Yugi: Me! Lemme talk!
Ari: Oh good, you're just in time for the disclaimer.
Yugi: O_O No, I don't want to say the disclaimer!
Ari: Hmmm… Say the disclaimer and I'll let you introduce the story.
Yugi: ^_^ Otay! Ari does not own Yu-Gi-Oh (that's me!) or any of its characters (wait, I'm an "it"?).
Yami: Uh, Aibou, I think she meant the show, not the person. And besides, I'm Yu-Gi-Oh.
Yugi: *sulks* So am I…
Yami: *smiles* Of course.
Yugi: Wait, I have a show? When did I have a show?
Ari: -_-;; This is a fanfic, Yugi… Fanfics are based on stuff… This one, in particular, is based on an ANIME, which is a SHOW.
Yugi: Wow… I have a show…
Ari: Anyway! Yami, you're juuuuuust in time to say the warning. ^_^
Yami: What, no!
Ari: *glares* Say it…
Yami: *sighs* Fine. There will be yaoi content in this story. If you don't like it or don't know what it is, you should leave. *points to the "back" button*
Ari: And I apologize to people that want "interesting" pairings. This'll be the conventional YxY, BxR, SxJ. (Argh, my shift button's being weird. Yugi: It's called a "key", not a "button". Ari: -_-;;) And also… For people that read "Learning to Love", I know I still don't have the rest of Chapter Two (that's the 3rd chappy in the list) up. I'm sorry, but the person that has it is sick, and hasn't come to school yet. I'll get it up soon.
Yugi: MY turn to talk! Okies! A brief summary of this story, since there wasn't enough space to put it in the descriptions box. Basically, it's holiday time, and we all got lots and lots of trouble. First, my parents won't be visiting this year (waaaaahhh, I can't believe how long it took for me to realize what Grandpa's trying to say). Then, Ryou's going to dress as Santa for a Christmas party, and Bakura is certainly much less than pleased. And Jou's family is fighting… And generally, there's lots of unpleasantness around. Buuuuuut… It's not a sad story. I think… At least, it wasn't supposed to be one. ^_^
Ari: Right. Now, on to the fic!
Yami: How come I didn't get to talk?
Ari: *ignores him* As I said, on to the fic!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* PrologueOur Past Haunts Us
"Yami-Chan!" Yugi called one afternoon. "It's December! That's almost Christmas!"
From his spot on Yugi's bed, Yami smiled indulgently. He loved hearing his Aibou's excited voice as he came home each day. The little one always brought joy into his dark thoughts, with his expressive eyes and unspoiled innocence.
Yami looked up as Yugi came in, dumping his backpack to the ground. "What's Christmas?"
For a second, Yugi seemed shocked. Then, he laughed. "Oh, Yami-Chan, I forgot that you haven't been around! Christmas is a holiday in December, where people give each other lots of presents! And it's very fun and pretty, and you decorate stuff, sing songs, and, and…" Yugi's eyes shone. "And it's a time of families! Mom and Dad are coming!"
Something in Yugi's words seemed ominous to Yami, but he forgot everything as the boy tackled him, hugging him tightly. He smiled and ruffled the boy's hair, his heart aching. He loved more than just hearing Yugi's voice. He loved him, and had for more than 5000 years. Yet… he could never tell him. He would not break Yugi's wonderful, pure innocence again, like he did once before. Never again…
Yugi squirmed onto Yami's lap, his large eyes happy. "And guess what? Our school has a dance! And we can bring anyone in, even someone not from the school! Come with me, Yami-Chan, please?"
Yami frowned, though not in dissatisfaction. That sounded like a… what did the humans call it? Oh yes. A date. "Aren't you going with a girl?"
Yugi nodded in enthusiasm. "Yep! I'm going with Anzu! But you can come too, Yami-Chan. It'll be so fun! There's going to be music, and food, and pretty lights, and everything will be sooooo nice!"
Anzu. That word froze Yami. He did not like Anzu. She was nice and all, but she was a "threat" to Yami, looking as how Yugi was currently going out with her. And there was that once when she tried to kiss Yami. He nearly gagged.
Sharp pain on his arm brought him out of his thoughts. Yugi was off his lap now and poking his arm, large amethyst eyes peering out from behind golden bangs. Concern… Yami's heart melted at the sight.
"Oh, come to the dance, Yami-Chan, please? Jou has family problems, Honda's going out with some new girl, and Ryou's going to dress as Santa at a Christmas party. Yami-Chan, I don't wanna get stuck alone with Anzu!"
Yami blinked. "I thought you liked her? And who or what is this Santa?"
Yugi giggled. "I do like her, Yami-Chan, but I don't want to get stuck with her all night. She keeps talking about girl stuff and repeats her friendship speeches, and…" Yugi sighed. "Anyway! Santa is an old guy with a white beard and red suit and he comes down the chimney oh Christmas Eve and puts presents in your stockings, if you're a good boy! Oh, oh, we should get you a stocking! That way, you'll get lots of presents too!"
