Well, this is my work of art, I have to admit, I'm sadly proud of this J This is the first chapter of a story I've had kicking around in my head for ages and it may take a few chapters to get through all the back round stuff. In a nutshell, Yami Yugi, Yami Bakura and Kaiba have all suddenly started to have strange visions of a mysterious Egyptian woman on a duel monsters card. Who is she, how has she returned and what kind of a creature is she? More importantly, why is she after Yugi? Please R&R!
Rated PG13 for Yaoi, but it's not to bad, I'm trying to keep this PG13, if you think it needs a higher rating I'll change it: YamixYugi , BakuraxRyou. There's also vampiric violence, and in the future suicidal and abusive themes.
Yugi: Someone's after me!!??
Yami: Don't worry aibou, I'll protect you. Who is this girl any way?
LadyYamiBakura: Hey, you're the one inspiring me.
Yami: Well can I uninspire you?
LYB: Sorry it doesn't work that way.
Yugi: Can we just get on with it?
LYB: Okay then *looks at her most trusted companion who's sitting beside her, silently sharpening him sword* Hey Cyris, read the disclaimers for me.
Cyris: Alright:
Disclaimer: LadyYamiBakura does not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Or any of it's characters, nor does she own the rights to the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading card game.
Cyris: There you go mistress.
LYB: Thanks Cyris! On with the story!
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The Darkest Souls
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He never saw it coming. In an instant her soft arms were around him, her unnatural hardness and strength crushing him against her. He opened his mouth to scream but it was frozen in his throat under the gaze of her bright garnet eyes, he was paralysed as she held him. Beautiful hair fell over her back and shoulders, it brushed his face and neck in the close embrace, from it he caught the smell of exotic spices of the east. It was black, but when the dim lights of night struck it, it was blood red. Her eyes glowed, rimmed in black eyeliner, so she looked Egyptian; they stood out boldly against the dark, those glowing red eyes.
The creature gave a low growl in her throat, pulling back her lips to reveal her sharpened teeth. The man caught a breath as the beautiful, deadly creature ripped open his neck with her teeth, spilling his hot blood into her mouth. In a few moments the body grew stiff and cold, a dead weight in her slender arms.
She dropped the body where she stood, then took out a key shaped object about seven inches long from a gold chain around her neck, she then pulled off the bottom, showing the key to be a dagger as well. The woman cut across her bite marks, making it look like the poor soul had been mugged and his throat slashed. She raised the dagger, admiring it, then licked it clean of blood before sheathing it and placing it back around her neck. The creature made her way through the night, the key dangling from her neck, the moon glittering off it's carved Egyptian eye. She had things to do, she could feel him near, calling out to her but she couldn't go to him, not yet. First she needed to do something, she closed her eyes, searching, she could feel him even closer, the one she wanted. She felt three of them near in fact: her lover, her first son, and her husband...
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He gasped and threw himself into a sitting position, trying to breath. He could still see her, the fleeting remnants of a fading dream. Her pretty brown Egyptian eyes and blood-black like his own, only without any trance of blond or light colors. Yami buried his face in his hands, he couldn't think of her right now, the pain was to great. He felt miserable and lonely all of a sudden; how horribly ironic.
The dream had been coming again, night after night, he felt her near him at the funniest times. The dream had almost stopped until the last few nights and it had come back full force, refusing to leave him alone. It had come to him so many times during the centuries he lay locked away in the millennium puzzle. But eventually time had wiped away his memories of her, everything but the pain. Now with his memories back the pain was worst, and with the dream plaguing him it was unbearable. He had come so close to leaving her memory behind...
After the young boy had released him from the puzzle the dreams started to fade. In their place, Yami found himself thinking more and more about his aibou; his bright cheerful eyes, his cute innocent smile, his giving and loving nature. How different they were. He was always cunning, confident, full of mystery, his eyes and dark half-smile reflected this. Before he could always push the pain aside for awhile. But now in the dark of his soul room in the very dead of night, it had returned like silent tiger closing in for the kill. He thought of his aibou and smiled slightly, he wanted to throw his arms around the boy and run his fingers through his dark, blond streaked hair. He wished he could press his lips to the boys tender skin, keep him safe forever. Yami knew that if he had the chance he could show his lighter half the love he had inside of him. If he could, he would never let him go, never harm him, always protect him. He wouldn't make the mistake he had made with her. Yami hissed to himself, though he hated to admit it he was terrified by what he felt. He, who was once a powerful pharaoh was afraid. He doubted such a carefree boy would feel the same affection as he did, he never dared look through his reincarnates soul room to find out. Yami felt so lonely, but it was probably his own damn fault. So this was the price he paid for mastering the shadow games, eternal loneliness. She had betrayed him and now the one he loved most was indifferent to his affection. As the melancholy thoughts swarmed his head he had begun to pace his soul room madly until he could no longer stand being confined and he emerged into the bedroom where his puzzle was lying.
