Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ High School Love ❯ High school Love chapter ten ( Chapter 10 )

HIGH SCHOOL LOVE

 

CHAPTER 10

 

 

 

 

{And that is that} Yugi thought in relief as he laid his pen down and stretched the cramps out of his fingers, shoulders and neck. He then gathered his belongings together before taking his paper up to the teacher, who accepted it with a cool nod. Yugi left the hall with a sense of freedom. His exams were over! Summer was just around the corner, and soon he'd be going home for two months, returning to school at the beginning of August to begin the final half of his junior year. The real test would come at the end of autumn, when the final exams came. If he passed those, he'd be going into senior year the following year at the end of the three-month winter break, beginning at the start of December, and finishing at the end of February. But he was reasonably confident he'd pass his autumn exams. That was just a way away down the track, of course, beginning in mid-November. Right now, he had his summer to plan.

 

He took a short cut through the main hall, hoping to catch a glimpse of Yami, or any of his friends, but they were nowhere to be seen. The small teen wasn't fussed, however. They'd either be studying their asses off, or in the middle of their own exams. Since he was now officially free from school, however, his time was his own to spend, and he decided to go back to his own dorm room and catch some shut eye. He'd been studying like crazy these last few weeks, and he deserved some well earned sleep.

 

As he was heading towards the juniors' corridor, however, he stopped when he came to Yami's door and pushed it open. It was empty, but he didn't care. He needed his sleep, and this was as good a place as any to catch that shut-eye he needed so badly. He went in, closed the door behind him, and sagged on the bed, kicking his boots off before collapsing on the pillows with a sigh, sleep claiming him almost instantly.

 

 

 

 

{And if that doesn't get me at least a semi-decent grade, the teachers can all kiss my ass} Yami thought with a tired sigh as he handed in his final paper and left the hall. {I've done all I can to get the best marks possible. If they don't like it, that's their problem}

 

Gods was he tired. He'd been studying non-stop, and he really needed a nap now that his exams were finally over. Maybe tonight he, Joey, Tristan, Duke and Yugi could go into the city to celebrate the end of their semester. It was worth considering, but right now, all he cared about was sleep.

 

He pushed open his door with a tired, relieved sigh, only to blink at the sight he discovered in his room. Yugi was curled up on the bed, one arm folded under the pillow on which his head was resting. His face was utterly peaceful as he slept, as if nothing in the world could trouble him, and Yami felt his heart melt at the sight as he quietly closed the door behind him before sliding his boots off and padding silently over to the other side of the bed. Yugi didn't even stir as he lay down, sliding one arm around the smaller teen's waist before letting his eyes drift closed. {A night on the town be damned} was his final thought as he drifted off. {I'm going to stay right here. This is so much nicer}

 

 

 

 

Yugi nearly had a heart attack when he woke up later that afternoon, with deep golden rays shining brightly through the open window, to find Yami's arm around his waist, holding onto him securely as the older teen slept. After the initial shock, however, he relaxed and shifted a little closer to his doppelganger, thinking to himself that there was no other place on earth he'd rather be right now. He stretched, being careful not to whack the senior in the face by accident, and then turned over onto his other side so he could watch the object of his affections as he slept. His face was very childlike in repose, and there was a faint smile on his lips. Yugi could easily bet the crimson-eyed teen was having some very pleasant dreams indeed. {Probably about me} the junior thought with amusement. He reached out and ran his fingers lightly over Yami's face, taking great care to make his touches lighter than silk so he wouldn't wake him, his fingers ghosting over the familiar planes and angles before coming to rest on his collarbone. His heartbeat was slow and steady, and Yugi closed his eyes, liking the feel of Yami's skin under his fingertips. He brought his other hand up to run his fingers through the elder teen's hair, marveling anew at how soft and silky it was. Who would have guessed that he'd ever find a doppelganger who looked exactly like him? Much less someone with whom he felt a very deep and intimate connection. It was hard to explain, but it felt very much to Yugi as though he and Yami had always known each other, even though they had been friends for just a little over two months now. It was like they were two halves of the one soul, destined to be united as one, and Yugi liked that idea very much. He still shied away from the question of whether this was love he felt for Yami, but one thing was for certain; as long as he was around the crimson-eyed senior, his world was complete. Nothing else made him feel so complete, so whole, so utterly at peace, so untouchable and invulnerable. They didn't have to be touching for him to get this feeling of completeness. Just one look from those intense crimson eyes was enough to make his bones melt and his heartrate speed up until he felt he had just run a marathon of epic proportions.

