K: You told me it was time I updated, so here I am! Besides, it was the next one up from the bottom that needed to be completed other than "Truths Revealed"… ;
Y: -_-; Bout fricking time, aibou. I'm surprised that one reader managed to remember that OTHER one you recently updated… You started it in February!!!
K: I can't help it if the plotbunnies run away… *nod nod* You're just lucky a .hack plotbunny was kind enough to lend some angst to our cause in hopes it'll help speed up the writing process so I can get back to "Gosei no Ai" and "Ai na Hanashi"….
Y: -_-;
Disclaimer: I dun own anything related to Yuugi-tachi or any of the songs that have been featured in this fic. Really- don't you think it would've turned out like this? *blank stare*
Dedications:
- Shenya (Still tracking that damn inspiration. I'm making do with anime MP3s at the moment, but only a select few hold that same angsty feel… ^_~)
- Klonoa (You were seriously crying?! ^_^; Well damn- I'm glad it moved you so, Klonoa-senpai.)
- Princess Strawberry (Hey there, Hime the Nag Queen! ^^; Guess you're pretty much influencing a lot of my YGO updates, ne? *laughs* Ah well, long as you guys are happy. ^_~)
- Neechi and Neesha (Hmmm…. *taps her chin thoughtfully* Sounds like a highly plausible theory! I suggest you expand it into a fanfic of sorts. ^_~)
- Spined Dragon (Someone already had the name 'silver dragon'? Damn brats… *scowl scowl* Someone stole my name too- that's why Ya is now included…. Y: -_-; Yeah, cuz' she'd never include my name otherwise… K: Heh heh heh… ^_^; *coughs* Anyhoo, hope you're feeling better!)
- Moonnymph (O_O; F…fluffy?! Ano… ; Whatever you say…)
- SilverLily aka Blood Moon (^_^; I'm glad you think so highly of me and my writing. Sorry for the wait- inspiration's hard to find sometimes…)
- Misc. (Working! I'm working!! ^_^;)
- Shadowkat-Shidobukatsu (I think it cut off your review… ; *coughs* Anyhoo, glad you like it! Yeah, it has been up here a while, hasn't it? ^_^;)
- Shitsumon (The plotbunny controls all…. He went on vacation again and left me high and dry until he e-mailed me orders to write this chapter. *nod nod* Only Mou Hitori Bunny knows what happens after this. ^_~ He's the slave driver- I'm just the poor underling who stays up all night typing up the damn thing.)
- Imali (Fine, fine! *whispers* I only really got off my lazy ass to write this cuz' you reminded me, ya know… And that's the honest to Ra truth. ^_~)
- Merodi no Yami (You didn't review last chapter, but I'm putting you on this list anyway. There's a special surprise for you in this chapter! ^_~)
Mou Hitori no Jinkaku: Tomo
The Other Personality: Companion
(Katsuya)
Maa~ I don't get it. How is any of this even possible?! I mean really- ancient spirits? Fucking asshole ones, at that?! And why the hell did it have to be Yuugi?! Of all the mother fucking people in the world, why the hell him?!
God dammit… He trusted me… I promised I'd help him, and when things heated up, I fucking ran away! What the hell kind of friend am I?! And if that wasn't enough, he found me, and I could see it in his eyes- the pain of betrayal and bitter disappointment…
And then, there was….
~*~ Flashback ~*~
"When I got out of the classroom, this was the only place I thought to go. I'd never turn you in to the police, and technically, you're innocent, anyway. It's the other one who's……"
I trailed off. There was really no point in going any further, since we both knew exactly what I was talking about…
"The one who's responsible, I know. Demo…. I- I just feel so useless, Jounochi! I- I could've stopped all that from happening!" he cried, burying his face in his hands, letting the tears just fall.
I immediately went into 'comforting onii-chan mode'. After a lifetime of looking out for my sister, Shizuka, I knew exactly how to calm down a crying child. Datta- Yuugi's a teen… It's hard to really acknowledge that he is, but he is. Would his reaction be the same?
