out in a few days once you start moving around a bit more. Do you know who are you?" Otogi slowly nodded, wincing as the pain shot through his body. Gods...what had he done to be in this much pain?
"Do you know why you're here?" the nurse asked in a more gentle voice. To this comment, he shook his head. The two medical personal exchanged a knowing glance before focusing their attention back on their patient as the nurse moved to the foot of the bed and placed a hand on his foot. The raven- haired teen let out a hiss of pain at the gentle touch. "Push against my hand Otogi..." The game creator tried. He told his muscles to move...but they simply didn't listen. He glanced up at the doctor with a pleading look in his eyes.
'What the hell has happened to me?' he asked silently as the worry began to grow. 'What are you not telling me?'
*~*
"So Yami, what game are we playing today? Duel monsters? Riddles?" Yugi asked curiously as the shadow realm slowly crept up from the floor around them and eventually encased the two boys. The sennen eye glowed brightly on Yami's forehead as he fought to keep the shadow realm around them. By Ra...it had been a long time since he had used this power and without Yugi...it seemed much harder than usually to maintain.
"I'm afraid not my Hikari...we're playing memory" he replied softly. Contrary to popular belief, Yugi had very little patience and memory was one of his least favorite games. Usually, he ended up forfeiting to Yami because the pharaoh took so long to make his move. Yami was counting on the fact that this was Yugi's least favorite game...he needed every advantage he could get. Yugi grimaced slightly.
'Great...I don't like this game very much' he thought grimly as a table and chairs materialized out of the shadows and they took their seats. Rows of cards then made themselves present across the table.
"Are you ready aibou?" Yami murmured, glancing up at his light. So much was riding on this game...The person across the table nodded, a determined smirk on his face.
"You do know you have no hope of winning this...protector" Yugi replied, a cold tone to his voice. "I will win...and then...I can leave this world forever and never have to feel anymore pain." Yami winced mentally winced and kept his game face on.
"I shall let you go first."
"Pharaoh...that move will be your downfall."
"We shall see my hikari" Yami replied, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back in the chair. "Make your move." Yugi nodded before moving forward in the chair slightly and flipping over two cards. One had a picture of the millennium ankh and the other, a picture of the millennium eye.
"No match" he said, flipping the cards back over. "Go." Yami nodded slightly as he studied the cards in front of him. Five minutes later and he still had yet to go. A quick glance at Yugi would prove that the boy was already getting impatient. Finally, he flipped over two cards: One was a picture of the Dark Magician and the other was one of the millennium puzzle. Silently, he flipped them back over and gestured to Yugi to take his move.
"Finally" the small tri-color haired boy muttered, quickly flipping over his two cards. His smirk widened drastically. "Oh look pharaoh," he drawled, gesturing to the cards he had overturned. "A match." Yami grimaced mentally. Yugi had made a match with the millennium eye. "And with a match, I get to go again..."
"So you do...take your turn..." The spirit's heart sank as he saw Yugi's smirk widen almost into an evil smile that most certainly did not belong on his innocent hikari. This was going to be a very long indeed. Time seemed at a stand still as the game continued on, neither player realizing exactly how much time had passed. At least a dozen moves later, Yugi had pulled ahead in the game and glanced up at Yami, violet eyes narrowed with some twisted form of excitement.
"Oh pharaoh," he practically purred as he made yet another effortless match. "You seem to be losing...who's the king of games now?" Yami clenched his teeth, determined not to reply back...to keep his concentration on the game that he couldn't afford to lose. He couldn't lose Yugi...Yugi was part of his soul...his light...his love.
"You will not win," he muttered as Yugi flipped over two non-matching cards. He reached out to flip a card over in the corner and then one in the other, making another match. "I can not afford to lose that Yugi that I know is still inside of you...he is my other half...my love."
"How *touching*" Yugi replied with a bitter laugh. "The Yugi you knew does not exist anymore. He could not handle this...he could not handle your rejection!" At this comment, Yami's jaw nearly dropped open as he nearly dropped the card that he held in his hand.
"R-rejection? I would never do that to Yugi! I would have helped him through it...I would have helped him cope with the pain!" Again, the cold laugh chilled Yami to the bone.
"That's what they all say...but they leave you eventually...they all do. That's what I told Yugi...and he believed me, "the violet eyed boy explained, his voice hard.
"Why did you tell him such lies?" the pharaoh demanded, standing up, game forgotten. "You knew I'd love him no matter what!" Yugi shrugged as he sat back in his chair.
"I simply told him what he wanted to hear...I've gone un heard for so long and I jumped at the chance to become 'friends' with him once more" he explained calmly. "Make your move protector...I'm getting bored with this game." Frowning deeply, the spirit sat back down but he was so flustered, he missed the easy match. Laughing again, Yugi snatched it up, giving himself an even bigger lead. Muttering a few curses in his native language, Yami watched on, totally helpless as his aibou got another match and another. Finally, after 2 more matches, there was a miss-match and it was Yami's turn once again.
'I must concentrate' he thought determinedly, closing his eyes as the sennen eye began to glow brighter on his forehead. 'So much is at stake for this game...Yugi now has ten matches...and I have five...I have to get at least six more matches for me to win...and there are only thirteen cards left...the odds are against me...'
