Hi, all you wonderful people! I'm back again!
...-silence-
Um...hello? Where did everyone go-ARGH!
Yami: -attacks The Blonde Midget- YOU HURT MY AIBOU!
Sorry! Sorry, alright! Kill me later, I have to get this story going...
Disclaimer: Own nothing, except the plot. And my chocolate.
Pairings: Yugi/Yami, Seto/Jou and Ryou/Bakura. One-sided Anzu/Yami.
Warnings: Angst, overall darkness and depression (Hospital scenes, for those that doesn't like that...). Boy/Boy love (not that I see any reason to call it a warning...). And Anzu bashing. Never forget the Anzu bashing.
-gets strangled by Yami- Okay... –pant- Lets... –pant- Get... –pant- This story... –pant- Started! –dies-
Chapter 9Normal POV
Yami wasn't completely sure what happened after Yugi passed out.
He faintly remembered Jou telling him an ambulance was on it's way, and then the sound of sirens. When the doctors arrived and took Yugi from his arms, he didn't have the strength to fight against. Like a zombie, he followed Jou when the other led him to one of the ambulances, and pushed him in.
Yami now sat in the waiting room together with Jou, waiting for the doctor to come back and tell them how Yugi was.
They had been in there for more than three hours, and still no word.
Yami stared emptily in front of him. The only movement he made was when he breathed or blinked. The waiting was killing him slowly. He was so worried that it felt like his heart was braking. What if...what if Yugi died...
Yami shook his head mentally, and blinked. Not that thought. Yugi wouldn't die. Couldn't die. Not...not before Yami could tell him...how he really felt...
A tear fell from Yami's eyes. "It is all my fault..." He whispered softly; The first words he had spoken since they arrived.
Jou snapped his head in Yami's direction, and his eyes softened. "No, it isn't, Yami. It's no one's fault."
Yami shook his head, and still stared straight ahead of himself. "It is my fault...I...I was too late to save him...I-I promised always to protect him, Jou! No matter what, I promised to p-protect him. I failed...I failed in protecting the only one I love, and ever will love..." He choked on his words, and buried his face in his hands.
Jou watched Yami for a while, and then he put a soothing hand on his shoulder. His eyes were very soft when he spoke. "Yami, it's alright. Yugi will be fine, I promise. Trust me...stop blaming yourself, it wasn' your fault tha' those psychos attacked Yugi..."
Yami glared at him, and grabbed his arms so hard that it hurt. "It was my fault! I should have been there, I should have stopped them before anything happened to Yugi, I should have protected him, I should have stopped those men from...from...it was my fault, Jou. It's my fault Yugi is...is..."
Yami sobbed, and suddenly threw his arms around Jou's waist. He started to cry, all those tears he had held in since they had gotten there. Tears of fear, sorrow and worry; tears he always had kept inside himself.
Jou tensed for a second. He had never seen the proud Yami cry like that, or show any sign of weakness. It unnerved him. Jou suddenly understood how deeply Yami loved Yugi, and how much this was worrying him. After all, Yugi was half of his soul, as the yamis and hikaris had explained to him...
With a soft sigh, Jou put his arms around Yami, and held him close. He mumbled soothing words, and tried to comfort the devastated man in every way he could. Jou was used to calm people, and comfort them. He said those things he'd calm his sister down with when she had a bad dream when they were little.
But this was not a bad dream. It was reality.
It took Jou over twenty minutes to calm Yami down so he stopped crying. But the former pharaoh still was on the verge of tears, and he was shaking. His eyes showed exhaustion, and deep sorrow.
"You should sleep for a while." Jou whispered, and caressed Yami's hair as the man leaned his head on his shoulder.
Yami shook his head slightly. "I can't...the doctor...Yugi..."
Jou interrupted him by putting a finger to his lips. "Sh...I'll wake you up if the doc comes, 'kay?"
Yami was about to protest, but then he sighed and nodded. "Okay...I...I'll sleep for a while. A few minutes. Not more." He looked around himself for a place to sleep. But there was only uncomfortable benches in sight.
Jou sighed. "Yami, put your head in my lap and sleep, okay?"