"Shhh…. C'mon now, Yuugi. You tried, you really did; it's just, no one could stop him, that's all…. Don't go blaming yourself for something he did. You have to understand-"
"No, YOU'RE the one who doesn't understand! He did that because of ME, Jounochi! Me! All because I compared him to Kaiba-sempai…." he shouted, glaring at me.
I drew back sharply, hurt by his words and the whirl of emotions that shone in his eyes. He was trying hard not to blame me- I could tell. Oh, God… Yuugi, don't pin all this on yourself! Stop being so damn selfless!
"Y- Yuugi……"
My voice was shaky- uncertain and choked with feeling. It's my fault he's doing this… All because I was such a fucking coward and a shitty friend… All because I left him alone with that psychotic monster…
"Yuugi……"
Gathering my courage, I worked up the nerve to place my hand on his shoulder. He needed me right now- I could at least do that much. I have to prove that I still care, even if I…. let my fear control me….
"DON'T TOUCH ME!!" he yelled, slapping my hand away and meeting my gaze once more.
Tears were streaming down his face, and I felt like kicking myself. He has to go through so much… And the one time he asks me for help, I bail on him. I don't blame him for yelling like that. I deserve it. He should just forget about a screw-up like me… I'm worthless to him…
"Don't…. don't touch me…."
I'm worthless to him…. Worthless….
~*~ End Flashback ~*~
Dammit… That rich bastard Kaiba's right- I am a dog. In the words of Elvis, "I ain't nothin' but a hound dog- cryin' all the time". Well, maybe not, but it sure as hell comes close.
Yuugi…. I…. I'm so, so sorry… I know I'll never really be able to make it up to you, but…. I hope you'll let me try. You mean a lot to me, and I want to protect you… I don't want to see you get hurt again…
"Still kicking yourself, inu?"
Wha? I blink, looking up from my now stone-cold frappachino, only to meet amused cobalt eyes and that damn familiar smirk. I roll my eyes as the intruder of my solitude seats himself across from me without a second thought, then return to coffee-scrying. Not really working, considering they put cream in, but oh well- not like I knew what the hell I was doing anyway.
"Those taste like crap when they're cold, you know."
/No shit, Sherlock./ "Too frothy anyway. They don't even stick all that much coffee in- it tastes like shit either way."
"Then why did you buy it in the first place?"
/I was too busy brooding, pointed at the drinks randomly and I just happened to pick that one… Not that I'll ever admit it./
"Sounded interesting." Feh. That was a shitty-ass lie, but it's not all that important… As long as he doesn't know what really happened…
"Donna ni demo…" he snorted, then turned his attention to the small dessert menu that sat in the middle of the table, eyeing it with mild interest.
I stared at him blankly from across the table. Just what the hell was he doing? First he 'just happens' to spot me sitting in Starbucks, then he sits down and starts a pointless conversation for no reason whatsoever, and now he's going to order something, which means he's planning on staying for a while. Something was definitely up.
Setting down my mug with an audible 'thunk', I addressed him in a deadpan tone. "Kaiba, why are you here?"
He looked up from the paper in his hands, then sighed and pushed it back into place, lacing his fingers together. "I'm curious about Mutou's condition. Seeing as how you're the only one who ever seems to hang around him, I figured you'd be the one to ask."
I raised an eyebrow, a small smirk coming to my lips. "Curious, or worried?"
"Urusai."
I snorted, but dropped it. After all, we were in the same boat when it came to our feelings for Yuugi, ne?
"To tell you the truth, I'm not really sure. It's been what- 2 weeks since the 'incident'? In all that time, I've only seen him once or twice- checking up on him, ya know? Other than that, I'm as in the dark as you are." I admitted, a bit hurt that the boy in question was too busy to bother contacting me.
"Well, how did he act those times? Was he alright? Did he seem scared? Traumatized?"
I leaned in, fixing the rich brunette before me with a serious gaze. "Kaiba, he'll always be traumatized by that. Who the hell wouldn't be?"
