Usagi the plot-bunny hops into the computer room, takes one look, and hops back out, returning a few minutes later with Yami Silvershadowfire in tow.
"What is the problem?" the yami demands, then blinks at the sight of her hikari on the ground in a dead faint. Taking a look at the total of reviews, Yami Silvershadowfire smirks a little and shakes her head.
Title: A Game of Masques
Chapter: 8/?
Author: Lee-Ann Shadowdancer (AKA Silvershadowfire)
Rating: This chapter – PG-13.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own YuGiOh, - the story is mine.
Note 1: Since Silvershadowfire is currently unconscious, today's notes and review replies are by her yami.
Note 2: Once again, Malik is the psychotic 'yami' and Marik is the entirely too sane 'hikari'.
Note 3: Because she is a horrible person,Silver keeps forgetting this – Kudos to her beta and best friend, Cha Oseye Tempest Thrain, without whom this story, and none of the others, would be nearly as good as they are.
Note 4: Anyone who did not get the lemon promised in Chapter 7, e-mail me direct – don't review – at leeann (underscore) shadowdancer at yahoo dot com and I will send it to you.
Review replies: THANK YOU to everyone who has been reading the story and hugs to all who took the time to review! And to all the people who e-mailed me privately.
Fairy of Fortune, Chelley Angel, Rachel Dracon, Aerith Queen of Cetra (You'll have to get in line to kill Yami's dad, I'm afraid.), J, sakura-dream (hands you drool bucket), cute-little-Yugi(here's the update, for the sake of your sanity), Kaia, Kairi-san, Silver Kitsune no Tenshi, Pharaoh'sEgyptianArabian, Chibi-ichii, AngelPrincess17, MahouBunnyBell. Zakaya Yahaya-Winner, ailisa d. frieson, Game Queen(No! Not the puppy eyes!) ChiliBonFairy, alisonette(Yay! Favs list! And thanks for the compliment about the abuse), Millie Ishtar Motou, Washu-Chan, niichan, SoulDreamer, Yami Evelyn(I'll send you a copy when it's done, k?) selene, Yllyana(Angst drives me crazy too), Yoko-obssessor, anonymous, Sapphire Siren, Misoka(e-mail me! I couldn't get your address. And Silver might write a side-story showing how Jou and Honda met up with Yugi), Youko Kara, tati, tiger witch, xxhot-and-sexyxx(takes my hikari about a week to write a chapter and a day to get it back from her beta-reader. She hates waiting too.), kit-kit, Silver Depth, autumnburn, Sansi(Glomps), ladybard96(Well, that's two. I'll have to get Silver to write that side-story), tears of a mermaid, armuria(Don't cry. Here's the update), trekkie-54, Amber Eyes23, Carmen5-Nemrac, Crimson89, Yugi and Mai, ladywolf(Terri(Probably not – my hikari's just paranoid since Mouth of Yomi got taken down for a much less graphic lemon), DracOnyx(You know, telling that to Silver might not be a good idea…she is a Call of Cthulhu gamemaster, and enjoys driving people insane…), JadedKatrina, Tigerlily-2250, Idyxenobia, Shadow-loverOB1(Couldn't get your address either. E-mail me!), animestargirl(Malik is the older twin, by a few seconds), Pharaoh Atemu's Angel(please e-mail me for the lemon, k?), Sarah Costa, Meant2Live, Falcon-Rider(Glad Silver caught your interest.)
And now on with the fic!
Chapter 8 – Plans and Rituals
Yugi looked down at his sleeping lover, a loving smile on his lips. Yami had collapsed after their final ecstasy together. Yugi had to admit, the teen had stamina. Quietly he rose, grabbing a cloth and towel from the bathroom to clean them both up. Yami didn't stir – not that Yugi expected him to. The nip on his ankle –and a tiny dose of Yugi's demonic venom - had suppressed any pain from the first time being loved, but the side-effects would keep him asleep for at least six hours, and could be dangerous over the long term. Which is why Yugi only used it on lovers who were virgin…and rarely more than the once.
Clean-up finished, he tucked them both into bed, carefully arranging his sprained wing. He settled behind Yami and pulled the teenager into his arms – Yami sighed in his sleep, cuddling closer. Yugi smiled. At least Yami should have no bad dreams tonight.