Yami hesitated for a second, and then he nodded. "Okay." He laid down with his head on Jou's lap, and sighed tiredly. The next second, he was fast asleep, breathing calmly, eyelids twitching once in a while, showing that he dreamt not too pleasant dreams.
Jou watched him quietly, and stroked his hair gently while he slept in a faint attempt of calming his troubles sleep. The blond was also quite tired, but he wanted to keep awake and wait for the doctor. After all, he had promised to tell Yami when the doctor came, hadn't he?
Minutes passed by, and Yami just kept on sleeping, while Jou stroked his hair in a calming fashion, looking around in the room. Worried people were walking around nervously on the floor, or sat fidgeting in their seats. Though, Jou's mind was far from them.
Was Yugi alright? When he had reached Yami, after calling an ambulance from a payphone, the pharaoh was sitting on his knees with a lifeless Yugi in his arms. His normally forceful eyes were empty, and he stared transfixed at Yugi. He didn't move until the emergency people came and took Yugi, and Jou dragged him away.
But there was something bugging Jou. "I wonder what happened to those people that attacked Yugi..." Jou mumbled. But, he still had a faint idea of what had happened. Yami had done something to them. Something bad, he was sure. Probably something like that he had threatened Anzu with.
Would Seto do something like that for him? Jou snorted softly. Yeah, right. Seto would probably be too busy working to even notice that he was hurt or gone...
"Jou!" A sharp cry was shot through the nervous silence of the waiting room. The blond turned his head, and rose one eyebrow. In the next second, someone grabbed him and pulled him up to his feet, almost making him trip.
Yami fell to the ground with a loud groan, but, to Jou's surprise, he didn't wake up. He kept sleeping heavily, head leaning against his arms. "Damn, he must be exhausted..." Jou mumbled inside his mind.
Jou now stared at the person who had pulled him up to his feet. Staring down in his eyes, holding his arms in an almost painful grip, was Seto Kaiba. His eyes looked slightly worried, and his face was one, big frown.
"Seto?" Jou said with surprise, and blinked. "What're ya..."
Seto interrupted him. "Are you alright, Katsuya? A doctor called me and told me you were here. You're not hurt, are you?" The brunet watched him intensely, his blue gaze piercing down at him.
Jou shook his head slowly. "No...no, I'm fine...it's Yug' tha'-"
Seto interrupted with a relived sigh, and then let go of him. "Good." Then he frowned. "Why are you here? And why did you disappear earlier today?"
"So, ya noticed that I left?" Jou glared. "Took ya long enough. Almost thought tha' you had gone lost with Janice somewhere."
Seto blinked, and confusion flashed in his face. The next second, it was gone and Seto folded his arms. "I have no idea of what you are talking about, Jou. Janice and I are just doing a project together, nothing else."
Jou glared. "Sitting only one inch from each other, reading and laughing? Hey, it looked like you were about to snuggle or somethin'!"
The CEO rolled his eyes. "Now you're just being silly, Jounouchi. We were just reading a biology book. Nothing happened."
Jou was about to give Seto a sharp reply, but stopped himself. It was for no use. Seto wouldn't understand what he meant, and how much it hurt seeing him together with Janice like that, laughing and smiling.
"I've never seen him act like that with me..." Jou thought sadly, and turned away from Seto. "Alright. You're just workin' together. I understand."
"Oh yeah! Well you can..." Seto stopped himself. "What?" He had expected Jou to fight a bit more over the matter, like he usually did. Jou was quite a jealous person, but Seto liked that. It made him feel loved. But now, Jou just gave in? That was not like him.
Jou shrugged. "It's okay. I understand; you have to get the project done. I trust you, Seto, and I know that nothing will happen between ya an' Janice." Jou's voice was emotionless when he said all this. "I'm okay with it."
Seto's eyes flashed again with unknown emotion. "Katsuya..."
"Don't, Seto. Just leave, okay? You have a meeting with Janice soon, right? Ya don' wanna be late for that." Jou's voice was quiet, but still very audible.
Seto wanted to scream; 'To HELL with Janice, tell me what's wrong!' But he didn't. That would be loosing control of himself, and Seto Kaiba never lost control over anything, even less himself.
Besides, that project had to get finished.
