Hey minna-san….
Sorry for the long wait! I have a REAL legitimate excuse this time—I was at camp in the middle of nowhere learning Japanese for a month. And we didn't get internet access, or even really computer access. So it made it difficult to write. Not to mention that we crammed a year of high school Japanese into four weeks, so I didn't have much free time. But I recommend it. It's a lot of fun.
In any case, same warnings/disclaimer as usual…and let's begin! Yay! I have ideas today!
Oh, and Hinata-chan, if you're reading this….arigato gozaimasu for your inspiration in the little mind-conversation part! Though I doubt you knew you were giving me ideas while Saori and I were living vicariously through you……
Chapter 8
Yami unlocked the door to his and Yugi's home. The house was empty, as Grandpa was out of town for a few months, visiting an old friend, and Yugi was….
Is he really still at Seto's? I wonder how they've managed to spend all this time…I didn't realize there was so much to do at a party.
He wandered upstairs and sat at Yugi's desk, staring out the window at the moon. The moon will start waning tomorrow. The cycle is ending. He sighed, looking down at the desk. Kind of like any chance I—
/YAMI! The spirit was startled out of his slightly depressing musings by Yugi's voice.
/Yugi? What--\
/Help! The small teen sounded panicked, in addition to rather rushed.
Yami blinked. /I'll try, if you'll tell me what's going on.\
There was a pause. The spirit could feel his hikari's hesitation clearly before he finally spoke. /…Well….we were playing truth or dare and-
/Wait, still?\ the ex-pharaoh interrupted. /How is it possible to play one game for so long? Don't you run out of questions after a while?\
This drew a slight giggle from Yugi. /We stopped for a while, then Jou went back to it and nobody complained, so we started playing again.
/Only Jou…\ Yami said, sighing. /All right, so what does this have to do with needing help?\
Yugi hesitated again before answering. /Well…you see… His voice trailed off.
After a few moments, Yami gently said/I can't help if you won't tell what's wrong, hikari.\
The small teen smiled a little. /I know. It's just….all right. He took a deep breath. /JouaskedmeiftherewasanyoneIreallylikedandSeto'sintheroomandIdon'tknowwhattodoandHELP!
Yami blinked again. /Gomen nasai, Hikari, I didn't catch that.\
His hikari took another deep breath before repeating more slowly/Jou asked me if there was anyone I really liked, and Seto's in the room, and I have no idea what to do…
/And you want me to help you figure out what to say?\ Yugi nodded. /Well…I can try, but if you haven't noticed, my love life isn't going all that great at the moment either.\
Yugi nodded. /I heard yelling before, you'd left the link wide open, but I tried to ignore it. It sounded private. I figured I'd ask you when I got home.
/Well, anyways, it sounds like you have three choices.\ He felt Yugi's confusion seeping through the link they shared. /One: tell the truth. Two: lie. Three: refuse to answer. And knowing you, you won't lie, or if you do, someone will guess that you're lying, which defies the purpose. So that makes two choices.\
/But they'll guess that the person's in the room if I won't tell.
/Then you may as well just tell the truth.\
/I can't! What if he doesn't want to be around me at all anymore? What if he hates me?
Yami sighed once again. /I honestly can't see anyone hating you, hikari.\
/But…I just can't…
/What do you want me to do, tell him for you?\
/NOOOOO!
/Then what? Yugi, I can't decide for you. In the end, either you tell him, or you don't. You have to make that choice. I will say that I don't think he'll hate you or avoid you if you do tell him, whether he feels the same or not.\
/But… Yami could now feel his light's nervousness and worry through their link. /….you really don't think he'll hate me?
The spirit smiled. /I'm not sure how anyone could.\
/….All right.
/Good.\ Yami smiled gently, trying to send some strength through to his hikari, despite his own problems. /Now, won't everyone be wondering why you've been blanking out for so long?\
Yugi's eyes widened, startled. /I didn't even think of that! They're probably wondering what's going on….thanks, Yami! I'll talk when I get home. The link closed, their conversation ended.
Unfortunately, that also left Yami time to mull over his conversation with Bakura once again. There were no more distractions. The spirit wandered down the stairs once again, then sat on the sofa and turned on the TV. There was never anything good on at two whatever in the morning. But even the worst show on earth was better than just sitting and thinking…..
