Yu-Gi-Oh! is owned by Kazuki Takahashi
The rain fell. The sound caused by the shock against the windows and the ground was thunderous, pounding hard. It was furious. However, he did not care while seeing the reflection he so hated disappear with water ripples face of which he was. He held her tightly, trying to retain heat while waiting —he waited uselessly— for the rain ended and the reflection back to admire some significant change.
He didn't succeed. He stood by, at least, about twenty-five minutes there until the arrival of someone with an umbrella with which he saved from the rain. The sudden change in temperature made him look up and see the person who craved avoid at all costs, soaking up the point of being like him. His spiky hair, like a star, fallen by the weight gained with water, caring becoming less things.
A small smile escaped from his lips.
"You should take cover yourself, is your umbrella" he said, approaching him. Both had the same height if the shoes were removed and planted on a surface firm enough. The difference then was the boots, boots that made his partner taller than him. "Mr. King."
Laughter emerged on the other without taking the device with which he covered him. He didn't care at all that sort of thing. What others said or thought... it overlooked in his mind as things were so quiet. Nothing mattered.
"It's a mere title. It doesn't remove where I was born or who are my parents, right?" he asked with a hint of innocence. As if those words calmed down completely his heart. It didn't do, it rattled, it tired his heart. He had managed to escape from the slums, but only complicated things. Being who he was, what he was, not sympathize with anyone, not to be taken seriously... really cost.
Hence his decision to stay in the place where his reflection was as clear as the water for those quiet days. He looked at the white skin of his partner, tousled inside. There the differences began. For all —it was very obvious notice— it was easy to accept anyone with white skin, was the ideal, perfect. He, however, had the skin of a terracotta tone. Moreno, the skin of someone abroad. Pointing fingers to him and too often accused of being an illegal bastard in their beautiful city. He saved by nothing thanks to his striking resemblance to the Mr. King.
Once clarified things, was given an identification as a citizen more, in the words of the subject in charge of the city. What grace caused him all this, be one more to the point of having to load all sides by his different skin.
"Come on, Yugi" he called him out of these pessimistic thoughts. He took his hand, cold by the icy environment in which they were, safe from the inquisitive eyes of any commonly citizen. "Come on, go home.".
Bowed down, he nodded to march against the wind, soaking them more than they already were. They could not help but laugh at themselves for being trapped in such an event of nature, one lying minutes ran all the existing population —rich and poor—. Jokes here and grunts there, came to the white-skinned vehicle, up hastily.
Yami sulked a bit to think what tedious it would be dry and avoid the smell afterwards. Yugi put his seat belt as they started the march toward home. A house, an ordinary for many, including himself to feel so out of place with his skin color terracotta. He thanked the couple he hated it. He didn't like startle, be pointed in a world guarded by fair-skinned people like his... Partner. As his friends. All of them, despite the hard work involved, won them to be him and not skin who speak them. Too much time spent to be accepted without prejudice by different skin tone. He wanted them differently to his partner, but they meant almost everything.
Passing through the bridge he looked out the window, watching the poor souls locked up under the roof of poorly equipped homes with its scarce resources. All with terracotta colored skin, like him.
What had managed to bring to that world? He remembered it as if it happened minutes before: defeat Yami. His current partner. Yami was placed as King of the world of that little town called Heartland, long time ago. Both have almost nineteen years old and white skin had gotten a really young age: ten years. A promising young age, taking it to the top as a prodigy duelist to beat many opponents with more than twice his age in experience. Yugi remembered that defeat was not at all easy and required a technique and luck, much of the latter.
One draw decided the future of duel. He remembered that his show was great. Many years of growing up admiring him got an incredible result, his only problem was entering such a big event. He qualificated, but his skin would betray him so, convincing the hard way guards and judges, allowing them to be reviewed thoroughly with the sole purpose of not doing some trap, he put on a suit that covered almost everything except his eyes. He spoke as necessary until the time of final draw.
Treasure of Heaven. His Silent Magician, a monster jeered when it appearance, reached level six and with it, its attack power increased to four thousand points. The intensity of the last minutes of the last draw of his opponent to summon a monster so high level was enough to generate anger in the masses that watched their game. Heartland couldn't help feeling a strange remorse, confusion. Who would emerge victorious at the last turn?
Despite the efforts of King, his Black Magician —the ace monster, his favorite monster, the monster that drove crazy the world— was defeated and, as a result, the victory was in Yugi's hand. The attack couldn't be stopped with no monster, even lowering its attack power. What it was the 2800 of Black Magician against its imposing four thousand points? He fell and lost. And he rose and removed the mask with which desperately sought to hide his skin terracotta in a duel like that.
