Okay, that didn't take too long...but don't get your hopes up...
Revelation
I smiled, watching as the others walked off. We had decided who would stay with whom—Sam and Mikey went with Ryou and Bakura, Sonja and Damien with Anzu, Terra with Kaiba, Erica with Jonouchi, Marik with Malik, and me with Yuugi.
As the two of us walked down the street, I glanced at Yuugi. "What happened to Yami?"
Yuugi remained silent. He averted his eyes.
I rolled my eyes. "Is this a conspiracy or something! Why won't anyone tell me what's happening!"
"Because we don't want the whole world to know," Yuugi said quietly. "If we say it out there, someone might hear—and word would spread. I don't want that to happen…this is hard enough to handle as it is…"
I couldn't keep the anxiety out of my voice. "Anzu said it was my fault…"
Yuugi kept his head down. His eyes were shaded by his bangs. "It is, sort of…"
I glared at him. "Thanks a lot. That's a real morale-booster."
Yuugi sighed, unlocking the door to the game shop and slipping in. "Just let me show you. Come on."
He locked the door behind me, and led me up the stairs. He then pointed to one of the doors. "In there," he whispered. "Go in."
Apprehensively, I opened the door—and recoiled with a gasp.
I saw Yami.
And I also saw why Yuugi had been avoiding saying anything about him.
"He's drunk," Yuugi said from behind me, a note of disgust in his voice. "Drunk as a loon—and loving every second of it."
It was true. The pharaoh was sprawled out on the bed, left leg an arm dangling over the side of the bed, a large brown bottle held loosely by its neck in his left hand. He was even snoring a little.
The bottle was a quarter off the way full. I pulled it from his slack hand, sniffed at the mouth—and wrinkled my nose. "Wine. Where did he get wine?"
Yuugi shrugged helplessly. "I tried to hide all the stuff Bakura got him. He always finds it."
My eyes narrowed. "Bakura. I should have known."
Yuugi sighed a little. "Let me tell you everything. It started a little bit after school let out for the summer…"
Flashback
Yuugi POV
Hearing voices from downstairs, I paused in the act of getting ready to go to sleep, listening.
"Come on, it's just for tonight!"
"I don't know…"
Bakura laughed. "Damn, you're chicken! Just like back in Egypt—the stuff's only bad for you if you drink too much!"
"But—"
"It'll help you stop thinking about Miriku!" Bakura interrupted in a wheedling tone.
I winced. That was a very sore spot with Yami—he couldn't stop thinking about Miriku, and it distracted him from everything else. He had already practically cut himself off from the entire world.
"…I suppose one time wouldn't hurt…"
End Flashback
Miriku POV
"…and Bakura brought him back stoned," Yuugi finished grimly. "After that, Yami just wouldn't stop drinking…it was a way for him to deaden himself to everything…"
I groaned. "Let me guess. Nowadays, this is pretty normal?"
Yuugi nodded. "He comes down every now and then for food—he just scarfs it down and heads back upstairs to drink more wine and sake."
My eyes narrowed. "Leave me alone with him for a while. I may be able to help."
Yuugi shook his head, a helpless expression on his face. "I've tried everything—it's not going to work. He'll probably just start drinking more, because he'll think he's hallucinating."
I crossed my arms. "Yuugi. You once told me to not give up on him, even though I thought all was lost. This time, I'm not giving up no matter what."
Yuugi was silent for a minute. "I'll go make something for dinner." He left, closing the door behind him.
I turned to look at Yami, wrinkling my nose. "All right, you stupid pharaoh—it's time for a wake-up call."
I hauled him back up onto the bed by his arms, and bent over. "Yami!" I whispered in his ear. "Yami, can you hear me?"
Yami's fingers twitched a little, but he remained asleep. Or passed out—whichever one it was.
I shook his shoulder as hard as I could, yelling in his mind. Yami! Wake up, dammit!
Finally, I got a response. Yami's eyes fluttered open a bit. They were dull and unfocused. "Go 'way…'m sleepin'…"
I winced at the slurring of his words. Not any more, you're not! Get off your butt, you damn drunkard!
Yami blinked at me, sitting up. "An' jus' who the hell're you?"
I felt a pang deep in my chest. Even forcibly reminding myself that he was drunk didn't help. I should slap you silly for that one, but I won't. From today on out, you will stop drinking!
Yami's eyes narrowed. "I don' want to."
I grinned a little, coming up with the perfect plan in my spur-of-the-moment fashion. Well, Miriku wants you to!
I saw the shock flit across his face. "How do you know!" For a second, his words weren't slurred, but sharp and angry. His eyes snapped into focus, and glinted angrily.
My smile widened a little. This would work.
I know. I know she's upset. She doesn't like seeing you like this. She knows you're above things like this. She doesn't want you feeling sorry for yourself because of her.
I squeezed his shoulder. She wants to see you back to normal.
Yami was back in his more-or-less drunk state by now—but he nodded. "I'll try…"
I smiled a little. You'd better—or, as you well know, Miriku will really kick your butt.
But he was already asleep again.
I exited the room, a satisfied smile on my face, and headed down the stairs.
Yuugi looked up at me as I entered the kitchen. "Well, Miri-aneki? What happened?"
I grinned. "I got him to promise to stop drinking."
Yuugi blinked. "Did you? That's great!"
My grin widened. "And just wait 'til you see how I did it!"
Suddenly, both of us looked up. There were heavy footsteps coming from the stairwell.
"I think I'll hide for a few minutes," I said quickly—and slipped around the corner into the living room before Yuugi could respond, making sure I could still see.
Yami staggered into the kitchen, using the walls for support. He lurched over to the table and sank down into one of the chairs. "I jus' had the weirdest dream," he proclaimed loudly.
Yuugi looked over his shoulder at Yami, before pulling the wok off the stove and setting it on the table. "Really?" he asked in a falsely curious voice. "What happened?"
Yami smiled a little. "Some gal came, sayin' she knew Miriku—an' I'm gonna stop drinkin'."
Yuugi blinked. He glanced at me. I winked.
Yami's expression became serious. "But you gotta help me, Yuugi…dunno 'f I c'n do it by myself…"
Yuugi smiled—a genuine smile. "I'll help you. And I bet that girl from your dream will, too."
"Y' don' think she's jus' a dream?"
"If she was just a dream, she wouldn't have been able to talk to Miriku."
"Yeah…"
Yami stood up. "I'm gon' take a shower," he said firmly, and walked off—with a bit less lurching and staggering.
I entered the room again. "See?"
"I do see," Yuugi murmured. "I see that you're a miracle worker…"
I shook my head. "Not me. I just help…and hope for the best…"
Yuugi smiled. "I'm sure he'll be absolutely fine—thanks to you."
I smiled a little in return. "I hope so. I really hope so…"
...Kinda short, but eh...
Review, please!