 

Gods, he loved being around Yami so much that it almost hurt sometimes. Nothing on earth could quite top that feeling. He loved it when their eyes met across the crowded common room during the mad morning rush to get to class. He loved it when they walked hand in hand through the common room when they had classes that were within easy walking distance of each other. He loved it when Yami would come up to him when he was sitting at the table at lunchtime and put a hand on his shoulder, his fingers lightly stroking the younger teen's neck as he chatted with his friends. And he loved it when he was at his locker, and Yami would come up behind him, wrap his arms around his waist and nuzzle his neck, making him go weak at the knees until he had to grab onto something to keep his balance while the elder teen worked on making him feel so helpless and yet so utterly alive at the same time. Yami meant so much to him that it was a wonder he could spend even a little time apart from the elder teen. But he was sensible. He knew perfectly well that to spend too much time around the object of his affections was to develop an almost unhealthy obsession, and that would only lead to disaster. The times when they had to be apart did him good, and helped him keep a clear head. That way, when they were together, it was a lot better, and it made him feel a lot better as well to know that he wasn't spending too much time with the object of his affections. Maybe the time for that would come one day.

 

He was brought out of his reverie when he felt gentle fingers playing with his hair, and he opened his eyes to see that Yami was awake, watching him with a faintly amused look on his face. “Hello, sleepyhead,” he teased, laughing softly when Yugi blushed to the roots of his hair. “I was just daydreaming,” he said defensively, blushing harder, and Yami smiled as he pulled the smaller teen into a hug and pecked him lightly on the neck. They stayed like that for a few moments, each basking in the utter peace and contentment they experienced when they were together. For his part, Yami was getting more and more convinced that a night in would be just perfect. Nothing on earth was going to make him give up having Yugi all to himself. He hadn't had that chance much over the last few weeks, and he was almost desperate to make up for lost time.

 

Yugi nestled close, loving the feel of Yami's arms wrapped tightly around his small frame, and he closed his eyes again, listening to the elder teen's heartbeat right next to his ear. Now this was much better than simply have Yami holding him while he slept. Being awake whilst being held was a much better prospect, and he couldn't have asked for more. “So, what do you feel like doing now?” he asked softly, letting his eyes stay closed. He could easily go to sleep again like this.

 

“Well, I was thinking maybe we could just have a night in,” Yami suggested, his voice rumbling pleasantly next to Yugi's ear. “We haven't spent much time together, thanks to these damn exams, and I for one feel the need to make up for lost time. What do you say?”

 

Yugi nodded. “That sounds like a good idea to me,” he agreed, pulling free so he could sit up, twining his fingers with Yami's. “Wanna order in and then play some games?”

 

“I won't say no to that,” Yami agreed. “What were you thinking of ordering?”

 

“Pizza?” Yugi said hopefully, turning the full force of his puppy eyes on the elder teen, and Yami smiled. He could never say no to Yugi with those eyes.

 

“Sure,” he said. “I like that idea very much.” He sat up, pecked the younger teen swiftly on the lips, and then stood, pulling Yugi up with him. “Let's go order that pizza.” Yup. It looked like that night in was definitely happening. There would be time enough to spend a few nights on the town before the semester officially ended. That was a week away, and both teens were looking forward very much to spending more time together without school getting in the way.

 

 

 

 

“There. All packed.” Yugi stood back and surveyed his handiwork with a critical eye. His two suitcases were packed, and now it was time to go home. {I can't believe how fast the semester's gone} he thought, as he took one last look around his room to make sure nothing was where it shouldn't be. {It usually crawls by. I guess it's because so much has happened that time seems to have flown past this semester}

 

The two and a half months since he had met Yami had had a large part to play in that, he knew. Since meeting the elder teen, time had just taken wings, and before he knew it, he was packed and ready to go home, the thought of which caused no small amount of ache in his heart. Normally he was thrilled at the prospect of holidays, but now it meant two months away from the crimson-eyed object of his affections, and he wasn't sure how on earth he was going to cope. His living in Tokyo hadn't been a problem before, but now…

 

