Chapter Three
Domino City
Arcadia Planitia
Kaiba Corporation Colony, Mars
The rain was just becoming a nuisance when Yugi Mutou finally pedaled his laden cart onto Kame Street. The narrow avenue was almost deserted, most of the late shoppers having opted to get off the streets before the storm fully hit. He was almost home and he let himself be pleasantly distracted by thoughts of the warm, dry clothes and hot cup of tea waiting for him when he got there. It had been a productive day and he was happy, if tired. He had pedaled all over Domino City, running errands and visiting his favorite haunts, including several thrift stores where he had sorted through mountains of second-hand items searching for hidden treasure: vintage games, both to add to his own humble collection and for re-sale in his family's shop.
He had no doubt that his grandpa would be pleased with the day's finds. Today's scavenging had yielded a working, antique video-game system, a plastic shoebox of Capsule Monster game pieces, and a sack full of old board games. Yugi was most excited about the latter, though, in truth, there was little call for non-electronic games among the shop's regular customers. An anticipatory grin quirked the corners of his mouth as he daydreamed about settling onto the sofa in the cozy apartment above the shop with his latest finds. Just a little further and he would be at the corner where his family's game shop had resided for the last forty-odd years.
Yugi's grandfather had been one of the first to settle in Domino City and, as such, had gotten a prime location. After a lifetime as a roving gambler, the notion of colonizing a distant planet had appealed to the romantic side of Solomon Mutou's nature. Yugi loved to hear his grandpa's tales of his adventures, though he suspected the elder Mutou embellished the facts shamelessly. After all, how exciting could it have been, settling on a planet already terraformed and tamed for over fifty years before Solomon's arrival? Yugi's grin widened. His grandpa was, frankly, an old reprobate -- but Yugi wouldn't have him any other way.
He was snapped back to reality by the roar of an approaching engine. Looking up, he was almost blinded by a single headlight and realized with a shock that the motorcycle was headed straight for him. In a panic, he yanked the handlebars, turning his pedal-cart to the side--too late, as the motorcycle slammed into him, sending both him and the bike's rider flying.
He hit the pavement with a bone-jarring thud and lay there, stunned and unable to move, as the pain coursed through him. Barely aware of the rain striking his face and soaking his hair, he stared blankly up at a dizzily spinning sky. For a moment, he felt as if he were falling up, into the mass of steel-gray clouds reflecting the city's lights. Then his stomach lurched, threatening to forcibly expel everything he'd ever eaten in his life, and he rolled painfully onto his side as bile filled his throat. He tried to clamp a hand over his mouth, only to fail miserably when the incautious movement sent a fresh shockwave of pain stabbing through his body and he lost the battle with his rebellious gut.
By the time his stomach had emptied itself, his head had cleared a little. He sat up, bracing himself against the side of his overturned cart, and waited for the latest wave of dizziness to pass. He clutched at his throbbing head, only then noticing the raw, red scrape covering the palm of one hand. From the tips of his wild head of hair to the ends of his toes, everything ached --
Nearby, a deep voice cursed.
Suddenly reminded of the other driver, Yugi turned his head quickly toward the sound. Too quickly, as it turned out, as another bout of vertigo threatened to pitch him face-first back onto the pavement and his stomach decided it was up for another round of 'let's see what Yugi ate, today.'
Oh, crap, he thought as he toppled over onto his side, retching miserably and half-wishing the crash had actually killed him. Death had to feel better than this…
Distantly, he was aware of that same deep voice asking him an urgent-sounding question, but he couldn't quite make out the words. And then there was nothing but the comfort of darkness.
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Yami groaned. He sat up gingerly, feeling the sharp ache of abused muscle and bone in every part of his body. His Nevlar-coated helmet and jacket had done their jobs and protected him, but he had still felt every inch of the impact. He didn't think anything was broken, but he knew he would be bruised all over come morning and his jeans were a lost cause. The right side of his jeans were white where the denim had scraped along the pavement, tattered threads all that were holding the fabric together now.
The sound of someone retching interrupted his self-absorbed thoughts. Reminded of the other driver he had collided with, Yami shucked off his helmet and rose shakily to his feet to assess the damage.
Nearby, an overturned pedal-cart lay on its side, the wire basket of the wagon twisted out of shape and its contents scattered all over the wet roadway. Beside the cart, its driver hunched as he emptied his stomach onto the blacktop. Blood trickled down his face from beneath messy blond bangs. More blood stained the hand he had braced himself with and one leg of his jeans was torn, revealing a long red scrape on his pale calf. He was wearing only one sneaker, the other having been knocked off in the crash. He looked miserable and barely conscious.
Yami cursed himself for a fool. What had he been thinking, acting so recklessly? He shivered as the truth hit him. He hadn't been thinking, not at all. He hadn't wanted to think, and he had counted on the combination of alcohol and unfettered speed to make sure he didn't have to. Fortunately, he hadn't been going as fast as he had wanted to. The narrow street and wet pavement had forced him to ease off on the accelerator. It had probably saved his life…and kept him from becoming an unwitting murderer.
Seto's right, he spat at himself. You are a coward. And because of you, an innocent person has been hurt--could've been killed! So stop feeling sorry for yourself and do something about it.
Standing hurt. Walking hurt more. Muttering a heartfelt curse (and trying to ignore his body's insistence that lying back down would be a good thing), he staggered toward the injured boy. Even as Yami moved, the boy's head turned toward him and he found himself staring into a dazed pair of wide, unfocused eyes so blue they almost appeared violet. Something inside him caught painfully and, for a second, he found it hard to breathe. Then those incredible eyes slid closed as their owner toppled sideways, retching violently.
"Are you all right?" Yami asked urgently, dropping to his knees at the boy's side.