So, he nodded slowly. "Yes. That's true." He leaned down and kissed Jou's cheek softly. "Call me later, okay?"
Jou nodded, and shot him a weak smile. "Yeah. I will." And Seto left, still wondering what was wrong with his boyfriend.
Jou looked after Seto when he walked out, and then he sighed. If the CEO only knew...
"Mr Jounouchi? Mr Mouto?" Jou turned to the direction of the voice.
A doctor was standing about one meter away, with a serious look on his face. Jou's heart leaped, and he fell to his knees by Yami, shaking his shoulder. "Yami?" Yami stirred, but slept on. "Yami, the doc's here."
Yami's eyes opened quickly, and he flew up. When he saw the doctor, he grabbed his shoulders, and stared him in the eye. "How is he? Is Yugi okay!" His voice was ragged and hoarse, and filled with worry.
The doctor sighed, and rubbed his temples. "You might want to sit down, Mr Mouto." His voice was so emotionless and cold that it sounded dead.
Yami turned pale. "W-What? Is...What are you..." His eyes was worried, and unshed tears were to be seen in them. The worry that he had been able to push away to the back of his mind was back in full force. Was Yugi...he couldn't be...
Jou grabbed Yami's shoulder, and pushed him down in a chair. His brown eyes was also worried, and he held his hands protectively on Yami's shaking shoulders. "Doc, what is going on? How is Yugi?"
The doctor snapped open a file, and gazed at it. His eyes was just as emotionless as his voice when he spoke. "Yugi has severe injuries, both on the outside and internal. The internal injuries is caused by rape, and the other injuries are caused by severe abuse..."
"We know all of this." Yami growled, head in his hands. "All I need to know is how he is right now."
The doctor was silent for a few seconds. Then he closed the file again with a snap. His face was cold and empty when he spoke. "Yugi Mouto is in a coma. And we are not sure when he'll wake up."
The silence around them couldn't have been more complete. The sounds around them completely disappeared. All Yami did was staring at the doctor. His throat was dry and his tongue felt paralysed.
Yami wanted to scream. He wanted to grab the doctor, brake his neck and demand for Yugi to wake up again. He wanted to react, wanted so badly to cry. But he couldn't.
Yami just stared out in front of him.
Jou was the one to brake the silence. "Doc...will Yugi...ya know...wake up anytime soon?"
The old man sighed, and shrugged. "I don't know. When a person goes into coma, it is the body's way to close down to repair itself when badly damaged. And it can take hours, days, weeks, even months." He paused. "In rare cases years..."
Yami heard the words, but they didn't have any meaning to him. All he wanted was to be with Yugi. "Where is he?" He asked with a hoarse voice, not looking up.
The doctor looked at him again. "Mr Mouto, the patient is not awake, and-"
Yami looked up. His eyes was empty and filled with such cold that the room suddenly felt several degree's colder. "I did not ask if he was awake. I asked where he is." Yami rose. Even though he wasn't that tall, he still looked impressive, like old pharaoh he once was. "I wish to see him. No, I need to see him. Right now."
The doctor sighed; he was used to relatives reacting this way. "Mr Mouto, you can't-"
"For the love of- Just fuckin' tell him where Yugi is, alright!" Jou cried out, and glared at the doctor. "The guy has waited for hours, and he's been worried to death! Yugi is his friend, our friend, and we are both worried. Let Yami see Yugi, alright?"
The doctor hesitated. Then he pointed to the corridor next to him. "Room 304. But I warn you, it may be a shock when you see him...the injuries are very bad."
Yami nodded, and brushed past the doctor to walk into the corridor.
Jou tried to follow, but the doctor stopped him by taking his arm. "Only one visitor at the same time. I'm sorry, but that's the rule here on the emergency..."
Jou nodded. "Alright. But...call me if something happens, alright?"
The doctor agreed, and Jou gave him his cell phone-number. Then he left, walking towards Seto's house. "I don't think he'll mind if I come over without calling..."
Much Later...
Beep...Beep...Beep...
Yami looked at the pale boy on the bed, while he held his slightly cold hand in both of his. His red eyes were empty, and the only time he looked away was to blink. And, even then, he did not turn away his gaze from Yugi's direction. Tears was to be seen on Yami's cheeks, both dried and fresh ones.