Moonlight poured in the windows, painting everything crystalline shades of blue and silver. He took off his cape and flung it aside, feeling it was out of place in the serene silence. He deftly approached the bed and crossed his arms, leaning against the bedpost, watching his aibou sleep. A perfect picture of innocence, a small smile on his face, the moon making his soft skin shine in silvery light. His hair was lying about his face as if it had been purposefully placed, the white sheet curled around him, reflecting the beautiful light themselves. He was an angel.
Yami sighed miserably in his mind as he watched his aibou. He no longer used his name for Egypt, the name Yami stuck with him now, he liked it, that's who he was now. He wasn't a king, or an Egyptian, he was himself and Yami suited him fine; after all, Yami meant "dark". He liked his aibou's name as well, Yugi. The word meant "game" or "play". So together they were "dark game". The thought made Yami laugh slightly, yes they were meant to play the game together. To bad they couldn't. He knew the boy would never betray him but still, he couldn't decide which was worst, being alone or knowing it was unfair to ask such a thing from a boy. Why did he even think of his aibou as a boy? After all Yugi would be graduating this year, but he hadn't changed since their first encounter. It was his sweetness, his innocence. Yami decided. He longed to touch him, to hold him. He remembered a similar feeling once before, when he first laid eyes on her, her tanned skin and flowing black-red hair, her blue desert dress falling over her shoulders. His Protector of the Throne. He had used all his knowledge of the shadow realm to make that summon for her. He had carved it himself from the normal stone playing tablets and laboured over it for days, then charmed it with spells and magic. She loved to duel, she was one of the best, only three people had ever beaten her, he had been one. He knew the modern card version of Protector of the Throne was around but he hadn't seen it. He hoped he never would. Soon after he finished it, she finished him. She broke his heart completely and he felt a small hate for her brew among the pain. "Eve..." he whispered softly, her named echoed hauntingly in his ear. He never knew what became of her.
He looked up again at his sleeping aibou and her image fled from his mind, leaving only the misery inflicted by a loss of faith in love. He was falling in love again, he knew it and he knew he had to stop it, but a heartbroken voice spoke within him, it was far to late to stop it now. He would have to suppress it like he did before. His mind reeled, there were too many emotions involved here, it was so simple and so complicated. He finally tore his eyes from the heavenly image and fell into the chair at the rooms deck by the window. Leaning his forehead in his hand, rubbing his temples with his fingers and thumb, he tried to think and set aside his emotions. He could always do it before, why not now? He closed his eyes.
He heard the bed creak softly and the covers ruffle. *Don't let him be awake.* Yami preyed in his mind *Oh god's don't let him be awake and see me like this!*
"Yami?" said the familiar, sweet voice with a yawn, "Are you okay?"
Yugi looked at the figure hunched in his chair, head in one hand, eyes closed, frowning, the familiar silhouette dark against the window. It worried him to see his Yami like this, his calm exterior shattered by upset. "Yami?" he repeated.
"Go to sleep, aibou." came the forceful but gentle reply. Yugi drew a slow breath and sat up, something in the forceful tone had unnerved him.
"What's bothering you?" Yugi pressed again in a caring tone, hoping for at least some form of explanation.
Yami cringed as he heard the question pressed to him again and all the things he could say raced into his mind, all of them far to personal so he just kept his mouth shut and scowled. He heard the boy get out of bed and walk toward him. He heart pounded in his chest, it seemed so loud, surely the boy could hear it. His emotions were quickly becoming overwhelming, tears of frustration and loneliness stung his eyes and he bit the inside of his lip to fight them back. He was destined to be alone and he would deal with it alone.
Yugi stopped in front of his darker half and was hit by a wave of fear, he had never seen his Yami like this before. To Yugi, he looked like a small puppy that had been kicked one to many times, very different from his bold, confident self. "Oh Yami, you look horrible!" he said, partly in shock. "What is it? Please tell me, let me help." The figure before him dropped his hand from his head to the desk.
Yami felt a rush of warm coppery liquid in his mouth and blanched at the bitter taste, he had bit too hard. A single tear escaped his firmly closed eyes and rolled over his cheek, flashing silver in the moonlight.
Yugi felt a sort of sorrow, he loved Yami with all his heart and it killed him to see he in pain. He reached out to brush away the lone tear but quickly a hand came up and smacked it away. Yami looked up at him, anger in his eyes, but not his normal anger; Yugi knew him well enough to read his emotions and this was one he'd never seen before, it wasn't simply anger, it was sadness, as well as confusion and exhaustion.
Yami dropped his hand back to the desk and his gaze as well, glaring at nothing, his garnet eyes brimming with tears that he tried vainly to fight. Yugi made a small noise in his throat as the silver tears started to fall from his darker half's eyes and looked around for something to help dry the others eyes. The ancient boy buried his face in his hands, he hadn't cried in millenniums, not since she had broken his heart. She may as well had torn him limb from limb, it would have hurt less. This boy may as well do the same. He felt a soft warm cloth pressed against his cheeks, tenderly nursing away his tears. He opened his eyes and looked at the boy kneeling before him, holding a dark cloth in his hands that he used to wipe away his Yami's tears. Near by on the desk lay his duel monsters deck, toppled over disregarded and devoid of their normal protective cloth. "Your deck..." Yami muttered softly.
