Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ If the World Doesn't Want Me ❯ Paranoia ( Chapter 5 )

Dark.

Everything was cold, damp. He shuddered, a torn sob tearing free from his throat as he remained on his knees, blood soaking into him. Anger coursed through his body, through every cell of his being, screaming at him to get up, to find who had caused the situation that he was caught in, and to tear them apart, piece by piece; to make them pay for causing such harm to his perfect beloved. Another scream, incoherent. His mind raced, demanding that he continue his search, telling him that his partner needed him, but he couldn't find the strength.

Blood.

He was sitting in what was practically a river of human life's most vital fluid, Yuugi's most vital fluid. Deep ruby stained his fingers and clothes, matting into his hair as it dripped slowly from the ceiling to splash upon the pools along the floor. Drip. He shuddered with each one.

He's left me ... He couldn't believe that it had happened, didn't want to believe that it had happened, but there was no other explanation to be found. His beloved was gone in spite of all that he had tried to do for him. Was I never good enough? He raised a fist before angrily slamming it down onto the floor, barely flinching as the blood splattered up at him, onto him. "Yuugi!" His voice echoed eerily back to him, taunting him with each time it reverberated off of imperfect walls. He could scream all that he wanted to, but Yuugi would not hear him; Yuugi would not respond. No ...

Something pricked at him, however, begging him to give it attention. Crimson eyes burning with the lust for revenge snapped open before narrowing dangerously. Who's there? Who is it?

Please ... A soft whimper, barely loud enough for him to register at all. He shot up immediately. The voice was more than familiar; it was practically burned into every small piece of his being. The voice that floated to him was that of his beloved. He shot up instantly, looking around himself cautiously, not quite sure what he should be expecting. Something was amiss, and he didn't want to fall victim to whatever it was - couldn't fall victim to whatever it was - if he intended to save Yuugi.

"If he's not in here, then ..." He turned to look at the door of Yuugi's soul room, taking calculated steps towards it. His hand stretched out before him, closing around the handle of the door, slowly pulling, only to have the entire thing crumble under the pressure; he winced at the thought of what that might mean for Yuugi before warily stepping over the debris and moving out into the hallway. Crimson eyes scanned the area for any clues that he could find; when he'd passed through earlier, the only thought he'd had was to get to Yuugi's soul room as quickly as possible. He hadn't bothered to note any details about the corridor.

He could have kicked himself for that when he noticed the blood trailed along the floor where a body had been tugged along viciously. He growled low in his throat, following the blood-covered road to see where it ended up, stopping short when he realized that it lead straight to the Millennium Puzzle. No! He ... he's not strong enough to withstand what might await him in there! Not yet!

He wasted no time in bursting through the door of the Puzzle - his half of Yuugi's heart - and following the still-present trail. It was strange, though; the blood seemed to trail into every doorway that he passed. That can't be right. There's no way that he could have been dragged into every room. He frowned, closing his eyes in an attempt to focus his attention so that he could determine the proper door. They're illusions. The majority of these doors don't even exist. He growled softly, refraining from opening his eyes and kicking the nearest wall in frustration. What I wouldn't do to have the Ring for its tracking right now.

He took a step forward, eyes still closed, listening closely. "Yuugi ... I know you're here. Call to me, love."

Please ... help me ... More desperate than before; the sound tore through Atemu's heart like the sharpest of knives. His head turned to the side, and he took a step in that direction, hand reaching out blinding to come in contact with a door.

Please let this be the one ... He refused to open his eyes as the door slowly slip open. Really, he didn't need to; the moment that the door was open, the coppery scent of excess spilled blood assaulted him, worse and fresher than when he had been in Yuugi's soul room. He suppressed his shudder as he slowly peeled his eyes open.

Nothing could have prepared him for the sight before him.

There, suspended from the ceiling, was his beloved life-giver; his eyes were closed, his entire body slack and lifeless. Blood dripped down his skin, sliding over exposed flesh, drenching torn clothing. It fell to the floor in sickening droplets that landed in a churning 'plunk,' over and over again, slowly, maddeningly. He wanted to turn away - wanted to wake up from the nightmare - but he knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that this was no nightmare. This was where his other half truly was; destroyed nearly to the point of no return.

Once-blonde bangs were matted to the boy's forehead, now colored a rusted orange. Thin trails of copper-red fell from his lips, dribbled haphazardly down his chin, intermixed with small, splattered spots; lines falling to his throat, which was bitten into by sharp wire. The skin squeezed together, breaking in areas in such a way that he couldn't help but wince at seeing. Yuugi's wrists, held out from his body so that his arms were held perpendicular to the rest of him, were in the same state. Wire held him firmly in place, his head hanging forward. The blood continued to fall.

It's too much ... he's lost too much ... Tears stung his eyes, and Atemu did nothing to stop them from falling. Even a powerful pharaoh had his limits; even a god would crumble at the sight of his beloved in such a state. Whoever had caused this pain to his little one had known his weakness very well. They had discovered it quickly and used it against him; this was not some casual attack. It was an invitation to war. Even if we are within his heart ... that kind of blood loss to his spirit is fatal.

