Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ A Different Kind of You ❯ Search and Rescue ( Chapter 23 )

Yelling arose Yugi the next morning while the sky was still dark out. Yami wasn't with him so he shifted over on the bed to see the clock. It read 2.30. He just figured that Yami went to hush up the people shouting and turned over to go back to sleep.

 

Shortly after he closed his eyes the yelling died down and the last thing he heard was a door slamming.

 

~~

 

An insistent knocking woke Yugi next. Sleepily, he turned over to look at the clock and the bright red numbers now read 8.05.

 

Yawning and knowing that he'd have to answer the door since Yami went to work, he shuffled out from underneath the inviting covers and pulled on his shirt that he'd laid over the chair the day before. Feeling slightly less exposed and a little more awake, he went to answer the door.

 

The sight that met him was a very unexpected one. It was Corrine, frantic and anxious, wearing the same shirt from the day before, though extremely wrinkled now, and haphazardly thrown on jeans. She wasn't even wearing any shoes, only slightly disheveled and dirty socks. Yugi noticed, also, that she didn't have Emerald with her.

 

“Has Nile come here,” she asked worriedly the second Yugi opened the door. “Please tell me he has.”

 

With a yawn, Yugi shook his head.

 

“I'm so worried. I thought I heard him leaving early this morning, but I was half asleep so I wasn't sure. He didn't leave a note or anything and I don't know what to do! Now Emerald's back at the hotel room all alone and I don't know what to do,” she cried, tears shimmering in rivers down her flushed cheeks.

 

Knowing he couldn't leave her alone like this, Yugi stepped back and invited her inside. “If you'll wait for me to change I'll come with you to get Emerald and then we can wait here until Yami gets back from work. I'm sure Nile's okay and he just lost track of time.”

 

She nodded and Yugi hurried off to the bedroom to throw on some jeans and a sweatshirt. Afterwards he walked with Corrine. It was a quiet walk. Yugi wasn't sure what to say in the situation and Corrine was busy worrying her lower lip to talk probably.

 

When they started nearing the whorehouse though Yugi's heart started pounding and he quickly looked away.

 

“Do they disgust you,” Corrine asked suddenly, surprising Yugi who didn't think she could talk without choking up.

 

“What,” Yugi asked, startled.

 

“Those people,” Corrine repeated, “Do you not like them so much that you won't even look at them.”

 

“No,” he practically shouted, but caught himself at the last minute.

 

“Then why'd you look away?”

 

“I just…it's hard to explain.”

 

“I see.”

 

The rest of the way to the hotel was spent in silence.

 

When they arrived in the hotel room that Corrine and Nile were staying in, Yugi hung back by the door while Corrine went to gather up Emerald and a few things.

 

The room was pretty barren, not much of anything to look at. There was the bed that just barely fit two people, the sheets still mussed up and somewhat falling on the floor, a small, broke bedside table with a broken lamp, its cord sparking every few seconds, and Yugi could've sworn he saw a cockroach waddle around the corner just before it disappeared.

 

“I'm done, let's get out of here,” Corrine said, looking a little less stressed out now that she had Emerald. Her eyes wouldn't look at Yugi though and he could tell she seemed embarrassed about the state of the room.

 

“Come on,” Yugi smiled, let's go back to the apartment and you can have something to eat. I'm sure Emerald would like to have something too.”

 

Back at the his and Yami's apartment, Yugi helped Corrine and Emerald to get settled and he was relieved to see that Corrine had calmed down. It wasn't until then that he noticed the table, devoid of any note. His eyes widened and his breathing picked up with worry. Completely forgetting about Corrine, he dashed for the phone and punched in the speed dial for Yami's work that his boyfriend had written down for him.

 

“Hello,” a bored voice answered. They were about to continue, but Yugi interrupted before the boy could.

 

“Is Yami there,” he asked quickly. “Did Yami show up this morning for work or to say he wasn't going to be there?”

 

“Oh, you must be Yugi,” the voice said, perking up noticeably. Yugi didn't know how this guy knew who he was, but he frankly didn't care right then. “No, he didn't show up at all. His boss was pissed off when he found out he didn't call in.”

 

“I see,” Yugi frowned, worry and fear of what could've happened clenching at his throat and making it harder and harder to breathe as the seconds ticked by.

 

“You mean you don't know where he is,” the boy asked after a passing of silence.

