Author's Rant: No time to proofread. Will do after work and please excuse the chapter's poor quality. Just going through some things right now. Enjoy!
Warning: Gun Violence. Blood Shed. Sexual intercourse between males.
~Side note: Corrections made~
Terminal
Yusei wasn't sure what hurt more at first. It was either the fact that he was debating on whether he should leave Jaden behind to assist his street family or creeping out in the middle of the night like he'd spent the evening with a hooker. Considering Jaden was so much more than a cheap thrill, Yusei was left on edge. He'd gotten the call a few minutes ago from Seth, the Blue Eye Aces D.O.G. no less, and when any of the upper ranks called you in, you'd better get there like someone had you by the throat.
It wasn't that Yusei hadn't given this some thought. He was agonizing over it. For the first time in months, he was able to give Jaden what he desired so much and that was time spent together as any normal couple would. They spent time at the mall, went to a pizza joint and walked along the dock piers to stare at the sunset. This had been Yusei's first off day from the streets in weeks and the pay had been well worth the price of laying his life on the line every day. Atem had paid him in person with that lopsided grin of his and a wink, saying not to spend it all in one place.
How could Yusei not obey the orders of the people who were going to make sure he and Jaden had it together in a few months? He had to go. Yusei, wanting so much to leech some more of the comforting warmth of his lover's naked body, eased his arm from Jaden's waist at a dawdling pace as if to savor every inch he left behind. They'd made love for hours, so much passion, and so much tension. Jaden had clung to Yusei like he'd never see him again. Yusei drove himself to the point of no return, connecting them as one over and over, the sheets soaked from sweat and semen and tears. The pain was unreal. He knew he was hurting Jaden but the teen had been so reluctant to tell Yusei to stop because to him, the rich anguish meant Yusei was really here.
Now fully freed from Jaden's body, the air was cold like the sudden press of snow. It was three-seventeen in the morning, a time not foreign to Yusei for he'd been awake at later hours. Just one more moment wouldn't hurt would it? Just to stare at that sweet face. Jaden was laying on his side, mouth opened just a tad to breath, with soft gloriously French vanilla skin smooth as a newborn baby completely clean of the burnished scars, scratches and lines of blue-black ink like the kind over Yusei's chest, arms and back. BEA dominated his life about the same way his tattoos littered across his body.
Yusei tilted his head as if noticing Jaden's face for the first time. He was so different from the rest, so carefree and open to life. His chestnut brown and auburn hair was sweat-logged to his forehead, darkening the watery tendrils an almost dark chocolate. His eyelashes framed over his high cheekbones, and his face was purged from all stress. His lips were red as chili peppers from the savage kisses and half-bitten screams he tried to cover when Yusei had sucked his dick like a jolly rancher.
Yusei chuckled to himself. He'd enjoyed that part best. Jaden had been so high up in luxury lust and thrill, he'd battled with wanting to shout or alert his step-baby brother to the sounds of him having sex in the house. It'd been funny game to see how long he'd last before caving in.
Yusei couldn't resist watching any longer and gently reached out to pinch pieces of the sodden hair between his fingertips. He couldn't stop there, it wasn't enough. He stroked Jaden cheeks, his face, and his brow and lingered the longest on those swollen lips.
Nothing was enough. Jaden's essence drew Yusei in for more. Having momentarily forgotten his orders, Yusei leaned in to press his lips upon his boyfriend's. He turned his head gently from side to side, sliding his lips across Jaden's in a small probing manner. He slipped his tongue in, so smooth and slow so as to experience this like a virgin. There was a quick stiffening before the mouth under his began to move and the tongue inside flicked to meet Yusei's.
"Yusei," Jaden sleepily whispered in his mouth, tasting his breath, his love and his affections.
It was Yusei's undoing. Once more wouldn't hurt, he figured as he rolled his body on top and wormed his pelvis between Jaden's thighs, widening them to fit his grit. The kiss intensified, their bodies curled into one another, moving and stroking through the budding heat.
"Open your legs for me," Yusei murmured, and then kissed him again.
Jaden complied, spreading his legs as wide they could go and waited for the evitable moment to come. Their tongues slid and slurped, suffocating the room in sounds of skin and kisses. Yusei reached between them, tipping his finger across Jaden's dick before moving down to stroke himself to summon extra pre-cum as lube. He squeezed and urged until a heaping of it saturated his dick. He positioned the healthy grit at Jaden's entrance and paused, breathing kisses on Jaden's neck, his shoulder and under his chin.
"Yes Yusei, god please. I want you so much."
Yusei smirked. His lips made love to Jaden's chest, sinks lower to his stomach, open-mouth kisses loudly signaling his descent. The penetration could wait. He wanted to sample his love's body the way he'd never experience with another. Yusei reached the brunet's bald dick, watching it sway and twitch from the heated breezes. Licking his mouth, Yusei tested the tip with his lips, suckling softly.
Jaden jolted, hips bucking with quickened thrusts. Yusei cruelly hooked his fingers on Jaden's hips and anchored him to the mattress, sheets spilling off the edge. Jaden's thighs quivered. Yusei fed off his screams and feasted on his weeping saltiness.
Jaden gave a breathy gasp as his nails massaged and tangled in Yusei's wild dark hairs. "Yusei o-oh, d-damn," he stuttered, whimpering. "Don't stop, don't ever stop!"
