Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ A Different Kind of You ❯ A Day at the Fair ( Chapter 3 )

Violet eyes opened wearily as one pale reached out blindly for the side table. He touched smooth plastic and Yugi glanced over to see the regular Tylenol bottle. He popped it open and tipped out two pills, swallowing them dryly.

Yugi then pushed the covers off him after a few minutes and sat up, pausing to wait for the painful throbbing in his lower back to lessen, and then stood up. He pulled on his ragged clothes and, out of pure habit, applied some light make-up. Deciding he was ready to face the world he headed out.

`I wonder if that guy's gonna be at the park,' Yugi thought before pausing mid-step and wondered, `Why the hell does that guy keep invading my thoughts?' Shaking it off, he headed for the door, and, unconsciously, for the park.

When he arrived at the park he was surprised to see that barely anyone was in there, but that one person in particular that was standing one of the swings gliding back forth caught his eyes.

He must've been noticed too because the teen jumped off the swing and ran up to him, crimson eyes glinting in the pale sunlight of the morning.

"Hey there! Yugi, right," he asked, barely giving the teen time to nod. "How did your night go," he then questioned slyly, as if he knew it had gone really well.

Yugi looked quickly at the ground, "Not so good," he admitted quietly. He could just feel the surprise come off Yami.

"What do you mean," he asked in disbelief, "It was sex! I had to have gone good!"

The teen was slightly angered about Yami's response, but it was his day off and he didn't want anything to ruin it so he just ignored it. "I don't feel like talking about it. All I feel is that I let my boss down, I didn't get paid a cent, and my back is killing me," he mumbled out, shame flowing over the violet-eyed teen as the memories took over him.

Yugi looked Yugi over curiously for a moment. He wasn't sure why, but the teen somehow intrigued him. He never felt this way about anybody he met before, especially when he barely knew him. He only ever had one person he loved… but that person is gone and wasn't ever coming back. But Yugi… Yugi had such an air of innocence surrounding him, and yet his `profession' proved otherwise. He was actually worried about him, but for reason he couldn't figure it out.

The violet-eyed teen stared peculiarly at his slightly taller companion. He couldn't sworn he saw something in the other's red eyes, but what? It seemed so foreign to him and, yet, he felt like he should know it somehow.

"Hey, come with me," he gestured heading out of the park, not offering anything else and expecting Yugi to followed him.

Yugi didn't know what he should do though. He only just met Yami and didn't know if he could really trust him or not. Parents usually told their children not to trust strangers, right?

`But what about that flicker I saw in his eyes just a few seconds ago,' he questions himself. Deciding he could always back out later, he ran to catch up with the red-eyed teen.

"Where are we going, Yami," he asked after getting in step with him.

"Somewhere I think you'll be able forget all your worries for the day and have some fun at the same time," he replied without looking down at the slightly shorter teen.

Yugi was curious about it, but opted not to press the issue. Yami didn't seem like the type of guy to answer straightly, at least not in this type of situation anyway; at least not to Yugi he didn't. So the violet-eyed teen walked silently next to Yami and wait patiently until they reached wherever the older teen was bringing him.

It was only complete silence for a short while though, Yugi didn't keep track on how long exactly. They had just turned a corner around some old, beat down building when bright lights and energetic music met him head on.

Yugi's vibrant eyes widened as he looked on in surprise. "A-a carnival," he squeaked out in disbelief.

Yami looked down at him and nodded, a knowing grin on his face, "If this doesn't cheer you up, even just a little bit, than I'm definitely losing my touch."

"But I don't have any money with me," Yugi admitted sadly, feeling bad for ruining Yami's attempt at making him feel better.

"Well, I don't either, silly," Yami laughed, clapping him on the back and ruffling up his hair, "but you don't see me walking away, do you?"

Yugi looked down, "Well, no, but…" Realization struck on him then, "We aren't gonna…gonna…" He was interrupted by Yami bursting out into laughter. "It's not funny," he shouted, "I may be a…a…a you know what, but that doesn't mean I'll sneak in to anyplace!"

Yami was laughing so hard by then and was holding onto his sides tightly, small tears tracking down his cheeks. After a few minutes though, he finally started to calm down. "I-I'm sorry, Yugi," he wheezed out, "I j-just couldn't help myself." He breathed deeply to catch his breath before continuing, "I know somebody who works here and he can get us in for free as long as I pay him back later."

"How are you going to do that," Yugi asked as they started walking again, heading around to the back of the fair, "You're not going to pay my way, are you?"

"No worries, Yugi," Yami smirked down at him. "I work at a restaurant," he explained, "my bud sometimes has a hard time getting money when the fair isn't open so I bring him something from the restaurant and he pays me back by getting me in for free. It's vice versa for when I want to have some fun and don't have money, I give him a free meal."