"They'll be okay for awhile." Yugi assured him, continuing to dab his face . The gesture brought tears back to Yami's eyes, Yugi always kept his deck in complete care, carefully wrapped from the air in the same cloth being used to care for him now; leaving his aibou's prized possession vulnerable and even toppled over in his haste. He was caring like that.
Yugi stood up, the tears now gone, and started to re-stack his deck. "Here, I know something that may cheer you up." Yugi said with a smile, but Yami could tell that he was still unnerved by what had just passed. "Shuffle the deck, your heart is in these cards too after all." Yami complied and wordlessly handed them back the deck. Yugi laid the top three cards face down on the desk and smiled softly "Ryou's been teaching me to read the cards to see inside people's hearts." Yami had to find this slightly amusing and leaned forward to see what his cards would be.
Yugi touched the first card "This one represents how everyone sees you," he flipped it over, "The Dark Magician," Yugi smiled "big surprise there. It means that you show yourself to the world as dark, mysterious and powerful." Yugi flipped the second card, the Mystical Elf "This one represents your inner personality, the Mystical Elf means you have a lot of secrets that you defend highly." Yami nodded, showing that this was true and Yugi could move on to the last card. "The third card is how you see yourself." Yugi flipped the last card and Yami froze it terror... Soul Release. He remembered the card, it was the third card he made for her, the last one. Protector of the Throne he made when he loved her, Change of Heart he made when she betrayed him, Soul Release he made to ease his pain when he betrayed her. This was impossible, or was it? His heart was in those cards and he couldn't hide it, he used the card in his deck to honour her spirit and the guilt he wished he could free. "Soul Release," Yugi said, a surprised look on his face, "it means..."
"I know what it means," Yami hissed "I means that I suffer from broke heart and I want it to end." Yugi looked at him, upon seeing the expression of pure contempt on his doubles face, he went pale.
"That's right." Yugi acknowledged softly.
Yami felt a rage come up inside him, he rose ominously from the chair and picked up the card then threw it harshly into the garbage can near by. He hated that face, her face, he hated having her in his memory and his guilt over what happened carved into his mind as well as on that card. He wanted the whole thing gone from his life.
"Please Yami!" Yugi pleaded, watching his darker with concern, this was not like Yami at all. "What's wrong!?" Yami turned and began to march towards his puzzle, "Your scaring me!" Yugi cried disparately "I'm really worried about you! I've never seen you like this!" Yugi pulled the card from the trash and lay it back with the deck.
Yami stopped and composed himself, drawing a deep breath, forcing himself to become calm. "It's nothing, aibou. Go back to sleep." he replied, falling back into his trance of misery.
"No." Yugi said firmly, his force surprising Yami, "Not until I know what's going on!"
The boy was breaking his heart, Yami sighed. "You wouldn't understand. Go back to bed." he said softly. It hurt, pushing away the one thing he loved and desired. Did he enjoy hurting himself or something? He bit his lip against the pain again and felt the blood flow a new.
"Yami..." Yugi stepped up behind him and touched his darker half's shoulder. Yami pushed him away roughly.
"Leave me be!" he said harshly, he had to get away and he headed for his puzzle.
"Please don't go..." came the soft hurt voice from behind him. "Please..." He remembered Eve saying the same thing once before, maybe if he had listened she wouldn't have betrayed him. Didn't he just promise himself he would never make that mistake with Yugi? He emotions erupted again and he suddenly felt faint. He gave a moan and fell to his knees, burring his face in his hands.
"Yami!" Yugi cried, rushing to him and standing in front of him, trying to get him to his feet. Yami looked up, his face level with the boy's flat stomach. He felt Yugi touch his face, silently pleading to let him help. Yami wanted the pain to end, the end all depended on this boy now. Yami leaned forward and kissed the boys stomach through the white silk shirt. He felt the boy tense in shock but he didn't really care, he just didn't want to be alone anymore. He slid his hands up to the boys waist and kissed the boys stomach again.
Yugi was in shocked by this new tenderness to the point where he couldn't move and he left his hands as they were, rested on his Yami's shoulders as he watched the former pharaoh lay kisses across his abdomen. Yami deftly started to undo the buttons of Yugi's shirt, gently kissing each new inch of exposed flesh and running his hands across the soft warm skin hidden under the cool silk. Yami relished it, each kiss and the sound of his aibou trying to catch his breath. He laid his cheek against the boys bare stomach, liking the feeling of the silk brushing his face and the warmth of the skin pressed to him. He let his arms rest on the boys back and sighed contentedly, closing his eyes, "Yugi..."
Yugi stared at his companion, he barely ever called him by name. He ran his hands through Yami's hair and sank down onto his knees as well, wrapping his arms around the broken figure. Yami returned the embrace and buried his face in his aibou's hair. "Will you tell me what's wrong?" Yugi asked again, stroking his back in a consoling manner.
"No, aibou." Yami said in his normal, confident tone only it was soft, like a whisper, "Not now." He let his lighter half go and stood up, going for his puzzle once more.