{Aw damn} he thought with a morose sigh as he went to his door and threw it open. {I can't believe I'm this weak-willed. I spent nearly sixteen years of my life without Yami. I can handle a measly two months, right? I mean, I'll have the game shop. That always keeps me busy. Plus, Joey and Serenity are now living with their father, who just happens to live in Tokyo. He's got sole legal custody of them ever since he took their mother to court a few months ago. And he's always gotten on with me and Grandpa, so he's not going to stop Joey and Serenity from seeing me. He's nowhere near as much of a control freak as Mrs. Wheeler was. He treated me liked one of his children when he came down to see Joey and Serenity when we were all living in Osaka. It was nice to be treated like one of the family whenever Mr. Wheeler was there. Mrs. Wheeler didn't like me or Grandpa at all. Well, now that Mr. Wheeler has sole custody, it's going to be nice to spend some quality time with him, Joey and Serenity. Come to think of it, I haven't seen him since Mrs. Wheeler took them to Domino three years ago. Of course, Grandpa and I moved to Tokyo not that long after, so of course we'd have lost track of Mr. Wheeler. I wish we'd thought to keep in touch with him. Maybe then I might have realized a lot sooner that Joey and Serenity were going to Domino High. I'm sure he would have had some say in the upbringing of his own children}

 

“Yugi! Ready to go?” Tristan called from down the corridor, bringing the smaller teen out of his reverie. He smiled and nodded. “All packed,” he called back.

 

Tristan came in and picked up the two suitcases with ease. “The taxi's waiting outside the main gate,” he said, as the two teens made their way down the corridor towards the common room. “It's going to take you, Joey, Serenity and Yami to the station in fine style.”

 

“That sounds good to me,” Yugi agreed, although he was once again stabbed through with pain at the mention of Yami's name. He was going to have a harder time saying goodbye to his crimson-eyed friend than he thought. {Oh well. I'm just going to have to make the best of it} he told himself firmly. {And it's not like I'm going to be traveling home on my own this time. I'll have Joey and Serenity with me now. Just keep that in mind, and you'll be fine}

 

 

 

 

Domino station was crowded and noisy, and the four teens regarded the scene before them with no small apprehension. “So how on earth are we going to get through this press without being crushed to death?” Yugi wanted to know. He was the smallest of the group, so his concerns were the greatest of all.

 

“We'll be fine,” Joey said confidently. “Let's go.” He led the way through the crowds, dodging clumps of people here and there, and the others trailed him, being careful to keep his tousled blond head in sight so they wouldn't lose him. Yugi was thankful that they had something like this to occupy their time; his mind was shying away from the moment when he and Yami would have to say goodbye, and the prospect was not a pleasant one at all. He was very glad for this distraction, because it kept his mind off things he'd rather not think about until he absolutely had to.

 

It all ended too soon when they came at last to the entrances to the platforms. After checking their luggage in, the four teens checked the departure times of their respective trains. Joey, Serenity and Yugi's train would leave first, followed by the small suburban train Yami would catch to get to the outskirts of Domino, which departed from the same platform fifteen minutes later, which was going to make life very easy for them all indeed. It didn't help, though, that there was only ten minutes to go before the departure of the Tokyo express train. So, the four teens paid one last visit to the bathroom before going to their platform. The train had just pulled in, and all around them, people were greeting each other with hugs and kisses. The contrast to these happy scenes were those who were to take the four-hour train ride, and their families and loved ones. There were hugs and kisses here too, but tears as well, and promises to write and call regularly.

 

Yugi swallowed his own tears as he, Joey and Serenity prepared to say goodbye to Yami. The crimson-eyed teen was his usual cheerful self, but his eyes were sad, and his mood spread to the others, even though they tried to hide it under casual banter and joking.

 

“Don' ya go chattin' up any girls,” Joey admonished, giving his fellow senior a fierce headlock that had the shorter teen laughing and wincing at the same time. “'Cause we'll be checkin' up on ya every day ta make sure ya don' stray.”

 

“I can assure you I will be on my most exemplary behaviour,” Yami got out in a slightly strangled voice. Joey flushed as he released his grip. “Sorry `bout dat, pal,” he said in a sheepish voice. “I guess I got carried away a little.”

 

“Don't I know it,” Yami muttered, rubbing at his neck with a look of mock-pain. He then abandoned his momentary discomfort to give his blond friend a hug, which was gladly returned. “You'd better take good care of Serenity and Yugi,” he said, his own tone now one of admontion, and Joey saluted his friend when they broke the embrace.