He stepped forward, flinching as Yuugi's blood trickled onto his skin. He looked up, sadness permeating his entire stature, and he reached his left hand up to his beloved helplessly. "Yuugi ... Yuugi, I'm so ..." A mocking, psychotic cackle filtered through the air, and Atemu snapped to attention, looking around himself quickly to assess the danger. He knew the laugh; he'd heard it before. And yet, for the life of him, he could not place it. "Who's there?"

"Bloodthirsty Pharaoh! How do you like it? Isn't he more to your liking now? A vision in crimson blood, just how you always wanted everyone to be!"

A low growl escaped him, and he was hard pressed to contain himself from lashing out at anything he could. "How dare you! Who are you? I command you to show yourself!"

The sickening cackling continued, and Atemu clenched a fist in anger, willing himself to keep his cool. "You command me?" the voice asked sardonically. "Do you really think that matters? Do you think you have any say in what I do? Fool of a pharaoh."

"I am in no mood for your games."

"I'd imagine you wouldn't be." He flinched as he heard a wire snap, and his eyes were immediately upon Yuugi's figure as the boy's right arm dropped down to hang limply at his side. "How does it feel, pharaoh, losing the one who is most important to you? Suffer." Another snap; Yuugi's left arm now hung at his side as lifelessly as his right. "Suffer as I have suffered at the hands of your bloodline!"

Atemu barely had time to react as the wire around Yuugi's neck snapped and his little one plummeted from the ceiling and into his arms. He held Yuugi close, tighter than he ever had before, not wanting to ever let go. Yuugi ... please wake up. Please be alright. I need you. I need you so much. He looked up, scanning the room. "It was you, wasn't it? It hadn't been Yuugi at all when I was talking with Bakura-kun."

"So perceptive. But too little too late, I'm afraid, little pharaoh."

"Your tricks will get you nowhere, tomb robber!" He clutched Yuugi closer to himself, brainstorming on just how he could save his little one. "But I see that you're still up to your old tricks: hiding in the shadows and stealing that which doesn't belong to you, up to and including the body of an innocent! An innocent who likely would want nothing to do with you, I'm sure."

"My host won't be able to resist. And you will find no way to escape your destruction, pharaoh. I'll tear you apart just as easily as I destroyed your little toy there." The voice was smug, and he wished that the white-haired thief was truly there in the room so that he could strangle him.

"My partner is not destroyed. I'll save him yet." There was no response, and Atemu realized that the tomb robber had left. He who fights and runs away lives to fight another day, huh? He shook his head, knowing that the phrase suited the boy who had named himself the king of thieves during his reign in Kemet all too well. Still, it wasn't quite as important to him as the boy in his arms. Yuugi needed his help, and he needed it fast. He could puzzle out the intricacies of whatever plot the tomb robber had concocted in his insane attempts at revenge after he had made sure that Yuugi was alright.

How did I not see it? I should have known immediately which Item could place such a seal; the Ring is the only one that had that kind of power. Why couldn't I remember? Was it merely that I didn't expect to see him here? Was it because I didn't expect that he had been sealed within the Ring as I had been sealed within the Puzzle? He frowned to himself, running his fingers through hair matted by dried and drying blood, biting his lip lightly as he pulled a few tangles from it. But that doesn't explain how he was able to send thoughts to me that made me think he was Yuugi. And that certainly does not explain how he was able to grab Yuugi out of his soul room and harm him in such a way, not to mention bring him into here of all places.

He lifted the boy into his arms, slowly walking from the room, willing the blood off of the surfaces within the Puzzle. It wouldn't do to have it there, not while he was focusing on cleaning his beloved.

He continued onward, to a room that he knew fairly well; a bedroom much like the one he had been privileged to have as pharaoh. Gently, he placed Yuugi onto the bed, looking down at him before concentrating and conjuring up a basin of water and a clean cloth. I need to clean these wounds.

Timidly, he brushed his fingers over Yuugi's wounds; feather-light touches preceding the use of a now-wet cloth to clean the boy's skin of the blood that covered it so completely. He leaned in, brushing his lips over Yuugi's, cringing at the metallic taste of the blood dried there. "Bloodthirsty Pharaoh," he said ... but if I were so bloodthirsty, wouldn't I enjoy the taste more? He frowned as he pulled back, crimson eyes scanning over Yuugi's body worriedly. And yet ... don't I have a sick sort of bloodlust? Why does it confuse me to be called bloodthirsty when I know that about myself? Was I ...? Why is it that the only actions that I can remember in regards to my people are those that were done against criminals?

Nothing made sense anymore, and his thoughts were a whirl in his head. He wanted to get more information, but he didn't know where he would be able to find it at the moment. Any search would leave Yuugi vulnerable, and he did not want to risk that, not so soon after finding him. Not while he was in such an awful position.

He continued to press gently at the cuts along his little one's body, the lines where the wires had bitten into his skin so fiercely. Murmured words to the shadows, asking for their help in healing his beloved; cuts faded to give way to smooth skin once more, and he smiled gently. "You'll rest here for now, my love. I won't let you go into your soul room with it looking as it does now." He ran his fingers through Yuugi's blood-caked hair once more. "I'll need you awake again to fix that, unfortunately," he said with a sigh, not liking that he was unable to fix one of the biggest problems that they had. "But, in here, you're safe. I can keep you protected if you are within my half of our heart for now."