What felt like just a few moments later but was really over an hour, the spirit was shaken awake by an overeager hikari. "Yami! Wake up already! Come on…"
"Mrgggh…Yugi, stop it, I'm sleeping…." He gave up as the teen tried to pull him onto the floor. "All right, all right, what is it?"
"Guess what happened?"
"Hikari, it's what, four AM? It's way too early for guessing games." The teen pouted. "Fine. Umm….a flying pig carried Anzu away and dropped her on the moon."
"Nope!"
"Then what?"
"You were right! You said it would be ok and it was and--"
His voice was muffled as the spirit covered his mouth with a hand. "You want to just show me? No, I'm not moving my hand, just nod or shake your head." He was answered by an emphatic nod.
He was sitting on the floor in Seto's mansion. His and Yugi's friends were all sitting nearby, mostly on chairs or sofas, but a few others were on the floor as well.
"Yug'? Ya all right?" Jou asked. The spirit guessed that this was immediately after his conversation with Yugi.
"I'm fine." The whispered words were not his, but Yugi's.
"So, answer then!" Honda had a huge grin plastered on his face.
Yami felt fear—not his, but the nervousness his hikari had experienced—as he looked at the carpet. It was a pretty carpet, with all sorts of patterns woven in…he whispered, almost silently, "Seto."
There was a pause. Then Jou, looking confused, said, "I think I didn't hear ya, Yug. What was that?" Yami looked down again, feeling blood rush to his face. Yugi hadn't been happy here…
I wonder what cheered him up so much then.
He got his answer a moment later. Seto's voice came from across the room. "Shut up, mutt. Every time you start yapping you sound stupider." There were footsteps, then a hand wrapped around Yugi/Yami's chin, pulling his face up. His eyes met bright cerulean. He looks…odd, Yami thought. Like he's confused, or worried that he'll regret something. Have I ever seen Kaiba confused before?
Slight pressure against his lips stopped his thoughts. Yugi's body stiffened momentarily, his eyes widening in shock, before relaxing into the kiss.
Yami, unable to change the memory, drifted into thought as Yugi's memory descended into a state of blissful shock.
Did Kaiba just…kiss me? No, Yugi. Not me. I was just in Yugi's body for the memory.
This is confusing…
Does this make me the only one with such bad luck romantically, then?
And then the memory ended, and he was back in the living room of the game shop with Yugi.
I should congratulate him…
The spirit smiled. "Congratulations, Yugi. I'm glad things worked out for you."
However, apparently he hadn't succeeded in keeping a harsh note from his voice. His hikari's expression changed slightly to include puzzlement. "Yami, what happened tonight? It upset you, lots. What was it?"
Yami turned away. "Later, hikari? It's just…later, all right?" He felt Yugi's arms wrap around him.
"All right," the hikari whispered, "Later works." He stood and walked towards the stairs that led to his bedroom. Suddenly he turned, saying, "Yami?"
"Hm?"
"…don't brood too much, all right? I'm sure things will work out."
The spirit smiled. "I'll try, little one." He heard the teen's footsteps on the stairs. To himself, he whispered, "I wish I could have so much faith as you…."
(Insert Here)
I am going to insert the Author's Note in the middle this time. In hopes people may actually read it, even if it is obnoxious. (Ah, well, maybe I'm just being optimistic and people will skip this anyways. But it's worth a try!)
In any case, the main point of this is to ask that people put a little more into a review than "that was great update quick". I know it's sometimes hard to come up with things to say, and gods know I've been awful about reviewing lately…but it's really disappointing to open a review and see that the person couldn't even bother to use proper grammar, or say something specific to the chapter. I'd almost rather not get the review in that case; I get all excited every time I get one, and that's a bit of a disappointing message, you know? I'd really appreciate it if someone could say who their favorite character is (in the story, not the TV show) or even a part they thought could be better or something helpful like that. Those comments will help me improve, which is one of my main goals here.
I know sometimes people are busy or can't for whatever reason. But I do have a life and it does take me a while to update, partly due to aid life and partly due to my tendency to write myself into corners and partly due to the fact that we only have 1 computer in our house, so my time is limited, sometimes nonexistent, depending on my brother and my homework levels. I do work on this almost every day in math (hehe…) and I do work as fast as I can. I just don't have a lot of free time anymore!
Thanks for your attention to the authoress, all you who bothered to read this far!