 

“A' course,” he said proudly. “Joey Wheeler always looks afta da people who mean da most ta him.”

 

Yami smiled at the blond's humor before turning to Serenity and kissing her lightly on the cheek. “Make sure you keep him in line,” he told her, and she giggled as her brother sputtered indignantly in the background at Yami's unspoken intimations that he would even think of misbehaving. “I will,” she promised, laughing outright as Joey sputtered even more.

 

Tears formed in Yami's eyes as he turned to Yugi, taking the smaller teen's face in his hands. Yugi managed to smile through his tears as best he could as the elder teen kissed his forehead, eyes, cheeks, and finally, his lips. “I'm going to miss you very much,” Yami said in a broken whisper when he pulled back, the tears spilling freely down his cheeks. He then pulled Yugi into a fierce hug. “Please, please, please, take good care of yourself.” There was an almost desperate note in his voice, and Yugi hugged him tighter, pressing his face into the elder teen's shoulder. “I will,” he said, finding it hard to keep his own tears under control. They slid down his cheeks, soaking into Yami's shoulder as the two tried to hug one another as closely as they could, desperate to not let one moment pass that could be spent together before they had to part ways.

 

The final boarding announcement shattered their precious moment, and as they pulled apart, it was Yugi's turn to take Yami's face in his hands and give him one last kiss. There was no need for further words, and Yami stepped back, watching as Yugi, Joey and Serenity boarded the train. He followed their progress to their seats, and placed his hand against the glass of the window where the three were sitting. Yugi had the window seat, and he duplicated the gesture, right up until the train departed. Yami watched it go until he could see it no more, tears sliding freely down his cheeks as the train disappeared around a bend in the track. The pain in his heart was unbearable, but he fought it down as best he could, taking a seat on one of the benches and resting his head in his hands, clenching his teeth on the sobs that threatened to break forth from his control.

 

It was going to be a very long fifteen minutes till his train arrived.

 

 

 

 

“It's good to be home again,” Yugi remarked, looking around his room with fond eyes. It provided a good view of Tokyo, and the harbour, the sea a deep blue today, sparkling with golden lights under the early summer sun. The scent of sakura trees floated in through the open window, and Yugi sat on the window-seat, taking in the view, his eyes travelling over familiar sights. He'd only lived in Tokyo for three years, but it was as familiar to him as Osaka used to be, where he had been born, and where he had grown up for the first thirteen years of his life. Leaving his childhood home had been painful, but he'd preferred that to the other pain he'd been forced to deal with; the unbearable agony of having to say goodbye to his best friend, without even knowing where he and his family were going, thanks to an overly controlling mother. Mrs. Wheeler had been very jealous of her son's close friendship with Yugi, because she and his grandfather didn't get along at all for some strange reason. Her jealousy had manifested itself in petty ways, including grounding Serenity if Joey went over to see Yugi. And because the two spent a lot of time hanging out, Serenity was grounded often. Because Joey loved his sister only a hairsbreadth more than Yugi (in a totally platonic, brotherly way of course), Mrs. Wheeler used his love for Serenity against him, accusing him of not loving her enough because he was hanging out with Yugi so much. Torn between his love for his sister, and his love for his best friend, Joey sometimes suffered torments of agony when his mother used her manipulative tactics on him.

 

Serenity, thankfully, was not as sensitive to her mother's constant taunts. She knew very well that she came first in Joey's heart, and that he would always keep an extra special place for her there. She knew that he would never do anything to hurt her deliberately, and it was her trust and her belief in her brother's ability to always do the right thing that kept Joey from going completely nuts.

 

All the same, the blond's constant state of torment had had Yugi in agonies of torment as well, not to mention fear, fear that maybe Joey sometimes resented him for being the cause of so much pain as far as his sister and his mother were concerned. It wasn't just his fear of being a nuisance and a pain to the older teen that had sometimes driven him to tears, but fear that one day Joey would get sick and tired of being at odds with his mother all the time. In fact, that had been the first fear to invade Yugi's mind when Joey had told him, with tears in his eyes, that his mother was taking him and Serenity away on the day of their moving. The smaller teen had thought it was because Joey wanted to just leave him behind because of all the pain he had been forced to endure thanks to his mother. He hadn't dared express his fears, but Joey had somehow sensed that his smaller friend was suffering not just because he was going away, but also because he thought himself to blame for all the family trouble in the Wheeler household. The blond had sought to allay his friend's fears, but even so, a small niggling doubt had remained firmly lodged in his mind. It had taken three years for that doubt to be dislodged and for him to realize that he wasn't the cause of the Wheeler family troubles.