He wondered if he should find a way to wash Yuugi's body off more fully, to get the dried blood off of him, but decided against it for the moment. He didn't want to jostle the fresh healing that he had placed on his partner, nor was he sure that he could personally handle it at the moment. The shock of not being able to communicate with Yuugi, followed by the discovery of his decimated soul room, and concluded with the discovery of his beloved's wrecked body; it was too much for him to try to accomplish anything else for the day, if he was perfectly honest. He lay beside his love, pulling Yuugi into a warm, protective embrace.

"I'm going to protect you against everyone," he whispered. "Please forgive me for not keeping my promise before." He pressed a kiss onto Yuugi's cheek, allowing tears to fall once more as the events of the evening finally came crashing into him with full force. "I'm so sorry, Yuugi. I'm so sorry for letting this happen, for nearly losing you for good. For everything. I love you ... I need you. Please be alright."

He closed his eyes, tears sliding against Yuugi's skin, and he suppressed his shudder at the fact that his beloved did not snuggle closer to him as he so longed for. Yuugi was not in control of himself at the moment; his strength was depleted in ways that he would not recover from so quickly and readily. He needed time, no matter how much Atemu wanted him awake right at that moment. He didn't want to wait, but he knew that he had no choice but to.

He tightened his embrace. "I'm here. I'll always be here." He kissed Yuugi's cheek again. "No matter who comes after me, no matter how many mysteries involve me, I will be here with you. No matter what aspect of my past comes back to try to pull me away, I will remain with you. And, somehow, I will help you to get better."

He laid Yuugi's head onto his chest and looked down at the boy, watching his motionless slumber; he watched as his beloved's spirit body slowly regained strength, one small bit at a time. I'll be here, always. When you wake up, I will be here for you, so please relax and recover. I want to see you again. I want you to see me again. A small smile touched his lips, and he brushed Yuugi's bangs back lovingly.

A thought drifted through him, and he smiled to himself, remembering the day that he had told Yuugi to sleep, and had ended up watching the boy for more hours than he could remember. He remembered Yuugi's restlessness, and how he had calmed when Atemu had hummed a gentle tune for him. Trying never hurt anyone, he mused.

A low, soft hum escaped him, in a song slower, sadder, gentler, and filled with more love than the one he had used the last time. It was a long shot, a small wisp of a hope, but he couldn't help but hold onto it; somehow, he just felt within himself that it would help Yuugi recover.

At the moment, he was more than willing to give any method a chance.

'My dearest sister, Amane,'

He stared blankly at the sheet of paper before him, tapping the end of the pen that he held lightly against the table. His thoughts were scattered, and he was unsure of just what he should write. What would Amane like to hear about from me, I wonder? Maybe I should tell her about the festival ... He frowned, eyes becoming distant as he thought about the events that had occurred earlier that day; he couldn't shake the feeling that he knew Mutou Yuugi from somewhere, despite the fact that they had just met for the first time that day, nor could he forget the fear he had felt at that cold, detached voice within his head; a voice vaguely reminiscent of his own, and yet entirely different at the same time.

His attention returned to the letter that he was attempting to write.

'I moved into my new apartment a few days ago. It took me some time to get settled in completely, but I think that I'm all set now. It's ... I don't know, kind of lonely, I guess. Much too big for just one person, but father refused to let me have a small place. He said that I needed the room for all of my things, and then pointed out that, with a bigger apartment, I'd be able to have more friends over and keep my Monster World set up. I really do appreciate the sentiment; he is only looking out for my best interests, after all, and I know that he just doesn't want me to be lonely, but I'm not sure just how many friends I will be able to make. People aren't always so accepting of people like me, as I'm sure you remember. Besides, there still is that rumor about me ...'

He stopped, lifting his pen again, biting the end of it idly. He'd told his sister about how he had been put into so many dangerous situations because of his personal preferences with regards to love so many times in his letters. He had been in tears while writing one of the letters, in fact; on the way home that day, he had been cornered by some of the other boys from school. They had taunted him, pulling at his hair as they punched his stomach, telling him that the world did not need such feminine boys; they had said that they didn't want him anywhere near them, looking at them with those eyes that cried out for how much he wanted to marry them. They had called him disgusting; a freak of nature.

The ironic part was that they weren't his type at all. He had never really been very attracted to those who were prone to physical abuse; people who felt that they way to show their worth was to show that they were able to destroy those who just happened to have the misfortune to be physically weaker than them. He was more drawn to a person who had an air of mystery to them; someone who might listen to him when he talked, instead of instantly judging him for his preferences.

He'd only ever met one person before who had really fit everything that he found ideal, during one of his breaks from school that he had gone to visit his father in Egypt. It was a boy a few months younger than him, who seemed to have a hidden anger within him that Ryou had been unable to place. They had spent some time together, becoming friends fairly quickly; neither had really ever managed to have many friends in the past, so the companionship was more than welcome for both of them. He still remembered his friend very well, and the other boy's family.

He frowned again, thinking on that matter; he couldn't quite remember when he'd received word from that family last.

'Do you know what I realized the other day? I haven't heard from my friends from Egypt for a while. I hope that nothing has happened to them. It's hard to get in contact with them when I'm so far away from them now. I miss them. Not quite as much as I miss you, of course. I hate having to be separated from you, my little sister.

