Title: Hope for Tomorrow
Author: Shadows of Chaos61
Rating: R
Pairing: Seto X Yami
Warnings: language (Yami has a dirty mouth), sexual content, violence, and yaoi.
Disclaimer: Yugioh does not belong to me
Summary: Yami is an 18 year old that has lived on the streets most of his life taking care of his brother, Yugi. Seto is a rookie cop that soon finds himself drawn into Yami's world
Gentle fingers ran lightly over the back of Yami's hand, being mindful of the various IVs, as if they could by magic heal the wounded boy. Concerned blue eyes stared longingly into the less than peaceful looking face that was twisted with pain and nightmares even in his drug induced sleep.
Sighing, Seto looked at his watch. It had been forty-five minutes since he had called Bakura to let him know that Yami was in the hospital. Thirty minutes since he had told the doctors who their John Doe was and requested a room for the teen, saying he would pay for any treatment he would need.
And now all he had left to do was wait.
His thoughts had begun to run rampant since he had returned to the boy's side, in his new room, while he waited for his partner to show up.
He couldn't for the life of him figure out why Taro, the most wanted criminal in Domino, had targeted Yami. Taro was a loan shark and would know better than to deal with someone that had no money to begin with. So what was the deal? Just what had Yami done to warrant this? Yami was both lucky and unlucky that he had survived.
No one had ever come away from being marked alive. Taro made sure of that. But when word got back to the loan shark that Yami was indeed alive and able to talk, he would be hunted down, his life in danger again.
Alone on the streets he would not be safe, there would be no protection against the various killers Taro employed.
Fortunately, he would be safe while he was in the hospital recovering but even that would eventually come to an end. And knowing Yami, he would not take kindly to any offer of help or protection. The hellcat was more stubborn than a mule and as hardheaded as a mountain goat.
His eyes trailed from the hand in his own to the light bruise that had formed on the boy's jaw. Gently, he traced the odd circular pattern, only to notice how smooth and soft the skin was under his fingertips. A trance-like look came over his face as his eyes lingered over the bare shoulders peeking out from under the stiff white sheets. He could easily see the thin pale looking scars that crisscrossed over the bronzed skin he had inherited from his father.
The boy had been though so much and it was as plain to see as the nose on his face. But not once had he heard the other complain about his life, no he took it all in stride as if he was merely another normal human being.
Such strength of spirit Yami had, even if he denied it. Seto wasn't even sure himself if he would have survived everything that had been thrown at the crimson-eyed teen.
He needed and wanted the other to wake up. Not just to satisfy his cop curiosity as to why he was targeted, but also to make sure that this last injustice hadn't broken that fierce spirit he had come to admire. That was his biggest concern, he knew the physical wounds would heal and scar his toned body for the rest of his life, but just how much damage was done to his soul?
He was startled out of his musings when he felt his lips brush up against something. Blinking, he sat back when he realize he had placed his lips on one of the many pale scars that were marring the soft flesh.
He shook his head. What the hell had he done that for? One minute he was just looking and the next he was actually kissing Yami's skin? He took a quick look at the other's face, thanking the gods above that the teen was still asleep and he was still alone in the room. But he couldn't help but notice that the previously tormented face was now looking slightly more peaceful.
The painkillers must be finally take affect.
He scooted the chair back a bit, stood up and walked over to the only window in the room. Absentmindedly, he brought his fingers to his lips before he realized what he was doing. He shook he his again and sighed. He was letting himself get way too caught up in someone's life that didn't want his help or friendship. But he was damned if that was going to stop him. His eyes widened when he thought about that statement. No, he wouldn't stop.
Because he was already too caught up in the other's life, too far gone to turn back now.
Ever since that day he first saw Yami, from behind the one-way mirror, there was just something about that feisty, rude, stubborn hellcat that pulled him in. It had grabbed a hold of him without him even realizing it, making him want to find out all he could, to hopefully understand just who that person was.
And as the mystery began to unravel its self, he could do nothing to resist the temptation. That alluring darkness of Yami was binding him, drowning him and he was powerless to stop it.
With a small smile on his face, he whispered into the sterile air; "I hope I can pull you out of this, 'cause if I can't then I'm going down with you."