 

It was amazing what fate could do sometimes. If he hadn't asked to go to Domino High when he finished at his junior high school, he might never have met Yami. And if he hadn't met Yami, he would never have been reunited with Joey. And if he hadn't been reunited with Joey, he would never have been reassured of the fact that Joey never once thought of him as just an annoying little kid who was always tagging along after him.

 

Yugi smiled as he remembered Joey's words the night of the seniors' dance. “Yugi, you're my best friend in da whole world! I neva once t'ought a' ya as a pain; you were like a brot'er ta me, and you still are. You come a very close second afta Serenity in my heart. Ya always have, an' ya always will.”

 

They had been such simple words, but spoken with such conviction on the part of the blond that Yugi had no cause to doubt any longer what had been true right from the start, ever since the two had been in diapers; the friendship that had sprung up between them was as enduring as time itself. Nothing on earth could ever drive a wedge between them come what may. Joey had always stuck by him, and he always would. There was no question of his loyalty to his smaller friend. Nothing anyone could say would ever induce him to forsake his best friend. Not even the worst machinations of his mother could make him turn his back on the spiky-haired teen. Her threats, her cajolings, her punishments, her angry words, her accusations; none of them had stopped her son from being friends with Yugi. All her efforts to prevent the two from seeing each other had been in vain. The only thing that had succeeded in the end had been her decision to move away, without telling either of her children where they were going so they couldn't tell Yugi. In fact, the Wheelers might have left without a word of farewell had it not been for Yugi's grandfather persuading Mrs Wheeler to let her son say goodbye to his grandson. She would have prevented that if she could, and indeed, she had been hovering like a vulture in the background, ready to snatch her son away and curtail the teary farewell between him and his best friend. She had very nearly succeeded, but once again, Solomon Moto had intervened. Yugi closed his eyes as he let the memories of that day fill his mind's eye.

 

 

 

 

~*Flashback*~

 

 

 

 

Yugi nearly fell off his stool when the back door opened and Joey came in, soaking wet from the sudden rainstorm outside. His blond hair was plastered to his skull, and rivulets of water ran down his face. Yugi might have attributed it to the rain had he not seen the wetness in his blond friend's honey brown eyes, and he scrambled off the stool, alarm bells ringing in his head. “Joey,” he exclaimed. “You're soaking wet. What on earth is the matter?”

 

A sudden shadow fell on the lino, and Yugi looked up to see Mrs. Wheeler standing a few feet away from her son, cold green eyes glaring at him from the shelter of the umbrella she held over her head. It didn't take a genius to figure out why Joey was on the verge of tears now.

 

“Yugi,” the blond began, his voice choked as he tried to control his sobbing. “I… I'm really sorry, pal. I didn' wanna do dis, but, well…” He trailed off meaningfully, and Yugi nodded compassionately as he gathered the courage to continue again. “Me an' Serenity are leavin'. Mom's taking us away. We're goin' taday.”

 

“What?!” Yugi felt a sudden cold, leaden weight settle on his heart, and he felt as if the rainstorm had just come inside. Tears started to his eyes and rolled down his cheeks, and a sudden, choking pain rose up in his throat. He took a hesitant step towards the blond, and Joey made as if to step forward so he could take his smaller friend in his arms.

 

Mrs. Wheeler intervened, her cold voice cutting sharply through the boys' grief. “We're going now, Joseph,” she said harshly, stepping forward, one hand outstretched, ready to take her son away, by force if necessary. “Say goodbye now.”

 

“What on earth is going on here?” Solomon's voice cut through the sudden chill in the mood as he stepped into the kitchen. Sharp eyes took in the situation at a glance, and the old man sighed. “Mrs. Wheeler, may I have a small word with you?” he asked.

 

She stiffened. “We don't have time for your nonsense,” she said icily. “Serenity is waiting in the car. I'm sure you'll understand that I do not wish to keep her waiting. Nor does Joseph.”