There was no response; the kid's eyes had drifted shut, again. Swiftly, Yami felt for a pulse. His relief when he found one was almost enough to make him faint himself.
He stripped off his jacket and used it to shield the kid from the rain. The boy needed medical attention, but Yami was afraid to risk moving him--and neither his bike nor the kid's pedal-cart was in any shape to transport them, anyway.
Yami fumbled his phone from his pocket…and stared at the device in dismay. He had survived the crash in one piece; the phone hadn't been as lucky. He shoved the useless device back into his pocket and turned back to the injured boy. His head throbbing in time with his heartbeat, Yami wondered just what the hell he was going to do now.
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Waking up was like finding himself at the bottom of a deep pool of gray water. Sound came at him in waves, muffled and distant, and as he blinked his eyes open, everything seemed blurred and uncertain. A mass of indistinct colors loomed over him and Yugi flinched, squinting to try and bring the shapes into focus. When he did, he wondered just how hard he had hit his head: the person peering down at him looked like a funhouse reflection of himself. This wasn't how out of body experiences were supposed to work, was it? Shouldn't he be staring down at his body, instead of having it staring down at him?
"Wha--?" Yugi struggled to sit up, only to be pushed gently back down onto the pavement.
"Easy. Don't try to move, yet."
His doppelganger's voice was deep and oddly soothing. Yugi found himself instinctively obeying it. He let himself relax beneath the other's hands and was rewarded with a tiny smile and more of that wonderful voice.
"That's right, just lie still. You hit your head and were unconscious for a few seconds. I'm afraid you may have a concussion."
Well, that would explain the headache…and the disconcerting tendency of the surroundings to take swoops in perspective whenever he moved his head even the slightest bit. Yugi squinted blearily up at his duplicate.
"You…" Yugi had to stop and dredge up enough saliva to wet his lips before continuing slowly. "You're not…another me… Are you?"
A soft chuckle, amusement mingled with relief. "No. Though we do seem to have the same barber."
Without really meaning to, Yugi found that he had lifted one hand to touch the other's golden bangs, so like his own. They were damp from the rain and the strands clung to his fingertips like wet silk. He stared at them, strangely fascinated… The sound of the other's indrawn breath made him realize what he was doing, and Yugi quickly drew back his hand, a faint blush staining his cheeks. What had gotten into him? Maybe he had hit his head harder than he had realized.
"I think maybe I can sit up now," he said, avoiding his duplicate's gaze. A warm hand against his back helped ease him upright. Yugi's dismayed gaze fell on the scattered contents of his cart and he promptly forgot about his vertigo. "Oh, no! My games--"
"I'm sorry," his companion said, sounding as if he meant it. "I don't think…all of them are ruined."
"Ruined?!" Forgetting his injuries, Yugi scrambled up and limped over to his cart. Plastic game pieces and thin pasteboard playing cards were scattered everywhere on the wet street. The plastic would survive, but the cardboard was steadily soaking up the rain. Yugi's face fell. Ruined…
A hand came to rest gently on his shoulder, then was just as quickly withdrawn. "I'm sorry. I…I'll pay to replace them."
Yugi shook his head and sighed. "It was an accident. It's not your fault."
"It was, actually…"
Surprised by the guilt in the other's voice, Yugi looked up at him. The stranger's dark eyes were narrowed, his gaze turned inward. Without quite knowing why, Yugi felt his heart go out to him and shook off his own melancholy. "Okay, then. I forgive you."
The stranger stared at him. "…What?"
"If it's your fault…I forgive you." Yugi bent to retrieve a Capsule Monster figure that had managed to escape the crash with only minor scratches. He frowned at it briefly, then limped a few steps to pick up a soggy instruction pamphlet from one of the board games.
"You do?" The man sounded as if he hadn't expected it to be that easy. "Just like that?"
"Uh-huh." Yugi shrugged, then smiled. "Let me get this cleaned up, then I'll offer you a cup of hot tea. I live just up the street."
Beside him the stranger hesitated, then grabbed the plastic shoebox and began gathering game pieces to drop into it. Together, they worked in silence until they had cleared the street of debris. When they were done, Yugi brushed his dripping bangs out of his eyes and peered up at the taller man. "Thanks. You ready for that tea? I'm Yugi, by the way."
There was a long, frozen moment of silence. Then, "Yami."
For a second, Yugi was puzzled by the seeming non sequitur. Then he realized the stranger was telling him his name and he smiled. "Nice to meet you, Yami."
Yami frowned at him, as if trying to decide whether or not Yugi was being sincere. Finally, he nodded.
Yugi went to take the handlebars of the now righted pedal-cart, but Yami beat him to it. Yami had to fight a moment with the damaged cart to get it rolling--and even then it had a tendency to want to take off on its own, like a shopping cart with a bad wheel. Yami stopped when they came to his own bike, still laying on its side in a growing puddle of oil-slicked rainwater, and frowned down at it.
It had been a nice bike, flame red and yellow with gleaming chrome. It would need a new paint job and probably a lot of other repair work. Expensive repair work, Yugi thought, unintentionally mirroring his companion's frown. He risked a look at Yami just in time to catch Yami watching him. Both looked away, Yugi only too aware of the flush heating his cheeks.
"M-maybe it's not as bad as it looks…" he stammered, eying the crumpled motorcycle.
Yami's sigh was almost inaudible; Yugi was sure he wasn't meant to hear it. Yami kicked at the rear tire, seemingly lost in his own thoughts again. "I'm…sure it isn't."
Meaning it was, or worse. Yugi stared at his feet, only then becoming aware that he had lost a shoe. Distractedly, he looked around for it and found the battered toe of his sneaker sticking out of the stuff crammed into the wagon. He tugged the shoe out and put it back on. When he looked up, Yami was watching him, again. His expression was unreadable, but Yugi felt the heat rising in his face once more. What was wrong with him, today? He hadn't blushed this much since high school!
