Hello, there! Slightly longer chapter ahead!
I come to like this story very much after I thought a long time about just letting it get lost. I don't know. It didn't mean very much to me, I think. Now I want to continue it and I will.
This chapter makes me bang my head on my desk though. There's just something wrong with it and I can't see what. It knocks at my temple with an irony fist and says: 'Hey, this is crap! Try again?'. T.T I read it over and there is nothing I didn't want to happen. Maybe it's Anzu? Waaah!
Um... I pushed the rating up. It's now rated PG-13. I am unsure about it though, because in Germany we don't have ratings on fan fiction.
Well, Review Responses are at the end of the chapter. Enjoy!
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The air blowing against him was warm and he felt content like that, just letting himself float in dark nothingness. Pitch-black nothingness. Normally it made him quiver in fear but the feeling of the company of another being at his side soothed the uneasiness. He could have stayed like that forever, he thought, just lying on air, nothing but the presence of something warm and intimate all around him, snuggling to his skin like a touch. Actually the air he rested on smelled familiar. He had the distinct feeling of having taken in the scent before. And he found he loved it.
It was the scent of heated cinnamon. Tasty, delicious, dainty cinnamon with a spicy edge accompanying it that screamed 'devour me'. Oh, how he wished to do that!
Breathing in the scent deeply he was shocked to find that the source of it was moving away from him. The warmth around him left, the air blowing against him losing a few degrees of temperature. He shivered, the darkness around him now not all that comfortable anymore. He tried to reach out and hold it back but the nothingness was so empty and there was nothing he could grab and pull back against him. He had lost the company of the one chasing his fears away and they returned full force, making him whimper. He wanted to cry, to scream, but somehow there was no voice to speak, there was no sound of anything around him, not even his breathing, which had to be quite harsh by now. His eyes widened in panic, the darkness closing in and there was nothing he could do about it. Cold, uncaring darkness. Coming nearer and nearer. Encircling him.
Yugi woke up with a start, perspiration sticking to his forehead, dampening his hair and his clothes. He tried to calm his breath, which came out in uncontrollable pants, and wiped the sweat off his face with his uniform sleeve. Why did he sleep in his uniform anyway, he wondered. And why was he in bed? It had to be midday already. He looked over at his alarm clock and jumped to his feet in shock. Darn, he was late! School was halfway over and he had overslept badly!
Yawning Yugi straightened his clothes and pulled the chain of the puzzle over his head quickly. Then he raced out the door and, snatching his schoolbag which rested at the door, out of the house. He didn't take the time wondering why it was there, he focused on getting to school as fast as he could.
Arriving there he stopped dead in his tracks. The police? Something stirred in the back of his mind and he remembered the weird dream he had had. About a stranger killing his teacher. No. Not a stranger. His beautiful illusion. The beautiful tainted illusion. But it couldn't be real, could it? It felt so real though. Too real. Could it be...? Oh, no. Of course it was real... wasn't it?
Pupils crowded at the side, looking at the scene and Yugi hurried over to them, spotting Anzu, a girl he knew from his classes.
"What's going on here?" he asked with a dark premonition. If it really was true... well, it had to be. No dream could have been as long and felt as real as this one.
"Yugi?" The girl turned around to him and he was shocked to see tears in her eyes. "Well... I don't know really... Izumi-sensei... she... she had some kind of heart attack and now she is... she is..."
"Oh..." Yugi swallowed. It had not been a dream then. And it made sense. Waking up in his school uniform. School being halfway over at that time... But where was Yami? Why had he not been there as he woke up? Should he have been glad now that the other boy had left? Why did he feel so lonely instead?
"Where have you been?" Anzu asked, forcing the current subject down and wiping the remaining traces of tears out of her eyes.
"I overslept." Yugi told her, his voice shaking. He wasn't a person to lie easily. But Anzu obviously took it as a sign of shock over the death of their teacher. A thing he already knew. A thing he had seen happening before his own eyes.
They fell silent now, just watching the scene before them. The policemen talked to the teachers and to a few of his schoolmates who had been there the moment the woman had died. Other then that nothing happened.
The arm suddenly snaking around him from behind came unexpected and Yugi squeaked jumping. Soft breath tickled his neck before he felt a face nuzzling into his hair.
---Hello, little one.--- Yami greeted, leaning into him. ---I was looking for you.---
Yugi relaxed automatically after he had recognised who the person was and turned his head slightly so he could look at Yami surprised and strangely relieved. He came back? Yami just smiled at him, his features showing great affection and joy of having found him.
Anzu had turned around as she heard the noise and her eyes almost doubled in size. "What... what... er... who is this?"
"Um... Anzu..." Yugi blushed a furious red and watched the girl glancing from him to Yami and back, then down and at the arm resting possessively on his stomach. He squirmed under her puzzled look, waiting for her reaction. Why did Yami have to be so touchy? He had hoped to be able to keep him hidden somehow.
---Hidden?--- Yami asked confusedly, shifting against him a little bit so that his head was resting on Yugi's shoulder. ---But why?---
Why? Yugi sighed inwardly. To avoid questions. To avoid unwanted attention from others. To be able to be invisible among them.
---Why would you want that?---
Before Yugi could think of an answer to that, Anzu spoke up again.
"Yugi, who is that?" She repeated, her eyes worried. "You... you two look so much alike. He doesn't bother you, does he? You look troubled."
"No!" Yugi replied hurriedly. "I met him... um... two days ago I think and he... we... I..."
Anzu's frown melted into a knowing smile and Yugi had the sudden urge to run and hide. She misunderstood, didn't she? She thought that he and Yami were... "Are the two of you together?" Yugi's face darkened to a deeper shade of red.
