Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Not Who They Used To Be ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

A/N - Special thanks to KaTyA for all your help!^^

Not Who They Used To Be, Chapter 3

In the middle of the night, Yami lay awake, unable to sleep. Yugi and Joey were still there but everyone else was gone. Yami laid there - still on the couch, too sore to move anywhere - and stared at the darkened ceiling, trying to think of a reason to excuse Seto's behaviour as of late. Unfortunately for him, none came up and he was stuck staring at the ceiling with nothing to think of except his lover's terrible actions.

"Shut up, slave."

Yami shuddered, Seto had never called him that. No one had and it wasn't so much the word that hurt him, but the person who said it. Yami missed the kind and loving Seto that he used to know.

Determined to find a reason, Yami dragged himself off the couch, despite the pain and slowly began to walk up the stairs to his old room. It was the room he had avoided every since Téa was killed, leaving him in control once more.

He entered the room slowly and cautiously, keeping an eye out for anything that might jump out at him.

Carefully he turned on the light and walked over to the desk. He saw a note on the desk, neatly placed as if it was just left there, especially for him to find. Only...it didn't make sense. He picked it up and read it over.

Nehw ym tirips si enog, ym srewop lliw eb nevig ot eht eno eht remrof lessev si tsesolc ot.

Confused, Yami stuffed the note in his pocket and headed back down the stairs, too tired and exhausted to do anymore searching. He'd have to do it when he was feeling better.

When he finally reached the couch again, he gently laid down and quickly fell asleep.

"Yami?" Someone was shaking him. He didn't like it and it frightened him. Why wouldn't they get off him? He just wanted to sleep. Get off me! His mind cried.

"Yami." The voice said again. He flailed his arms and sat up, awakening.

"Are you alright, Yami?" It was only Yugi, not the figure he thought. He had seen some scary shadow in the form of his lover. Cruel hands had touched him and spoken his name. He shook his head clear and nodded, wincing at the still present pain in his backside.

"Sorry, just a bad dream." Yami said.

"Well as long as you're okay..." Yugi said. Yami noticed that there wasn't anyone else around and asked Yugi about it. "The others are out, I thought it best that we talk alone." Yugi said.

"About what?" Yami asked, leaning back on the couch.

"What happened yesterday? Why did he do this to you?" Yugi asked. He used 'he' worrying that the actual name might upset Yami.

"I...I don't want to talk about it, Yugi." Yami said, looking away from him.

"Please, Yami. I need to know what's going on, this can't be good if he's acting so differently." Yugi said, placing a hand on Yami's shoulder. Yami shrugged it off.

"Drop it, Yugi. I said I don't want to talk about it." Yami's voice was firm, leaving no place to argue and Yugi should have known to leave it at that, but being as worried as he was, he wasn't going to let it just 'drop'.

"Yami stop playing games. I want you to tell me why." Yugi said. The two stared at each other for a few minutes before Yami tore his gaze away.

"I...I..." He started. He turned back to Yugi and tears were sitting in the bottom of his eyes, threatening to fall down his cheeks. "S, Seto has been going out a lot and...when I tried to leave he..." Yami subconsciously rubbed the bruise on his cheek. The tears fell down Yami's face as he shut them tightly. "He said he was going to have to teach me how to listen because I wasn't doing what he told me to. Then he..." Yami burst into tears and Yugi hugged him tightly, allowing him to cry on his shoulder.

"Shh, just tell me what happened, Yami." Yugi said, rubbing Yami's back softly.

"He told me to shut up and called me slave...then he...well, you know the rest." Yami said through sobs. Yugi didn't say anything, he wasn't sure he could say to make him feel better. He just sat there and let Yami cry into his shoulder.

"Yugi...I need to go into that room." Yami said quietly.

"Are you sure?" Yugi asked. Yami nodded and Yugi stood up. "Then I should help you, you're still hurt." Yugi said. He held out his hand and helped Yami stand. Together, the two of them slowly made their way up the steps into Yami's room.

"I'm going to check the desks." Yami said. Yugi nodded and let him go, standing and waiting.

While Yugi wasn't paying attention, Yami placed the note back on the desk and began rummaging through the drawers. His eyes widened at the photos.

"Oh no...he wasn't...no...he couldn't have!" Yami cried as he looked at all the pictures, suddenly realizing what made Seto come over everyday. Then he spotted the envelope under the drawer.

"No..." Yami whispered. He sat down on the chair, ignoring the pain and just sat there staring at the images of Yugi and Ryou.

"What is it Yami?" Yugi walked over and peered over Yami's shoulder. He paled at the photos of himself.

"I...I know what Seto was doing when he came over here..." Yami said. It didn't help that there was a pile of Kleenexes in the garbage bin.

"Yami, I...I'm so sorry." Yugi said. Yami turned and looked at him.

"Don't apologize. You did nothing wrong. Seto did. And I am going to find out why."

"Ryou? Are you alright?" Bakura asked. Ryou opened his eyes slowly and gazed up at Bakura.

"What happened?" He asked.

"You passed out again. Malik and his Yami helped me carry you home last night." Bakura said.

"Thanks 'Kura. I just wish I knew what was happening to me." Ryou said. Bakura sighed and sat down next to Ryou on the bed.

"I wish I knew what was going on too. We think it might still be because of Téa." Bakura said.

"I'm not too sure about that...nothing in regards to that bothers me, not at all. I think...I think it's something else. I mean....I've noticed that Yami hasn't been around a lot and when he was he wasn't very happy and usually alone. And then there's Seto who keeps visiting Yugi...I think I started fainting around the time all that started happening." Ryou explained. Bakura nodded, understanding what he meant.

"So you think something new is coming. Something that's a result of the last event that occurred." Ryou nodded. "Hm, well it's entirely possible. We should talk to Yugi later, but right now you need to get some rest, you don't want to wear yourself out." Bakura smiled when Ryou yawned.

"Fine. But only if you stay here, my room is really cold." Ryou said. Bakura laughed and climbed in next to Ryou. They pulled the covers up and quickly fell asleep.

A/N - This chap was weird...but it didn't take me long so that's probably why. Sorry for taking so long!
~Happy 'Lil Slasher~