One – Chapter 3
In the end, it was Tori and Bronk who finally convinced Yuma to go see the school nurse, who send him home immediately, ordering him on bedrest for at least two full days.
She would inform his teachers, she'd said, before making Yuma swallow two white pills and sending him on his way.
He hadn't spoken one word to Astral since the duel, but Astral clearly felt that his other half was still weakened, which of course also meant that he himself, was affected too.
There was another thing he sensed in Yumas' mind though, as they slowly moved towards the bus-stop, heading home. Worry.
And as Astral had figured, once they were on the bus, which was pretty much empty aside from them, an old couple up front and a young woman off to one side, a few seats in front of them, Yuma sighed quietly to himself, running a hand over his eyes.
"I'm sorry Astral" he started "for how I treated you back there. For… being so selfish. I could clearly see that you were harmed, suffering because of me, and I completely ignored you. I was just so focused on finishing the duel, and I".
Astral cut him off, sitting on the seat beside him, closest to the windows. "Yuma" he said "it wasn't your fault… Well, not entirely, at least. So please, stop blaming yourself. After all, we were saved by the bell, so there is no need to think on it anymore".
"Well, I would have had him you know. The cards I drew were twister and mystical space typhoon. With those cards, I could have destroyed both his cards, though granted, it would have cost me 500 life-points. Without those in play, I'd have been free to make my finishing move, utilizing 37s effect" Yuma defended himself.
"Perhaps so Yuma… That would have been a clever plan, I will admit that. Though, gambling on getting those exact needed cards with just one chance to do so, was quite risky indeed…" Astral commented, glaring at him in a way that always made Yuma lower his eyes.
After a moments silence though, Yuma suddenly glanced at him out the corner of his eye and said, in a curious voice "wait, what do you mean it wasn't entirely my fault? Are you saying you might have been in the wrong as well?".
Astral froze for a second, but then answered "I simply mean, that I was not exactly kind to you, once I exited the key. I knew you preferred for me to stay within it throughout the school-day, yet I went against your wishes".
"Only because you were worried about me though, right?" Yuma asked. "Well, primarily, yes" Astral replied, then continued "but once I did, I all but instantly accused you of gambling with the numbers, and that wasn't right. You didn't deserve that, so… for that, I apologize too".
Yuma now turned his head fully towards Astral and send the alien a tired, pale smile, reaching up a hand and caressing the side of the others face, sending unnoticeable shivers down Astrals' back, at the gentle touch.
Turning his head slightly, the alien then placed an equally gentle kiss, on his beloved ones' palm, their eyes meeting for an intense moment. "I forgive you" Yuma then mouthed, before leaning over and kissing the other.
Luckily, they were both well-hidden from sight of the few other people on the bus, or Yuma might have received some odd glances, for apparently practicing his kissing technique on thin air.
"I hope you can't get infected with human illnesses" Yuma commented in a faint voice afterwards, face still mere inches from Astrals and hand remaining on the others cheek, eyes closed. "I'd hate to have to give up on kissing you, for however long this cold is gonna last".
Again, the closeness with his partner send shivers through Astral, but he attempted his best to hide them, not wanting to worry Yuma.
It seemed to work, as the other commented on it no further.
"I do not believe you need to worry about that happening" Astral instead commented, placing his arms around Yuma.
He wanted to share his excess energy with his partner so badly. But not here. Not yet.
So soon, he pulled away again, hovering above the seat as his eyes remained on Yuma, who'd fallen asleep against him, head tilted to his shoulder.
"Yuma…" he thought to himself "I must discuss this with you. I hope you are capable of listening more, tonight" …
Astral woke Yuma up as they neared his house and they got off at the right place, though the bus driver had send Yuma a strange look as they passed him. Astral had read it as somewhat worried, but he couldn't be sure he was right.
As they unlocked and then entered the house, it was quiet and Astral quickly realized that no one was home.
Yuma sleepily tossed his shoes off in the hallway, dropping his bag on the floor as well, before he continued into the kitchen.
Opening the fridge to get himself a glass of milk, he noticed a message written on it. "Yuma. I'm attending a tea-party at an old friends' house, across town. Kari won't be home until late, so please help yourself to dinner. It's in the fridge. Love, Grandma".
Yuma didn't react much, as though he'd known this would be the case, just found his milk, poured himself a large glass of it, and then put it away again, before turning around and heading upstairs.
But Astral groaned inwardly. Considering Yumas condition, he had hoped that at least Haru, the grandmother, would have been there to keep an eye on him.
But instead, they were home alone and Astral was certain Yuma wasn't gonna eat at all, that night.
Still, there was nothing he could do about that fact, except attempt to coerce Yuma into eating at least a little and then keeping watch over him himself, despite his own condition. Sighing, he followed the young man which was his other half, to his room…
Yuma had fallen asleep just half an hour after turning on his TV and climbing into his hammock.
Astral could turn it off any time he wanted, but for now it was aiding in distracting him from his own symptoms.
Still, he couldn't sit still. He was constantly playing with Yumas deck, which he willed himself into holding in his hands, despite their semi-transparency.
