WARNINGS: Mentioning and Description of Amputations, Blood, Traumatising events, Panic Attacks, Unwilling Participant in lip to lip contact and All Around Bad Times. Read with Caution.
Friendly reminder: A few illustrations are put up! Do check them out!
Like art? Follow me on tumblr rebelwarrior217
IMPORTANT:
'Normal thoughts'
"Mind link talk"
"Normal Talk"
"Walky talky talk "
"Possessed Talk"
Flash Back Voices
The calm atmosphere of the Kame Game shop was shattered as the front door was slammed open by a panting figure; the thin male sagged against one of the glass displays as exhaustion had grasped his frame. He pushed away from the counter, leaving bloody prints behind as he stumbled past the entrance of their home. Seeing the stairs, he immediately bolted towards it, practically taking two to three steps at a time nearly tripping on the way.
He grasps the knob of the door to the bathroom and flung it open.
The moment the tri-coloured being had entered the tiled sanctuary he grasps his shirt trying to yank the offending material off of him. The shirt was wet and stuck to his chest with a surprising weight. In his desperate attempt to get the fabric off, he could shuffle the shirt from his shoulders to his face. Air was becoming thin, he was suffocating!
With a frustrated sob, at his lack of strength, he finally threw the soaked shirt to the side as it landed on the floor with a sickening wet slap. 'Get it off. ' He grabbed his one leather boot, yanked it off with a cry before tossing it in a direction ' Get it off. Get it off. ' He grabbed the other giving it the same treatment before finally reaching his leather pants ' Getitoffgetitoffgetitoff '
His fingers dug into his neck as he furiously attempted to remove the choker, quietly cursing at their choice of fashion. The clasp kept slipping from his finger because of his hand being slicked with… liquid. He felt his fingers scratch his skin before, in his frustration, grabbed the band and yanked it.
It came off with a loud snap…it was broken.
The male hissed in anger and frustration seeing the now destroyed accessory before flinging it across the room. The armbands were his next targets as he attempted to dislodge it with shaking hands. Streaks of red painted all over his arms. The smell was now getting to him; there was no open space or window to filter the air.
He coughed, nearly choking on his spit, as he felt his mouth becoming wetter. Bile was in his throat; he was going to be sick! Hands flew against the ruler's mouth; choking, eyes shut, before stumbling over to the porcelain bowl. The sound of retching echoed in the room as the duellist attempted to relieve his stomach contents.
'Get out. ' He sobbed as he retched again but still nothing came of it. 'Getout. ' Yami pressed his hands to his face as his shoulder shook with his small cries.
"Y u g I" A voice. He didn't recognize it… who is it?... Grandpa? Joey? TristanTéaRyouMarik .
Marik
His eyes widened as he saw the door handle jiggle as the intruder attempted to open it.
MARIK
The moment the door had opened the tri-coloured male slammed his body against the door, forcing it shut against the intruder. He grabbed the locking mechanism of the door before it sounded with a small click.
The Pharaoh jumped back in a bit of fright, fist clenched and his body rigid, as he heard a loud bang against the door. His Hikari's name was being called. They wanted to get in. They wanted to get him. They wanted to hurt his Aibou!
His eyes darted around trying to find something, anything. His scarlet eyes caught his reflection in the mirror as a small, strangled sound escaped his throat as he looked at his appearance. His body, his face, even his hair was covered in bloody streaks and patches of blood. He looked horrible, evil… a killer.
'Get rid of it… Getridofitgetridofit' was the only thought that went through his mind as he practically crawled in the shower. With shaking fingers and arms as Yami turned the knobs of the cubicle before a blast of cold rained down on his face. He grabbed the washcloth before scrubbing furiously against the dirtied skin. ' Cleancleanclean I need to get it clean. '
His head was aching, as he felt Yugi pushing at the very precipice of their bond. His Hikari was seeping into his consciousness like water trickling through the cracks of a dam. The skin was burning. It was too late. He cannot protect him anymore.
The water beneath their feet turned into a horrifying light red colour as the blood slowly dripped down from the hair and body.
Both their emotions were coursing through his body. Their body. They felt like a maelstrom they- he was drowning. It was too much. It felt like their skin had melted together. Their horror and their grief were too much for them to carry and he could feel him under his skin. Or was he under Yugi's skin?
He tried pushing the other back. He tried, they tried, whoever he was at this moment. He wanted to protect his other half; he wanted to keep him safe but how can one if the other is experiencing the same emotions. The need to protect the other.
It hurts…
Fingers tightened over the pyramid shaped object in their hands. They gripped it against their body, the tip practically digging in the body's abdomen. He wasn't sure where he ended or where Yugi began, but right now they were the same being. Lost in grief at the destruction of their innocence.
"Yugi… please … stop fighting … me." It was a whispered plea to the light he desperately wanted to protect. He/they felt their mouth move as the other replied " I -I can 't let you do this alone… Please … l -let me help."
Sobs racked their body as they leaned against the wall of the shower. As they begged the other to give in. Let them help them. Lessen the pain that was racking their body. The small figure slowly slid down from the wall to the floor, as the water turned from a ghastly red to a pale pink, they curled around their pendant as the cold water kept running down on their form.
X
"Damn it." Hissed the tall male as he rested his fist against the door of the bathroom. "It's no use. He locked it." He stepped away from the door, checking, looking to see if there was any weak point he could use.
'Yugi. ' The elder male looked at the door that held his locked grandsons. ' My boy I wish there was something I could do .' He sighed before placing his hand on the distressed young man's arm. "Leave him. Right now he is terrified and banging on the door is only going to make it worse." His hands shook as the image of his bloody grandson flashed across his mind. "As much as I want to help him, we can't unless he allows us."
The hazelnut haired male looked pained as the male finished his sentence. He turned back to the locked room before softly leaning on the door frame. "Yuge listen… We're here… I AM here if you need someone or something." He closed his eyes as he placed his head against the door. "Please don't shut us out." He heard the rushing of water which meant he turned the shower on. His heart lurched painfully as he heard small sobs escaping from the locked door.
Solomon gritted his teeth as he refrained himself from grabbing the bathroom key he knew was attached to his house keys but he knew forcing their way in would cause far more distress. He'd give his boy a few minutes. If he hasn't exited the bathroom by then…
The greyed man turned to look at the young man "For now let him be." He turned towards the stairs before he started his descent. "For now, let's get this place cleaned up before the others get here." He was sure he had a bottle of bleach around the house.
"What about Joey and Téa? Should we let them know?"
Normally he would be against it. They were nothing but children… they didn't need this… but Yugi needed them. Mr. Mutou rubbed his face in slight exhaustion "Inform Joseph… I'll see if I can get a hold of young Téa."
X
Location: Domino City, North, Domino Park
"One more turn Rex until the swords are gone and my monsters are free. You can't hide anymore after this." Declared the chestnut haired female as she grinned at her opponent, Rex Raptor and his field. Which contained one card spell or trap card and two monsters one of them being the Black Stego which was a dark-skinned stegosaurus that had its spike tail curled in front indicating that it was in defence mode.
His second monster was known as the Sabersaurus. It looked like the typical textbook of a triceratops dinosaur but with the skin that was a warm red and the signature twin horns were replaced by terrifying protruding blades. The tip of the beast tail was also replaced with a sharp point of a knife and the part that still had the signature claw and horned appearance had a wicked gleam to it indicating that this friendly plant-eater could fight a T-Rex and win.
"Who says I was hiding? I was just buying time so I can bring out a powerful monster and defeat you." Said Rex with a grin as he looked at the monster on the opposite side of his field. Téa, which was the name of the girl he learned, had, like him, two monsters on the field. One a fairy type and the other a spellcaster.