Through unspoken agreement, they dragged the motorcycle upright then wrestled it onto the cart. With Yami pushing the uncooperative and overloaded pedal-cart, Yugi led the way through the rain toward the Kame Game Shop. Overhead, the storm prepared to unleash its fury on Domino.
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Yugi was limping only slightly by the time they reached the alley between the Mutou's shop and the bakery on the other side. His vision had cleared some time ago, and his headache was a dull nagging presence, so he figured he didn't really have a concussion, after all. No doubt his guest was as anxious as he was to get out of this miserable cold and damp, and into a hot bath. Yugi chanced a peek at the other man -- and shivered as, unbidden, the image of that slender form, naked and enveloped in steam, rose up in his mind.
If his head hadn't already hurt so much, Yugi would have smacked himself in the forehead. What the heck was wrong with him? Had the crash knocked something loose in his brain? Or was it really just the other man's proximity that was doing these things to him? Not daring to glance back over his shoulder at Yami, Yugi swung the gate open and said with false brightness, "Come on, let's get out of this rain!"
Pushing the damaged cart, Yami trailed Yugi into the narrow alley between the shop and its neighbor. Weathered stucco walls rose on each side of them and their feet splashed through shallow puddles collected in the potholes. Despite the hour and the rain, there was just enough light to see by, provided by security lights set high on the walls. The lights illuminated chipped clay pots set here and there in cast iron holders mounted beneath them. Each pot had been clumsily, if optimistically, painted in vibrant colors and held a healthy-looking plant. One sported bright, fragrant blossoms on trailing vines; another was weighted down by plump fruits or vegetables. Yami, who had diligently avoided his mother's extensive gardens, had no idea which they might be.
Yugi turned to the left, where a wide doorway was recessed slightly into the thick adobe wall. The door looked large enough to accommodate the cart. Yugi shoved his thumb into the 'reader beside the doorway, then waited impatiently for it to verify his thumbprint. When the door hummed open, sliding along a track in the thick wall, he motioned for Yami to push the pedal-cart inside. "Don't worry. There's plenty of room for your bike, too."
Yami wheeled the cart into a dim garage space that smelled faintly of damp concrete and musty boxes. He hefted his bike down from its precarious position atop the dented wagon, then turned to find Yugi watching him with a faraway look in his eyes.
"I'll pay to have your cart fixed. Or I can replace it," he said, feeling guilty and defensive. The boy didn't seem to notice the abruptness of his tone. "The accident was my fault, even if you do forgive me."
"No...It's okay." Yugi shook himself, his cheerful smile returning. He scurried over to the door opposite the one they'd entered through and opened it, revealing a dingy hallway lit by a bare lightbulb, and a steep set of spiral stairs. "Come on inside. I'll fix us some hot tea and find you some dry clothes."
That sounded like a good idea, Yami decided, noting the faint flush coloring Yugi's rounded cheeks. He was probably coming down with a fever after being caught out in the rain, like that. Getting run over by an idiot motorcyclist without enough sense not to drink and drive probably hadn't improved his health any.
Shoving his hands in his pockets and trying not to look as guilty as he felt, Yami plodded up the stairs after Yugi.
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As Yugi bustled around the kitchen -- making tea and gathering packaged cookies, crackers, the last of a small round of hard cheddar and some fresh fruit for a light snack -- he was hyper-aware of the man in the other room. After their mishap, they were both soaked to the bone and in need of at least minor medical attention. Yugi had changed quickly, cleaned and bandaged his own scrapes, then turned the bathroom over to Yami. He pointed out the clean towels and placed the first aid kit within easy reach on the countertop next to the sink, then headed for the kitchen. Now, he put the finishing touches on the tray he had been preparing and, moving quietly on socked feet, carried the food into the living room.
He set the tray onto the coffee table, then looked around absently, his brow furrowing. He had the funniest feeling there was something he was forgetting.
At that moment, Yami stepped hesitantly into the room. Yugi looked up at him… and felt his mouth fall open. He went cold, then hot all over as it became very clear to him exactly what he had forgotten.
He had forgotten that Yami didn't have any dry clothes to change into.
Wearing nothing but a bath towel and a rather embarrassed smile, Yami stopped just inside the room. One hand was holding the towel in place around his waist, the other made a sheepish gesture. "Sorry, I…"
"No! It's okay!" Yugi practically tripped over his own feet getting across the room. As he sped down the short hallway, he called back over his shoulder, "Wait there. I'll just be a minute!"
He returned a few minutes later with a bundle of black cloth in his hands. He thrust the bundle at Yami, not daring to look the taller man in the eyes. "I found these -- I think they'll fit you."
When Yami hesitated, Yugi mumbled, "G-Gotta beat standing there in a towel. Right?"
A reluctant smile tipped the corner of Yami's mouth for just a moment.
"Can't argue with that," Yami said at last, and took the bundle. On closer inspection, it turned out to be a set of men's pajamas. A set obviously not belonging to Yugi, as the hem of the pajama pants would have fallen well past Yugi's feet and then some. He raised an eyebrow, looking up with a question in his eyes.
Yugi shrugged, trying to ignore the faint heat he could feel creeping up his neck and across his cheekbones. The explanation came out in a rush, words tumbling over themselves. "They were all I could find that I thought would fit. In case you didn't notice, you're taller than me and even taller than my grandpa and it's not like you'd want to wear something of my mom's, so..."
He took a deep breath and peered at Yami from underneath his still-damp bangs, suddenly shy again. "…They were my dad's."