Since that day... everything went a bit confusing. He couldn't remember the next few hours or days. Only weeks later, living in the same roof as the old King of Duels. At that time, there, many doubted his real capacity, why hide? Would he cheat? Had he seen the deck of his opponent? Thousands of news jumped with such gossip, heralding his expulsion from their streets, hating him for his skin.
Then calm after an unofficial second duel.
"We're here, Yugi" Yami whispered beside him, removing him from his memories. He blinked, looking straight ahead. A house unprepossessing, till simply to tell in his mind if he continues thinking about Yami as superior and proud, even idiot. No, it was someone else. Very human for his taste.
Clueless, always low guard, yes, he was proud, but in a different sense which thought in a first moment. He listened, the rain didn't stop under any context. Perhaps he had even begun to show stronger than it was before or just the feeling of comfort he had created in his world of memories, besides having a white skin boy that he hugged him trying to imbue the lost heat. Maybe it had something to do this last thing. He looked at all sides, to watch for anything before turning and kissing him. What could he say in his defense? He loved Yami but those relationships —the boy terracotta skin and girl white skin— were prohibited. No added that both were males!
His heart beat too hard on his chest, remembering the afternoon in which his Partner confessed to him. That relationship prohibited and frowned upon in the eyes of anyone, was being hidden with everything. They slip like that, anyone could see them from a window, however, at that time, who would see? Remote possibility someone escape from the warmth of their homes, remote an officer strolled to be placed in the Yami's windows or his.
"Stop thinking about the color of your skin, if that's what you're using as a barrier" murmured the boy who picked him, stroking his cheek with his fingertips. "Jonouichi, Anzu and Honda completely ignore that and accept you because you earned them with your personality" he continued, turning away a little to give a small box in his hands, pretty sure their actions even when a wave of shyness wanted to hit. "I hope you like it."
Yami gave him with both his hands and bowed his head slightly, being imitated by Yugi upon receipt. He was curious to know what would be the gift inside the box with a very encouraging gold over color. Distracted, he was taken by clothing and brought back to the opposite mouth where he alarmed when Yami began going over the line. Agitated, separated, feeling more embarrassed than ever. Yami wanted to play?
He looked at the window, looking for some relief from his escape. The boy with white skin laughed a little through his act, carried away looking out the vehicle after exposure that way. Yugi cared the gift, too appreciating the envelope and ran up to the door of his home shared with the King.
Oh, he thought as the memories returned to his head. Yugi was not the King, at no time would be again after that no official duel. He was defeated by Yami —with traps, it had been hatched by both to leave things calm—. Despite the meetings, Yugi stayed at the top for having, officially, defeat Yami and though regained his title, for many it was shared. Both were the King. Kings of Heartland within duels. Beyond that, they were not absolutely nobody except a lower by his black skin and too sweet boy to allow the existence of someone so nasty at home.
If they knew the truth, he was sure that both would be viewed with disgust. A deep disgust.
Yami opened the door and entered, removing his shoes right there, something mimicked by Yugi while both were to their own rooms in search of some privacy, plus a bath with water at forty-three degrees, that would allow them relax in an almost unique way. He closed the door, walking with that goal in mind, in addition to discovering what locked that little box. He went up a short flight of stairs to reach his room and leave the small box on the nightstand that was there. He went to his closet and chose his clothes, comfortable, and would not come out, besides not having any case it.
He chose a dark pants and a long sleeve shirt comfortable to spend the day at home. After a long period of time with his preparations, he was ready to take off so upset bathing and clothes soaked by rain. The question of what would have gone through his head at that time was, to the extent not care about anything except see a new skin tone to him. He hated sometimes terracotta color.
Yami stared at the ceiling for a long time during the night, wondering if he was doing the right thing. Everyone had the slightest suspicion that there was something between them, something dark and perverted even. Something noteworthy and see reproachfully, almost as if the King decides naked display at all. He couldn't help it.
He was in love. In love with a boy, yes, he loves with an inferior to him by his skin tone. He couldn't say the words, got stuck in his throat but by intense shame. For more confident than he was of himself, be confident enough to make moves, outside of duels, he was nothing outstanding. Distracted in almost everything, caught off guard on countless occasions. Complex express those feelings so deep. It got stuck by these sudden shock of no confidence.