The spellcaster was known as the Gemini Elf which comprised two elven female spellcasters. One with a slightly darkened skin tone and a lighter hue of red hair with green markings covering her face. The entire look was completed with a violet dress that hugged her gentle curves. Her partner had a lighter skin colour with facial marking in a very light hue, you couldn't see it unless he squinted. Her hair was a gentle light blond and wore a very stylish blue dress outfit with matching long-sleeved gloves. White fur decorated the trimmings of the dress she was wearing.
The second monster really got on his nerves. It was an eight-star fairy monster with an air of arrogance. The monster was actually laying down on a red lounging chair smelling a white rose in its grasp while it flicked, with its other hand, at a floating sword with an annoyed expression. The white silken garb was draped over the fairy's body and chair as the creature's green locks were parted by its elven ears. With an attack power of 2500 he had no choice but to endure the idiot at least until he could deal with it.
He also knew that if she had that Honest card it could also spell trouble since the monster is a light type and Honest effect requires a light type monster but he had a plan and with only 1500 of his life points left and hers being 2500. He needed to hit her and to hit her hard. ' And with this combo I will. ' he grinned as he grabbed his card from his hand "I sacrifice both of my monsters to summon Black Tyranno!" The two dinosaurs disappear in a whirlwind as the monster card is played before being sucked in. A large black snout came out of the card opening, the nostrils flared scenting the area of its meal.
The beast thrusted its head through the small opening causing it to stretch as more of its body slipped through, snapping its jaws in the air with its sharp teeth glistening as it was covered in saliva. It let out an earth-shattering roar as the black body was fully revealed to the world, spit from the creature's maw was falling in all direction of the field.
"I'm not finished yet! I reveal my face down trap card DNA Transplant!" The card revealed a continuous trap card that had a picture of a surgery going on it. "This card allows me to declare one monster Attribute and when I do all face-up monsters becomes that attribute and the attribute I choose is Dark!"
'Wait, a minute. ' Her eyes widened in alarm ' All monsters? Even mine? ' She looked down at her deck where her ace was currently dwelling 'If that is the case then Honest can't help me here! ' She shook her before looking on with determination 'No I will not panic. I'm still fine. I got this! '
She looked at the field to see her Gemini elf monster's eyes turned into a bright red as their nails darkened to black showing their attribute change. Vanity wasn't spared from the same treatment as the cloth surrounding it became a solid black, his hair darkened to a dark green and eyes to a dark red. Even the white rose in his grasp changed into black rose.
"That's not all! I'm activating the equip card called Dragon Nails to increase its attack points by 600, that is in total 3200 Attack points. It can only be equipped to a dark monster but thanks to my trap it became a dark attribute." As he placed the card in the slot to activate it a slight glow came over the beast's claws as it slowly extended and received a metallic sheen to overgrown reptile gave a toothed grin as it flexed its new claws before turning its gaze to the enemy monsters snapping his jaw threateningly.
"Now Black Tyranno, let's deal some serious damage! Attack her Gemini Elf with Blight-Flame!" At his master Command the beast reared its head back as it gave a thundering roar before thrust its head in the twin elves' directions. As its maw opened a torrent of black flame came forth, the blonde female threw herself over her partner in a desperate attempt in defending the dark-skinned women from the raging fire that would bring about their demise.
The impact of the attack caused a warm gust of wind to blow over the battlefield as small burned flecks of ember coated the ground where the elves once stood.
"I believed that's 1300 damage to your life points leaving you with 1200." He said with a smirk as his beast gave a victorious stomp with its clawed feet before snorting in Téa's direction. This action caused the green-haired elf to pull a face of revulsion at the beast. "I end my turn, your move peaches."
' Peaches, really? ' She lifted an eyebrow at the nickname before drawing a card. "Since your turn is over, it means your swords' effect is now gone allowing my monster to attack if needed." The dino enthusiast just snickered before retorting "Unfortunately for you your monster is too weak to defeat mine and I'm coming for that egotistical bastard next." Téa had to hold in her laugh especially as her monster took great offence at being called a 'bastard' which resulted in the elf looking down from the bridge of his nose at his foe in disgust.
"Careful you might eat those words Rex." She grinned ' And I know how. ' before placing two cards in the spell and trap slots "I place two cards face down and I place one monster face down in defence mode." The three cards appeared on the field in their correct location "Then I end my turn."
"Not gonna place your other monster in defence mode?"
"Nice try Raptor. I know Black Tyranno's ability allows it to attack me directly if the only monsters I control are in defence mode." She sent a quiet mental 'thank you ' to Mai for her intensive training.
The dino duelist looked on in surprise at the brunette "You know your dino stuff, not sure if I should be happy or annoyed." He grabbed the card from the top of his deck "I summon Black Veloci in attack mode!"
A small black scaled reptile beast jumped out of the card with a loud screech. Its purple feathered forelimbs and hand-like talons were in a wide display of dominance as its short snout snapped in the air. There was a large sickle-shaped claw on each foot. The classic design of the famous and beloved Cretaceous period Velociraptor. Despite its attempt to look threatening it was only six feet tall unlike the black Tyranno's twelve feet in height.
"Okay, Veloci attack her face down monster!" The black Velociraptor took a running leap towards the card on the field. It raised his scythe claws as it jumped on the monster card, which had turned into a praying Mystic Elf, landing on the poor female monster with a loud screech before the creature's fangs plunged into the light being's throat the same time as its clawed feet dug in to her chest, cutting off any chance of the being emitting a cry of pain, before she turned into broken particles.
"Veloci has a special ability If this card attacks an opponent's monster, this card gains 400 ATK during the Damage Step which raises its attack power from 1800 to 2200." At that the creature trotted back to his master's side but not before giving a slight hiss towards the female brunette "Though it does have a handicap. If this card is attacked by my opponent's monster, this card loses 400 ATK, not that you're going to have a chance." Téa clicked her tongue in annoyance at her opponent's arrogance.
"You have only one monster left, and it's about to become dino chow!" cackled the male "Now Black Tyranno, finish off the last of her monster." The beast gave a deep growl as it slowly stalked towards the opponent's monster, his scaled lips raised in a sneer as it came closer to the sitting elf. Said being gave an exasperated look towards the beast as it stood up from its lounging throne, which disappeared into black flower petals, before walking closer. The silken cloth flowing behind the elf as it came closer towards the snarling beast.
"Bring it on Rex, my life points will still be standing!" Declared Téa confidence brimming in her voice. At that the black beast charged at the fairy. Flames leaking from the corner of its mouth as it prepared for its flame breath attack.
"I activate both my face-down cards!"
The majestic being grinned at the charging reptile before he gave a gentle flick with his fingers in the air. The action caused the large dinosaur to halt in its, grunting and snapping its jaws as it tried to reach its prey.
"What the?" Shouted Rex as he gazed at his, now trapped, monster. Chains had burst from the ground and wrapped its powerful hind legs and tail. What really caught his eye was that attached to the chain, that was wrapped around the middle of his creature's body, it was a bomb! "What's that supposed to do?!"
"It's a trap card called: blast with chain. I can target one face-up monster I control and equip this card to that target." The chain had now appeared on the arm of the elf, the same hand that had caused the chain to appear. "It gains 500 ATK and if this card is destroyed by a card effect while equipped, I can target any card on the field and destroy it."
"The second trap card that I activate is called: Spikeshield with chain. Its effect is similar to my previous card so my monster will gain 500 ATK but if the equipped monster attacks or is attacked while in Defense Position, it gains DEF equal to its ATK during damage calculation only." In the creature's opposite arm appeared a metallic shield with an engraving of a unicorn on it and a large spike was stationed at the middle of the armament showing it to be the unicorn's horn.
