Yu-Gi-Oh and related characters and indica © 1996 - 2005 Kazuki Takahashi
Black hearted evil,
or brave hearted hero?
I am all I am.
-"I Am (All of Me)" by Crush 40
Chapter 002: Pretense in the Mirror
Petting. It was what Yugi felt when he came to from his deep slumber. Funny thing was that he's never slept soundly like that in years.
Groggy with sleep, the youth stirred slightly, not quite ready to open his eyes.
The petting continued softly, and his shoulders were caressed softly with the light brushing of lips.
He stirred again, mummering softly bout not wanting to go to school, his mind still too much asleep to form coherent thoughts.
There was a chuckle and a rich, deep royal voice spoke soothingly to him. "You won't have to today."
Yugi became quiet once more before cooing softly to himself, curling up around a pillow he managed to locate.
The next thing Yugi smelled was the sweet scent of some type of berries, when he was able to become more awake later.
Slowly amythest colored eyes opened sleepily, nose twitching a bit at the smell.
Sitting up, next to him in the bed, dressed in black, was Yami, holding a bowl of some kind of berries.
"Wha...?" Confused for a moment he tried to remember what happened.
"Good morning, Yugi. I know you must be hungry, so I had these brought up for you."
Still a bit confused, he tried to sit up.
He was just barely able to, his legs having become a tail.
Blinking, he stared down at what use to be his legs, fear slowly showing in his eyes.
"There's no sense in panicing, you're right where you belong anyway."
Yugi shook his head slowly, still staring at the tail in disbelief.
"Here, eat. They should help you to remain calm."
Shaking slightly he nibbled at the berries slowly.
They tasted sweet and wonderful, like a mix of mint and cherry
Yugi actually calmed down at the taste, curious as to where he found them.
Yami grinned a bit. "Seaberries. Joey said you might like them."
He blinked at the name, remembering that it was the blonde who tricked him into this.
"Try not to be upset with him. He apparently likes you. But he knew he had to bring you to me first. He's like you, a merboy, with the ability to become human."
Finishing up the berries he curled up around the pillow again, feeling extremely used and depressed.
"Let me explain something to you." Yami layed on his side and propped himself up on his elbow, so he can face Yugi directly.
Amythest eyes looked at him for a moment before turning away, he couldn't look at him at the moment.
"Without me...you wouldn't even be alive."
"Don't make it right..."
"What do you mean?"
"Doesn't mean I'm yours..."
"You're my other half. You were pulled away from me."
"So you ruin my life because of that...?"
"I didn't ruin your life. You were always a part of mine. And...you saved it."
Yugi stayed quiet now, just sulking.
Yami studied him for a moment. "You know...you look like me...before I was a vampire."
Yugi sniffled slightly before quieting. "I do...?"
Yami nodded. "All this time, I thought we split because the stones represented the different races, but I think we split because the stones represent our hearts. Mine, it is full of darkness and dispair, but yours...its what I used to be before I was cursed. I think my soul was split into the two halves of my life. You and me."
"And then you ruined the life I was living..."
"I was reclaiming the part of myself that I lost."
Yugi looked away, curling up tighter around the pillow. "So I'm just nothing."
Yami cupped his chin and turned him back to face him. "No. Because you mean everything to me."
Sad amythest eyes looked at him quietly.
"Without you, I'd still be an undead corspe."
Yugi pulled his chin away, burying his face into the pillow.
Yami glared. "Why can't you understand that you rightfully belong to me?"
"Because I belong to myself!"
"So I'm not allowed to reclaim the other half of my own soul?"
"Just leave me alone!"
"I cannot."
Deciding to stay stubborn, Yugi stayed curled up.
"...if that cerimony hadn't proceeded at all...you would never exist. At least...not as a serperate person."
"Rather not exist than be a slave."
Yami sighed before he finally got up, putting on his black robes. "Maybe I was wrong. Maybe you'll never understand what it was like to be only half of yourself. I thought you would of felt something been completed...once we were back together." He headed for the door.
Yugi curled up tightly instently, starting to feel scared at the thought of being left alone.
"Fine, you want to be left alone, so be it." He walked out of the room. As soon as he closed the doors, he let out a sharp cry and clutched his chest. His heart ached.
The youth cried out in fear at being alone, uncurling to get to his feet before remembering too late he didn't have any, crashing to the floor with a yelp
Yami fell to his knees, clutching his chest. "SETO!"
The brunette came to his side quickly. "Whats wrong?"