Yusei couldn't keep himself from grinning. He relaxed his throat and went down, hollowing his cheeks for a long, hard suck. The pleasure ripped throughout Jaden's entire body like someone was struggling to yank the orgasm from his body. It was a tug-of-war, tittering back and forth with Yusei slowing and speeding up the suctions and Jaden trying to hurry it along with mini thrusts.
The bigger the bill, the harder you ball
Well I'm throwing mine, cause my money long
The quicker you here, the faster you go
That's why where I come from the only thing we know is
Work hard, play hard
Work hard, play hard
Work hard, play hard
Work hard, play hard
Work, work, work, work
Work, work, work, work
The magic faded as fast the noises were diffused by Yusei's cell phone blaring on the nightstand, embracing the walls and ceiling in bright blue.
"Fuck," he cursed under his breath, rolling away to the side of the bed.
Jaden, somewhat lost in the throes of a building orgasm, frowned with half-lidded eyes at Yusei's back. "What's wrong?"
Yusei ticked his lips angrily as he typed in the password to his cell and placed the phone to his ear. "Yeah?" He glanced over his shoulder at Jaden's bewildered expression and turned away. "Yeah, I'm comin'. Gimme a few. I'm on my way." He hung up the phone. "I gotta go." He said not looking back.
"Oh," Jaden jerked the hand he'd had hovering over Yusei's back, away and pulled the sheets around himself. Pulling his knees to his chest, his bright eyes dulled significantly. "Are you coming back soon?"
The emotional defeat in his voice almost caused Yusei to say to hell with the gang and to stay in bed. But, he had orders and like it or not, he had to comply.
"I dunno," he answered honestly, because whatever was going down meant anything was possible. "I'll call you when I can." Yusei stood up before dragging a furious hand through his massive hair, causing it to flurry in all kinds of directions.
"Will I see you at school? You know Jesse's been asking about you; so has Chazz. You were . . . you were supposed to join us at the school play to watch Alexis. . ." Jaden tried his hardest not to fidget on the bed, but felt his chest constrict and the urge to move to keep himself busy. "Jake's been worried about you . . .and-and Syrus. . . he misses you."
Yusei maneuvered around the room without another word. He wished his ears weren't so sensitive because picked up on every battling sob Jaden kept buried in his chest. He fucking hated putting his boyfriend through this with their relationship. It was a wonder Jaden had put up with it for this long and even nearly getting himself killed in the process. After hastily pulling on his clothes, he grabbed his wallet, keys and cell off the stand and started for the door, oblivious to Jaden's terror-stricken expression.
"Yusei!"
Yusei didn't respond, still marching for the door.
"Yusei, please, please. If you care at all, don't walk out that door, please."
That sound seared a hole straight in Yusei's cold resolve. Jaden's voice was weighed down with the size of the world's dread, sadness and fear laced like a wrecking ball in his throat. Yusei wished he hadn't turned around just then because what he saw broke his heart. Jaden was bunched in the corner of his bed, back against the wall, large cinnamon eyes melting with tears and full of distress. The sheets were wrapped around his waist, tangled in his fingers like they held the roped bond between Yusei and the door.
"Don't leave, please!" his voice hitched.
Yusei's lips thinned and looked away.
"I'm begging you not to walk away from me again. I never know when you're gonna come back! I'm tired of always being scared for you!"
Yusei tried not to, but he felt himself turning again to get caught up in those misty brown eyes.
"If you walk out that door that proves those killers mean more to you than I do!" Jaden angrily shouted, voice shaking. "Is that how it is? Huh?"
Sighing deeply, Yusei closed his grip around the door knob and twisted.
"Fine, go and don't bother coming back. I'll never speak to you again. Never, you hear! I can't take this—this shit anymore!" Jaden huffed, shoulders quivering and his nose running. "You don't have run at their every beck and call like a dog! You can stay. For once, just—just think about me and what this is doing to our relationship. Can't you—"
"I get it." Yusei grimaced, tussling his hair from side to side in a calm shake. "I haven't been much of a boyfriend to you and quite frankly its surprise you've put up with me for this long. By the time I see you again, you'll probably have a better boyfriend 'cause from how things are lookin' we aren't gonna make it."
Jaden leaned away, stunned. "W-wait, what? What did you say?" He swallowed thickly. "Why-how can you say that? I thought you loved me."
Yusei did. God, he did. He'd cross more than life and heaven and hell to keep it. There were priorities to deal with first. Why couldn't Jaden see that? "I'll see ya later." He couldn't think here. He had to leave before he fucked himself up with all these feelings. Gripping the doorknob tighter, Yusei turned and pulled the door open.
Jaden's panicked expression widened. "No! Yusei please! Wait, I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean it! Yusei? Yusei don't do this! YUSEI—"
Yusei closed the door behind him, ignoring the repetitively shout of his name, the horribly broken cries for his return and the desperate pleas.
"Yusei! Yusei, Yusei please! I'm sorry, please! Yusei! YUSEI!"
Yusei left without another word. He had a job to do. Jaden would understand that someday.
If he wasn't already with someone else by then. . . .
Yugi jerked awake, eyes wild and blood roaring in his ears. A car's alarm system blared in the distance somewhere.
Right, where was he again? Giving his surroundings a measurable look, he remembered suave interior, the blast of air circulating from the front and the scent of cherries and cigarette smoke. His eyes fell on the side profile of Yami's face. Why was . . . oh yeah. God, when had he fallen asleep? And what woke him up?