"Both of these card's raise my monster attack by 500, meaning my monster now has 3500 ATK points." Vanity softly walked towards the trapped beast tracing his sharp fingernail against its scaled hide before reaching past the tip of its tail as he stood in front of his mistress's opponent. He gave a sharp grin at the dino-duelist as he grabbed the bound chain and yanked it. The chain loudly clattered to the floor as it dug through the black reptile, which stood still before its enormous head slowly slid off from its body before finally distergrating in the data flecks.
"Hah I may have lost only 300 life points, but I'm not finished yet." Said the dino enthusiast in impish glee "Dragon Nails has an additional effect: if the card is sent to the graveyard because the monster it was equipped to was destroyed by battle. I can Special Summon that monster to my field and re-equip this card to it but it will be banished if it gets destroyed again." He grinned as he waited for his monster's return.
And waited.
And waited.
He looked in confusion at his duel disk "Is this thing busted or something." He knocked on the disk a few times "Where is my monster?" He looked up to the brunette as he heard her giggle at his predicament. "What's so funny?"
"Sorry I didn't mean to make fun of you." Said Téa with a slight laugh "Vanity's Ruler has a special effect while it cannot be Special Summoned it prevents my opponent from Special Summoning monsters and bringing back a monster from the graveyard is considered a special summon."
"What!?" Baulked Rex "You mean he's not coming back?" Téa had to bite into her lip to stop herself from laughing. Him and Joey could actually be good friends. The two of them acted so much alike and she would bet her leg that Joey would have reacted in the same manner.
"I'm afraid not Rex, he's staying in the boneyard now. Continue with your turn." The teen visibly and nervously swallowed as he looked at the cards in his hand "There's nothing I can do, I'm finished." He whined as he visibly sagged his shoulders in defeat.
Téa smirked at the confirmation of her victory "My turn then. You know what's coming." She looked up to her monster on the field "You ready Vanity?" The dark-haired elf nodded towards his mistress as he walked closer towards the now shaking velociraptor. The whimpering reptile was now visibly cowering, covering its head behind the feathered limbs as its effect activated. Lowering its 1800 attack points to 1400 making it even weaker.
"Finish him Vanity but gently." The elf softly reached its hand over the creature's cowering head, before gently stroking it and cooing at the small reptile. The small, scaled monster stopped shaking at the gentle ministration of his opponent. It slowly revealed the slightly horned head as the elf continued to pet it causing it to purr as he scratched under its chin.
The loveable moment would end. Unexpectedly… Horribly.
The elf moved back to stroking the velociraptor head… before, with closed eyes and a soft smile, slammed it down in the ground causing a small crater in the shape of the beast head.
Destroying it.
The action of the fairy astonished even Téa at the trickery and sheer cruelty of her monster causing her to stare at her monster with a slack jaw. She slowly turned to look at her opponent with pure guilt radiating from her form. "I'm… sorry?" What else could she say, her monster gave it sweet attention then straight up murdered the poor thing. Oh, and let's not forget the elf had the audacity to look innocent after the act.
"Well, I lost." Sighed the beanie wearer as he walked over toward the female brunette "I can't give you a locator card as I lost mine to a phoney but you can-" He was interrupted by the fairy user.
"Keep it. As cool as Serpent Night Dragon is, it's not really my play style." She rubbed the back of her hoodie in an embarrassed manner "Instead maybe something else like Dragon Nails or DNA Transplant?" She offered "Changing my monster's attributes would have put me in a difficult situation so I think I need to counter it and the Dragon Nails effect sounds amazing."
"That's if you don't mind…"
Raptor could only stare at the tall brunette in shock. There was no gloating, or any insults being thrown at each other which he normally expected and saw from other duellists. She was polite even offering a card substitute if he wanted it. He decided.
"Here, take it."
Téa stared in shock at the two cards he was offering "You don't have to give me two."
Rex scoffed "I wasted your time especially since you're a contestant. Technically, I'm not supposed to use the duel disk till the preliminaries are done." He placed his hands in his pockets before turning around "Thanks for the duel. I had fun for once. Later Peaches." As he walked towards the exit of the small park.
'He's not a bad guy. ' She smiled at the two cards in her hand. ' Just a bit of a dunce in dealing with women .' She giggled at that before placing the card in her deck. She placed her cards in her duel deck holder before placing the duel disk in her backpack. 'I should probably change. ' She thought as she walked into one of the public bathrooms.
When Téa exited the small room, she had changed from her duelling outfit into her ballet practice one. ' I wonder if I should buy them two slices of cake since I couldn't be there for them today. ' She ruffled her handbag as she searched for her phone. "Yugi likes black forest cake, something sweet and slightly bitter." She mumbled as she waited for her phone to turn on "The Pharaoh would like a coffee and dark chocolate cake, I could buy-" She stopped and grew pale as she saw the notifications on the phone's screen.
4 Messages
8 Missed Calls
1 Voice Messages
Without another word or thought she placed the phone back and took off to the Mutou Household. Being the school's track star really had its perks.
X
Téa breathed loudly as she leaned on the corner of the building as her legs finally stopped at her desired destination. Kame Game Shop. She wiped her face with the bottom of her shirt, cleaning the sweat that was cascading down the side of her face. She noted how clean the porch looked, freshly washed even. Unlike the usual sweep marks it had always adorned.
The dancer shook her head gathering her thoughts; she turned the door handle as she walked in. She placed her shoes next to the other two pairs, one she recognized as Tristan's and the other being Grandpa's Mutou's, before walking past the register as she entered the residence part of the building.
"Yugi! Mr Mutou! I'm here." She yelled as she placed her bag against the wall. "I'm sorry I didn't answer." The smell of cleaning supplies greeted her first as she walked in. ' That's not normal. ' She thought as she looked around trying to find any sign of the family living here.
'There .' She nervously swallowed as she saw the familiar hair tip of her friend, Tristan who was currently wiping the floor with a red rag… the rag's dye was staining the floor... Her hands gave a slight tremble as he slowly approached the chestnut-haired male.
"Tristan." The male's head snapped up at the direction of the voice. His eyes slightly widened at the sight of their female friend and emotional pillar. He swallowed loudly as he tried to find the right words. "Uh… Hey Téa…", He stood up from where he had cleaned up the… stains. His hands were tinted in a slightly almost pinkish red from the dye. "How was class?" She didn't answer.
Azure eyes trailed to the silent figure sitting on the couch, the figure being holding, what she presumed to be, a small glass of water. He didn't even seem to register her presence in the room. She placed her gaze back on her friend. She licked her dry lips before finally asking "Tristan. What happened?" He looked uncomfortable with her question "I couldn't hear or answer my phone. I-I was-"
"Hey, hey." He was about to place his hand on his shoulder before he hocked it back. He couldn't touch her… his hands were still… covered. "It's fine. You were busy."
She shook her head vehemently "No no it's not I-" She stopped herself before taking a deep stuttering breath. "Where is Yugi?" He looked away as she asked him. He refused to meet her eyes because how could he himself even try to explain what he had seen take place. What state their friend was in. How he couldn't even help him right now.
"Tristan, is he okay?"
"Téa please… listen… he." He scratched the back of his neck as he kept his gaze away from her. "He's in the bathroom but-" He was interrupted as the small, by his standards, girl pushed past him before darting up the stairs. "Téa wait!" He sighed in frustration before he immediately followed her direction.