 

“No, no I don't,” Yugi choked out, tears blurry his vision as he imagined all the horrible things that could've happened. “Do you know if someone who looks like him only older came in,” he questioned, thinking Nile had somehow found out where Yami works.

 

“Nope, sorry, Yugi; I've been in the back all day.”

 

“Oh,” Yugi choked again, “T-thank you.” He hung up without saying goodbye. His fingers were shaking madly as he stared at the wall. Thoughts of Yami were all that was on his mind. Slowly, hesitantly, he looked back at the table in hopes that the note had only fallen on the floor and he hadn't noticed before. Nothing, barren; the table was entirely empty of everything except its shiny surface, the same went for the shaggy carpet underneath it.

 

It all seemed to hit Yugi as tears stung at his wide, unseeing eyes. He couldn't even hear when Corrine started calling his name in a panic. He only managed to snap out of it when he was shaken awake by the worried woman.

 

“Yugi, are you okay? What happened?”

 

“Yami,” he croaked out around his tightly clenched throat. “He never showed up for work. He didn't even call in.”

 

Corrine gapes, bringing her hand up to her face. She was entirely speechless and unable to grasp what was going on. She watched helplessly as Yugi trudged down the hall, head hanging low and arms swinging limply at his sides.

 

“Yugi,” she whispered, unsure of how to help the soulless seeming boy before her.

 

“I'm just going to go lay down. I'm not feeling very well right now.” And the truth was: he felt sick to his stomach. In all the times Yugi had spent with Yami, the crimson-eyed teen had never left Yugi completely or made him feel blind to what he was doing. To have both of those things happen at the same was enough to make Yugi feel broken and used, no better than when he first arrived at the whorehouse.

 

How could he just leave without saying anything Yugi thought hopelessly, falling into bed and burying himself under the cool covers. No note? He's never left without saying something about it in someway before. There's always been a soft goodbye, or a kiss, or hug, something! I feel so empty just thinking about it. He sniffed lightly, rubbing his nose against his sleeve.

 

“Yugi,” Corrine whispered in the room.

 

The amethyst-eyed teen shifted so his head was showing over the sheets, but not doing or saying anything else.

 

Corrine stepped into the room, placing a mug on the table beside the bed. “I made you some tea,” she whispered, not wanting to disturb the boy. “It always helps to make me feel better.”

 

Yugi nodded a thank you and watched carelessly as his boyfriend's sister-in-law walked out of the room. As the door closed behind her, it hit him:

 

Shouting waking him up. Yami not in the bed. Door slamming.

 

He jumped out of bed and ran down the hall, skidding to a stop in front of the door.

 

Corrine stood up from the couch where she was holding Emerald. “What is it, Yugi?”

 

“I have to go find him,” he replied worriedly, making sure he had the spare keys to the apartment. “He out with Nile somewhere.”

 

“Yugi, just because they're gone doesn't mean you should look futilely around for them. What if they come back before you do? Yami will be worried.”

 

“I heard them yelling this morning, really early. I thought it was the neighbors, but it was Yami and Nile. They were arguing and must've stormed out of the place together when I heard the door slam.”

 

“Arguing? I know they don't get along very well, but coming over here to pick a fight with - ”

 

“I know it sounds dumb, but it's true! I may have been half-asleep, but I know what I heard.” With that, he ran out the door, calling for Corrine to stay there just in case they did show up.

 

Yugi ran all over the town for hours. He knew Yami wouldn't want a big scene if there was yelling and maybe even physical violence so he was sure to check in allies and even as far as looking in buildings he knew to be deserted. When that didn't work he went back to the apartment buildings and asked random people of they'd seen anybody matching either of the two brothers' descriptions. Three hours later he was beginning to think he'd never find Yami.

 

Collapsing to his knees in the middle of the park he finally let the tears that have been threatening to fall since this morning drip down his pink-tinted cheeks. He couldn't believe this was happening. He'd always been able to find Yugi when he wanted to before, granted that he never had to look for him under such circumstances.

After getting control of himself again, Yugi looked up and started stumbling along down the familiar path leading to the whorehouse. He doubted he'd find Yami there and definitely not Nile, but he knew he could find Malik and Marik there.

 

Opening the rusty and splintered wood, he walked down the hall. He saw several pairs of eyes staring into his back, no doubt wondering what he was doing back there.

 

“Hey, Yugi, did you get dumped already,” someone called to him. He ignored them and continued walking on.

