Yugi scrubbed his face, and haphazardly crawled out of bed.
He probably should have turned on a light. But then his eyes would have protested the sudden brightness. And really he just needed to pee.
It was dark, but living in a city provided trace amounts of light to pervade his apartment. Enough that he could make out shapes on his way to the bathroom. Very nearly stubbing his toe on the door sill, he stumbled into the hallway, groaned, and lifted his head to blink blearily at the darkened hall.
The door to his board game closet was wide open.
Yugi stopped dead. It wasn't the easiest thing to make out in the dark, but he recognized the pale shape of the door, and the even blacker shape of the closet interior.
His gaze drifted over to stare inside, suddenly feeling a little more awake.
Two bright golden eyes stared at him from the darkness. They were wide, and shone with eerie brilliance.
Yugi's scream caught in his throat. Choking painfully. He could feel the blood drain from his face as he frantically slapped the wall in search of the light switch. Physically unable to tear his eyes from the ones watching him from the dark.
Finally his hand hit the switch, and the hall flooded with bright, near blinding light. He flinched, and squinted painfully at the sudden assault. He forced himself to open his eyes, and stared in astonishment at the empty closet before him.
There wasn't anything there.
Just his board games, a collection of odds and ends, and some umbrellas.
Once more he'd made a mistake.
He'd terrified Yugi, scared the young man senseless. Definitely not his intention.
Falling victim to restlessness again, he had decided to wander the apartment while his host was asleep. So engrossed in the closet full of board games he'd failed to realize his host had gotten up to use the bathroom. It wasn't until Yugi had groaned that he'd been alerted to his presence.
The spirit had turned with a start, locking eyes with his host.
Yugi had gasped, made an odd choking sound, and slapped his hand to the wall, fumbling for the switch. No doubt he'd noticed the closet door was open, and he'd seen the golden eyes shining at him from the darkness.
The Spirit had acted fast, shutting his glowing eyes and collapsing into the floor. His shadowy figure melting into Yugi's own shadow once more. By the time the light had flicked on, there'd been nothing but an empty closet.
Still, it had been a stupid mistake. The spirit knew he should have been more careful, more attentive to his surroundings. The privacy of the new apartment was making him lax. He'd never been this careless when they'd lived with Yugi's Mom and Grandpa.
But then, existence had never been this boring before.
The Spirit underestimated the entertainment value of simple human interaction and people watching. Now there was only Yugi to watch, and no one for Yugi to interact with outside of work.
Interacting with Yugi himself was strictly off limits. There was no substantial law that forbid their interactions, nothing held the spirit back except for his own arbitrary principles.
For one, he was terrifying. Nothing but a black shadow with golden eyes, and the glowing Eye of Ra centered in the general area of his forehead.
He had no physical form unless he took possession of Yugi.
He had a cruel streak a mile wide. Having a history of punishing anyone who dared wrong his host, or their friends. Although he'd calmed down a lot in the past couple years.
He had no appearance or voice of his own, and merely borrowed Yugi's likeness as a stand in. Nothing more terrifying than meeting a sinister version of yourself.
Lastly he was a shadow with no memories of his former life. The soul of a gambler from ancient times. Ancient Egypt to be precise, if he trusted the evidence surrounding him.
The Millennium puzzle his soul had been trapped inside was from the tomb of a nameless Egyptian Pharaoh, and even the Spirit's soul room was decorated to look simultaneously like the throne and tomb of a Pharaoh.
A soul room was a reflection of a person's heart. It housed their hopes and dreams, passions and hobbies, true character and inner turmoil. The Spirit could come and go from his own soul room as he pleased because of the magic of the Millennium Puzzle. And since Yugi was his host he could travel to Yugi's soul room as well. Unsurprisingly Yugi's room was filled with toys and games, all bright colors and limitless dreams.
The perfect reflection of his host. Beautiful and carefree.
Except for lately, the Spirit mused. Lately Yugi was nothing but a ball of stress, and work, and long nights.
Because of this he'd taken it upon himself to ease the burden of living.
Tonight he was folding Yugi's socks.
His thoughts kept wandering back to Yugi's terrified expression. Shame rolled over him in waves at the memory.
The spirit folded another pair of socks, placing them gently inside the top drawer of their dresser.
He'd made it his "life's" purpose to protect and help his host; ever since Yugi had solved the Millennium puzzle as a young teen and the spirit had taken up residence in the boy's body. He wasn't exactly upholding that personal oath by terrorizing Yugi now.
If he'd had breath the spirit would have released a sigh. He placed another pair of socks into the drawer.
