A Requiem for Innocence
Chapter Twelve

After a few moments, Yami sat down beside Yugi on the floor and asked, "Good show?"

"It's pretty funny."

"Well, you can't ask for any more than that. It's good to see you looking happy again."

"I can't sit around and be upset forever. When I think about it…I still feel hurt and confused. But at the same time, it's in the past. I can't change what happened."

"You have the right to be upset, you know."

Yugi smiled to himself. "I know, Yami. I know. You've told me. But really, I'm going to be okay."

Yami put his arm around Yugi's shoulders and hugged him. "I'm proud of you."

"Shut up, you sound like you're a parent talking to their kid." Yugi chuckled, embarrassed.

"Hey, if it makes you laugh, I'll adopt you. I love to hear you laugh."

"Aww…you're so kind, Yami." He replied, snuggling against Yami's chest. "I'm never going to leave you."

"I'm glad to hear that." Yami closed his eyes for a moment, wondering how to tell Yugi what he'd done. He knew he was justified, and Yugi would hopefully understand, but still…Oh, by the way, I killed two guys today…it wasn't your average conversation starter.

"Yami, is something wrong?"

"Ne?" He opened his eyes and saw Yugi peering curiously at him.

"You looked sad for a moment. Are you okay?"

Yami paused. Then, "Yugi, when I went out today…I wasn't just going for a walk. I went to the Yukimura's."

"You did?" Yugi asked as he pulled back, his eyes widening; recognizing the name. "Yami…what did you do?"

"I killed them." He replied softly. "The two brothers. I shot them. Akkei turned the gun on me…and I took it and shot them. And unless I'm very much mistaken, they're dead now."

Yugi was silent, just staring at him as if having a hard time comprehending the words. And then, looking upset, said "Yami, I-I don't-Yami, why? Why did you have to go and kill them?"

"Because they hurt you. It's their fault you've been having nightmares. They blamed you for so many things that weren't your fault, and made you believe them and they…they made you cry and I couldn't let that go."

Yugi bit his lip and lowered his eyes, and Yami looked away too, wishing Yugi would say something else, anything else at all. The silence in the room was eerie, choking even. And finally Yami felt he had to say something, or the silence might kill him.

"Yugi…whatever you want to think of me now, you can. But I want you to know I'm not proud of what I did and you'll never hear me say I was happy to do it. I think it was still the right thing though. I don't regret it. For what they did to you, I believe they deserved what they got. I destroyed the recording, and so we don't have to worry about them coming after us again."

"Have you been planning to kill them?" Yugi spoke up, his voice distant. "Ever since…?"

Yami didn't meet his eyes. "Akkei, yes. Ever since you told me it was he that planned it. I didn't want to kill his brother, but he…he spoke so casually about raping you and I didn't stop myself. I suppose deep down I did want to kill him too, and that's why I didn't stop myself when I knew I was about to shoot him. And if the other man had been there…I'm fairly sure I would have killed him too."

"So you…you killed them for me…didn't you?" Yugi whispered.

"I…" He paused. Then, "Yes Yugi. After it's all said and done, I went after them because of what they did to you. I wouldn't have done that for myself, but for you…they hurt you Yugi, I couldn't let it go."

"I really am just a big problem for you, aren't I?" Yugi asked, sounding miserable. "If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have had to-"

"Yugi…"

"I know you, Yami…you have that drive in you, you'd kill for what you believed in and you wouldn't think to hold back, no matter what sort of trouble you'd face. And because of me, because of your feelings for me…If I wasn't here, you never would have had to go kill anyone. Of all your hardships, I…I'm the biggest, aren't I?"

"Yeah, you are."

Yugi stared at him, surprised and somewhat hurt to hear Yami agree so readily. Then Yami broke into a gentle smile and touched Yugi's shoulder, saying, "But of all the problems I have, Yugi…you're by far my favourite, and I don't want you to blame yourself. I really didn't want to kill them, but I have no regrets and no anger about it now, because I'd…I'd destroy the world if it meant keeping you safe. I just hope…that you won't think badly of me because of it."

Yugi looked at him for a long time, and finally asked, "What if…what if I had asked you not to kill them before? Would you have held back today?"

