When It's No Longer Cliche

Yuugi awoke that morning in pain. And this was no pounding headache, or aching eardrums from a long-screeched lecture. No, this was a pain that was so terrible that it made his whole body itch and want to jump out of his skin. He could hardly handle it.

This was the type of pain where the body seemed to simply forget to block off the majority of it, and he knew that he was in trouble.

A pain that causes panic to rise in the throat.

Yuugi moaned, trying as hard as he could to move as little as possible. This was something he was familiar to waking up with. Perhaps that blissful dream he'd had over the night had finally ended. The fantasy epic of a total of three nights was now gone.

His brow knitted together in pain, and he pushed his head pack into his pillow, direly trying to find some source of relief.

"Yuugi," the sultry voice whispered next to him. "What's wrong, aibou? Where does it hurt?"

The teen sucked in a shaky breath. Even though he was in pain, he couldn't help but cheer a little on the inside. A god up there does love me! He's still here! Thank the heavens! Yuugi could only whisper back through the icy grip on his throat. "My hip. It hurts so much…" He winced, a sharp jab in the bone forcing him to whimper softly.

Yami shook his head in shock. "How? It should be nearly healed by now. I helped it twice already…" When the spirit moved the blankets aside to look at the offending area, his eyes widened in disbelief. It was blacker than ever before. He was beginning to get frustrated. This had to be healed, and he needed to figure out what was wrong with it.

Yuugi cried out in agony when Yami touched it, tears streaming down his face. He just wished the pain would subside. That's all he wanted. Even if it did not heal all of the way, that was okay with him. So long as it was bearable!

Perspiration broke out on Yami's forehead as he concentrated, trying to puzzle together just what was wrong. Perhaps a larger injury to the bone than he had suspected? Yuugi's body shuddered underneath of his grip, and it sent his senses reeling again. He needed to focus on the nerves. Those are what hurt, but every time Yuugi moved, it was his nerves moving, and Yami lost track of what he was looking for. The pain just seemed to be everywhere.

Wait…he was missing something that was painfully obvious. There had to be a central point of pain, an epicenter, as it were. But…

It wasn't a surface wound. Not even a lower level, it was deeper. So deep in fact…

The answer smacked him in the face hard. "Oh, gods…I should have noticed this sooner." The spirit let go, and Yuugi opened his strained eyes and looked at Yami imploringly. "Well?"

Yami sighed hard. "Yuugi…I'm sorry I didn't see this sooner. Your bone is cracked. I was attempting to heal the outer problem, the bruises, which were mainly spurred on to become worse because of your bone. It…the split is down to the marrow, and it's leaking blood everywhere. I can heal this all of the way. In fact, I have to, or it won't heal on its own. Bone takes years to re-grow."

Yuugi looked at Yami nervously. "Bone is almost all nerves…Oh goddess, you have to make all of those nerves grow back. This pain…it's going to be some of the worst I've ever felt."

Yami bowed his head apologetically. "I'm sorry."

Yuugi shook his head. "Oh, don't apologize, for Pete's sake! It's not like it's your bloody fault!"

The spirit looked at him curiously. "Yuugi…just how did this happen to you?"

Yuugi's eyes flickered to the corner of his room, and then back to Yami. "My father met me at the front door one day with that." He nodded his head to a dark corner next to his door. Yami's eyes followed the invisible line, seeing a large wooden…club? "It's called a bat," Yuugi filled in. The spirit walked over and picked it up, filling with rage as he felt its weight. It was solid wood, and could, indeed, break bone when struck hard enough.

"I still want you to let me kill your father," Yami hissed.

Yuugi clutched at his old bed sheet tightly. "When I'm eighteen, I'll even supply the blades."

Yami still could not get over how much Yuugi yearned to see his father's blood spill. Granted, it would be a glorious sight. It just…didn't seem right coming from Yuugi. He didn't look like the vengeful type. "Yuugi," Yami tried. "How…bloody, have some of things you've read been? And how much did you like them?"

Yuugi narrowed his eyes, still immobilized on the bed. "It gave detailed descriptions of the blood vessels oozing out of a severed neck, the warm blood spilling across a white marble floor. It's a stark contrast, you know? And yet they go so beautifully together. But it's a harsh beauty. As for liking them? With the sweet sense of naiveté ever floating about me?" Yuugi scowled at this statement, but then smiled. "Innocence is a fickle thing, and appearances can be ever so deceiving."