 

Joey stiffened in his turn. “Mom,” he said in a low voice, his tone full of an unspoken warning. He had never in his life dared to talk back to his mother, but his voice hinted that if pushed, he'd explode.

 

Solomon wasn't to be put off so easily. “Yugi, take Joey upstairs and get him out of those wet clothes. I'm sure Mrs. Wheeler wouldn't want her son to catch cold and get sick, now would she?”

 

Mrs. Wheeler recognized defeat when she saw it. Her eyes still flashed defiantly, but she said nothing more as Yugi led his shivering friend out of the kitchen. “Take as long as you need,” Solomon told his son, making sure his voice carried just enough so as to be heard by Joey's mother. “He can borrow some of your father's clothes. They should fit him.”

 

Yugi nodded and led his friend upstairs, a thousand questions hammering relentlessly at him. Why was Joey and his family leaving? was the question uppermost in his thoughts. It just didn't make sense at all.

 

A sudden chilling thought occurred to him as he fetched some clothes from the second drawer in his bedroom before going into the bathroom. “Here,” he told his shivering friend. “Get out of those wet clothes and put these on. You'd better have a shower first to get the chill out. You don't want to catch cold.”

 

Joey nodded silently, and Yugi closed the door behind him. “Come into my bedroom when you're done,” he added, and then crossed the corridor to his room. He closed the door and then slumped miserably on his bed, tears filling his eyes once again. The thought that had come to life earlier now reared its ugly head again, and Yugi could ignore it no longer. There could be no other reason for the Wheeler's abrupt departure, he thought unhappily. Joey must have grown sick and tired of fighting with his mother about his friendship with Yugi, and now he had chosen the needs of his family over the needs of his best friend. Well, Yugi thought bitterly, wasn't that the right choice to make? Joey did love Serenity very much, and to see her grounded time and time again every time he and his spiky-haired friend hung out together must have taken its toll on him, until he could take it no more and had admitted defeat, giving up in the face of his mother's overwhelming opposition. And after all, a snide voice whispered in his ear, why would Joey want to hang around with a shrimp like him for anyway? He was very short for his age, and he looked like a little kid to boot. Why would someone like Joey want to even be around someone like him, let alone be friends with him? It made perfect sense that he would take this chance to leave so he could get away from the small fry who had caused so much heartache for him for so long.

 

A hand on his shoulder brought him out of his reverie, and he looked up to see Joey standing there, a look of concern in his eyes. His blond hair was still damp, but he no longer looked like a drowned rat. “Hey, t'anks for lettin' me use your showa, pal,” he said, sitting down next to his friend. “I'd have froze ta deat' if it weren't for you.”

 

Yugi managed a smile. “Any time,” he said as brightly as he could, trying to keep the fear that was swirling around in his mind from coming out in his voice. He didn't want Joey to think there was something the matter.

 

Apparently though, something must have come out in his voice after all, despite his best efforts. Joey frowned and tightened his hold on Yugi's shoulder. “Somet'in' da matta?” he asked. “Ya look like ya ate somet'in' dat disagreed wit' ya.”

 

“It's nothing,” Yugi said quickly - too quickly. He winced as Joey's grip tightened again to the point of pain, but he held his tongue. He was not going to give his friend cause to worry.

 

Joey was sometimes not the brightest tool in the shed. “Dumb blond” seemed perfect for him sometimes. But there were the moments when he saw something no one else could, and when he saw that something, he acted to do something about it, whether or not anyone else saw it. He knew something was troubling his friend, and it wasn't just the pain over losing a childhood friend. Right away he hit on what the cause had to be. Yugi - for some bizarre reason - blamed himself for all the trouble in the Wheeler household. Joey didn't know how he knew this, or why Yugi was blaming himself in the first place, but he was bound and determined to let his friend see that he wasn't in any way responsible for all his domestic problems.

