Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Absolute ❯ Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Authors Note: This is very pointless and weird. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Otogi sighs, laying back on the soft bed. Sunlight streams in through the windows, and there's a strange but comforting smell, like roses, mixed in with the musty scent that the old wooden furniture carries. If Otogi was at home his father would be yelling at him to wake up, but as it is there's no one telling him to do anything. There are no sounds coming from outside, either, no angry voices and honking cars. He buries his head in the silk sheets. They smell good too, like fancy laundry detergent and some kind of flower that he doesn't recognize. It probably doesn't grow in Japan, whatever it is.

There aren't shades on the windows, and the light's still coming in. Even the light feels different over here. Otogi attempts to burrow his head further into his pillow, but he can still feel the light hitting him. It makes him feel exhausted, and gives him a headache. Maybe he should get up. Yeah. It's probably pretty late into the afternoon. He opens an eye groggily, looking around the room for a clock. There isn't one in here, and he didn't think to bring a watch with him. Slowly, Otogi opens the other eye.

Pegasus is gone - it must be late. Slowly, he gets up and changes into the clothes he was wearing yesterday. There's a mirror in here - his hair is a mess. He squints at his reflection and ties it back into a ponytail. It's still messy, but he'll deal with that later.

And there's no sign of Pegasus at all, or anyone, for that matter.

Otogi is contemplating leaving the room and looking for Pegasus, but he doesn't know the layout of this place. That would be strange, wandering around someone else's house. It would be like trespassing - and what if he got lost? No, he couldn't do it. He'd feel too guilty. He doesn't know anyone here, besides Pegasus, and he isn't sure if the guards know he is here. They might throw him out. Now that would be something.

As it is, he jumps back onto the bed and peers out the window. He's hasn't seen the gardens in good light yet, and he has to say that they're impressive, especially when viewed from the third floor, where he is. How many gardeners does Pegasus have to keep a garden this large? The grass is so green, here, too. The climate seems too warm to have grass... where is all of the water coming from? It must take a lot of water to water the entire garden, and all of the grass.

Yes, this is a lot different from Otogi's apartment in Japan.

"Ryuuji!" It's Pegasus's voice, coming from somewhere below Otogi.

He leans his head out of the open window, but doesn't see anything.

"Ryuuji!"

Oh, there he is, sitting at a little white table next to the house, sipping wine and reading a comic book. Otogi smiles, and Pegasus waves at him and says something inaudible.

"Come down here!" repeats Pegasus.

Otogi nods and steps away from the window. Now that he thinks about it, he doesn't really want to go down there. He doesn't really want to be here, actually. It's so different from home, and he feels out of place. He's used to feeling out of place, but this feeling is stronger than usual, for some reason. He opens the door anyway, cautiously searching for a way down. The hallway has the same musty, old, scent as the bedroom, except five times stronger because there are no windows here. The carpets are a deep red, and thick, and tickle Otogi's bare feet as he walks. Otogi hopes these rugs are cleaner than the ones back home, because otherwise he'd be in trouble.

He advances toward what looks like the stairway, lost in his thoughts, and runs into something.

"Ouch!"he says, looking up to see what he collided with. Oh. It's Croquet.

"I'm sorry!" exclaims Otogi, embarrassed. Croquet just stares at him, his emotions hidden through his huge mirrored glasses.

"I'm Otogi Ryuuji,"he quickly explains,"Pegasus-"

Croquet nods, cutting him off. "Yes. I know who you are. Master Pegasus sent me to fetch you."

Otogi snorts. "So he thought I couldn't find the way by myself, or what?"

"No offense meant, Mr. Otogi, but you did look a bit lost."

"Right." Otogi smirks, despite the situation.

Without another word, Croquet turns around and walks back down the stairs. For someone so tall, he barely makes any noise when he moves. Otogi follows him through the mansion until they reach the patio that Pegasus is relaxing on. Croquet opens the glass sliding door with a whoosh and Otogi stumbles out onto the tiled floor. Pegasus dismisses Croquet with a wave of his hand.

"Good morning, Ryuuji," smiles Pegasus, "or should I say, good afternoon! I must say that you are quite an oversleeper."

Pegasus hands him a piece of Lindt white chocolate with cocoanut, motioning for him to take a seat in the wicker chair next to his. "Quite a lovely view, isn't it?"

Otogi nods silently, taking a small bite of his chocolate. He can't help feeling out of place here.

"Would you rather have something a bit healthier to eat? I can have the cooks whip up a little something, if you wish."

He shakes his head, no. "I'm fine, Pegasus."

"If you insist." says Pegasus, turning back to his comic book.

Otogi nibbles on his piece of chocolate again, not able to eat much. There is a bowl of fruit on the middle of the small table, and he takes a ripe pear and bites into it. It's a juicy fruit, and tastes a little like he thinks perfume might taste. Otogi wonders if there might be honey in the pear. He can definitely taste something like honey. After he's finished with the pear, he sits back in his chair and watches a few birds fly overhead. They squawk insistently for a while, then leave, and it's silent except for the constant chirping of the insects and the occasional hawk's cry.

Pegasus sets his book down on the white table with a soft thud. He's silent for a moment, too, then reaches out and takes Otogi's hand in his own.

"Do you like it here, Ryuuji?" he asks, quietly.

"It's a lot different than what I'm used to," he replies, truthfully.

Pegasus nods, in an understanding way, caressing Otogi's fingertips and the back of his hand.

"Could you get used to it?"

Otogi takes a while to answer. "I've been thinking." he says, finally, "This morning when I woke up, I felt really homesick and out of place, but when I came down here to see you I felt a little more... like I belonged here."

Pegasus doesn't say anything either for a while.

"Sorry, I know I sounded stupid there-" begins Otogi, but Pegasus cuts him off with a smile.

"It's perfectly all right, Ryuuji, I understand. I was going to ask you if you wanted to stay with me here, but if you feel like that I suppose I could always come out to Japan... if you want to, of course," Pegasus finished hurriedly.

Otogi looks at him, eyes wide. "You mean, I would live with you?"

"Why else would I be asking you something like this?" asks Pegasus, affectionately playing with Otogi's hair with his free hand.

Otogi looks directly into Pegasus's eyes. "How could I say no to something like that? I mean, sure your house smells funny and I'll get completely lost in it and I don't think Croquet or anybody likes me, and I'm not used to gourmet foods - scratch that, I'm not used to having a cook, or multiple cooks like you have, and I'll probably break anything and everything expensive that you own within a week, and what am I going to tell my friends?"

Pegasus laughs. "Should I take that as a yes or a no?"

Otogi stands up and flings himself into Pegasus's arms. "Of course I say yes! Why else would I be freaking out like a girl here? I mean, this is kind of like we're getting married!"

Then Pegasus leans down, and kisses him. And suddenly Otogi doesn't feel out of place any more.


************

Yeah, I know, it was random and and it sucked. That's what happens when I try to write something without planning it out first. I still haven't figured out what was going on at the beginning. It's weird, when I don't understand my own fics. I guess that means I'm insane, huh?
Oh yeah, and I know oversleeper isn't really a word, but I couldn't think of any other way to say it, and Pegasus seems like the kind of person who would say things like that. It still doesn't sound right to me. *shrugs* And sorry for forcing you to read something so pointless and plotless.