A/N: I haven't gotten that many reviews for a chapter in a while… I must promise puzzleshipping smut more often, apparently. Well, I have to say that it was completely unplanned, as in the concept never even crossed my mind when I started writing this chapter. By the time it dawned on me where things were headed I was halfway through the scene and it felt so right that I couldn't stop. I'm not very practiced at those kinds of scenes, so I hope you all find it okay (and please know I'm embarrassed to post this). Enjoy!
The ceiling was a soft, familiar shade of bluish white and he was lying on the world's most comfortable bed, with a mattress that supported every inch of his aching body, covered by a blanket that felt silk. Yuugi blinked hazily, realizing that he felt safe for the first time in days, and used his hands to push himself into a seated position. He recognized this place, he realized, looking around at the toys and games littering the floor with mild interest. It was his soul room, the place where he had first admitted that he wanted to stay with Yami. The room looked relatively unchanged from the last time that they had been there, bar the fact that the crescent moon on the wall was gone.
Did that mean that Maiden of the Moonlight's spell on him had been broken? Carefully, he eased his legs over the side of the bed and stood up, expecting pain. When there wasn't, he paused and looked his body over, noting that the wounds that had been on his physical body were conspicuously absent from his spiritual form. That was something, at least. It had been a while since he'd been able to walk around without something hurting. He moved easily over to the wall where the mark had been and touched the unblemished surface hesitantly, remembering how tenderly Yami had held him in his arms. His hand dropped back to his side as the urge to cry threatened to overwhelm him again, but he gritted his teeth and forced it back, looking around for something with which to distract himself.
A door on the far side of the room caught his attention. Curious, he crossed the room and pushed it open, revealing a long, dark corridor that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Just barely visible through the dim light was a second door that was directly opposite his. It was much older looking than Yuugi's door, though, and made of what appeared to be a mixture of faceted gold and dark, rich wood. Half of the symbol that had been on the front of the Millennium Puzzle was stenciled onto the front in gold, and when Yuugi looked back at his own door, he saw that the missing half of the symbol was there.
"Two halves of a whole, huh?" he muttered, amusement and hope warring within him. Did that mean Yami was beyond that door? "Yami, are you there? Can you hear me?" His voice quivered with desperation as he crossed the hall and dared to place a cautious hand on the old wood. He shivered at the chill radiating through the veins of gold and started to back away, but then the door swung open beneath the force of his palm. Yuugi hesitated for only a few seconds before he stepped inside.
It was dark, which was the first thing he noticed, and that made it impossible to see anything that wasn't more than a handful of inches in front of his face. There was a circle of light surrounding him - no. The light was radiating from him, illuminating the space directly around his body, giving him a circle of about a foot all around to work with. Everything beyond was cast in a shadow so deep and cold that he shuddered. Part of him wanted to go back to the safety of his own sunny little room, but the only thing he wanted more was the chance to see Yami again. And something was telling him that if he kept going he would have that chance.
"Yami, are you here?" he called out, sweeping his eyes blindly over the sea of darkness. It was totally disorienting and he couldn't help thinking that there was a strong possibility that something out there waiting to attack. "Yami, it's me, Yuugi. I want to see you. I heard that you were trapped in the Puzzle… I solved it and came to save you." His voice broke and he took a deep breath in a vain effort to comfort himself before he took a couple of steps forward, holding his hands out in front of him.
It was slow-going, as he couldn't be sure of where anything in the room was. Within a couple of steps, the door behind him was swallowed up by the darkness and he felt a sharp burst of panic. His breathing became faster, his heart began to pound, and his eyes darted around frantically, searching the shadows for a sign of anything familiar. But the only thing he could see was the ground, which was made what looked to be old stone. Fascinating, yes, but overall that wasn't very helpful. He shuffled forward a little more, realizing that Yami's soul room - was that even where he was? - must have been larger than his.
Something fluttered in front of him and he froze, old instinct driving him to his knees as a staff swung through the air directly where his head had been seconds earlier. Yuugi looked up, stunned, as a familiar figure stepped out of the darkness into the circle of light. The deep purple and black robes and blazing red eyes held him to the spot. "D-Dark M-Magician?" he gasped. "What…? How…? Why are you…?"