---What does she want?--- Yugi felt Yami stiffening. ---Why is she looking at you that way?---
"Yami?" Fearing that Yami could leash out again Yugi turned around and looked at him warningly, even though the colour of his face ruined the effect a little, before continuing to speak in a light voice. "This is my friend Anzu. Anzu? This is Yami."
He forced a smile onto his lips and looked back to the girl, who bowed slightly and then stuck out her hand for Yami to shake.
"Nice to meet you." She said, grinning. "I'm glad that Yugi finally found someone. I had been really worried for a while now."
Yugi noticed her guarded stance, which she tried to cover in a futile attempt of politeness, and groaned inwardly. She knew. She saw the dangerous glint in Yami's eyes.
"Take her hand, Yami." He demanded in a desperate whisper. "Please."
---No.--- Both of Yami's arms came up and he buried them in the clothes of the smaller teen in front of him.
"That's childish, Yami." Yugi looked at him over his shoulder.
"Um... I'll let you two alone then, I think." Anzu said, letting her offered arm fall back to her side. "There are no classes today, Yugi, so I'll see you tomorrow, right?"
Yugi nodded hastily and watched Anzu walk away in a quick pace. "Bye."
Silence.
"You frightened her." Yugi said unhappily. "Can't you be a bit more polite, if nothing else?"
---Polite?--- Yami slowly stepped around him until he stood in front of him, never losing touch while doing so, and a soft hand cupped his cheek. Yugi relished the warmth radiating from his look-alike, suddenly remembering the dream he had had half an hour ago. He shivered slightly. --- I don't have to be polite if I don't want to be.---
"You will have to be." He said sternly. "I -need- you to be, or else my grandfather won't approve of you being near me for example."
---That's not his business.--- Yami's hand on his cheek wandered slightly, his index finger now tracing Yugi's jaw line. ---He can't decide if I'm near you or not.---
"Why would you think he can't?" Yugi frowned deeply. "Because you're pharaoh where you come from? You have no such power here. You're just like every other teen to all of the people around. Look at them. They won't bow down before you if you tell them to. So why do you think my grandfather is an exception?"
---He will respect me if you tell him who I am.--- Yami's eyes darkened with determination. The colour of dried blood again. Yugi couldn't resist but stare at them.
"No, you don't understand!" Yugi told him dazedly, finding it hard to concentrate. "We have no kind of pharaoh or king here. Everyone has the same rights and is equal to the one's around them. There is no way you can make those people, my grandfather included, obey to your wishes like that. They won't listen."
---Hm.--- Understanding dawned in Yami's crimson eyes, lightening their colour, but it was a different kind of understanding than Yugi had hoped for. ---So that's why you behave so rebellious all the time.---
"What?" Yugi's eyebrows rose. First he had thought it was just a joke but then he realised that Yami was completely serious.
---You use to complain and you demand things and you never obey when I tell you to do something.--- Yami shrugged.
"I'm not demanding." Yugi pouted slightly. "I never am. Give one example of me being demanding."
---Oh, there are a few.--- Yami leaned into him, his hands falling down from Yugi's face to his hips and from there on wandering over his back. --- For example...---
"Yeah?" Yugi breathed in warm, intoxicating cinnamon as Yami drew even closer and it made his knees feel weak and his head spin. He was reminded of his dream again, the scent wakening the desire in him to taste the cinnamon-skin, to fill his whole being with it. It was an urge he could not resist. Barely could he fight himself into resistance.
---For example did you complain as I did this...--- Yami's hands dived downwards in a smooth movement, gripping onto the soft flesh of Yugi's buttocks and making him squeak in shock and delight. ---And then you demanded for me to stop.---
"Yami!" Yugi stuttered, leaning back and staring into his eyes. "Stop that."
Yami's hands immediately released him and instead came to rest on the small of his back, pulling him up and into his awaiting body. ---There. I proved it. You are demanding.---
"But not as demanding as you!" Yugi growled. "You are plain outrageous. Other people could have accused you of molesting them by now."
---Other people would have been very happy if I chose them in your stead.--- Yami blinked at him, his eyes showing not a bit of the vanity lying in his words as if he just stated an obvious fact.
"Then try it." Yugi bit back a laugh at the thought of Yami being slapped square in the face by raging women.
---They would never slap me.--- Yami's face had taken on a horror stricken expression and Yugi laughed freely now as he realised Yami had seen the picture he had imagined.
"You can't just go and touch other people like that." Yugi grinned cheekily. "Usually one doesn't let strangers grab their bottoms. You didn't even ask for permission. It's a very privet territory."
---Well, then I'm the one to invade yours and officially claim it as my own now.--- Yami's hands came down again, this time making each movement last though, each caress linger before his hands reached their destination. Yugi gasped as they outlined the curve of his backside carefully. ---Mine.---
"You're insolent." He told him, slapping the hands away with renewed resolve and stepped back. "Did you ever hear of personal space?"
---You put up a fight?--- Yami's eyes glistered with amusement and want as they roamed his figure. Yugi crossed his arms in front of his chest in an attempt to hide from the eager eyes. It didn't work.
"You can't have me." Yugi's gaze hardened. "I don't know you and you don't know me. I'm not that easy."
---If you could just see what I see you would understand how I feel.--- The amusement died down, making room for deep longing. ---If you could just have a look at yourself. Perfect. Desirable. You deny me all I want to see, all I want to feel. I want you to make me... feel the perfection your eyes always offer so freely. You provoke me with those heated side-glances, arouse me with those thoughts of all you want to do to me when I'm near you. And you wonder why I can't stop touching? Your eyes say 'kiss me' and you pull back at the same time. You make me go mad with those thoughts you have...---
"Thoughts?" Yugi asked, too speechless to say more than one word.