 

So, he went ahead and gave Yugi the hug he would have given him earlier had his mother not intervened, rubbing his friend's back in soothing circles, feeling the smaller teen's frame shake with sobs as he gave way to the pain that was torturing him with hot needles that stabbed him all over, never giving him a moment's rest. His small hands fisted themselves in Joey's shirt, and the blond pulled him closer, whispering soothing words of comfort, tears pouring down his own cheeks as he listened to Yugi cry, every sob stabbing his own tortured heart like a hot knife. Yugi's tears soaked his shoulder, but he didn't care. He was going to be the strong one, and he was going to let Yugi know that he didn't blame him for his domestic strife. If he blamed anyone, it was his mother, for being so harsh and so cold with him, punishing Serenity every time he hung out with Yugi. Luckily for him his sister was a very compassionate and understanding person. She knew how torn Joey was, and she told him not to worry about her. She knew how much he valued his friendship with Yugi, and she knew he loved her best. So, she told him that as far as she was concerned, his friendship with Yugi was okay by her, no matter what their mother might say.

 

“I know how much Yugi means to you,” she'd said in a soft voice, holding Joey's head in her lap as he cried the first time their mother had grounded her. “So I give you permission to hang out with him as much as you want.”

 

“But, what about you?” he'd asked in a broken voice, fisting his hands in her shirt in much the same way as Yugi was doing now. “I don' want ya ta suffa `cause your brot'er's bein' a dickhead.”

 

Serenity had smoothed his tousled blond head with a gentle hand. “I'll be fine,” she assured him in a soft, soothing voice. “Don't worry about me, Joey. I can find plenty of ways to keep myself busy. Mom's punishing you, not me. I think she's being silly, but don't tell her I said that.”

 

Somehow, she had helped him to keep his sanity intact, and after that fateful afternoon, the two siblings had grown closer together than ever before. They had united in a pact to keep the wool pulled over their mother's eyes, and Serenity more than willingly protected him from his mother's rages by taking his punishments on herself. Joey admired her for her tremendous courage, and he had told her more than once that he would make up for all the pain he must be causing her. She smiled and told him the only pain he was causing her was by being too good a brother to her. She didn't deserve his concern. All she wanted was for him to be friends with Yugi, and to the devil with the consequences. So long as he was able to hang out with Yugi and not worry about her, then she was content. And it wasn't like she was made a prisoner in her own home, either. Mrs Wheeler was not a complete tyrant. All the same, Joey had vowed more than once that he would pay his mother back for all the pain she had caused him, and she was going to know it when he did. She would never do anything so cruel to him ever again. And that was one promise he was going to keep.

 

Right now, though, she had the upper hand. She was leaving, and she was taking him and Serenity with her. Their father had no say in the matter - he didn't have legal custody of his children, and his visiting rights were limited to only once every two weeks. Mrs Wheeler hadn't even told her ex-husband that she was leaving Osaka with their kids. Joey had an awful feeling that she had been to court this week to remove his father's visiting rights so that he wouldn't be able to see his children ever again. Joey and Serenity loved their father dearly, and for this to have happened was an enormous blow to the blond. He hadn't yet dared break the news to his sister. She was torn up enough as it was over leaving her home. Osaka was the only place they had ever known. They had all grown up here, and it was breaking Serenity's heart to be leaving her childhood home. Joey didn't want to add to her pain by telling her that they would most likely never see their father again.

 

{Rrrgh, why da hell does Mom hafta be so damn difficult?} he thought angrily. {It's not like Dad's gonna try an' get back custody. Mom tol' him he had no chance anyway, an' dat if he tried it, she'd make sure he paid for it} Tears filled his eyes again and he bowed his head, letting his cheek rest on top of Yugi's spiked hair. The smaller teen was still crying, although not so heavily as before, and Joey was immensely relieved. It meant that the worst of his friend's shock and pain was over, and he was beginning to think clearly again. The same couldn't be said for himself, however, and he could feel the sobs starting to rise up in his throat now. He was leaving more than just the place where he had lived all his life. He was leaving behind all his familiar haunts and secret places. But more than anything else, he was leaving behind his best friend in the whole world. Yugi meant everything to him after Serenity, and it was killing him knowing the pain his smaller friend was going through. {All because Mom doesn' like Yug's grandpa} he thought, feeling the sobs rising steadily every moment. {Why? I jus' don' get it. What's she got agains' him? He's da nicest ol' man I know. He treats all us kids in da neighbourhood like his grandkids, an' he's always got time for us? So what da hell does Mom think she's doin' takin' us away?}

 

He could hold it in no longer. The tight feeling in his throat grew unbearable, and before he knew it, he was crying, holding onto Yugi like a lifeline, fisting his hands in the smaller teen's shirt as all his pain came out in a torrential flood of tears that seemed almost to rival the rainstorm outside, great wracking sobs tearing at him. It just wasn't fair! Why did his mom have to do this to him? Couldn't she realize that it was killing him inside to leave behind the best buddy a guy could ever have? Didn't she care that she was causing him the most unspeakable pain by taking him and Serenity away? If she had to leave because she disliked Yugi's grandfather so much, why hadn't she just gone away on her own? Why was she opposed to Joey and Serenity being friends with Yugi? She didn't have any problems with her children's other friends. It was just the Motos against whom she had such a strong vendetta. But why?