"Tistan wait." He stopped as his foot contacted the first step. He turned to look to see the now standing form of Solomon. "Let her handle it."
"But-!"
"If there is a single person who my grandsons can undoubtedly trust, even in this state they are in, it's her." The brunette frowned but quietly agreed as he walked towards the sinks of the kitchen. She would be the only person Yugi could ever fully trust.
X
As Téa finally reached the door, she heard the rushing water meaning the shower was on. "Yugi?" She waited for a reply only to receive none, she bit her lip as worry was clearly now visible in her face. She jostled the doorknob. Locked. Great. She sighed in frustration before rummaging her hand through her hair before finding the instrument that would help her open the door.
She had taken a page from Joey's book. Sometimes it's best to brute force it.
She smiled in victory as she plucked the little trinket from her hair. A Hairpin. With careful precision she bent the little clip till it had the perfect angle to help her. "Let's hope this works." She muttered as she placed it between the small spacing of the wall and door. ' Come on, come on .' She wiggled her little lock pick before she heard a satisfying click of the door unlocking. ' YES .' She smiled at her little success before tossing the bended clip behind her.
She grasps the handle with a shaking hand, she could try calling them one last. At least to give them a chance to…
"Yugi… Pharaoh?" She called again. Hoping for an answer this time. She waited with bated breath but still there was no reply.
She had to go in. They were in there long enough.
She swallowed the lump in her throat before softly opening the door. Her breath hitched as the smell of iron greeted her. "Oh, God." She whimpered as the full view of the room was revealed to her.
Small bloody streaks decorated the floor and various parts of the toilet. Small puddles of blood surrounded the discarded clothes and accessories. Her eyes watered as she noticed bloody footprints and handprints that belonged to her friend. ' Oh, Kami, he's hurt. He's hurt. ' Her mouth trembled as the thought kept repeating in her head.
Her eyes flicked towards the blurred image of a figure laying in the shower. ' Yugi.. Pharaoh… Please! ' Her legs trembled as she walked past the puddles and garments, finally grabbing the show door. ' Don't be… ' The door opened and splashes of cold water greeted her skin. The brunette ducked her head away from the water as she reached for the shower knob, turning it causing the flow of the water to finally stop.
She nearly sobbed in relief at the sight of uninjured skin. He wasn't bleeding. He wasn't hurt.
She rubbed the small tears that had accumulated, away before carefully kneeling next to the naked male. Her friend was curled up tightly, the puzzle wedged in tightly between his arms and sternum. Wet hair covered his eyes. The dancer carefully pulled the hair away from his face, straining to see which of her two boys was in control.
She placed her hand on his wet cheeks, softly rubbing at his cheeks. It was chiselled, not soft like Yugi's, with angular shaped eyes and a sharp nose that she knew belonged to the Pharaoh, but the pupils didn't match. The shape was different, and it had the innocent glow that she was familiar with Yugi.
She couldn't tell who was in control right now, could be either or maybe neither. They were entwined in each other's emotions and pain. She gritted her teeth in frustration at her inability to help as her friends were in a state she was unfamiliar with. She reached over to one of the racks, grabbing a towel before unfolding it.
She softly placed the towel on his side and waited for a negative reaction when she didn't receive any she slowly rubbed his sides with the towel. She gently dug her arm under his side, thanking and cursing that his weight wasn't hard for her to handle, helping him sit right up. She grabbed the towel and lavished his other side with the same treatment as his previous.
"Sorry for doing this." Téa quietly said as she stroked his hair "I know this is embarrassing but everyone needs a little help." The being in front of her gave no reaction or response. "The rehearsal is going well but let me tell you I'm going to feel the pain tomorrow. I'm regretting it." She softly laughed as she continued cleaning the shower occupant.
'Lying again Téa Gardner? What a great friend you are .' She winced at the little berate. It was the truth, the fact she still jokes about it means she is probably still going to do it. Duelling in secret. Lying about her friends where she is. Eventually it is going to bite her back in the ass.
"Hey." She gently placed her hand on his cheek. A slight shift in his eyes meant there was at least some form of consciousness. "Let me help you up so we can get you dressed." She placed the towel over his shoulders before placing an arm around him. With a push she coaxed him to stand up, surprisingly he complied with her request.
The brunette carefully led them out the bathroom, she saw Tristan at the bottom of the staircase with a bucket and a few cleaning supplies. She smiled in gratitude at the hazel-haired male. The female duelist flicked on the room's light switch illuminating the area. She smiled at the sight of the unmade bed and discarded card on the desk. ' Spirit did you ever tell him the reason you wanted to take part .' She frowned at that before opening the closet. She quickly grabbed a simple pair of shorts and a sleeveless top from one shelf.
She heard the shuffling of her friend Tristan in the bathroom as the poor man attempted to clean up the butcher's bathroom. Her heart swelled that she had, that they all had such a kind friend in their circle.
"Here." She placed the clothing in his lap "Please put this on." She whispered before walking towards the door and closing it with a small click. Slight movement and shuffles were heard behind her as he ,she presumed, got dressed. When silence filled the room, she turned to her friend, who had now sat down at the edge of the bed gripping the golden object. He was wearing the shorts she laid out for him, but he could only put his head through the hole of the shirt while the rest rested on his shoulders.
It was better than seeing things she wasn't ready for.
"Here…let me help."
"I need you to let go of it… just for a minute… Thank you…"
'There done .' She thought as she pulled his shirt down. His hands had returned to their position clutching the golden artefact for dear life. His expression still hadn't changed during their entire interaction which meant she still didn't know who was in control. She placed her hands at the sides of his face, her thumbs traced off his sharp chin and angular cheeks which she knew the Pharaoh had when he was in control. The eyes looked enormous despite being slightly narrowed and his hair. She brushed the stray prongs away from his face, soft and he was missing a few of his stripes. He was also Yugi.
Somehow, they both were sitting in front of her right now… and they were in pain.
The brunette felt her mouth shake as she thought about the sight of them a few moments before.
Shaking, bloody and scared.
With a sharp intake she wrapped her arms around his slight frame as her body shook with barely contained emotions. Emotions of pain and shame. This was her fault. She should have been there to cheer him on, help him… anything. Anything but this silence. "I'm sorry." She whispered in his shoulder as she gripped her friend, she felt his small puffs of his breaths on her neck. Tears trickled down her face as she continued to mumble incoherent apologies on her friend's shoulder.
Dull eyes slowly focused before blinking showing the familiar violet colour he was known for, although scarlet stain adorned the edges of the iris, as a familiar scent of peaches reached his nostrils. ' This smell… I know it. ' Their… his mouth felt dry as he slowly registered that someone had their arms around him. "T…éa." He slowly whispered in uncertainty. He felt her freeze at the sound of his voice. The moment he felt her pull away is when panic set in.
'DON'T LEAVE!'
He practically crushed her form against him when he wrapped his arms around him. His fingers dug into her clothes as he forced his face against her shoulders. Téa meant safety. Téa was safe. Téa kept them away. His breath was hitching, he felt nauseous, his eyes felt wet already he was drowning.
The petite girl softly flinched at his iron grip. He was panicking, he's scared. She needed to ground him to get him to calm down. She gently raked her fingers through his hair much how her mother did with her when she had night terrors. "I'm here. I got you." She said with a gentle tone as she spoke against the side of his head. "I'm not leaving."
She gritted her teeth at the slight discomfort, maybe even a bit of a pain at the pressure the puzzle was putting on her stomach "I'm not leaving or letting go but please loosen your grip if you can." She felt him furiously shake his head against her shoulder.