Yami smiled. Yugi was so cheerful today. Overly so, in fact. "Alright, I'll go to your dance, my sugar-high Aibou."
"I am not sugar-high!" Yugi replied indignantly, smacking Yami's head with a pillow. The Pharaoh grabbed him and tickled those secret spots only he knew, and Yugi squealed in delight. "Y-y-yami-Chan!!"
All in practiced motions, Yugi fell against Yami, who hugged him close. Both lay panting. Yugi, due to excess sugar in his system, recovered first. He was indeed hyper, and it was from sugar, but he thought it was hardly his fault. He was merely trying to make a chocolate cake for Yami, and bought a lot of sugar…
Yugi sighed, leaning back against Yami. He felt a strange emotion every time he was close to his dark half, but he could not place it. The real reason he invited Yami to the dance was because he wanted to dance with him, not Anzu. He had wondered, a few times, if it was wrong to be so… close… to his Yami, but he let it go every time. It felt… right.
"So, what are we having for dessert today?" Yami asked, changing the topic. Well, kind of. "I heard that you were busy making it." He winked.
"Hey, how did you know?" Yugi asked suspiciously. "I came up as soon as it was in the oven, and no one else came so— Yami-Chan! You were reading my mind!" He sulked. "No fair."
"You can read mine too, remember?" Yami reminded him. Oh yes. Have to remember to keep my thoughts hidden, then… Wouldn't want him finding out that I— Aibou! MY mind! MINE!
"You said I could read it," Yugi complained. And it's still not fair. You can tell when I'm reading yours."
Yami smiled softly, and held Yugi's head gently at eye level to his. From the boy's amethyst orbs radiated trust. It did not always use to be like this… Not when I first met you, 5000 years ago… Back then, it was defiance and hatred. "There. Now, you can tell when I read your mind."
"Great" Yugi hugged him again, feeling warm and happy as he did so. Now, I can make sure not to think weird thoughts about Yami when he— Heehee, Yami-Chan, I can tell when you're here!
Others, however, were not having as much fun. Bakura, for one, was in a lot of distress, and when that happened, Ryou got hurt.
"You're going to what?!"
Ryou flinched back from his yami, backed against the wall. Why? Why was Bakura always telling at him and hitting him? A veil of silver-white hair concealed his face, his tears. White hair matted with dried blood…
"It's a Christmas party," Ryou explained patiently, hoping his yami would not beat him again. "It's for little children to have fun. All I have to do is sit there and listen to their 'wish list', Bakura…"
The Tomb Robber's fist connected with his hikari's cheek. "I will not have my hikari dress as a fat, old, bearded man in a stupid red suit, that laughs all the time! Think of the humiliation!"
Ryou wiped blood from where he was punched. It was not that hard of a hit, but it re-opened an old wound. Why was Bakura so against everything he did? He wanted to cry, but he knew that crying would make it worse. If he cried, his yami would call him weak. Bakura did not allow weakness. He was determined to make Ryou strong, no matter how. Ryou cringed as his yami's hand came down upon him again. Why couldn't his yami be like Yugi's? Yami – Yugi's Yami – loved his Aibou. Ryou wished that Bakura loved him… Despite everything, he was attracted to his dark half.
Why the he** am I doing this?! Bakura demanded to himself as his fist bruised his hikari's soft skin. He's a weakling! another voice answered. But what if I hurt him badly? Why should I care?! Because I lo— No! I do not love him!
"Y-yami?" Ryou ventured. "A-are you alright?"
He was rewarded by a whip-lash. He would have stumbled back, had there been space. Bitter tears trailed from Ryou's chocolate-colored eyes. "Doushite, Bakura-Kun?" (A/N: Not sure if I spelled "doushite" correctly… It means "why".)
"What did you call me?!" Bakura advanced another step, his eyes glowing almost as red as Yami's. "Don't you ever call me anything but 'Bakura', 'Yami', and 'Master'! Do you understand?!"
A crack of the whip was heard, and a piercing scream ran through the night.
"Big Brother Seto…" Mokuba stared up with wide eyes. "I was wondering if we could…"
Seto Kaiba sighed, knowing that whatever his brother asked would be given. He also knew, by the "innocent" expression in little Mokuba's eyes, that he was not going to like this. "What is it?"
"Can we have a party?" Mokuba burst out, jumping up and down. "A Christmas party! Please please please, Seto?"
"Who are you planning to invite?" Seto asked. He realized his mistake as Mokuba squealed. Kaiba smacked his forehead mentally. He had just agreed to the party…
"Everyone!" Mokuba declared, flinging his arms wide. Yugi, and Yami, and Anzu, and Honda, and Mai, and Ryou, and Bakura, and Jou, and—"
"No!" Seto interrupted. "Not Jonouchi. I will not have the puppy here."
"But Seto…" Mokuba complained, his eyes teary. "Why can't we invite Jou? He's nice, and fun, and he has cool cards, and he's almost like a second brother to me! I like him, Seto, why don't you?"