'But I'm getting away from myself, aren't I? I'm getting off on a tangent instead of discussing how things have been going.

'The reason that I had to move in the first place was because it happened again. I wish that it hadn't, I really didn't want to move. I liked my last school, and I'd even made some really nice friends. But something happened to them; they all ended up in the hospital again, just like the schools before that. What's wrong with me? Why is it that everyone I get close to ends up hurt?

'Are they right about me? Am I a monster?'

He closed his eyes, backing away from the desk some. He didn't want his tears falling onto the letter that he was writing; it wouldn't do to have his younger sister see how upset it really made him to have others make such accusations against him. He just wanted to fit in. He wanted people to like him.

Crazed laughter hit him again, much like it had earlier that day at the festival, and he shuddered, looking around himself frantically. "Who's there?" Brown eyes scanned the room, only to find nothing. His frown grew curious, and he stood some. "Hello? Is there someone there?" Still, there was no response, and he settled himself back into the chair. Just my imagination ...? His attention refocused on the letter.

'I went to see the festival at the high school that I will be attending today, by the way. It was really nice to see all of the ideas that the students had come up with for their class, and the food was really delicious. And, yes, I know how you always make fun of me for the fact that I love food so much, but how can I help but indulge at an event such as that? I especially loved the class that was serving desserts.

'But, more than that, there was one class that was just amazing ... class 1-B. They put on a concert, and it was just breathtaking. I ...

'Well, I guess it won't come as too much of a surprise that I found their singer to be absolutely amazing. He had the most perfect voice, and I fell under its spell so easily. It helps that he was really cute, too. Well, not exactly cute, per say; he was more ... I don't know, just completely striking. He had the most enthralling eyes, a deep crimson finer than even the most precious rubies. But I'm running away with my fantasies again.

'I met him on the way home tonight. Well, rather, I ran right into him because I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. He seemed nice enough, though, so maybe I can become friends with him. I think I'd really like that; the chance to have a really good, nice friend at my new school. And, if nothing else, at least I'll know someone when I start school on Monday.'

He paused in his writing again, reading over what he had written. It's been a long time since I wrote a letter to her, hasn't it? There really is so much to catch up on, he thought idly. The laughter hit him again, and he felt his spine stiffen impossibly. He looked around again, standing fully from his chair and putting the pen down as he cautiously made his way through the apartment. That's strange; I could swear that I didn't hear the door open. How could someone have gotten in? He managed to keep his wits about him as he continued making his way through the rooms. "Is there someone here?" he asked, voice shaking ever-so-slightly. "Please answer me!"

Oh, there's someone here, frightened little host, came the ominous voice from earlier that day, reverberating within his skull. But I'm not here quite in the way that you would like to think.

He jumped, pressing his back against the wall and peeking around himself with wide, chocolate brown eyes. Shivers worked down his spine in constant motion as he continued to scan his apartment. "What are you talking about?"

I've been with you for a long time, the voice continued, the edge of insanity still biting against Ryou with each word. He shivered again.

Is this the reason why ... is this why all of my friends end up hurt? Ryou pressed himself against the wall as much as he possibly could, fear rushing through him at the prospect that someone had been with him without him noticing; that someone might have been harming anyone that he got close to. "No ... you couldn't have ..."

,b>Afraid, host? Afraid because I'm not pure and perfect like your precious Mutou Yuugi? Dark laughter. Ryou felt his eyes widen to impractical proportions at the mention of the other boy's name, and he couldn't help but worry for the one who he had fallen so quickly for. Yes, perfect little Yuugi. He was a fun one for me.

"No ..."

And he likely will want nothing to do with you now. After all, he's lost something very dear to him because of you.

"What have you done?!" Panic crept through him, and he tried his hardest to fight it down. If this was the reason for all of his friends being harmed, then he feared that Yuugi might be in serious danger. If he could do nothing else, he wanted to at least get some answers; it might be the only way to save the other boy, after all. Still, Bakura Ryou had never been the most confrontational person that the world had ever seen, and, more likely than not, he was by no means frightening to what he could only assume was someone with a severe case of psychosis. "What have you done to him?" He fought to keep his voice from wavering. Please not Mutou-san ... he was so nice to me, in spite of my knocking him over.

I've done nothing. It was you, after all. Ryou opened his mouth to protest the words, never for one moment finding it strange that he was arguing with what appeared to be thin air. He supposed that he probably should have; if anything, it was at the very least a sign that he needed more sleep than he had been getting recently. It could have even meant that he'd lost his mind as he had probably been expected to ever since he'd lost his mother and sister. It didn't faze him, however. It seemed perfect natural, in an odd sort of way; in a way that made his skin crawl at the thought, as he couldn't understand why he was hearing someone who seemed so openly malicious in the first place. It was you, host, so don't try to say that it wasn't. After all ... I am a part of you.

Slow, shaky breaths; his mind was racing at the accusation that the voice was making at him. I can't ... I can't have someone like that as a part of me. It can't be possible. He shook his head, needing the physical action to deny what he was being told. "No! I would never hurt someone like that. I would never take something they hold dear away from them."

You're the one who was there.