"I-I can't… I won't… I'm sorry but please." His voice was shaky as he tried to form words "I feel like I'm falling apart. Getting dragged back into the darkness." Small whimpers escape him as he said this "Y-you make it feel s-safe. Y-you…" He trailed off as he felt his throat close, the images were getting closer. The pain! The Shadows! He gave a slight pained gasp as he felt his body's muscles pull tight.
Fear filled her being as she felt his body shake. His small cry of pain made her heart ache. He was in pain. "Yugi." She grabbed his shoulders, pulling herself away from his tight grip. He was panicking "Pharaoh!" She placed her hands on his face trying to get him to look at her. She needed to do something! "Yu-!" She was cut off as she felt his lips crashing onto hers. His mouth is cool, like rain, and rough like the sands of a desert. His kiss gives nothing and takes all, drawing out all of her, even her breath. Trying to fill the empty vessel that is himself.
"Pharaoh." She whispered as she tried to pull away. The male placed his breath back on her. His mouth now suddenly gentle, and warm, like the murmur of a dream on waking. His fingers cup her cheek with care, the other slides up the arch of her spine. "Yugi." She dug her fingers in his shoulders. ' Not like this .' She tried to reason to herself. Lips replaced teeth. ' Not like this .' Duo coloured eyes fluttered at the sight of her flushed face. The wandering hand is now tracing her bare spine. ' Not like-'
"Stop."
It was a simple command and barely above a whisper, but it held power over the being. Everything came to a halt all except for his laboured breathing. A tiny sob escaped him "I'm…sorry." More followed as he rested his head against her chest "I'm so sorry." Tears and snot were practically running down his face as he kept whispering apologies to his now tainted saviour.
"Shh it's okay." She hushed as she gently coaxed him to lie down on the bed. Téa softly stroked his hair as slight tremors wracked his body. "It's okay… I forgive you." This caused a loud cry to be emitted from the duellist. Shame and horror at his actions. He-they didn't deserve her.
She had softly laid down opposite of her friend as she continued to stroke the tri-colored hair. His breathing had evened out, and the tremors had come to a halt. "It's okay… You're okay." He could feel his eyelids grow heavy with exhaustion. He didn't want to sleep. He was afraid of the nightmares and images that would follow him.
"I'm right here. And I will be here when you wake up." She had now stroked his back. Would she?... He'd like that… She would keep them safe… yes.
His thoughts became muddled as he finally allowed their body to relax. If she was there, then… he could sleep. His eyes slowly fluttered closed as he listened to her whispers of comfort.
She'd keep them safe.
X
Kaiba Corp – Meeting
"A professional business executive, like yourself, would surely remember if you rented out a building, one to be demolished, mind you, to another party."
The black-haired boy sighed in annoyance as he continued to listen to his brother argue with the owner of the condemned building. Honestly, he really wished things were simpler for his brother. Not only was someone kidnapped, they were at least able to rescue Yugi, but there was an incident in connection of someone getting their limb severed from their body… during the tournament. That was a disaster waiting to be printed on the newspaper which would put the company in a terrible light.
"A maniac kidnapped one of my contestants and created a death trap which resulted in the loss of a limb of said maniac."
'Guess it was a good thing that I didn't see any of that. ' His eyes trailed to the other occupants in the room. One of course being his brother the other visitors were his brother's messengers or enforcers. Lounging on the couch was Festus. This guy was easily described with a few words…lazy, unkept and dependable… usually. He donned a beanie hat that barely tamed his messy black, despite it being kept in a ponytail, the man gave a gentle scratch at the scraggly hair on his chin before crossing his leg over the other bearing his red slipper in the air for all to see. His white track suit was unzipped, covering the KC logo, showing his black shirt underneath.
"Think about it like this, help me and I can make your problems go away as simple as that."
"Lollipop Mokuba-sama?" He turned to look at the red-haired girl, honestly, she was probably a year or two younger than him. She dressed in a white ruffled shirt and wearing a black skirt as she offered him an enticing red sweetness. Her mouth was pulled in a sweet smile, her blue eyes sparkled in eagerness. 'She is probably expecting something in return.' He rolled his eyes in annoyance. Nothing was ever free with her but right now he couldn't care less. He reached over and grabbed the offered candy before popping it in his mouth. This caused the girl to giggle before latching onto his arm as she cuddled up to his side.
Transaction accepted… great.
Mokuba frowned as he heard a deep chuckle from the largest being in the room. Hagane. The male's brown eyes were open for all to see as his signature sunglasses sat on top of his hazel-coloured spiked hair. The classic two-piece white outfit and spiked pads were replaced with a simple pair of jeans and a t-shirt though it still donned the Kaiba Corp logo. His classic spiked shoes were also replaced with a simple pair of sneakers. His uniform needed to be replaced since the other one was… dirtied.
"Listen, when that building collapsed all the evidence went with it. Going through you was my last resort."
"Idiots." Muttered the final occupant as she listened to the tirade of her employer. "They should just comply with his need to learn to listen to their betters." Kirin gently fondled the single pearl that adorned her neck before tracing the soft lining of her white and silver corset. She crossed her leg over the other, her silver pointed shoes glinting in the light of the office.
"You better be careful with that tone Mr. Shibuchin. I don't take threats lightly and I don't give them lightly either." She rested her head on her hand as she listened to the Billionaire as his voice lowered in a threatening tone causing a slight shiver to go down her spine.
"You're attempting to extort me is laughable, want me to teach you how it's done?" Mokuba could only shake his head at the sheer stupidly of the businessman. "I'm going to warn you. It's going to cost you… Everything." A smirk appeared over the young CEO's face "I appreciate your cooperation. I expect to hear from you soon." The brunette placed the phone back on its stand before gazing at the group that were scented in front of him before his gaze rested on the giant of a man.
Noticing his Employer stare, he quietly said "The uniform was stained. I didn't wish to frighten the young ones nor cause any disrespect to you, sir."
Kaiba waved off the explanation "It's fine I'll send a replacement for it and additional payment for the circumstances." He immediately drew out a check before writing a few sets of zeros on it. "It is the least I could do for you. You performed above and beyond." The behemoth nodded in thanks to his boss as he gently took the small, compared to his large hand, check before placing it into his wallet.
"Could you get anything out of him?"
"Afraid not, he was in a critical state because of the immense blood loss he suffered so questioning wasn't possible."
"Fantastic." Groaned Kaiba as he rubbed his face in exasperation "I'll inform the hospital to keep me informed of his condition." He turned to look at the other members of his workforce.
"Festus."
"…"
"Someone wake him up before I throw him out."
"… I'm awake." Muttered the scraggly man as he sat up before stretching out his arms, the adult female could only shake her head at the gal the man showed to the head of the corporation, he stood up from the couch before dragging himself to the front of the desk.
"Report."
Festus scratched the back of his head as he mentally organised his thoughts. "Unfortunately, nothing on my end. There have been a few sightings of the cloaked basta-" He was interrupted as Hagane gave an interrupting cough before he shifted his gaze to the two children in the room. "… bastards." He heard a frustrated sigh from his large companion. "But they have caused no problems on my end, so I got nothing. A few people challenged me tho… no winners sadly." He turned back to the couch before plopping back down on his side.
"Kirin…" The female duelist gave an elegant smile as she stood in front of him "Have you found anything?"
"The organisation is bigger than we think. A lot of the members have moved to domino city because of the tournament, especially as some of the other continental champions have now taken part." She placed her hand on the desk, much to the brunette's annoyance. "The bulk of the organisation is here and they have only one leader despite the influences of other parts of the world." She leaned in causing Kaiba to frown at the invasion of personal space "They all have been overthrown or missing leaving only one guiding them. Their current master has only been there for less than two years. Unfortunately, that's all that I have for you, Goshujin-sama " She pulled back before returning to her seat.