Now I know Ryou was right – even afterwards, I still want to be with him. I want to see that smile again…I want to be with him forever. But…it's not safe, with Malik and Marik on my tail.
Yugi brushed a kiss across Yami's tousled hair. I could leave now, tonight…but that would not be fair to him, or to us. He would think I only wanted his body and his virginity. Yugi blinked away a tear at the thought of Yami's reaction if he woke alone. After all that he's been through – that would be so wrong. We'll have to talk about this – in the morning. He's nearly a man by human standards…I owe him an explanation. I love him too much to not tell him the truth.
----- ----- ----- ----- ------- ----- ------- --- -
Seto Kaiba wiped away the sleep from his eyes, trying to make the symbols on his laptop screen stand still. The bright red numbers of the clock on his desk burned 1:30 am…way past the time when was supposed to be here. He wouldn't be here himself – except for the throbbing, aching compulsion that pounded through his skull.
Find Yami Motou.
He didn't know – couldn't remember – who had done this to him, but the compulsion was far too strong for him to fight. He had to find the teenager – using all the resources of Kaiba Corp if necessary – or he was certain he would lose what little was left of his sanity.
Seto snarled to himself. He didn't want to do this – from what he know of Kyoshori Motou, he was from the same school as his own stepfather, Gozoboro…who with any luck was frying in the deepest pit of Hell right now. Yami probably had a good reason to get lost and stay that way; pity was foreign to Seto's nature, but he could sympathize.
Mokuba snored gently on the couch, having fallen asleep there after a failed attempt to get his older brother to quit for the night, or even stop long enough to eat. Seto sighed as he rubbed his eyes again – he still had reports to go through, and he couldn't explain to Mokuba what was going on…not when he didn't understand it himself.
He punched the next report up, and stared in shock at what it said. Some of his agents had found Yami Motou in Tokyo…they had lost the teenager, but still…
Like the snap of a rubber band, the compulsion over Seto's mind broke. He sighed at the blessed relief. The teenager was found…now what should he do?
A tired, evil little smirk crossed his features. Whoever had done this wanted Yami found…they didn't say a damned thing about doing anything about it afterwards. So he was in Tokyo. Good enough.
Quick fingers flew over the laptop as he sent out orders to stand down from the hunt…and altered the report containing the information. He gave a low laugh. They would get nothing from using Seto Kaiba…he would deny them the satisfaction. And when they came to claim their report… he would be ready.
-- --- -- --- -- --- -- --- --- -- -- --
Malik howled his frustration to the sky, no doubt scaring the mortals who could hear, but not see, the source of the sounds. "HE TRICKED US!"
Marik winced at his brother's tone. They both hovered in the sky over Okinawa, having searched the island nation high and low for any sign of their prey to no avail. Which put them back at square one.
"I am going to rip his wings off, the little shit." Malik growled. The elder of the twins swung around in midair. "Well? You're the brains of this outfit…what the hell are we supposed to do now?"
"Take up the trail where we know it left off." Marik answered coldly, acting unimpressed by his twin's temper. Malik had always been the more impetuous of the two, acting before he thought, while Marik was the planner. He paused to think, his wings flapping idly to keep him hovering. "We know he was in Domino…and if I'm right he kidnapped the boy, probably to play with. But let's look at this calmly and logically." He paused, martialling his thoughts. "Okay, let's presume that Yami went with Yugi willingly – we didn't find any signs of a struggle in the boy's bedroom. Let's also presume also that Yugi would not have wanted to stay in Domino – not where Yami could be recognized. So…he took him to another city. Probably by normal means – wouldn't want to freak his little mortal plaything out. So, no portal – which is consistant with what we found in the bedroom.
"Which means he could be anywhere." Malik snarled. "It's been four days, Marik…he could have literally gone any placein the world in that time."
"I don't think so." Marik shook his head. "I doubt if they even left Japan – after all, Yugi wouldn't want to take the mortal all that far away from his family. What surprises me is that the boy isn't home yet."
