Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Beautiful ❯ Beautiful ( One-Shot )

Title: Beautiful

Author: Jinhito

Summary: Yugi still gets beat up by bullies at school... While home alone waiting for Yugi to return, Yami hears a song on the radio and tries to comfort his hikari when he gets home. Yaoi {slash} YamixYugi pairing with fluff!

Jinhito: This is basically a one-shot thing. In fact, I'm typing this directly into my computer so I'm not giving myself any time to correct it, so sorry for grammar/spelling errors...

//.o Trowa: Though even with it written out on paper you still have mistakes.

Jinhito: *shrugs* Well, I'm twice as likely to spot errors there. Oh well, if you guys happen to like this, maybe I'll do a sequel I dunno, it's up to you guys. Trowa? Disclaimer?

//.o;; : Well, this is gonna be long... Okies, Jinhito doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh, but I'm sure she wishes she did-

Jinhito: You bet I do! One of these days... all us Yu-Gi-Oh lovers are going to band together and buy out the companies that own it! I swear it! I can donate 20 bucks! Who's with me!?

//.ò;; : Uh, yeah, well, anyway she also doesn't own Christina Aguilera's lyrics to the song "Beautiful" either. The only thing she owns is perhaps the plot of this fic and maybe an original character here and there. Is that good?

Jinhito: Yeah, 'cept for the no owning part... *mumbles under her breath* Oh well... onto the fic! This is a yaoi story, so no flames homophobes! Rant on your own time! Not on mine! Well, enjoy!

Chapter 1 (maybe there'll be a two)

Beautiful

~ "Don't look at me..."

Everyday is so wonderful.

And suddenly, it's hard to breathe.

Now and then, I get insecure.

From all the fame, I'm so ashamed...~

* * * * Yami's POV * * * *

Yugi left for school this morning. It's his first real day he said. But it's strange... he didn't want me to go with him. I don't understand why he didn't want me with him. Was it because of the argument we had yesterday? He seemed cheery enough this morning... He was laughing and talking to me over breakfast... how odd. Maybe he's hiding his hurt from yesterday? That _was_ our biggest fight ever since the Kaiba incident, though we never speak of it anymore... But he is still fragile... he is still vulnerable... Why can't he see that?

But everytime I go over our harsh words that were meant to wound the other, I feel guilty for making him out to be more like a child than he really is...

"I'm not a child anymore Yami!!! I don't need you to treat me like one either! I'm sixteen for christ's sake! I can take care of myself."

"Aibou, you're still little, others can still harm you. Let me protect you, it is my duty after all..."

"Yami! You just don't get it... I'm fine now! I don't need you to watch over me that much!"

"Yugi... you still need-"

"How do you know what it is I need!? Last I looked I was the only owner of my body! I know what I want and I know what I need! I'm sick of being treated like a little kid, and I don't need you all the time anymore. Yami, I appreciate your concern, but everytime you help you only make things worse! Now everyone thinks I'm a wimp since you always stick up for me. I'm so sick of it!"

"But you're not a wimp aibou... you're one of the strongest people I know!"

"Then let me be that instead of fighting all my battles for me! I'm sick of people saying I'm this and I'm that... I got picked on enough in grade school to suffice for the rest of my entire life. I was made fun of for my looks... made fun of for my height and even for how I acted... Don't you think the last thing I need is to continue to be picked on throughout my life!?"

"Aibou..."

"Don't 'aibou' me! You just don't have a life other than protecting me do you!?"

"Now that's just not true..."

"No, I think it is. Is that why you don't want me to stick up for myself? So I always have to lean on you for support!? You think I'm weak too don't you! Don't you!?"

"Yugi, you're getting yourself worked up... just let me-"

"No! I'm sick of this... I'm sick of you... I don't need your help anymore! I don't need you Yami!"

"You know what Yugi, you're still young and you're still ignorant! You don't know what you want!"

That had ended our argument... I regret those words. It hurt to say them... then why did I? Because I'm the stupid one who didn't think through my words enough to shut my mouth and keep them to myself. I left him then, and went to my soul room. I'd never felt so frustrated... Yugi was being stubborn... and I was to. No wonder we're together. Heh, Ra must have made us one because of our similarities and our differences. We're both too proud to admit we were wrong to fight.