Yugi's eyes were closed, and it looked like he was sleeping. But Yami knew that he wasn't asleep. It was far worse than that. If someone sleeps, you can wake them up at any time. But if someone is in a coma...
"...you'll just have to wait..." Yami said softly. That was the doctor's words.
Beep...Beep...Beep...
Small cuts was to be seen on Yugi's face, and large bruises interrupted the pearly-white skin's smoothness. "There might be some scars, but they will pale, and not bother him." That was also the doctors' words.
Yami had been on the hospital for over three hours, and hadn't left Yugi's side since he got there. He just sat on an uncomfortable plastic chair, holding Yugi's hand that didn't have any tubes or wires to it. His eyes prayed for sleep, and so did his body, but Yami didn't listen to his body's calls.
It wasn't important.
Beep...Beep...Beep...
"I'm sorry, Yugi..." Yami whispered softly, and kissed Yugi's hand. "I weren't there when you needed me...I have let you down. I can only hope that you will forgive me sometime."
Of course, Yugi didn't answer. Hell, it wasn't even sure that his hikari heard him! But if he did...he needed to say those things.
Yami checked the clock on the nigh table. 23:50. It was late. He should go home. But he couldn't, no, wouldn't go home. Not when Yugi was hurt and tied to a bed by a bunch of machines that he was dependent on to live.
"I'll never leave you again, Yugi." Yami said, and tears filled his eyes. "I promise. But, please, wake up...I can not live without you." Heavy drops fell from the edges of the former pharaoh's eyes. "Wake up..."
"Yami?" A soft voice spoke behind him, and Yami turned his head around quickly.
In the door stood Sugoroku Mouto, Yugi's grandfather. His face was worried, and he watched carefully from the doorway.
"Hello, Mr Mouto." Yami said softly, and turned back to Yugi's pale form.
A soft shuffle of feet was heard, and soon another shadow fell over Yugi's bed. Yami glanced to the side. Sugoroku stood next to Yami's chair, watching Yugi with his purple eyes that reminded so much of Yugi's.
"The doctor called me a few hours ago, but I couldn't get here until now. Has he...said anything? Or given any signs of waking up?" The old man's voice was just as worried as his eyes.
Yami shook his head, and squeezed Yugi's hand a little. "No...not a word, nor a sign..." He kept back a sob. "Nothing." He choked out.
The old man watched Yami silently while he fought to keep back his tears and tried to drown his sobs. Then Sugoroku put a soothing hand on Yami's shoulder and squeezed it gently. "Yami, I know that you are worried about Yugi...I am too. But you have to get some rest..." He paused. "It won't change over night..."
Yami shook his head. "No." He croaked out. "If...when Yugi wakes up, I have to be here. I've let him down once, I can not do it again."
"But, Yami-"
Yami turned his eyes to Sugoroku and locked gazes with him. His eyes was filled with tears, but still blazed with force. "Please, Mr Mouto. You don't understand. I really have to be here." He turned back to Yugi. "He is the light in my world...I have to make sure that it doesn't go out."
Sugoroku watched him for a few minutes, and then sighed. "Alright. Stay. But try to get some sleep, and something to eat. Yugi wouldn't want you to starve yourself to death or die of fatigue."
Yami nodded, and smiled faintly. "I will." He paused. "Thank you for being concerned about me."
"You're welcome. Call me if something changes." That was Sugoroku's last words before he walked out of the room, closing the door silently after him.
Not until Yami was sure that Sugoroku was out of earshot, he leaned his forehead against Yugi's hand and started to cry silently, his whole body shaking with sobs he tried to keep quiet.
Beep...Beep...Beep...
Yami sobbed dryly against Yugi's hand, and looked up again. The small boy's face was just as relaxed as before, like a sleeping person. "Why can't you just be asleep?" Yami said inside his mind, and sighed.
Ruby eyes turned to the clock on the table again. 00:20. Something clicked inside his mind when he saw the calendar next to the clock; 25th of June. Yami looked at Yugi with a soft expression on his face.
"It's your birthday today(1)..." He whispered gently. Ironic. The same date that Yugi had been born, he was in a coma. Not dead, but not really alive either. Like an unborn.