For a long moment, Yami simply stared at the bundle in his hands, an unreadable expression on his face. Then he turned slowly. Yugi almost panicked, thinking he'd offended his handsome stranger, but Yami only said, "These are fine. Thank you," in a quiet voice and headed back down the hall to the bathroom to change.
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When Yami returned, now clad in the black pajamas, Yugi motioned for him to join Yugi on the sofa. Yugi poured the tea and distributed the food, and they ate in companionable silence for several minutes. Outside, the wind-driven rain continued to rattle the windows, but inside the home attached to the small game shop, all was warm and dry and cozy.
Finally, Yugi set his teacup back on the tray and edged a look at his unexpected guest. Yugi wasn't a complete social novice, but he had little experience with something like this and was at a bit of a loss as to how to proceed. He had dated a few times (okay, twice) in high school, but…Yugi's thoughts ground to a complete halt as he realized the direction they were headed. He mentally smacked himself in the forehead. Idiot! he thought derisively. You don't even know if he's interested in you!
"So…" Yami's voice startled Yugi, who jumped guiltily, nearly upsetting the tray when his knee smacked into its edge. They both made a grab for it and almost collided with one another. Yugi, finding his face inches from Yami's, suddenly forgot how to breathe.
"Sorry," Yami said, with a faint, awkward smile. He took the tray from Yugi's shaking hands and set it safely out of the way on the opposite end of the coffee table. "I seem to be doing that a lot since we met. Apologizing to you, I mean."
"You don't have to, you know," Yugi said, scooting back to a safer distance. He toyed with the gauze wrapped around his left hand. "I meant it when I said I forgave you."
Yami studied him for so long that Yugi felt his blush starting to heat up, again. Then Yami nodded, as if to himself, and said almost wonderingly, "I believe you."
"Well, now that that's out of the way…" Yugi hopped up from the sofa and collected the tray. "I'll just clear this away and put your clothes in the washer, then… We could play a game, if you'd like?"
For a second, Yami looked surprised. Then he smiled. The expression, though barely tugging at the corners of his mouth, was unexpectedly warm. "Sure, kiddo. You don't happen to play cards, by any chance?"
"Kiddo?" Yugi frowned. At twenty-one , he knew he looked -- and sometimes acted -- far younger than his years, but… "How old do you think I am, anyway?"
"Uh," Yami seemed taken aback by the question. Then, sounding as if he were being generous in his estimate, he guessed, "Thirteen? Fourteen?"
Oh, great. Yugi rolled his eyes. The first person he had been interested in -- in that way -- since Téa, and the guy thought he was a kid! He stalked toward the kitchen, not bothering to hide his displeasure. He dropped the dishes noisily into the dishwasher, turned… And almost ran smack into Yami, who was suddenly standing just behind him.
Yugi yelped and jumped back -- or tried to. His socks slid on the slick kitchen tiles and only Yami's quick reflexes saved him from a nasty fall. Yugi pressed a hand over his pounding heart and stared up at the other man. Carefully, Yami set him back on his feet, then stepped back, an unreadable expression making an inscrutable mask of his handsome features.
"T-Thanks," Yugi stammered a little breathlessly.
Yami started to speak, seemed to change his mind, and finally said, "What time are your parents due home?"
His parents--? Oh, right. Yami still thought he was a little kid. "I live here with my mom and my grandpa," he said. "Grandpa's away on business. He won't be back until late tomorrow. My mom's at work. It's her turn on night rotation at the hospital."
Yami raised his eyebrows. "They leave you here all alone?"
"Well, I am twenty-one," Yugi said, and enjoyed the look that momentarily widened Yami's dark eyes. "I think I can take care of myself for a few hours."
Yugi finally had to produce his ID chip to prove to Yami's satisfaction that he was, as he claimed to be, a legal adult. Containing a sample of the bearer's DNA, the chips were difficult to falsify. Yami, though skeptical at first, was forced to admit that Yugi most likely lacked the skills -- or the cash -- to fake the ID and therefore was, despite all visible evidence to the contrary, twenty-one.
"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence." Yugi grinned despite the words and gestured toward the shelves against the far wall of the living room. Apart from a scattering of books and pre-recorded vids, the shelves were crowded with an assortment of games. "So, what would you like to play?"
"It's your home," Yami said graciously. "Therefore, I defer to your choice."
Trying not to show his reaction to such a mannerly response, Yugi wandered over to the shelf unit and pretended to browse through the collection of games while he gathered his composure back together. He considered, and discarded, chess, Parcheesi, go, and a variety of other board games. Then his eye fell on a certain golden box and his decision was made. Lifting the box carefully from the shelf, he turned to Yami with a smile.
"Care to duel?" Yugi asked.
"Duel?" Yami's eyes darkened. Yugi thought he saw a flash of pain in their depths.
"Yeah. You know, Duel Monsters?"
Straightening his shoulders as if bracing himself for an ordeal, Yami nodded. "We can duel. It's been awhile since I last played, but I think I recall the basic rules."
Jeez, Yugi thought. You'd think I'd asked him to look at old family vacation vids from the way he's reacting. If he doesn't wanna play he can just say so.
Still, Yugi was thrilled at the idea of playing his favorite game with this intriguing man. He hadn't realized how strong the urge was to do something -- anything -- impressive in front of Yami. Suddenly he wanted to excel, to make Yami think him extraordinary at something. Honestly, his best bet to be noticed was playing his favorite game well -- but what did this impulse mean? Was this feeling a sort of hero-worship or could it be something more?
Pushing the confusing tangle of thoughts and emotions to one side, Yugi carried the box back to where Yami was sitting. Yugi knelt at one side of the coffee table and carefully removed the lid of the box where he kept his best dueling decks.
"Do you mind if I bring out the holo-mat? Mom doesn't like me to duel with it since some of the monsters scare her." Yugi rolled his eyes comically.