---Yes, the thoughts.--- Yami stepped closer to him again, making him shiver. ---Of how you want to devour me and of how you want to be near me and of how you want me to touch you. Do I have to continue? There is lots more you think all the time. Of how you can't resist me or of how much you like my eyes and of how alluring you find I am. And that should make me think you don't want me?---
Yami stood directly in front of him now, so that their bodies were touching. His arms were at his sides, hands fisted as if he had to keep them down by force.
---Now that you try to teach me so much, let me teach you something for once, innocent one.--- Yami went on, never breaking eye contact. ---You can't expect of someone to be able to hold themselves back if you keep on thinking such thoughts about them. From the very beginning you did that to me and my control is slowly slipping away.---
As if to prove his point, Yami let his hands slide up Yugi's sides, making his breath hitch, up his chest and over his shoulder until they lay on his cheeks, where they stroked the velvety skin. ---Right now I feel how mutual our wishes are. 'Lean down, kiss me.' you say and it's really hard for me to resist if you do that.---
"I- I don't..." Yugi whispered, his voice unsteady.
---Your mind doesn't lie.--- Yami said quietly. ---Neither does your voice.- --
"But..." Yugi wanted to shake his head to clear it but found it impossible to do so. What did he want? What did he want? Did he really want Yami to kiss him? Or was it Yami making him believe he wanted to?
---Rubbish!--- The look Yami gave him showed hurt. ---I told you I would never control you.---
"How would I know?!" Yugi gazed down. "Tell me, how can I trust you? First I did, but then you killed my teacher and refused to let me go as I told you to do that. You trapped me and held me down, telling me the woman deserved to die just because she went against your wishes. Wishes at that, which she couldn't even have been able to know! I am afraid of you, Yami. Afraid of what you are willing to do to get what you want. Afraid of your ruthlessness. Afraid of the urge to forget all that and let you have what you want."
---Yugi...---
"Can't you tell that I fear you by my thoughts you claim to know so well?" Yugi leaned his face into the hands holding it. "I fear you as much as I want you."
---How can I make you trust me?--- Yami asked, desperation making his words waver.
"I told you how." Yugi closed his eyes tightly against the picture of Yami being in so much pain.
---I tried.--- He could tell Yami's face came closer to his by the breath tickling his skin ever so slightly. ---Aibou, open your eyes. Look at me.---
Yugi obeyed and met the burning crimson eyes. ---After I woke up I went to do what you asked of me. I – I saw the people standing around the corpse, crying and staring unbelievingly. A little girl, not older than five years, sat on the floor, tears streaming down her face. She held the woman's hand, tugging at it and begged her to wake up. There was nothing I felt. Nothing. They cried and I stood there and felt nothing. I don't want to lie to you and say I regretted everything I did as soon as I took in the scenario. But I want you to show me what they felt. I want to understand. While I stood there looking at all of them I felt very... lonely. Lost. It hurt so much to look at them. It hurt. They have something I don't have. Something I don't understand. Please, show me!---
Thick silence followed his words. Words full of uncertainty and pain. Honest words. Yugi had not expected them, nor had he expected for Yami to run off first thing after waking up and try to understand what Yugi had meant. Yami had not managed to understand but he was willing to. He had wondered before if Yami deserved the second chance. And yes, he was certain now, that he deserved one.
"I'll help you." Yugi said, determination making his voice sound raw.
---What if I can't feel like that?--- Yami asked, fear slipping into his features. It made his face appear young, like that of a lost child, trying to find the right way home. ---What if I don't have the ability to feel like that?---
"You have." Yugi smiled reassuringly. "Everyone has. And I will show you that you have, too."
---Yugi...--- The hands at his cheeks tightened and Yami closed the gap between them, placing a desperate kiss onto his lips, just lingering for a short moment before he drew back, his hands falling down to Yugi's back and pressing them close together. ---I need you, Aibou. Need you so much...---
Yugi didn't reply, but his thoughts did as desperately, making up for the lack of words just perfectly.
'I need you, too, Yami. I don't know why, but I really do.'
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To Be Continued...
Phew, now that is done!
Well, now it seems Yami doesn't regret. But does he really not? He is so much in pain, maybe he just doesn't realise? If you try so hard to feel something, how do you know you actually feel it? Is it possible to feel something without knowing you feel it while you desperately try to feel it?
Think about that and keep it in mind until next chapter and please tell me what you think about the matter. It makes my head hurt.
Review Responses:
Hey, you great, great, wonderful people! Your reviews ROCK! They help, encourage and they make me happy! Your opinions are important to me! Thanks!
Yana5: Yes, Yami talked about Yugi. That was a big metaphor, heh. It will come up eventually in one of the next chapters. Thank you for the review.
Ril: Thanks, the chapter was fun for me to write, so it makes me happy to see that you liked it as well. Thank you for the review.
SoulDreamer: Adorable? Yami and being adorable? Hm, a little bit strange of a description of him (grins) But I think he is, too, though he runs around and killing people (muahaha) Thanks for the review.
Laryna6: Hey, it's great that you share my opinion of the fact that it would need a few more examples before Yugi gets through to Yami. He can't change over night, can he? Well, thank you for the review and the author's alert (smile).
Pharaohs Angel: Yes, Yugi is definitely much too over trusting in the manga and in the TV-series as well. Do you remember the episode as he met Bandit Keith while the guy was controlled by Marik?
Badit Keith:'(looming over Yugi) Give me your puzzle...just for a little moment...'
Yugi: 'Okay, sure.'
... Waaah, I wanted to scream and kick him in the butt then. So naive... Well, thank you for the review.
Kitty Neko: Update done. There you are.
YumeTakato: Everyone seems to think Yami is being cute here... Is he? Well, I certainly think he is, but... oh, perhaps he really is. (shrugs) Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for the review.
The evil one: Did you get the E-Mail? I hope so. Well, Thank you for the review!
