Winshipping (Jonouchi x Yugi x Pegasus)

(okay, this is just an advance notification that this directly follows the Wishshipping oneshot, which was posted just before Wintershipping. Oh, I also decided to use Pegasus' Japanese name, Pegasus J. Crawford, instead of Maximilian Pegasus.)

It was a veritable symphony in orange and red, an empty classroom made of the sunset. Despite himself, Pegasus J. Crawford couldn't help but imagine how he would paint the scene. Although, he couldn't really call it empty: the orange streaked, shadowed forms of Yugi Mutou and Katsuya Jonouchi marred the otherwise seamless background.

Yugi finished pushing his things into his bag, slung it over his shoulder, and wandered over to wake Jonouchi. For a moment, Pegasus wondered if Yugi would be able to see him. But no, the boy's violet eyes slid right over him. Well. Death made one invisible, he supposed.

Jonouchi startled awake, sitting up as he rubbed at his eyes. It was rather startling how much the two boys had grown since Duelist Kingdom. Yugi had gained at least two inches, and his features were sharper. Jonouchi's shoulders had broadened significantly, and his face had morphed into very adult features.

Pegasus wasn't really sure why his soul had wandered here, to this moment. Cyndia was waiting for him to finish wandering – he shouldn't keep her waiting any longer. But he lingered, watching the two boys talk to each other, laughing, reminiscing.

It's too bad we met under such circumstances, he thought.

The scene was almost too perfect, a scene out of a bright, cheerful painting, like the ones he used to create. He caught a hint of their conversation, the passing of his own name. Well, at least he hadn't been forgotten. He hoped they were discussing happy memories.

Finally, Jonouchi jumped up, grabbed Yugi's arm, and half dragged him from the room. Pegasus watched them go, feeling more than a little sad. The light was calling; he couldn't linger any longer.

It's a pity, he thought. I would have liked to met them again, in more friendly circumstances. With a little more time, I could have done so much more to make up for what I did.

Then he surrendered to the pull on his soul, and he faded, leaving behind only the unpainted image.

*** A PAINTED IMAGE ***

Two Boys and a Lingering Spirit. Sunset on Classroom. Unfinished Feelings x Sunlight x Silence.

A/N: aaaaaugh. This is so much crap. The only thing I liked was the ending, and I totally ripped that off from The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I played up Pegasus' early ambitions of being an artist, used feelings he might not even have had, couldn't come up with a new plot and got around that by using something I already did...yeah. I hate in the anime that Pegasus is still alive, when he was quite clearly (and bloodily) killed off in the manga. It makes more sense to me that he would die – not that I wanted him to die, but...he had kind of lost his reason to live after Duelist Kingdom and Bakura kinda sorta ripped out his eye. That generally results in some pretty awful blood loss, wouldn't you think? Anyway...yeah. That's it. Next is Whispershipping (Yugi x Ryo x Shizuka), which should turn out rather cute. :3 Oh, and thanks to everyone for the great reviews; I'm glad you're enjoying the project.