I do… Seto thought. I do like him, perhaps a bit too much… Which is why I won't go near him. "He's annoying! He thinks he's good at dueling, but he knows nothing. He's a whining crybaby!"
The topic of their discussion was, indeed, crying, but he was far from whining at that moment.
"Mom, Dad, please stop!" Jou pleaded, cowering in a corner of the room with his younger sister. They did not listen, of course. They were too wrapped up in their own argument.
"That does it!!" his mother announced. "I am leaving!"
"Get out, bi***!" Jou's father growled. "And take that little witch with you!"
"Come on, Shizuka." She opened the door, stepping out into the cold night. Jou breathed in relief as the air carried away the stink of alcohol. "Let's go, Jou." (A/N: I think Serenity's Japanese name was Shizuka… Please correct me if I'm wrong.)
Jou stood up, to find a hand around his too-skinny arm. An iron grip… He looked up to the sunken and bloodshot eyes of his drunk father.
"Oh no, you are staying here and doing work!"
Jou's mother watched helplessly as his father slammed him into the wall. With tears streaming down her face, she fled with her daughter in tow, praying that her son would be alright.
Back at the Kame Game Shop, Yugi Mutou stared wistfully at his Yami. (A/N: "Kame" = "Turtle". It was the store's name in Japanese.) Lately, he felt a strange attraction to him, like an almost painful tug on his heart. He wondered if he… loved… Yami. He had thought that he was going to spend his life with Anzu, his friend for years, but they were drifting farther and farther apart each day. Contrarily, he felt closer to Yami each second.
"Dinner, boys!" Grandpa called. There was a note of sadness in his voice that Yugi missed as he smirked. Yami was much to old to be called "boy".
"I'm 5000 years old and he still acts as if I was your age, Aibou," Yami grumbled, standing up. If I truly was your age, would you like me that way? But no… I am still a guy… I cannot ruin your innocence! He said… that voice said that you were not my destiny anymore… I don't want to lose you, Yugi!
Coming down the stairs, Yugi faced an unusually quiet Sugoroku Mutou.
"Grandpa?" Yugi hesitated. "Grandpa, what happened?"
Yami, immediately, realized what must have happened. No… No! It can't be! Why him? Why my angel…? No… It can't be happening again…
"Your parents are not coming this year," Grandpa said, trying to find the right words. "And you will be living with me for all time, now, until you are old enough to support yourself."
Yugi's innocent eyes blinked. "Oh, that's alright, Grandpa. I like living with you1" And with Yami…
Grandpa looked to Yami helplessly, and shrugged. The dark Pharaoh's heart wrenched. Must he tell Yugi?
"No, Aibou…" Yami murmured gently, tears springing to his eyes. Why must his innocent hikari be hurt? "No, Aibou, that's not what he meant…" A tear trailed down his cheek at Yugi's confusion. So innocent… "Aibou, they're dead."
For a moment, Yugi could not comprehend what his Yami was saying. Dead? How… How could…
Yami's arms encircled the boy he loved, and he pressed Yugi's head to his chest. Letting him cry. His heart felt torn. Whoever hurt his Aibou would pay a hundred times over!
"They were murdered," Grandpa whispered, and Yami's fears were confirmed. "The police found their bodies in their house. The… the murderers left a note."
Yami paled as he scanned the fluttering piece of paper. Suddenly, he crunched it in his fist, his eyes burning with rage, and it burned to ashes. They could almost see the dark energy flaring around him. (A/N: Sorry, mind not working enough for me to make up the actual note.)
"Y-yami-Chan?" Yugi backed away in fear. Yet, there was nowhere to go, for he always turned to Yami when he was afraid. But he had never seen Yami this angry before. Yugi whimpered softly.
"I'm sorry Aibou…" Yami calmed, and took a step towards Yugi. The boy backed away, and Yami looked down, ashamed and sad. He had scared Yugi… If he lost the amethyst-eyed boy, his life would have no purpose…
A second later, Yugi flung himself at his dark half, sobbing into his chest, his tiny hands clutching Yami's skintight leather. Yami was everything to him, still. And Yugi knew that Yami's anger was not directed at him, but at his parents' murderers. Slowly, his tears came to a stop. Even if he lost everyone else, as long as he had Yami, he would be fine. He knew that no matter what, Yami would take care of him. He hold him more tightly.
"Who were they?" Grandpa asked. "You know them, Yami." It was a statement, not a question.
Yami nodded, thinking to the note. Five millennia ago, they had been trying to make Yugi's and his life difficult. Now, they were back, probably with the same goal.
He snarled. "Pegasus and Malik."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Yami: I get to talk this time.
Ari: Alright, talk.
Yami: Ummmmm… Please read and review! ^_^
Ari: -_-;; Is that all you can say?
Yami: *nods*
Ari: *grins* I have an evil plan to get more people to review… Has to do with biiiiiiig chibi-eyes. ^_^
Yugi: I have big chibi-eyes…
Ari: *smirks* Indeed, you do.