Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Differences Don't Matter ❯ Down and Out ( Chapter 8 )

“Yugi,” the owner of the restaurant, Orochi, called loudly as he swiped a couple fingers over the top of the shelves.

 

The pale elf trudged into the kitchen, eyes dull and whole form limp. He stared blindly at Orochi, unaware of the four human chefs and some waiters, three of which were also elves, pausing to watch what would happen.

 

“I thought I told you to clean these shelves,” he said disappointedly.

 

Orochi was nothing like Shigure and his family, but nor was he like Makoto at the bar. He never raised a finger to his elves or treated them any differently than the humans that also worked for him. However, he was harsh when something wasn't done to his standards, which made him call Yugi's name more than everyone else. Being a perfectionist and the elf being completely out of it most of the time he tended not to understand what Yugi was going through. He didn't know what had happened at Shigure's house and Yugi hadn't made much of a move to try talking to him about the burns he acquired all over his body; or try talking at all. Instead, he was forced to believe the previous owner's excuse that Yugi had been too clumsy and tripped into the roaring fireplace.

 

There were other things that made Orochi worry over Yugi more than his other employees though. The way he acted reminded him too much of his cousin when he was younger, who had closed himself off to everyone around him and soon after ended up killing himself. The elf walked around as if on a strange form of autopilot. He didn't speak to anyone and he can't remember in the few weeks Yugi had been wit him had his food tray ever been completely empty. In fact, he had the distinct feeling that either Yugi was taking less and less to eat or he was taking the same amount but not eating as much. Only in the past week had Yugi stopped taking meals and Orochi made it a priority to bring something to Yugi himself and only started to really worry when he realized nothing had been touched.

 

In response to his comment, Yugi blinked and walked slowly over to the sink to grab a rag and a step stool. One of the human waiters quickly grabbed up a new pad of paper and announced he'd take over Yugi's tables until he was done. Orochi was glad at least one of the waiters was looking out for him, but was concerned that the elves seemed to ignore and avoid him like the plague.

 

Yugi absently wiped the wet rag down the few dusty shelves, but when a piece of glass suddenly broke behind him he jumped and spun around so quickly he also fell off the stool he was on. A frightened expression clouded his face and his hands shook so fiercely at his sides. He didn't notice when Orochi glanced at him worriedly before hurry around the corner to see what had happened.

 

“What did I tell you about those glasses, Sonya,” Orochi shouted only a few seconds later. “Those are the expensive ones and I don't want you touching them and now the set is completely ruined!”

 

The violet-eyed elf's violet eyes clenched tightly and his hands scratched his ears in an attempt to plug them. All he could hear was Shigure shouting about incompetent he was and that he couldn't do anything right. He whimpered and his knees buckled threateningly underneath them, but he was startled out of his trance by a hand on his shoulder. His head spun so quickly that his vision slurred a few seconds before he was able to focus on the youngest chef and his bright blue eyes.

 

“Easy there, Yugi; you wouldn't want to fall,” he smiled sadly. Yugi blinked again just as a fuming Orochi and a blonde-haired elf with tearing auburn eyes holding a tray of broken pieces of glass turned the corner and walked back out to the front of the restaurant. Without even nodding a thank you to the blue-eyed chef, the pale elf turned back to the shelves and finished washing them off.

 

“Leave him alone, Scott,” echoed through Yugi's pointed ears. “You know that elf doesn't say a word.” The chef glanced at him awkwardly and walked back to the stoves.

 

After finishing with all the shelves around the kitchen, Yugi cleaned the rag and placed it in the laundry basket in the corner before moving back to the swinging doors.

 

“Hold on,” Scott called, hurrying up behind him. There was slight tug at Yugi's waist as the chef tightened the knot on his apron. “There you go. You're so thin, Yugi, that knot just doesn't want to stay tight,” he chuckled. Once he stepped away, the elf pushed on the doors and disappeared to the front.

 

Mumbled conversations passed through Yugi's ears as he walked over to his section, a corner towards the back of the restaurant with twelve tables, seven that were occupied. There was some whispered throb in the back of his head that told him he should be grateful that he wasn't in the front where he could keep looking across the street at the bar. He ignored it though as the shadow that was constantly over him made him shiver with an unknown fear as he stepped up to a table in the middle of his corner.