Yugi nodded and followed as Yami peaked into one of the tents and gestured him in.

"Hey, Bakura," Yami laughed as he wrapped his arms around a white-haired teen's neck. The teen yelped out in surprise though and fell out of the chair, staring up at Yami in fear. "Wait a minute," he started in surprise, "Who the hell are you?"

"Ryou," Yugi gasped. He knelt down on the floor and smiled at his friend.

"Yugi," the teen gasped, "What are you doing here?"

Just then, somebody who looked exactly like Ryou ran into the tent and gasped out, "What's going on in here, Ryou?"

Out of nowhere, Yami started laughing and he collapsed into the chair Ryou had fallen out of.

"Yami," the second white-haired teen questions, giving him a look that clearly showed he thought the red-eyed teen was insane at this point.

"This is turning out to be a very interesting day already," Yugi sighed. He turned back to Ryou questioningly, "So what are you doing here?"

"Bakura invited me since I don't have any customers until really late. What about you?"

"I have the day off and Yami was trying to cheer me up from last night," Yugi admitted sadly, trying to erase the memories that started swimming back at him.

"Oh! That's right; I heard about that. How do you feel," Ryou asked with concern pooling from his eyes, rubbing his back in a comforting manner.

"A little soar, but otherwise good."

By then, Yami had finally calmed down after a good smack on the head from Bakura. Now he was just holding onto the spot he was hit on and glaring evilly at his friend. He noticed the two on the ground and smirked. "So you're both from the same prostitute house," both nodded, "That's awesome!"

Ryou, much the same as Yugi had when first subjected to it, gave Yami a look of disbelief, shaking his head when he saw he was serious. "You're a very strange person," he concluded after a moment of silence.

"Anyway, Bakura," he turned to the second white-haired teen, "I'm here to do some cheering up. Hungry tonight?"

"For your cooking, always. And," he glanced at Yugi, "since you're bringing a friend with you this time that means I get to as well."

"Fine, fine, have it your way then. I'll see you tonight," he grabbed Yugi out and dragged him into the fair.

"So you know that pretty guy," Yami questioned as they started walking towards one of the rides.

"Yes, he's a friend of mine. We work in the same place, but lately he's been getting out during the day. It was a bit surprising at first, but then I got used to not hanging out with anymore. I guess this explains where he's been going all this time," Yugi laughed.

"Tell me about," Yami shouted, making people look at him strangely, not that he cared, "Bakura's been acting funny lately too. Did you see the way they were staring at each other? Gross!"

"You mean…"

"Yes," he interrupted with a shout, "Those two, disgusting. Love is not an emotion I will ever believe in."

"So you don't like it because they love each other?"

"There's no such thing as love."

Yugi stood stock still at the confession. He just couldn't believe it. Letting his defenses down though, memories from last night and even further into his past invaded him and it was all he could not to collapse from it. He shook them away and watched Yami as he moved further up the line when it started moving. The red-eyed teen looked back at him just as Yugi finally relaxed.

"What's wrong?"

Yugi shook his head, "It's nothing." He moved up with him and watched as the ride started up again. "You know," he started, "I think you're right."

"Well, of course I am," Yami laughed. Then he paused and looked down at Yugi, "About what?"

Yugi giggled at him before hurrying forward to take the far end up the seat for ride. Yami hurried after him before the ride operators closed and locked the door.

"Hey, tell me what you meant," Yami pushed, making sure his baggy pants didn't get caught in the door as the operators slammed it closed.

"About what you said about love; I believe you. I feel the same way about it."

"You do?"

"You seem surprised, did you expect me to disagree?"

"Well, I don't know," Yami threw his hands up, but smiled at the younger to show he was only joking around, "Let's see what this ride can do?"

Yugi laughed and nodded, the ride having perfect timing as it started to speed up.

After the ride ended both teens had to lean against a railing for a while to make their vision stop coming in threes. Once it cleared they both laughed as they headed for another.

"That was awesome," Yugi shouted, his eyes glowing with excitement.

Yami smiled at him as the younger ran to get a place in line. He couldn't help but stop and examine the teen from a distance. `He's very different from what I first expected him to be,' Yami concluded.

Yugi finally looked over at him and waved, "Come on, Yami! The line's gonna start moving!"

The red-eyed teen waved back to show he heard before moving forward. He was forced to abruptly stop though when a large group of people walked in front him, obstructing his view of his violet-eyed companion. A feeling of dread came over him and he couldn't understand it. `One second I don't see him and I start worrying? What's wrong with me,' He thought as the he finally caught sight of the other, freezing however when he saw the way the teen was standing, `What the…'

Yami hurried over and saw Yugi was staring at a much taller man than either of them. The man was walking towards Yugi with a dangerous sneer on his face. Once he was close enough he reached out one large hand and grabbed Yugi's shoulder, causing the youth to flinch in pain and start shivering wildly, uncontrollable tears coursing quickly down his pale, pink-tinted cheeks.