Sighing, I settled back in the hard wooden chair and ran a hand through my bangs. "Datta- those times I saw him, he seemed perfectly fine. There was a sadness in his eyes- probably still blaming himself for what happened, but other than that…. Nothing. Nothing at all…."
I frowned, staring into my mug again. /And that's what worries me…/
There was a long pause, both of us mulling it over. What could it mean? Was he really alright? Or….was that enigma in his head forcing him to keep silent and play out the role? Whatever it was, I just knew it unnerved me, and most likely irked Kaiba, too.
Finally, the scraping of a chair snapped me out of my thoughts. I glanced up, blinking as I noted Kaiba was getting up to leave.
"Alright, then… I'll let you get back to that staring contest you were having with your reflection… Ja." he stated, his trademark smirk adorning his face, then turned and walked calmly out of the café, disappearing in the crowd.
I watched him go, knowing he was off to interrogate someone else about Yuugi. He's always been persistent, that guy… A royal pain in the ass, but persistent.
I allow myself a small smile, raising my cup to my lips. I took a sip, then set it back down. He's right- it does taste even worse cold.
Shrugging to myself, I stood up and strolled out the door, tossing the Styrofoam cup in the nearest trashcan as I went. The bell above the door jingled as I made my exit, and the young brunette who had served me at the counter [1] smiled in my direction and waved with a cheerful, 'hope you come again!' while her co-worker, a guy with brown and blue spiked hair styled kinda like Yuugi's, [2] scowled from behind her and told her to get back to work. I grinned back over my shoulder, then stepped out into the crowded walkway.
I was easily swept away with the mass of people milling around, and noted I was apparently headed toward the shopping district. The shopping district meant the Kame Game shop, and the Kame Game shop meant I could check up on Yuugi.
Deciding that he probably wouldn't mind me dropping in for a visit, and that if I went, I could ask him if anything else had happened, I relaxed and melted into the crowd. Soon I could see Yuugi, and then maybe I'd finally be rid of some of these annoying thoughts buzzing around in my head.
I just hope he's alright…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
K: *yawns and stretches* Well, there you go! Hope you liked it!
Y: She figured she had to mention Kaiba and Jou again, just so you guys didn't forget they were there. ;
K: That, and I wanted Jou to do the coffee-scrying thing. XP
Y: -_-; ……………right…………. No comment.
K: *ignores her* Anyhoo, for those who were wondering what the whole [1] and [2] thing was about…… ^_________^
The girl was MERODI NO YAMI (the authoress) and the guy was NAITO-CHAAAAN!! (Merodi's yami) ^_____________________________________^
Naito: *steps through inter-dimensional portal between MnY Realm and Ko-chan Realm* {{*scowls* As if I would subject myself to such a lowly stature! ME work at a STARBUCKS?! HELL NO!!!}}
K: *raises an eyebrow* Do you even know what Starbucks is?
Naito: {{*glares* Of COURSE I do!! It's a- *pauses* Crap. I know this- you just said it in the fic a little while ago!! ;}}
Y: Dai, please remove the distraught Egyptian prince from the premises. *points at Naito, who's still trying to remember what Starbucks is*
Dai: *hentai grin* With pleasure…. ^___________________^ Come here, Naito-chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!
Naito: O_O; {{Crap! Not him again!!}} *freaks out and runs away, closing the inter-dimensional portal behind him so Dai can't follow*
Dai: Awwww….. U~U
K: *pats Dai on the head* There, there…. He still kissed you, ne? *blinks* Speaking of which….
Dai: *sneezes*
Y: -_-; Dai, leave. Be a good bishi and take your medicine, then isolate yourself for a while so no one else gets sick.
Dai: *grabs some Niquil and leaves*
K: ^_^; Poor guy. That's tough love, ne? *shakes her head* Anyhoo, hope you liked it! I have no idea when I'll update again, just to warn you!
K/Y: Ja ne!! *both wave*