"We know that he ran away…and I don't think think he was happy with his father." Malik stated in a calm, rational voice. Marik looked up at his brother and carefully didn't smile. When angry enough, Malik flipped over into the coldness at the far side of rage, his brain actually working for a change. This was also when the elder twin was at his most dangerous. "Maybe… he decided that life with Yugi would be better than at home. And that means…"
"…He's burdened down with a mortal…who probably doesn't even know he's a demon." Marik finished, smirking. "Yugi'll likely abandon him at the first opportunity, thinking to keep him 'safe'. And while Yugi can lose us in the air, Yami can't…"
"…so we can use the mortal to track Yugi…"
"...to act as bait…"
"…or betray his faithless lover…"
The twins smirked at each other, then stretched their wings and flew to the mainland.
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Yugi felt Yami stir slightly and jolted out of his own uneasy sleep, hissing in pain as the sprained wing protested. He opened his eyes to see Yami smiling sleepily at him – sometime during the night they had shifted until they were facing each other, Yami curled in Yugi's arms.
"Morning." Yami murmured sleepily. Yugi just stared at that sated, happy little smile and tried to remember how to breathe.
Pull yourself together, idiot. You and he have to talk…later. Before that smile could fade, Yugi pressed their lips together in a delicate kiss. "Morning, love. Sleep well?"
"Mmm." Yami sighed as his eyes drifted closed again. "You?"
"Yeah." Yugi gave him a squeeze, then shifted out from under the covers. Sleepy crimson-violet eyes opened, watching him in confusion.
"Where are you going?"
"Bathroom, lover…and one of us needs to make breakfast. Go back to sleep, sweet one."
"M'kay." Yami's eyes slid shut, his breathing evening out. Yugi gave him a loving smile before going to relieve himself.
He didn't bathe, mainly because all of his and Yami's clothes were already packed up. Moving to the counter, he took out a jar of salve to soothe his sprained wing. He hissed as he tried to reach the area.
"Here." Yugi jumped in shock as Yami took the jar from over his shoulder and took a fingerful, rubbing it on the wing. The sprained joint was obvious; swollen and discoloured.
"What happened?" Yami asked softly as he spread the tangy-smelling substance with gentle fingers.
"Sprain." Yugi hissed despite Yami's care – it was damned painful, more so than it should have been. In fact, it should have healed on its own by now.
"Hang on." Yami turned on all the bathroom lights, peering at the night-black wing. "Yugi, there's something in here."
"What?"
"Do you have a pair of tweezers?"
"In there." Yugi indicated the correct drawer; Yami grabbed the small metal tongs and returned to his study of the injury. Delicately he picked out a sliver of some whitish substance, showing it to Yugi. "Here. This was in there."
Yugi studied it. Damn. Looks like Marik managed to nick me after all. Good thing it wasn't anything more, or the venom would have paralyzed me. The demon shuddered mentally at the thought of what would have happened. Hunter demons had venom in their claws and teeth that could cause pain, paralysis and even necrotic rot. "Can you please clean that out? I don't want to get any infection." Yugi reached for a bottle filled with a clear, thin liquid. "Just don't get any of this on your skin. It won't take much – maybe a tablespoon full." He warned, and braced himself. This was going to hurt…a lot.
Yami poured the liquid, and Yugi tried manfully not to scream. Demon poison was a bitch to purge – he couldn't take any chances. Since the venom was both powerful and basic(1), the best cure was an acid.
Hydrochloric, in this case.
His heartbeat pounded in his ears as the acid ate away skin and flesh, leaving white bone and trails of thick black blood. Calling his magic, Yugi used some of it to scab over the wound. It hurt like a bitch, but it would heal within a day.
Too bad he didn't have a day. "Thanks."
"You're…welcome." Yami stammered. "What happened?"
Yugi sighed. "We have to talk. Come on."
In the living room, Yugi grabbed his pants and pulled them on, handing Yami his. "Here. This will be difficult enough – I don't need any…" Yugi swallowed as he glanced at the perfection of Yami's form. "Distractions." Even with the pain, the teen was hot enough to turn him on with a look.
Yami pulled the garment on, his eyes showing hurt and a little confusion. "Yugi, what's wrong?"
"Listen, Yami…" Yugi took a deep breath. "What you pulled out of my wing was a sliver of demon talon. There are a pair of hunter-demons after me…their master seems to think I did something that I in fact didn't do. I think I threw them off my trail, but it won't last long. I…don't want you in danger."
To his shock, Yami actually started to laugh. The teenager laughed until tears ran down his face, laughed until he couldn't breathe. Yugi just stared in shock.