The words echoed in his mind as he tried to come up with an answer; coherent thoughts would not form. His hands went to the sides of his head, pressing down and holding as though such an action would gather his thoughts and make the hateful voice quiet down. He didn't want to hear it speaking such words, blaming whatever it had done – whatever it would do – on him. He had never wanted to bring harm to anyone; all that he had ever wanted was to have some friends who would not betray him, friends that he would not lose. He was so very lonely.

It's all your fault, little host. Ryou shook his head again, hands pressing firmly over his ears in an attempt to block out the cruel words; an attempt to block out that cold, uncaring voice. A helpless scream tore from his throat, and the sinister laughter sounded again, sending the white-haired teenager to his knees in a quivering mass. Don't you realize just how twisted you truly are?

He curled up more tightly, small tremors coursing over his body still as he pulled into the smallest ball that he possibly could. "No ... it's not true. I'm not ..."

You wanted them with you forever. You wanted your games to continue on for as long as possible. A soft whimper in response to the unfeeling, blunt words. Wasn't that your wish?

Not like that ... I didn't want my friends hurt ... He shivered again, shaking his head, hands still over his ears. "No ... no, it wasn't me ..." He whimpered again, pulling his limbs to himself even more tightly. "I didn't want them hurt! What did you do to them?" Tears stung at his eyes again, and he was unable to stop them from falling, despite his wish to not show his weakness. "Why have they all been hurt ...?" he questioned in a whisper that barely reached even his own ears.

I did nothing nearly as bad as what your precious Yuugi is to face.

His head snapped up at that, pupils contracting with his fear at the words that had been uttered, not wanting to imagine what could have happened to the boy that he had developed such quick feelings for. "What have you done to Mutou-san?"

There was no response beyond cruel, mocking cackling shooting through his head that died away slowly.

He remained in his protective, curled up state for what could have been anywhere from a minute to an hour; he wasn't sure himself, and he was only positive that he didn't want to know the truth. Slowly, carefully, he unfurled himself, standing with as much grace as he could muster in his current frame of mind. The words from that disembodied voice taunted him, running through his head indefinitely. He wanted to think of anything but those words, but could not get them out of mind, despite his attempts. Why am I always so weak against these problems? he berated himself silently.

Gradually, he dragged himself to his desk again, almost slower than a snail. His feet trailed along the floor, never really lifting off of the smooth wood as he neared the chair once again, allowing himself to collapse into it limply. His pupils were still constricted as he stared ahead of himself, brown eyes wide with shock over the knowledge that some ill fate might have befallen his newest acquaintance. My fault ...?

His breath came in short gasps, and he shivered with a frost that didn't come from the room itself; his apartment was truly warmer than he would have liked, normally, but all of the heat in the world would not warm him at that moment. Another whimper escaped him as a lone tear traveled down the curve of his cheek. Is it my fault? Is Mutou-san in pain because of me; because he met me? He didn't want to believe it, but the thoughts would not leave him. For all that he knew, the blame was on him; it always had been. Were they right, then? Am I really the monster that they accused me of being? Another shudder; he sniffled as a second tear trailed down to follow the past of the first. He didn't want to believe that his former classmates had been correct, but he couldn't see how they would be wrong after what he had heard.

He reached up, wiping the tears from his eyes before looking back at the unfinished letter. In an attempt to calm his nerves, he picked up his pen once more, slowly and carefully writing the last few lines to his little sister; the only words that he could see as being able to redeem him at that moment.

'I miss you, Amane. Always keep in mind that, no matter what, your big brother loves you and will never forget you.

'Regards,
Ryou'

Is this the edge of the earth? He shifted in his sleep, arm wrapping firmly around the one he shared his bed with as he rolled towards the other. A small smile graced his lips, and he sighed contentedly, pulling his companion closer to himself. So worn out ... His brow furrowed, and he pressed his face closer to the other's neck; he felt as though he'd walked for miles and collapsed when he'd finally run out of energy. His strength had been stolen from him, and he couldn't quite remember just why that was so. Corridor ... I remember running through it. And then voids. Gaping voids everywhere. He sniffed, not opening his eyes, and a pungent, coppery scent assaulted him. Blood? He frowned, noting that it had a faint touch of rust to it, the way that a large amount of dried blood would if left to sit for any period of time. Old blood.

Unable to push the scent from his attention, he knew that sleep would not be attained again until he saw what his surroundings held for him. Slowly, his eyes opened, and he blinked the sleep from them before looking at his companion carefully, wincing as memories flooded him upon seeing the once soft hair now hardened by the rust-colored, dried blood. "Yuugi ..." he whispered fearfully, timidly reaching a hand to the boy's face and brushing his fingers reverently over a pale cheek. I have to clean this off of him.

He pulled away from the boy before sliding off of the bed and stretching languidly; his eyes never left his beloved's face. He smiled gently at Yuugi's resting form, glad that he had been able to find the other. He had, after all, been so terrified that he might never see his life-giver again. He bent carefully, lifting the smaller teenager into his arms before starting towards a gentle archway. He hummed softly, an attempt to soothe his hurt love, as he walked towards the next room, once more pleased with the fact that this particular room was designed to be like the one he'd had as pharaoh. It did, after all, make things that much easier on him as he moved around to care for his precious Yuugi.