Dark Magician said nothing, but then he didn't really need to. The fact that he was holding his staff up above his head in preparation for another swing spoke volumes. Yuugi's body reacted before his mind had caught up, throwing himself to the side as the staff crashed harmlessly into the floor. His knees and palms scraped painfully against the stone floor as he leaned hard and fell over onto his side with a hollow cry. Instead of jumping to his feet, he huddled into a ball to make a smaller target and wished that the light would vanish so that he could hide in the shadows.
"Why are you doing this?" he cried, wrapping his hands protectively over his head. "I'm sorry for intruding. I didn't know that I wasn't supposed to. I just want Yami back!"
Blank eyes stared down at him dispassionately as Dark Magician stepped closer, staff held high for a third attempt. Yuugi cried out and threw his hands up without thinking. A tingling sensation that started in his chest shot down his shoulders and arms and burned out through his hands. Dark Magician staggered backwards as he was struck by the brilliant white light. His staff fell to the floor and for a long minute, he just stood there, eyes wide and unfocused, before he followed, collapsing to his knees and then sliding over to rest in a heap. He didn't move, and after several tense moments, Yuugi uncurled and crawled over to him.
"Dark Magician, are you alright?" he whispered worriedly. Even though the duel monster had been trying to kill him, he still felt horrible for having attacked one of his favorite cards. He reached out a hand that shook and tentatively patted the top of the helmet, half-expecting an attack. When nothing happened, he knelt beside the limp body and lifted Dark Magician's head onto his lap to keep it off of the cold floor.
"I'm so alone," he said out loud, absently smoothing the fringe of bright hair that stuck out from beneath the helmet. "I want to see Yami so much." A single tear slipped out from beneath his closed eyes and rolled down his cheek. It struck Dark Magician's forehead. Slowly, the duel monster stirred, opening blue eyes that were filled with clarity as he stared at the weeping boy above him. His hand rose, weakly brushing away the other tears that were falling.
Yuugi jumped at the touch and his eyes flew open. He was frightened until he saw that Dark Magician was smiling at him. Hesitantly, he smiled back. "Do you feel better now?"
Dark Magician nodded and pointed to Yuugi's hands, then pressed a finger to Yuugi's heart. Yuugi blinked, confused, as the monster gestured to the darkness around them and put his hands over his face. After a moment of thinking, he thought he understood what the Dark Magician was trying to say. "I healed you?" he asked, just to be sure. He received another nod and took a deep breath, not sure whether he wanted to ask the burning question. "Is that… what happened to Yami?"
There was a lengthy pause and then Dark Magician nodded a third time. Yuugi chewed on the inside of his cheek to keep from crying. It was several seconds before he could speak. "Dark Magician, take me to Yami. I don't care if it's dangerous or if he doesn't remember me. I want to be with him."
It was evident from the look on his face that Dark Magician wanted to do no such thing, but when Yuugi looked at him with pleading eyes, the duel monster gave in and got to his feet. Yuugi followed closely behind him as Dark Magician led him even further into the room. Now that there was someone with him, the shadows surrounding them seemed to become enraged. They lashed out at Yuugi, aiming to get past the circle of light that was keeping them away. But every time a tendril so much as touched the light, it retreated with a sound that was not unlike a squeal of pain. Shuddering, Yuugi edged closer to Dark Magician, wondering what could have happened to Yami that he would have become so twisted and tainted. Was there any hope at all lest for his other half?
After what felt like hours, though in reality was probably only a good ten or fifteen minutes, something came into sight. It was a throne, Yuugi realized, stopping when Dark Magician did. The light only reached the very bottom of the gilded gold, but it was enough for him to tell what the basic shape was. Another step brought black boots and slender ankles into view. Yuugi gasped and started to rush forward, but Dark Magician's hand snapped out and grabbed the back of his collar, preventing him from getting too close. He whimpered and fought the hold, trying to squirm free. There was a sharp sound, like someone had snapped their fingers, and then the restraining grip suddenly let go.