Lady Threarah: Thank you, I work on my spelling very much. But I am sure I would be dead without the spell-check. What would I be without it? Thank you for the review.
Lucidscreamer: Hey, thanks for the error, I'll correct it! The spell-check just didn't tell me, because the word 'ankle' does exist as well (grins). American English and British English have DIFFERENT punctuation rules?! I can't believe it! I'll never learn how to do that right, I think! Well... (sobs) I'll just do what feels right (sighs) Thank you for the review and this interesting piece of information.
Field of View: Waiii, I love your description of Yami's character. He's a little helpless in Yugi's world and Yugi isn't one to deny help if someone needs it. That's what I think. So Yami x Yugi will live till... erm... the end of the world, yes (cough, cough)... Hope you liked this chapter! Thank you for the nice review. There is a smile stuck on my face now. It won't go away (smiles).
SilverWing147: Hey, there you are! You liked the jewel thing? Well, It somewhat flew to me. I wanted to do something like that for a long time now. Just as desperately as I want to write a scene or a story about rain. Rain is lovely. It's something one can imagine easily and it can be described so well... Now imagine Yami in the rain... (sighs)... er... Waah, I'm babbling. Thank you for the review!
Misseystar: Wow, what a long, long, long review! I'll take my time to answer it thoroughfully!
Cliched stories. Well, I stumbled over a few AUs which were cliched, but you're right. It's easier not to fall into cliche if you write an AU. But cliche is not always a bad thing, I think. I read a lot of good stories which were and they can be very good. Though they are not that special most of the time. You know the idea and it doesn't get stuck in your mind because there were thousands which were the same.
Right, in AU stories OOCness is often necessary to make the characters believable. But you have to put them in a fitting role to their character as well so you don't have to change so much. Like you said, they have to have some elements of their original character.
You think I update fast? (grins) Can't be. Usually I take my pretty time but now I'm just in the flow of the story. I have to look up your stories. I need something new to read anyway and you made me curious.
You hand in assignments without proofreading them? Well, I proof-read my chapters thousands of times and there are nonetheless errors left -.- We don't have assignments to hand in though. We just have homework and sometimes a project or something like that. How often do you have to do assignments? I guess they mean a lot of work.
That Yugi is giving a second chance to Yami so the romance won't die down is not the only reason. Or do you think Yugi wouldn't give Yami a second chance in the original series? He is kind and he is understanding. Of course would he, right?
I like Yugi as naive as well, it makes him so cute. Despite the opinion of many others, he is one of my favourite characters (Many other people think he is a somewhat boring character. They like the insane one's better (grins)).
You asked if you review helped?! Why, and how it did!! I loved it! Loved, loved, loved it! Thank you!!
Rikainiel: (hands new cookies) Here you are! You don't mind the more hentaiish moments? Cool, that's nice to hear. Though I won't write a real hentai-scene. I have no experience with that and I don't want to ruin the story! We'll see how it develops. (grins) Thank you for the review.
Voice-sama: Wow, schon wieder wer, der Deutsch ist! Ja, ich schreibe auf Animexx, aber bisher nicht viel mit Yu-Gi-Oh!... Bist du auch auf Animexx? Mein Nick da ist AmyF, vielleicht sieht man sich da ja mal! Danke für den Kommi (knuddelt Voice-sama) Es macht immer wieder Spaß wen aus Deutschland hier zu treffen!
Sansi: Hi!! Ja, das hat wirklich Spaß gemacht zu schreiben. Ebenso wie dieses Kapitel. Ah, und du kennst also ein paar Bilder aus dem Manga? Schrecklich, diese Bilder, ne? Und vor allem Yamis... Lächeln... (schauder). Danke für den Kommi!! Man sieht sich!
Cattypatra: Yeah, you're right. There are few decent Yami x Yugi's to find! It's like all the good author's died or something like that. Sad, really. Anyway, Yami isn't -that- insane, is he? He just expects too much – like he's the king and rules the world. Oh, he did, where he came from (cough). He has to learn. Is he -that- insane? Did I exaggerate? Well, hope for your opinion. Thank you for the review.
Strega: It's realistic that Yugi is afraid of loosing control, isn't it? I sat there a long time, thinking about how it would be for me to be there instead of Yugi (not that way ;)) and wondered how I would react if I were him. Yeah, I would be very afraid of all the things Yami could do to me. That Yami fears Yugi could run away again is a weakness he shows and I think that makes it seem so special. I'm glad you liked the last chapter and I hope you liked this, too. I'd love to hear your opinion; I found it helps me very much to progress! It matters to me greatly! Thank you for helping me so much!
Hakiri-Nefertiri: You two usually forget that I'm from Germany? Wow, that's nice! And I'm glad you like the story! Don't worry about your own writing skills. In a subject with your narrative language analysing and such things are harder because the teachers expect more from you. In my German class it's like that. Do you understand what I mean? (I'm struggling with my English right now...) Well, Thank you for your review!
Wish maker: You spent all afternoon looking for the story? Was it that hard to find? And how did it come that you were looking for it in the first place? (grins) Well, Thank you for the review!
Kairi-San: Thank you that you put me on your favourite-list! (bounces through the room happily) And I'm glad you liked it! Thanks for the review!
JSR: Ow, you got me with the Joey-thing! I changed the mentioned scene in the second chapter long ago on my computer but was too lazy to change it on ff.net as well. First Jou was planned as Yugi's friend but I had a change of mind after a long talk with a friend about it. I'll put the correct version of chapter two up soon, promised! I forgot all about it! The other thing you told me... yeah, I changed the rating. I am not used to things as ratings and I am unsure about them. I didn't want to do anything wrong. Well, thank you for the advice. The story now is PG-13. That should be okay, don't you think? Thank you for the review!
That was it! That was the longest Review Response I ever wrote! Thank you all very much for the nice, nicer, nicest reviews!!
