Chapter 12 up! 1,332 words, so it's a bit longer than the last chapter. Read and enjoy!
Yugi shivered as he released his hold around Yami's waist, climbing off the back of the motorcycle and looking around. The house loomed up in front of them, vaguely threatening for some reason. 'Loomed?' thought Yugi, wondering at his strange choice of words. Ryou's house was small and tidy, its carefully trimmed lawn and white walls nearly identical to the other houses in the neighborhood. It certainly didn't loom, with all the sinister connotations the word held. Nevertheless, he couldn't help but feel that that was precisely what it was doing now. There was an air of wrongness about the place, though he couldn't put his finger on what exactly was off.
There are weeds in the driveway, aibou. And the windows are dirty.
Yami was right, Yugi realized. Ryou had been a compulsive neat freak for as long as Yugi had known him. He dusted the house every day, and Joey had joked that he was the Grim Reaper of weeds, with garden gloves and herbicide instead of a cloak and scythe. In the past, whenever the gang happened to pass by Ryou's place, it had always looked as if it were brand new. Now, the windows were streaked with the finest layer of dust, and a dandelion was poking its head out from the earth near Yugi's foot. It would have been normal if the house had belonged to anybody else, which was probably why he hadn't picked up on it immediately.
Do you think he's home? asked Yugi, through the mindlink. Somehow, he didn't feel like speaking out loud here, where the silence had a menacing quality as though it were daring them to break it.
"I don't know," Yami replied, shattering the silence on purpose. He sensed Yugi relax the tiniest bit, just as he had hoped he would.
"Well," said Yugi, jumping slightly at the sound of his own voice, "We'd better check."
He walked up the steps of the porch, Yami following close behind him. Up close, he could see wispy cobwebs in the corners of the glass storm door, pale and fine, almost like strands of Ryou's hair. Swallowing hard and trying to act braver than he felt, he pressed the door bell firmly, straining to hear the faint chime indoors. When he heard nothing, he frowned and pushed it harder.
"I don't think it's working, Yugi," commented Yami.
"Uh-huh," agreed Yugi. He raised a hand and was about to rap on the glass when Yami caught his wrist, pulling him away from the door gently.
"Better let me do it, aibou," he murmured, softly but with a hint of steel in his voice that indicated he wouldn't argue about it. Yugi stepped behind Yami with a token show of indignation, secretly relieved to let Yami lead the way.
"Fine," he muttered. Yami smiled at him reassuringly before knocking on the door sharply, three crisp taps echoing faintly in the silence that had returned, more oppressive than ever. When there was no answer, he knocked again, a little louder and more insistently. Rat-tat-tat.
"He's not answering," Yugi whispered, hearing his voice as though from afar. He felt sluggish, ensnared by the silence flowing around them, as though he were wading in a sea of glue that was slowly pulling him down, filling his mouth, nose, ears, eyes, so that he couldn't breathe or hear or see –
Yugi! You're letting your imagination get away! barked Yami mentally, snapping Yugi out of his nightmarish daydream. Immediately, Yugi felt better and he hung his head, blushing.
Thanks, Yami. Sorry about that.
"It's not entirely your fault," mused Yami out loud, head cocked to one side like he was listening for something. "Bakura's shadow magic defenses on the house are still there…" He trailed off, looking thoughtful.
"Shadow magic defenses?" Yugi asked curiously. He knew shadow magic was powerful, but he hadn't thought about using it as a security system.
"Magical defenses that keep the house safe," clarified Yami. "The kind Bakura has will send you into a coma if you give in to it, until he decides to release you. It's very subtle; that's the sign of a good defense, because it's not apparent enough to trigger any magical sensors or defenses that other people might have. We have some around our place too," he added.
"What? But we live above a game shop! We can't go sending all our customers into comas, Yami!" protested Yugi. "And what about the gang?"
"Relax," chuckled Yami. "Ours only affects people harboring ill intentions towards one of us or our friends, and it doesn't send them into a coma. It just prompts them to attend to urgent business elsewhere. I set them up after Duelist Kingdom."
"Oh." Yugi shook his head, feeling the tendrils of shadow magic creeping into his mind again. Now, knowing what was happening, he fought it and managed to quash the drowning sensation, though he still felt uneasy.
"He doesn't appear to be at home," said Yami, peering through the glass panes on the front door. He put his hand on the knob and the door swung open. "Let's look inside."
"Wait, Yami," said Yugi timidly, the blush tinging his cheeks again. "If the defenses outside the house are this strong, I…I don't know if I'll be able to…" He stared at his feet and finished the sentence through their mindlink. I don't think I'm strong enough, Yami.
Yami slapped himself mentally. Yugi, I'm sorry, I don't know what I was thinking, putting you in danger like this, he appologized.
Yugi was about to answer when he suddenly noticed a surge of power through the mindlink, as Yami strengthened both their mental defenses. It felt rather like having a warm blanket wrapped around him, and the discomfort caused by Bakura's shadow magic disappeared instantly. Wow, thanks, Yami!
No problem, Yugi. Forgive me, I sometimes forget that you're not as used to shadow magic as I am.
With that, Yami stepped over the threshold and into the house. Yugi hopped in after him, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the dark interior. Half a second later, he reeled as a wave of magic slammed into him. Almost immediately though, he felt Yami's protective shield deflecting it and absorbing its effects, as well as Yami's arm around his shoulders steadying him.
"Are you okay, aibou?" the spirit asked, his eyes concerned.
"Yeah! Yeah, I'm fine. Just took me by surprise, that's all," Yugi answered sheepishly.
Satisfied that his hikari was all right, Yami turned and started walking down the hall. "Stay close, Yugi," he warned. "I don't want to risk anything."
The hall was in the same state as the outside of the house had been. It looked normal and lived in, which was quite abnormal for Ryou's house; usually, everything was so organized that it was impossible to tell that anyone lived there. Now, the ordinarily immaculate carpet bore faint traces of dirt, and the same barely visible layer of dust coating the windows blanketed the rest of the place. Yami was heading towards the living room when they heard a door slam in the kitchen.
Yugi leapt about a foot into the air. Terrified, he turned to Yami. Wh-what was that?
I'm not sure. Stay behind me. replied Yami tersely, already moving stealthily down the hall. Gulping nervously, Yugi trailed after Yami, doing his best to tread silently. As they neared the kitchen, he became aware of a rank odor that grew stronger as they approached. He wrinkled his nose, supressing the urge to gag, and almost walked right into Yami, who had paused just out of sight of the kitchen door and was listening intently.
Sorry.
Uh-huh. Yami grunted, his concentration elsewhere. He straightened up a few minutes later and strode into the kitchen. Nobody's there. Come on.
Yugi breathed a sigh of relief, following Yami in. Almost before he had finished exhaling, he gasped at the sight that met his eyes.
Yami, what happened here?!
Yami's shadow defenses around the game shop are loosely based on the Muggle-repelling charms in Harry Potter. Obviously, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Tea/Anzu wouldn't exist, and Harry Potter belongs to the lovely JK Rowling (I don't know if I need that disclaimer…oh well.). Review please, I hope you all liked it!