"My heart...it aches...help me..."
Frowning, he helped his friend to his feet. "Lets get you back to your room then."
Yami nodded as they opened the door. He felt relief as soon as they were in the presence of Yugi. He looked to the floor. "Oh...he fell out.."
Cold eyes glared at the shaking merboy angerly before setting Yami onto the bed.
"Thank you..." Yami glared at Yugi. "I didn't realize how much of a brat I was before I was cursed."
"You'll have to break him then."
He licked his lips. "I can do that." He reached out to have the merboy brought to him.
The brunette moved, picking the brat up from the floor and handed him over to his friend.
Yami held him tight in his arms.
Yugi squirmed slightly in discomfort before cowering, scared a bit.
"You and I have a lot of catching up to do. Its time you learned your place."
Shaking his head slowly, he started to struggle.
His rear end was suddenly popped by a hand.
Startled, he yelped, glaring at Yami.
Yami glared back. "Don't do that."
"Don't hit me!"
"I won't as long as you behave."
"You can't tell me what to do!"
"I can because you're MINE."
"AM NOT!" Angery now, Yugi thrashed, trying to hit him with his tail.
In sheer reaction, Yami slapped him across the face. "STOP IT!"
Automatically Yugi covered his face with a hand, never having been hit like that before.
Yami looked at Yugi with a mix of anger and hurt. "I've tried to be kind to you, but you're acting like the damnable brat I abandoned a long time ago. I bet you never made any real friends!"
Yugi opened his mouth slightly before rethinking about his previous friends.
"All you did was resist and ignored everything I tried to tell you. You don't want to listen because you don't want to believe it. If you thought I was selfish by ruining youre life, you're acting no different by not listening to what I have to say. You're a selfish brat with no friends, that tries to live in a reality that's not supposed to be true."
Pure hurt showed in his eyes in reaction to that.
He sighed and buried his head into his arms on the pillow. "No wonder the seafolk are so corrupt..."
Seto snorted slightly before leaving the room finally, ignoring the now crying brat.
He was suprised to find Joey waiting outside, a sadness in his eyes.
"Something wrong pup?"
"...that's why you let Master Yami turn you, isn't it?"
He nodded slowly, picking his pup up. "Thats right."
"I didn't realize how bad we were. We always thought the vampires were bad. But living with you, I can see it was us who were bad..."
"I don't blame you for being upset, so long as you're safe."
Joey nuzzled. "I hope Yugi will see what I see." He looked up. "Was Yami cursed because he did something good that our people didn't like...?"
The brunette shrugged slightly, getting a small bowl of berries for his pup. "I can't remember."
Joey nodded and ate at the berries, smiling softly.
Smiling, Seto petted the blonde gently. "Good work today, pup."
"Thank you, master."
"Lets get some rest."
----------------------------
For a month, Yugi was confined to Yami's room, raped and beaten into behaving for the vampire master.
The small merboy stopped speaking only two weeks before, cowering whenever Yami would come near
Yami's heart ached to see him this way, but he knew he had to break Yugi of his stubboness before he could regain his nerve to be his friend. Finally, everything changed one morning, when Yugi awoke to feel his shoulders being massaged.
Amythest eyes slowly opened in confusion at the feeling before closing them again, afraid to wake up and relize the massage was just a dream.
His sore back was eventually massaged as well, working out the aches and making them feel better.
Slowly he started to relax, cooing faintly.
The familiar voice spoke, but it was different. It was soft and kind...like it was the first day. "You like that...?"
Quietly, Yugi nodded at the question, thinking he was only dreaming.
"Good...I want to...apologize."
He opened his eyes slightly finally.
Yami looked down at him. "I never wanted to hurt you...but...I had to get through to you."
Shivering slightly, Yugi curled up a bit.
Yami cupped his chin and looked into his eyes. "I just want you to be mine. I don't want you to be afraid of me."
Hurting amythest eyes looked up at him quietly.
Yami looked back with sincere ruby eyes, stroking his hair. "I just...I just want you to understand me. Why you're important to me."
Yugi purred slightly at the petting finally, settling down.
Yami reached out for a cup of seaberries and offered them to Yugi. "Brought you breakfast."
Obedently, Yugi started eating the berries.
Yami scritched behind his ears. "I like you, I really do."
The merboy was defently purring now, actually relaxing.
Yami sat up now and pulled Yugi into his lap to help feed him.
Yugi squeeked slightly at first before continuing to eat.