Yami…well, he put the bat down slowly. Yuugi probably tried to look for the good in everyone. After all, he wasn't blood-thirsty, but if someone crossed his path hard enough…

The dark spirit was just grateful that Yuugi was on his side. If he ever truly went crazed, like he him self almost did…

Old reputations would spring up, putting old tales of blood shed to terrible shame.

Yami felt his heart clench in deep depression, but he knew it wasn't his heart, it was Yuugi's. The poor boy was still crushed at his lot in life, but even if he silently wallowed in self-pity, he would never outwardly admit it, and he would never let it consume him. Yami knew it was more than anyone could expect from him, and he wanted to smother him with affection and protection all the more. It's amazing what the human body is capable of when pushed too far.

"Yami, if you start to heal me, you know I will scream. My parent's won't leave for work for a little while, and if we wait I won't make it to school on time."

"Then perhaps you need to take a day off, aibou. Your body certainly needs it." He walked back over and sat down next to the half-naked boy on the bed.

Yuugi looked worried for a moment. "A day off? I...I haven't taken a day off in…" he was silent as he thought. It took a little while. "Four years."

Yami nodded. "Then you do need it. We'll wait until your parents leave. After all, after I heal you, I'll be out of commission for the rest of the day. The only thing I will be able to do is keep you invisible until the evening, when I have recuperated a bit."

Yuugi nodded slightly. "All right. But just for today. I…I don't know how much food I'm going to get today."

Yami frowned. "We'll find you something."

Yelling outside of Yuugi's window captured their attention, and Yami got up to look. He parted the blinds with his middle and fore finger, peering outside through narrowed eyes.

Yuugi's parents were outside in the driveway, Yogosu shoving his wife towards the run-down car. It's all your fault, Yogosu was saying. If you didn't… It was hard to make out all of what was being said. If you hadn't... his mother started. Yogosu smacked her hard across her face, then opened up the car door and shoved her inside. We'll find…if it's the last thing I… He heard nothing more of them as the car started and they screeched out of the driveway and into the road.

"They're gone, Yuugi."

The teenager blinked curiously. "I wonder why they left."

Yami shrugged. "It doesn't matter. At least now no one will find out you're here." The spirit walked back up to him, sitting down carefully. "Are you sure you're ready now," he asked concerned.

Yuugi sighed. "It has to be done sooner or later. I might as well get it done and over with." Yami nodded and Yuugi took a deep breath, bracing himself. Yami touched his hip again, and this time-

Yuugi's scream reached every corner of the house.

The noise filled Yami's ears so he could do nothing but concentrate on the pain in his eardrums. He could feel the pain Yuugi felt spilling through their link, causing him to favor his own hip as he sat there carefully. But mostly, he focused on the injured bone. The nerves were raw, and they were horrendously tender. As each centimeter fused together another scream erupted from Yuugi's throat. His voice would be raw before this was all over, if he didn't pass out from the pain first. And it pained Yami endlessly that he had to do this. If he didn't though, Yuugi would never be able to walk properly again.

Yuugi began to become afraid that the fire lacing through his body was never going to end. It took so long just to get all of the bone fused, and for some reason he knew that Yami was having a hard time. Then suddenly-

It stopped, and Yuugi collapsed on his bed, sweat pouring down his face. Yami tried to brace himself on his arms as he panted over Yuugi, perspiration breaking out all over his features. His limps quavered as he tried to remain upright. He hadn't done that much magic in a long time, and his spirit was not truly prepared to put up with the strain yet. "A-are…are you better…Yuugi?"

Yuugi shuttered, pulling his arms over his sweat-covered chest. Now that he wasn't sweating anymore, the chill air was hitting his damp skin, and he was getting cold. He nodded vigorously, suddenly out of energy, too. It was, after all, hard work growing bones. "Yeah…better."

Finally, Yami could handle it no more, and collapsed on the young teen. Yuugi pulled the almost prone form close, hugging the warmth to his chest. Yami held on to him tightly, relishing in the contact. They spoke no more as they tried to get some rest.

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Yuugi woke up again, sometime around noon, he guessed, and his stomach was killing him. Yami was curled up against him, clutching on to him tightly. He looked exceedingly peaceful, and Yuugi was hard-pressed to wake him. He looked exhausted.

Yuugi's stomach growled again, and Yami's eyes peeled open. He squinted as noon sunlight drifted over his face, looking at Yuugi questioningly. He still wasn't quite sure what woke him.

Yuugi's stomach growled again.

Yami seemed to sigh in relief. "Are you hungry?"

