A/N- This is a very short one shot, written sort of on the spur of an inspiration. It's not really overt in what is really happening between Yami and Yugi.
I personally like corrupted angst that is subtle and vicious, so this is what came out. It sets the tone, I think, for some much darker chapters coming.
(I don't know how much darker it can get, but that's sort of the direction this thing is taking at the moment.) Anyway..I apologize for the short length of this chapter.
My choices are either frequent updates, or long chunks sporadically, and most of you seem to prefer the quick updates. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it...
Yami limped along, supported by Solomon's steadying arm, anchored so firm and kind under the crook of his elbow, as he slowly lurched up the
wooden steps. He grunted in pain, causing the old man to wrench around in alarm, the concern touching in the crinkled eyes, the worried frown
beneith his mustache. Yami shrugged, apologetically, and extremely cautiously, not wanting to aggrivate the dull throbbing laced across his side.
"I am alright, sir. Sincerely, I am." He whispered with a slight smile, and a nod for permission to continue on their crawling way. He never thought
that even walking could be such an ordeal, but he had been bed-ridden for nearly a week, and almost always sedated. He wobbled like a newborn
fawn, gulping at the trembling of his legs, and wincing at the thought of what even a minor fall might do to his battered, bruised side. He shivered, and
instinctively wound an arm, til it coiled around his rib, in a protective gesture. His muscles felt as if they were made of water, almost trembling in
the uncertainty of moving without collapse. It was dizzying, and aggrivating, and he sighed in frustration-again, only slightly, when his rib twanged in
warning about any wrong moves.
Solomon lay an understanding hand over his shoulder, with a nod. "These things take time, Yami. It will be alright. The worst is over now. We're home."
Yami sighed, and wobbled the last few steps to the door, and startled when it flew open, and he saw the welcome sight of Yugi lingering in the doorway.
Solomon's grin faltered when he saw Yugi's normally bright eyes darken over with ominous storms, as his body coiled, and tensed with wary watching that was
so different from his normally open stance, and welcoming smile to the world. Yugi's mouth twisted into a scowl.
Yami actually lurched backwards as if slapped, chafing under the awareness of something being horribly, horribly wrong, as he drew a shocked breath, and
whispered Yugi's name uncertainly.
Yami shivered, and sensed, rather than felt the warmth of the room grow chill, and then radiate back to its familiar brightness, as ordinary as a cloud passing over
the sun. Yugi melted, too, from frozen, detached malice to beaming, bright welcome, as he strode forward, arms flung wide to embrace Yami.
"Yami! I'm so glad you're alright! Come in!" Careful arms slid over Yami's wounds, gliding upward in the semblance of a kind hug, but Yami felt the cruel jab to his
sore side, tightening with purpose, clawing at it, seeking, as Yami suddenly yelped in raw suprise and pain, and folded inward with a gasp. Tears rose, unbidden, and he
would have fallen if Yugi hadn't sprinted forward, and caught him just before Yami lost his footing. Panting for air, and vision blurred from the tears, Yami trembled
as Yugi's hands gripped his shoulders and shoved him upright. The world span, darkened, as he sucked in the sudden rush of air, and groaned as his ribs twanged in a harsh, burning reminder of warning.
"Yugi! Mind his ribs, young man! You must be careful with Yami, my boy!" Solomon's voice floated up from behind him, with a grousing shake of his head.
"Yami, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you, honest! I was just so excited to see you home!" Yugi's cheery apology did not match the ugly, confirming smirk that snarled his
round mouth, or the glittering malice that flitted in his churning violet eyes. Yami stared up at him, bewildered, and shaking. Yugi looked...evil.
Solomon grunted, clapped a hand over Yugi's shoulder, and muttered in his usual manner, as he made his way through the open door of the game shop. His voice floated back to them as they heard his fading footsteps..."Tonight calls for a special homecoming dinner. What do you boys say to eating out tonight?"
"That sounds great, Grandpa! I'm sure it will be a welcome change for Yami after having to eat all that hospital food!" Solomon's answering chuckle was all that was needed.