Yami hesitated, then shook his head. "I still would have. They hurt you Yugi…and even if you'd asked me not to…I believe I still would have killed them." He saw the still-upsetlook on Yugi's face and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Yugi, but that's the truth. That's how I feel about it. And you…you can get mad, or yell at me for it, or even turn me in to the police if you're really pissed, and I won't say a word. I just…I just killed them because they hurt you, and I couldn't do anything to stop it beforeand I don't…I don't want to see you get hurt again." He bit his lip, fighting back tears that had unexpectedly welled up. "I can't see you get hurt again, it's just…it's just too much. It's…I just can't watch it…I can't…" He swiped his arm across his eyes, furious at himself for choosing now to suddenly feel emotional when all day long he'd been conveniently numb.

Yugi just looked at him again for a moment and then moved closer and leaned his head on Yami's shoulder, closing his eyes. He knew how fiercely protective Yami was of him, he could easily see him killing the two boys, even the third that had been there was well. It was part of his inborn personality, the fact that although sometimes reluctant, he had never really been scared of killing. He had the drive to do it with little remorse. And even though Yami'd worked on that temper a lot, to the point that the instinct was nearly gone, he gave off the obvious aura that he still wasn't afraid.

Yugi supposed he should be afraid, or upset. But he wasn't. Somehow he felt that this was just Yami trying to make things right. At first he'd felt angry, but now, watching Yami struggle to hold back tears, he just felt sorry for him.

"I guess this means we're moving again, huh?" He finally asked.

"Yeah." He sounded tired.

Yugi took his hand. "I can tell what you're thinking Yami, and don't even start. I think…I think they deserved to die too."

"But I thought…that you wouldn't want them to die, and that's why you were mad."

"Well of course I didn't want them to die. I didn't want them to come after me in the first place! But what's done is done, and just like you said you don't blame me for the rape, I don't blame you for the shooting either. I can tell you were hurt by this whole thing too. Maybe even more than I was." He finally whispered. "It's okay, I understand and I don't care how many people hurt me, or how many you kill, or how far we have to keep running, just as long as I can stay with you, okay?"

Yami hugged him again, tighter than before, it was almost a desperate embrace, as if he were trying to convince himself that Yugi, at least, was real in this crazy world. "I want you to stay Yugi. I love you, I love you more than anything."

"I love you, too, Yami…I love you too." Yugi rested his face against Yami's heart and just wished that one day they'd be able to say those words to each other without fear.

"I can't believe this! How can one boy just vanish so perfectly?" Mrs. Mutou slammed her palm on the counter in a heated argument with the detective she'd hired. "Yugi didn't have that much spare cash, I know. Yet his name hasn't been registered anywhere trying to get a job, and I know he can't be using an alias because how would he get ID? And the money in his bank account hasn't been touched. You're telling me that Yugi has managed to elude the police for two months on only 14000 yen? One hundred thirty-three dollars? And he's been in hiding for two months?"

"Ma'am, we're trying-"

"Trying is not good enough! I want my son back home! Do you know what happens to children out on the streets? He could be killed! His blood will be on your hands!"

"I know you do ma'am, but-"

"And don't you dare try to tell me that he's somehow stolen someone else's identity, because Yugi would never steal from anyone! Not even in preschool, no, he always asked before he'd even borrow a crayon!"

Normally a very timid and quiet woman who let her husband do the talking, she was letting loose for the first time inn her life and was discovering how satisfying it was for the moment. Yugi was still missing, yelling was not bringing him back, but damn, did it feel good to step outside her box for a bit.

The detective, Oliver Saunders, was rather taken aback by the whole ordeal, having been told somewhere along the way in his life that Asian women were usually quiet and reserved. Then again, her only son had run away two months before, and there had been no sign of him found so far. Even the child's father, an uptight and withdrawn businessman, was starting to show signs of disarray. Mr. Mutou was currently sitting beside his wife, letting her do the talking, but Saunders noticed that every time his wife said the boy's name, that Mr. Mutou's eyes would narrow in concern.

"Well, ma'am, there was a call that seemed legitimate on the Missing Persons' hotline…"

"What?" She stopped with her fist in midair, having been about to hit the table again.