Finally, Yami managed to calm himself down. "When I came home yesterday." He explained, "I was going to tell you the same thing…Seto Kaiba's men found Jou, Honda and myself in the way home from the arcade. We lost them but I figured it wouldn't take long before they discovered where I'm staying…I was going to go back to Father so that you wouldn't get into trouble."
Yugi blinked again, then giggled, then burst out laughing at the pure irony. "So…we were both going to do the noble thing and give up the other for their own safety. Well, since we both have to run for it…" he paused, holding out his hand to the other. "Care to join me, Yami Motou?"
Yami laughed and nodded. "Might as well run for it in company." He grew a little more serious then. "Honestly, Yugi, you don't have to do this. I can go back to Father and…"
"No." Yugi shook his head. "You're almost an adult, Yami. I won't have you going back to that thing who calls himself your father." He reached into the back pocket of his pants, pulling out a debit card. "This is attached to my account. If something happens to me and we get separated, I want you to pull out as much money as you can and disappear…go to Europe or America and vanish."
"But I couldn't leave you." Yami whispered.
"Yami…" Yugi swallowed, but he knew that he owed his lover the truth. "If that happens, there is a good chance I will already be dead."
Silence fell on the conversation. Finally Yami scooted over to the demon and slipped an arm around his waist. "Yugi…I love you. No matter what happens. I promise…I promise that if something…happens…to you, I won't ever go back to Father. Alright?"
Yugi smiled at his love. "Thank you. I just wish…"
"Wish what?" Yami asked.
The demon blushed. He hadn't meant to continue that thought aloud. "I wish that I could…never mind, it's too much to ask."
"What?"
Yugi shook his head; Yami poked him. "If you don't tell me, I'll cook tonight. And I'll burn your part. And I'll blow up your kitchen."
"Nasty aren't you? What happened to the shrinking violet I saw at Domino High School?"
Yami shrugged, a shy smile gracing his face. "I think he got lost somewhere last night. But that isn't answering my question. What did you want to ask of me?" His tone lost all trace of fun. "Yugi, I swear…if it's in my power, I will give you anything. I don't have much – but what I have is yours. I love you so much."
"Alright…but I want you to think about this before you answer." Yugi took Yami's hand in his. "I wanted to ask you to be my mate. I know I love you, and I'm sure you love me..."
Yami opened his mouth, but Yugi put his fingers over the opening, stopping him. "Let me finish. This would let me find and protect you no matter where you went; but you are mortal, and I don't know of any cases where a demon mating ritual has been done on a human…so there might be side-effects. It is magic; but in some respects magic is like science – if one variable changes, the result becomes unknown." The demon took a breath. "I want to be with you, Yami…but you must be sure. Absolutely willing, or else the bond won't work properly. If there is any doubt in your heart…"
Yami hugged him tighter, then peeked around and caught his gaze. "Yugi…if I wasn't absolutely certain, then I wouldn't have slept with you last night. I wanted…I thought I wouldn't be able to ever see you again, and I know I will never fall in love with anyone the way I have fallen for you. I wanted you to be my first…and I want you to be my only."
He grinned. "But I don't think this is the time, is it? We should go to…where were you planning on going, anyway?"
Yugi nodded in silent agreement. "I have an apartment in Kyoto. The only problem being that if we take any mortal or magical means of travel, Marik and Malik will be able to track it…and I can't fly with my wing in this shape."
"Is there someone else who might be willing to fly us there?"
Yugi thought for a moment, and grinned. "There just might be…"
----- ------ ------ ----- --- --- ---- --- ---- ---
An hour and a couple phone calls later, Bakura and Ryou appeared at Yugi's window. Yami – who had been working on the puzzle he'd gotten from Yugi, and surprisingly almost had it done - let them in while the incubus dealt with the man from the shipping company, who would be taking their clothes to the new place in Kyoto.
"Hello, Yami." Ryou murmured politely; Bakura just grunted. "Yugi said it was an emergency. Is everything alright?"
"Well…" Yami started, when suddenly Bakura sniffed and barked a laugh. He blinked at the white-haired demon in surprise. "What?"
"So you two finally got together. About time." The gaki grinned wolfishly. "So what's it like to bang the best incubus in Hell?"