"Giving up pharaoh?" Yugi asked, feigning innocence. "I wouldn't blame you if you did...you'd only prove my point more..." Yami's crimson eyes snapped open as he focused a cold glare on who was supposed to be his other half.
"I am not giving up imposter," he snarled, quickly making another match. "I love Yugi too much to let him slip through my fingers now. Besides, I have to prove you wrong." There, another match...now only four more to go. Focusing his spiritual energy, the pharaoh quickly made three more matches, watching the disbelief creep on to his aibou's face. "Surprised? We are now tied...one more match and I win and you get to leave." Yugi's smirk twisted into a dark scowl. This was definitely not looking good for him...but there still was a chance that Yami could mess up. A very good chance...with only three cards left, the pharaoh, the king of games could still make a mistake.
"Make your move *pharaoh*" he replied darkly. "You still can lose..." Yami's eyes narrowed dangerously as he flipped over one card, revealing the millennium puzzle.
"I. Shall. Never. Give. Up" he replied firmly before reaching for the card closest to him and flipping it over. Yugi gasped, eyes widening drastically.
'No...'he thought faintly. 'It can't be...' On the card, was a picture of the millennium puzzle. 'He...won.' Yami let out a soft sigh before standing up.
"I have won, imposter" he replied coolly. "Now, Yugi's life is in my hand and you shall leave forever..." The sennen eye began to glow brighter and Yugi let out a soft cry, as he had to shield his eyes from the bright light. "Leave now!" he commanded firmly, gesturing his hand towards Yugi. "Yugi is mine!" All he received for a response was a high-pitched cry as the imposter was hit with a powerful wave of shadow magic that sent the being to the shadow realm for all eternity. After a few minutes, Yami let up, the sennen eye going back to just glimmering slightly. His heart leapt at the sight of Yugi cowering on the ground, tears staining his pale cheeks. "My hikari..." he breathed, taking a step towards the small boy. Yugi simply cried out and scampered backwards, desperate to get away from his darker half.
"L-leave me a-alone!" he cried, trembling violently. "I...I just want to die!" Yami let out a tired sigh as he attempted to get closer to Yugi again. The same reaction happened. Yugi desperately wanted to get away from him...and it was breaking Yami's heart in two.
"Aibou..." he murmured, crouching down to Yugi's eye level. "Do not be afraid...I will not hurt you..." More tears coursed down his pale cheeks as he shook his head quickly.
"Go away Y-yami..." he whispered tearfully. "I w-will taint you...c-curse you...please let me leave...I'm a h-horrible person..."
"No my hikari!" the pharaoh exclaimed softly. "You are a wonderful person whom everyone loves...I love you Yugi...and what happened was none of your fault...you were scared and feeling pain...please let me share your pain...we can work through this together..." The spirit inched closer to the trembling boy and this time, Yugi didn't shy away so Yami took this as a good sign and gently reached out to place a hand on his aibou's shoulder...trying not to flinch as he felt Yugi fight the urge to pull away from his touch. "Please Yugi...let me in again...let me help you..." More tears filled now innocent violent eyes as he began to shake even more. Could he really trust Yami? Would the spirit really help him? Perhaps a better question would be: Did he want help?
'I don't want anymore pain...I don't want any more guilt...no more responsibility...no more stress...' Yugi thought numbly as he felt the shadow realm disintegrating around them. 'Love...what an odd word to hear now...someone else loving me...that's even stranger...' The duelist glanced up at Yami who offered him a gentle smile. 'I see...love.... and trust.... he trusts me...'
"Well hikari? Will you accept my love? Will you accept my help?" Yugi glanced down at the ugly mark on his arm...it was going to become an equally ugly scar...He jumped slightly as a tanned hand landed on top of the healing cut and wrapped around his thin wrist. "I will not judge you for the things that have happened" Yami replied gently. "Please.... trust me Yugi...I will not leave you nor abandon you ever..."
The last comment was the breaking point for Yugi. A sob caught in his chest as the tears began to flow even faster. The small tri-color haired boy threw himself into Yami's waiting arms and just cried, his thin body shaking violently with every breath. Yami made comforting noises and gently rubbed Yugi's back in an attempt to calm his light down. Closing his eyes, Yami transported them out of the dark soul room and back to their real bodies. Yami opened his crimson eyes and blinked a few times. He had unconsciously climbed in the bed beside Yugi and was now holding the small boy tightly against him. Deciding that there was no way he could leave Yugi now, the pharaoh decided to stay there, clutching his aibou...his hikari...his koi to his chest and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
*~*
Ranger let out a soft hiss as the cold metal handcuffs were slapped onto his wrists. The cop offered him a sweet smile. "You have the right to remain silent, and anything you do say will be used against you in the court of law". The man's scowl deepened as he saw his associates being given the same treatment.
'Damn pigs...' he cursed mentally. "What's Ranger being arrested for?"
"Illegal prostitution and substance abuse... oh, and poisoning Ryuji Otogi and Yugi Mutou."
