Hello, my readers! Thank you all so much! As we are approaching the end of this story, I'm reminded again what a great bunch you all are! NEVER FEAR! There will be a sequel. I'm currently only halfway done with it though. So there will be some time between this story and the release of the next one. Not sure how much time, but no longer than two months. Again, only you guys have made this possible. Also, I wanted to just say that SOPA IS, in fact, maybe coming back. I'd very much enjoy it if you'd go sign a petition or something to stop that. Bye.
Yami's POV
Since Yuugi had gone to bed, I saw no real reason to force my own tired eyes to stay open. Kaiba and Yuugi's grandpa were mildly entertaining, but not to the extend where I'd push myself to remain in their company.
I walked back to my bedroom, changing into my pajamas. I thought of all that had happened today, of how much fun that I'd had seeing Yuugi happy. Mostly, though; I thought of my memories.
Scary, unreal things kept cropping up, impossible situations lacking sensation or touch. Things that couldn't possibly be real. Duels in which I was afraid, not only for myself, but for my friends and my host. Wait, host? Why was I suddenly calling Yuugi my host?
I shook my head to clear it, and climbed into bed, tucking the covers up over my head to create a warm cocoon for myself.
I needed a nice, long rest.
Unfortunately, that's not what I received.
I was back with Yuugi, and he turned to me with fright in his eyes.
"Pharaoh, don't leave me to my demons, you have to remember me, please!" Yuugi exclaimed. I vaguely connected that this was a continuation of the dream I had a few days back.
A feral howl shattered my ears, and even worse; a piercing scream shattered my heart.
"Tell my you remember, please!" Yuugi pleaded, grabbing my shirt.
"I-I-" I tried to lie, but the words caught in my throat and I realized that I couldn't. "I can't remember enough." I sighed. Yuugi turned away momentarily as a wolf came over the mountain and ran towards him, behind it following a large pack. It was snow white and seemed to radiate ferocity and coolness. Even the places where it's paws touched, the ground itself, seemed to shiver as ice coated it. Everywhere where the wolves stepped was coated in a thin layer of ice. All the wolves were varying shades of white and grey, excluding their bright red, dripping muzzles that I'm certain just moments ago had been inside of a carcass.
The entire pack was gaining, and their howls became unbearably loud and piercing, until they were just feet away.
Tears were in Yuugi's eyes as he leaned forward and 'kissed' me, and the leader's teeth sunk deep into his ankle, causing him to collapse onto the cool earth.
I screamed, trying to bat the wolf away. I couldn't touch him, though. I couldn't stop him from viciously tearing open Yuugi's leg.
"STOP! YOU'RE HURTING HIM!" I screamed, but my actual sounds were washed out by Yuugi's terrible cry of pain. I dropped to my knees, and the wolf seemed to smile.
Then, a strange, choked sound began to come from it. I looked over to find that it was...laughing?
"Ha! Pharaoh, we're going to TEAR YOUR AIBOU APART, limb from limb, while you WATCH!" The beast spat, its unnaturally gruff and cruel voice sending shivers down my spine. "Not that you care. Isn't that right, Yuugi? He doesn't even love you enough to remember!"
"I KNOW he does..." Yuugi said. The wolf laughed again and then suddenly lunged, tearing a huge chunk out of Yuugi's arm. Fresh, rich blood began to stain his muzzle as he tore into Yuugi, ushering an unearthly scream to tear itself from his beautiful lips.
"Stop, STOP!" I shouted. The wolf, in return, barked out a reply and the other wolves joined in, each grasping a different part of Yuugi's body to hold him down. There was no way he could fight. Yuugi screamed again as their teeth dug into his soft, pale skin. I wanted to turn and look away, but I couldn't. Yuugi's blood ran down his teeth and onto the newly frozen ground, turning the snow to a bright red. The leader paced around him as the others held him still. Yuugi gritted his teeth to avoid screaming, looking at me with his eyes full of torment.
"He never loved you. He LEFT you!" The alpha declared, lunging. Yuugi tried to tear away, but the strength of the other wolves was too great, and the alpha dug its muzzle into Yuugi's stomach. Yuugi let out a scream, and it tore right through my heart.
I swang my arms wildly at the wolves, but I couldn't touch them, couldn't stop their gnashing teeth from tearing into Yuugi. They all joined in in tearing chunks out of him, and his agonized screams seemed to completely fill the forest.
"Please, PLEASE!" I screamed desprately, but to no avail. "Take me instead, just PLEASE STOP HURTING HIM!" I cried. I began to frantically work my way across the ground towards him, dropping to my knees beside his face. His screaming died down and them altogether stopped, the energy clearly draining from his body. "I love you." I whispered. Only then did I realized that it was true.
He panted and gasped out in pain, but I could see the faint glimmer of his eyes despite.
"L-L-Love you, t-too!"Yuugi gasped the last word as one of the smaller wolves tore another chunk out of his arm. I leaned forward and 'kissed' him gently, wishing desperately that he would feel it.