Yami laughed softly and some of his tension eased. One game of Duel Monsters, that's all he's asking. It's the least I can do after running the poor kid down. "No, I don't mind."
"Excellent!" Yugi shot him a quick smile, unfolded the cybercloth on the coffee table and switched it on.
"Duelists! You are about to play a game that has its origins in the deep past. Join your best efforts with the kings of old, who played this self-same game amongst the golden sands of Egypt!" a synthetic voice from the mat exclaimed.
"Uh..." Reddening slightly, Yugi hastily toggled the introduction switch to the 'off' position. Great. Now he thinks I'm a geek. "Sorry about that."
"Hmm. 'The sands of Egypt', huh? I wonder if there's any truth to that. Probably just something they added to make the game more appealing," Yami noted.
"Yeah," Yugi agreed aloud. Inside, he was cringing and thinking, Great, not just a geek but a naive target for clever marketing. Oh, yeah, Yugi. You're off to a terrific start here. Look at him -- he's impressed already.
Resisting the urge to drop his face in his hands, Yugi removed the decks from the box and sorted the cards into the proper piles. Then he stared at them and wondered which deck to give to Yami. Of course, they were both pretty evenly balanced, so it would be a fair match… That is, if Yami really knew how to play. He wondered if Yami was any good. False modesty aside, Yugi knew that he was a good player. He had won a few tournaments, including a planetwide competition sponsored by Industrial Illusion. In fact, he was pretty good at games in general, rarely losing any he played. Now, he just hoped the duel would be a fun distraction for the two of them and, maybe, lighten some of the shadows he could see lurking deep in Yami's eyes.
Yugi kept the cards of his favorite deck and handed the other deck to Yami. "Is this okay? It's a good deck, but if you'd rather make up one of your own, I have some extra cards in my room."
Yami felt the old urge to excel, ingrained in him practically since birth, well up in him. Looking over at the eager light in Yugi's extraordinary eyes, he reminded himself sternly that he wasn't playing against Seto. For once, he was free to relax and simply play. It was a novel experience for him, to contemplate enjoying a normal game of Duel Monsters without the perceived need to crush his opponent beneath his heel. Crush or be crushed… That pretty much summed up his relationship with his cousin. At first, it had been their fathers pushing them to out-achieve one another, but by now he and Seto carried on their rivalry without any outside prompting. Sometimes, he wondered if it were the only way they could react to one another, and the thought saddened him.
Yami found that he was grinding his teeth. He forced his thoughts away from his family and concentrated on the cards in his hands. As he thumbed through the thin plastic rectangles, he was relieved that there was no Dark Magician with accusing eyes to stare up at him from images on the cards. Having familiarized himself with the deck, he looked up to find Yugi watching him. There was a mixture of caution and anticipation in his posture and on his youthful features that was strangely endearing. Yami shook himself mentally. His thoughts were wandering in odd directions this evening. If he had needed more proof that going bar-hopping had been a bad idea, this was surely it.
"I'm ready," he said with a lightness he did not feel. Even as he spoke, he scrubbed the perspiring palm of his free hand against the leg of his borrowed pajamas. He flexed his fingers, chiding himself for the tension thrumming along his nerves. It was just a game. Just one game. And they were merely cards and holograms, not mecha. He could endure just one game.
"All right." Yugi nodded. He started to lean forward over the holo-mat, then paused as a new thought occurred to him. "Oh, what was the last expansion you recall playing? I don't want to have cards you don't have a chance to recognize in my deck."
Yami cast his mind back. His last game had been against Seto, of course. His perpetual challenger. The two of them had faced off in the finals of the Mars Station tournament just before his final battle. The battle that had ended in the loss of Jupiter Station and Anzu's life. His life was divided by that fact: before Jupiter Station and after. His hands clenched and the sharp edges of the cards dug into his flesh. He forced his fingers to loosen their too-tight grip before he warped Yugi's cards.
"This game is just for fun," he said finally, "so I don't mind if there are cards I don't know."
"O-okay," Yugi said slowly. He wondered what it was about a simple game of Duel Monsters that seemed to be bothering Yami so much. Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to suggest playing, after all. He opened his mouth to say as much, but Yami chose that moment to look up at him and smile. Dazzled, Yugi reached over and turned on the holo-mat's scorekeeping function.
"It's time to duel!" Yugi smiled up at Yami as he issued the traditional challenge. Yami's own smile widened just a bit and Yugi felt something inside him relax. Dueling was a good idea. He was sure of it. It would be fun. And it would give him a chance to spend some time getting to know Yami better. Yes, dueling was a very good idea.
"Celtic Guardian. Defense mode," the holo-mat intoned as Yugi played his first card. "One card, covered." Yugi tapped the control on his side of the mat. "End of turn."
A tiny Celtic Guardian, detailed as faithfully in the hologram as it was on the card, appeared in front of Yugi. In the space behind the Guardian, the back of one of the dueling cards showed where Yugi had placed the actual card on the trap square on the mat in front of him.
"By the way," Yugi said, "I set the game to basic, so you don't have to worry about tributing in order to summon higher level monsters." When he and his grandpa dueled, they played by advanced tournament rules; otherwise, it simply wasn't challenging for either of them. But Yami didn't seem all that familiar with the game, and Yugi had no desire to smash his opponent in only a few moves.
Yami nodded distractedly. His mind was on his cards, considering possible strategies. His gaming mind refused to go along with his conscious decision to simply play for fun. Silently, he laughed at himself. He had never before quite realized just how effective his father's indoctrinations had been. Am I really so competitive? he thought. Yugi isn't Seto -- not by a long shot. It wouldn't be a show of weakness to just… play. He wouldn't think any less of me. Would he?