I come to like this story very much after I thought a long time about just letting it get lost. I don't know. It didn't mean very much to me, I think. Now I want to continue it and I will.
This chapter makes me bang my head on my desk though. There's just something wrong with it and I can't see what. It knocks at my temple with an irony fist and says: 'Hey, this is crap! Try again?'. T.T I read it over and there is nothing I didn't want to happen. Maybe it's Anzu? Waaah!
Um... I pushed the rating up. It's now rated PG-13. I am unsure about it though, because in Germany we don't have ratings on fan fiction.
Well, Review Responses are at the end of the chapter. Enjoy!
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The air blowing against him was warm and he felt content like that, just letting himself float in dark nothingness. Pitch-black nothingness. Normally it made him quiver in fear but the feeling of the company of another being at his side soothed the uneasiness. He could have stayed like that forever, he thought, just lying on air, nothing but the presence of something warm and intimate all around him, snuggling to his skin like a touch. Actually the air he rested on smelled familiar. He had the distinct feeling of having taken in the scent before. And he found he loved it.
It was the scent of heated cinnamon. Tasty, delicious, dainty cinnamon with a spicy edge accompanying it that screamed 'devour me'. Oh, how he wished to do that!
Breathing in the scent deeply he was shocked to find that the source of it was moving away from him. The warmth around him left, the air blowing against him losing a few degrees of temperature. He shivered, the darkness around him now not all that comfortable anymore. He tried to reach out and hold it back but the nothingness was so empty and there was nothing he could grab and pull back against him. He had lost the company of the one chasing his fears away and they returned full force, making him whimper. He wanted to cry, to scream, but somehow there was no voice to speak, there was no sound of anything around him, not even his breathing, which had to be quite harsh by now. His eyes widened in panic, the darkness closing in and there was nothing he could do about it. Cold, uncaring darkness. Coming nearer and nearer. Encircling him.
Yugi woke up with a start, perspiration sticking to his forehead, dampening his hair and his clothes. He tried to calm his breath, which came out in uncontrollable pants, and wiped the sweat off his face with his uniform sleeve. Why did he sleep in his uniform anyway, he wondered. And why was he in bed? It had to be midday already. He looked over at his alarm clock and jumped to his feet in shock. Darn, he was late! School was halfway over and he had overslept badly!
Yawning Yugi straightened his clothes and pulled the chain of the puzzle over his head quickly. Then he raced out the door and, snatching his schoolbag which rested at the door, out of the house. He didn't take the time wondering why it was there, he focused on getting to school as fast as he could.
Arriving there he stopped dead in his tracks. The police? Something stirred in the back of his mind and he remembered the weird dream he had had. About a stranger killing his teacher. No. Not a stranger. His beautiful illusion. The beautiful tainted illusion. But it couldn't be real, could it? It felt so real though. Too real. Could it be...? Oh, no. Of course it was real... wasn't it?
Pupils crowded at the side, looking at the scene and Yugi hurried over to them, spotting Anzu, a girl he knew from his classes.
"What's going on here?" he asked with a dark premonition. If it really was true... well, it had to be. No dream could have been as long and felt as real as this one.
"Yugi?" The girl turned around to him and he was shocked to see tears in her eyes. "Well... I don't know really... Izumi-sensei... she... she had some kind of heart attack and now she is... she is..."
"Oh..." Yugi swallowed. It had not been a dream then. And it made sense. Waking up in his school uniform. School being halfway over at that time... But where was Yami? Why had he not been there as he woke up? Should he have been glad now that the other boy had left? Why did he feel so lonely instead?
"Where have you been?" Anzu asked, forcing the current subject down and wiping the remaining traces of tears out of her eyes.
"I overslept." Yugi told her, his voice shaking. He wasn't a person to lie easily. But Anzu obviously took it as a sign of shock over the death of their teacher. A thing he already knew. A thing he had seen happening before his own eyes.
They fell silent now, just watching the scene before them. The policemen talked to the teachers and to a few of his schoolmates who had been there the moment the woman had died. Other then that nothing happened.
The arm suddenly snaking around him from behind came unexpected and Yugi squeaked jumping. Soft breath tickled his neck before he felt a face nuzzling into his hair.
---Hello, little one.--- Yami greeted, leaning into him. ---I was looking for you.---
Yugi relaxed automatically after he had recognised who the person was and turned his head slightly so he could look at Yami surprised and strangely relieved. He came back? Yami just smiled at him, his features showing great affection and joy of having found him.
Anzu had turned around as she heard the noise and her eyes almost doubled in size. "What... what... er... who is this?"
"Um... Anzu..." Yugi blushed a furious red and watched the girl glancing from him to Yami and back, then down and at the arm resting possessively on his stomach. He squirmed under her puzzled look, waiting for her reaction. Why did Yami have to be so touchy? He had hoped to be able to keep him hidden somehow.
---Hidden?--- Yami asked confusedly, shifting against him a little bit so that his head was resting on Yugi's shoulder. ---But why?---
Why? Yugi sighed inwardly. To avoid questions. To avoid unwanted attention from others. To be able to be invisible among them.
---Why would you want that?---
Before Yugi could think of an answer to that, Anzu spoke up again.
"Yugi, who is that?" She repeated, her eyes worried. "You... you two look so much alike. He doesn't bother you, does he? You look troubled."
"No!" Yugi replied hurriedly. "I met him... um... two days ago I think and he... we... I..."
Anzu's frown melted into a knowing smile and Yugi had the sudden urge to run and hide. She misunderstood, didn't she? She thought that he and Yami were... "Are the two of you together?" Yugi's face darkened to a deeper shade of red.