 

Joey could find no answer to these questions. So he just cried, letting the pain scour his system and rip his entire soul to shreds until there was nothing left but a dull, empty ache inside. There. That was much better. Now he'd be able to think clearly again. That was when he became aware that his position had changed. Yugi was now holding his friend's head in his lap, small fingers playing with his blond hair, just like Serenity had done that first time he had realized how cruel his mother could be. Yugi's face was tear-stained, and his huge amethyst eyes were red-rimmed, but he was looking more at peace, now that the worst of his pain had come and gone. The sight allowed Joey to find some solace, and he allowed a broken smile to come to his face. Yugi smiled back, his smile as broken as Joey's. But there were no more tears. At least not for now. Later, when the old station wagon took Joey and Serenity away forever, maybe then the tears would come again. But not now. Yugi and Joey both knew that this was a moment not to be spoiled by sorrow. They had to part without tears, or the memory of their parting would be forever tainted by the bitter salt that tears always bring. Neither wanted this last shared memory to be bitter.

 

As if fate had willed it, there came a soft, almost respectful tapping at the door, and Solomon's head poked around. “Mrs Wheeler wants to go now,” he said quietly.

 

“We'll be down soon,” Yugi replied, and Solomon nodded before closing the door again and padding softly down the stairs. Joey stood up and scrubbed the last tracks of tears from his face. “I guess dis is goodbye,” he said shakily.

 

Yugi went up to him and hugged him tightly. “I'll miss you,” he said simply.

 

Joey went to his knees, pulling Yugi down with him so he could give his small friend a hug in return. “I'll miss you too, pal. But don' you forget dat you'll always have a special place in my heart.” He laughed shakily. “Man, how trite is dat. Dis is da worst day a' my life, an' here I go spoutin' rubbish.”

 

“It's not rubbish,” Yugi said. “It's really nice of you to say that. At least I know you won't forget me.” His tone was half-serious, half-joking. He had to know.

 

“A' course not,” Joey said, shocked and hurt at the same time. “I could neva forget ya, Yug. You're my best frien' in da whole world. Not'in's eva gonna change dat, no matta how far apart we are, I promise ya.” He tightened his embrace for one last moment, and then he stood. “Let's' go down before Mom huffs and puffs and brings da house down.” The sparkle was back in his eyes as he said this, and Yugi somehow found the strength to laugh as they made their way downstairs to the kitchen where Mrs Wheeler and Solomon were waiting. The rain had stopped, and the sun was shining weakly through the clouds, but the atmosphere in the house was as gloomy as if the rain was still falling.

 

“You took your sweet time,” Mrs Wheeler snapped, standing up. “I hope you're satisfied, Joseph. Poor Serenity's been waiting in that car for over an hour.”

 

Joey winced, but Yugi squeezed his hand gently. The blond squeezed back, thankful for his friend's presence. He knew Serenity would understand. She always did. She was the best sister anyone could hope to have.

 

“Goodbye, Joey,” Solomon said, holding out a hand. Joey shook it, and then he gave Yugi one final hug. “Goodbye, Yug,” he whispered in a choked voice.

 

“Goodbye, Joey,” Yugi whispered back, feeling the tears starting to come again. He forced them down with all the effort he could muster. {This is no time for tears, not yet} he told himself sternly.

 

Mrs Wheeler all but dragged her son out of the house once the last goodbyes had been said. She scolded him until they disappeared from sight, and Yugi sighed shakily as he closed the door and then ran back upstairs. He made it just in time to see the Wheelers' station wagon pull out of their driveway. He watched as it turned and moved slowly down the street, turning at the first intersection and disappearing from Yugi's sight. Tears filled his eyes and he sank down on the window seat, burying his face in his arms and giving way to his pain once more.

 

 

 

 

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