"Big Shield Gardna. Defense mode -- one card cov-- two cards cover-- end of turn." The holo-mat could barely keep up as Yami played three cards in quick succession and toggled the end of turn control. Big Shield Gardna, cowering behind his shield, appeared on Yami's side of the mat. His back row showed that two facedown cards were ready to be activated on his side of the field.
Yugi blinked at him. A familiar rush of adrenaline uncurled in his gut. Could it be? Was this mysterious guy actually a good duelist, too? Yugi didn't recall making any wishes on anything lately, but Yami was certainly starting to appear to him as if he were Yugi's unspoken wish come true.
"So, Yami, where were you off to in such a hurry that you run people over in the rain?" Yugi asked lightly as he played his next card. He immediately regretted the question, as Yami's eyes became guarded once more.
"No, no. I didn't mean it like that! Idiot, I'm an idiot. I was just trying to make small talk..." Yugi rushed to explain as he drew a card and started his turn.
"No, don't apologize." Yami sighed. " I'm the idiot. I don't know what I was thinking, doing something so stupid." He stared blinding down at the holo-mat. In a murmur meant more for himself than Yugi's ears, he admitted, "I wasn't trying to get to anything. I was just trying to get away…"
To cover up his own discomfort, Yugi played his cards before really thinking it through. Fortunately, his instincts were good. Unfortunately, they might be too good.
"Shield and Sword. Effect. Big Shield Gardna switches to attack for the rest of turn. Celtic Guardian attacks Big Shield Gardna. Big Shield Gardna destroyed. End of turn."
On the field Yami's Big Shield Gardna stood up, abandoning the safety of his shield just in time to take the sword thrust of Yugi's Celtic Guardian through his unprotected gut. Gardna fell over and dispersed in a cloud of pixels, indicating the defeat of the card.
Yami's heads-up display on the dueling field mat showed the loss of life-points. He glanced up through his bangs at Yugi. "Well, that was sneaky. Effective, but sneaky. Aren't you just full of surprises?"
Yugi listened to the velvet purr of Yami's voice, pleased to have made him notice him. It occurred to him that courtship was a game, too. The thought froze him. He had never been interested in guys -- or girls, really, beyond what he now saw were rather innocent flirtations. So why was he having all these thoughts and feelings about someone he had just met, and another man at that? It was all so confusing… He shook himself from his reverie in time to realize he'd left himself open to attack. He'd forgotten to back up his Celtic Guardian with another monster card, and he'd forgotten to play another covered card, too.
"Sorcerer of the Doomed. Attack mode. Attacks Celtic Guardian. Celtic Guardian destroyed -- one card co-- two cards cover-- end of turn."
Although Yami was playing too fast for the mat to articulate his moves, the holofield faithfully showed the attack. The skulls and doomed faces that made up the body of the Sorcerer of the Doomed flowed out, grabbed the Celtic Guardian within their ectoplasmic embrace, and dragged the elven warrior to join them. The Celtic Guardian's face, twisted in agony, appeared as the new shoulder-plate of the Sorcerer's gruesome, spectral armor.
Well, that could have been much worse, Yugi thought, then grimaced. But I'd better pay attention if I don't want to look like some sort of star-struck kid.
His covered card, a trap card, required that he sacrifice two monsters to use it and he had none. Useless, for now. Yami's side of the field startled him. Only one active monster card, true, but four covered cards. One of the covered cards was another monster, so three of them were traps or magic cards. Yugi decided he had better set some defenses of his own, rather than going after Yami's monster.
"Giant Stone Soldier. Defense mode. One card covered. Two cards covered. End of turn."
Eyes narrowing slightly, Yami considered his opponent. Yugi hadn't gone after his sorcerer. Either Yugi didn't have a card strong enough, or he was setting up a strategy that reached more than one turn into the future. For the first time, it occurred to Yami that Yugi actually was the twenty-one years of age he claimed to be. Better to not underestimate him.
"Curse of Dragon. Attack mode. End of turn."
Wondering why Yami hadn't attacked, Yugi glanced up, trying to somehow read his opponent's mind so he could understand Yami's actions. He didn't think Yami was afraid of his facedown cards... So what could it be? Not pity, he hoped. He couldn't bear it if Yami were pitying him. Wait... He felt a little flare of hope. Could it be he doesn't want this duel to be over so soon? I know I don't.
"Monster card, face down. Defense mode. One card covered. End of turn."
Yami drew his card thoughtfully, then toggled his commands.
"Summoned Skull. Attack mode. Curse of Dragon attacks Giant Stone Soldier. Magic card Chorus of Sanctuary activates on defending side. Curse of Dragon defeated."
On the holofield, the Curse of Dragon screamed as it dove into a power-dive to attack the Soldier. A sudden chorus of small cherubs made the Stone Soldier flex his biceps defensively and the Dragon bounced off to crash into the ground and disperse. Yami paused in his turn to blink at the board in confusion. He had expected his Curse of Dragon to take out Yugi's defensive monster, not be defeated by it. He narrowed his eyes and regarded his hand again.
"Sorcerer of the Doomed switched to defensive mode. End of turn."
That will teach me to duel so recklessly. Yugi isn't Seto, so I don't know what his strengths and weaknesses are, he reminded himself. He smiled, contemplating what it would be like if he had the luxury to explore Yugi's strengths and weaknesses at greater length. He suspected the kid...no, the young man, possessed strengths that most people didn't give him enough credit for.
Yugi breathed deep. He knew he should probably try to take it easy on Yami, since Yami admitted he hadn't played in a while, but Yugi didn't think Yami would appreciate it if he knew Yugi had been holding back.
"Neo the Magic Swordsman. Attack mode. Hidden monster card revealed. Stern Mystic's special ability reveals all face-down cards."