"We got a call, on the hotline." Saunders explained quickly. "Someone said they thought they'd seen your son in Arizona. We've had more than one of these calls."

"Arizona? How would he get-" Yugi's father began, but his wife cut him off,

"Where in Arizona?"

"A small town in the north of the state. It's affectionately known as Bracken City, which is of course a paradox because there is no river, and thus no real bracken to be found for miles, and it's very small to be a real city-"

"Get to the point!"

"I am." He looked disgruntled about constantly being cut off. "Anyway, he was reportedly seen there, several times in fact, so it seems legitimate. I've alerted the police, but they're awfully busy…you see, there was a double murder there only a few days ago, and they don't have time to pick up a missing person's case…the interesting thing is that your son was reportedly seen in the neighbourhood the day of that murder…"

"Yugi is not a murderer!" His mother snapped. "He is the kindest boy you would ever meet, there is no way-"

"I never said he WAS the murderer." Saunders interjected. "I'm just saying that it's a coincidence, and that because he was seen at the scene of the crime, pardon the cliché, the police are interested to find him, and have agreed to help us after all."

Her eyes lit up. "They have?"

"Yes. The problem, though…is that ever since yesterday, we've received no word on any sightings of him at all. Also, we have tried to track him down but his name isn't registered anyplace. We suspect he's living with someone there, because none of the homeless people recognize his picture."

"But Yugi doesn't know anyone in Arizona." His father spoke up.

"Well, there was that Rebecca girl…didn't he mention her once?"

"She lives in California."

"Oh, that's right…what about Duke? His grandfather mentioned an American friend of Yugi's named Duke Devlin once."

"Duke…Devlin…" Saunders wrote it down in an obvious manner so that she would see he was taking notes and wouldn't get on his case for that too.

As Mrs. Mutou and her husband discussed people that may or may not live in Arizona, Saunders was becoming worried about getting their hopes up too high, and put in, "I couldn't help but notice that your son very much resembles, in looks, that Duel Monsters champion…Yami Atemu."

To his surprise, they both scowled at the name, but gave him their full attention. Yugi's father finally replied, "Yes, he does. Why?"

"Oh, well, Yami Atemu is registered at a hotel efficiency in Bracken, he's been renting for awhile, and it's entirely possible the people may have mistaken him for your son, so therefore this could be a false lead, and I-is something wrong?"

For both of his clients had gone dead silent, staring at each other.

"Did you know Yami was living here?" Mr. Mutou asked his wife.

"No…did you?"

"No, I didn't. Doesn't he live back in Japan?"

"Yes, he said he sometimes visited the US though. For his game."

"But if he's visiting, why rent a place? Why not stay in a hotel room instead of renting? Those card tournaments can't last that long."

"Do you think he could have something to do with why Yugi vanished?"

"It's entirely possible…in the airport, he kept threatening that I'd better take care of Yugi and all this crap…"

"Could he have kidnapped Yugi?"

"No…more likely he came and talked Yugi into running away with him. I wouldn't put it past him…Gamers, they're full of bullshit, and they can be very smooth when they want to be…"

"So…he seduced him into running away?"

"It's very possible…especially if he's here in the US now…"

"Er, excuse me…" Saunders began, puzzled. "But is there something I should know here?"

Yugi's father seemed reluctant to explain, but his mother spilled right out, "Yugi and Yami…before we moved, they were having…uh, well, they were involved with each other…er…if you know what I mean."

"You mean they were engaged in an intimate relationship?" Saunders asked, scribbling away, thinking, this case just gets better and better…

"Oh…ugh," she clearly hadn't thought of it in quite those terms. "I…I don't really know, but I guess…I mean, Yugi told us they'd agreed not to sleep together, but I suppose after all this time…well, anyway, it's entirely likely that Yami seduced him, you know. Yugi claimed that he was doing nothing that he himself hadn't invited but…you know about rich young men, what they're like…and Yugi is fairly impressionable."

Saunders raised an eyebrow skeptically, but didn't push it.

"Anyway…they were…having their relationship…and when we moved, they both acted very broken up about it. Yugi was especially angry at us for making them leave each other…and according to my husband, Yami Atemu threatened him before we left. So we were thinking that Yami might have forced Yugi to run away with him, and that Yugi would have agreed."