When Yugi was done, Yami's fingers, covered in berry juice, brushed against his lips.
Automatically, he licked the juice from his lips, watching Yami quietly.
Yami gave him a soft hug. "You're mine...but that doesn't mean we can't be friends either."
Purring softly, Yugi actually snuggled into the hug, having been longing for a sense of comfort.
Yami smiled and hugged him for the longest time before looking into his eyes. "Would you like a tour of the wing? I know you must be sick of these four walls by now."
Slowly, Yugi nodded at the question.
Yami smiled and hugged him again before Yugi felt different. He was changing so that he was becoming human, wearing his school uniform.
Confusion showed on Yugi's face at the change, having gotten use to the new form.
"There...I know you need the ability to get around like Joey does."
He looked up at Yami quietly once again, he wasn't sure he liked it much.
Yami stood up and grasped Yugi's hand to help him to stand.
Extremely unsteady, the youth clung to Yami tightly, his balance completly gone
Yami held onto Yugi and supported him, helping him to the doors.
Amythest eyes looked around quietly, highly nervous.
Yami showed him the different chambers of the wing, before taking him to the balcony where he watches over the students learning. "They are part of our kind now."
Yugi watched the students quietly for awhile, remembering for a moment what his life was like before Joey brought him here.
"These students were embraced by our kind because they hold a bright future to help our kind." One cast a spell, the smoke image of a large green bird appearing over the room for a momebnt before breaking up.
A small coo escaped the youth at the image, eyes wide.
Yami smiled. "That's a powerful spell, tricky to pull off." He looked over. "Seto! Come over here for a moment!"
An annoyed growl emerged before the brunette came into view.
Yami pointed out to the student that performed the spell. "That student there. Is she the new one that was embraced a month ago?"
"The very same."
"Keep special attention on her. She just casted a Feather of Flight spell. Flawlessly."
"I figured she may be special. I'll see to it she gets special training."
He nodded and brushed Yugi's hair. "I was just showing Yugi around. I think he's starting to feel better."
Eyeing the purring merboy once more, Seto frowned. "Has he started speaking again yet?
"Not yet." Yami looked down at that.
"Don't worry about it, it's kinda good, really. Least he's not like some pets the others keep."
He nodded and stroked Yugi's hair before getting up and scooping Yugi into his arms. "I think I'll feed and turn in for the night."
Smiling softly, Seto nodded. "There's a full stock of berries."
"Good." Yami went to get a bowl of them for Yugi before heading back to his room.
Yugi's eyes lit up with delight at the sight of the berries.
Yami smiled and settled Yugi into bed, changing Yugi back to his merboy form before giving him the bowl of berries.
Chirping happily, Yugi nibbled hungerly.
Yami then proceeded to change clothes to get into his sleepwear, and Yugi was able to behold Yami's ATTRACTIVE body.
A bright blush colored Yugi's cheeks, covering his eyes.
Yami got dressed before he realized what Yugi was doing, and laughed. "Shy, huh?"
Yugi's blush only increased in reaction to the question.
Yami laughed and gently pried his hands away, giving him a smile. "You don't have to be. If you think about it, you're always without clothes."
Amythest eyes went completly wide at relizing that and buried his face under a pillow.
Yami laughed and rubbed Yugi's back gently.
Yugi started purring softly.
Yami smiled and gently nudged him from under the pillow, holding him in his arms. "Feeling better?"
Still purring, Yugi snuggled happily in the other's arms.
"I'm glad." Yami kissed his forehead before gently lifting his wrist, kissing at it before looking at him, asking for once. "May I?"
Confusion showed on Yugi's face for a moment at the question.
Yami looked at him, actually waiting for an answer.
Nervously Yugi weakly nodded.
Yami smiled, kissing the wrist again before gently biting into it.
Yelping in reaction to the bite, Yugi pulled at his wrist.
Yami let go to keep Yugi from injuring himself. "What? What?"
Cradling his wrist, Yugi whimpered slightly.
Yami looked at him before he took his wrist, and began to suckle at it without biting back in again.
Blinking, Yugi only pulled at his wrist for a bit at first.
Yami steadied him to keep from pulling away.
Slowly, Yugi quieted, the pain from the bite finally leaving.
When Yami was done, he licked at the wound, healing it completely.
Amethyst eyes were partly closed, breathing quietly where he was snuggled.
Yami hugged him and yawned as he layed back, falling asleep.
Shifting around for a moment, Yugi finally settled, relaxing as well to sleep.