Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Broken Reality ❯ Childhood ( Chapter 4 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: Pretty boys are not mine...just their clothes, which means I can remove them whenever the mood strikes me.


Broken Reality
Chapter Four: Ideas of Childhood



"You are such a...such a child!"

"But Joey," he grasp at the corner of the blonde's jacket, but his hand was slapped away.

"Get away from me! You don't understand Yugi, you'll never understand." Shoving his hands into his pockets, he walked away, leaving the other behind.

Silently Yugi stood on the sidewalk, people passed him by never stopping to see the sad expression on his face. After what seemed like an eternity, he started for home. Perhaps Yami could help him figure out why Joey was angry with him. Something about a girl.

Swinging open the door of the shop, he dropped his bag by the door and greeted his Grandpa with a somewhat less than cheery hello.

"Oh Yugi, I'm glad you're home. I've got some errands to run so I'll need you to watch the shop for a bit. It won't be busy today, so try and get your homework done, okay?"

"Sure Grandpa, but where are you going?"

"Just a few things to do, don't worry over it Yugi, I'll bring back dinner." Most of this was said as he hastily as he rushed past Yugi and out the door.

With a sigh, Yugi slipped behind the counter and climbed onto the stool that sat there. Pulling out a pencil and calculator he set about doing his math homework. Though it was relatively easy, his mind refused to concentrate.

It seemed to Yugi that Grandpa and Joey both had a view of him that was less than desirable. He wasn't a child, after all they had been through it seemed only sensible they should see that. But twice today he had been brushed off. The whole situation, in his opinion, sucked.

At least Yami would be home soon. He wouldn't pass by or disregard him. Yami would take him in his strong arms, ask him what was wrong, then kiss him and make it all better. Yami would know what to do; he always knew what to do. It was with that comforting thought that he let the stress of the day overtake him. Laying over the counter, he drifted into a light doze.

Sometime later the chimes rang and the door was opened to reveal two people. Yugi shot up, quickly running a hand through his rumpled hair and preparing to state the rehearsed welcome speech for any customer that entered. But the entrants were not customers, simply Yami...and Joey.

With a bowed head, Joey shut the door while Yami approached the counter. Noting the undone homework and the cute little red spot on his light's cheek, he quickly summarized what the afternoon had held for the boy after his encounter with the blond. Offering the boy a quick smile, Yami turned back to motion Joey over. Reluctantly the other joined them at the counter.


"Go on," Yami stated, crossing his arms.

A slightly confused Yugi looked between the two. Finally Joey stopped examining the floor and spoke.

"Look Yuge, I'm real sorry about, you know, this afternoon and stuff." He looked for forgiveness, but the person he was looking at was Yami. Yugi noticed.

"Its fine Joey, but what was wrong?"

"Nothin' Yuge, nothin'," he smiled charmingly, a method that had dismissed many an argument between the two, but this time Yugi was not to be deterred. Reaching across the counter, he placed a hand on top of Joey's, forcing him to look directly into his pleading purple eyes.

"Tell me."

An inexplicable blush found its way to the cheeks of the blond, luckily Yami stepped forward to save him.

"Its fine Aibou, we worked it out, right?"

"Yeah, thanks a lot Yami," Joey nodded, pulling his hand back and trying not to see Yugi's reaction.

Said reaction was not a pleasant one. Scooting the stool back with a fierce squeak, he nearly fell in his rush to escape, hitting the wall before gaining his balance and pushing past Yami to reach the door that from the shop and to the house. Feeling almost blind and fighting back inexplicable tears, he groped for the knob and wrenched it open.

"Yugi?" Yami questioned.

"Leave me alone!"

Yami stared as the door slammed in his face and hurried footsteps receded up the stairs.

"What's wrong with him?" Joey questioned, not quite expecting an answer.

//Aibou?//

There was no response, only a purposeful silence.

"He's hurt."

~*~

With exaggerated force, Yugi flung himself onto his bed. The events of the past few weeks, since the return from their trip, were just too much. His growing awareness of the opinions of his friends brought only frustration to his already complicated life. Clutching at the pillow he curled around it, letting the hot tears soak into the soft cover. He wasn't sure how long he stayed that way, letting himself become hot and sticky, feeling miserable.

Harsh words circled in his mind, degrading statements not meant to hurt but causing pain none the less. He was not little! He was not a child that needed to be sheltered by the world. A broken laugh was muffled by the pillow as he recognized the irony of his thinking. How did one defend his own adulthood from such a position of infancy?

Tossing the pillow aside, he sat up and swiped at the trails of moisture on his cheeks, the moment desperation passed and gave way to the determination that had sustained him many a lonely night. Pulling his Dueling Deck from the bedside drawer, he shuffled the cards idly.

Yugi Moto was not a child. Everyone else thought he was. It was not so much the everyone that bothered him, but the someone, Yami. He needed the confidence of his other half as much as he needed oxygen, it was survival. He needed Yami to be proud of him, to be able to talk to him. He needed to be a grownup.

The idea dawned suddenly and with a surety that made it instantly final. One act could secure him a place in the world of adults and a willing initiator could easily be found. Yugi would show them all, one way or another.


~finis~


Notes: Ah, well, I was lost for a bit but I've got it headed in the right direction now. Got that plot on the run ladies and gentlemen, naked bishounen on the horizon! If you review that is...

Her Supreme Omni-potence,
Miko No Hoshi