Yugi was delighted to see a mild look of shocked confusion wash through Yami's eyes as Yami's facedown cards flipped up.
Wall of Illusion? Good thing I didn't attack that, since Sanctuary is in effect! Yugi thought. Fissure, Reinforcements and Last Will? Sheesh. I guess Yami's not holding back, either. He really is good.
Yugi's got Two-Pronged Attack and Sword of Deep Seated hidden away on his side. I'd say he's pretty good, but doesn't have the heart--or lack of one-- to be as bloodthirsty as Seto, Yami noted, blithely ignoring the fact that he was at least as ruthless as Seto when it came to destroying all challengers. It was the only reason he consistently beat Seto in their never-ending competitions. Once again, he was forced to remind himself that this game was just for fun. You're not playing against Seto! Cut your afterburners and zone a little for once in your life.
For his part, Yugi was thrilled. Apart from his Grandpa, it was hard for Yugi to find a decent opponent. His own skill at games, natural talent honed by a childhood spent in mostly solitary play, far surpassed those of most of the people in Yugi's life. He couldn't remember the last time he had enjoyed dueling as much as this. Time for phase two. This'll make him notice me!
Yami's Summoned Skull suddenly trudged over to Yugi's side of the board. "Magic card, Change of Heart. Summoned Skull acquired for one turn." Yami blinked at his monster's defection. The holo-monster then turned, and trudged back to attack Yami's defending Sorcerer, picking the screaming mage up over his head and breaking the Sorcerer's back across its bended, skeletal knee. "Summoned Skull attacks Sorcerer of the Doomed. Sorcerer defeated."
Oh-ho. Little Yugi likes it rough, eh?"One card covered. End of turn."
"Right," Yami said as he drew his card. If this were a duel with Seto, he'd start making admittedly pointed, biting comments both to discharge his irritation and to rattle his cousin. But one look at Yugi's face and the impulse died. Teasing was one thing, but to deliberately set out to hurt someone as kind as Yugi would make Yami feel like a true heel.
"Magic card De-Spell played on Chorus of Sanctuary. Chorus removed from play." The little cherubs stopped their singing, smiled beatifically, flew straight up and disappeared.
"Magic card Fissure activated. Giant Stone Soldier defeated." A giant crack ripped across the field from Yami's side and opened up under the Stone Soldier. This card monster didn't scream in its defeat, instead a crashing, crumbling sound echoed up the walls of the fissure.
"Gaia the Fierce Knight. Attack mode. Gaia attacks Neo the Mystic Swordsman. Neo defeated." The holo-knight on the warhorse saluted the swordsman on Yugi's side of the field with his lance. Then he dropped his visor, took aim, charged and ran Neo through. Neo dispersed as the holomat dutifully subtracted life points from Yugi's total.
"Summoned Skull attacks the Stern Mystic. Stern Mystic defeated." This time the skeletal monster didn't crack the spine of its target, instead it balled its two fists together and smashed the resulting self-club down upon the mystic's head. The pixilated effect showed the Stern Mystic's defeat. Yugi's life points dropped again. "End of turn."
Yugi eyed the smoking ruins of his side of the field. Facing Gaia the Fierce Knight and Summoned Skull at the same time was a daunting thought indeed. He held only one card that could survive the punishment those two cards could dish out. He held that one card in his hand -- actually, had been holding it since the beginning of the duel.
I guess I was holding him back until he could really shine, Yugi told himself and placed his cards on the field.
"Magic card Ground Collapse played. Monster areas three and five destroyed," the synthesized voice of the holo-mat announced.
Yami glared down as two of the five areas he was permitted to place monsters on darkened.
"Dark Magician. Attack mode."
The rest of the holo-mat's words were lost in the sudden roaring noise buffeting Yami's ears. No, the buffeting was inside of him, shoving rational thought into freefall. His eyes were drawn down to the holo-field as a familiar -- painfully familiar -- form took shape. The armor was exactly the same shade of purple. The almost smirking expression on the tiny face was exactly the same as the giant one that had regarded him from the bay the one time he'd gone to see his mech since Anzu had died. The tiny eyes blazed the same accusation.
Why did you let Anzu die?A hoarse, strangled shout split the air. Yami, unaware that it came from his own throat, did not even recognize it as his own voice. The tiny eyes blazed up at him -- accusing, damning, cursing him.
He jumped backward from the malevolence of the Dark Magician's eyes. Fittingly, the holograms sputtered and died. Only then did Yami realize he had disrupted the mat by kicking the table. He stood in the center of the living room and dragged air into his lungs in painful, rasping gasps. Cold sweat poured from him, leaving him sick and weak. He felt as though he had just awoken from a nightmare. Only Yugi's shocked, concerned expression that told him this was no nightmare. No, what he had just experienced was all too real.
"His eyes. His eyes," Yami moaned, clutching desperately at his temples. He staggered back another step, trying without success to escape the accusations pounding in his skull. Unnoticed by either duelist, lightning briefly shattered the darkness outside the windows. Inside the room, the shadows writhed in tune with Yami's torment.
Yugi had never seen anything like it. Yami had been playing with him, beating him actually, and the banter and glances between them were friendly and ... ordinary. Then, all of a sudden, Yami shouted out and jumped up, kicking the table, forfeiting the game by disrupting the holo-field. More alarmingly, he had begun behaving like a raving lunatic. Yami looked as though he'd not only seen a ghost, but had been forced to visit a waiting room of hell in its company.
Yugi did the only thing he could. He jumped up, ran to Yami, opened his arms and pulled the trembling man down into a hug. Yami tensed at the contact, then slowly -- as if he feared letting himself trust the offer of comfort -- he relaxed against the smaller man and let Yugi hold him. After a moment, Yami pulled back. His eyes were clouded, but the hysteria had quieted. Only then did the full impact of what he had instinctively done hit Yugi, and he flushed.