The unexpected release of his shirt threw him forward. He stumbled and fell to one knee with a sharp gasp and glanced up to see that the extra step had brought the boy on the throne into full view. It was Yami… or at least, some version of him. Dark jeans and a black tank top covered golden skin that had a few bright red welts here and there, mostly notably on the wrists and biceps, like he'd been restrained. His hair - yes, just like always, peaks of black tipped with ruby and decorated with lightning bolts of gold. Yuugi swallowed hard. Blank crimson eyes stared down at him. There was no recognition in those eyes; none at all.
"Yami?" he whispered tremulously, getting up and dusting his scratched palms off. There was a long, considering pause during which Yuugi's heart skipped several beats, and then the older boy stood up and walked down the handful of stairs separating them. He knelt gracefully in front of Yuugi, leaving their faces only inches apart. Yuugi stared back at him with wide violet eyes, fingers shaking with the urge to reach out and touch, to make sure that this was actually real and not just some dream he was having in the cell.
"Light," Yami said finally, his deep voice reverberating and sending shivers down Yuugi's spine. "My light. Sweet, precious light." He opened his arms and, with a small, choked sob, Yuugi fell into them gladly. Throwing his arms around his yami's neck, he clung to the slender form and dissolved into tears.
Yami's arms closed safely around him, pulling Yuugi against his body so tightly that the hikari was practically sitting in his lap, and rocked him back and forth. Comforting words spilled into Yuugi's ears, but he was deaf to whatever Yami was actually saying. It just sounded so good to hear the older boy's voice, to hear the soothing beat of Yami's heart when he tucked his head against the firm chest, to feel the pressure of Yami's arms around him and know that it meant he was truly safe at last. Tears spilled freely down his cheeks and soaked into the dark shirt that his face was pressed into, but somehow, he didn't think Yami would mind.
"I solved the puzzle, Yami," he whispered after a long time, once his crying fit had eased and he could talk without the words coming out choked. "I wanted to see you so badly. Please don't leave me again."
"You saved me," Yami murmured into his hair, one of his hands tracing a comforting pattern on Yuugi's back. "Sweet little light, your presence has saved me from the shadows. If you want me to be with you then I will never leave your side. I will protect you always."
As wonderful as it was to hear the utter sincerity in those words, some distant part of him noted that what Yami had said sounded… odd. Sniffing, Yuugi pulled back a little - only a little, mind - and looked up into the face of his darkness. For the first time, he realized that something wasn't quite right. Nerves fluttered in his stomach. "Yami… you do know who I am, don't you?"
"You are my light. My savior, the one with the power to chase away the cold shadows," Yami answered without missing a beat.
Yuugi stared at him in disbelief when nothing else came, realizing that Yami didn't remember him - and not just him, but everything about his life. The time in the puzzle had wiped his memory. His head whipped around, searching for the Dark Magician. "What happened?" he cried, scanning the shadows for any sign of the duel monster.
"Don't be upset, little light," said Yami, cupping Yuugi's cheek and gently turning the boy's eyes back to face him. "I am here with you. Is that not what you wanted?"
"Yes, but…" Frustrated tears filled his eyes. How was he supposed to explain everything that had been happening while Yami was trapped inside the puzzle at the mercy of the shadows? Seto, Bakura, Mariku - Yami wouldn't remember any of them, either. He ached at the thought, remembering those precious few times when the loss of Yami had visibly caught up to the other three. It had bothered all of them a lot more than they wanted to let on. How would they react when they found out what happened?
Wildly, he turned to glare at the shadows. "This is your fault! How could you? Return his memories to him right now!"
As it turned out, trying to order the shadows around was probably not the best idea he'd ever had. Yuugi bit back a shriek of fear when the inky pools of darkness began to strike at the light again, thrashing against his barrier in an effort to get inside. Every strike hurt, and he shrank back and twisted, burying his face in Yami's collarbone. Yami made some motion over his head and the relentless blows stopped, but he didn't lift his head. He couldn't seem to stop himself from shaking, even when Yami began rubbing his back again and murmuring more soothing words into his ears.