"Anything else to add, Holly?"
The red-haired girl, still clinging to Mokuba, pulled out her sweet from her mouth with a loud pop "His name is Marik or Malik, depending on the accent, and he's currently not in Domino but I hear he's on his way to the city."
Silence had befallen the room as the occupants stared in shock at the young girl who continued to suckle on the sugary treat. The side of Kirin's mouth twitched in annoyance "Is this information correct? We don't want to waste-"
"I overheard a few of the cloaked bastards -" This caused Festus to snicker at the horrified expression of Hagane "- conversations. A little girl looking for her 'big brother' is not as obvious as an ironing board demanding information on a secret organisation." The white-haired female bristled at the iron board comment. "While it's true, they have the two God cards in their possession, right now only one of them is in Marik's possession the other…" She finished as she now bit into the now frail sweet. Kaiba had now leaned over his desk, fingers digging into the side of the wooden object as he listened with pure intent and excitement.
She tossed the empty stick into the wastebin. "Someone in their ranks has one of the cards here. In this very city."
The shoulders of the Obelisk wielder trembled as a low tone chuckle escaped from him before full-blown laughter echoed in the room as he threw his head back. "Yes! Yes! Perfect! Well done!" His face was pulled into a wide smirk as he stared at the very pleased duellist. "For this alone I will happily award you whatever you desire." This resulted in Mokuba looking annoyed, and maybe a little scared, as he knew exactly what SHE wanted. As for the others, Festus and Hagane adorned an amused expression while Kirin was more annoyed and upset that a mere child had outdone her.
"Bro plea-"
He was interrupted as Holly practically yanked him to her side as they stood in front of his older brother. "Can Roland take me and Mokuba-sama to the arcade and to a sweet shop afterwards?!"
The brunette fished out his card before giving it to his brother "Knock yourself out but I expect both of you to be done by six." His brother looked at him miserably as he grabbed the card from him. "Don't worry Mokuba-sama, it's a new arcade place I know you haven't been at yet! You can try getting all the high scores there." Funny enough it caused the black-haired to boy to perk up in a bit of excitement as the children closed the door behind them.
"Kids." Chuckled Festus.
Kaiba could only shake his head at the antics before grabbing the laptop from his briefcase "Tomorrow is going to eventful we need-" A large hand pressed down on the device preventing him from pulling the screen up. Seto could only stare in mild shock at the action before looking to meet the hazel gaze of his enforcer.
"The system is going to be down tomorrow. The tournament will be on hold for one day as it's going down for repairs." Came the baritone of the giant as he gazed down at his boss ignoring the horrified expression of the female behind him.
The duelist's eyes narrowed into slits as he gritted his teeth in anger "What's the nature of the damage." Hissed the billionaire. The muscular man didn't flinch at his employer's anger. He pulled out a small object from a plastic bag before dropping it on the desk in front of the boy.
Azure eyes widen at the belt with a deck holder strap to it. Large patches of dried blood still cling to it… He felt nauseated at the smell of metal, but he recognized the object… It belonged to his rival… Yugi.
"A disconnection." Muttered the spiked hair male as he stepped away from the desk and headed for the door "I'll see you the day after tomorrow, Mr. Kaiba."
Silence once again filled the room.
"…"
"…"
"… Does that mean I can have my day off?"
X
"It's been over an hour."
"Forty-three minutes but who's counting."
Joey gave the brunette an annoyed look before turning to look back at the staircase. According to Tristan he had arrived roughly a few minutes after Téa could open the bathroom door. ' She picked da lock. I'm so proud. ' His mouth twitched at the idea that their Téa, perfect sweet friendship loving fiend Téa, knows how to break into rooms and maybe even lockers. He could practically weep at how well they had influenced her.
"I'm going up there." Before he had even taken a step towards the stair, he felt Tristan's hand around his arm. "Not a good idea… I don't think he'll even recognize you, man." His lip twitched at the comment. They are friends! Best of friends. The hell he means he won't recognize him.
The brunette rubbed his face with a sigh "He slammed the door into me when I tried to help him." A shocked silence filled the room "He's scared Joey… He… He's still scared of us because of the way we treated him." The blond shook his head at that statement. Yugi was not one to hold grudges of any kind, not even with a bastard like Kaiba.
"Téa never once mistreated him. He would never fear her."
That… that was the truth that not even he could deny. He may, at one point, believed he had a 'good' reason for treating him the way he had but he went about it the wrong way. The memory of those days still upset him.
"I think you give them too little credit." Both males looked up at the owner of the voice. She gave them a sad smile as she walked down from the staircase. "Tristan I know you feel guilty about what happened but you should know better." She gently chastised him "They both would be upset at the way you were treating yourself." The male rubbed the back of his neck at the statement.
"How is he?" She bit her lip at the blonde's duellist question. Slightly wincing at the tenderness of her mouth. "Téa what happened to your lip?" She looked away from her friend before covering her lips with her hand.
"I bit it too hard… I wanted to scream when I saw the bathroom." Joey looked at her with widened eyes before muttering a quick apology. "They are… they're not okay." She looked down at her hands, expecting to see some residue of the colour red, she softly pulled at her fingers only stopping when one would give a slight pop. "I… I can't tell which one is in control."
"Té… In that state I'm not surprised…What happened is… well." Tristan trailed off unsure what he could tell his friend to make the situation better or at least a little easier.
"What happened?" He flinched at the directness of her tone "Tristan… he… Tristan the place was covered in blood. Was there an accident? Did they try to help someone?" He wanted to laugh or maybe he would rather cry at that. Because it was a little of both. It was an accident, and they tried to be heroes. They wanted to save a guy that wanted to kill them in the first place.
'Not to mention employing a bunch of killer clowns to hurt myself and Gramps. ' The slight cuts on his hands stung at the memory of his adversary.
"Will dinner make that tongue loose?" She muffled her laughter as she heard a chorus of stomachs rumbling as both boys looked away in embarrassment. "I'll start making some but afterwards I need to know what happened." She turned to walk in the kitchen's direction and where the elderly male was sitting nursing a glass of water. "Mr. Mutou?" The poor man nearly jumped in fright at the sudden sound. "Sorry didn't mean to startle you. I just wanted to ask if it was okay for me to use the kitchen."
"I-it's fine. You may use whatever you need."
She smiled at the short man "Thank you."
When she opened the fridge, she saw the basics: Milk, eggs, a few pieces of bacon, chicken and cheese. Oh! It's Emmental. She smiled before turning to look beside. On the counter was a freshly bought loaf of bread and she knew in the cabinet was also a few packets of curry and other spices.
Téa immediately knew what she was going to make. Cream stew. Hearty, fulfilling and soothing. Exactly what everyone needed.
She placed out the few ingredients which comprised chicken, a few vegetables, cheese and spices for flavouring.
She grabbed the pieces of meat before gently cutting them into bite-sized cubes, with a dash of salt, rosemary, and Laurier she covered the cubed meats and placed them in a small plate next to the stove. "Need any help? I know how ta make a decent curry." She smiled at her blonde friend's offer knowing the curry he had made on Duellist Kingdom was quite delicious.
"You can chop the onions, potatoes and carrots." The male grinned before grabbing a knife from the drawer. "What can I do?" She looked at Tristan noticing his hands were still gloved. "I don't want your cuts to hurt or sting." He looked at her in surprise. "Something happened when I was gone, and I think you should tell me now."
"I don't want you to-"
"Joey is dealing with the cutting work, and I know you already told him… Tristan please."