Yami turned bright red while Ryou hit his mate over the head, hard. "Bakura!"
The gaki just kept laughing. Ryou pointedly turned his back on Bakura and walked Yami over to the other side of the room. "Ignore him. If you and Yugi have gotten together, I couldn't be happier. Now, what did Yugi call us about?"
"It might be better if he told you." Yami muttered, still trying to control his blushing. A quiet filled the room, offset only by Bakura's snickering and the murmuring of Yugi and the delivery man at the door. Yami put another couple pieces in the puzzle before turning to the storm demon. "Ryou…do you know anything about…demon mating?" Yami's felt his blush come back full force; he played nervously with the three-quarter-done puzzle in his hands.
"Why did you want to know?" Ryou replied after a moment's thought. "Did Yugi…ask you to be his mate?"
"Yes." Yami answered. He had no idea why he was talking about this to someone he barely knew…but he felt comfortable enough around the gentle demon to ask.
"Well…" Ryou murmured softly. "It's interesting…the ritual has different effects on everyone. Take me and Bakura…I'm a storm demon and he was a mortal thief who dabbled in the occult when we met. We took longer to decide that we were meant for each other…but when we mated, he became a type of vampire who feeds on human pain; soon after my hair came in the same colour as his."
Yami blinked. "Is that why he can stand sunlight, even though he's a gaki?"
"Yes." Bakura, who had finally recovered, joined them on the couch, answering for his mate. "Sorry, Yami. Sometimes my sense of humor gets the better of me. I guess it's really not any of my business…I was just curious what it's like."
"I take it I'm not good enough for you?" Ryou asked archly. Bakura smirked.
"Don't be ridiculous, love, Yugi's flexible – I'm sure he could take both of us."
Yami buried his flaming face in his hands. "Too much information, Bakura."
Ryou fought back a chuckle while Bakura laughed out loud. "Come on, Yami; I'm sure you could join us if you wanted to."
"Bakura, what do you think you're doing?" Yugi's normally chipper voice was cool. Yami tried to hide in the couch cushions while Yugi gave the gaki a piece of his mind.
"I'll thank you to keep a handle on that sense of humour of yours before I shove it somewhere that I guarantee you won't find pleasant.
"You okay, Yami?" Yugi's hands massaged his shoulders.
"I'm fine." Yami smiled sheepishly. "They were just fooling around."
"What did you call us over for, Yugi?" Ryou asked quickly, throwing a dirty look at his mate, who had opened his mouth as though to speak.
"This is a little odd, guys, but Yami and I have to go to Kyoto, and I was hoping you could give us a ride."
"Malik and Marik that close behind you?" Bakura asked, suddenly dead serious.
"And Yami's father. I threw off the hunter-demons for a while, but Kaiba will be telling Yami's father where he is; we both need to get somewhere else. I would just take the bus or something, but…"
"But Marik and Malik could smell out your trail if you did." Ryou finished. "Alright…but we should wait until twilight. Less chance of anyone seeing us."
"We could just use magic to hide…" Yugi started, but Ryou shook his head.
"It leaves a trail. Hunter-demons can pick that up…even in the air."
Yugi went white and started to shake. Yami grabbed him and pulled him down onto the couch, between himself and Ryou. "Yugi…what's wrong?"
"Hells…what happened to your wing?" Ryou choked, noticing the injury for the first time.
"I didn't know." The incubus whispered. "I swear I didn't know…I flew here from the store with my cloak up. They'll be able to follow that..."
"How long ago?" Ryou asked.
"Yesterday afternoon." Yugi murmured. Yami curled his arms around his lover, trying to comfort him.
"That should be long enough for it to fade." Bakura shook his head. "I think that if they were in Tokyo before then, you would have had them at your doorstep by now." He ruffled Yugi's spiked hair. "You need to calm down, Yugi. Panicking won't help anything."
The doorbell rang. Four heads shot up in unison, staring at the portal.
"You expecting anyone?" Ryou asked.
"No." Yugi shook his head.
"Oh, don't be ridiculous." Bakura growled. "Malik and Marik wouldn't ring the fucking doorbell!" Yugi shared an abashed smile with Ryou and rose to answer the door.