 

Yugi knew whoever ended up seating people in his section told the customers an excuse for why he never talked, but also that he was efficient with his work and would bring him anything they asked.

 

The little girl facing towards him was the first to notice his silent form as he stood next to the table patiently. Her bright bluish green eyes widened and her mouth opened to a small `o' as she looked him over. It was apparent that she hadn't seen an elf up close before by the way she stared at him, but Yugi couldn't find it in him to even blush like he normally would've have. The pig-tailed girl suddenly blinked with a sudden realization and tugged at who Yugi would guess was her father, a tall and stern looking man with graying black hair and soft brown eyes.

 

He looked at her and then at Yugi as she pointed and a smile as gentle as his eyes was offered to him. The woman on the other side of the girl looked up and did the same.

 

“You must be Yugi,” the man chuckled. “Forgive me, but I usually have excellent hearing but I don't think I would've noticed you there even if my daughter hadn't happened to see you.”

 

“Dear, please don't jest. I'm sure he'd just like to take our orders,” the woman, a blue-eyed woman with bouncy red hair scolded easily.

 

“Of course, of course; Suzi, sweetie, what would you like?”

 

“Uh…” the little girl blushed and pointed at something on her father's menu without looking at Yugi. He barely just nodded to show he understood and wrote it down on the pad. “Also...” she added quietly, “cou-could I get some milk?” He nodded again and wrote it down next to the food.

 

The two parents also ordered and Yugi wrote it down before going around to the other six tables to see if there was anything else he could get.

 

When the day finally ended Yugi washed off all of his tables and absently stared out the window as the other elfin waiters headed into the kitchen to get their dinner. Instead of following them, Yugi went to the counter and through a door that blended in with the wall. Heading over to his small, lonely cot he climbed on top of the woolen blanket and stared at the wall. The first night at the restaurant Orochi had told the other elves to help make him comfortable, but as soon as he closed the door the elves had shifted his cot away from theirs and glared at Yugi, telling him he better not tell. The thin elf wouldn't have said anything even if they hadn't told him not to. He couldn't find it in him to care that the other elves were treating him like a traitor because he wouldn't help one elf. Nor could he find it in him to care that the humans were looking out for him.

 

I don't need anyone anymore Yugi told himself tiredly.

 

A knock on the door echoed through the nearly bare room and the owner stuck his head through the crack as he opened it. “I brought you some dinner,” he said softly. “You didn't line up for any again.”

 

I'm not hungry he wanted to say, but he didn't see the point in even opened his mouth. No one would hear me; no one ever hears me even when I scream…

 

The echoes of his pain-filled cried three weeks ago when the eldest of Shigure's sons punished him for breaking almost every valuable on the bottom floor and how nothing had tried helping him caused him to scratch nervously at his bandaged arms.

 

Orochi quickly pushed open the door and knelt by the cot, setting the tray with food on it next to him before he stopped Yugi's hands. “Don't do that,” he scolded, “or you'll make it worse.” The elf stopped struggling against him and lay limply on the bed, staring once more at the wall behind Orochi.

 

The owner sighed sadly and helped Yugi to sit up as he removed the white, long-sleeved shirt he wore as part of the waiter uniform. He reached around slowly and untied the once again loosened knot of his apron and set it on his lap before appointing a new task to unwrapping the bandages around his arms and chest. His belly hadn't been hurt too badly and was only red for the first week before once again becoming a creamy white.

 

Yugi was barely paying attention to what Orochi was doing though and was only really conscience enough to notice the pressure on his arms was slowly easing up.

 

“They're finally starting to go away,” the man commented happily, trying to get something to make Yugi show some kind of emotion other than the deathly scared look he got on the rare occasion that glass broke or someone shouted too loudly. When no such emotion came though he pulled out a jar of white cream from underneath Yugi's bed and spread it over the red marks quietly.

 

Surprisingly enough, he'd found the jar planted just outside in front of the door the morning after he'd bought Yugi. Normally he would've just asked around to see if anyone knew who put it there, but after catching Makoto staring out through the windows across the street, he knew the action wasn't needed. It was rare when Orochi gave people such odd favors like helping an elf, but for Makoto he would do anything. After all, Makoto had been there for him when he'd lost his cousin; the only one there.