*~*
Yugi glanced up warily as the doctor approached his bed. He had woken up the next morning, in extreme pain and craving blood and drugs...However, Yami stuck by him, helping him through the cravings, and meeting with his friends...He winced mentally as he remembered the meeting he had with his grandpa...that had been the worst...the hurt look in Sugoroku's eyes had almost been too much too bear...Yugi didn't like the fact that he had hurt so many people...He couldn't help but shy away from any sort of touch...it was like a second nature to him now. Yami stood up as the doctor came close, ready to protect his other half at a moment's notice.
"I see you're doing better today" the doctor replied happily, glancing at the small teen's chart. Yugi merely shrugged. The days seemed too long and the cravings were almost unbearable sometimes...The doctor continued to babble on for a few minutes and Yugi had simply tuned him out. A few minutes later though, the doctor said something that caught his attention. "However, since you came in here because of a drug overdose, I'm afraid you'll have to spend some time in a rehabilitation center."
"Excuse me?" Yami said, crimson eyes narrowing slightly. "Do you mean like staying there over night?"
"No no, of course not" he replied quickly. "Just a month day program should work just as well..." Yugi let out a trembling sigh as he glanced down at his lap. He didn't want to do that...but perhaps it would help...but did he have the strength to go alone? The petit duelist glanced up at Yami hopefully.
// Yes aibou...I will merge bodies with you//
/But...I didn't e-even ask you.../ Yami smiled slightly as he placed his hand on top of Yugi's trembling one...the shaking would eventually go away...it was simply a withdrawal symptom.
//I know what you were thinking// Yugi was about to reply when another comment from the doctor jolted him back to reality.
"Your friend, Ryuji Otogi, is doing remarkable well too..." His gaze dropped to his lap again as the memories of that horrible night flashed before his eyes.
"Otogi is no f-friend of m-mine," he muttered a few moments, reaching up to furiously brush away the tears that had begun to fall again. He would never forgive Otogi for what he had done...never ever ever....The dungeon dice creator had caused too much pain to ever be forgiven...
*~*
Holy cow...longest chapter ever people! And it still could have been longer...Sorry for the lame soul battle thing...I was sorta stuck for an idea and it just came to me... I think it would fairly well...I just could have added so much more detail.... I may go back and do it later....Anywho, please review!!! Only one chapter left.... and that's the epilogue! Thanks to Telpei for betaing this! I make way too many mistakes...
Samurai Butterfly
Maoz-except for Ninja Chibi...we don't like them very much
Agreed...but hey, if they want to flame, so be it...the story is almost finished anyways. This is the last chapter...
Maoz-not counting the epilogue of course
Of course...anywho, on with the story!
Disclaimer-don't own
Warnings-Angst, yaoi (Male/Male), Rape, general torturing of my favorite characters, Dark fic, swearing.
An additional warning, you'll get to see different sides of characters.
Pairings-Yami/Yugi, Seto/Jounouchi (Jou), possible Ryou/Bakura 'Blah'-thoughts "Blah"-talking /blah/- Yugi to Yami, or Ryou to Bakura //blah//- Yami to Yugi or Bakura to Ryou
This chapter is dedicated to my best friend in the whole world, Telpei (DoC)
Inertia
'I am falling; spiraling downwards into the deepest abyss possible. I want to feel no pain...no guilt...no nothing...though, I want this life...I deserve this life. I cannot bring pleasure to myself...but that does not mean others must suffer because of me. I am a machine...a toy...something people can use and abuse then throw away so others can have their turn. I do not see light anymore...all I can see is the darkness...the wonderful darkness that will release me from this world and take my soul to universes unknown...there is no more hope...'
*~*
Sugoroku struggled with his two suitcases as he tried to knock at the door again. 'Where are those two boys?' he thought with a small frown before setting down one bag down on the fairly dirty step before trying to dig his key out of his pocket. 'I thought I had told them to sweep the steps everyday as well...' Sighing, he finally found his key and unlocked the door. Gently nudging it open with his foot, Yugi's grandpa picked up the suitcase he had set down and made his way into the dark game shop. "Yugi? Yami? Where are you boys?"
Receiving no answer, he set down his bags and ventured further into the house. He wandered into the kitchen to find that there was no note on the counter. Frown deepening, Sugoroku reached for the phone and dialed Jou's number. One ring...two rings...three rings passed before someone finally picked up. "Hello? Jounouchi?"
Jou's amber eyes widened drastically and he swore mentally. "Yeah...how's it goin' gramps?" he asked, trying to keep his voice light.
"I just got back from my trip and I was wondering if my grandson and Yami are over there" the elderly man replied calmly. "And if they are over there...could you send them home? It is getting late and I know that the streets aren't exactly all that safe now". Jou swallowed heavily. How the hell was he supposed to answer that with telling the poor man that his grandson was now a druggie who satisfied lonely men and women? There was a small click across the line. "Oh...hold on Jou, I've got another call coming in...". The blonde let out a sigh of relief.
"KAIBA! GET YER ASS OUT HERE!" he bellowed, holding a hand over the mouthpiece of the phone in case Yugi's grandpa came back on the line. The CEO strolled out of the living room where he had been trying to control Yami from running down to the bar.
"What's the problem Katsuya?"
