YD: I am working on two different Tendershipping fics and another Puppyshipping fic. This one sort of wrote itself… Sorry…
Dream a Dream of a Dream
Eleven months, 30 days, 24 hours, and 30 seconds. Yuugi stared at the clock. 31… 32… 33…
It was almost a year from the time Atemu had left his other half and passed on to the Afterlife. Almost a year from the last time Yuugi had felt truly complete. The seconds ticked off as it became closer and closer to midnight… closer to the one year anniversary of the time Atemu left.
45… 46… 47…
Small tears fell from Yuugi's unblinking eyes. Harshly, he brushed them aside and continued watching the clock tick off the seconds. It was almost midnight.
His friends dragged him outside daily, trying to keep Yuugi's mind off of Atemu. Didn't they see it only hurt him more?
Once, at the arcade, Yuugi had run out from the place, heart torn apart. He was dueling Jounouchi again. Every time, he tried to be strong; he tried to keep fighting. But whenever he picked up that card, The Black Magician, he couldn't. The pain was just too raw. The card was now hidden away in a protective case, away from Yuugi.
But it didn't alleviate the pain. Nothing did. Nothing ever would. Except for him. But he was gone; he wasn't coming back.
57… 58… 59…
Midnight.
Yuugi dissolved into a fit of tears. He could see anything. All he felt was the pain in his heart growing, eating at him. He felt so cold, so empty. Couldn't anything block the pain? Yuugi doubled over, clutching at his heart in pain. He felt so sick, the pain was nauseating.
Was he doomed to be like this forever? Every anniversary spent in utter pain and loss?
Cry me a river and build me a bridge across.
Yuugi was still crying that river. In fact, the river had grown larger and more violent than ever before. He needed help building that bridge. His friends couldn't, they were already on the other side. And the one person that could help was gone, possibly forever.
Yuugi had tried. He tried time and time again to make the pain go away. It didn't work. He had no one to talk to. Grandfather and his friends, they didn't understand. They didn't understand the emptiness inside. Ryou knew. Malik knew. But neither liked talking about it either. The only thing the conversation would prove was that they were suffering.
His heart broke more each day. Everywhere, he saw a reminder of his other half.
Warmth touched his shoulder. Yuugi choked back tears, not wanting his grandfather to see him this way.
"I'm all right, jii-chan. You can go back to bed." The hands on his shoulders pulled him upwards. Yuugi did not look up.
"I'll help you build that bridge, aibou."
Yuugi gasped and pulled away to look at the one holding him. Seeing familiar crimson eyes, Yuugi gaped. Atemu carefully wiped away some tears. Warmth spread across Yuugi's senses as the taller teen pulled Yuugi closer. Yuugi closed his eyes, leaning into his other half.
A thought kept nagging at him. Was this even happening? Or was it all some cruel dream?
"It's not a dream, precious light." Yuugi looked up, daring to allow that small globe of hope grow. "I'm here and I won't leave you."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
Yuugi stuck out his pinkie finger. "Promise." Atemu smiled slightly and they locked pinkies.
"I promise never to leave you, aibou."
"Good," Yuugi nuzzled Atemu's neck. "I love you." Atemu hugged his light tighter.
"I love you too, aibou." Yuugi looked up. Atemu leaned down. Their lips were only centimeters apart.
With a jolt, Yuugi sat up in his bed, crying out for Atemu. No one was there. Gasping, Yuugi glanced at the clock. There were five minutes to go before midnight, five minutes before the one-year anniversary of Atemu's departure.
"What the—"
Regardless of the confusion sweeping through him, Yuugi watched the clock for five minutes. As each minute ticked by, a hole grew in Yuugi's heart. Pain made him clench his fists.
The moment midnight hit, Yuugi's heart exploded in pain. He cried out and sank to his knees, clutching his heart. The pain gnawed at his very being, making his vision blurry. Or was that the tears?
Someone grabbed him from behind and warmth filled his senses.
"Aibou," Atemu spoke softly, running his fingers through Yuugi's hair to distract him, "you're not the only person suffering. Let go."
"Atemu," Yuugi could barely see. The world before was fading in and out of focus.
"I love you, aibou."
"I…"
"Say it, Yuugi! You're destroying yourself. Please, say it!"
"I LOVE YOU, ATEMU!"
Atemu grinned and kissed his aibou deeply. Yuugi kissed back with as much fervor he could muster. Then the world faded to black as Yuugi lost consciousness.
Atemu, having expected this, clutched his partner's body, hugging the limp form.
"Oh aibou… You're free now." Atemu laid his partner on his bed and tucked him in. He brushed aside the bangs that covered Yuugi's closed eyes. "I love you, sweet aibou. Let go."