Something buzzed from the front seat, shrilling and flaring to life enthusiastically. Yugi watched Yami reached in the glove compartment and pull out a cell, press in a few numbers and returned it to its hiding place.
Yugi sat up and rubbed his eyes. A soft hiss rushed from his chapped lips as the sting of longevity in one spot caused his arm to protest against the move. "Damn."
Yami shifted around, dark slanted eyes inspecting the sound. "You're finally awake."
Shaking his head, Yugi eased himself up with his stronger arm and yawned. "How long had I been a sleep?"
"An hour."
"Oh." Yugi noticed then, a large sized blue leather trench coat fell around his midriff. The scent roused from the inner collar. Yugi sniffled and pushed himself all the way up, inspecting the lapel and rubbing it between his finger and thumb; noting the excellent quality. The tag read Forzieri, a very fine and expensive article of clothing. But whose was it? Yugi knew it wasn't his. This cost more than his protection fees.
"The coat's mine," Yami absently seemed to read Yugi's expression in the rearview mirror. "You were shivering. I thought you'd like the warmth."
"Oh." Yugi's gut twisted funny-like as he cleared his throat, still rubbing over the label. "Thank you."
Yami shrugged, taking a drag of his cigarette and exhaling the smoke out the jarred window.
Yugi's large, purple eyes sleepily fixated on the empty space adjacent Yami's seat. Yugi sat up fully and stretched his arms, rattled his head from the lingering fatigue and scratched his tousled hairs. "Where's Atem?"
"Out," was Yami's brusque reply.
Yugi blinked owlishly, contemplating whether he should accept that answer. Naturally, he didn't. "You always keep your answers condensed? It's not like it'd kill you to give a proper sentence."
Yami's severely spiked hair inclined to the side until his fiercely boiled red eyes softly glared at Yugi, not through the reflection of the mirror, but in full eye contact for the full blunt of those brilliant gullions. The cancerous vapors created this kind of stealthy, atmospheric mirage around Yami's body as if any second now, he'd dematerialize and appear elsewhere. Yugi sucked in a short breath, lungs tight as if the air were stolen from his body. He didn't know how to describe the subtle gleam in Yami's gaze.
Yugi swallowed, but fear refused to embody itself in him this time. By now, he was somewhat immune to these aristocratic scowls. Yugi folded the jacket and placed it to the side.
"Is everything a constant battle with you?" Yami's bass tone dropped like a bomb, wringing Yugi from his metaphoric thoughts.
Yugi's shoulders stiffened as acknowledgement of the obvious set in and though, it was hard to deny, Yugi knew it was true. Anxiety tightly grasped his heart in gelid, chilled talons, and refused to let go. Yugi sighed as an unusual glaze fogged his eyes.
"I gotta fight," Yugi scarcely whispered, nimble fingers toying with the hem of Heba's hoodie. "Otherwise, I'll be torn down. Heba was the one I looked to for protection. Since he died, I've had to be my own protector."
Admitting the truth did nothing to quell his heart's trepidation and or dampen the flare of Yami's eyes. The gaze was alluring as drug effects, extracting everything from Yugi. Once he started, he couldn't stop. The air in the car felt even more confound and frigid. Yugi lifted the jacket from its spot and dunned it over his shoulders, subconsciously tugging at the collar.
"Mama and Grandpa told me when I was a born, I stopped crying. I wasn't breathing. They couldn't understand why. The doctors tried their best to resuscitate me, but nothing happened. My family was upset and the doctors were disappointed. Not Heba." Yugi's cheeks warmed, chuckling. "He didn't know what happened when he wandered into the birthing room. No one noticed him at first, Mama told me. He just stood there, with a cold water bottle, a flower and a drawing from school."
Yami drew in another drag, eyes focused and intense, not saying a word.
"Mama told me the story so many times, I could recite it backwards." Yugi smiled somberly. "Why is he sleeping Mama, he asked. Mama couldn't answer him. How do you explain to a six-year-old your brother was dead after waiting so long to welcome him into the world?" Yugi hunched the jacket tighter. "Grandpa told him I wasn't ready to wake up to see everyone yet. And you know what Heba said?" Yugi met Yami's eyes with bleeding sadness. "He said, that's because he doesn't know I love him yet. So he walked over the bed I was in and poured the whole bottle of water on my face and yelled wake up!" Yugi smile was distant. "Grandpa said I woke up just like that, screaming at the top of my lungs like Heba had hurt my feelings. They'd always tell me that story on my birthday. . . Grandpa still does."
Shame collapsed the barrier walls he'd set since this journey started and the balance crumbled away fully. Regret immediately sketched into his mind, belittle the fool he was for spilling so much of his history to this man. Yugi's fingers curled into fists. The same man who'd shot him for goodness sakes. Shaking his head, and Yugi heaved a deep sigh and broke the eye contact to look out at the blooming morning. Yugi focused his thoughts on more pressing issues, such as school starting in a few hours and Kisara still being MIA. They needed to continue looking for her.
"That's quite a story," Yami muttered, facing the view outside the windshield. His posture slacked from the upward poise. "So he was a determined person even as a small child." He looked at Yugi again. The words were spoken as soft as airy as steam, and seemed to catch Yami off guard as it did Yugi.
Yugi's lips tightened. "Yeah, he was always like that . . . Wouldn't you know?" Yugi discovered himself asking a beat later and without a chance to think.
Yami's eyes widened. His aloofness shattered in an instant, Yugi saw and as quick as it came, the wall began to build itself back up, brick by cohesive brick.