"Stay," Yugi said softly, "Your still upset, you don't have to be alone." Yami stopped, the invitation was wonderful, not to be alone. Yugi stood up and put a hand on Yami's shoulder, turning him toward the bed then guiding him to it and motioned for him to sit down. Yami didn't feel much like protesting, he was emotionally exhausted and sleep seemed like a wonderful idea, so he allowed his aibou to help remove his shirt and provide him with an extra pillow. He lay down in the warm bed and lay on his side facing the wall, then pulled the covers up over him.
He felt his lighter half crawl in beside him and there was a silence until finally the younger boy spoke, "Yami?"
"Yes, aibou?"
"Sometimes your a frustrating person."
"So are you." he replied "But your also very sweet at times."
"That's not what I meant." He felt the bed shift, Yugi had rolled over and was looking at his back. "Why do you shut me out? Sometimes you act like I'm the greatest thing in the world, the next you turn around and refuse to let me care about you." Yes, that was true, he had just done it a minute ago, wrapped his arms around the boy then started to leave. He felt a pair of soft arms wrap around him and the boy rest his head on the back of his neck. "I love you," Yugi said softly, "Why don't you understand that?"
The words shocked Yami, how could he be so dense? It's not like the boy could read his mind and understand why he acted like he did. How could he even possibly explain what he felt when he didn't know himself. "I'm cursed, beautiful one." Yami sighed, he would have to try his best, he had to say it "It's a long story that follows me wherever I go. She cursed me when I saw her with him, kissing his lips and whispering 'I love you' in his ear. She destroyed my heart and you rebuilt it. I'll always be there for you, Yugi. And I do love you, but I can't ask the same from you. There's to much you don't know..."
"You still love her." Yugi said, apparently covering up the rejection he felt.
"No." Yami said, covering the boy's right hand with his own "To much time has gone by, it's not love that I feel for her. You wouldn't understand, you don't know what happened."
"Then tell me." Yugi pleaded.
"Not tonight. I've dealt with the pain enough for tonight..." Yami answered, rolling over and taking the boy in his arms. Yugi smiled, delighted with having his normal Yami back, and to have this newly revealed affection. Yami kissed the boy's forehead and stroked his hair. This had all happened so fast, but he knew in his heart it wasn't over yet. They still had things to address before they could ever really call themselves a couple, but this was better then nothing. For that matter it was better anything Yami had ever known, jut to hold his love like he had wanted to for so long. He wanted this boy.
Yugi kissed his darker half's shoulders, curling his hands around his companions back. Yami smiled gently and pulled him closer, stroking his cheek with the back of his hand. The pain was slowly ebbing away, he had finally begun to heal, lying in this little angels arms. He kissed the top of the boys head, loving being so close to him.
Yugi laughed and turned his head up, his heart leaping to see Yami smiling at him in his odd little way. Yami leaned down, unable to resist the boy's smiling lips and kissed him tenderly. Yugi returned the kiss, and when they separated he leaned up, catching Yami by the corner of his lips trying to pull him down into a deeper kiss. Yami obliged him for a moment, then put a finger to his new lovers lips. "Hush Yugi-Chan," He said, using the boy's affectionate nickname, "Don't rush, your so innocent and I think it's best we take it slow." He kissed the bridge of Yugi's noise, he wanted to push the boy into the bed right then but didn't dare. His aibou was an innocent and he didn't want to rush him into something they both may regret later.
They kissed again and Yugi sighed contentedly, tucking his head under Yami's chin and dropping his arms to a loose hold around his waist. Yami couldn't help but truly smile, for the first time in what seemed like years he was honestly happy. He held the boy as close to him as he dared without hurting him, he never wanted to let him go; already the pain was slipping away.
"I'll always be here for you," Yami said softly "you alone mean more to me then anything I've ever known." The boy sighed again and kissed his darker doubles chin in response.
"I love you, Yami."
"And I love you, aibou." he answered, "Hush now and sleep, tomorrow we'll have more time to ourselves," he paused, "And we'll talk."
"About what?" Yugi said lazily, snuggling a bit closer.
"I'll tell you a story." Yami replied, closing his eyes and letting himself remember "About a queen who betrayed her friends, family and love, and the king who destroyed her completely."
Beside him, Yugi's breath had become steady, he was soundly asleep. Yami smiled at his sleeping lover, yes he loved him more then anything in the world. In the serene setting of the embrace, he fell into a sublime sleep.
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LYB: There you have it, a mystery! Who is Eve? Why is she back?
Bakura: Hey when do I get to be in this, love? She's bugging me too you know!
LYB: The next chapter, I have something really good in mind for you. hehehehe...
Ryou: Do I have to be involved?
LYB: Sorry, aibou, but I need you.
Ryou: Damn.
Yami: You need us?
LYB: Not till chapter 3.
Yami: Sweet! Let's go Yugi! *They both run off to BK and enjoy a few burgers*
Ryou: Can we go??
LYB: Sorry, love. But I need you and my brother.
Bakura: How I'm I mixed up in this??