He bit his cheek in frustration, but he understood why she wanted to know. Heck, he'd be demanding answers if he was in her position. "Fine, but it's not going to be fun and I'm not going into details."
The sounds of meat sizzling filled the air as she placed the cubed pieces in the pan. "That's fine Tristan… Thank you." She smiled at him gratefully before grabbing the wooden spoon and shuffled the pieces of meat around the pan. "Joey, when you're done, drop the vegetable in the pot over there and start the kettle." The male gave a slight thumbs up as he continued peeling the potatoes.
"Okay… Gramps had been trying to find Yugi or Joey so he could see how their duels went but he couldn't find either of them. So, he went to the park to sit down and rest."
The elder laughed "These old bones you know."
"Not that old Gramps" Smiled Tristan "Anyway while he was sitting, he saw Yugi walk past, a distance away from him, and he was following someone all the way to a tent. Like those classic circus tents." He made his hand form into a triangle shape to indicate the look of the tent.
With the vegetables done Joey quickly dumped the cut pieces in the pot before grabbing the coffee kettle and filling it with water. Téa placed the cooked meat in the pot as well. "Why did he go there alone?"
"Beats me, don't know what the guy was thinking." Sighed the brunette as he watched Joey bring the kettle over to Téa. "So Mr. Mutou followed him in the tent, and he saw him walk in some fancy box. It closed with him in it." He paused allowing the information to sink in "Then it fell apart with nothing inside."
She frowned at that before placing a dried-up leaf of Laurier and a stem of rosemary in the pot before finally closing the lid, allowing it to stew in the heats. "Joey cut me a few pieces of the cheese up. Okay Tristan continue…"
"He called me and told me to help him. When I arrived at the area, he told me exactly how it went down, and we started looking." The elder male quietly nodded along before looking back at the staircase occasionally. "While we were investigating the area, we got surprise by a bunch of circus clowns, literally, and this-"
"That's where your hands got cut up right?" She softly interjected as she looked at the gloved fingers of his hand. She looked at Solomon who nodded in acknowledgment of how it happened.
"… This big guy came waltzing in, beat the guys up, got information on where Yugi went and took us there."
"I'm sure there is more to it than just that." She gave him an annoyed look as she pulled the lid off and stirred it with a wooden spoon. "A random guy just helping?" She tossed a small cup of mixed spices. From the smell Tristan could make out it was coriander, nutmeg, and white pepper she just mixed in. His mom tossed a lot of the same spices in soups too.
"He was an enforcer, apparently workin' for moneybags ta make sure everyone is playin fair and to arrest rare hunters or something." Said Joey as he placed the small plate of cut cheeses next to Téa as she added a small jug of milk to the hearty mixture. "They also give out rare cards for the people who beat em."
"Thinking of doing it Joey?" She teased him.
"I might. Anyway, I'm also pretty sure Tristan beat up some of the goons."
"Definitely. He's not the type to sit by while someone else does all the fighting."
The brunette scoffed in slight annoyance and embarrassment at their attempts at complimenting him. It made him sound like he enjoys getting into a fight. "So, we went to the place where Yugi and Joey got their duel disk and met Mokuba along the door was locked, but he smashed his boot in the door breaking it and allowing us to go in."
"Smashed his boot." She tossed the little cut cheese blocks into the pot. "Through the door? How big is this guy?" Tristan hummed in thought before standing before placing a hand above his head. He shook his before sitting down.
"Okay my face… His chest." Téa's eyes widened at the statement. This man was a giant, even Ushio would be shorter than this man. "Anyway, Gramps stayed behind for the ambulance that the guy called, and Mokuba and I walked in to follow the guy." His eye caught the strands of cheese that had slowly melted in the pot, the wooden practically having difficulty in moving through the cheesy gunk.
"Let me guess, there was a hidden back door." Guessed Téa as she plucked out the stem and leaf of the tossed spice before pouring in a small packet of powder with the front label with the words 'White Sauce'. "Joey, wash the broccoli please… Don't give me that look, it's good for you." The male grumbled as he took the miniature trees.
"Basically. So we found the staircase and went down… Turned out it was a booby trap with an enormous blade coming down on us." Tristan motions his arm in a cutting motion "Hagane stopped it with his… armour I suppose you can call it. Luckily it was the only one so we're able to reach the bottom quickly." The brunette tossed the small greens in the pot before stirring it in, covering in the hearty meltiness of the stew. "You know toast would be fantastic with that."
She smiled at Tristan "Not a bad idea." She turned to the loaf and grabbed a few slices and turned the oven on. "I know there is a toaster but I'm going to put cheese on it so it can melt."
Honestly, the sound of that made his mouth water and after today he just needed something to take off the edge. He snickered as heard the elderly man mumble "My boy you better marry this woman.".
He muffled his laughter with his hand before internally sighing. He had to continue. "We got to a lock door, a steel one so we couldn't smash in even if we wanted to." He rubbed his face in frustration "Then I had such a 'brilliant idea' that we should break down the wall to get to Yugi… It worked… It caused the building to come down after we got everyone out. Man, we were lucky."
"What about the blood?"
"Right… the loser would have his limbs cut off if their life points reached zero. There were saws at the side."
"So, the guy just got a simple cut, right?" Silenced was her only answer "Kami did he lose a limb!?"
"His leg… Yugi made sure he didn't bleed out." That sentence was enough to practically cause her to sway on her feet. No wonder he was in that state! Spirit or not. No normal person would have handled it well. "He ran all the way from the building back to the Game shop. I couldn't keep up with him." She covered her mouth in shock at what her friend told her. A maniac forcing her friends to play a game that can physically and mentally harm them. It was DEATH-T all over again and she couldn't do anything for them.
"Té… should I take it out." She blinked, not sure what Joey meant before noticing the oven. "Oh, yeah… please take them out." She noticed that Yugi's Grandfather had already taken out a few bowls and plates before taking them to the table near the television.
"What time is it?" She mumbled before looking at the wall clock that hung in the kitchen. 19:30. They had been talking for two hours while preparing and waiting for the stew to finish. One side of her wants them to rest as much as they could but she knew a full belly would help them settle in a more comfortable sleep. Then again company would not be good for them right now.
She was jostled out of her train of thoughts as she felt the textured hand of Grandpa Mutou. She turned to look at the worried expression of the being she would in a way consider her own grandfather. "The boys and I will be in the Living Room… See if you can get them to eat something."
She bit her lip at that. She wanted to but… no this was for her friends!
"Okay, I'll go get them." The older man looked at her with gratification. "Thank you, my dear. You really are a kind person." No… no she wasn't.
X
She gently pushed the door open expecting to see the snoozing form of her friend. Unfortunately, this was not the case as the figure was lying on his back with his arms spread out, staring at the ceiling of his room.
"Hey…"
He turned his head towards and from that action she could make out dull violet orbs and the gentle expression of her friend. It was Yugi. She smiled as she walked toward the figure on the bed. "Hi."
He blinked at her as if not quite sure what he was seeing was real or a figment of a dream he just had. "Uh…hey Téa." Her lashes fluttered at him as she gave a small smile in relief that he had recognized her… Honestly, he was relieved at that fact as well.
"Um… I made dinner." She rubbed her hands together, as her gaze shifted around the room. "… Think you could come down and maybe eat a little."
"I… I'm not sure I…" He stopped as she gave a sadden smile. Great. Here comes the guilt. He gave an annoyed sigh which caused her face to light up. The things he would do for her. She walked up to him and helped him off the bed. "I can do it." He mumbled in exasperation at her antics.