Yuugi, despite his exhaustion, chuckled. "No, I've practiced making sounds with my stomach. Talented, ne?"

Yami snorted in mirth. "Sarcastic imp." He started to get up. "Don't move from this bed, or I'll be forced to tie you down. Don't. Move. That. Hip."

Yuugi yawned sleepily. "Mother hen. But I will have to go to the bathroom soon."

Yami sighed to himself. "Yes, that is a wretched mortal habit, isn't it?"

Yuugi laughed. "Lord, what fools these mortals be!"

The spirit tiredly pried him self out of bed, chuckling, and pulled the one blanket over Yuugi securely. "Yuugi, I don't know what I'd do without your quotes." He went to the door. "I'm off to raid the kitchen."

"Don't be gone long," Yuugi replied, resting his eyes again.

Yami walked down the steps, disgusted at the dilapidated state the establishment was in. Dirt was everywhere, and there were so many beer and bloodstains that nobody bothered to clean up it made his stomach churn. In five thousand years, this was the first time he ever remembered wanting to retch at the sigh of something.

Entering the kitchen, he ignored the splattered bits of grease on the walks and cigarette smoke that seeped into the paint. Opening up one of the cupboards, he found it to be mostly barren. There was just one jar of…something. Grabbing the brown and clear plastic container, he opened up the top carefully, smelling what was on the inside.

It didn't smell bad. But what was this stuff? He took a small taste of it, and was reminded of sweetened peanuts.

On the counter there was a loaf of bread that was…pre-sliced? Wasn't that convenient?

He scowled to him self. He hated being behind the times.

There was a large object buzzing next to the wall, and tentatively he walked over, seeing an obvious handle on the front. So…this large thing was meant to be opened.

He pried open the bisque colored front, and felt a wave of cool air hit him. How interesting…a cold storage that was truly cold!

Unfortunately, there wasn't anything in there but an old container of milk. Picking up the carton, he smelled it, and immediately regretted it. That milk had turned south long ago.

Water would have to do.

Rummaging through the drawers, he looked for a utensil that was suitable to pry out the thick, sweat peanut substance he found onto the bread, and found a rather dulled looking knife. Not rusted, but just crafted to not have much of an edge at all. He could only think that the object would be good for cutting butter.

In fact…that's probably exactly what it was used for.

Finishing up with the impromptu sandwich, he found a glass, and started looking around for some water. There were no containers anywhere, but he did remember what the faucet in the bathroom did, and tried likewise at the kitchen sink.

Thankfully, water came out nice and cold.

Yami brought up his findings to Yuugi, mortified at the fact that there was nothing else to eat in that entire kitchen. When he opened up the door, Yuugi looked over at him and smiled.

"This was all I could find," Yami said apologetically. "There was nothing else in the entire kitchen."

Yuugi shook his head, still smiling. "That's all right. I'm impressed. There usually isn't that much." Yami sat back down on the bed, giving him the sandwich and holding the glass of water. Yuugi took it quietly, biting into it without hesitation.

"How are you feeling," Yami asked him.

"Tired," Yuugi sighed, shifting position slightly. "I have this strange feeling, almost like there's a foreign electricity buzzing through me. It's… hard to adapt to."

Yami nodded. "That doesn't surprise me. It's the magic that I used to heal you. It will take a while for your body to become accustomed to the energy."

The teenager finished off the peanut butter sandwich, then grabbed for the water. "I was beginning to think as much."

Yami noticed just how drained Yuugi truly looked. His face was pale, his hair was falling limply around his features, and he simple looked stretched. He needed better nutrition and better sleeping and living conditions, and he knew that Yuugi was very aware of this. Waiting for Yuugi to finish the water, he took the now empty glass and set it on the bedside table. "You need rest, get some sleep, and don't wake up until tonight. Tomorrow if you can help it."

Yuugi looked up at the spirit next to him, the usually sharp eyes drooping a little in sleepiness. "You do, too. You look just as drained as I feel."

Yami crawled into bed with him, smiling wearily. "You echoed my thoughts exactly."

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Yami's eyes snapped open when he heard the front door slam closed. Yuugi was still asleep, and he was glad of that. The poor thing shouldn't wake up if he didn't have to.

His parents were home, and looking over at the clock next to the bed, he could see that it was 7:30 P.M.

Whatever the hell that meant.