His thoughts wandered to the tub sunken into the floor, willing it to fill with warm water before gently placing Yuugi beside it, removing his own clothes before carefully stripping Yuugi of his blood-soaked and torn garments. Slipping into the water, he let out a soft sigh of pleasure before very carefully pulling his life-giver in with him. He was careful with Yuugi's body, not pressing his hands too roughly upon it for fear that he might upset the boy's wounds; he also took note of the fact that, because Yuugi was not awake, he would have to make sure that he didn't let the boy slip under the water for too long. It was one of the trickier aspects of dealing with soul rooms, he'd discovered: despite the fact that the actual body was not placed in danger, one could die from accidents within their own soul room.

His fingers ran through Yuugi's hair as he carefully dipped the teenager into the water, wincing as bits of dried blood flaked off of the hair to mix into the water, slowly coloring it a faint orange. He continued running his fingers through Yuugi's hair carefully, steeling himself against any reactions to the water tinged with the dry blood; he knew that he had to get the substance off of Yuugi as best as he could.

He had to admit that he did enjoy running his fingers through Yuugi's hair, although he did wish that he were doing so under better circumstances. He refused to cease his actions, however, slowly working the clumps out of Yuugi's hair and returning it to the gentle, silken glory that it had been before the entire mess had begun. He leaned in, placing a gentle kiss upon the still-unconscious boy's lips before closing his eyes thoughtfully. A gentle hum escaped him again, and he allowed a soothing tune to form as he returned his attention to Yuugi's hair, making sure that he'd rid it of all of the blood that had been caked on it.

Atemu's humming came to a halt as he sighed softly, stroking Yuugi's cheek with his thumb before smiling gently and sadly down at his life-giver. There's no one that I will ever love more than you, Yuugi. I just hope that you can forgive me for not being there to stop this from happening. He pulled Yuugi closer to himself, brushing another kiss upon the teenager's lips before slowly running his hands over smooth skin, scrubbing just hard enough to clear the tracks of blood from him, healing any wounds that he ran across on the way. He wanted his life-giver to be returned to his state of physical perfection that matched the beauty of Yuugi's kind and open heart.

A gentle sigh escaped him again, and he ran his fingers through Yuugi's hair once more, reveling in the feel of the soft hair brushing against his hand. "I love you, my little one, and I always will. You're the one that I was meant for, the one that I waited for three thousand years to meet." He kissed the boy again. "And I will never let anything come before you ever again."

He picked up the gentle humming again, just holding Yuugi close, not wanting to move out of the water just yet, despite having cleaned the blood off of him already. The tune that he hummed was light, intended to calm whatever nerves that it had to. It was something that he did almost unconsciously, really, ever since the night that he had watched Yuugi sleep and helped him relax by humming as he held the boy. He enjoyed calming Yuugi's nerves, and since his life-giver had made it so very clear that he loved Atemu's voice, it seemed to be a natural conclusion for him to come to.

Leaning back against the side of the tub, he pulled Yuugi closer, smiling to himself as he felt the boy press against him unconsciously. A good sign, at least, he thought to himself, simply watching the boy that he held. He's starting to get better if he's moving like that now. His humming continued, and he felt the soft exhalation of Yuugi's sigh against his chest, enjoying the feather-light touch of his breath. My little one ...

He stopped his thought there, remembering with a fond smile how Yuugi had asked him not to refer to him as 'little one.' The conversation had been nice that morning, and he had wanted it to go further than it had, despite Yuugi's alarm clock deciding that it had gone far enough. Pressing a gentle kiss onto the teenager's forehead as he allowed himself to replay the events of that morning, he soon found himself pulled out of his thoughts by Yuugi snuggling even closer against him.

A soft moan came from Yuugi as he pressed his face closer, nose nuzzling against Atemu's bared chest before he stilled again, mumbling something incoherent. Atemu smiled at his love, carefully picking the boy up as he stood, climbing out of the sunken tub and laying Yuugi on the floor again before looking around for something that could be used to dry his little one off. Moments later, he abandoned the thought of searching and focused on forming two large, fluffy towels in his hands, wrapping one around his own waist before gently patting at Yuugi with the other, smiling as he heard the teenager mumble something again as he ran the towel briskly over his hair. Forgive me, my beautiful life-giver, but this must be done. He pressed another gentle kiss on a smooth cheek.

Wrapping the towel lovingly around his young love, he picked Yuugi up and carried him back to the bed, laying him among lush sheets of the finest silk before sitting beside him, idly running his fingers through hair that put the sheets to shame. He wanted to stay with his beloved in this position forever ... with the one slight change of Yuugi being awake, however. He wanted to see his life-giver's beautiful violet eyes again so badly that he could barely contain his urge for it.

Atemu watched as Yuugi shifted, face rubbing against his thigh, causing a blush to form on the former pharaoh's cheeks. His fingers continued to run through Yuugi's soft, golden bangs, earning yet another sigh of contentment. He'll be alright ... he'll make it through this. I'm so glad that he will. He shifted; lying beside his beloved and holding him close again, Atemu allowed his muscles to relax, letting go of the tension that he had been feeling. Softly, he began humming again, noting that Yuugi once again pressed closer against him. You can hear me ... He smiled, his humming coming to a halt, and heard a disappointed whimper escape his love; he held onto his soft laugh at hearing that. I'm glad. It will help you.