"Yugi's gramps is on the phone"
"Shit...."
"My thoughts exactly" he replied grimly as he listened for a person to come back online. A few seconds later, Sugoroku came back and Jou waved his hand; a sign for Seto to be quiet.
"Jou..." the man replied in an odd voice. "That was the hospital that just called....Yugi's in the hospital...". He paused for a moment, clearing his throat of unshed tears. "He's in a coma...they're not sure if he'll wake up...." On the other side of the phone, Jou froze, unable to believe what Sugoroku had just said. His best friend...in the hospital...in a coma. When had his world started to fall apart so drastically? Why had he lost all the control he had worked so damn hard to get?
"We'll...we'll meet you there, okay Gramps?" he finally managed to get out a few minutes later, though, his voice sounded unusually hollow.
"Okay" the elderly man replied softly. "It's Domino general...please call the others."
"Sure Gramps...just hang in there. Everything will be fine" the blonde replied in a shaky voice before hanging up and turning around to face the brunette.
"Jounouchi?" Seto asked, his voice unnaturally soft. "What's going on?"
"I'll tell you what's going on," a cold voice growled from the doorway. "Yugi is in the hospital and you are going to take me there. Now." Jounouchi glanced over to see an extremely angry pharaoh standing there, the sennen eye glowing brightly on his forehead. He wasn't counting on the fact that Yami heard the whole conversation.
"Don't order us around pharaoh" Kaiba sneered, wrapping an arm around Jou's trembling shoulders and pulling the blonde closer to him. Yami frowned slightly before taking a step forward, eye glowing even brighter.
"Don't talk like that to me Kaiba" he grounded our, crimson eyes narrowing dangerously. "My hikari is slipping away from me as we speak and I want to go talk some Ra damn sense into him!"
"Calm down Yami...we're going to see him anyways" Jou replied in what he hoped was a normal voice. The glares' intensity lessened slightly.
"Good, then let's go" he replied coldly before stalking out of the kitchen. Sighing heavily, Jou moved to follow him before cursing loudly and whacking his head against his hand.
"Shit...I promised I'd call the others," he moaned, dreading another confrontation with Yami. His boyfriend merely rolled his eyes and gently pulled his lover towards the door.
"There are such things are cell phones mutt...and besides, we can't keep the all mighty pharaoh waiting now..." the brunette murmured before placing a soft kiss on the outer shell of Jounouchi's ear. "Let's just get the hospital and figure things out from there." Jou nodded slowly. It was times like these that he was glad for Seto's logical thinking and comforting presence.
*~*
'Hospitals really need to invest in more comfortable chairs...' Jou though aimlessly as the hour hand of the huge clock on the wall slowly slid to the 12...they had been waiting over 6 hours with little news. His amber eyes skirted to the side to cast a glare to the guard at the door. Only Sugoroku was allowed in to see his grandson while the rest of them had to wait outside with very little hope that Yugi would actually survive through the rest of the night.
His eyes moved away from the guard to scan the room. Originally, everyone had been alert and sitting up straight, eyes glued to the big double doors that led into places unknown...the place where their friend was. Now, after six Ra damn hours of waiting, they had spread out slightly. Bakura was sitting on one of the chairs, hard brown eyes half closed, though still alert. His hand gently stroked the soft white hair of his hikari whose head lay in his lap as Ryou had opted to lie across several chairs, hoping to find a more comfortable position. Anzu had gracefully tucked her legs up underneath her and appeared to be murmuring a silent prayer for her friend. Honey colored orbs then landed on Honda had spread himself over 5 chairs and had his eyes glued to the small TV high up in the corner. The blonde teen slowly turned his head to study his boyfriend who was sitting beside him, ice blue eyes focused on an imaginary spot on the opposite wall.
"Seto?" he whispered, glancing up at the brunette. "Do...do you think everything will be okay?" The CEO nodded automatically; an action he had learned to do. His own eyes traveled over to the pharaoh who was leaning against the wall next to the big double doors. Everything had to be okay...Seto had never seen Jou act like this and he wasn't exactly sure how to help the blonde cope, as it had never been his strong suit to help other people out. Just as he was about to reply verbally to the blonde, the big double doors swung open, giving Yami just the chance he needed to slip inside unnoticed as Sugoroku and a doctor emerged to confront the small group of teens.
After having a few soft words with the doctor, Sugoroku nodded softly and approached his grandson's friends while the doctor went off into another part of the hospital. The arrival of the elderly man startled the teens out of their stupor as they call began to crowd around him...well...all that is except for Bakura and Kaiba. They kept their distance from the group.
"Is Yugi okay?" Anzu asked, voicing the question that everyone had in his or her minds. Grandpa just sighed and motioned for everyone to sit down.
"There's no new news since the last time I came out to talk to you" he replied gently. "But...the doctor needs to know what happened to Yugi...and I do mean everything..." The group of friends glanced around at each other, each of them with an equally guilty look on his or her face.
"We only know bits and pieces of it Mr. Mutou" Ryou admitted softly. Jounouchi nodded in agreement.
"I know about ¾...but Yami is the one who would know it all..." the blonde student replied honestly. There was a soft snort from the other side of the room.