But it did let him know that they had been out all day long. They were yelling profusely, making a lot of loud banging noises downstairs. He held Yuugi close, covering his ears. His magic would keep Yuugi from hearing most of what they were saying or doing. He did not need to wake up. His parents had already sucked too much energy from him, anymore and Yami would be forced to kill them anyway.

Pounding up the stairs. The dark spirit knew they were coming their way. He could literally feel it.

Wouldn't they have a nasty surprise?

How am I supposed to know where…stupid little bast… don't even know why we had him anyway!

He didn't know what they were talking about for certain, but he had a strong feeling that it was about their son.

Why are we even…this is all your fault…

They were getting louder. Yami heard the doorknob turn, and with a simple wave of his hand created a beautiful illusion they would never see past.

Thank Re Yuugi wasn't hearing this. He didn't need any more stress.

The old door slammed open, and Yuugi's mother and father looked inside, eyes wide. "Why the hell is there…there's nothing here!" Yogosu looked like he was starting to panic. The little fiasco the night before had him questioning what he saw lately. Yami noted mildly interested that the man did not reek of alcohol today. Yuugi's mother looked quite distraught, and kept wringing her hands in front of her. "What's going on," she cried. "There's never been a linen closet here before! This is a bedroom! A bedroom!"

"Shut up," Yogosu cried, holding his head in his hands frightened. "Just shut up! I don't know what's going on! Of course this has always been a linen closet! What else would it be?" He voice did not sound convincing, it sounded pleading.

The door slammed closed. He would make sure one-way or another that they forgot Yuugi even lived there.

So far, he was making good progress.

It grew silent for a while, and Yami had actually started to dose off again, content with the fact that they weren't going to try to find Yuugi in his room for the rest of the night.

It must have been a couple of hours after the sun went down, and the night had enveloped the earth.

There was a large bang so loud it actually made his heart skip a beat. Yuugi sat bolt upright in his bed, his eyes very wide. "Oh, no," he gasped.

Yami did not know what that noise meant, but Yuugi surely did, and he was damned and determined to make it downstairs. Yami could do nothing but help him down the steps, holding him close to make sure the monsters downstairs did not see him.

Yuugi tumbled into the living room, looking around at what happened.

Yami himself could hardly believe it.

Yuugi's mother was dead on the floor, blood pooling out of her head. Yogosu sat on his knees, shaking violently, holding a gun to his head. "Do you see this, Yuugi," he whispered to himself. "Do you see what you've made me do? She wouldn't shut up about you. I had to make her quit. I don't have a fucking idea why she wanted you home…I had to make her stop. She hadn't seen you for three days now. I…"

A single tear strolled down the man's cheek, and suddenly, another shot echoed through the still night air, and the bullet flew through his temple and out the other end. Blood splattered everywhere, marring the faded walls with new color.

Yuugi suck to his knees, then sat down, leaning against the wall for support. His invisibility to them had unexpected repercussions, after all. He could do nothing but stare at the mess of blood before him. "But, O, what form of prayer can serve my turn? 'Forgive me my foul murder?' That cannot be; since I am still possess'd of those effects for which I did the murder, my crown, mine own ambition, and my queen. May one be pardon'd and retain the offence? In the corrupted currents of this world offence's gilded hand may shove buy justice, and oft 'tis seen the wicked prize itself buys out the law. But 'tis not so above." Yuugi shook his head, still unable to look away. It's like his eyes were glued to the blood of his parents like insects drawn to a carcass. Yami sat down next to him, holding him close. "It's not your fault," he whispered. "Never, ever was it your fault."

Yuugi gave a shaky nod. "I speak for him." Yami knew that him was Yuugi's father.

"I'm sorry you had to see that."

Yuugi grabbed Yami's hand, brought it up to his eyes, and shied away into Yami's chest, holding that hand to his head for comfort. "So am I." He didn't move, but he did say something else. "We need to call the police."

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Sugoroku Motou walked worriedly into the police station. He had received an urgent phone call, hearing some of the most life changing news he could ever remember.

His son and daughter-in-law were dead, and he now had a grandson that was left orphaned. He was the boy's only living relative, and if he did not come pick him up, he would be forced into foster care for the next three and a half years.

He walked up to the front desk, noticing an officer that was taking messages. "Hello," he started. "I'm here to pick up my grandson." The woman looked up at him with glimmering green eyes, suddenly growing serious. "Motou, Sugoroku?"

"Yes, that's me."

She nodded heavily. "I was told you'd be coming. Right this way." She stepped out from behind the desk and started walking towards the back. There were many closed offices scattered about down the hall, and she stopped at one of the last ones.