"How did you two meet?"
Yami didn't say a single word, just glared with those fierce crimson eyes that burned several degrees hotter and manifested a cooling effect on the outside. Yugi was sure the sudden chill wasn't filtering from the air conditioning.
"I'm sorry, that's probably personal," Yugi made up the excuse himself so it wouldn't sting so much to be denied. Twisting his lips to the side, Yugi fought hard to think of a way to deter the artless tension.
"Another time perhaps." Yami's prolonging gaze came to an end with those words.
'If there would be time,' Yugi quietly conveyed to himself. That vow was stiff as concrete minus the minuscule cracks. Their cooperation with each other would end as soon as this mission was complete. The bond between him, Atem and Yami right now was a shared desire to seek and find Kisara. Anything beyond that would be nonsensical on all their parts because what other reason would they have to be tied to one another?
Besides an indirect connection to Heba . . . Yugi's short run-in with Atem during a temporary romance. . . . Yugi's quiet moment with Yami . . . Kisara's affections for Yugi . . . and the confrontation. . . Yugi shook his head. Damn. There's just too much drama for his tastes.
"Why tell me that?" Yami asked.
Yugi blushed, eyes shifty. "I dunno. You're easy to talk to, I guess. I noticed I spill my soul the most when I'm around you."
The older man's eyebrows drew together slightly. Yugi glanced up to see Yami's gaze pensively watching him carefully.
Yami released a breath through his nose before saying, "Smiling isn't as hard as it used to be," he had no problem admitting and turned away. Being around you, it's easier.
A long tense silence prevailed. Yami finished the last dying remnants of his cigarette until it was a bud of orange and he flicked it out the cracked window, releasing the grey smoke through his nostrils. Several times he retrieved a phone from the glove compartment—Yugi counted three different ones—and checked the contents before dialing in, speaking to whomever, or texting before he returned the device. Thirty minutes passed. The morning was steadily coming upon them.
Yugi hadn't caught a glimpse of Atem yet since he woke and often, he found his purple eyes worriedly picking off the figures of people walking along the sidewalk or wandering to their cars in his oversized parking lot. Oh, he just noticed that too. The Impala was nestled under a tree near a shopping mall parking lot, not far from the main highway.
"Is Atem ok?" Yugi found himself asking another unnecessary question.
"He will be," muttered Yami. "Said he needed buy a few things."
"OK." Yugi went back to watching the pedestrians cross to their destinations when the passenger's door swung open and the car dipped with the added weight of Atem. Yugi froze at the sight of him. When had he changed clothes? The man was wearing in a navy blue hoodie, unzipped to show his white wife beater, black saggy jeans, and jet black low top Air Force Ones. His hair was tasseled more so than usual and when he looked at Yugi's eyes in the rearview mirror, the young teen became paralyzed with fright.
There was no color in Atem's gaze; not a stitch, they were so dilated. "Young Buck," he started, his tone coarse and bathed with an ominous tenor. "When we take off, you lay low and you stay low."
Yami frowned, angling his upper torso to face his rival. "The fuck's goin' on?" he carefully whispered.
"Yami," Atem was using that same baritone danger in his voice; the same he'd used to order Yugi a moment ago. "I just got a call from Seth . . . they saw some of your men grab Kisara."
"What?" Yugi gasped. Kisara was kidnapped? No. No that wouldn't make sense. Then why help them at all?
"Be straight with me, Young Blood," Atem continued. "Have you had my child this entire time?"
Yami's frosty, stoic expression darkened. Silence rung forth, piercing the tension like a gunshot. The thick and fierce clash of wine and blood rammed like headstrong bulls determined to outweigh the other. Atem's eyes narrowed. So did Yami's. The seconds ticked away without a batted lash, diverted gaze, or any other movement.
"Yami?" Yugi whispered from the rear, swallowing his disbelief. He altered his gaze between the warring men before settling his eyes on Yami. Yugi drifted to the front, emotions running unhinged. "You didn't do that, did you?"
The other in question did sacrifice his stalemate stare with Atem to answer, looking ready for war.
"Yami, tell us." Yugi touched him this time, unsure why he felt a physical connection was needed to gain the other's attention. It worked to some degree.
Yami's eyes flickered down, half-lidded and concentrated on the fingers gripping his shoulder. He followed the trail of cotton covering the arm and locked eyes with the large purple gemstones, brilliantly transparent as if reflected by direct sunlight. Yami's lips pursed together, he glanced away, a hidden struggle bouncing off his defenses before he sighed.
"No," he responded. "I called . . ." the sting of admission to his rival was unmistakably hard to confess.
Yugi relaxed, squeezing his gratitude into Yami's shoulder. "I bet he called his friends to help look for her," Yugi explained as if reading invisible info cards. "They must've found her first."
Atem's eyes wavered. He nodded his thanks to Yugi. Yami didn't do unnecessary lies. It wasn't in his nature to do so. Believing him took less harm than continuing the futile argument.
"We need to leave then. Seth thinks your men kidnapped her." Atem abruptly said, leaning away to drag his seatbelt across his chest. "Seth's got 'em pinned. They're gettin' drilled."
Yami's brain snapped to attention like a room full of marines. "They're what?!"
"There's a street brawl down on Eastbound and Ninety. My crew's about thirty deep to your twenty."
"Shit!" Yami viciously cursed, putting the car in drive. "Where on Eastbound?"