 

“Yugi,” the sound of his best friend's voice shouted from down the hall. Heavy pounding was the next thing he heard as he stopped and before even looking around he was gathered into Malik's warm arms. “I'm so glad to see you again. It seems like forever since I last saw you. I was planning on tracking you down soon,” he said excitedly. “He won't admit it, but I know Marik misses you too. Come on, let's go see him!” When Yugi didn't say he looked down at his shorter friend and felt his insides clench tightly.

 

“What is it, Yugi? Did Yami hurt you? Tell me what happened,” he said, hugging Yugi tightly.

 

“I can't find him,” Yugi croaked.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Last night I heard yelling and I thought it was the neighbors and Yami wasn't there so I figured he was telling them to be quiet or take it somewhere else. I didn't think anything of it and went back to sleep. When I woke up he still wasn't there, but I thought he went to work and so I went to answer the door. It was Corrine, Yami's sister-in-law, and she told me Nile was missing too. I just found out it was actually him and Yami yelling and they left the apartment.”

 

Malik shook his head and hugged Yugi tighter, unable to think of what Yugi must be feeling but still wanting to comfort him as best as he could.

 

“Can I get anything for you? Something to drink or - ”

 

Yugi shook his head, “No, I just want to lie down but Corrine's still at the apartment and I just…I don't want to go back there just yet.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, that's fine. Come on.” Malik led Yugi down the hall and into his room. “You can stay here. I'll go tell Marik you're here and I'll make sure you aren't bothered. If I find out anything about Yami than I'll come get you. I promise. You just stay here and rest; you look exhausted.”

 

Yugi nodded and headed straight for the bed. A hand on his wrist pulled him back and he looked back into Malik's concerned eyes. “Don't worry, Yugi. I won't let it stay like this.” He leant down and pressed a soft kiss to Yugi's temple before finally letting him go. He closed the door behind him as Yugi laid on the bed and covered himself entirely.

 

The exhaustion and worry of the day consumed Yugi as he lay on the bed and it wasn't long before his eyes closed and he went to sleep, hoping that his awakening brought better news than his first one.

 

Yugi prayed the moment he found out what was held in the backroom that he would never have to go there. He knew he wouldn't enjoy it no matter whom it was he was with when it happened. As it was, the day after was the day his next customer requested the backroom for him.

 

It was every bit as scary as he had imagined it to be. There was chest with all sorts of `toys' overflowing from it and rope hanging up on the wall. His eyes had widened terribly when he saw that it was the first thing the man had taken. He didn't chance a look while the man was shifting around in the toy chest. In fact, he sat as far away from the man and the chest as possible, his eyes clenched tightly shut.

 

“That seems like a fine place to start,” the man chuckled, making Yugi's skin crawl and shivers race down his back. “Lie down, on your stomach and lay spread eagle,” he ordered.

 

Unable to disobey, Yugi did so, albeit slowly He tried to stop his quivering, but it seemed to only increase when the man held one wrist and started tying the rope in a knot around it.

 

“You're going to enjoy this,” the man mumbled under his breath as he moved on to the other wrist, among other things that Yugi didn't catch.

 

Once the man was finished tying Yugi to the makeshift bed he let out a quivering sigh and Yugi could just feel the man's greedy hands on him already.

 

“It's been far too long,” he sighed. Yugi was confused by the statement, but decided not to comment on it since he really didn't want to know. As it was, the man continued on anyway. “My wife and I have been having so many problems. She finally left me last night. She had forbade me from ever coming here again, but now that she's gone I can have all the fun that I want. You should be grateful that you're the first I've had in a long time. I'll make sure you're paid well.” The next thing Yugi heard was the low hum of something vibrating and that was the warning he got very the vibrator was shoved tightly into his entrance. Still be new to such experiences, he bit his tongue against the pain, desperate not to scream and make an idiot out of himself.

 

“You like this, don't you,” the customer teased. “You're coloring so creamy and pale and then your hole so pink and enticing. I could stay here forever just admiring your beauty.” He then roughly started moving the vibrator, rough thrusts before rotating it in large circles.

 

Yugi couldn't hold it in any longer. He took a deep breath and screamed.

 

He woke in a tumble of sweat and tears, his pulse beating so fast he feared his heart would pound straight through his chest. It wasn't until a few seconds after calming down that he was clutching at someone, someone who was holding him tightly but still gentle as though as simple caress.

 

“I'm here with you now, Yugi,” Yami's deep voice whispered softly to him. “I won't leave you again.”