Hm... I wonder how Yugi is? He's been gone for at least three hours. I think he's in his fourth hour class by now... I wish he would have let me go with him... I remember the last time I went to school with him. It was his sophomore year... last year. Heh heh, he got in trouble because he wasn't paying attention in class. He was lecturing me on something... I think it had to deal with english but I wasn't paying attention. Wonder how he does? Ugh... it's only 11:30am. I fear I'm going to go insane before he even gets to lunch. Hm... Maybe I should find something to do. Where is that noisy box that usually scares us out of our sleep in the morning?

Yugi said that if you play with some of the buttons you get music... Ah! Here it is. I reached forward and pushed what looked to be a good choice button and instantly flew back from the little contraption. The sound that it produced was ungodly loud. And the noises of a person on the inside of it were just as bad. It sounded as though the singer was dying by screaming out his lungs. Having had enough of that awful racket, I quickly launched myself at another button, this one not choice, actually more like a random hit. I got some other station I suppose. Instead of singing they were talking. And there was some man shouting about a morning mad house. What the hell does Yugi listen to on this thing!? I pressed another button and ran my fingers along the sides on the box for perhaps another button. My search was rewarded with some type of roller thing. After playing with it for a minute or two, I found it controlled the box's volume. Which, let me tell you was a relief to my poor abused ears.

It was then that a soft melodious voice reached my ears. Well, at lease some people know how to sing... Only... after the song had started... I found myself listening more to the words she spoke rather than the music or her voice. Though it was a lovely song. Hm... wonder what Yugi's doing right now...

~ I am beautiful, no matter what they say.

Words can't bring me down.

I am beautiful in every single way.

Yes, words can't bring me down, oh no...

So don't you bring me down today... ~

* * * * Yugi's POV * * * *

School's over for today. I guess it wasn't so bad... Though, none of my friends are in any of my classes this year except lunch. Which in itself I suppose is a good thing. I dunno if I'd be able to stay in a class all year that had Tristan and Joey fighting in it all the time. Hm mm... shutting my locker and making sure I have all I need for my homework tonight, I start to head for the stairwell. Having your locker on the third floor has more disadvantages then it does advantages. Sighing while I walk down the what? Six or three, I can't remember what makes a flight, flights of steps to the ground level.

When I get to the mid section of the stair between the third and second floor, I can't help but look forlornly out the window of the school building. I wonder how Yami is. I was kinda mean to him yesterday. I hope he knows I didn't mean all those nasty things I said to him. I really do care about him. Maybe more than I should... I sigh and shake my head, I can see it now. The school would have a field day, "Yugi Motou! Gay! Everyone goes to beat on the faggot..." Great life huh? I walk down the rest of the stairs not really thinking of much else except Yami. He really does care about me a lot. I can sense it. Yesterday was horrible. I feel so bad for accusing him like that. But his words hurt too... Maybe I am just being stupid about things. What people think about me shouldn't matter right?

Yeah, not as long as I have my friends with me... oh christ, I'm turing into Téa... Least I haven't gotten into a friendship rant... I guess I should be thankful for that. I finally reached the first floor. Home's now only a few blocks away. Maybe when I get home I'll apologize to Yami. And since today wasn't as bad I had expected it to be, maybe tomorrow he can come to school. Especially since I'm apparently not going to get beat up anymore... I walk outside the school's doors and continue forward with some regained confidence towards the gates. I remember the last time Yami came to school with me... He came out of the puzzle here... He did it to protect me... To keep them from beating me up again. I've never been more surprised in my life, save the time when I solved the puzzle. Yami fought them, and beat them up how they had intended to do to me.

We didn't speak the rest of the way home that day... but later that evening... when he was helping me clean the cuts on my hands and knees I'd gotten when I'd been thrown to the ground, he had said some of the most peculiar things. He told me he'd never been so scared in his life. That he never before felt such an urge to protect me. He had almost cried due to the emotions in him, and I from all the love and trust that was being reflected in his eyes towards me... No one had ever cared for me like that till then. I think that was when my little crush on Yami started... He also swore that night that anyone who dare try and harm me would have to get through him first. He held me then. His embrace had been so tight on me I had to yell at him and tell him he was depriving my lungs of oxygen. Heh... then the rest of the night went on uneventfully I suppose because I can't remember the rest of it.