Yugi cocked an ear to the open door, carefully listening to see how far away Solomon was, glancing over his shoulder to see that the old man was already engrossed in sorting out the latest shipment of cards, and too distracted to be bothered with any of his or Yami's affairs for the moment.
With that out of the way, Yugi turned to look at Yami, who was so bowed, and vulnerable and shaking, with one arm braced against him, the other latched onto the railing in a white-knuckled grip. Yami's eyes slowly slid upward, in tortured clarity as he saw Yugi glide forward with deliberate, eerie focus burning from his narrowed, shadowed eyes. Yami stepped backwards in instinct, unable to stop the tremor of horror as he saw the yawning darkness filling those once inocent eyes as Yugi nodded in satisfied confirmation.
He could sense the hungry evil practically licking his defenses the way a beast might casually strip the flesh from a kill, as Yugi only stopped when the distance between them was only inches until Yami stepped backwards again, fighting the urge to fly blind and bolt. He couldn't, He didn't have the strength. He felt his defenses trickling away like water, dribbling in icy remnants down his torpid, paralyzed nerves, as his flesh turned to rigid rock and his heart felt like a fist clenched over it.
"How is your rib, Yami? Is it healing well?" Yugi's voice was a low, mutilated version of the light cadence he was so used to, happy as birdsong, but now laced with so much malice, it hurt just to hear it.
Yami could not answer for a long moment, and he cringed when he felt Yugi's hand gliding over his side again, coming to rest on the wound, as Yugi's eyes slid upward to meet his.
"Stop this! Stop this imediately!" Yami shuddered, and wrenched himself away, wincing at the dull thud of the porch railing colliding against his bent spine during his frenzied retreat.
Both of them lurched in shock when they heard Solomon's bellow, as the old man lumbered back to the porch at Yami's panicked cries.
"Yami, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you, but I didn't want you to fall off the porch. I thought a fall would be worse than me pulling you away from that weak railing..."
Yugi's voice was all convincing, sweet concern, his face melted into a mask of sincerity and kindness, as he gripped Yami's shaking wrist and forced him forward.
Yami staggered forward, tortured, and stunned, and so bewildered, as Solomon pat his head, and frowned, wagged a paternal finger at him.
"You just got released from the hospital, Yami. You should really be more careful. Yugi, why don't you stay with him, and make sure he doesn't do any more foolishness, if he won't come inside and rest sensibly."
Yugi gave his grandfather a sickeningly angelic smile, as he gave a savage, satisfied glance back at Yami. "Of course, Grandpa. I will definitely watch Yami."
Solomon nodded, and left, not noticing the twisted, tense Pharoah, as he panted and cowered as far from Yugi as he could be, considering the corner he was so horribly backed into, now.
"Yugi? What is wrong with you? Don't you know that my rib is damaged? Is that beyond your understanding?" Yami's indignant questions were spewed forth in an effort to regain some precious control over his revealing tremor, and vulnerabilty.
Yugi merely raised a dismissing eyebrow, waving all of it away with one grand, denying sweep of his arms. "What do you mean, Yami? I'm sorry if I hurt you, I would never deliberately do that. You know that, don't you?"
Yami's jaw dropped in shock at this sudden twisting of his question. "But why did you suddenly grip me with the intention of hurting me, Yugi? Why did you..seek it out?"
Yugi's violet eyes narrowed with concern, as he tilted his head to the side, and softly answered, clearly hurt, "Yami, that was called a hug. Do you mean to tell me they never hugged in ancient Egypy? I already apologized for hurting your rib, it was an accident! And what did you mean, 'seeking it out?' What in the world are you talking about, Yami?"
"But..." Yami spluttered out, the retort dying on his lips as the mired confusion swept over his troubled thoughts. Had he imagined the whole thing? He flinched when he felt Yugi's hand over his sleeve, and looked to see the beseeching eyes.
Yugi sighed, wearily. "Will you forgive me, Yami? I hate seeing you afraid of me." Yami only stared at him, in tormented uncertainty.