"Um," Yugi said, biting his lip. "Are… are you okay?"
Yami nodded. He offered no explanation for his strange behavior and Yugi thought it best not to ask. They stood awkwardly in the center of the living room, avoiding one another's gazes, each wondering what they should do now.
Yami watched Yugi dig his socked toes into the carpet and berated himself for his lack of control. No doubt Yugi thought he had taken a lunatic into his home, now. Yami wiped a hand over his face, only then realizing that his cheeks were wet with unnoticed tears. He murmured something about going to freshen up and nearly ran to the bathroom down the hall.
Alone, he stared at himself in the mirror over the bathroom sink. Haunted eyes gazed back at him from an ashen face streaked with cold sweat and tear tracks. Oh, Seto, if you could see me now… A faint, bitter smile touched his mouth at the thought. He was willing to bet Seto would forfeit his considerable inheritance for that privilege. Shaking his head at his own thoughts, Yami washed his face, frowned once more at his reflection, then straightened his shoulders and headed back to his waiting host.
Yami returned to the living room to find Yugi struggling with the pull-out sofa bed. He hurried over and lent a hand. Soon, they had wrestled the bed into submission and Yugi, panting a bit as he tried to catch his breath, sank down gratefully onto the edge of the mattress. He grinned at Yami, then looked down, patting the lumpy mattress with one hand.
"I hope you don't mind? It's really pretty comfortable..." As if to prove it, he bounced once, causing the ancient springs to squeak rustily in protest.
"No, it's fine." They fell silent again as their gazes met. Yami found his voice dropping almost to a whisper as he softly added, "Thank you."
They both knew he meant for more than the loan of a pair of pajamas and a place to sleep off his ill-advised drinking spree.
In an equally soft voice, Yugi said, "You're welcome."
--------------------
It was only as he was turning off the lights and preparing to retire to his own bed that Yugi realized he had forgotten to put Yami's clothing into the washer. He trotted back into the kitchen, where he had left the shirt and jeans tossed over the back of one of the dinette chairs. When he lifted the shirt, something slid from the pocket and landed with a faint clunk on the table. Curious, Yugi picked the object up. It looked like a lapel pin of some kind, a modeling in exquisite miniature of the Dark Magician's face and helmet. He stared at it, wondering why Yami would have such a thing when it was clear that this particular duel monster affected him in a powerful but negative way. Shaking his head in confusion, Yugi placed the pin back on the table. If Yami wanted him to know, he would tell him.
It occurred to Yugi that he should make certain there was nothing else in Yami's pockets that might become damaged in the washer or dryer. He pulled out a thin case of what looked like real leather. In one corner, the tiny initials 'YK' were discreetly stamped in gold. Yugi stared at it. Was Yami rich? The Mutou's weren't poor, but even his Grandpa couldn't have afforded something like that. From the same pocket, he retrieved the crushed remains of a personal phone. Staring at the bits of shattered plastic and wiring, he realized the phone had probably gotten broken in the accident.
The rest of the pockets yielded up only lint and a few scraps of crumpled paper. One of the pieces of paper was slightly thicker than the others and when Yugi smoothed it out, he realized it wasn't paper at all, but the thin, flexible plastic of a photograph.
"What are you doing?" Yami's voice was harsh, almost threatening, and for the first time it occurred to Yugi that taking a complete stranger into his home for the night might not have been the best idea he had ever had.
"I-I'm sorry," Yugi stammered, dropping the photo onto the table and falling back a step in the face of Yami's wrath. He had never known anyone who could move as silently as Yami seemed to. "I was just going to put these in the washer and I-- I didn't want your things to get ruined, so I--"
Yami halted in mid-step. His expression was a frozen mask, but slowly his hands unclenched and the taut line of his body relaxed a bit. "Of course." He shook his head, a look of self-disgust flickering in his eyes. "I'm sorry I overreacted."
As Yugi watched, Yami looked down at the things on the table. He reached out and traced the tip of one finger along the lines of the Dark Magician pin, then plucked it and the photo from the pile. Yugi caught a glimpse of a woman's face before Yami's hand covered the photo. Noting the trembling of Yami's hand as he gripped the picture and the grief shadowing his eyes, Yugi said softly, "She's very beautiful. Who is she?"
That expressionless mask settled again over Yami's features, hardening them and making him look far older than his twenty-five years. "No one."
If Yugi was shocked by the sudden coldness in the other's voice, he didn't allow it to show. "Sit down," he said, instead. "I'll make some more tea. I…I think we could both use a cup."
Absorbed in his own thoughts, Yami didn't answer. But he did as he was told, sliding into the chair that still held his tattered jeans. Yugi gathered them and the shirt up and tossed them into the washer before setting about making the tea.
A few minutes later, Yugi set the cup of tea on the table. "Here, drink this. It's real chamomile, all the way from Earth. It'll warm you up." And calm you down.
Slowly, Yami seemed to retreat from his thoughts, turning his attention back to the world around him. He reached out a hand toward the cup and curled his fingers around the soothing warmth. "...Thanks."
Yugi held his breath as Yami's fingertips brushed against his on the cup. Reluctantly, Yugi pulled his hand away and stood watching as Yami sipped at the hot tea. Steam curled into Yami's face, bringing a faint flush of color to high cheekbones and making him close his eyes. He had, Yugi noticed, heavy, dark eyelashes that made it almost seem as if someone had outlined his eyes in kohl… Then Yugi realized he was staring --again-- and forced himself to turn away to fix his own cup of tea.
The two of them sat in silence for a while, each lost in his own thoughts. Outside, the storm slowly played itself out.