But I haven't let Yami come to school with me since then... I was kind of thankful I was able to use the excuse of summer vacation to keep him from having to go with me every single day and fight my battles for me. I mean, I should be old enough to take care of myself right? Walking out through the gates, leaving old memories where they belong; in the past, I turned left and headed home. I didn't get as far as I had hoped. I heard a familiar voice... and trust me... this was one of those moments I wished I would never have to hear it again... That voice only meant pain and hurting... Meant I'd be spending the rest of the afternoon in my bathroom trying to clean and hide the cuts and bruises, I was about to receive, from those who cared for me...

"Hey Motou... you haven't received your daily beating yet... Where did you think you were going?"

Now this was going to be hard to explain to Yami... Do you think the excuse I fell down all the flights of stairs in my school would work? That was the last thing I thought about before all that consumed my body was pain, pain, and more pain.

~ To all your friends, you're delirious.

So consumed... in all your doom.

Trying hard to fill the emptiness.

The pieces gone, left the puzzle undone.

Is that the way it is...? ~

* * * * Yami's POV * * * *

My ears perked up at the sound of the door opening. Yugi's home! I jumped up and raced out of his room, almost tripping on the silly rug Grandpa kept in the hallway. I still don't see why he keeps it... it's so ugly and it doesn't match with anything in the house at all... Rug forgotten I headed down all the steps. Well, more like jumped half of them and landed gracefully on the floor at the bottom. I heard some rustling and what I knew were the closet doors creaking on their oil needy hinges. I couldn't wait to see Yugi... I know I must sound like some giddy little five year old, but I really missed my aibou. I've only had to be this separated from him since the last day of school. He had distinctly insisted I stay home and await his arrival.

I leaned against the wall and waited for him to acknowledge my presence. Which took him longer than usual. He kept his head in the closet or facing away from me each time he moved. Why did he not want me to see him? It was odd. Just to make sure he knew I was there, I cleared my throat leaving no doubt in his mind. He stiffened at the sound. More out of what seemed like guilt then surprise. What was wrong with him? I only wanted to apologize for my actions and words yesterday... why would...?

"Hello Yami..." he replied to me coolly. I forced a smile and responded to him.

"Aibou, you're home." Yugi just nodded at my remark, I still had yet to see his face. What was he hiding? "Something wrong Aibou?" I asked out of pure concern. I heard a soft sound which I wasn't sure if it was a whimper a wince or even a little sob... but whatever it was, it was the last thing Yugi said to me before he rushed past me upstairs. He had had his hands over his face when he ran past. Was he crying? I... what... what the hell just happened!? I rushed up after him but found I could not get to him seeing as how he'd shut himself in the bathroom. A knock and a gasp later assured me he was in there.

"Aibou...? What's wrong? Are you okay?" I asked through the wooden door. I could just see him shaking his head and thinking up a quick lie to repel me.

"... I'm fine Yami..." came a muffled reply. But your little lies won't keep me away from you Yugi...

"I find that hard to believe aibou... Something _is_ wrong... Please tell me?" I begged.

"Just go away..." he whispered fiercely. I heard a hiccup followed by what I was sure were tears. My hikari was crying? Why? I knocked lightly again and requested entrance once more. It took a while, how long I'm not sure, but I heard the soft click of the lock being disengaged. I immediately threw back the door and rushed inside to see Yugi curled up against the wall near the tub. He still had his hands covering his face. I knelt down to his level and just looked on in silence. Oh Yugi...

"Aibou? Aibou what's wrong?"

"Just... please go away..." he whispered behind his cupped hands. Out of concern and curiosity I gently tried to lift one of his hands from his face. I received a kick to my kneecap and some more crying.

"Yugi...?" I tried again. I think that was when he'd had it. I gasped horrified at my aibou when he removed his hands from his face reveling a black eye, a bloody nose, and rather large gash on his swollen cheek. The tears that he was crying probably weren't helping the pain any.

"Is that what you wanted to see!?" he shouted at me. "Is that what you wanted to make sure of!? Wanted to make sure I came crawling back to my yami for help!?" he cried harder. I was felt my stomach churn. What would ever possess him to think something like that? I never...