"Fools" the former tomb robber grumbled under his breath as he focused his hard brown eyes on them. "If you wanted to know the whole story you could have just asked me." His hikari turned around, wide eyed, to stare at his yami.
"And you couldn't have told us this before hand Kura?" he asked, trying to sound angry. "It could have helped out a lot!" The white-haired spirit merely shrugged and walked over to where the others had gathered.
"You didn't ask"
/yami...how do you know? / Ryou asked mentally, a hint of curiosity in his voice.
//When I was reviving the Ra damn pharaoh...against my will I might add // the spirit grunted. //I got a huge chunk of his memories from the past month or so //
"Please tell us Bakura..." Mr. Mutou murmured softly. "The doctors need to know..." Sighing mentally, Bakura sat down, still keeping a few chairs between him and the group.
"A little over a month ago...Yugi was raped by Otogi and needless to say...he didn't handle it well. After nearly killing Yami, he ran and decided to take refuge with drugs...prostitution...he's been missing for about 4 weeks now" Bakura replied, keeping his voice neutral. "And I'm guessing that he's not stranger to pain at the moment." Sugoroku's face paled considerably but he said nothing, as he could not think of anything to say. His grandson...raped...and he never even knew until over a month after it happened. What kind of caretaker was he if he couldn't even see that his own grandson was in so much pain? Did he even deserve to offer comfort to Yugi now?
*~*
Crimson eyes flashed dangerously as Yami entered the dark hospital room and sat down beside the bed, staring at the small, fragile body that lay there hooked up to various machines. 'You are not allowed die aibou' the pharaoh thought firmly as grasped Yugi's small pale hand in his before closing his eyes against the scene before him. 'I will not allow it and the pharaoh's word is law.' Grasping the newly completed puzzle in the other hand, Yami let his mind slip inside it. He gave himself a moment to adjust, as he had not done this for a long time. After a few moments, Yami opened his eyes again, blinking at the darkness. It had never been quite this dark before...as he continued down the narrow hallway, his sharp eyes picked up new hieroglyphs that hadn't been there before. The tri-color haired teen stopped to run a hand over one.
"This is pain," he murmured after a few moments. "And this one...death..." The pharaoh ran his hand over another part of the smooth wall. 'And this...this means not able to be loved...cursed' he thought sadly before tearing himself away from them. Yugi had unconsciously created them and if they had affected the hallways of his mind, he was afraid to see what the small boy's soul room would look like now. Swallowing his fear, he continued walking until he reached the two doors farther down the hall. He glanced at his own, sighing at the padlocks and chains that kept anyone from opening it. It truly wasn't his fault that it was like that...his own subconscious created the barriers. Yami then looked over at Yugi's, grimacing mentally as he took in the new black décor decorating the hikari's soul room. This wasn't right...his light should not be feeling this kind of pain...no one should feel this kind of pain. Taking a deep breath, Yami slowly pushed open the door and stepped inside, hoping to find Yugi still willing to live. He took a few steps into the darkness as his heart began to beat furiously. "Aibou?" he called out softly. "Are you here?"
"Don't call me that," a cold voice muttered from somewhere in the darkness. The pharaoh stopped walking as he tried to judge exactly where the voice was coming from.
"Then what do I call you? My hikari?" There was a bitter laugh from somewhere in the shadowed room.
"Hikari...don't make me laugh...that name has no meaning anymore. There is no light left in this body..." The tri-color haired spirit took a step towards where he thought the voice was coming from.
"Little one?" He received another hard laugh.
"Another innocent name...how predictable of you" Yugi replied, voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Yugi then...it is your name after all" Yami said quietly, now more confident as to where Yugi was in the room.
"If you must call me something..." he relented a few minutes later. "But I don't see why...I'll be gone soon and there's nothing you can do about it"
"The doctors are going to save you" Yami replied calmly. "You're going to live." Again, a harsh, cold laugh echoed throughout the room.
"Perhaps I should shed some *light* on the situation..." he said quietly. There was a soft handclap and as if by magic, a low light filled the room. His crimson eyes blinked rapidly, trying to get used to the change of lighting. Once they had adjusted, the pharaoh struggled to hold back a gasp of surprise. Yugi was sitting on the bed, cross-legged and leaning against the wall. His normal bright violet eyes were narrowed and had lost their usual sparkle. In one hand, he held a piece of glass that had dried blood around the edges. But what was really un nerving about this whole situation was that Yugi was caressing the pale skin of his other arm with the sharp piece, though, Yugi was not putting enough pressure on the glass to break the skin underneath it. "What's the matter protector?" he asked smugly. "See something you don't like?"
"Stop this Yugi."
"Stop what Yami?"
"You know what I mean..." The pharaoh suppressed a soft shudder that ran through his body as Yugi's cold, heartless laugh vibrated off the walls of the soul room.
"I'm afraid I don't Yami...please explain." Frowning slightly, he took a step forward.
"This isn't the Yugi I know...this isn't the Yugi I love" he replied quietly, eyes softening slightly. "Come back to me aibou...my hikari..." This time, Yami could not hold back a wince as Yugi continued to laugh. "Stop that...it's not you...aibou...I'm terribly sorry for what has happened to you...but I can still help if you will let me. We can work through this together." The petit tri color haired boy simply stared at his darker half, a small smirk on his face as he slowly got up from the bed. By doing this. Yami could see just how thin Yugi had become...by Ra...his hikari looked ever younger than he did before.