Yuugi's breath was slowing. His pulse stopped. Atemu smiled sadly.
"You're free, aibou."
Jounouchi watched as the doctors tried desperately to revive Yuugi. Nothing worked. Yuugi was gone. He was dead. Tears were shed from every eye in the room. Yuugi had touched a lot of people in his short life. Now he was gone.
Yuugi's grandfather looked sadly at the prone figure on the bed, now covered by the sheet. Yuugi had fallen into a coma exactly one year from Atemu's departure. No one knew how, as there was nothing near Yuugi. He had not intentionally harmed himself.
From that day, Yuugi got steadily worse. Every midnight, Yuugi's heartbeat would beat slower and slower. Every midnight, his friend and family worried that Yuugi would die. But Yuugi always lived through the night.
Yuugi's heart finally stopped beating at midnight, exactly two years from the day Atemu left. It was over. Yuugi's soul was free.
The friends and family of the departed light said their loving goodbyes and tearfully left. Soon, the room was empty… except for one soul.
Atemu stalked over to the bed. He gently lifted his light up and kissed him softly.
"Yuugi, it's time to wake up."
Obediently, Yuugi opened his eyes and looked into the warm, loving eyes of his yami. He took one look at his surroundings and blinked in confusion. Atemu hugged his light lovingly.
"You've been trapped in your mind for a year, aibou. Every day, I tried to free you. It never worked. But today, I got that kiss from you. You're free now."
"What?"
"You were destroying yourself, aibou. Midnight, the first year after I left, you fell into a coma." Atemu nuzzled Yuugi's neck. "I'm such a fool. I should've stayed for you, aibou. I'm so sorry."
"Atemu, I don't know what's going on, but I'm glad you're here. I always feel loved when you're around."
"Come on, aibou. We have to leave now."
They went outside, never breaking contact. Once they were under the night sky, white wings sprouted from Atemu's back. Yuugi stared in awe. He reached up and stroked the feathers. Atemu smiled softly at his light.
"Since you are such a pure soul, you should have wings too, despite the fact that you're a new angel. Just think of the happiest thought you have, and if it's strong enough, your wings will grow."
Wings erupted from Yuugi's back. They were pure white with a silvery sheen to the feathers. Atemu laughed.
"I should've known. What was your happy though?"
"Being with you," Atemu's eyes lit up in happiness.
"Let's go, aibou."
Holding hands, Yuugi and Atemu flew into the darkened sky. Their laughter rained down on those below them.
Yuugi awoke suddenly, startling the one curled up beside him. Arms snaked around his waist, pulling him into a warm chest.
"What's wrong, aibou?"
"Nothing, Atemu, just a weird dream,"
Atemu kissed his partner's forehead lightly.
"Then go back to sleep, love."
Yuugi smiled and nuzzled his lover. Sleep overcame him rather quickly and the darkness consumed him.
Worried eyes looked down at him from the hospital bed. Groggily, Yuugi sat up. His friends backed away from him to give him a little space. They all looked like they had been crying. Tears still fell from Anzu's eyes. She looked away.
"What's going on guys?"
"Yuugi… you're dying…"
Yuugi's grandfather looked sadly at the prone figure on the bed. Yuugi had been in a coma for two years now. Midnight of the first day after Atemu left, Yuugi never woke up. Two years had passed since then… Yuugi never showed any signs of stirring.
Yuugi was trapped in a world of his own making.
Now it was time to decide. Yuugi would never wake, nor would he die. He would be forever trapped in an unresponsive body. Yuugi's grandfather nodded sadly. Letting him go was best for Yuugi. Otherwise, he'd spend the rest of his life trapped in his own hell.
The doctor injected some liquid into Yuugi's IV. Yuugi breathing sped up as his heartbeat fluctuated erratically. In just a moment, the machine announced with a long, steady beep that Yuugi's heart stopped beating.
Yuugi was gone.
His grandfather didn't fail to notice that a smile adorned his grandson's body. Yuugi died with a smile on his face. Small tears fell from the man's eyes. He had made the right choice. Yuugi was free.
Atemu's spirit smiled in the corner. He had seen his precious light suffering for two years. Now, Yuugi's gentle soul could finally rest.
Yuugi opened his eyes slowly. He felt lighter for some reason. Atemu smiled down from him.
"Welcome home, aibou."
Owari
YD: Did you think it was confusing? I enjoyed writing it. /evil smirk/
HS: Basically, if you didn't get it, Yuugi is trapped in his own mind. He's continually dreaming and seemingly waking up. But he's still stuck in a dream. Hence the title, Dream a Dream of a Dream.
YD: You can decide for yourself if at the end Yuugi dies or continues dreaming. I can't really write on and on and on about Yuugi's dreams. It'd have to end sometime…
HS: Well, until next update!