 

He laid Yugi back down on the cot and moved the food tray closer. “Please eat something, Yugi. You're getting much too thin,” he said before heading back to the front.

 

The owner busied himself for an hour and when he noticed the other elves slowly going to bed one at a time he went to check on Yugi. His fists clenched when he saw Yugi still staring aimlessly at nothing and the food tray untouched in front of him. Frustration raged through him and he wanted to shout that he refused to let him die and if he had to he'd take him to the city and have the doctors force feed him if they had to. In the end though, Orochi knew he couldn't do that to Yugi. If anything, he'd only make it worse by forcing more troubles on Yugi and Makoto would never forgive him for that.

 

Everything at the restaurant was going well and Orochi really thought Yugi would have a chance to recover given the time he needed. The people seated at his section were always understanding towards his condition and were polite towards him even if he didn't show it was appreciated. The owner had a good feeling that soon the elf would warm up again and start talking.

 

“Right this way, sir,” Sonya said as she led the family of four towards Yugi's section. “I think you'll be pleased with your waiter. I'm afraid he has some tradjedies in his past that keep him from talking, but please don't let that deter you. He's very good at what he does and with give you anything you ask for.”

 

Yugi was walking around the corner and overheard her just before she turned around and froze.

 

“Oh, Yugi, good timing as usual,” she commented. Yugi was use to the cheerful attitude of the elves in the front of the restaurant. No one would ever be able to notice just how coldly they treated him when no one else was around. “I just seated this family here,” she gestured behind her. Yugi's eyes widened and his hands started quivering at his sides.

 

“Well, good afternoon, Yugi,” Shigure sneered. Sonya left, purposely hitting her shoulder against Yugi as she passed by.

 

“Father, do we have to sit as his section,” Jeremy questioned loudly causing everyone else in Yugi's corner to look around at him.

 

“There's no use in arguing,” the eldest smirked, staring coldly at Yugi as he spoke. “After all, good help is hard to find.”

 

Swallowing harshly around the large ball that had formed in his throat, Yugi took the few steps forward and tried to only look at the pad of paper in front of him.

 

“What's the matter, servant,” Shigure mocked. “Too good to speak to speak to your old family?”

 

Don't rise to it…

 

“Think you're now better than us because Orochi took you?”

 

Ignore it, Yugi…

 

“You're nothing more than a nuisance who wasn't even worth the few hundred we got off of your useless existence.”

 

Don't listen to anything he says…

 

“And we hear you aren't even grateful for the help Mr. Orochi has given you with your burns, which was from your own doing of course.”

 

All the flower pots in Yugi's section suddenly exploded and the roots all grew to enormous sizes as they slid closer to the frightened elf. Screams erupted as chairs tipped over roots and windows flew open to let vines slipped through.

 

Orochi ran into the front and his mouth dropped open at the sight. He'd certainly heard of such an abnormality happening when the elves lost control of their anger before, but that had never happened with any of his elves before and he definitely hadn't expected Yugi to be the first to do it. In fact, it only ever happened with new elves and Yugi had been working for humans for months now. When he saw what table he was at, however, it only gave him further proof that the story Shigure had told him when he bought Yugi was without a doubt false to the last syllable. The smug look on both Shigure and his wife's fast pushed him over the edge and he stalked over to Yugi, careful not to trip over the roots that had ceased squirming around like worms on the sidewalk.

 

“Mister Orochi,” Shigure started loudly, his voice holding a twinge of satisfaction over what happened, “how can you allow this elf to work here when it's obvious he can't even control his temper.”

 

“Out, Shigure,” the owner shouted, trying to not hit himself as he saw Yugi drop to knees and hold his ears with quivering hands, the roots showing signs of life as tears dripped to the floor from Yugi's clenched violet eyes.

 

“But Orochi, I was just trying to - ”

 

“I don't want to hear it! You've told me nothing but lies about Yugi since you sold him to me and they aren't going to work. He may be an elf, but he's still human and you have no right to treat him like you did!” Taking one deep breath and pointing a finger at the door he ground out firmly, “Get out.”

 

“Come, children. I don't want you coming here anymore. It's obvious that the quality of it is going down,” Shigure announced, standing and tossing his napkin on the table. He led the way towards the door and stomped out, closing the door loudly behind his youngest son.