"Who says I want to work through this? And you can't love me" he replied stubbornly before setting the bloodstained piece of glass down on the bed and taking a step forward. "I am cursed, I am unlovable...I just want to leave this world before I taint it anymore."
"Are you sure that's what you want my hikari?" the pharaoh murmured softly, a sad look entering his piercing crimson eyes. Yugi nodded firmly before crossing his arms over his chest.
"Yes...it's for the best...I can't be healed and I don't want to feel anymore pain...and don't call me that! I am no hikari...I am darkness!"
"I'm afraid I can not let you go without a fight aibou...I challenge you to a shadow game...you should be familiar with them by now. If I win, you must stay...and if you win, you may leave this world and I won't try to stop you," Yami explained while try to keep his voice steady though his heart was racing. A couple of years ago, he had taught Yugi how to play shadow games and like any other game, his light had picked up on it very fast. However, Yami was counting on the fact that part of the old Yugi was still alive...the old Yugi *hated* playing shadow games with a passion stronger than Ra himself. The ancient spirit was jolted out of his thoughts by a comment that made his heart sink down to the floor.
"I accept." Yugi said, narrowing his cold violet eyes. "I accept your challenge."
*~*
A gaunt, raven-haired boy let out a soft moan as bright lights invaded his silent cocoon of darkness. He felt...no...there were no words in the English language to describe how awful he felt. He heard some vague voices through the fog that inhabited his mind and was tempted to turn away from them like he had been doing for a while. However, this time seemed different than the last. He recognized these voices from before...and that he should go towards them this time though it was hard. The teen felt as through he was swimming through Jell-O...why was this so hard to do? Still, he kept on. The lights seemed to get brighter as the raven-haired boy neared the wall of his sanctuary. After what seemed like hours, he had finally reached the barrier separating him from reality. With a quiet grunt, the teen pushed a hand through, followed by another and eventually managed to squeeze his whole body through. He let out a soft groan as his mind re-entered his physical body and all the pain came flooding back. From somewhere in the room, he heard someone gasp loudly.
"Doctor! He's waking up!" a female voice exclaimed. Otogi tried to open his mouth to speak, but found that his body didn't seem to be obeying his commands. With great effort, he got his eyes open to find himself looking at a person who appeared to be a doctor. He uttered another groan of pain as said doctor shined a small flashlight in his emerald green eyes.
"Welcome back Ryuji Otogi" he said, moving to check the other eye. You had us scared for a while...it would be better if you didn't try to talk at the moment. We've had a tube down your throat for a bit so that you could be feed without us sticking needles in you all the time. It'll be taken out in a few days once you start moving around a bit more. Do you know who are you?" Otogi slowly nodded, wincing as the pain shot through his body. Gods...what had he done to be in this much pain?
"Do you know why you're here?" the nurse asked in a more gentle voice. To this comment, he shook his head. The two medical personal exchanged a knowing glance before focusing their attention back on their patient as the nurse moved to the foot of the bed and placed a hand on his foot. The raven- haired teen let out a hiss of pain at the gentle touch. "Push against my hand Otogi..." The game creator tried. He told his muscles to move...but they simply didn't listen. He glanced up at the doctor with a pleading look in his eyes.
'What the hell has happened to me?' he asked silently as the worry began to grow. 'What are you not telling me?'
*~*
"So Yami, what game are we playing today? Duel monsters? Riddles?" Yugi asked curiously as the shadow realm slowly crept up from the floor around them and eventually encased the two boys. The sennen eye glowed brightly on Yami's forehead as he fought to keep the shadow realm around them. By Ra...it had been a long time since he had used this power and without Yugi...it seemed much harder than usually to maintain.
"I'm afraid not my Hikari...we're playing memory" he replied softly. Contrary to popular belief, Yugi had very little patience and memory was one of his least favorite games. Usually, he ended up forfeiting to Yami because the pharaoh took so long to make his move. Yami was counting on the fact that this was Yugi's least favorite game...he needed every advantage he could get. Yugi grimaced slightly.
'Great...I don't like this game very much' he thought grimly as a table and chairs materialized out of the shadows and they took their seats. Rows of cards then made themselves present across the table.
"Are you ready aibou?" Yami murmured, glancing up at his light. So much was riding on this game...The person across the table nodded, a determined smirk on his face.
"You do know you have no hope of winning this...protector" Yugi replied, a cold tone to his voice. "I will win...and then...I can leave this world forever and never have to feel anymore pain." Yami winced mentally winced and kept his game face on.
"I shall let you go first."
"Pharaoh...that move will be your downfall."
"We shall see my hikari" Yami replied, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back in the chair. "Make your move." Yugi nodded before moving forward in the chair slightly and flipping over two cards. One had a picture of the millennium ankh and the other, a picture of the millennium eye.
