Title: Even Though
Theme: 07 – Hardest Truth
Summary: Falling in love always required a leap of faith, but nobody had ever guaranteed a soft landing.
Rating: K
Genre: Romance

There was the initial moment of shock.

"I…"

"No, that's fine. Really, don't say anything," Yami says, stopping Yugi before he could continue saying – saying what, he didn't know. "I just wished for you to know. I don't require anything more."

Yugi blinked as the other began to walk out the door. "Wait – where are you going?"

"Out."

"Out?"

"For a walk. I'll be back before dinner, partner. I'll see you then."

"W… wait!" Yugi yelled, stepping closer. "You don't just get to say that and then leave. Don't I get a chance to react? I want to… I want to talk to you about this."

A sigh. "I have to leave, Yugi."

"No, please, just hear me out." Yugi swallowed. This must be what it felt like to hold his heart on his sleeve, just as Yami had. The suspense, not knowing if that parachute would open as you stood on the top of the cliff. "I've… never thought of you that way before."

"I know. It's all right. You don't have to say anything else. I'll see you later."

"No, I – wait – damnit, I – " Yugi tugged at his hair, looking at the ceiling with a frustrated glance. "I don't know what I'm trying to say, but… if you could give me a moment, I'd really appreciate it, because I just… my mind's so confused and jumbled, but I know there's something in it, and I think I should tell you…"

Yami's attention was caught. He paused, hand still on the doorknob, and turned his head; he was still looking at the floor, as if just waiting for the rejection.

Time to jump off the cliff, Yugi mused. But it was then that he realized he wasn't standing on top of the cliff – he was in midair already, falling fast. "I… okay, I know this is going to sound rich, coming from me, but… I can't exactly say I've never ruled out the possibility of… you."

Yami's brow furrowed. "Me?"

"Yeah." Yugi swallowed, concentrating on his face, the way those eyes watched his own. "Even though it used to seem so wrong, ever since you got a body it's been… different. I thought I was the only one hiding something. And I'm sorry, because…" Yugi looked up at him, near desperation, and nervous; nervous about this confession and what a hypocrite he was being and how this would end up and if it would hurt when he hit the ground after his parachute didn't open.

Falling in love always required a leap of faith, but nobody had ever guaranteed a soft landing.

"…Well, because I've taken you for granted far too long. I've only just realized that. You've been so upset lately and I didn't understand why. And I've made you unhappy, I can see now, because I've denied what I was feeling while you accepted it – "

"Partner."

" – which is so stupid of me, of course I should've noticed something and taken it for what it was, even though I'm not used to feeling like this because this is the hardest truth I've ever had to recognize and – "

"Partner, stop."

And he did.

Yami took a breath and a step closer. "I never thought I'd be the one to say 'I love you.' You know it's not in my character. But I figured you, as my other, would understand. And I know you do. That is all I wish for, and I'm content."

Yugi blinked. "You don't… want anything more?"

"No." He looked confused for a brief moment. "You expected me to wish for you to return my feelings?"

"…I wasn't sure. Usually, when someone offers him or herself to someone, they're asking the other for… acceptance. Or love in return. Or a date."

"I do not need those things," Yami said. "I just need for you to know."

He didn't need those things. Yami didn't need those things to love him. That was enough for Yugi to know how much he did in return.

"But… would you be…" Yugi swallowed. "Would you be opposed to them, if they were offered?"

Yami's eyes locked into his, testing his sincerity, for a frozen second. Finally, "…No. I can't say that I would."

"Really?"

"…I'm not sure." Yami looked hesitant. "I've never done this before. Love has always been a risk for me. I am… afraid that it will not work out."

"But what if it does?"

Yugi smiled at him. And for the first time in months, Yami smiled back.

Words: 754
A/N: This one was inspired by a scene in a musical, performed by a nifty little student-run theatre group called StarKidPotter. You can watch the scene in question here: youtube (dot) com (slash) watch?v (equal sign) tU7OeXPuziw. The part in particular starts at 5:45. Feel free to watch the rest of the musical, but keep in mind that even though the part I linked to is PG, the show is for mature audiences only. Or immature audiences only. (It's by the same people who did A Very Potter Musical, if anybody recognizes them.) /shameless plugging