"Aibou... I never-"

"Don't look at me!!!!" he shouted to my deaf ears and tried to pull his hair down to cover his grotesque features. The crying was so forceful, that his little form shook from the effort. I'd had it then. I grabbed him and pulled him close to me, burying my head in his hair and breathing in the scent of Yugi. His crying lessened a bit but was still there. He grabbed the folds of my shirt and buried his face in them. I'd never had anything like this happen before in my life. I felt so torn. I was angry with the person or persons who'd done this to my hikari... the ones who had reduced him to this... And I was angry with Yugi for not telling me... Angry with myself for not knowing better and for not protecting him... and yet, underneath all that I was scared... I was frightened for Yugi's sake. What if they had done more? What if they had done worse? I couldn't bear to think it... I just held him close. I never wanted to let this happen again.

".. Yami...?" a voice sniffled.

"... Yes, aibou?" I responded back, cupping the back of Yugi's head and pressing my lips to his forehead.

"I... I... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." he cried again.

"No Aibou... don't be sorry. You didn't do anything..." I reassured, lovingly stroking his hair. Yugi shook his head against my chest.

"I-It's all my-my fault... I sh-should've run..." he stuttered into the cotton material of my shirt. "I-I..."

"Shush..." I silenced him with the word. We just sat there like that... that was when I started to sing. Why I'm still not entirely sure... But I think it helped him... helped us. "You are... beautiful, no matter what they say... Words can't bring you down... oh no... 'Cuz you are beautiful, in every single way... Yes, words can't bring you down... oh no... So don't you bring me down today..." I lifted up his head and looked into his violet eyes as I ran my thumb along his uncut cheek. "No matter what we do. No matter what we say. We're the song inside the tune... full of beautiful mistakes... And everywhere we go, the sun will always shine. And tomorrow we might wake on the other side..." Yugi hiccuped again but no more tears fell from his eyes. He just sat there, in my lap, staring blankly at me. So I continued to sing.

"'Cuz we are beautiful, no matter what they say. Yes, words won't bring us down. Oh no... We are beautiful, in every single way... Yes, words can't bring us down... oh no... So, don't you bring me down today..." I whispered tenderly in the bathroom. I can't say what possessed me to do what I did next, but I leaned forward and softly brushed my lips against Yugi's. He gasped at the contact and his eyes fluttered shut but he leaned forward into me and completed the kiss. No more words were spoken when I lifted him onto the counter and tended to his wounds. Each was washed with some soap and water from a washcloth, and then received a band-aid and little kiss. We were quite the whole time until I carried him into his bedroom to lay him down to rest.

"Yami...?" he asked grabbing my shirt sleeve and tugging at it lightly.

"Yes aibou?" I returned as I laid him down on his bed. Kneeling by the side of it as I waited for him answer.

"... I... Ai shiteru..." he whispered and leaned over to kiss me again. My eyes widened but I shut them to enjoy the kiss with my hikari. He pulled back, his cheeks lightly flushed from his blushing rather than abuse. "Thank you..."

"It's nothing... good night aibou..." I kissed his cheek and got up to close the door. Someone still had to run the store... I could handle it. I turned and paused in the doorway a moment more to get one last look at my little hikari... he rolled over onto his side and pulled the pillow against himself. "Love you... aibou..." I whispered, just loud enough for us to hear. I think he heard me... he shut his eyes and smiled before he drifted off to sleep.

~ Don't you bring me down today...

Don't you bring me down today... ~

* * * * Owari * * * *

Jinhito: O.O *blinks* Wow... I actually, for the first time, finished my story... This is a miracle... I never finish stories... Wow... Trowa...?

//.O : I'm just as surprised... You've never finished a story... dear god! What is the world coming to!?

Jinhito: *shakes her head* I have absolutely no clue... Well, what did you guys think? I didn't kill you with sugar shock did I? I know it was kinda fluffly and sappy but I liked it. So please, do review! ^.^ If you guys really, really like it, I might do a sequel... ^.~

//.^ : Please tell us your thoughts... we'll also take suggestions... Well, ja ne for now! *waves*

Jinhito: Bye everyone! Hope you enjoyed this!