"No match" he said, flipping the cards back over. "Go." Yami nodded slightly as he studied the cards in front of him. Five minutes later and he still had yet to go. A quick glance at Yugi would prove that the boy was already getting impatient. Finally, he flipped over two cards: One was a picture of the Dark Magician and the other was one of the millennium puzzle. Silently, he flipped them back over and gestured to Yugi to take his move.
"Finally" the small tri-color haired boy muttered, quickly flipping over his two cards. His smirk widened drastically. "Oh look pharaoh," he drawled, gesturing to the cards he had overturned. "A match." Yami grimaced mentally. Yugi had made a match with the millennium eye. "And with a match, I get to go again..."
"So you do...take your turn..." The spirit's heart sank as he saw Yugi's smirk widen almost into an evil smile that most certainly did not belong on his innocent hikari. This was going to be a very long indeed. Time seemed at a stand still as the game continued on, neither player realizing exactly how much time had passed. At least a dozen moves later, Yugi had pulled ahead in the game and glanced up at Yami, violet eyes narrowed with some twisted form of excitement.
"Oh pharaoh," he practically purred as he made yet another effortless match. "You seem to be losing...who's the king of games now?" Yami clenched his teeth, determined not to reply back...to keep his concentration on the game that he couldn't afford to lose. He couldn't lose Yugi...Yugi was part of his soul...his light...his love.
"You will not win," he muttered as Yugi flipped over two non-matching cards. He reached out to flip a card over in the corner and then one in the other, making another match. "I can not afford to lose that Yugi that I know is still inside of you...he is my other half...my love."
"How *touching*" Yugi replied with a bitter laugh. "The Yugi you knew does not exist anymore. He could not handle this...he could not handle your rejection!" At this comment, Yami's jaw nearly dropped open as he nearly dropped the card that he held in his hand.
"R-rejection? I would never do that to Yugi! I would have helped him through it...I would have helped him cope with the pain!" Again, the cold laugh chilled Yami to the bone.
"That's what they all say...but they leave you eventually...they all do. That's what I told Yugi...and he believed me, "the violet eyed boy explained, his voice hard.
"Why did you tell him such lies?" the pharaoh demanded, standing up, game forgotten. "You knew I'd love him no matter what!" Yugi shrugged as he sat back in his chair.
"I simply told him what he wanted to hear...I've gone un heard for so long and I jumped at the chance to become 'friends' with him once more" he explained calmly. "Make your move protector...I'm getting bored with this game." Frowning deeply, the spirit sat back down but he was so flustered, he missed the easy match. Laughing again, Yugi snatched it up, giving himself an even bigger lead. Muttering a few curses in his native language, Yami watched on, totally helpless as his aibou got another match and another. Finally, after 2 more matches, there was a miss-match and it was Yami's turn once again.
'I must concentrate' he thought determinedly, closing his eyes as the sennen eye began to glow brighter on his forehead. 'So much is at stake for this game...Yugi now has ten matches...and I have five...I have to get at least six more matches for me to win...and there are only thirteen cards left...the odds are against me...'
"Giving up pharaoh?" Yugi asked, feigning innocence. "I wouldn't blame you if you did...you'd only prove my point more..." Yami's crimson eyes snapped open as he focused a cold glare on who was supposed to be his other half.
"I am not giving up imposter," he snarled, quickly making another match. "I love Yugi too much to let him slip through my fingers now. Besides, I have to prove you wrong." There, another match...now only four more to go. Focusing his spiritual energy, the pharaoh quickly made three more matches, watching the disbelief creep on to his aibou's face. "Surprised? We are now tied...one more match and I win and you get to leave." Yugi's smirk twisted into a dark scowl. This was definitely not looking good for him...but there still was a chance that Yami could mess up. A very good chance...with only three cards left, the pharaoh, the king of games could still make a mistake.
"Make your move *pharaoh*" he replied darkly. "You still can lose..." Yami's eyes narrowed dangerously as he flipped over one card, revealing the millennium puzzle.
"I. Shall. Never. Give. Up" he replied firmly before reaching for the card closest to him and flipping it over. Yugi gasped, eyes widening drastically.
'No...'he thought faintly. 'It can't be...' On the card, was a picture of the millennium puzzle. 'He...won.' Yami let out a soft sigh before standing up.
"I have won, imposter" he replied coolly. "Now, Yugi's life is in my hand and you shall leave forever..." The sennen eye began to glow brighter and Yugi let out a soft cry, as he had to shield his eyes from the bright light. "Leave now!" he commanded firmly, gesturing his hand towards Yugi. "Yugi is mine!" All he received for a response was a high-pitched cry as the imposter was hit with a powerful wave of shadow magic that sent the being to the shadow realm for all eternity. After a few minutes, Yami let up, the sennen eye going back to just glimmering slightly. His heart leapt at the sight of Yugi cowering on the ground, tears staining his pale cheeks. "My hikari..." he breathed, taking a step towards the small boy. Yugi simply cried out and scampered backwards, desperate to get away from his darker half.
"L-leave me a-alone!" he cried, trembling violently. "I...I just want to die!" Yami let out a tired sigh as he attempted to get closer to Yugi again. The same reaction happened. Yugi desperately wanted to get away from him...and it was breaking Yami's heart in two.