LYB: MWAHAHAHA!! You'll have to wait and find out!!!
Cyris: Oh Gods, now she'll go typing crazy *grabs a coffee* It's going to be a long night. Please R&R if you'd like the story to continue: chapter 2: For the Love of The Blood
Rated PG13 for Yaoi, but it's not to bad, I'm trying to keep this PG13, if you think it needs a higher rating I'll change it: YamixYugi , BakuraxRyou. There's also vampiric violence, and in the future suicidal and abusive themes.
Yugi: Someone's after me!!??
Yami: Don't worry aibou, I'll protect you. Who is this girl any way?
LadyYamiBakura: Hey, you're the one inspiring me.
Yami: Well can I uninspire you?
LYB: Sorry it doesn't work that way.
Yugi: Can we just get on with it?
LYB: Okay then *looks at her most trusted companion who's sitting beside her, silently sharpening him sword* Hey Cyris, read the disclaimers for me.
Cyris: Alright:
Disclaimer: LadyYamiBakura does not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Or any of it's characters, nor does she own the rights to the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading card game.
Cyris: There you go mistress.
LYB: Thanks Cyris! On with the story!
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The Darkest Souls
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He never saw it coming. In an instant her soft arms were around him, her unnatural hardness and strength crushing him against her. He opened his mouth to scream but it was frozen in his throat under the gaze of her bright garnet eyes, he was paralysed as she held him. Beautiful hair fell over her back and shoulders, it brushed his face and neck in the close embrace, from it he caught the smell of exotic spices of the east. It was black, but when the dim lights of night struck it, it was blood red. Her eyes glowed, rimmed in black eyeliner, so she looked Egyptian; they stood out boldly against the dark, those glowing red eyes.
The creature gave a low growl in her throat, pulling back her lips to reveal her sharpened teeth. The man caught a breath as the beautiful, deadly creature ripped open his neck with her teeth, spilling his hot blood into her mouth. In a few moments the body grew stiff and cold, a dead weight in her slender arms.
She dropped the body where she stood, then took out a key shaped object about seven inches long from a gold chain around her neck, she then pulled off the bottom, showing the key to be a dagger as well. The woman cut across her bite marks, making it look like the poor soul had been mugged and his throat slashed. She raised the dagger, admiring it, then licked it clean of blood before sheathing it and placing it back around her neck. The creature made her way through the night, the key dangling from her neck, the moon glittering off it's carved Egyptian eye. She had things to do, she could feel him near, calling out to her but she couldn't go to him, not yet. First she needed to do something, she closed her eyes, searching, she could feel him even closer, the one she wanted. She felt three of them near in fact: her lover, her first son, and her husband...
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He gasped and threw himself into a sitting position, trying to breath. He could still see her, the fleeting remnants of a fading dream. Her pretty brown Egyptian eyes and blood-black like his own, only without any trance of blond or light colors. Yami buried his face in his hands, he couldn't think of her right now, the pain was to great. He felt miserable and lonely all of a sudden; how horribly ironic.
The dream had been coming again, night after night, he felt her near him at the funniest times. The dream had almost stopped until the last few nights and it had come back full force, refusing to leave him alone. It had come to him so many times during the centuries he lay locked away in the millennium puzzle. But eventually time had wiped away his memories of her, everything but the pain. Now with his memories back the pain was worst, and with the dream plaguing him it was unbearable. He had come so close to leaving her memory behind...
After the young boy had released him from the puzzle the dreams started to fade. In their place, Yami found himself thinking more and more about his aibou; his bright cheerful eyes, his cute innocent smile, his giving and loving nature. How different they were. He was always cunning, confident, full of mystery, his eyes and dark half-smile reflected this. Before he could always push the pain aside for awhile. But now in the dark of his soul room in the very dead of night, it had returned like silent tiger closing in for the kill. He thought of his aibou and smiled slightly, he wanted to throw his arms around the boy and run his fingers through his dark, blond streaked hair. He wished he could press his lips to the boys tender skin, keep him safe forever. Yami knew that if he had the chance he could show his lighter half the love he had inside of him. If he could, he would never let him go, never harm him, always protect him. He wouldn't make the mistake he had made with her. Yami hissed to himself, though he hated to admit it he was terrified by what he felt. He, who was once a powerful pharaoh was afraid. He doubted such a carefree boy would feel the same affection as he did, he never dared look through his reincarnates soul room to find out. Yami felt so lonely, but it was probably his own damn fault. So this was the price he paid for mastering the shadow games, eternal loneliness. She had betrayed him and now the one he loved most was indifferent to his affection. As the melancholy thoughts swarmed his head he had begun to pace his soul room madly until he could no longer stand being confined and he emerged into the bedroom where his puzzle was lying.
Moonlight poured in the windows, painting everything crystalline shades of blue and silver. He took off his cape and flung it aside, feeling it was out of place in the serene silence. He deftly approached the bed and crossed his arms, leaning against the bedpost, watching his aibou sleep. A perfect picture of innocence, a small smile on his face, the moon making his soft skin shine in silvery light. His hair was lying about his face as if it had been purposefully placed, the white sheet curled around him, reflecting the beautiful light themselves. He was an angel.