"Yami, please," he whimpered finally. "You promised that you wouldn't leave me…"
The hand rubbing over his back stilled. "Aibou…"
"Yami?" Yuugi's head snapped up and he peered intently into those familiar crimson eyes. Something flickered in the blank gaze, but it was gone too fast for him to be able to identify it. Still, the brief flash of emotion gave him hope that Yami was still in there somewhere. He rested his forehead against Yami's, maintaining their eye contact, and said, "Yami, do you remember what you told me when I didn't want to admit that I was your light? You said that we belonged together, that we were two halves of a whole. I didn't want to believe it but you wore me down until I had no choice but to admit that it was the truth. Please, you have to come back to me. I don't want to be alone anymore. I need you."
Without waiting for whatever response that the broken spirit might have come up with, Yuugi closed his eyes and fell into himself, reaching for the blazing power of the Millennium Puzzle. It had been a flickering presence in the back of his mind from the moment that his fingers had put the last piece into place, and now the power flooded him eagerly. With the help of the puzzle, he sought out that cold spot in his mind and soul where Yami had once resided. Their bond was shriveled and barely recognizable; still there, but so faint and beaten that Yuugi barely recognized it. Gently, he took hold of that cord and sent a rush of everything that he had been feeling since they'd been separated rushing down it, including the pure want to have his yami back with him.
Yami's body shuddered at the influx of emotion and his head fell back as a ragged gasp was torn from his lips. It was so much. Too much. Within the grasp of the shadows, he'd forgotten about things like emotions or light or warmth. They had all been wiped from his mind and all he'd known was cold and dark and nothingness. The first appearance of the light that he held in his arms had brought some of them back, and he'd considered each one a tiny but priceless treasure, but he'd never imagined that there could be so much… more. Another groan escaped him as he unconsciously squeezed Yuugi tighter, searching for something concrete to hold onto that could help to tie him to the real world.
Emotions were flooding his mind - fear, pain, overwhelming grief, anger, panic, want, desire, joy, love, even a hint of lust - and each one was completely new and so, so sharp, filling him up with jagged corners until he thought for certain that he would burst from the overload. It was too much, but at the same time, it still wasn't enough. He reached out blindly, searching for that spot in his mind that was blazing with warmth so hot that it burned. Yuugi's gasp rang in his ears; it was the first time that they had reached out mentally to each other in days and never before had the response between them been so strong. Their bond was literally vibrating with a combination of magic and pent-up feelings, kicking them both into a frenzy. Yami did the only thing he could think of. He tipped his light's head up and kissed him.
With their bond so open and free, the kiss was even more intense than normal. Yuugi whimpered and wrapped his arms around Yami's neck, feeling his body thrum with every sensation imaginable as the lingering effects of the shadows fled Yami's mind, burned away by the force of his light. His yami gave an answering growl and gripped Yuugi's hips tightly, pressing his hikari firmly against him. With every second, the encompassing darkness that had yearned to swallow him whole was steadily retreating, leaving behind that which he had believed was lost to him forever. And he wanted more, so much more.
"Y-Yami…" Yuugi pulled back from the kiss, panting heavily. His violet eyes were huge and a becoming flush had spread across his cheeks. A soft moan escaped his swollen lips as he instinctively shifted his hips down, seeking more friction. Yami's lips moved to his neck, alternating kissing and biting in ways that made his heart pound. Too much but still not enough: their bond was going crazy and Yuugi couldn't help but love every minute of it. He couldn't get enough of being close to Yami after being deprived for so long. He ground down again with a choked gasp; there was warmth in his belly that was steadily heating, similar to what he'd experienced before when he was alone in his room, but at the same time stronger, like his body was melting and becoming one with the darkness that was clutching him so tightly.
"Aibou…" Yami breathed the word in between gentle but fierce nips that made his hikari squirm and whimper. He purposely bucked upwards, rubbing their erections together. Both boys moaned heavily as their completely open bond created a feedback loop that sent pure pleasure bouncing back and forth until it had magnified into an intensity that Yuugi hadn't thought possible. He gasped for breath and tilted his head back, giving Yami more access to his neck. His heart was hammering, his vision was fuzzy, it was so much, too much, he could hardly think, much less do anything but hold on.