"I'll tell the police in Arizona this. Thank you for the information." Saunders replied after writing it all down, trying to stay noncommittal.

"Do think you can find him?" She asked, looking desperate.

"I'll do my best ma'am, that's my job." With that he politely excused himself and hurried out before any further verbal assault could be launched.

"It can't be a coincidence." Mrs. Mutou said later to her husband. "Yami living in the US right now while Yugi is missing."

"I'm sure he has something to do with all of this." Yugi's father folded the newspaper and checked his watch. "Why don't you and Saunders fly out to Arizona tomorrow and track him down? If Yugi's not with him, he might still be able to tell us where he's gone."

"What about you?" she asked, quizzical.

"I've got that conference in Europe, remember? My plane leaves in a few hours."

She looked astonished. "You can't honestly mean you're going to that! Our son is missing, and you're going to work?"

"Dear, be reasonable, it's a very important meeting-"

"What about Yugi?"

"You already quit your job, so I can't afford to take time off now too. We need money coming in from somewhere; otherwise we won't even be able to afford to keep up searching for him. You and Saunders should go and talk to Yami at least while I'm gone, and you can call me with the results."

"What if Yami refuses to talk to us? Or attacks us?"

"Oh come on, he's not dangerous!" He laughed. "You're both taller than him, and honestly, he certainly doesn't look threatening."

His wife was unsure about that. She'd seen the expression on Yami's face that rainy night they'd met, some months before. He had certainly looked capable of hurting someone. Her husband had been too busy sticking up for his manly pride to notice, but she had seen the venom in Yami's eyes. He was not a man that she wanted to push into a corner, and she was quite sure that whether or not he looked it, he was still dangerous. All things considered, going up to his house and accusing him of kidnapping Yugi-even if it was the truth-seemed like a stupid thing to do.

But she wanted her son back…and all the risks were worth it.

"Okay, we'll fly out tomorrow." She decided. "And I'll find Yugi and bring him home, no matter what."

To Be Continued…

Author's Notes:

Well, this sure puts a damper on things for our favourite couple…they're SO busted! I know everyone's been waiting to find out when they'd be caught. xD Did you ever guess it would take this long? I know for the last few sls, the story drifted off of Yugi's parents, who at first seemed like the biggest problem. You will soon come to see how this meshes. I was thinking the other day…what if Yugi's parents hired Akkei to break up Yami and Yugi, and then it went too far? WOO! That would be a crazy storyline! Think of all the things I could have done with it! Too bad he's dead…I always think of these things after it's too late to use them. :sigh: Still, that would have been cool…but rather unreasonable, I guess.

I think Yugi has a point about Yami being hurt too. Yugi, after all, had to go through the actual rape and therefore suffer humiliation, pain, etc. But Yami had to watch Yugi suffer that, unable to do anything to make his pain go away, and considering Yami's personality, I'd bet anything that he also spent a lot of time thinking that it was his fault Yugi got hurt. It's no wonder Yami's breaking down too. Myself, I think I'd rather suffer the rape, however horrible it might be, than have to watch the person I loved suffer it instead and myself be unable to help them. Just something to think about, you know, how in reality, they were BOTH victims.

This chapter was like…strange to write. It was too easy. Sounds weird, I know, but chapters like this are usually hard for me, because not only did I introduce a new OC, but I also did a majour scene in here between him and two other characters, and for NONE of them do I yet have the speech patterns or action patterns down for! I mean, personalities I've got. And I can imagine the people with personalities like these pretty easily. But as for their speech and stuff…man, it's all up in the air. I don't know who to make overly-worried, who to make more reserved, who should use the most explicatives in a heated argument…it's all just Up. In. The. Air. So considering all that, the fact that this chapter came together at all is…strange.

But hey, I'm not complaining.

It was rather short too…man, what's up with the shortness, eh? Life's too short for shortness! Right, I'm just getting random now…

Replies!

Dani Wheeler-Kaiba: Darn right, no pity for the evil dudes! Oh, yes, I've had several mini obsessions…and a few of them I think are still alive too, but Yami does win over. It was pretty invariable that Yugi would be upset, but…hey, he loves Yami! So he can't be mad forever!