"Aibou..." he murmured, crouching down to Yugi's eye level. "Do not be afraid...I will not hurt you..." More tears coursed down his pale cheeks as he shook his head quickly.
"Go away Y-yami..." he whispered tearfully. "I w-will taint you...c-curse you...please let me leave...I'm a h-horrible person..."
"No my hikari!" the pharaoh exclaimed softly. "You are a wonderful person whom everyone loves...I love you Yugi...and what happened was none of your fault...you were scared and feeling pain...please let me share your pain...we can work through this together..." The spirit inched closer to the trembling boy and this time, Yugi didn't shy away so Yami took this as a good sign and gently reached out to place a hand on his aibou's shoulder...trying not to flinch as he felt Yugi fight the urge to pull away from his touch. "Please Yugi...let me in again...let me help you..." More tears filled now innocent violent eyes as he began to shake even more. Could he really trust Yami? Would the spirit really help him? Perhaps a better question would be: Did he want help?
'I don't want anymore pain...I don't want any more guilt...no more responsibility...no more stress...' Yugi thought numbly as he felt the shadow realm disintegrating around them. 'Love...what an odd word to hear now...someone else loving me...that's even stranger...' The duelist glanced up at Yami who offered him a gentle smile. 'I see...love.... and trust.... he trusts me...'
"Well hikari? Will you accept my love? Will you accept my help?" Yugi glanced down at the ugly mark on his arm...it was going to become an equally ugly scar...He jumped slightly as a tanned hand landed on top of the healing cut and wrapped around his thin wrist. "I will not judge you for the things that have happened" Yami replied gently. "Please.... trust me Yugi...I will not leave you nor abandon you ever..."
The last comment was the breaking point for Yugi. A sob caught in his chest as the tears began to flow even faster. The small tri-color haired boy threw himself into Yami's waiting arms and just cried, his thin body shaking violently with every breath. Yami made comforting noises and gently rubbed Yugi's back in an attempt to calm his light down. Closing his eyes, Yami transported them out of the dark soul room and back to their real bodies. Yami opened his crimson eyes and blinked a few times. He had unconsciously climbed in the bed beside Yugi and was now holding the small boy tightly against him. Deciding that there was no way he could leave Yugi now, the pharaoh decided to stay there, clutching his aibou...his hikari...his koi to his chest and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
*~*
Ranger let out a soft hiss as the cold metal handcuffs were slapped onto his wrists. The cop offered him a sweet smile. "You have the right to remain silent, and anything you do say will be used against you in the court of law". The man's scowl deepened as he saw his associates being given the same treatment.
'Damn pigs...' he cursed mentally. "What's Ranger being arrested for?"
"Illegal prostitution and substance abuse... oh, and poisoning Ryuji Otogi and Yugi Mutou."
*~*
Yugi glanced up warily as the doctor approached his bed. He had woken up the next morning, in extreme pain and craving blood and drugs...However, Yami stuck by him, helping him through the cravings, and meeting with his friends...He winced mentally as he remembered the meeting he had with his grandpa...that had been the worst...the hurt look in Sugoroku's eyes had almost been too much too bear...Yugi didn't like the fact that he had hurt so many people...He couldn't help but shy away from any sort of touch...it was like a second nature to him now. Yami stood up as the doctor came close, ready to protect his other half at a moment's notice.
"I see you're doing better today" the doctor replied happily, glancing at the small teen's chart. Yugi merely shrugged. The days seemed too long and the cravings were almost unbearable sometimes...The doctor continued to babble on for a few minutes and Yugi had simply tuned him out. A few minutes later though, the doctor said something that caught his attention. "However, since you came in here because of a drug overdose, I'm afraid you'll have to spend some time in a rehabilitation center."
"Excuse me?" Yami said, crimson eyes narrowing slightly. "Do you mean like staying there over night?"
"No no, of course not" he replied quickly. "Just a month day program should work just as well..." Yugi let out a trembling sigh as he glanced down at his lap. He didn't want to do that...but perhaps it would help...but did he have the strength to go alone? The petit duelist glanced up at Yami hopefully.
// Yes aibou...I will merge bodies with you//
/But...I didn't e-even ask you.../ Yami smiled slightly as he placed his hand on top of Yugi's trembling one...the shaking would eventually go away...it was simply a withdrawal symptom.
//I know what you were thinking// Yugi was about to reply when another comment from the doctor jolted him back to reality.
"Your friend, Ryuji Otogi, is doing remarkable well too..." His gaze dropped to his lap again as the memories of that horrible night flashed before his eyes.
"Otogi is no f-friend of m-mine," he muttered a few moments, reaching up to furiously brush away the tears that had begun to fall again. He would never forgive Otogi for what he had done...never ever ever....The dungeon dice creator had caused too much pain to ever be forgiven...
*~*
Holy cow...longest chapter ever people! And it still could have been longer...Sorry for the lame soul battle thing...I was sorta stuck for an idea and it just came to me... I think it would fairly well...I just could have added so much more detail.... I may go back and do it later....Anywho, please review!!! Only one chapter left.... and that's the epilogue! Thanks to Telpei for betaing this! I make way too many mistakes...
Samurai Butterfly