"P-please… Yami…" Impulsively, he grabbed the older boy's head and pulled him up for another kiss. Their lips met and parted, tongues darting out to explore and experience. Yuugi whined and pressed down harder, searching for more as he tangled a hand in Yami's hair. All thoughts of Pegasus and Hafiz, of the outside world in general, had completely vanished from his mind; all he could concentrate on was the feel of Yami's skin beneath his hands, the delicious sensation that was threatening to overwhelm him, the sweet taste of Yami's mouth…
Yami growled low under his breath and twisted, shifting his lighter half just so in order to better orient their positions. Both of them groaned out loud at the resulting pleasure that skyrocketed through their bodies and across their bond. Breathlessly, Yuugi spread his thighs a little wider and rubbed harder; he could feel himself spiraling out of control as his breathing became heavier. He squirmed helplessly, never losing the wonderful, spectacular rhythm that was making bursts of light explode behind his eyes, and leaned his forehead against Yami's shoulder, soft pants and gasps filling the air between them. Close, so close, oh Ra, Yami's fingers were leaving trails of fire across his skin, and it was good, so good, better than he'd ever imagined, and – oh.
His body trembled and he cried out as he reached his peak. Yami groaned at the sheer pleasure washing through their bond and followed, his hips instinctively angling for one last thrust before he collapsed against his light, panting heavily. For several minutes, there was no other sound in the large room save for that of their ragged breathing as they gradually came back down from their high. Eventually Yami collected himself and began to place gentle, loving kisses against Yuugi's neck, dragging his tongue across the small red marks and bruises that he'd left. Yuugi smiled tiredly and wrapped his arms around the older boy's neck before he lifted his head, seeking out Yami's eyes.
"Have you come back to me?" he asked quietly, cheeks stained a pale pink. He'd never done that with anyone before, but with Yami, it felt so right that he couldn't regret it. He hadn't known it was possible to feel that loved or to love someone so much in return.
"I never left you, Aibou." Yami's head rose, displaying vivid crimson eyes that were clear for quite possibly the first time in days. A gentle smile crossed his lips as he leaned forward and kissed the tip of Yuugi's nose. "Thank you for rescuing me, little one. I'm sorry that I couldn't be there for you when you needed me." His voice dropped, holding the raw edge of promise: for every affliction Hafiz had dealt his light, no matter how minor, he would pay the man back tenfold.
Once again, Yuugi's eyes filled with tears, though he closed them in an effort to keep the joyful and relieved tears back. It didn't work. Moments later, he felt Yami's lips gently kissing the tears away. "Don't cry, my sweet little light," Yami whispered, lips just barely brushing against the soft skin. "Did I frighten you?"
"No, Yami. I could never be scared of you," Yuugi mumbled. Their bond was still completely open, so he knew that Yami could tell it was the truth. He tightened his grip on Yami's neck just in case. "Yami… you didn't recognize me when I came in. You didn't know who I was."
"I've been in here for a long time, Aibou," said the reincarnated pharaoh wearily. "My soul was torn apart, completely encased in darkness, and the shadows have been wreaking havoc with my mind. I forgot about everything for a while, not just you, but I always knew I was waiting for something." He ran his hands up and down Yuugi's back. "Some of what I lost has been returned to me thanks to you, but many of my memories still feel very distant, and I know that even now I don't remember everything I should. But with further exposure to your light, the effects of the shadows should someday be eradicated completely."
"As long as you're alright." The unspoken 'because I don't know what I would do without you' lingered heavily between them. Yami smiled lovingly and tilted his head, catching his hikari's lips in a warm, sweet, un-hurried kiss, taking his time to fully taste the younger boy. Yuugi looked somewhat dazed by the time his yami pulled away and the blush on his cheeks had darkened, but his violet eyes were sparkling. He felt like he couldn't catch his breath, like his whole world had narrowed down to just him and his darkness... two halves, making a perfect whole. Part of him wanted to stay there forever, within the confines of the Millennium Puzzle where they were safe and no one could touch them, where there was no pain or anger or sadness, only warmth and pleasure and love.