"Crawford and Chickasaw Ave. down by the park." Atem drew out two guns, locking magazines in each one.
Crawford and Chickasaw? That wasn't far from where they were. Yami was loading bullets in the chambers, and driving with a mastery known only to those who'd done the life long enough to where it was second nature. His eyes nervously switched from man to man, fear gripping his innards.
"Why the fuck didn't you call them off?" Yami shouted.
"How the hell was I supposed to know you called for help?" Atem said not as loud.
"Dammit!" The grey Impala careened down the streets, turns getting sharper and rubber scrubbing pebble sized debris on the asphalt. Everything was happening too fast. Yugi was slung back and forth against the backseat, head nearly colliding on the side window.
Atem unlatched his seatbelt just long enough to recline his chair and grab Yugi by the front of his shirt, his grip as tight as clamped iron. With strength that surprised Yugi, Atem managed to force Yugi's face into the cushion and pressed his palm in the middle of his back, anchoring him in place.
"Don't move from there, you hear?" Atem sneered, hopping back in his chair.
"Atem? Yami?" Yugi's muttered voice echoed his fear, gradually broiling to panic. "Tell me something! What's going on? Where are we going?"
"Stay behind the seats," Atem said harder, sitting up in his seat.
Yugi tried to sit up. "Tell me what's going on?!"
"Do as he says!" Yami barked, giving a savage twist of his steering wheel. "Get down, Yugi!"
Yugi felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand. When he saw the orange and reddish barrage of gunfire come into view his mouth flapped. Cars of all kinds encircled another group, mostly black, reds and blues. Booms thundered. Screams resonated from nearby residences trying to escape being caught in the crossfire.
And they were heading straight for it. "No, no, no!" Yugi was horrified. "Yami—"
"Stay down!"
Glass shards shattered from above Yugi's head. Yugi's screamed. His stomach lurched the same instant he felt a large amount of pressure hook the collar of his hoodie and shoved him between the crevices of the seats. His arms automatically encased his head from the explosions all around. Fragments of sharp glass rained in heaps.
Tire wheels screeched in the distance and the sounds of loud bombs detonating seemed to be right next to the car. Yugi's body vibrated with bolts of terror snaking through his bones. When he opened his eyes, he noticed a very scary detail.
Yami and Atem; they were gone.
This was beyond what either of the gang leaders had been expecting. Reinforcements were pouring in from all sides. Men and women of all sizes, shapes and races were hauling into in the midst of this heated crusade, the fear of death nowhere in their eyes. Their colors were in full display on t-shirts, their arms, legs, chests and jeans, representing their marked hood and how determined they were to defend the honor of their families.
Loads of them were flowing in from connecting alleyways either in cars or foot. Cars skidded around the corners on two wheels to answer the distress call of their comrades. Infinities, Mercurys, Impalas, Cadillacs, Tahoes, Suburbans, Buicks, Tundras, Kias and GMCs from old school to new, littered the entire area, gunfire blazing from the driver's windows, the passenger's sides and behind open doors. The entire area within a half-mile radius was painted with the crimson of the Red Eye Spades and the royal blue of the Blue Eye Aces.
Atem and Yami were hunkered down below the Impala, not to see the full extent of the war passed a candy apple red Tahoe, parallel to most of the chaos. Bullets were flying everywhere, ricocheting off the grass, kicking up clumps of dirt and rubble. Yami yelled something. Atem couldn't hear it but understood well enough when he was propelled out of the way and a bullet punctured the tire wheel by his head.
Autumn colored eyes squinted up at the bright crimson that beheld a thick emotion. For a moment, just a brief moment, something from the past stirred unwanted feelings. Yami shook his head and destroyed the dread that foolishly erupted in his gut when he thought the bullet was going to kill Atem. The Red Eyes Leader returned his focus on the issue at hand. Atem stored that look in his mind for later usage and crept by Yami's side, hand at the small of his back. As one, they leaned around to witness the calamity at hand.
Yami's grey Impala was stationed on the outer rims of the battle, neutrally parked in the center. His cell vibrated. Yami stuck his hand back there, ignoring the brazen heat radiating from the press of Atem's chest to his back and answered.
"Where are you?" shrieked Valon. "The whole bloody park's gon' to the dog's! The blue bloods got bees firing off like fire crackers!"
"I'm here," Yami hollered back. "Did you get the girl?"
Gunfire echoed off the receiver before Aussie came back. "Yeah, yeah we hid her on the floor!"
"Where are you?"
"On-on the south side of Crawford. Dead center. Pinned. Ain't no fuckin' away we're getting 'round this! Fuck!" More ammunition let loose in the distance. "Where the hell are Slim, Thief and J?" Yami heard Valon shout to one of the runners. "We need some fuckin' back up!"
The phone disconnected.
Yami blinked at it like the very instrument was made of acid. He shoved the cell in his pocket. His mind busily started calculating their next move. Dissembling would be the better option; maybe to get their men to calm down long enough to get the girl.
Yami turned his head to relay the message, only he hadn't known when Atem's face had magnetically moved in until the gentle brush of firm smoothness grazed his lips. The pressure was stiff, skin to skin, laced with surprise and sweet humidity.
A kiss as light as breathing and—shit, how had that happened?
Yami jerked his head back, rigid from head to toe. He looked at Atem whose expression was equally astonished. They . . . they hadn't meant for that to-to happen. At once, they turned their eyes to the ground, minutely licking their lips as if that could get rid of the lingering sting.