The next sock he picked up had a blurry star pattern drawn on one side. The permanent ink that made the symbol had faded after years of washing, but it brought back good memories.
When Yugi was younger he used to draw symbols on all his socks, and scatter them all over his bedroom floor, symbol sides down. Then he would flip them over, one at a time, and attempt to match the symbols, pairing his socks in the process, before folding them and putting them away. Yugi played the game to exercise his mind and keep his memory sharp.
The shadow would have smiled if he'd had a face. The memory—like all others he'd collected since being released from his puzzle prison—was a treasure he guarded fiercely. He might not remember his name, appearance, or past, but he cherished all the new memories and experiences he made now... with Yugi.
He was sure if he looked he wouldn't find this sock's proper mate. It was no doubt lost to time, eaten by the monster that lived in the dryer and frequently consumed small clothing items.
Instead he picked out a sock that best matched it in age and style, and folded them together. They too, joined their brethren in the dresser drawer.
All too soon the task was finished and once against the spirit had nothing to do.
He spared a glance at his host. Yugi was sound asleep in bed, his usually spiked hair washed free of styling glue and limply spread over the pillows in a curtain of black and wine colors.
There was something to appreciate about his host's style. Yugi regularly kept his hair dyed and spiked. The natural color was black, of course, but he colored the ends of his hair a reddish purple. Yugi's bangs were bleached blonde, and often styled into waves that framed his soft featured face. There was not a single towel they owned that wasn't stained with red-purple, a casualty of Yugi's dyed hair.
He'd taken to buying black towels recently. That way whenever they dried Yugi's hair, the burgundy dye that leeched out would simply make the towel blacker. It suited their aesthetic.
His host had an affinity for black eyeliner, something the spirit could appreciate since it reminded him of the kohl that Egyptians used. The black leather, studded belts, and black nail polish was something else entirely. Yugi was what his friends had described as a "Goth." The Spirit was not sure what that meant exactly but he more than approved the fashion. It stroked his fancy, and he only wished Yugi still wore it as often as he had in his youth.
His host made a noise in his sleep, and the shadow moved away. With one last soft look, he drifted out into the living room to find a book to read.
Maybe if they were lucky, someone would try to break into their apartment. The Spirit found it ironic that he longed for danger, simply so he could vent some of his frustration. It had been so long since he'd challenged anyone to a shadow game.
He grabbed a book off the bookshelf, it was a guide for an old computer game called Myst. It wasn't the most engaging read—but he'd read nearly everything else in Yugi's literature collection—and there weren't many options left.
On his way to the couch he saw the little white board Yugi had purchased a couple weeks prior. The cheerful message 'Hi!' was still written in the dry erase ink.
The Spirit had noticed the messages the very first night Yugi had written them. He refused to take the bait and respond. No matter how bored he was. Making contact with Yugi would clue his host in that something really was haunting him. And then it would only be a matter of time before he connected it back to the puzzle.
And what then? the Spirit thought ruefully. Yugi might be inclined to discard the puzzle, my bridge—my link to his soul. The puzzle was already solved and the spirit released, but without a host the shadow wouldn't have a body to possess, and there was only so much distance his shadow form could wander from the puzzle. Yugi provided him a vessel... and perhaps a welcome companion.
He wasn't about to jeopardize that for a mere conversation with his host.
With a huff, he swept a shadow tendril and pushed the white board to the other side of the coffee table.
I will NOT be tempted.
Satisfied, the Spirit settled into the couch to do some reading before his host had to get up for work.
Yugi's eyes shot open. This morning his irises were a burning ruby color rather than their normal amethyst hue. Robotically he sat up in bed. His gaze swept the room almost mechanically, and he reached an arm out to stretch his wrist and fingers.
Our body is stiff, my Hikari. He pushed back the blankets and threw his legs over the side of the bed. You've been working too hard.
The Spirit briefly considered a hot shower. It would ease the tension in Yugi's sore muscles before he roused his host and relinquished control for the day. Yugi was still asleep and as long as he had control Yugi would stay as such. Just a little longer for his host to rest.
After the late night, and the scare Yugi had gotten the night before, taking care of their morning ritual was the least the Spirit could do.
There wasn't really time to shower, he decided. The alarm would be going off in a minute. Before it could chime, he shut it off. Yugi had showered the night before anyways.
He ran his hand over the blankets, and marveled at the feeling, the texture. Warmth. He loved feeling warmth. He loved feeling the softness of the material on real skin. The feeling of breath entering his lungs, and to feel the beat of Yugi's heart that he could almost pretend was his own.