Softly, he murmured some words to his love, not really sure just what he was saying. "My heart belongs to you in every way you could ever ask for. No matter what time brings for us, you'll be the one that I adore," he sang, almost too low for anyone to even hear, smiling to himself as Yuugi's face burrowed against his chest again. The words came to him, a slow song of undying love; he was sure that it was one from Yuugi's memories, and that the boy would enjoy hearing it. And so he sang for his love, wanting to give him everything that his heart could possibly desire.

He felt Yuugi shifting against him as he continued to sing, and he closed his eyes, joy washing through him. The lyrics were lovely, he had to admit, and he could understand just why Yuugi liked the song. It was hopeful, and proclaimed everything that his life-giver could ever want. Atemu was sure that he wanted to give Yuugi whatever the song promised.

"And if the night dies down to never, I promise that I will be your forever. No matter what we have to face, in your heart is my only place," he murmured the lyrics, his powerful and enchanting baritone growing softer and more reverent with each line of the song. "I'll never let you down, my love. And in my sleep, you're the one I dream of." His voice died away with the final word, and he smiled, eyes still closed.

Had he watched carefully, however, he might have noticed violet eyes open with the final words of the song.

Violet eyes stared at the resting figure, wide with shock and a hint of anger. He shook with suppressed rage as he thought about what had happened to him before raising his right hand.

Moments later, a resounding 'smack' echoed through the room, and crimson eyes snapped open, a hand coming to the other's cheek and rubbing slowly to try to ease the pain of the slap. Slowly, those eyes followed the hand that had connected with his cheek up the arm that it was attached to, and then caught onto an enraged violet gaze. Crimson eyes widened with shock. "Yuugi ..."

"Don't you 'Yuugi' me!" He turned away, shaking with his barely contained anger. He closed his eyes, trying to clear his thoughts. How can he sit there and look at me so calmly after what he did? His words were biting when he spoke. "You let that happen to me. You promised me that you would keep me safe, and then you let me nearly be killed!"

"He doesn't really care about you. His first love is bloodshed." The words, which had spoken by a silken voice that had a barely concealed edge of dark omen to it, echoed through his mind repeatedly, pounding into him like a hammer on a nail. He remembered the words well ... he had heard them while pleading for his other self to rescue him from the torturous room he had been trapped in. "He only pretends to love you, but, really, he's just leading you on so that he can have a body to use. The only thing that he has ever known is how to use others for his own purposes. The only one that he cares for is himself." Yuugi had argued against that voice, screaming that it wasn't true, that Atemu did care for him.

But Atemu hadn't come for him. The former pharaoh had let him hang there and suffer. He cringed at the remembered feeling of the skin of his wrists breaking under the strain of the wires biting into them; he had screamed and cried until his throat had gone raw and he could make no further sound.

He had been forced to endure his pain, tears falling from his eyes and mingling with fresh blood, stinging against his cuts, before the mixture plummeted to the floor so far below him. And still he hung, hissing at the sharp pain of the wire biting into his throat, cutting off his breaths. He had been foolish enough to hold onto his faith even then, and he had been let down so very badly; the man that he believed in, the man that he had hoped would save him, had not come. His eyes had closed in exhaustion and defeat. "He's enjoying himself out there instead, chatting up another. He'll probably celebrate being rid of you. A meaningless, bloodthirsty bastard like him could never care for someone as precious as you." He flinched marginally as he remembered the words, the voice. He had tried to shout out that it wasn't true, that Atemu was not like that, but he couldn't bring himself to. He didn't really know Atemu all that well, after all; the voice could have been telling him the whole truth. It was driven home with each passing moment, as Atemu's absence continued on.

"Yuugi, that's not true ..."

"It is true! You left me there all alone! You wanted me gone!" he threw back in anger, not caring how much the words hurt his other self. After all, Atemu had hurt him more than enough by betraying Yuugi's trust. "Well, perhaps I should give you just what you want, then!" He jumped up from the bed, pulling away from the former pharaoh quickly, not even noticing his lack of clothing as he ran from the room. He ran as fast as his legs could take him down the twists of the maze that lay outside the room, finding his way to the exit as fast as he could and bursting out from it. He had only one destination in mind, and he intended to get there as quickly as possible.

He didn't hear the footfalls behind him, the voice of his other self calling for him to stop, begging him not to go. He didn't care to hear it. He didn't want to turn around; if he was honest with himself, he wasn't sure if he would be able to keep his resolve if he did turn to face the other. Those crimson eyes dictated so much to him, drove all reason from his head.

He could not allow himself to fall victim to those eyes and the lies of the one that they belonged to again.

I hate you! his mind shouted angrily, directing the thought towards the other, even without sending it to him. He didn't want his other self to ever hear him again. He continued to run, right to the door of his own soul room, turning to open the door only to find it already hanging ajar. He frowned, taking a step forward before falling back with a yelp, holding his head with his hands as memories flooded him. A monster jumping through the door, running right for him; it clawed at the bed, snagging his leg and tearing a cry of pain from him. He'd run to the desk, only to have it explode moments before he had reached it, shards of shattered and splintered wood grazing against his cheek and eliciting a sharp hiss of pain from him. He had run, until backed into a corner. Shadowy hands had closed around him, dragging him forward, burning at his skin.