 

“Sonya,” Orochi shouted. “Get out here now! Ruther, Kamil, you too!”

 

The three elves scurried into view, eyes widening in disbelief at the mess of the room and then at the trembling and sobbing mass on the floor in the middle of it all.

 

“Please reseat everyone into a different section and then clean up this place,” he ordered, taking Yugi by the hand leading his broken form past the camouflaged door to clean him up.

 

~~

 

Yami sighed with boredom as he stared out the window as the water dripped down from the melted snow on the roof. Spring was slowly started to appear and he couldn't wait for it to start warming up.

 

“Yami, pay attention,” his father scolded from beside him.

 

“I don't see why I have to be here,” he argued, gesturing around him at the long table with different members of the town that were considered important.

 

“You're my son and these matters concern you as well,” he whispered angrily, trying not to draw attention to the two of them. “Stop slouching.”

 

With a roll of his eyes he straightened up and cracked his knuckles uninterestedly.

 

“Don't do that, Yami,” his father reprimanded as he hit his hands.

 

Yami pulled his chair out a little and excused himself from the meeting with the excuse of getting some water before stepping out into the less stuffy air of the mayor's house. His father followed him out angrily and demanded to know what he was doing.

 

Walking down the hall, the crimson-eyed teen stated easily, “Getting something to drink.”

 

“Don't lie to me,” his father growled. “You have no intention of returning, do you?”

 

The teen yawned and turned around, a hand covering his mouth. “What gives you such an enlightening suggestion?”

 

“You better, Yami. It concerns you too,” he repeated.

 

“I think there's some kind of echo in this house and it's starting to ring my ears something bad,” he said impatiently, rubbing at an ear.

 

His father growled and stepped forward. “Yami…” he started impatiently.

 

“Some people would think you're sick of saying my name by now after the amount of times you try grabbing my attention with it. I'm right here so you don't have to address me like there's three hundred other people in the hallway with us.”

 

“How dare you speak to me in that tone?”

 

“I dare because I really don't care what you think. And there really isn't a tone. If you don't like the way I talk then forgive me, but there isn't anything I can do about it.

 

“As for that pointless meeting, I don't care about what the elves are planning in that forest and I don't care what this boring town is going to do about it. In fact, in anybody tried asking my real opinion on the matter, I'd say that it was all a waste of time and extremely avoidable. I'm not one of them and I even know what they want.”

 

“Such a deal is out of the question, Yami. You know that!”

 

“A deal? It isn't even a matter of making a deal. Just release those elves people call servants and this whole thing could be settled! They're living creatures and deserve to be free!”

 

“Such a preposterous thought - ”

 

“It isn't a thought! It's the truth and you know it! They wouldn't have any reason to hurt this stupid town if you adults and your need for complete control hadn't gone out and attacked them and kidnapped half their society to turn into slaves!” Yami was breathing heavily after his tirade and punched the wall next to him angrily and loudly enough to cause the rest of the people at the meeting to rush out.

 

“What's going on here,” the mayor demanded.

 

Yami and his father stared at each, tension stirring between them almost like a line of electricity connected their eyes to keep their gazes on each other. Only when one of the men Yami remembered keeps visiting his father and trying to treat him as a second son stepped forward and placed a hand gently on his dad's shoulder did their stare break.

 

“I'm sorry, sir,” he addressed to the mayor. “My son and I were having a discussion and it got overheated. We're finished.”

 

“Good, then let's return to our meeting to decide what to do about those barbarians.”

 

The crimson-eyes of the teen burned with fury and he ground his teeth harshly to keep from saying anything. He lowered his fist from the wall and started walking away, shoving his hands in his pockets. “I won't be going with you,” he called out, his voice strained. “I need some fresh air; it's a bit stuffy.”

 

Nothing else was said as the men shuffled into the room and the doors closed behind them.

 

Yami stared out a window, looking at the forest with a sigh. If there was someway I could just leave and go find the elves I would help them. It isn't fair what this town is doing to them. Walking down the hall again and out the front door after grabbing his jacket he made his way to the bar. I don't even know where he is anymore. Poor Yugi…he must be so scared and I can't even ask where he is without giving away that I was helping him and getting him into trouble.