He licked his lips a little, thinking of the possibilities. How difficult it would be open to the world. Make a strong voice. Gay couples were almost killed daily by the lack of tolerance. Ironic name had his city: Heartland.
Heartland.
Gay couples hunted every day and exposed. The ways to do varied a lot, then were heterosexual couples between a person with skin terracotta like Yugi's and white like he's possessed. These ... he was not even able to imagine the ridicule and fear they suffered when exposed in a cruel way. No torture reserved for homosexuals, the one reserved for the races.
He lowered his hand to his lips, touching them with a fingertip. He remembered the warmth of the kiss, feeling stifled. He wanted to expose themselves in a different way, be seen as a heterosexual couple with white skin. Dating as such, beyond those outputs which manifested a small strike. Outputs frustrated by the skin of Yugi. Were they not able to see who he was? If Yugi had the same skin like everyone in Heartland, he would be... a hero. A wonderful human, someone worth walking through clean streets such as Heartland, otherwise their reality.
He was so angry. Enough to start shouting in defense of him, making a scandal, which he hated. He hated much to the corrupt form of city government. More he was angry to be part of it and do nothing. Stay locked in his own house to have a true moment of peace with Yugi, his boyfriend. Friends for the day and outside the home, couple within those walls did not exist as a being apart from them.
Neither Honda nor Anzu nor Jonouichi wouldn't understand the intensity of his feelings. Of their feelings. Which was depressing. They never had fallen in love?
He brought his arm to his face, covering his eyes with this, he carried away by some little more placid memories. The day he met him came to mind. He swallowed while all those memories became. Smart covered to not be branded by his skin color. It was fearless. Able to enter the same heart of the duelists, be able to qualify from the start and reach the final.
Meet him was almost a turnaround —the way of duel, his strategies, managed to defeat the Gods and the Black Magician with Black Magician Girl, nobody had put him in this predicament—, a direct shoot to his duelist sense. Fight not by greed —win meant to obtain the title of King and a lot of money able to start changing the course of dark skin— but by a desire to confront him face to face, a fair duel, where his skills were exploited to the fullest. He had the ability to do something that no one could so far: giving a challenge, provoke self-improvement and even lose it.
He saved him when he removed his mask as revealing strange dark skin —Yami was born poor, but he maximized thanks to his white skin, he had grown-up with children of white skin, a sector away from the remaining society—. A fear got hold of those huge amethyst eyes, almost trying to escape at the mere revelation of his skin. Yugi was when he grabbed one of his arms, rising it to declare the winner.
He came from his own world so what really mattered to their physical appearance? It was a bold and clean player, only his tramp card meant something in a game. In real life, it was impossible to hide cards to ensure victory, their very clothes, tight sleeves, prevented it. How easy it was to forget your own origin when the skin was involved.
"Hey" he was called. He lowered his arm, noticing Yugi who was more cheerful. More comfortable. He smiled at his boyfriend's face, leaving space in the bed to accommodate.
Too close, he thought. How it was supposed to get used to the presence of Yugi in his life if he continued acting so silly at his side? Yugi seemed not to notice it, he just sat there, watching him. His brown skin highlighting much against the pallor of his own body. He liked that. Yugi smelled a little burnt sugar. His clothes, a difficult outfit to find on their own because of the limitations imposed by that world, was very incredible and it made his boyfriend very attractive to his eyes. Well, Yugi always was attractive to Yami.
Something like Yugi Moto, a boy with an adorable face but an amazing personality and... and attractive to imagine when you are fallen in love.
Pathetic if he told that aloud. Laughs of Jonouichi and Honda came to his mind and couldn't avoid a blush. A little, by luck.
Oh, dear Heartland.
Beauties sees, beauties ignores.
You see injustice and do nothing to remedy.
Dear Heartland,
the city of despair and inequality.
"Thanks" whispered, as if it were a secret. He confused. Yami looked at him with pleading inscribed in his slanted eyes. Yugi smiled. "Being different from others."
He smiled as he approached Yugi's face, kissing his cheek.
"No need to thank me. Yugi, I'm no different from you for my skin."
Because we are equals, or something like that I'd say if I didn't love you.
I think.
He looked ahead at the time, waking from sleep. Beside him Yugi was no longer with his terracotta-colored skin. He was not at home, in an area not for the rich, all Heartland had been destroyed long ago that was surprised things have the vague hope of awakening from a dream again and have the city that lost in an attack without precedents. There wasn't even a real reason to end Heartland, a city created to ease the pain of the poor hearts. He looked forward, complaining. His body was not ready for that.