Yami sighed miserably in his mind as he watched his aibou. He no longer used his name for Egypt, the name Yami stuck with him now, he liked it, that's who he was now. He wasn't a king, or an Egyptian, he was himself and Yami suited him fine; after all, Yami meant "dark". He liked his aibou's name as well, Yugi. The word meant "game" or "play". So together they were "dark game". The thought made Yami laugh slightly, yes they were meant to play the game together. To bad they couldn't. He knew the boy would never betray him but still, he couldn't decide which was worst, being alone or knowing it was unfair to ask such a thing from a boy. Why did he even think of his aibou as a boy? After all Yugi would be graduating this year, but he hadn't changed since their first encounter. It was his sweetness, his innocence. Yami decided. He longed to touch him, to hold him. He remembered a similar feeling once before, when he first laid eyes on her, her tanned skin and flowing black-red hair, her blue desert dress falling over her shoulders. His Protector of the Throne. He had used all his knowledge of the shadow realm to make that summon for her. He had carved it himself from the normal stone playing tablets and laboured over it for days, then charmed it with spells and magic. She loved to duel, she was one of the best, only three people had ever beaten her, he had been one. He knew the modern card version of Protector of the Throne was around but he hadn't seen it. He hoped he never would. Soon after he finished it, she finished him. She broke his heart completely and he felt a small hate for her brew among the pain. "Eve..." he whispered softly, her named echoed hauntingly in his ear. He never knew what became of her.
He looked up again at his sleeping aibou and her image fled from his mind, leaving only the misery inflicted by a loss of faith in love. He was falling in love again, he knew it and he knew he had to stop it, but a heartbroken voice spoke within him, it was far to late to stop it now. He would have to suppress it like he did before. His mind reeled, there were too many emotions involved here, it was so simple and so complicated. He finally tore his eyes from the heavenly image and fell into the chair at the rooms deck by the window. Leaning his forehead in his hand, rubbing his temples with his fingers and thumb, he tried to think and set aside his emotions. He could always do it before, why not now? He closed his eyes.
He heard the bed creak softly and the covers ruffle. *Don't let him be awake.* Yami preyed in his mind *Oh god's don't let him be awake and see me like this!*
"Yami?" said the familiar, sweet voice with a yawn, "Are you okay?"
Yugi looked at the figure hunched in his chair, head in one hand, eyes closed, frowning, the familiar silhouette dark against the window. It worried him to see his Yami like this, his calm exterior shattered by upset. "Yami?" he repeated.
"Go to sleep, aibou." came the forceful but gentle reply. Yugi drew a slow breath and sat up, something in the forceful tone had unnerved him.
"What's bothering you?" Yugi pressed again in a caring tone, hoping for at least some form of explanation.
Yami cringed as he heard the question pressed to him again and all the things he could say raced into his mind, all of them far to personal so he just kept his mouth shut and scowled. He heard the boy get out of bed and walk toward him. He heart pounded in his chest, it seemed so loud, surely the boy could hear it. His emotions were quickly becoming overwhelming, tears of frustration and loneliness stung his eyes and he bit the inside of his lip to fight them back. He was destined to be alone and he would deal with it alone.
Yugi stopped in front of his darker half and was hit by a wave of fear, he had never seen his Yami like this before. To Yugi, he looked like a small puppy that had been kicked one to many times, very different from his bold, confident self. "Oh Yami, you look horrible!" he said, partly in shock. "What is it? Please tell me, let me help." The figure before him dropped his hand from his head to the desk.
Yami felt a rush of warm coppery liquid in his mouth and blanched at the bitter taste, he had bit too hard. A single tear escaped his firmly closed eyes and rolled over his cheek, flashing silver in the moonlight.
Yugi felt a sort of sorrow, he loved Yami with all his heart and it killed him to see he in pain. He reached out to brush away the lone tear but quickly a hand came up and smacked it away. Yami looked up at him, anger in his eyes, but not his normal anger; Yugi knew him well enough to read his emotions and this was one he'd never seen before, it wasn't simply anger, it was sadness, as well as confusion and exhaustion.
Yami dropped his hand back to the desk and his gaze as well, glaring at nothing, his garnet eyes brimming with tears that he tried vainly to fight. Yugi made a small noise in his throat as the silver tears started to fall from his darker half's eyes and looked around for something to help dry the others eyes. The ancient boy buried his face in his hands, he hadn't cried in millenniums, not since she had broken his heart. She may as well had torn him limb from limb, it would have hurt less. This boy may as well do the same. He felt a soft warm cloth pressed against his cheeks, tenderly nursing away his tears. He opened his eyes and looked at the boy kneeling before him, holding a dark cloth in his hands that he used to wipe away his Yami's tears. Near by on the desk lay his duel monsters deck, toppled over disregarded and devoid of their normal protective cloth. "Your deck..." Yami muttered softly.