"We," Atem broke the heavy tension first, bobbing his adam's apple up and down. "Kisara, where is she?"
Yami blinked, mind still clouded with delirium. He snapped back to his guarded posture, shoulders straight and emotions erased. He lowered himself flat on his stomach and motioned for Atem to mimic him.
"There." He pointed below the car at a bright red, 2010 Ford Tundra fifty yards away. "She's in the backseat."
"Guarded?"
"No, she's—shit!" Yami rolled to the side. He narrowly missed that one. "Under the seats."
"How the hell do we get to her?" Atem snapped, looking through the forest of gunfire and smoke.
Yami gripped his gun. "We gotta separate. You need to call off your men."
Atem slinked back like he was bitten. "And leave them to open fire?"
"I'll call mine off too, idiot!" Yami snarled. "This isn't the time."
"How do I know you'll do the same?"
"You have my word. Just trust me!"
Atem opened his mouth and clapped it shut, his anger sizzling away to nothing. Trust Yami. How long had it been since he heard those words before they entered into battle together? Was it really six years since he last heard those two words?
He sighed. "Yami . . . fuck, don't make me regret this."
Yami smirked. "You won't. Just this one time." He gave his back to Atem, zeroing in on the shooting again.
A black and grey topped, Coupe Deville low-rider suddenly swiveled from around the corner, tires protesting against the concrete. The car crazily bucked over the curb and dived for the center of the action. The windows were tinted too dark for the rival leaders to recognize the new arrivals man. Yami's crimson eyes slid over in Atem's direction. Three car doors opened up, barricading the three fiends from view, each one spouting dragon claw .50 caliber air rifles.
Joey's greasy blond hair was recognized immediately, along with Seto's signature trench coat and Akefia's tattoo-stained chest and wild ass smile.
"If ya don't wanna die, I suggest ya ride up outta here!" Joey's monotone voice bellowed. He cranked his gun with one arm and took aim. "Shit's 'bout to get real!"
"Fuck you!" Marik shouted and repositioned himself from afar, flipping the switch on his M16 to rapid fire. The gun stuttered crazily in his hands.
Joey's deranged grin matched his blood-thirsty gaze as he pulled the trigger. The noise of metal blasting earth, renewed the mayhem to a heighted excitement. Booms as loud as cannon fire shook the crowding buildings. Joey discriminated all of his victims, seeing anyone sporting the tiniest bit of blue and gunning them down. Seto flipped the safety off his saw rifle and let off a slew of gunfire, followed by Akefia's maniac laughter filling the air.
Yami savagely cursed in sync to Atem's gasp. The battlefield become twice as dangerous as before. It was tragic. There were agonized cries of soldiers and runners being shot from Yami's side and others from Atem's.
The men, as leaders, were suffering the instinct-like urges to join their fellow bloods and settling the score, but a pact of trust was made for the time being and right now, that was what mattered.
"Get ready," Yami called over the bedlam.
Atem patted his shoulder to signal he'd heard. He low crawled over to the opposite end of the car, planning the time he'd sprint out.
They didn't need to count or send a gesture to the other. Inner knowing took over, years old, and at once, the two bolted, bodies low and guns drawn. Yami saw Atem's dark skinned body out of his peripheral maneuvering around and through the gunfire, slippery as an oil-slicked eel. Yami was handling himself well enough, dipping and dodging the entire way to the closest red blood and ducking by their side. He recognized a few of his grunts by face and performed quick hand signs to prove his legions.
It was hard, navigating from car to car, trying not to startle the shooters into thinking he was a sneak blue blood. Yami managed to settle over half his crewmen, some of them itching to disobey and fire anyway. Yami found Mahado resting against the side of a 2000 Mercury Cougar, loading ammo into a magazine. His eyes widened in recognition of his leader.
"Ya good?" Yami questioned when he crouched by his friend's side.
"Been worse." Mahado wiped off a small blood stain on the sleeve of his grey V-neck. "I'll feel better as soon as we wipe this street of these blue bloods." He loaded the magazine in its chamber and locked it in place.
Yami grabbed the long barrel of Mahado's M16 and pulled it down, shaking his head.
Mahado scowled. "What are you doing?" he yelled over the discorded gunfire.
The pair pushed away to avoid a breezing bullet. Mahado let off a slew of shots in the same direction that bullet originated and sunk down to his leader.
"We can't be careless here!" Mahado said. "Why aren't you helping?"
"Because I need to get to Valon!"
"What? Why?"
Another car came barreling around the corner, stopping right in front of Mercury, blocking any route of escape. That made Yami pause and frown. He didn't recognize this car either. It was a bright white 2012 Ford Fusion also dunning dark tints. Yami didn't have to worry for long whether they were friend or foe because when the doors kicked open, Red Eyes started flooding on the street, armed and dangerous.
This was fucking perfect. Any other time, Yami would be animated with his abundant back up but now they were only hindering him from his mission. The weapons were becoming ten times more lethal and accurate. From Atem's side, Yami noticed sawed rifles perching on the edge of the door windows and letting off a store of ammo. The ascending noise was enough to rip your ears off.
There was no way Yami was going to reach her. The manpower was too strong, too wide and too scattered. If there were the tiniest—Yami frowned. No, that couldn't. "The hell?" He'd be a fool to believe the person he saw emerging out of his bullet-peppered car was Yugi.
Well, he was a fool indeed because the back door snapped shut and the youth started a mad dash towards the east, Yami's leather coat like a cape behind his back. "Damn!"