Bakura all but ran into room number three twenty-three, where they had moved Yami, and when he finally saw what it held, he could do nothing but stare in shock. Countless machines buzzed and hummed throughout the small white room. Each one connected in some way or another to the prone figure lying on the bed, unmoving.
His mind never registered the lone figure standing at the window for it was solely fixed on the flat hospital bed positioned in the middle of the sterile space.
Numbly, he walked over to the seat Seto had occupied only minutes before to cautiously sit in it as if that sole act alone would cause the wounded boy further harm. Blank, dull eyed raked over the still form as the blood pressure monitor clicked on, going though its preprogrammed actions.
Shoulders slumped as Bakura rested his elbows on his knees, hands rubbing harshly over his face, wanting to break the tension etched on his flesh.
Spotting movement out of the corner of his eye, he finally took notice of his rookie partner gazing at him with concern.
"How…what happened?"
Moving so he could lean his back against the wall, Seto cast his gaze back to Yami before he replied. "When the paramedics found him, he was face down in an alley. All clothing was gone except his jeans. He had a concussion and his core temp was low. Bakura…"
Chocolate eyes narrowed as he took in the hard look in Seto's eyes only for them to widen when he heard the other speak again.
"Bakura, Yami was a victim of Taro."
"What!"
Pushing himself off the wall, Seto made his way over to the small table and grabbed the metal clipboard, yanked the top sheet off and handed it across the bed to his partner.
"Taro marked him. Yami has the neid rune carved on his back starting from the base of his neck to the small of his back, then from his lower rib to his shoulder blade. It's the only wounds he received but it's enough." Seto couldn't help but growl and clench his fists in anger and frustration as he spoke.
Bakura's face paled as his ears heard Seto's voice and his eyes took in the neat handwriting on the police report. "He wasn't…"
"Raped? No, surprisingly and thankfully."
The white haired man let out a breath of air he didn't realize he was holding. "God, this is going to kill Yugi. He was already suspicious when I told him I was meeting you here."
"Mai came over?" Bakura nodded his head as he handed the report back over to Seto.
"I'd suggest you don't bring his brother over here to see him until he's awake. It will be easier for Yugi to believe he's all right if Yami could talk to him. The doctors aren't sure when he'll wake. They have him pretty doped up at the moment."
Sighing, Bakura slumped back into the chair; "Your probably right. But that doesn't mean it's going to be any easier. And when Yami does wake up…"
"It's going to take everything we got to get him to confess what happened. Trust me I've already thought about that. Yami's not going to want to rat out on the one person that has beaten him. Plus I have this funny feeling there is more to this than we think."
"What do you mean?"
Seto crossed his arms and gave his partner a pointed look. "Come on Bakura, this is Yami and Taro we are talking about. Taro is only out for money and we all know Yami has none. So why would a lone shark deal with a homeless street punk?"
"So you think that he has somehow gotten mixed up in Taro's dirtier dealings."
He shrugged his shoulders, "Or it could be he saw something he shouldn't have. Right now we can only speculate, and until Yami trusts enough to tell us what's going on then that's all we have to go on. But I think our biggest concern right now is his safety."
"Well he'll be fine as long as he's here. I don't think even Taro would be stupid enough to try something with all these people around. But after he leaves, well then he can come stay with Yugi and me."
Seto shook his head, "No, you know as well as I do that if he comes home with you that will put Yugi's life in danger also. If Taro got wind of where he was staying, and since they look so much alike… Plus Yami is not going to go along with that." He paused while he studied the sleeping figure. "I think it will be best if he comes back with me."
"Do you honestly think that he's going to willingly go along with that plan either?"
A slight smile broke on Seto's face. "No, but I don't think he will be in any condition to fight back other than his mouth. Besides, I have an extra room and my roommate rarely works. Between the two of us I think we can manage."
"You mean Mai? Kaiba, please. If it came to a battle of muscle I don't think your friend would stand a chance against him."
"Don't judge her just cause she's a female. I've seen her hold her own and according to the doctors it's going to be along time before he's back to his old self. Every movement is going to be extremely painful for him. He's going to need help."