---What does she want?--- Yugi felt Yami stiffening. ---Why is she looking at you that way?---
"Yami?" Fearing that Yami could leash out again Yugi turned around and looked at him warningly, even though the colour of his face ruined the effect a little, before continuing to speak in a light voice. "This is my friend Anzu. Anzu? This is Yami."
He forced a smile onto his lips and looked back to the girl, who bowed slightly and then stuck out her hand for Yami to shake.
"Nice to meet you." She said, grinning. "I'm glad that Yugi finally found someone. I had been really worried for a while now."
Yugi noticed her guarded stance, which she tried to cover in a futile attempt of politeness, and groaned inwardly. She knew. She saw the dangerous glint in Yami's eyes.
"Take her hand, Yami." He demanded in a desperate whisper. "Please."
---No.--- Both of Yami's arms came up and he buried them in the clothes of the smaller teen in front of him.
"That's childish, Yami." Yugi looked at him over his shoulder.
"Um... I'll let you two alone then, I think." Anzu said, letting her offered arm fall back to her side. "There are no classes today, Yugi, so I'll see you tomorrow, right?"
Yugi nodded hastily and watched Anzu walk away in a quick pace. "Bye."
Silence.
"You frightened her." Yugi said unhappily. "Can't you be a bit more polite, if nothing else?"
---Polite?--- Yami slowly stepped around him until he stood in front of him, never losing touch while doing so, and a soft hand cupped his cheek. Yugi relished the warmth radiating from his look-alike, suddenly remembering the dream he had had half an hour ago. He shivered slightly. --- I don't have to be polite if I don't want to be.---
"You will have to be." He said sternly. "I -need- you to be, or else my grandfather won't approve of you being near me for example."
---That's not his business.--- Yami's hand on his cheek wandered slightly, his index finger now tracing Yugi's jaw line. ---He can't decide if I'm near you or not.---
"Why would you think he can't?" Yugi frowned deeply. "Because you're pharaoh where you come from? You have no such power here. You're just like every other teen to all of the people around. Look at them. They won't bow down before you if you tell them to. So why do you think my grandfather is an exception?"
---He will respect me if you tell him who I am.--- Yami's eyes darkened with determination. The colour of dried blood again. Yugi couldn't resist but stare at them.
"No, you don't understand!" Yugi told him dazedly, finding it hard to concentrate. "We have no kind of pharaoh or king here. Everyone has the same rights and is equal to the one's around them. There is no way you can make those people, my grandfather included, obey to your wishes like that. They won't listen."
---Hm.--- Understanding dawned in Yami's crimson eyes, lightening their colour, but it was a different kind of understanding than Yugi had hoped for. ---So that's why you behave so rebellious all the time.---
"What?" Yugi's eyebrows rose. First he had thought it was just a joke but then he realised that Yami was completely serious.
---You use to complain and you demand things and you never obey when I tell you to do something.--- Yami shrugged.
"I'm not demanding." Yugi pouted slightly. "I never am. Give one example of me being demanding."
---Oh, there are a few.--- Yami leaned into him, his hands falling down from Yugi's face to his hips and from there on wandering over his back. --- For example...---
"Yeah?" Yugi breathed in warm, intoxicating cinnamon as Yami drew even closer and it made his knees feel weak and his head spin. He was reminded of his dream again, the scent wakening the desire in him to taste the cinnamon-skin, to fill his whole being with it. It was an urge he could not resist. Barely could he fight himself into resistance.
---For example did you complain as I did this...--- Yami's hands dived downwards in a smooth movement, gripping onto the soft flesh of Yugi's buttocks and making him squeak in shock and delight. ---And then you demanded for me to stop.---
"Yami!" Yugi stuttered, leaning back and staring into his eyes. "Stop that."
Yami's hands immediately released him and instead came to rest on the small of his back, pulling him up and into his awaiting body. ---There. I proved it. You are demanding.---
"But not as demanding as you!" Yugi growled. "You are plain outrageous. Other people could have accused you of molesting them by now."
---Other people would have been very happy if I chose them in your stead.--- Yami blinked at him, his eyes showing not a bit of the vanity lying in his words as if he just stated an obvious fact.
"Then try it." Yugi bit back a laugh at the thought of Yami being slapped square in the face by raging women.
---They would never slap me.--- Yami's face had taken on a horror stricken expression and Yugi laughed freely now as he realised Yami had seen the picture he had imagined.
"You can't just go and touch other people like that." Yugi grinned cheekily. "Usually one doesn't let strangers grab their bottoms. You didn't even ask for permission. It's a very privet territory."
---Well, then I'm the one to invade yours and officially claim it as my own now.--- Yami's hands came down again, this time making each movement last though, each caress linger before his hands reached their destination. Yugi gasped as they outlined the curve of his backside carefully. ---Mine.---
"You're insolent." He told him, slapping the hands away with renewed resolve and stepped back. "Did you ever hear of personal space?"
---You put up a fight?--- Yami's eyes glistered with amusement and want as they roamed his figure. Yugi crossed his arms in front of his chest in an attempt to hide from the eager eyes. It didn't work.
"You can't have me." Yugi's gaze hardened. "I don't know you and you don't know me. I'm not that easy."
---If you could just see what I see you would understand how I feel.--- The amusement died down, making room for deep longing. ---If you could just have a look at yourself. Perfect. Desirable. You deny me all I want to see, all I want to feel. I want you to make me... feel the perfection your eyes always offer so freely. You provoke me with those heated side-glances, arouse me with those thoughts of all you want to do to me when I'm near you. And you wonder why I can't stop touching? Your eyes say 'kiss me' and you pull back at the same time. You make me go mad with those thoughts you have...---
"Thoughts?" Yugi asked, too speechless to say more than one word.