"They'll be okay for awhile." Yugi assured him, continuing to dab his face . The gesture brought tears back to Yami's eyes, Yugi always kept his deck in complete care, carefully wrapped from the air in the same cloth being used to care for him now; leaving his aibou's prized possession vulnerable and even toppled over in his haste. He was caring like that.
Yugi stood up, the tears now gone, and started to re-stack his deck. "Here, I know something that may cheer you up." Yugi said with a smile, but Yami could tell that he was still unnerved by what had just passed. "Shuffle the deck, your heart is in these cards too after all." Yami complied and wordlessly handed them back the deck. Yugi laid the top three cards face down on the desk and smiled softly "Ryou's been teaching me to read the cards to see inside people's hearts." Yami had to find this slightly amusing and leaned forward to see what his cards would be.
Yugi touched the first card "This one represents how everyone sees you," he flipped it over, "The Dark Magician," Yugi smiled "big surprise there. It means that you show yourself to the world as dark, mysterious and powerful." Yugi flipped the second card, the Mystical Elf "This one represents your inner personality, the Mystical Elf means you have a lot of secrets that you defend highly." Yami nodded, showing that this was true and Yugi could move on to the last card. "The third card is how you see yourself." Yugi flipped the last card and Yami froze it terror... Soul Release. He remembered the card, it was the third card he made for her, the last one. Protector of the Throne he made when he loved her, Change of Heart he made when she betrayed him, Soul Release he made to ease his pain when he betrayed her. This was impossible, or was it? His heart was in those cards and he couldn't hide it, he used the card in his deck to honour her spirit and the guilt he wished he could free. "Soul Release," Yugi said, a surprised look on his face, "it means..."
"I know what it means," Yami hissed "I means that I suffer from broke heart and I want it to end." Yugi looked at him, upon seeing the expression of pure contempt on his doubles face, he went pale.
"That's right." Yugi acknowledged softly.
Yami felt a rage come up inside him, he rose ominously from the chair and picked up the card then threw it harshly into the garbage can near by. He hated that face, her face, he hated having her in his memory and his guilt over what happened carved into his mind as well as on that card. He wanted the whole thing gone from his life.
"Please Yami!" Yugi pleaded, watching his darker with concern, this was not like Yami at all. "What's wrong!?" Yami turned and began to march towards his puzzle, "Your scaring me!" Yugi cried disparately "I'm really worried about you! I've never seen you like this!" Yugi pulled the card from the trash and lay it back with the deck.
Yami stopped and composed himself, drawing a deep breath, forcing himself to become calm. "It's nothing, aibou. Go back to sleep." he replied, falling back into his trance of misery.
"No." Yugi said firmly, his force surprising Yami, "Not until I know what's going on!"
The boy was breaking his heart, Yami sighed. "You wouldn't understand. Go back to bed." he said softly. It hurt, pushing away the one thing he loved and desired. Did he enjoy hurting himself or something? He bit his lip against the pain again and felt the blood flow a new.
"Yami..." Yugi stepped up behind him and touched his darker half's shoulder. Yami pushed him away roughly.
"Leave me be!" he said harshly, he had to get away and he headed for his puzzle.
"Please don't go..." came the soft hurt voice from behind him. "Please..." He remembered Eve saying the same thing once before, maybe if he had listened she wouldn't have betrayed him. Didn't he just promise himself he would never make that mistake with Yugi? He emotions erupted again and he suddenly felt faint. He gave a moan and fell to his knees, burring his face in his hands.
"Yami!" Yugi cried, rushing to him and standing in front of him, trying to get him to his feet. Yami looked up, his face level with the boy's flat stomach. He felt Yugi touch his face, silently pleading to let him help. Yami wanted the pain to end, the end all depended on this boy now. Yami leaned forward and kissed the boys stomach through the white silk shirt. He felt the boy tense in shock but he didn't really care, he just didn't want to be alone anymore. He slid his hands up to the boys waist and kissed the boys stomach again.
Yugi was in shocked by this new tenderness to the point where he couldn't move and he left his hands as they were, rested on his Yami's shoulders as he watched the former pharaoh lay kisses across his abdomen. Yami deftly started to undo the buttons of Yugi's shirt, gently kissing each new inch of exposed flesh and running his hands across the soft warm skin hidden under the cool silk. Yami relished it, each kiss and the sound of his aibou trying to catch his breath. He laid his cheek against the boys bare stomach, liking the feeling of the silk brushing his face and the warmth of the skin pressed to him. He let his arms rest on the boys back and sighed contentedly, closing his eyes, "Yugi..."
Yugi stared at his companion, he barely ever called him by name. He ran his hands through Yami's hair and sank down onto his knees as well, wrapping his arms around the broken figure. Yami returned the embrace and buried his face in his aibou's hair. "Will you tell me what's wrong?" Yugi asked again, stroking his back in a consoling manner.
"No, aibou." Yami said in his normal, confident tone only it was soft, like a whisper, "Not now." He let his lighter half go and stood up, going for his puzzle once more.
