The Echo

Here, Darkness eddying in and out of consciousness, hindered by the absence of Light and destitute without him. My own lithe fingers clutch my hair fiercely, struggling with the shadows that plague me. Silence. Silence. Silence in the night. Silence in the dark. Silent but for the distant whisper of my soul, begging for release from the confinements of pillared alabaster. It keens, it begs. Almost playful, vicious when I retaliate, forcing the bloodlust away, restraining the sinister thoughts that stand resolute in the forefront of my existence.

Revulsion. Loathing. Revenge. Anger. Fear. I radiate them. I don't want to feed them; I don't want to let them hurt anyone whilst I try to protect him. How do I escape it? I can't escape myself.

Fear.

I wail harshly, fingers tightening in my locks, screaming and screaming and screaming inside, the very core of my existence shattering at the sound, the ear splitting shriek searing my mind. It's too much for me. The shadows reach out, voice liquid, smooth, singing to me, a sweet incantation that draws me forth, closer, closer still, echoes in the obscure blackness that convulses in time with my heart, wavering, rippling side-by-side.

Anger

Anger like nothing else. My own nails tear at my skin, enkindled marking left in their wake, dark trails trickling along my arms, staining virgin white sheets with crimson. I don't care. It hurts, this hurts, hurts, hurts, hurts, hurts………

Tainted. Wrong and tainted and hideous. I want him. I want him. An addiction and a craving, just to have him in my arms, just to feel his heart beat, to feel his pulse flicker temptingly beneath scintillating skin. I sigh. Distantly I hear something creak, caught out by the silence of the night. The shadows waver, suddenly hesitant, curious, and then they hear, as do I.

"Mou hitori no boku?"

Silver! Shining silver! Glistening waves of liquid crystal! A beam of light from the hallway streams into the room. The shadows halt and hiss and writhe. The pain lessens and the tension that has my fingers taught ebbs away. My eyes are closed, the pain of darkness so disdainfully clear within, hiding beneath the surface of soft scarlet.

"I heard you cry out…"

Ah! Child! Sweet, beautiful child. Soft, mesmerising child. Gentle, perfect child. A voice like crystal, clear and ringing; harmony doesn't do it justice. I thrive on you alone. He saved me from destruction, trapped in my own silent tomb with forgotten memories that may, or may not be important. I daren't open my eyes to him in case he sees what lurks.

Loathing…

He rubs the sleep from his eyes, footfalls barely reaching my weary ears. My fingers tighten in the sheets, my legs curling up to my chest, suffocating, choking. I can't breath.

"Please open your eyes."

I obey without a second thought to the benevolent voice that persuades me, that can control my movements like a puppet on strings. He kneels beside the bed, arms crossed, laying his head upon them, locks of gold framing a visage of pharaohs and princes. Your eyes meet mine and the shadows scatter in fear. I smile. Alone again. Alone and free.

"What's wrong? You frightened me."

I lean forward, pressing my lips to his forehead. "Nothing, sweet one, nothing at all."

A lie. A lie. So many secrets, so much to hide. He considers me, this, everything; I see the hurt in his eyes, flickering, distant, but so flagrant that I regret my tenacity, my impertinence with words that can cut him deeper and far more easily than I, but he hides the pain, gaze averted, gentle countenance remaining and keeping the darkness at bay.

Sliding over, I drag back the sheet, offering to him the safety of my embrace. Eagerly he slips in beside me on his side and at once I cover him over again, relishing the warmth he radiates, safe in the haven of the pure soul that keeps me alive. His breath heats my neck, lips just barely pressed against my bare skin. I shudder. He imitates the motion.

"Mou hitori no boku?" he repeats. I can sense amethyst directing upwards, though he can't see my face.

Slowly, tauntingly, sleep lulls him away from me, and within the confines of our soul room, I settle down beside his sleeping form, gathering him into my arms before they return.

But the shadows aren't screaming any more….

Notes- this is loosely based around The Dead of Night, from way back before it was deleted, so that may help. It's simply about Yami's battle with himself not to become the monster he was when he was released from the puzzle, but he knows that that is what he is and the only way he can alter it is if he has Yugi with him at all times to fight the 'demons' away. He's afraid of merely being a dark entity that has no purpose in life but to protect, because it would mean that he would have no compassion for the victims he'd murdered or driven insane, but he desires to protect Yugi so much that he would go to any means to do so, even kill. In killing, he would be haunted by the lives he'd taken, but he thinks that if he doesn't rid Yugi of the tormentors' altogether, the torture will never cease. I did initially intend it to sound slightly disjointed because he's in pain, therefore his thoughts would be all over the place, but whether or not it helped to create the atmosphere I can't say.

I tried to create the irony that Yugi was in control of Yami, because he couldn't technically survive without him. You can never really tell if it's Yami screaming, or whether it's the 'other side to his soul' that's screaming to be let out. However, I think it got too obvious near the end….