---Yes, the thoughts.--- Yami stepped closer to him again, making him shiver. ---Of how you want to devour me and of how you want to be near me and of how you want me to touch you. Do I have to continue? There is lots more you think all the time. Of how you can't resist me or of how much you like my eyes and of how alluring you find I am. And that should make me think you don't want me?---
Yami stood directly in front of him now, so that their bodies were touching. His arms were at his sides, hands fisted as if he had to keep them down by force.
---Now that you try to teach me so much, let me teach you something for once, innocent one.--- Yami went on, never breaking eye contact. ---You can't expect of someone to be able to hold themselves back if you keep on thinking such thoughts about them. From the very beginning you did that to me and my control is slowly slipping away.---
As if to prove his point, Yami let his hands slide up Yugi's sides, making his breath hitch, up his chest and over his shoulder until they lay on his cheeks, where they stroked the velvety skin. ---Right now I feel how mutual our wishes are. 'Lean down, kiss me.' you say and it's really hard for me to resist if you do that.---
"I- I don't..." Yugi whispered, his voice unsteady.
---Your mind doesn't lie.--- Yami said quietly. ---Neither does your voice.- --
"But..." Yugi wanted to shake his head to clear it but found it impossible to do so. What did he want? What did he want? Did he really want Yami to kiss him? Or was it Yami making him believe he wanted to?
---Rubbish!--- The look Yami gave him showed hurt. ---I told you I would never control you.---
"How would I know?!" Yugi gazed down. "Tell me, how can I trust you? First I did, but then you killed my teacher and refused to let me go as I told you to do that. You trapped me and held me down, telling me the woman deserved to die just because she went against your wishes. Wishes at that, which she couldn't even have been able to know! I am afraid of you, Yami. Afraid of what you are willing to do to get what you want. Afraid of your ruthlessness. Afraid of the urge to forget all that and let you have what you want."
---Yugi...---
"Can't you tell that I fear you by my thoughts you claim to know so well?" Yugi leaned his face into the hands holding it. "I fear you as much as I want you."
---How can I make you trust me?--- Yami asked, desperation making his words waver.
"I told you how." Yugi closed his eyes tightly against the picture of Yami being in so much pain.
---I tried.--- He could tell Yami's face came closer to his by the breath tickling his skin ever so slightly. ---Aibou, open your eyes. Look at me.---
Yugi obeyed and met the burning crimson eyes. ---After I woke up I went to do what you asked of me. I – I saw the people standing around the corpse, crying and staring unbelievingly. A little girl, not older than five years, sat on the floor, tears streaming down her face. She held the woman's hand, tugging at it and begged her to wake up. There was nothing I felt. Nothing. They cried and I stood there and felt nothing. I don't want to lie to you and say I regretted everything I did as soon as I took in the scenario. But I want you to show me what they felt. I want to understand. While I stood there looking at all of them I felt very... lonely. Lost. It hurt so much to look at them. It hurt. They have something I don't have. Something I don't understand. Please, show me!---
Thick silence followed his words. Words full of uncertainty and pain. Honest words. Yugi had not expected them, nor had he expected for Yami to run off first thing after waking up and try to understand what Yugi had meant. Yami had not managed to understand but he was willing to. He had wondered before if Yami deserved the second chance. And yes, he was certain now, that he deserved one.
"I'll help you." Yugi said, determination making his voice sound raw.
---What if I can't feel like that?--- Yami asked, fear slipping into his features. It made his face appear young, like that of a lost child, trying to find the right way home. ---What if I don't have the ability to feel like that?---
"You have." Yugi smiled reassuringly. "Everyone has. And I will show you that you have, too."
---Yugi...--- The hands at his cheeks tightened and Yami closed the gap between them, placing a desperate kiss onto his lips, just lingering for a short moment before he drew back, his hands falling down to Yugi's back and pressing them close together. ---I need you, Aibou. Need you so much...---
Yugi didn't reply, but his thoughts did as desperately, making up for the lack of words just perfectly.
'I need you, too, Yami. I don't know why, but I really do.'
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
To Be Continued...
Phew, now that is done!
Well, now it seems Yami doesn't regret. But does he really not? He is so much in pain, maybe he just doesn't realise? If you try so hard to feel something, how do you know you actually feel it? Is it possible to feel something without knowing you feel it while you desperately try to feel it?
Think about that and keep it in mind until next chapter and please tell me what you think about the matter. It makes my head hurt.
Review Responses:
Hey, you great, great, wonderful people! Your reviews ROCK! They help, encourage and they make me happy! Your opinions are important to me! Thanks!
Yana5: Yes, Yami talked about Yugi. That was a big metaphor, heh. It will come up eventually in one of the next chapters. Thank you for the review.
Ril: Thanks, the chapter was fun for me to write, so it makes me happy to see that you liked it as well. Thank you for the review.
SoulDreamer: Adorable? Yami and being adorable? Hm, a little bit strange of a description of him (grins) But I think he is, too, though he runs around and killing people (muahaha) Thanks for the review.
Laryna6: Hey, it's great that you share my opinion of the fact that it would need a few more examples before Yugi gets through to Yami. He can't change over night, can he? Well, thank you for the review and the author's alert (smile).
Pharaohs Angel: Yes, Yugi is definitely much too over trusting in the manga and in the TV-series as well. Do you remember the episode as he met Bandit Keith while the guy was controlled by Marik?
Badit Keith:'(looming over Yugi) Give me your puzzle...just for a little moment...'
Yugi: 'Okay, sure.'
... Waaah, I wanted to scream and kick him in the butt then. So naive... Well, thank you for the review.
Kitty Neko: Update done. There you are.
YumeTakato: Everyone seems to think Yami is being cute here... Is he? Well, I certainly think he is, but... oh, perhaps he really is. (shrugs) Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for the review.
The evil one: Did you get the E-Mail? I hope so. Well, Thank you for the review!
Lady Threarah: Thank you, I work on my spelling very much. But I am sure I would be dead without the spell-check. What would I be without it? Thank you for the review.