"Stay," Yugi said softly, "Your still upset, you don't have to be alone." Yami stopped, the invitation was wonderful, not to be alone. Yugi stood up and put a hand on Yami's shoulder, turning him toward the bed then guiding him to it and motioned for him to sit down. Yami didn't feel much like protesting, he was emotionally exhausted and sleep seemed like a wonderful idea, so he allowed his aibou to help remove his shirt and provide him with an extra pillow. He lay down in the warm bed and lay on his side facing the wall, then pulled the covers up over him.
He felt his lighter half crawl in beside him and there was a silence until finally the younger boy spoke, "Yami?"
"Yes, aibou?"
"Sometimes your a frustrating person."
"So are you." he replied "But your also very sweet at times."
"That's not what I meant." He felt the bed shift, Yugi had rolled over and was looking at his back. "Why do you shut me out? Sometimes you act like I'm the greatest thing in the world, the next you turn around and refuse to let me care about you." Yes, that was true, he had just done it a minute ago, wrapped his arms around the boy then started to leave. He felt a pair of soft arms wrap around him and the boy rest his head on the back of his neck. "I love you," Yugi said softly, "Why don't you understand that?"
The words shocked Yami, how could he be so dense? It's not like the boy could read his mind and understand why he acted like he did. How could he even possibly explain what he felt when he didn't know himself. "I'm cursed, beautiful one." Yami sighed, he would have to try his best, he had to say it "It's a long story that follows me wherever I go. She cursed me when I saw her with him, kissing his lips and whispering 'I love you' in his ear. She destroyed my heart and you rebuilt it. I'll always be there for you, Yugi. And I do love you, but I can't ask the same from you. There's to much you don't know..."
"You still love her." Yugi said, apparently covering up the rejection he felt.
"No." Yami said, covering the boy's right hand with his own "To much time has gone by, it's not love that I feel for her. You wouldn't understand, you don't know what happened."
"Then tell me." Yugi pleaded.
"Not tonight. I've dealt with the pain enough for tonight..." Yami answered, rolling over and taking the boy in his arms. Yugi smiled, delighted with having his normal Yami back, and to have this newly revealed affection. Yami kissed the boy's forehead and stroked his hair. This had all happened so fast, but he knew in his heart it wasn't over yet. They still had things to address before they could ever really call themselves a couple, but this was better then nothing. For that matter it was better anything Yami had ever known, jut to hold his love like he had wanted to for so long. He wanted this boy.
Yugi kissed his darker half's shoulders, curling his hands around his companions back. Yami smiled gently and pulled him closer, stroking his cheek with the back of his hand. The pain was slowly ebbing away, he had finally begun to heal, lying in this little angels arms. He kissed the top of the boys head, loving being so close to him.
Yugi laughed and turned his head up, his heart leaping to see Yami smiling at him in his odd little way. Yami leaned down, unable to resist the boy's smiling lips and kissed him tenderly. Yugi returned the kiss, and when they separated he leaned up, catching Yami by the corner of his lips trying to pull him down into a deeper kiss. Yami obliged him for a moment, then put a finger to his new lovers lips. "Hush Yugi-Chan," He said, using the boy's affectionate nickname, "Don't rush, your so innocent and I think it's best we take it slow." He kissed the bridge of Yugi's noise, he wanted to push the boy into the bed right then but didn't dare. His aibou was an innocent and he didn't want to rush him into something they both may regret later.
They kissed again and Yugi sighed contentedly, tucking his head under Yami's chin and dropping his arms to a loose hold around his waist. Yami couldn't help but truly smile, for the first time in what seemed like years he was honestly happy. He held the boy as close to him as he dared without hurting him, he never wanted to let him go; already the pain was slipping away.
"I'll always be here for you," Yami said softly "you alone mean more to me then anything I've ever known." The boy sighed again and kissed his darker doubles chin in response.
"I love you, Yami."
"And I love you, aibou." he answered, "Hush now and sleep, tomorrow we'll have more time to ourselves," he paused, "And we'll talk."
"About what?" Yugi said lazily, snuggling a bit closer.
"I'll tell you a story." Yami replied, closing his eyes and letting himself remember "About a queen who betrayed her friends, family and love, and the king who destroyed her completely."
Beside him, Yugi's breath had become steady, he was soundly asleep. Yami smiled at his sleeping lover, yes he loved him more then anything in the world. In the serene setting of the embrace, he fell into a sublime sleep.
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LYB: There you have it, a mystery! Who is Eve? Why is she back?
Bakura: Hey when do I get to be in this, love? She's bugging me too you know!
LYB: The next chapter, I have something really good in mind for you. hehehehe...
Ryou: Do I have to be involved?
LYB: Sorry, aibou, but I need you.
Ryou: Damn.
Yami: You need us?
LYB: Not till chapter 3.
Yami: Sweet! Let's go Yugi! *They both run off to BK and enjoy a few burgers*
Ryou: Can we go??
LYB: Sorry, love. But I need you and my brother.
Bakura: How I'm I mixed up in this??
LYB: MWAHAHAHA!! You'll have to wait and find out!!!
Cyris: Oh Gods, now she'll go typing crazy *grabs a coffee* It's going to be a long night. Please R&R if you'd like the story to continue: chapter 2: For the Love of The Blood