Fallen-Angel-of-Repression: That's a good question, how DO you stay up during the day? Not like I can talk, I go around half-asleep all the time. I do believe I'm related to the feline species…hehehe, hotness. :wink: Gotta love it. I like to show him being all vengeful for a good cause…it inspires a lot of emotions.

Yami Yuugi: Got it right, homicidalness and cuteness and revenge and all! It's hard to get much better, very true. I'm also very glad that you pointed that out…I was really hoping people would notice that Yugi isn't so weak as too many fans take him for. And you did! You get my stamp of approval. xD Oooh, TIVO…I've heard a lot of good things about that. Glad Rita didn't hurt you…hurricanes are a pain. I'm praying on the Chem thing…I really don't feel too sure about it. But I did love the episodes:wink:

Padfoot13: Ooh, that's good! Neither did we, just another big pile of branches. xD Yes, Yugi's clinginess is a common theme…I really don't like it though. I mean, there's adoration…and then there's just neediness, and Yugi is NOT that weak, we all know it! Thanks!

Sansi: That plot idea has grown on me, really…maybe I'll write it someday just for the fun of it. xD There's a good song I know of…maybe I'll make it a chapter songfic. Now there's an idea! Yeah, sixteen it is…I sort of want to make this go on and on forever, take it out to thirty chapters or something, but…I think I can pretty much make it solid at sixteen. Wow…three exams! That's crazy…Well, it's Friday at least…I hope you did well!

Serena the Hikari of Love: He's a bad good guy…or the other way around maybe, but the fact remains that he's still one of the heroes of this fic!

Master Elora Dannan: That would have been convenient, ne? A little too convenient though, really…Oh, yes, GX does have some of the original guys! Yugi is in the first episode I believe, (Jaden just about plows him over…but Yugi HAS gotten taller!), and Kaiba is shown later on…he looks exactly the same. Well…it IS his school and all, so he has to be there. xD Plus, I heard rumours that in the second season, they'll bring back more of the old crew, like Joey and Tea and everyone. I hope they will! The girl, I think her dub name is Alexis, she isn't Kaiba's daughter, (though that would be freaky if she was. xD), but the hair is awfully similar, it's true…the animators are probably just using designs they already know well.

You Know Us: (Kill the redneck homophobes! Right on, lemmie just go grab my Uzi and my Tonfa Blasters and we can be on our way-) Uh, excuse me Shadow, we sort of have to finish the fic before we can go hunting, and Yami took care of it for us! (Oh. Right. Well, just keep up with the reply then, Chey-chan.) Well, that was Shadow's input. It's clear that Michelle liked it, anyway. Hey, they had it coming. One of those, "would you kill someone if they hurt someone you loved" sort of things. Answer? HELL, YES! Well, that's what Yami thought anyway…Yugi means the world to him, after all, and that comes before revenge any day. I don't suppose he stopped to think of the consequences, but Yami's smart…let's just hope this works!

Spidy007: Choking was the first choice…but guns are faster. No Shadow Realm, since he doesn't have magic anymore…but that would have been a lot of fun if he did. Yami's smart:hug: Thanks, I will!

Pharaohess1: That's right! And Yami is really a pretty logical person, so for him to just march in there and leave his fingerprints all over and stuff…that just wouldn't be like him at all. But it's surely a crime to make Yugi cry, and Yami had to punish those who were responsible! Yugi's not weak…oh no, not at all. It's true though…the lack of spiky hair is really rather disappointing…:sigh:

Darkyami7: :niko: Yay, thanks! Karma does do that sort of thing…well, you'll see where it goes. Until then, I think everyone is secretly glad, if confused, but still glad to see them dead. He did look a bit squashed in one scene…but then I was distracted by those eyes of his again, and I really only noticed it in one scene. Eh, if my boy gets named Jaden, he's getting off easy. He was going to be named Atemu. xDD Jaden Atemu…now THERE's a name.