Lucidscreamer: Hey, thanks for the error, I'll correct it! The spell-check just didn't tell me, because the word 'ankle' does exist as well (grins). American English and British English have DIFFERENT punctuation rules?! I can't believe it! I'll never learn how to do that right, I think! Well... (sobs) I'll just do what feels right (sighs) Thank you for the review and this interesting piece of information.
Field of View: Waiii, I love your description of Yami's character. He's a little helpless in Yugi's world and Yugi isn't one to deny help if someone needs it. That's what I think. So Yami x Yugi will live till... erm... the end of the world, yes (cough, cough)... Hope you liked this chapter! Thank you for the nice review. There is a smile stuck on my face now. It won't go away (smiles).
SilverWing147: Hey, there you are! You liked the jewel thing? Well, It somewhat flew to me. I wanted to do something like that for a long time now. Just as desperately as I want to write a scene or a story about rain. Rain is lovely. It's something one can imagine easily and it can be described so well... Now imagine Yami in the rain... (sighs)... er... Waah, I'm babbling. Thank you for the review!
Misseystar: Wow, what a long, long, long review! I'll take my time to answer it thoroughfully!
Cliched stories. Well, I stumbled over a few AUs which were cliched, but you're right. It's easier not to fall into cliche if you write an AU. But cliche is not always a bad thing, I think. I read a lot of good stories which were and they can be very good. Though they are not that special most of the time. You know the idea and it doesn't get stuck in your mind because there were thousands which were the same.
Right, in AU stories OOCness is often necessary to make the characters believable. But you have to put them in a fitting role to their character as well so you don't have to change so much. Like you said, they have to have some elements of their original character.
You think I update fast? (grins) Can't be. Usually I take my pretty time but now I'm just in the flow of the story. I have to look up your stories. I need something new to read anyway and you made me curious.
You hand in assignments without proofreading them? Well, I proof-read my chapters thousands of times and there are nonetheless errors left -.- We don't have assignments to hand in though. We just have homework and sometimes a project or something like that. How often do you have to do assignments? I guess they mean a lot of work.
That Yugi is giving a second chance to Yami so the romance won't die down is not the only reason. Or do you think Yugi wouldn't give Yami a second chance in the original series? He is kind and he is understanding. Of course would he, right?
I like Yugi as naive as well, it makes him so cute. Despite the opinion of many others, he is one of my favourite characters (Many other people think he is a somewhat boring character. They like the insane one's better (grins)).
You asked if you review helped?! Why, and how it did!! I loved it! Loved, loved, loved it! Thank you!!
Rikainiel: (hands new cookies) Here you are! You don't mind the more hentaiish moments? Cool, that's nice to hear. Though I won't write a real hentai-scene. I have no experience with that and I don't want to ruin the story! We'll see how it develops. (grins) Thank you for the review.
Voice-sama: Wow, schon wieder wer, der Deutsch ist! Ja, ich schreibe auf Animexx, aber bisher nicht viel mit Yu-Gi-Oh!... Bist du auch auf Animexx? Mein Nick da ist AmyF, vielleicht sieht man sich da ja mal! Danke für den Kommi (knuddelt Voice-sama) Es macht immer wieder Spaß wen aus Deutschland hier zu treffen!
Sansi: Hi!! Ja, das hat wirklich Spaß gemacht zu schreiben. Ebenso wie dieses Kapitel. Ah, und du kennst also ein paar Bilder aus dem Manga? Schrecklich, diese Bilder, ne? Und vor allem Yamis... Lächeln... (schauder). Danke für den Kommi!! Man sieht sich!
Cattypatra: Yeah, you're right. There are few decent Yami x Yugi's to find! It's like all the good author's died or something like that. Sad, really. Anyway, Yami isn't -that- insane, is he? He just expects too much – like he's the king and rules the world. Oh, he did, where he came from (cough). He has to learn. Is he -that- insane? Did I exaggerate? Well, hope for your opinion. Thank you for the review.
Strega: It's realistic that Yugi is afraid of loosing control, isn't it? I sat there a long time, thinking about how it would be for me to be there instead of Yugi (not that way ;)) and wondered how I would react if I were him. Yeah, I would be very afraid of all the things Yami could do to me. That Yami fears Yugi could run away again is a weakness he shows and I think that makes it seem so special. I'm glad you liked the last chapter and I hope you liked this, too. I'd love to hear your opinion; I found it helps me very much to progress! It matters to me greatly! Thank you for helping me so much!
Hakiri-Nefertiri: You two usually forget that I'm from Germany? Wow, that's nice! And I'm glad you like the story! Don't worry about your own writing skills. In a subject with your narrative language analysing and such things are harder because the teachers expect more from you. In my German class it's like that. Do you understand what I mean? (I'm struggling with my English right now...) Well, Thank you for your review!
Wish maker: You spent all afternoon looking for the story? Was it that hard to find? And how did it come that you were looking for it in the first place? (grins) Well, Thank you for the review!
Kairi-San: Thank you that you put me on your favourite-list! (bounces through the room happily) And I'm glad you liked it! Thanks for the review!
JSR: Ow, you got me with the Joey-thing! I changed the mentioned scene in the second chapter long ago on my computer but was too lazy to change it on ff.net as well. First Jou was planned as Yugi's friend but I had a change of mind after a long talk with a friend about it. I'll put the correct version of chapter two up soon, promised! I forgot all about it! The other thing you told me... yeah, I changed the rating. I am not used to things as ratings and I am unsure about them. I didn't want to do anything wrong. Well, thank you for the advice. The story now is PG-13. That should be okay, don't you think? Thank you for the review!
That was it! That was the longest Review Response I ever wrote! Thank you all very much for the nice, nicer, nicest reviews!!