Turning around abruptly, she turned to him with the same serious expression she wore earlier. He was curious to see what she was going to tell him. He had not been told much over the phone, but he was getting the idea that it wasn't a simple accident at home that killed his estranged children. "Mr. Motou, you need to know this before you take your grandson home. His father shot his mother earlier tonight, and then committed suicide promptly afterwards"

His face paled. "Oh, dear."

The officer went on. "Yuugi saw his father pull the trigger. When we got there, he was sitting against a wall in the living room, looking at the two rather transfixed. We believe that he has been traumatized, and some of the paramedics that looked over him think that it might be permanent. There are marks all over him of abuse, and the house had not a scrap of food in it." She looked at him sadly. "You've got a lot that has been suddenly thrust in your hands."

The elder man could not believe what he had just heard. This simply could not be real. Could it? Could all of that have happened in the eight years that he'd been gone? He didn't remember seeing any problems when he last visited.

Perhaps it was there, and he was just too blinded to see it. Guilt suddenly sat heavily upon his shoulders, and refused to leave.

He didn't want it to. He should feel guilty. This was horrible.

The officer noticed his silent intake of all of this information, then nodded, deeming him ready to go in. Slowly, she opened up the office door, allowing the aged man to enter. Just as silently, she closed it again, leaving Sugoroku and his silent grandson in the fluorescent-lit room.

Yuugi was sitting quietly, looking at the ground, his palms open on his lap and his feet drawn up on the space next to him on the chair. "Yuugi," Sugoroku tired. "Do you remember me? Do you know who I am?"

Yuugi's lips twitched slightly. "Excellent well; you are a fishmonger."

The elder man almost choked. "A fishmonger," he asked surprised. "No, Yuugi! Of course not!"

"Then I would you were so honest a man."

What had happened to his grandson? Had he truly been broken and gone mad?

"'Tis now the very witching time of night when churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out contagion to this world. Now I could drink hot blood, and do such with such bitter business as the day would quake to look upon."

Sugoroku walked up to him tentatively. "Yuugi, are you all right?" He was very near to panicking.

Suddenly Yuugi looked up at him with accusation in his eyes. "Where have you been," he asked, pain and hurt creeping into his voice. "All these years, where have you been? Why didn't you ever check up on me? Where were you?" His eyes began to water, but Yuugi refused to let the tears fall.

Yet.

"I'm sorry," Sugoroku tried. "You know that I was busy with travels and work, but I have no excuse. I neglected you, and this is what happened. I'm sorry."

Yuugi's face became hard. "You honestly think it was just you neglecting me? At five years old no one noticed the red marks that marred my face. Has the world gone blind? Have all of you been stuck in perpetual darkness? Perhaps you jumped into Emily Dickenson's poem about darkness? Did you fail to realize the turmoil I've been in? Had I the funds and the age I would have moved out long ago. The only thing inhibiting me from freedom was the damned system! I would rather hide in my room than go into foster care! I've heard of horrors there worse than anything I've ever endured. At least at home I knew they couldn't break into the shields I put up. There was no hope there, unlike a foster place with a new home and a new bed and fresh meals on the table that could be taken away!" A couple of tears streamed down his face. "Why did you lead me to believe that you didn't care?" Finally, Yuugi broke down in front of another mortal being, and he broke down hard. "Why weren't you there?"

Sugoroku sank down to his knees and held Yuugi close, spilling his own tears. He could hardly believe Yuugi's response to him. He had developed quite the intellect while he was away. He seemed to be an adult trapped in a child's hell.

Or perhaps Yuugi always had the intellect. He just hadn't noticed. He had been blind. "I'm so sorry. I'm going to try to make it up to you, but I know that I never will all of the way."

Yuugi cried hard, holding on to his grandfather tightly. "Just…don't say any more. I know that you're struck dumb at what the 'right' thing is to say. There is no right thing. Just…I want a warm bed to sleep in tonight. That's all I want."

Sugoroku knew that Yuugi was more than right, and he was more than obliged to offer him a warm bed in a room that would belong all to him. After all, actions spoke louder than words. The best thing he could do now was to take action to make Yuugi's life as best as possible. "Let's go home." He helped Yuugi to stand, and began to escort him to the door.

"Ojii-chan?"

"Yes Yuugi?"

Yuugi looked ahead, his hand clutching something at his chest. "Thanks for the puzzle."

Sugoroku Motou left the police station with a hurt grandson and wide, befuddled eyes.

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