Wait, semi-transparency? The alien locked his eyes on his hands and kept staring at them for a few long moments. They weren't phasing from solid to transparent at the moment, like they usually did when he was weakened by one thing or another, as was the case now because of Yuma.
Instead, they seemed more solid than normally.
Straightening suddenly, Astral turned his head and stared at Yuma, trying to read his condition.
It seemed unchanged from earlier. Swallowing, his eyes suddenly seemed to widen as he said in a faint voice, somewhat marked by fear "It's starting. It's really starting now! But, Yuma… He has to know!".
Just then, Yuma stirred slowly, moaning quietly under his breath. "As… tral… What's… wrong?".
When he didn't get an immediate answer, he sat up in the hammock, rubbing his eyes before glancing around, clearly searching for something. Or someone.
When he finally focused on Astral, the alien hadn't moved an inch. Yuma frowned. "Astral, are you alright?" he asked quietly.
Noticing the shimmering fear in Astrals eyes, his frown deepened into one of worry. "Astral?!" he repeated, more urgently this time, though still somewhat weakened.
Astral blinked a couple of times, then quickly turned his head away and pretended to focus on the TV once more, placing himself on the floor before it.
"I'm fine Yuma, why wouldn't I be? Go back to sleep. You need to rest" he answered, voice lowered in an attempt to hide his emotions.
But Yuma knew him better than that.
"See, now I KNOW something is wrong" he replied, touching the emperors key still around his neck unconsciously. "Talk to me Astral! We agreed not to have secrets from one another ever again, didn't we? So tell me what's up. I felt your fear. What are you afraid of? Is it because I'm ill? Cause I already told you".
"It's not that" Astral cut him off, before silencing again.
"Then, what is it?" Yuma asked, after a few moments.
Astral groaned under his breath, placing an arm across his chest.
"Astral!" Yuma exclaimed, voice now marked with anxiety. Slowly, Astral rose from the floor, let his arm fall along his side, and then turned around, hovering over to Yumas hammock, before the other could get out of it.
Once there, he stopped in front of Yuma, locked his eyes on those of the other, and then said "Yuma, there is something I have neglected to tell you".
"What is it?" Yuma asked nervously, still keeping their gazes locked.
"I had intended to tell you this morning, but considering how ill you are… I wish this could wait until you were better, but things have happened now that has made that impossible…" Astral replied.
Yuma took his hands now, leaning his head closer to the other until their foreheads touched ever so lightly. "Please Astral, tell me what's wrong" he said tenderly.
Astral took a deep breath, but then replied "very well then Yuma. But please, you will need to listen very closely to what I am about to tell you".
"Of course. I will Astral, I promise" Yuma responded and Astral nodded faintly. Then he began.
"There comes a time in everybody's life, where they pass from child to adult. So it is with humans and all things living on this Earth. And so it is with us from Astral world as well.
That time can be marked by a rite of passage, a change in personality, body or behavior, or simply by a number. For Astralians, it is the middle option. A change in body.
When that time comes, varies greatly from person to person, influenced by many things, such as level of maturity or the finding of a soulmate.
For me, that time has now come" the blue alien said.
"What?" Yuma said questioningly "but like, aren't you thousands of years old? And you're telling me that you are only now reaching maturity?".
Astral sighed softly. "I just told you Yuma. When it happens, are influenced by many things. Not just age" he replied.
"I know, but… Never mind. I assume you have more to tell me, considering your reaction to it?" Yuma responded. Astral nodded. "Your assumption is correct Yuma. I will continue" he said and went on.
"It is my belief, that my time has been triggered now because of what we have had for the past few years, and especially because of how it has developed through the past year, in particular. But there is a possibility, that something else, which I do not yet know of, might also play a part in it".
"So, what does this mean Astral? Are things going to change between us from now on? You said Astral world recognized us as life-partners, didn't you?" Yuma asked.
"Please Yuma, let me finish" Astral replied and Yuma shut his mouth tightly closed and nodded twice.
"Nothing will change between us at such, however there will be some immediate effects of it happening, which is why it is such an inconvenient time for it to occur right now, when you are ill.
First of all, I am entering what I will only mention as 'my time'.
'My time' is something that happens in Astralians when we come of age and become capable of producing… well, offspring. It is a time that affects both us and our respective partner and one that urges us to find our soulmate, if we have not done so already when first it happens. It draws us towards one another until eventually, we find our other half".
"What happens if you don't find your other half?" Yuma asked and Astral sighed.
"It is of no importance to us, as I have already found mine. In you" he replied, eliciting a smile from his human lover. One of those smiles, which he had always loved to see.
"I am still affected none the less though. I am still drawn to you and it will only get more and more urgent through the coming days, until I will desire to be with you so greatly, that I will be unable to exist without you in my immediate vicinity. This is because having a partner is of greatest necessity throughout this time" he continued.
"And… if you don't have… a partner?" Yuma asked, sounding slightly anxious.
"Then I will most likely cease to exist all together" the alien replied, resulting in a gasp from Yuma.