Yugi's hands shakily gripped the crumbled edge of the back window, eyes peeking half over the line. Never in his entire life had he seen such mass destruction. Amongst the shouts, calls and explosive turmoil, there was property damaged, destroyed beyond recognition. It wasn't curiosity that had him quaking to the tip of his toes. It was, for that singular instant when he'd been tucked tight into himself, that he heard a shrill cry and wouldn't have believed it for himself until he peered over the window to see.
There was a large sized red Tundra in the distance, fifty or maybe sixty years away, the windows on all sides, blasted off. The screams were muffled, but Yugi knew he'd heard it. When he stared, praying he would see anything, there was a glimmer of white hair glistening from sun's morning dawn. The sight came again and again, scurrying along the line of the window until a tiny head popped up, giant tears melting from the most beautiful blue eyes he was ever relieved to see.
Kisara had enough sense to stay low when the gunfire rose in velocity.
Yugi scoured the field for Yami and Atem, seeing neither. He wasn't sure the pair knew where Kisara was or if they could get to her. Was there time to consider his options? Yugi's sunk back down to avoid a barrage of bullets, legs curled to his chest. He didn't want to get shot again. Once was enough in his lifetime, but . . . damn it, she was right there! Didn't anyone see?
Were these blood lusting fools even aware that a small child was around? What if she was spooked into jumping out of the car and running aimlessly in the crossfire?
That scenario scared Yugi to death. No matter how smart she was, Kisara was still a child. His heart went into triple time as he processed his next course of action. It was risky, it was reckless and Jesus Christ, so deadly. Yugi gulped, peering over the side again. If he wasn't killed by the rampaging shots, Yugi knew Yami and Atem would finish the job.
Well, it was now or never.
Throwing the leather jacket over his head, Yugi gulped in three deep breaths, feeling his heart ba-thump in his chest. It would guide him through the noise, keep his brain worry free of the danger and keep him focused on his main objective.
Yugi thrust the door open, got on his hands and knees, bowed his back and started sprinting right into the madness.
"Oh God, I'm gonna die!"
He was going to die.
He just knew he was going to die.
"What the hell is he doing?" Atem hollered, outraged.
"Who?"
Atem had reached the firing lines near his cousins, having convinced the lower ranks to cease fire. The higher up he went, the tougher it was to persuade his gunman to knock off the killing spree. Yusei was as close as Atem got before he noticed a rushing lump of blue ambling around like a puppy stuck under a sheet. The orange hoodie was a dead giveaway to the idiot beneath and dear god when this was over, Atem swore he was going to kill him.
That daft moron!
"Sir?" Yusei bumped his shoulder to his T.O.G.'s, rocking his mind back to reality. "Why do you want me to me stop?"
Atem's gaze hardened. "Because I said so. They've got something of mine in there and I can't reach it." Atem jerked Yusei up to his feet and shoved him toward to upper ranks. "Tell them, I said lockdown!"
Lockdown. The terminological word he strictly used for emergencies. Yusei never would've thought he'd hear it with his own two ears for his leader to want to stop shooting at their mortal enemies. It was . . . so painfully absurd that he couldn't help hesitating until Atem roared like a lion for him to hurry up.
Yusei jerked out of his mental shock and hurried off to do as he was told.
Atem in the meantime, let his eyes fall over Yugi's scramble and went ahead of him to see where he was going.
The red truck.
How did—Yugi was going for the truck! Atem panicked. He glanced up and saw Yami's figure hopping over the head of his men to cut Yugi off at the pass. Atem decided to do the same, side stepping and squeezing through the vehicles. It felt like hours, struggling to map his way through the craziness. In between watching out for Yugi, who against some cosmic joke was making it through unharmed, and easing his mind with seeing Yami making it on his own, Atem kept his mind zeroed in on making sure those two weren't hurt and finally being reunited with his daughter. His brow perspired with sweat, his palms felt clammy.
His feet didn't pick up speed until he saw Yugi worm his way to the shielded side of the car and open the car door.
Yugi counted his blessings when he reached the car, and sprinted around to the other side. "Kisara!" He shouted, struggling to open the door. "Kisara answer me!"
Kisara's head popped up, blue eyes wide and watery. "Yugi?" she screamed. "Yugi get me!" she called over and over making a 'pick me up' gesture with her arms.
Yugi clawed at the door, stupid him, momentarily forgetting to pull the latch because his mind was so wild with trying to get her out. Adrenaline soaked his bloodstream like he'd never felt before. His entire body was numb, his mind kept screaming get her out, get her out. The gunfire was scaring him. He was going out of his mind. Then he got the door open and like a monkey springing from a tree, Kisara leapt into his open arms, legs wrapped around his torso and arms squeezing his neck.
"Oh God," Yugi whispered, over and over, rocking her tiny body from side to side. Tears bled from his eyes, running like a cracked faucet. "Kisara, Kisara, oh Kisara, you're ok." He held her tight, kissed her cheeks, kissed her brow and stroked her tangled hair like he was just reunited with a long lost relative. Yugi hadn't known how scared he was for this child until she clung to him, shivering, and heartbeat popping against his chest like a snare drum.
"I was scared Yugi." Kisara mouthed against his neck. "I wanted to see you, I'm sorry," she whimpered and sniffled. "Am I in trouble?"
"No, God no, love." Yugi fell to his knees, crushing her fragile body to his chest. "I'm just happy to see you."