Almost reluctantly he rose from the bed and padded out of the bedroom, making his way to the bathroom. The carpet was pleasant under his feet, and then the cold linoleum nice in its own way.
Once in front of the mirror he started brushing Yugi's teeth. Yugi's mother had always stressed to her son how important dental hygiene was, and the Spirit wasn't about to let his host's smile lose any of its brilliance.
Your smile is one of a kind. He counted the strokes of the toothbrush, all the while watching his reflection in the mirror.
Yugi's appearance always shifted a bit when he took control. Features got sharper, eyes harder, hair just a little more wild.
He spit toothpaste into the wash basin, rinsed his mouth and grinned into the mirror. Assessing the freshly cleaned teeth.
Also I would be vexed if I could not smile at our enemies to this effect. The smile that greeted him from the reflection was disquieting. The smile of a devil, something... evil. Perfection.
There was a stirring somewhere in the back of his consciousness. Yugi sensed that it was time to wake up, and his soul was rousing. Becoming anxious.
Not now, the Spirit chided mentally. Sleep, my host. You need the rest.
He felt Yugi's consciousness slip back under. Fading into the darkness again. He forced a mental barrier that would keep Yugi dormant until he was finished getting ready.
"We are going to wear leather today," he said aloud. It was Yugi's voice, but not. It was deeper, laced with confidence and intent. "I looked up the forecast, you'll thank me later."
Of course Yugi wouldn't really. He wouldn't even know what the Spirit had done. But what was the harm in pretend...
He pulled out the cosmetics and began applying eyeliner.
Another week passed and Yugi's long days at work continued.
His host was exhausted, mentally and physically. Their clothes were starting to look wrinkled; Seto had complained, telling him to visit a dry cleaner. Yugi hadn't had any time to indulge in his hobbies, much less visit friends or attend to the apartment. They'd run out of food in the kitchen. The Spirit was on the precipice of possessing Yugi and taking his body grocery shopping.
Fortunately tonight, his host had stopped for a bite at a fast food restaurant before going home to collapse on the couch.
The shadow loomed eerily over Yugi. Golden eyes scrutinizing the young man sprawled over the cushions, still dressed and face pressed into the arm of the couch. A black hand reached out and pushed Yugi's shirt up, giving the Spirit a good look at his protruding ribs.
His host had always been small and thin, but this was becoming a bit excessive.
He closed his eyes. The edges of his form quivered, tendrils of shadow shifting erratically.
The shadow tugged his shirt back into place. Tomorrow they were going grocery shopping. He would see to it. It didn't matter that it would be one of the biggest actions he had taken in a long long time. It didn't matter that Yugi would definitely notice and become extremely suspicious.
A shiver from Yugi captured the Spirit's attention once more. He mumbled something incomprehensible and shifted on the couch.
A bubbling of warmth swelled within the shadow's chest, he swept behind the couch and lifted a throw blanket from the back. With a shake he spread it out and draped the material over his host. Tucking the blanket just under his chin.
Long dark fingers threaded gently through Yugi's hair, ruffling the messy spikes fondly. His hair would have been soft, if not for the obscene amount of styling products that made it defy gravity. The subsequent pleased murmur made something nameless stir inside the shadow.
He withdrew his hand. The shadow drifted back over the couch and settled on the space next to Yugi's feet. His weightless form not even disturbing the cushion.
He pointedly kept his hands—and tentacles—to himself. Reminding himself that he had no business being touchy-feely with his host.
For a long while the Spirit stared at nothing. Refusing to watch his host's face. Then he stared at Yugi's socked feet, eventually he stared at the tv remote and the controller for the Nintendo Wii. Neither of which he could use while Yugi slept in the living room.
Finally his gaze settled on the neglected white board still sitting on the coffee table.
He glared daggers at it.
No.
An hour passed. There were no more books to read. Maybe he could force Yugi to go to the library.
His eyes drifted back to the white board.
No!
Another hour slipped by, and Yugi was sleep-humming bits of some tune the Spirit swore he'd heard before. He wished he could ask Yugi the name of it.
Once more he caught himself staring at the little white marker board.
If the Spirit could have sighed he would have heaved the biggest most dramatic sigh in the history of... ever. As it were, he just made his whole form bristle in a mass of writhing shadow tentacles before reaching out, snatching up the board and pulling himself back together.
He refused to manifest a proper hand to grasp the dry erase marker. Instead wrapping a long thin tendril around the pen and using another to uncap it.
The Spirit begrudgingly scrawled a reply on the white board.
It wasn't anything impressive. It wasn't eloquent or wordy. It was simply a very elegant looking,
'Hello.'
A little bit of Yami's POV. tell me what you think. ;3