He remembered writhing in pain.

Slowly, he shook his head, clearing the memories from the forefront of his mind as he looked into the room, shuddering at the holes littering the floor, the gaps in the walls. It looks like a losing game of Tetris. The thought came to him unbidden, and he shuddered at the thought of someone playing such a game with his soul room. He took a step forward, two steps; his bare feet hit puddles of blood with a stomach-churning 'squish,' and he fought his reaction to be ill at the sound, looking around the room with the expression of a lost child. "Why ...?" he choked out.

He felt someone coming up behind him and whirled around to face Atemu, anger burning in his eyes again. His fault! It's all his fault!

"He doesn't want to save you. He wants to let you fall into nothingness here."

An enraged shriek tore from Yuugi's throat and he launched towards the other, hands balled into fists as he pounded into the former pharaoh's chest over and over again in a desperate onslaught of emotion. "Why? Why would you do this to me? Why would you lie to me, make me believe that you really cared, just to do this? How could you?" But there was no response; Atemu allowed Yuugi to continue hitting him.

His arms felt heavy, and the pounding on his other self's chest slowed until he was barely moving at all. Tears fell from violet eyes, and a sob raked his entire body as he fell forward, only to be caught by strong arms. "Don't touch me ..." he choked out, another sob tearing from him as more tears fell. "Don't you dare touch me; not after what you've done." But the arms did not release him. Instead, Yuugi found himself being pulled more firmly upright, pressed against a strong chest as one hand slid up his back to tangle into his hair. Gentle caresses played along soft strands in an attempt to placate his overtaxed nerves.

Soft shushing sounds reached Yuugi's ears, and he tried to pull away, only to have those strong arms tighten around him; a kiss was placed onto his hair, and he felt his other self's breath blowing the strands gently. "Please don't move, my partner," Atemu whispered, barely loud enough for Yuugi to hear. "Please don't make me lose you again." He sounded desperate, a pleading edge coloring his every word. Yuugi froze in confusion as something wet hit his scalp: tears. Atemu's grip on him loosed, his hands going to Yuugi's arms before sliding down to grab onto his hands. The teenager found himself fighting back a shocked gasp as the former pharaoh fell to his knees before him, tears falling from his eyes freely as crimson pools looked up at him in despair. "I can't bear to lose you again, Yuugi. I need you ... I need you so much. I'm sorry, so very sorry that I didn't realize that something was wrong until it was too late. I would give anything to turn back time and take your place in that torture, anything at all." His words were rushed, and his composure was destroyed as he begged his life-giver for forgiveness. Yuugi frowned, biting his lower lip; he was unsure of what to do as he heard Atemu barely choke out, "I love you so much ..."

"How can I trust you?" Bitterness colored the question, and he noticed the other flinch visibly at the words; Yuugi's distrust was plain. He's just a liar. He'll do anything to get his way ... he just wants to use me to his own advantage, he reminded himself. Isn't that what the voice said? And yet, even as the thoughts floated through his head, he couldn't help but wonder just why he had been so compelled to listen to that voice in the first place. There was something about it that seemed more than just slightly off; it had seemed so bent on revenge for something, and it had only appeared after Yuugi's torture had begun.

"I don't know," came the whispered response. Atemu's head dropped in resignation, chin resting along the top of his chest. He seemed to be the very picture of regret and anguish; a man who had lost all of his hope for redemption. Yuugi's question had made it evident that he would not be forgiven for his not stopping - not even noticing - what had occurred before it was too late.

"Then why are you here?" Anger. He wanted the other to let go of him; he felt his skin crawling at the touch. He caused this!

Yuugi frowned again, looking away. Are those my own thoughts ...? he wondered, not quite sure what to make of the situation. He had fallen in love with Atemu, after all; to see the former pharaoh in such a state was heart wrenching for him.

"Yuugi ..." he murmured, looking up again, tears shining in his eyes. "I ..." He looked down, gathering his thoughts before looking right into Yuugi's questioning violet eyes again. "I'm here because I love you. I'm here because I will fight anything to save you. Please forgive me for not being able to protect you from my past this time; I promise you that I will do whatever I can to make sure that there is no repeat of this day." His voice became softer with each word, and Yuugi had to strain to hear him in the end. "I promise you that I will do anything for you."

Yuugi did not get a chance to respond as his strength gave out and he collapsed into his other self's gentle embrace.

Disclaimer: Yuugiou is the intellectual property of Kazuki Takahashi. I do not claim any right to the series or its characters, and I should probably apologize for the hell I'm likely to be putting them through in this story.
Other Note: No, Atemu will not be dumping Yuugi for anyone. He's just the kind of character that everyone ends up drawn to. Just because characters end up crushing on him doesn't mean that he is going to like them back in that sense. As a friend? Possibly; not necessarily the case every time, though. Hormonal reactions are hormonal reactions, after all. Everyone is subject to them. Also, the reason for him being a great singer? Mainly inspired because the man who voiced Yuugi and Atemu in the original is actually a singer in a band. Combine that with the fact that I've always had a thing for singers, and ... yeah.