Footsteps hustling from both sides, grabbed Yugi's attention. He looked up from Kisara's hair and first saw Yami out the corner of his eye, pace slowing up and then turned to see Atem's stride speeding up into a full out run.
"Kisara!"
Said child lifted her face from Yugi's chest and crumbled. "D-Da-Da," she choked, unable to voice her alleviation. Kisara loosened her grip on Yugi's neck and stepped out with her arms out. Tears poured like a ruptured dam from her eyes.
"Kisara!" In lightning-speed, Atem brutally grabbed his daughter under her armpits, and pulled her into his arms, plastering her face in his neck. He clenched his teeth, fighting like a demon to keep his tears at bay. Atem couldn't breathe, his chest aching as he at long last held his dearest loved one in his arms. His large hand cradled the back of her head, rocking to and fro as tears, stored for years and years began to break free no matter how hard he squeezed his eyes.
"Daddy, I'm sorry." Kisara blubbered incoherently.
"No, no baby, it's ok. Shhh, please, it's ok." He kissed her ear, kissed her neck and brow, over and over. "God, thank you, thank you, thank you." The emotions were like a cork wedged tight in his chest.
Yugi watched the affectionate scene, clenching his sides. No words, no emotions, there was nothing that could detail how much joy overwhelmed him at seeing this. He'd wiped his eyes clean when Atem snagged a handful of his shirt and pull him in a one armed hug, his other arm fastened like a noose around Kisara's body.
"I'll pay you back, Yugi. I swear," Atem fiercely hissed in Yugi's ear. "I owe you so much."
Yugi shook his head. "No, I was glad to help."
"No, no I mean it." Atem released him and pressed his lips to Yugi's forehead. "Anything you ever want, I'll give it to you. Anything."
Yugi planned to keep throwing back Atem's offer, but the wailing sounds of sirens caused the whole roar of gunfire to stop, as if a fire alarm had been flipped in a library. In no time, the gang members started scrambling to their cars, hurrying on foot and some holding back to help a fallen victim before scattering like cockroaches. Despite having a few of their families in the police force, none of them wanted to risk being thrown in jail. The upper ranks called for a retreat and disappeared down the roads. The remaining few sunk inside their cars cooking rubber on the asphalt. The show, for the moment, was over.
But the deafening silence left behind a gruesome scene. Dozens of bodies littered the grounds in pools of gelled blood. Bullet shells glimmered in the open sunshine, revealing the devastation to all.
Yugi eased out of Atem's grasp as fatigue started burning through his muscles.
"We should go." That was Yami's voice.
The pair, Atem and Yugi with glazed eyes, turned around to face the Red Eyes O.G. who'd kept his distance up until now. With his hands shoved deep in his pockets, Yami cocked a small smile at Kisara's curious face and winked.
"Stay safe, Little One." Then he glanced down at Yugi. "I'll take you home."
Yugi was too emotionally drained to argue. He nodded and followed.
"Wait, Yami," Atem pulled at his rival's bicep, halting him from his escape. "You . . . you didn't have too. . . God knows what would've happened if you hadn't—"
Yami held up his palm, waving it a little. "It's over, she's safe. That's all that matters."
"It's not over Yami. I'm indebted to you as I am to Yugi." Atem insisted, cracking his first smile in hours. "Whether you approve or not isn't up to you. You know what that entitles out here. I'll try my damnest to make it up to you."
Yami snorted, pivoting on his heel. "Do as you wish. That doesn't mean I'll accept. Let's go." He started for his car, motioning for Yugi to follow.
The young teen smiled one last time at the father-daughter duo and went off after Yami.
Yugi tilted his head to the side, studying Yami's profile. The mask he had up was doing an amazing job of camouflaging his exhaustion. Yugi noticed it in the sluggish stroll Yami tried to straight every few steps and the times his fingers flexed in his pockets and the downcast of his usually leveled eyes.
"You're tired," Yugi said.
Yami chuckled. "No shit. Aren't you?"
"Very," Yugi didn't think once he got in bed, he'd be able to leave it. His muscles were so tender now.
"You're an idiot, you realize."
Damn. Yugi knew that was coming and should've braved himself for the sternness woven in each word.
"Don't . . ." Yami paused, lips twitching in a funny shape. He blew out an agitated sigh and cocked an eyebrow down at Yugi's puzzled expression. "Just don't do it again. Alright?"
"Yeah, yeah, I promise." Yugi covered a tiny smile, reaching his unharmed hand up to scratch behind his head, sheepishly. "That was pretty stupid, huh?"
"Immensely so."
But not without its brave intentions.
They reached the bullet tattered vehicle and hopped inside. Yami shook his head at the damage. This was going to cost a good grip to fix at one of his shops. He glanced over at Yugi, to find the boy already out cold, door not even shut, like he'd been shot with a tranquilizer. Shaking his head, Yami seized Yugi's wrist and gave a hard pull, yanking the boy in the rest of the way and using his other hand to grasp Yugi's forehead and tilt it back against the headrest.
What a foolish, ignorant, stupid, crazy . . . just flat out. . . Yami couldn't even finish, looking at the pure innocence relaxed in Yugi's face. Rolling his eyes, he closed the passenger door and started the car for Kame's Game Shop.
There was, the smallest microscopic smile on his face that held a fraction of admiration he hadn't felt in a long time. The blundering fool was something else.
TBC: I'm emotionally drained . . . but I think you'll quite enjoy the next few chapters. ~crawls away~