[fic] Theme 053 "Comfort", for 100_wangsts {遊☆戯☆王: Yuugi/Yami; G}
Updated in honour of a few birthdays: tadashi_chan, Yuu-chan, and my first cousin once removed (aka, my cousin’s son; that’s a mouthful, eurgh, that’s why I like the Chinese system of this so much better).
Well, nothing much to say...sporadic update again, I know. Sorry, I haven’t planned this ‘biweekly’ thing well.
Written for 100_wangsts. This is theme 053.
Genre: Hurt/Comfort
Rating: G
Pairings: Yuugi/Yami
Story Type: Drabble/one-shot
Summary: Somewhere in the deeper recesses of his mind he knew this was not the Yuugi he had grown accustomed to.
Disclaimer: Do not own Yuugiou R - that is the property of Takahashi Kazuki and Ito Akira.
Spoilers: Final turn of Yuugiou R. (GASP. It’s actually a spin-off of the original series. Run for your lives!)
Warnings: Seriously, if you haven’t read this 5-volume spin-off, read it now. Scanlations or raw, whichever. And I hope the dialogue isn’t too complicated to require a key...it’s like my previous ones.
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He paced inside his soul room, agitated, and the numerous doors reflected his current state.
It was not supposed to bother him this much - he was a spirit destined to leave, for Ra’s sake - but it was bothering him, and it confused him.
Absently, his hand reached for a door’s handle - and then stopped. It was like a gravitational pull towards this particular one. For all his time spent inside the Puzzle, he could not figure out all the mechanisms under which the Item operated. Nevertheless, he opened it, and was greeted by a quite solid, though wispy silhouette of his other half-
“Aibou?” He croaked out.
The figure was silent, glare unwavering. He swallowed, taking another step towards the still form. Somewhere in the deeper recesses of his mind he knew this was not the Yuugi he had grown accustomed to, but at this exact moment, he could not remember that fact. Instead, he was more concerned about reconciling; he could not bear it if his partner looked at him with such hatred - even if it was him who brought around this bout of anger.
“Aibou?” He tried again, edging ever closer. He did not notice the door closing slowly behind him.
“I am not your aibou. I do not have another self who steals everything from me.” The ‘voice’ was hollow, frosty, bouncing off the walls - how could his soul-room suddenly feel like it was encased in ice? “I should just take apart the Puzzle and pretend I never freed you; then I can have my normal life back. Even if it includes bullies, coming home every day from school to clean up my injuries, and sitting in the corner of the classroom where no one bothers with me - that is better than being surrounded by people who know me, yet don’t. Don’t you think you have caused me enough pain? Suffering? Grief?”
“I never meant to-I mean, that was never my intention, I just wanted you to be happy-I am so sorry-”
“Sorry does not solve anything,” the figure said coldly, fixing a blank stare straight into distraught red irises. “How does it feel, guilt and horror and helplessness consuming you little by little? Have you any idea how many times I have felt like that - wondering exactly what I did wrong to make everyone prefer you? Then I feel ashamed, because they do not even realize when you are you, and I am I! And I can’t even tell anyone this, because they’ll just laugh at me. ‘Yuugi, stop being silly,’”, he mimicked Anzu’s voice perfectly. “‘Yeah, Yuugi, what’s gotten into you?’” - Jounouchi - “‘You aren’t the type to say this kind of stuff!’” - Honda.
He took a step back and his back met with a firm surface; everything it said was echoing around the now-enclosed room. Phrases leaped out at him, the most prominent being, and pretend I never freed you, I should just take apart the Puzzle. He held his head in his arms as if they could block out the accusations; he recoiled and slid down the wall, the impact of the words much stronger than he wanted them to be. Why was he caring so much about what aib-Yuugi thought of him anyway? It was not as if they were-
‘-Mou hitori no boku! Where are you?’
Aibou?
He opened his eyes, not remembering or caring when he had closed them in the first place, and to his surprise he saw black-Yuugi losing its solidity. He watched it turn lighter and lighter and parts of him dissipating, reminding him terribly of that duel with Dark Malik, the Ultimate Game of Darkness.
‘Mou hitori no boku!’ The voice grew stronger along with soft, running steps.
I am here, he wanted to shout to reassure his worried charge, but he could not. He was tempted to shut down there and then - to hide forever and never have to face another Yuugi in such a-such a-
“There you are, mou hitori no boku. It took me absolutely forever to find you,” Yuugi panted, hunched to bring his breathing rate back to normal. “Mou hitori no boku?”
He refused to look up, despite the concerned tone. He did not want to see that kind of fire burning in the depths of mauve eyes he was so fond of, did not want to see that beautiful face contorted in fury. Did not, did not, did not.
“Mou hitori no boku,” Yuugi spoke gently, warm hands trying to pry apart the tight grip he had around his head to no avail. “Please look at me.”
Something in the plea made him tilt his head sideways to peek through the safety of his arms. Yuugi was worried - he knew and expected that much - but there were wet and dried traces of tears on his face. Startled by how his other was affected, his immediate reaction was to wipe away the ones gathering at the corners of his eyes. He did not like to see his partner cry either. Black lashes tickled his thumbs as he attempted to get all of them before they fell.
“Please don’t listen to Yakou,” Yuugi whispered, hands trapping Yami’s to his face. “There wasn’t an ounce of truth in it - none at all - so stop beating yourself over it. When I said I would give you my memories, I meant it - all of it. If we share a body already, what’s stopping me from sharing anything else with you? Mou hitori no boku, please - look at me please-”
“Aibou,” he choked, feeling moisture on his face. Arms brought him forward. He did not deserve this kindness-
But he would gladly take whatever his aibou offered, because he was, for once, sheltered from the world for a moment.
- Owari -
Story Word Count: 969
Authoress Notes: I love dark!Yuugi and angsty!Yami; do you? *w*
This is one of my favourites so far - what do you guys think?