While Yugi was at the door, Bakura leaned over and whispered in Yami's ear. "You might want to say yes to mating with him. He will be able to find you, and protect you…you might even get some gifts that will allow you to protect yourself."
"But…" Yami glanced at the gaki. "What if I turn into demon or a vampire or something else?"
"Well, it's impossible to say…just ask yourself if the chance of staying with Yugi forever is worth the risk."
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Idly playing with the pieces of his puzzle, Yami gnawed on his lip and considered Bakura's words. He knew he was in love with the demon… but did he really love him enough to take that kind of chance? To perhaps be no longer human…but at the same time, to be joined to him forever.
At least it would be my choice…not something forced on me by Father or Mother. And it would be for forever… He looked over at Yugi, who was laughing. The doorbell had proved to be the mailman, needing a signature; Bakura had been needling the smaller demon ever since. He asked me. He could have anyone he wanted…Bakura even called him the best incubus in Hell. And he picked me. Yami shivered a little, not noticing as his hands placed the last few pieces in their place. My choice… He glanced down at his hands in shock to see the last piece of the puzzle, the Eye, slide into place. For a moment he thought he saw a glimmer of rainbow light shimmer from the Eye, only to vanish. Yami blinked. It must have been a trick of the light…but it's done. Smiling with a bit of pride, he slipped the rope over his neck.
"You finished it!" Yugi exclaimed – Yami jumped. He hadn't heard the demon cross the room. "Way to go Yami!"
"Thanks." Yami fingered the golden pendant – it felt right there, as though he had been wearing it all his life. "Yugi…I've been thinking. I…want to be your mate."
Yugi stared at him. "Are you sure?" he asked. "This is awfully fast, Yami. Are you absolutely sure?"
"Would it make you happy?" Yami asked seriously, staring into those deep amethyst eyes.
"It would make me the happiest person on Earth." Yugi answered just as seriously. "But would it make you happy?"
"Yes." Yami grinned a little. "I have been happier in these past days than I have at anytime before – and that includes when I lived with Jii-chan." He reached up and caressed Yugi's cheek. "I love you. I want to be with you forever and ever."
Yugi leaned down and kissed him softly. "Me too."
"Come on." Yugi pulled him to his feet and brought him over to the couch. He grinned at Bakura and Ryou.
"Yami's agreed to be my mate!" he announced to them. Bakura smirked and winked at Yami while Ryou congratulated them both. "Will you two witness?"
"Of course." Ryou nodded. Yami blinked a little, surprised, then shrugged to himself. No point in waiting, right? Ryou grabbed cushions from the bed and tucked them behind Yami, who looked at him in silent question.
"Bakura passed out when we did this." Ryou winked, hearing an embarrassed growl from the gaki. Yugi had scampered off to the kitchen and returned a moment later with a paring knife.
"We have to exchange a drop of blood." The demon explained. "Then there's a short incantation, and that's it."
"It seems really simple." Yami noted.
"It's a human trait to complicate things." Ryou smiled. "We demons like things simple."
"Oh."
Yugi's hiss of pain caught Yami's attention. The demon had poked his finger, and a single drop of black blood welled up. Silently he handed the knife to Yami, who braced himself and did the same. As his human blood came to the surface, Yugi leaned over and licked it delicately from his finger. Yami swallowed a surge of nerves and leaned over, doing the same – the demon blood was bitter and thick, like nothing he had ever tasted before.
"Now we are one." Yugi intoned, lavender magic swirling around his hands. "We have tasted the essence of the other. Let it be as we will."
The magic swirled around Yami and he gasped as it entered him in a rush of incredible heat. For a long moment he couldn't breath, then suddenly something in his mind broke free; a darkness, a despair that he had forgotten for so long, buried deep within his heart.
Flashback
"That's not fair, Father!" Yami snarled. "I didn't know about that stupid rule – you can't punish me for that!"
"I can and I will." Father answered coldly. "I am your father – defying me carries consequences. Go to the basement."
"NO!" Yami stomped his foot, defiance in every inch of his 12 year old body. "I won't! I'll run away – I'll go back to Grandfather!"
"No, you won't." Rising, Father grabbed his shirt collar, literally dragging him down the stairs to the basement. Yami screamed blue murder, fighting against the iron grip. Suddenly he was forced forward, into a blank, metal-walled room, stumbling with the sudden momentum. He heard the door behind him close and the click of a lock.