"But we do not have to worry about this Yuma. After all, I have you" he continued, sensing fear in his partner. Although he understood the others concern.
After all, neither of them knew how much of what was to come, if even any at all, Yuma could handle. Especially with his current illness raging through his body.
"How, exactly, will you need me through this time Astral? How much? For how long?" Yuma now asked, having composed himself somewhat again.
"Well, it will vary from day to day, though it will only become more and more until it peaks, in roughly one weeks' time" Astral replied, lowering his eyes slightly as he'd spoken.
"What does this 'need' entail?" Yuma then asked again, not at all satisfied with the answer from the alien.
"In my time, my body will continuously build more and more excess energy. As it builds, it will become increasingly painful to bear. I will need you to share that energy with. I will do this, by transferring some of it over into your body, at regular intervals. Intervals, which will need to become smaller and smaller as my time progresses.
In the final days, I will need to be able to transfer energy to you constantly, or it will get completely out of control, risking injury to any around me, as well as it might, in the end, consume me all together" Astral answered.
Yuma moved a hand, placing it on the others thigh, making him lift his head and look at him.
"I swear Astral, I will never allow that to happen to you, no matter what, if I can in any way hinder it. If I… if I lose you again... I won't survive that. Not this time. So please, use me whenever you need to, okay?" the young man said solemnly, locking their eyes.
Astral smiled ever so lightly, then closed his eyes and nodded once, though he did not speak. After a moment, Yuma continued.
"Does this mean you won't be able to stay in the key for a while? I mean, it's function is to help you recover after all, regenerate any energy you might lose, so that you don't get permanently damaged, isn't it?" he asked. "So, won't that work against you? In this particular case I mean".
Astral nodded. "It would be… troublesome, if you were to ask me to remain in the key for longer periods of time doing this, especially as it progresses over the next days.
If I remain in it for extended periods of time, whilst going through what is to come, it might become painful, as it will attempt to 'heal' me, by granting me more energy.
Throughout my time, I will also become more and more solid, a thing that's already started, and which will also build over the next days.
Remaining in the key whilst solid, might also be painful, because it is more of a spiritual dimension, though if I must, I could probably remain there for a couple of hours, at the most" he said "and even so, only for the first two days, maybe three, whilst this is going on within me".
Yuma sighed irritated. "Well, that sucks" he said, leaning back in the hammock, feeling tired and unable to focus on sitting up any longer.
Placing an arm over his forehead, he closed his eyes, then spoke again. "So, you'll be completely solid through the next week. Which means, everyone will be able to see you and your… special, complexion. And you can't stay at home even if I left the key behind, because it would be torture for you to be apart from me for a full school-day.
So, in other words, we're screwed, unless we find a way for you to remain with me, visible to all, throughout the day, without gathering too much attention to ourselves… Well, it sounds like I'll have a new desk-mate for the next days then. Ready to start school?".
Astral groaned quietly, crossing his arms over his chest, still hovering over Yumas hammock. "It would seem I will have to be, would it not?" he replied, sounding exasperated, though he secretly looked forward to being at Yumas side more permanently, at least for a few days.
"But Yuma" he then said after a few moments of silence "remember, the school-nurse ordered you on bed-rest for at least two full days.
Perhaps that will be to our advantage, as it will buy us some time in which to figure out just how much my energy will build, how to best transfer it to you and even if you can actually handle it physically or not, without worrying about the reaction of others when they see me fully".
Yuma nodded tiredly. "You're right Astral… And considering this splitting headache I'm currently suffering from, I'm definitely gonna take the nurses order seriously, at least for tomorrow. Then we'll see how I fare" he replied and though Astral sighed at his partners reluctance to stay in bed longer in an attempt to recover, he didn't mention it.
He was just happy Yuma willingly agreed to be his energy-conduit throughout his first time. He didn't know what he should have done, had he refused it.
"By the way Astral" Yuma then suddenly said, breaking his line of thought "do you need anything from me tonight? You said it had already started, right?".
Astral nodded, but then replied "no. I believe I am fine for tonight… But Yuma, you will need to know about some things which might happen to you too, as you are my partner, going into this".
"Which things?" Yuma asked sleepily and Astral knew he wouldn't be able to focus much longer.
"Mood-swings will be one of them. Like you experienced today, doing your duel. That is at least half of the explanation as to why you were so irritated with me, after what I did and said.
And then there is the excess energy-levels you too will experience, because you will be receiving energy from me repeatedly.
You, or I, might begin to fidget at times, when it's time for another energy transfer, especially if you are close to me, and at others, we might not be able to sit still at all, which could pose a problem in school I assume" the alien replied, and Yuma nodded.
"Makes sense" he commented, voice drowsy. He was dosing off it seemed.
Astral sighed. "I believe that is enough information for now. Please Yuma, get some rest" he said, already feeling Yumas mind drifting away as the young man fell asleep.
Keeping his eyes on him for a while longer, Astral eventually settled down in front of the TV again, though his feet were unconsciously tapping the air and his fingers never stopped playing with the remote control…