Finally, the alpha backed away, barking to the others to stop the tearing. They were all dripping with Yuugi's blood.
"He'll die now." The wolf said with a laugh, turning away. "Hold him while you can."
Suddenly, I could feel him. I grabbed him and pulled him into my arms, holding him close. If the movement hurt him, he gave no sign.
"Please stay with me, please don't die." I whispered brokenly as the wolves disappeared, back to whatever hell they were spawned out of. I heard in the distance the wolf's long howl of victory, and I wondered if he knew that he was a monster.
Despite the pain, I saw Yuugi smile. "I can't. I'm so sorry. But... I'd die happy if..."
"If?"
"If I could get a kiss..." He trailed off. I didn't even hesitate, knowing that I didn't have that kind of time. I leaned forward, taking his face in my free hand, and kissed him gently, pressing my lips against his.
There is NO describing that kiss. Full of love and sorrow, sadness and foreboding. His lips caused a halt to all proper thoughts, and I pressed my lips down on his harder. If he was going to die, I'd make sure he knew that I'd loved him. I'd make sure that he knew how it had hurt me too, be sure...
I felt him relax and I kissed him harder, as if that would somehow give him the strength to stay with me.
Of course, that wasn't the case.
His entire body relaxed and he closed his eyes. The blood that was flowing freely from his wounds began to slow and weaken. I pulled away from the kiss, and his body began to cool beneath the snow. His breath gave a final jolt before stopping completely.
"I love you." I whispered, but I knew that he could no longer hear me. I leaned forward to kiss his forehead, but I was no longer able. I couldn't feel him anymore.
He was dead.
I sat up straight in bed, panting. just a dream, just a...
I reached up to feel the tears on my face silently. I had to make sure he was okay, had to make sure he was safe...
Yuugi's POV
I'd just put away my poetry book, and I was checking the time. It was almost midnight, so I briefly considered going up to the porch to stargaze again.
I decided against it, though. I needed to get some sleep. So, I closed my eyes and pulled the covers over my chest, when-
Yami knocked on my door.
"Come in!" I shouted, and he opened it slowly. He was trembling and he had tears shining in his eyes.
"What happened?" I asked. He didn't respond, instead walking over to me slowly. He placed his hand onto my shoulder. I looked up into his tear filled eyes, and he hugged me gently. So gently...
I sighed, going almost completely numb from the touch. He ran a hand along my bare back, and I had to repress a small shiver. I knew that I'd always be hyper sensitive to his touch, because I'd gone so long without it before.
He pulled back to look me straight in the eyes.
"I'm sorry, I just..."
"No really, it's fine. What happened?"
"I- I had a bad dream."
"Oh, I know how that is." I said, hesitating. He was clearly in need of comfort, but I wasn't sure how to offer it. I scooted over and patted the bed next to me. He sat down close. "Want to talk about it?"
"Well, there were wolves." He said, and I froze up. Had he been having the same type of dream as I always had? "They came over a hill and they... they..." He said, beginning to choke up. I reached over to pat his back.
"Did they hurt you?" I asked gently. I knew how hard in was dealing with those kind of dreams. However, to my surprise, he shook his head no. "What did they do?"
"They hurt you." He said quietly, and I froze again. All this emotion, crying, was over... me?
"Well, I'm alright. I'm right here." I said, hugging him close.
"I know, it's just... I couldn't stop them. I couldn't touch them at all, I couldn't even touch you to drag you away. Not until you were already almost dead." He said, looking up at me. Hope rose up in me. Maybe that meant, even on a subconscious level, that he remembered something. It was only a glimmer of hope, but it was enough.
"Do you want to sleep in here for the night?" I offered.
He hesitated for a moment before subtly shaking his head yes. I scooted over more and pulled back the covers, making room for him. He got in and sat close to me, slinging one of his arms around me. I sighed and relaxed completely, happier than I'd been for... well, a year.
I snuggled close, feeling his warmth. This was all a dream come true. He was here, he remembered, even if it was only a little. I wanted more than anything to turn around and see just how much he remembered... I wanted so badly in that moment to kiss him, so badly that it was a physical ache. I had to control myself, though.
Gods, it was amazing to have him so close, so near, it was completely indescribable. I'd hoped for this for so long. I'd lost all hope that it would ever happen.
He suddenly propped himself up on his elbow, looking down at me. I turned and looked back at him in confusion.
His hand came down and stroked a line from my ear and down along my jaw, finally ending on my chin. I felt goosebumps rise all over my body, and I parted my lips lightly, silently begging for him to kiss me. I could have sworn... he was so close, so close... But then he swerved, and he kissed my cheek instead.
I tried not to show my immense disappointment, turning back and tugging his arm, signalling for him that it was time to go to sleep. He lay down with me and pulled me closer. I eventually faded off into a restful sleep.