The room was lit by thin fluorescents, their pale light amplified by metal reflectors. There were no windows, just the steady hum of an air-pump, a small slot in the door and a hole in the centre of the floor. No seats or anything else – Yami panicked, charging back to the door and pounding on it until his fists were raw and bleeding, screaming and cursing in language no twelve year old should know the meaning of.
Eventually his energy ran out and he slid down the door, ignoring the bloody streaks adorning the metal. He cried until he couldn't breathe, until he dropped into an exhausted sleep.
He didn't know how much time passed; the light in the room never changed, the hum of the air pump grated on his nerves, and he wanted out of there. His bladder was full to bursting; he was hungry, thirsty and still exhausted, having gotten little rest on the cold metal floor.
"Father!" he screamed. "Please! Let me out of here!" He paced impatiently, thumping the door out of sheer frustration, until finally the slot in the door opened.
A bit of food and a cup of water appeared on a tray, along with a note. In his father's neat handwriting, he read:
Yami
You will stay in there until you realize the error of your opinions.
Father.
Time passed. Yami shivered as the room slowly got colder – never enough to be dangerous, just enough that he couldn't get comfortable. The hum of the air pump just accentuated the silence; the absence of any sensation, of any human contact ate away at his nerves. He slept when he was tired: the light never changed in here. He had time only to think, and to ponder the note that Father had left him.
How often had Father told him he was worthless, of less import than the dogs and the cats? At least they served a useful function. Darkness, useless, nothing. The words ran around his head, refusing to leave him be. He screamed, but the walls only echoed back the sound. He cried, but the tears brought no help or solace. He was alone. Father…was right? Maybe – if he admitted Father was right, he could leave?
But if Father was right about that – he must be right about everything else too. Yami shivered, curled in the middle of the floor, bowed under the weight of despair. Nothing, worthless, pathetic useless…he drifted into troubled dreams, dreams of blessed darkness that spoke in soft voices, begging him to let them help him. Shadows that wrapped him tight, cradling him, calming him. That passed through his mind and heart and soul, taking something from deep within and carefully tucking it away. He whimpered a little at the loss, but the voices soothed him, promising that when the time was right, they would return what they had taken. He tried to ask what it was, what they had done to him, but his strength was gone. In the darkness he forgot, forgot the need to fight, the desire to strike back. His will vanished into the endless shadows, leaving him numb.
When the door opened again, Yami no longer had the strength to stand, nor the will left to try. He lay in a boneless pile, not really knowing or caring where he was anymore.
Father walked over. "Kneel." He commanded.
Yami mindlessly obeyed.
"Do you have anything to say to me?"
"I…" Yami coughed, then tried again. "I'm sorry, Father. Please, forgive me." Every word deepened the numbness in his heart.
"I forgive you, stupid child."
"Thank you, Father."
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Yugi gasped as Yami's eyes rolled back and he dropped onto the cushions in a dead faint, twitching. A long moan emerged from his throat, followed by a whimper. Yugi looked at Ryou, who shook his head in confusion.
Grasping his new mate's arms, Yugi cradled his body close. "Hold on, love. It's okay, I'm here."
As though the words were a catalyst, the very shadows in the corners of the room suddenly thickened, deepened, wrapped around Yami and Yugi in an impenetrable cloud. Yugi could hear Ryou and Bakura's cries of shock for a moment before they faded, cut off from him and his lover.
Inside the cloud, Yugi held Yami tighter, readying his powers against whatever magic this was. The Puzzle around Yami's neck glowed slightly and the shadows moved faster. They passed through them both, giving Yugi glimpses of what had happened to Yami.
"Beloved of Darkness." A voice echoed out of the gloom. "Hear us. We have returned that which we took – help him to discover it. We ask this of you…if you do not, he will die."
"I don't know what you mean…but I will help him." Yugi promised. For a moment he thought he saw two figures in the darkness, one male, one female, but they vanished too quickly for him to be sure. Then the shadows swirled like water, pouring into Yami. The teen gasped and jerked, his eyes flying open – Yugi had the disconcerting image of his lover's eyes turning blood-red for a moment before returning to their normal colour and drifting shut, his body going limp.
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(1) Basic as opposed to acidic – the two cancel each other out.
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To Be Continued...