What woke him of the placid course of his dreams —where he knew he would have a long talk with his boyfriend on trivial issues— was the pain. Intense, sharp, as a whip and falling several meters into the ground. His whole body was bathed in red pain, his eyelids as made clear. He stifled a groan by physical suffering. And emotional.
His partner couldn't say he was in the same conditions. He was dead, he had loaded at the time of his death... he had felt him die while he begging him to shut up and let him get safely —safe, where Jonouchi and others were waiting them both, triumphant, an entry where the hearts of many would be alleviated to see the couple of friends—. Yami felt his body almost crushed and badly glued. Yami felt like a toy, those to which children play to break it and then cry for the repaired or replaced. And again. Again and again, was wounded in his side, one of his legs had been crossed during the exhaust that killed Yugi.
His head spinning, he was dizzy. He looked at the cards in front of his small table. Silent Magician lay between them, dyed red in the opposite corner to where they were printed their attack power and defense. Other card had joined it, also dyed red, and his strategy changed as well. No longer was only defend and attack with finesse. He was willing to have the soul in a Berserker state. The total loss where such physical pain didn't affect him at all.
Cheek swelling had gone down from where the blond friend of his partner hit hard, throwing him several meters away, hitting in several places while his body howled in pain, begging for mercy while some wounds throbbed.
He found his reflection in a point, analyzing what finished he was. The skin had always been white only... only it was now ghostly. His veins were drawn with such intensity that almost believed the fact of being dead and to be a wandering soul. Almost. The face was uneven, a swollen side thanks to the hit, the other was scuted where he falling and crawling. Split lip, dry and slightly swollen thanks to the various blows against the ground as he carried Yugi and lack of fluids in those days. His gaze lost, like that of a dead, caused him certain emotions. How would he feel if he could see him in that moment?
Dead. What good was that definition. The chances of leaving it a night were remote. Fever, a cold demon, injuring several spread throughout the body. There wasn't some logic to such a deplorable state. Underweight, lacking a real appetite. Just he had taken a thorough study of the cause of death of Yugi. Even if they managed to reach that place, he hadn't live, internal bleeding ended him and it was only a matter of time. Suffer or stop suffering.
Live-dead. That was the world. A moment was alive, loving him for a second, the next he was dead with a tender smile on his face, as if he only asleep. He wiped his face, tired of the tears that no longer would come out more. Yugi was buried, the only dark-skinned boy which was given a proper burial. One similar to whites. The closest thing in these times, where almost all the inhabitants of Heartland were dead. Most of them, people like Yugi: poor, terracotta color skin or darker. No one would see them. Who mourned the dead of a race that continually despised?
Just Yami, who was in love.
He pushed things, enough to sit at the edge of the bed. His whole body complained, especially the legs, which no longer walked for a long time. Three weeks or more? He was not aware of the time, only he did, supporting his little weight on a weak legs. He used his hands to keep from falling, not to yield to the force of gravity and advanced wanting out of that stifling room painted white.
He was furious, lost in a gale of self-hatred, frustration, anger. Anger, more anger and hatred, more hatred. He felt so helpless, so lost. He needed Yugi, comforting him, a simple "you can" was enough. A word or see him, see him as he was dropped by his hands as he no longer held the weight and collapsed, protecting a rotting corpse.
He came to the door, which opened with a destination in mind. Yami had to say goodbye to Yugi, didn't care to tempt fate, already wearied that fate so unfair. He was a pauper hopefully, his skills as a duelist enough to be exploited him against his will. Nobody came on the heels and yet ...
And yet there was someone able to stand and say enough is enough. He must come just for that and then what would he do? Maybe find solace in revenge of all, starting, of course, with the woman who snatched Yugi when he was trying to save Yami. He didn't get beyond three steps out of the room when Honda and Anzu got back him to his room. It looked in his face the enormous amount of effort. He grunted, trying to intimidate them to take the step. Long ago —while he was healthy— it would have worked. He was almost dead, his body needed huge hours to recover and not being fulfilled. He should sleep, needed to sleep, not going to do crazy things. Yami didn't want to sleep again.
Not if memories, sweets, went against him and reminded him of the nightmares. He had nightmares before, nightmares that only wind chimes managed to appease. He gave fight before being injected, causing more anger at the actions of Yugi's friends. They were not able to see what reluctant he felt? Or fear installed in his own heart?
What is your verdict? I'm so nervous. Usually, I have a lot of things to say but right now, my nerves are killing me (not literally).
So... it has future?