Bakura sighed. "Alright, you've made your point. But I must say, you must have some mighty big balls to want to do this. And don't come crying to me when he beats your face in for babying him."
A lone lamp glowed softly in the corner, illuminating the pages of a well-worn book as the owner quietly read on, taking in the words that spoke of murder and betrayal. Nimble fingers hovered over the corner of the page, as eyes scanned the last paragraph, eagerly anticipating the out come of the author's imagination.
Adjusting thin wire-framed reading glasses, Seto crossed his ankles below him. Letting out a snort, he silently laughed at the way mystery novels, including this one, made the heroes blind to the fact the hunted killer was always under their nose. How could they miss so many important clues and hints? Of course he figured that if they could see it so easily then there would be much of a story, and the authors wouldn't make any money.
Turning the next page, he continued to read on until a sound caught his attention. Blue eyes shifted to look at the now awakening figure before him. Crimson eyes blinked sluggishly in the dark, still clouded with the after affects of morphine.
A low groan filled the eerily silent room as Yami started to become aware of his surroundings. Burring his face into the pillow, he gritted his teeth as the pain began to sink back into his mind. He pulled his arms up to the side of his head and began to push himself up, only to stop when his back felt like it was ripping in two.
A gentle hand was softly placed on his shoulder, "I wouldn't move if I were you."
Turning his face towards the voice, Yami blinked as his burry vision began to clear, letting him see concerned sapphire colored eyes looking back at him. "R-rookie?"
Seto nodded his head, but didn't remove his hand. "The pain bad?"
"No dumbass, I feel fan-fucking-tastic. Never better." Yami licked his dry lips, trying unsuccessfully to put some moister back into them.
Rolling his eyes at the response he got, Seto reached over and poured some lukewarm water out of a pale blue pitcher. Grabbing a thin straw, he placed into the cup and held it carefully up to Yami's lips.
Narrowing his eyes, Yami glanced from the offered cup back to the now passive face of the cop.
"Well go on, it's not like I poisoned it or something."
Raising an eyebrow, Yami lifted his head a bit to take the straw in his mouth. Sighing, he lowered his head down to the pillow again when he was done. "So how bad did those bastards get me?" Surprisingly, he felt very little pain when he remained relaxed.
After placing the cup back on the table, Seto pulled the chair closer to the edge of the bed. "It's pretty bad. But you will live."
Closing his eyes, Yami 'hmm', not really caring if he was alive or not. "No biggie. Eventually they will all blend in with the others."
"Yami I don't think you understand. It's not several cuts; a loan shark named Taro had you 'marked' with a neid rune symbol. It stretched across your entire back."
Crimson eyes snapped open and Seto caught a brief flash of something before it was gone. "Yami?"
Turning his head away from searching eyes, Yami focused his gaze onto the wall before him. "I guess you want details huh?"
"Yes, but it can wait if you need some more time."
"When hell freezes over then come find me. I'll spill then, but not a moment before."
"Yami, listen you are the only one that has ever survived…."
"Fuck off rookie!" Yami lifted his body off of the bed, biting his tongue to keep the scream from erupting from his mouth. Panting heavily, he fixed a cold gaze on to the cop. "Get the hell out of here. This happened to me and me alone. I will deal with it my own away and I'll be damned if I tell you anything. Close the case rookie, I won't be pressing charges."
"It's not up to…"
"I said get the fuck out!" An audible hiss of pain escaped his lips causing his upper body to fall back on the bed. Closing his eyes he swallowed heavily, desperately wanting the pain to leave him.
Seto sighed. There was no way he was going to get anything out of Yami tonight. And with the way things were going now, arguing would only make the teen's condition worse. "Fine I'll leave. I'll send a nurse in to give you some more pain meds. But I'll be back tomorrow."
"Whatever," he said with a slight smile tugging on his lips that Seto never saw as he walked out the door.
Dragon: I had a person ask me what a 'John Doe' was. It's a term used when a person is brought in with no identification. Usually it is used when dealing with corpses but I have seen it used in the medical field when they get a patient without ID. 'John Doe' means they are male. 'Jane Doe' is used for females.