Yami caressed the soft skin of Yugi's cheek, and sighed. It wasn't the same to do that now. Before when he did that, Yugi would laugh, and then hug him. His cheeks would be warm, and his whole face would express happiness.
Now it was pale, cool, and lifeless. No expression was to be seen on the beautiful features, but Yami still thought that Yugi was the most beautiful creature ever to be born to the earth. Even though his face was bruised and cut at places, he was still beautiful. An angel, Yami's angel.
A broken angel.
"If you only knew, Yugi." Yami mumbled, and kissed his hand. "If you only knew how I feel about you...would it change anything?" The pharaoh sighed.
Beep...Beep...Beep...
In movies, those crappy, romantic shitty things (or, as Jou called them; chick-flicks), if someone was in a coma they could be woken by a kiss. The heartbroken lover would just lean over the bed, and tenderly kiss the unconscious one. And when he or she pulled away, the other would wake up, and they lived happily ever after.
Yami watched Yugi quietly, and then slowly got to his feet. Maybe...he could try...it was worth a shot. He leaned closer to Yugi, and brushed away a few strands from the small boy's face. Ruby eyes silently gazed over the pale boy under him, to zoon in on his lips.
Slowly, Yami leaned closer to Yugi, not looking away from him for one second. When he was only one inch from Yugi's face, he stopped. He felt Yugi's faint breaths against his face. Yami's heart started to beat faster, and he closed his eyes slowly, to lean even closer. Now he almost felt Yugi's lips...
Yami opened his eyes, and quickly pulled back. He was panting heavily, and leaned backwards is his chair.
He couldn't. It was wrong. Yugi wasn't there. It wouldn't be the same. If Yami had kissed Yugi in that moment...he would have stolen Yugi's first kiss. And, if he was to kiss Yugi, Yugi would be awake and able to push him away, or stop him. Only then, Yami would be able to kiss Yugi; if the other gave him the permission to do so.
Yami sighed, and took Yugi's hand again. And it wasn't like it would have helped. This was not a movie.
It was the hard and cold reality.
Beep...Beep...Beep...
As the minutes ticked by, accompanied by the constant beeps from the machine that kept Yugi alive, Yami felt his eyelids grow heavier. Not having slept properly for a few days, and guarding over Yugi many hours, was starting to affect him. And using his Shadow Powers earlier that day didn't make the matter any better...
Yami sighed, and rubbed his eyes with one hand. He was tired. But he didn't want to sleep. What if something happened while he was asleep? If Yugi got worse, or woke up? If...Yugi...died?
"You won't." Yami said sternly and shook his head. "You won't die, Yugi. You hear me? You won't die. I...I can't make it without you near me."
Yugi didn't answer, and he didn't wake up from his deep slumber. His eyes was as stubbornly closed as before.
Yami didn't want to sleep. Couldn't. He had to guard over Yugi, and make sure nothing happened. Mustn't...fall asleep...
Yami's eyes closed, and he collapsed on the side of Yugi's bed. Still holding the pale boy's hand, he fell asleep.
And it was like that a nurse found him one hour later, sleeping quietly, head leaned against one arm on the bed, and with Yugi's hand securely in his own.
She watched the two of them for a while, considering if she should wake the man up. Then she saw the exhausted look on the sleeping Yami's face, and decided not to. Annie, as her name was, fetched a blanket from a cabinet, and wrapped it around Yami's shoulders. Then she left quietly.
It would be a long night.
End Chapter!
(1) I have no idea if that is Yugi's birthday; But it is in my fic!
...so, how was that? Did it suck? Or was it okay?
Aw, the angst, the undying love, the fear of loosing...-gets smacked- Hey! Sorry, I guess I got a little carried away. So sue me! ...or don't. Nevermind.
Alright, next chapter...will probably take very, very/very/ long time. Writers block has decided to come back again...-glares at writers block- I have the idea of how to end this and all...but I just don't have the feeling for writing, you know? Ah well...this story is, for now, put on hold.
Now, it is time for you -points on reader- to do me a favour! It's nothing major; just please leave me a review, preferably a long one! Love you heaps for reading, and even more if you review!