LiNes: Oh, you know it…that temper of his…whoo, it's very dangerous indeed. Don't want to set that guy off, no way. As for my harddrive…if you can actually find your way around all the clutter in it, I'm impressed. xD Wait…but you weren't hacking! So ignore that…It's good that the workload is easing up! Mine got rather heavy last week…reduced me to tears and everything. It's lightened up a bit too…good news all around! I like YJ…does that stand for YugixJoey, or YamixJoey? Honestly, I like both. I'm fairly open-minded.

Yami Adritha: Yay when the bad guys die! That's the general saying around here now…

Tears of a Mermaid: Yep, yep, as long as they're together…that's what really matters. Right on! I'm glad to hear that you were all up in anticipation! That rocks.

Red Dragon of Egypt: Exactly! Lack of proof, it's a great way to avoid jail. Let's just hope it works…and besides, Yami's like…such a nice guy, who would believe he'd do that, right? (Gotta save the boots! Man I love those boots…) Hey…and maybe he should go work for CSI. xD That would be fun! Yami, the CSI agent…Ooooh, fanart idea! Anyway…Yami is very kind and gentle and I fully believe he'd wait as long as Yugi wanted, because he actually loves Yugi for Yugi, not for lust like so many simple-minded idiots seem to think. There is so much more between them than lust, come on…well, all in all, thanks for the support, and I'm sure Yami appreciates your help:wink:

HeavyMetalRequiem: Yeah, he just can't stay out of trouble, can he? O.o And I want candy! xD

Crazyb1tch85: Good reasoning…let's hope it works!

dragonlady222: He is very recognizable…that's the problem, I think. I'm glad you're enjoying the fic so much!

Cherry Romancer: If he'd had magic, I'm fairly sure he would have used it! xD However scary it might become…

Bastet Goddess of Egypt: I'm very sure Yami would like to avoid jail. Maybe I'll finally cut him a break for once…or maybe not. xD

Atemu Yugi Lover34: O.o Weird. xD Well I took a test on there once…it said I was most like Mariku. That's just weird…I mean, I like Mariku and everything, but we have very little in common…eh, who knows, I cheat on most of those tests anyway just to get the results I want. xD Aw, I thought the bad joke was pretty funny, actually…then again, I do love bad jokes. xDD

Marikslildevil: Hey! Good to see you again. Well, you didn't really miss it, and you got the review to me in time for me to give you a reply too! Too bad you got grounded…that sucks. Yeah, I modeled him after how I sleep, which is so deep you could probably set off a bomb and I'd sleep right through it. xDD Your own creation ate you? Ack! That's bad! xD Well…at least you came back…even if you were dead. Good thing it was a dream! Yeah, he got killed…I decided that no holds barred is the best way to go, you know? Gives everyone a good surprise. :laughs: Yes, that's me, the distributour of random advice…including murder tactics. xD Go figure. But it was true! Technically he didn't leave any fingerprints though, cause he wore gloves. Yami's not THAT absent-minded…although I really do question what he was thinking. Well, he was thinking "revenge", of course. xD Man, I had to do a Chem timeline a few weeks ago! Weird! I really hope I didn't fail mine…that would be very bad right now. X.x Hope you did well on yours too!

Can you believe it's chapter 12 already? Seems like just yesterday I was posting the first chapter and praying someone, anyone, would like it. Time sure flies!

Lessie…GX on Monday…don't forget, people! You have to watch and see tall Yugi! I hope this won't interfere with the rest of the line-up…I finally got it straight about when Code Lyoko is on, and if they move it again…grrrr…I mean, how do you keep up with a series when they're always moving it? Though I loved yesterday's episode, "A Fine Mess". Boy, was that a mess alright! xDD Guys and girls getting stuck in each other's bodies has been done a lot on TV, but it still makes me laugh hysterically. And then the one today...Aelita kissed Jeremy...FINALLY! And it wasn't the clone Aelita either, it was the real one, which confirms what the fans all already knew! Teehehehe...

Oh, and my new Beckett magazine reports that this current arc will indeed explain some things about the original Memory arc…at any rate, they're leaving in the fact that Touzokuou Bakura is a majour enemy, and they have a pretty good hold on what the original storyline is, so I have hope that the dubbers won't screw up the Memory line too badly after all! Then again, I think I'm just far too optimistic for my own good sometimes…

Take care everyone, don't forget to wash your socks, and I'll see you back here next week!