(End Insert)
Malik drove up to the darkened house, Ryou on the motorcycle behind him, hugging him tightly. He silently shook his head in defeat, having been unable to disperse the younger teen's fear. But it was pleasant, having his boyfriend clinging to him like that. "Ryou…" he yelled as he began to slow down, "We're here, sweetheart, you can open your eyes now."
The teen slowly opened his chocolate eyes. "Malik?" His boyfriend glanced over at him. "Remind me to never get on that…thing….again?" The Egyptian just rolled his eyes.
"I told you, it's not gonna kill you…"
The pale hikari pouted. "I know. I didn't call it a deathtrap this time, did I?" This drew a laugh from Malik. "I should go, see you later."
He was drawn into a close embrace, and snuggled gently into the tan boy's chest. "'Night, sweetheart." Ryou nodded. "Oh, I'm not sure if I'll be able to drop by tomorrow—Isis is visiting, remember?"
His boyfriend nodded. "I remember." He yawned, leaning into Malik's warm embrace. "Love you…"
The Egyptian smiled. "Love you too, sweetheart. Now go get some rest." Ryou obeyed, walking into his home before Malik got back on the motorcycle and rode off to his own apartment.
As Ryou walked in, he saw Bakura slouched on the sofa, a bloody video game filling the TV screen. Wait…we don't own that game…It took a moment for his tired brain to process that thought. H's gotten better about stealing lately, though. I wonder what upset him this time. He walked over to the sofa and sat down next to the spirit. "Yami?"
"Ngh."
"I thought you'd still be out, or in bed."
"Well, I'm not." The yami focused his attention on the game on the screen. That is, he did until his hikari took control of his hand, paused the game and smoothly turned off the screen. "Ryou! I was playing that…" He sank into a sulk.
The younger teen sighed, shaking his head. "Yami, what's wrong?"
Bakura slouched down even further. "…nothing." Ryou frowned. "Gods be damned, hikari, it's nothing! Just the stupid Pharaoh again."
Ryou looked up at him. "'Kura, what happened to make you so angry with him? It's been over 5 millennia now…that's a long time to hold a grudge."
"And I'd hold it another 5000 years if I needed to."
"What was it, though?"
"Nothing."
The young teen sighed again. "Nothing isn't much to base a millennia-long hatred on."
"I'm not saying more."
"I know." Bakura looked at his hikari, frowning as their eyes met.
"Then where's the problem, hikari?"
"I just…" The teen looked down, seeming slightly pensive. "I just don't quite know what could make you so angry, for so long, 'Kura."
"Nothing forgivable."
"Are you sure?" His yami snapped his head around, glaring at him. "Are you sure it's worth it anymore?"
"Yes. I just said, the thing-I'm-not-telling-you isn't forgivable, not by a long shot. Not ever."
Ryou just watched him for a moment. His face was thoughtful. When he spoke, it was in a quiet, calm tone. "….don't you think it's possible he's changed?" He giggled slightly as Bakura stared at him. "Don't look at me as though I've gone insane, yami. By all accounts, you have. Why not him?"
"Because he's a goddamned selfish, stuck-up, spoiled brat. And I'm not. End debate, ha, I win." The pale teen simply shook his head and sighed again before going upstairs to bed. This left the spirit alone to his thoughts.
What if he has changed? Is that even possible? Maybe…everyone likes him now, and he's not in charge anymore, he doesn't control their lives…but still, he's still the same person. Right? He grew up the same, a spoiled palace brat who everyone agreed with at all costs…but he doesn't remember it. And Yugi was the first person he was around, in his memory, and even I'll admit that Yugi's a sweet kid. Naive, way too innocent for his own good, and an overly hyper little shrimp, but basically a sweet kid, despite the guy he shares a mind link with. But is that enough to change a lifetime of people saying he could do whatever he wanted, even if people suffered from it? Of everyone agreeing with his every word, every action, every everything? It's not possible to change that…is it? The spirit sighed. Why can't he just leave me alone?
He had no way of knowing that, across town, the other spirit was having similar thoughts. Yami lay in bed, curled up into a small ball shape, a teddy bear in his arms. What am I supposed to do now? There's no way to make this up to him, what happened was…completely unforgivable. I can't really even blame him for hating me, even if I don't remember being that person, doing that to him. Gods, is there any way anymore to make him trust me even enough to talk to me? Long enough for me to apologize, even? Is it even possible anymore?
I wonder what I was like then, to even think it would be all right to hurt him like that…
Owari
See author notes in middle please! I completed my little rant there.
Ja ne, minna-san!