He sighed. "Yami, we have to go," Yuugi said quietly, regret spilling through him. He didn't want to go, but now that thoughts of their friends and the dangers they were facing had filtered back in, he knew that they had to. "I was kidnapped by Maiden of the Moonlight and brought to Illusion Island. The others came here to rescue me but they're not in very good shape." Ra, he didn't even know if Ryou and Malik had been found by Bakura and Mariku yet. If not, the two hikaris were still wandering around with little protection, completely vulnerable to whatever was going on.
Yami sighed and captured one of his hands, kissing the tip of his index finger. "I suppose you're right. I do have some revenge to dole out," he agreed, deliberately allowing Yuugi's finger to slide into his lips. He sucked gently, enjoying the way his hikari's eyes darkened and the feel of the renewed interest against his hip. With a throaty chuckle, he released the trapped digit and flashed the younger boy a wicked smile. "But once we are off this wretched island, Aibou, you are mine."
Suddenly, his throat was very dry. Yuugi swallowed painfully hard and nodded silently, not even able to think about denying his yami anything. "Okay," he agreed, possibly a little too fast judging by the way that Yami groaned and kissed him again. He melted into the kiss immediately, willingly allowing Yami to take control, making small sounds that could have been whimpers in the back of his throat. This feeling was completely addictive, like loading up on sugar after being deprived for days. Every touch made his skin burn, every feeling made the bond sing, and the overload should have been too much, but he loved every second of it.
It was possible that they might have stayed there forever if it weren't for the base of a staff gently poking Yami in the shoulder. He released his hikari with a frustrated growl that made Yuugi giggle and sent a poisonous look over his shoulder at Dark Magician, who just smirked in reply. "Alright, little one, you two win. We should go now or we're not going to go at all," he muttered. Somehow, with the kind of grace and poise that only Yami could possess, he managed to get to his feet and scoop Yuugi up in his arms without stumbling or letting Yuugi go even once. The younger boy just shook his head and didn't try to squirm free, not when Yami's arms tightened possessively the instant he tried.
"Your soul room has changed," he noted with wonder, looking around. The circle of light was much wider now, revealing a fairly large room that was not unlike Yuugi's except for color and decoration, with walls that were a deep crimson, an old stone floor, and the throne that Yami had been sitting on before. There was a plush bed with what looked like velvet curtains off to the side; it was enormous and, he noticed with a blush, more than large enough for two people. Scattered around the room were innocent-looking things, such as pictures of Yuugi, Seto, Mariku, Bakura, Jou, Shizuka, and Mokuba - and the occasional decoration that must have held some significance to Yami, but something told him that touching any of those things would result in a fate worse than death.
"They're traps," said Yami, correctly interpreting what Yuugi was thinking. "Many things in my soul room have been designed to keep intruders out. They would never hurt you, little one, but anyone else who stumbled in here..." His voice trailed off.
"Could someone do that?" His head snapped around as he asked the question, tracking a small bolt of shadow that was leaping from one corner of the room to the other, just beyond where the circle of light touched. He remembered what Yami had told him about how some of his memories hadn't returned yet and felt a flash of anger at the knowledge that the shadows would dare to stake a claim on his darkness. A soft chuckle stirred the air next to his ear.
"Your darkness? I like the sound of that, my possessive aibou," Yami said with a smirk. "To answer your question, yes: Shadi possesses the Millennium Key, which he can use to see into your soul room and change it as he desired. And now I really think it's time to leave, before you start waging a war with the shadows. I really don't want to share you, either, and I know they will get addicted to the sweetness of your light if given the chance." He pressed a surprisingly chaste kiss to Yuugi's cheek. "Come and let us end this fight."
"Yes, my pharaoh," Yuugi said, a teasing grin on his face as he settled back in Yami's grip. Lust mingled with desire flowed across their bond and he groaned as the world around them tipped and whirled and wrenched. He had the feeling that freeing Yami from the grips of the shadows had resulting in him creating a monster... but somehow he couldn't really bring himself to complain too much. As long as they were together, that was all that really mattered.
Please review and let me know what you thought!