Bearing his teeth just slightly and unconsciously thinking, `How could anybody be so cruel to let somebody as innocent seeming as Yugi do this to him and not try and help him?' Not wanting to put Yugi through whatever was going through his head continued, the crimson-eyed teen ran over and shoved the man away from Yugi, shielding the younger with his own body.

"What do you think you're doing to Yugi, you bastard," He growled.

Yugi, obviously grateful for Yami's strong presence, scooted closer to him and rested his head on his back, closing his eyes in apparent relief.

Yami looked back at him and his eyes softened slightly before glaring back at the older man. "Well," he snarled, "Answer me! Or leave!"

To Yami's surprise, the man started to actually chuckle at him, "What the hell is so funny?"

"I see the little slut found a lover," was the man's response.

"What," Yami shouted, before quickly shaking his head. "No way, he's just a friend. I'm trying to cheer him up from what some bastard…"

"Yami," Yugi shouted interrupting him.

"What?"

The crimson-eyed teen hadn't the need the finish the statement for the man to figure out what he was going to say. "So, our play time roughed you up that much, did it, little Yugi?"

"Mr. Brown, please, you don't have to rub it in my face. I know what I did was inexcusable but it's bad enough with the guilt," Yugi cried, looking at the man with fear pooling in his eyes.

"What," Yami shouted, turning back to the man. "You mean it was you?!"

The man sniggered once more before nodding. "Of course, why wouldn't it be," he said as if it were the most palpable thing in the world.

"Why you…" Yami made to lunge for the man, not knowing why he felt so protective for somebody he's barely known for a day, but wanting to anyway. Yugi grabbed onto his arm and held him tightly, tears streaking down his face as he quickly shook his head.

"Please, Yami! Please, don't hurt him," he cried loudly, people crowding around him to witness the scene. He clenched his eyes tightly, wishing they would just go away.

"Fine," Yami rumbled at last, turning to head for the tent Bakura and Ryou were located, Yugi being dragged as he held tightly onto his arm.

He stormed into the tent and stopped, smirking lightly at the scene before he caught himself and a sneer came over his face.

"If you two would kindly stop making out for a second!"

The two easily jumped apart, Ryou landing once more on the floor with a rather dark blush covering his face at rapid speed.

"That's better," Yami looked directly at Bakura, "we'll be leaving sooner than intended today. But don't worry, you'll still get a good meal tonight, same as always."

"I wouldn't doubt it," Bakura nodded. "Mind if I ask what happened?"

"Some guy started pestering Yugi so I wanted to get him out of here. We'll just go do something else."

Bakura nodded in understanding, "Hope you had some fun at least."

"Some," Yami nodded, smiling lightly at him before hurrying out, Yugi following after him after saying a quick goodbye to Ryou and a thank you and nice to meet you to Bakura.

Yugi ran after Yami and walked side by side with him, losing breath quickly trying to keep up with the older's rapid pace.

"Yugi," Yami finally said as he slowed down at last.

"Yeah?"

"Why were you sticking up for him?"

Yugi quickly looked down, anywhere but at Yami. "I-I don't know," he stuttered at last, "I guess I didn't want to cause a scene."

"I could've pummeled him for you."

"I have no doubts that you could've, but I can't stand somebody getting hurt because of me, even if the guy getting hurt happens to be a jerk."

"Whatever."

There was silence for a minute.

"There's something else, too."

"What," Yugi asked, finally looking up at him.

"Why won't you say what you are?"

"What do you mean?"

"Earlier when you told me you wouldn't sneak into the carnival even if you are a prostitute. You wouldn't say it; how come?"

"Oh," a blush came to the youth's cheeks. "It makes me feel so dirty when I saw it, even though it's true. Marik, my boss, and all my friends said I shouldn't feel that way, but I can't help it. I'd leave if given the chance. I'd miss all my friends there, yes, but it isn't as easy as some people might think it is to leave."

Yami looked at Yugi with sadness, the younger teen continuing to walk on, seemingly not noticing that the red-eyed older wasn't any longer walking with him.

He stopped at last a couple blocks down and looked around in surprise. He turned around and saw Yami running up to him.

"Sorry, you must think I'm such a child for thinking all this. I know teenagers usually like this sort of thing, but I can't stand it," tears appeared in his dulled eyes once more.

Yami wiped them away and offered a small smile. "Hey, Yugi, let's go to the ice-rink?"

Yugi looked at him in surprise before smiling lightly back at him and nodded.