"I know, I just wanted to make sure you know the way." She jested which caused the male to groan in annoyance as he was gently being pulled out the door. His eyes flicked towards the bathroom before Téa blocked his line of sight. "None of that now." She matched his step as they went down the stairs and away from the iron tainted air.
At the sight of the kitchen table, he noticed that none of his other friends were currently present nor was his grandfather. "Are the others here?" She nodded at him as she pulled the chair open for him.
"They are in the living room." She answered before grabbing his bowl and started pouring a bit of the stew in it. "They'll come over here in a bit. Right now, eat as much as you can." She placed the steaming bowl in front of him along with the cheese covered toast. She placed her own bowl next to him before taking a seat. "I know you like cheese and probably would have preferred a cheese burger, but I thought –"
"It's fine Téa you don't need to explain." Interjected Yugi as he tried to give a reassuring smile to his friend "It's delicious, really." He made his point across as he bit into the toast before pulling away, a small string of melted cheese hung between the bread and his lips.
'… Oishī…'
She laughed as his eyes practically brightened at the taste of the molten Emmental. He bit into it again before taking a spoonful of the cream stew. ' Thank Kami. At least he's eating. 'She smiled before softly taking a bite of her own and enjoyed the gentle warmth it brought to her. A calming silence fell between them as they finished the dishes in front of them.
"Why is there a second bowl?"
She turned to look at the placed tableware. "Oh, um… I thought he could eat a bit too… it might help ease him as well."
A small smile came over the tri-coloured male's mouth as his gaze slightly shifted to the side. "He's embarrassed." Laughed Yugi "Yami is surprised and touched by your idea." She blinked in surprise at him. "You think of him as an actual human being and treat him differently than me." He placed his spoon back into the now empty bowl. "Appreciate you doing that."
"Yugi…"
He covered face with his hands as he felt his emotion bubbling with his next sentence "I need to get back… Back into the tournament." He felt her hand touch his shoulder before giving it a comforting squeeze. "he's telling me to stop. To drop it and continue with our lives but… I can't." His voice cracked into a whine and a sob, thick with self-loathing, as he felt Téa arm wrap around his shoulder. "He wants to know who he is and… I… I can't keep it away from him. I want to help him."
This, she swallowed as she contemplated her words, this wasn't something that could be solved with a smile and a positive attitude. This wasn't something that could be solved by a friendship speech either. This was someone who wanted to help a precious being despite how badly he wanted to keep them at his side.
"You are going to help him, we are going to help him, but I need you, both of you, to be honest with us." She softly laid her head against his. "You can't keep hiding things from us. If today didn't happen as bad as it did, would you have told us?" She heard a hitch in his breath. Hit the nail of the head.
"Your hearts are too big for this world despite it wasn't kind to either of you." She gently pressed him closer to her body, trying to show him she had him. He was safe. "You are so wonderful for trying to keep everyone safe, but you have friends. Friends you can count on, that can help you." His shoulder shook as he gently leaned on her.
"Will you allow us to help you?" He pressed his face against her collarbone before silently nodded against her. "Will you tell me everything from now on?" He nodded again, giving out a small sob as he did. "Y-yeah… I-I will." He whispered.
She smiled before nuzzling his hair "Good. That's all that I want." She gently squeezed him again "You are a kind soul Yugi. Never forget that."
"…"
"..."
"Well… this sucks. I got a headache now." She sputtered as she tried to keep in her laughter. It didn't help that Yugi had a very annoyed pout on his face. "I guess you're tired too huh?" He rubbed his face as she said it before nodding. "Should I help you to bed?"
"No… He's going to deal with it."
"There you go! There's the real benefit of having a spirit."
As he rested against her with a chuckle, Yugi closed his eyes. Téa couldn't help but marvel at the sensation and sight. She could feel the slight shifting of his… their body. The slight lengthening in stature, squaring of the shoulders, shifting of the hair into its true spiky nature. She had to marvel how no one ever seemed to truly notice the change between them.
Long dark lashes fluttered as gentle mauve eyes peered up at her where they were pressed against her shoulders. A small blush crept along his cheeks that she was used to seeing on Yugi and it made the spirit seem so human.
"The real benefits of having a spirit." He muttered with an annoyed huff as he refused to look at her. She giggled before nudging her nose against his hair "I don't know I could get things done twice as much then if there were two of me." As she pulled away, he almost whined in protest at the loss of heat and comfort.
She quickly grabbed a dish before filling it with the stew. "Another great thing about having a spirit is that he can make sure the body gets enough food." She placed it in front of him before returning to his side. "I just want you to try a bit." He gave a slight frown as he stared at the food in front of him. "Warm food in the belly is better than any medicine ever developed or at least when it comes to a scary event." She placed her arm around him once more before pulling back as she felt him freeze at her touch.
"Sorry I-"
"No-no please continue… I was just caught off guard." She smiled before returning her arm around him which caused the blush on his face to return full force. He quickly placed the spoon in his mouth trying to save face. His eyes widened at the pleasant taste that assaulted his senses. He grabbed a second bite and immediately a third as the warmth spread and relaxed their body.
"I meant it for you too." He blinked before looking at her in confusion, despite having the spoon still in his mouth. His friend's gaze was on the ceiling as she leaned back in her chair. "I don't want you to keep things from us either. I want you to tell me everything." She gently tapped a small rhythm on his back, a song she never could quite place. "Your fears, your worries." She tapped the notes again. "Dreams and ideas. I want to know them all." His back stiffened but she continued, needing him to hear it too.
"I want you to ask us for help or advice. Anything." The drumming of her fingers stopped but still she kept her hand on his back. "You've done so much for us… You are our friend and we will help you." Her gaze travelled to his face as she, much like with Yugi, softly pressed his form against hers. "We will still be close no matter what we discover about you and no matter who we face we will come out together."
With shaking hands the ancient ruler placed the utensil back in the, now empty, bowl before reaching and softly enveloping her hand in his, surprising, large one.
"Téa… I consider Yugi to be my other half. My hikari… My brother in a way." The brunette smiled at the idea of their relationship. They acted like siblings and probably did ridiculous antics to one another in the private confines of their mind links. She wished she could have seen it.
"But you…" He turned to look at her with slightly glistening eyes "You were my first friend. You could always see when I took over. And here." He made a slight gesture towards the empty bowl in front of him. "Without me asking for it. You have given me and allowed me to be human."
She found herself at a loss of words.
He gave a small smile, but that smile contained all the emotion in the world. Emotions he always hesitated in showing.
"Thank You."
Notes:Oishī – Japanese: means delicious – He really likes the food
Goshujin-sama : Means Master. It's commonly used by a female to address her 'master', master in this case can go far, there's no 'proper' English word that can translate this. In some other contexts it can mean husband or the master to a servant. The -sama part indicates great respect.
Names of the enforcers: Meaning and Inspiration
Festus - Reference to Hephaestus who is the god of blacksmiths and fire. Called "the celestial artificer," This will also be in reference to his deck.
Holly - Like the mistletoe plant. Joyous but poisonous. Hemlock is her last name which is also a poisonous plant.
Hagane - Means steel. In reference to that he is unbending, strong but malleable when heated. This is in reference to his fondness and protectiveness to children even to that to some of the duelists. Yugi in all was nothing more than a child to him.
Kirin - Japanese translation for 'qilin', a four-legged creature originating in Chinese mythology. The Kirin is considered to be a strong and magnificent yokai* (Japanese spirit or monster). Like unicorns, the Kirin is often associated with peace and a symbol of prestigiousness. In other cases, it is also depicted as a dragon. More about her personality will be learned later. Warning: She will not be pleasant.