Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Strengthening Connection ❯ Encouraging Words ( Chapter 2 )

I'm glad so many of you like my story so far. I hope you will continue to enjoy it.

Review Responses:

Chaos: I'm not sure if a Marik/Malik pairing will work for this story. But we'll have to see.

SniperYingFa: I agree, Yami and Yugi do make a really cute couple. Thanks for the review!

Ishizu: I'm glad you think I've captured Yugi's character so well. I hope you like the way everyone else's characters come out too.

Yami-no-Yugi: I'm glad you liked the first chapter so much. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PUTTING ME ON YOUR FAVORITES LIST!!! I'm really happy! Enjoy the second chapter!

Midnight Phoenix: I love Yami/Yugi pairings too. Glad you like the story so far. Here's the next chapter.

Angel Reaper: Glad you like it. Here's the next part!

ilpalazzo: Sorry about the format. I'll see if I can fix it. As for the couples, I think I am going to just stick mainly with Yami/Yugi. Although I've had requests for Marik/Malik as well. So they might pair up in the end. We'll see.

Yami's Girl710: Glad you like it so much. Hope I didn't make you wait too long for the next chapter.

xtreemmasheen3k2: I did put a warning at the beginning of the story as well as mentioning it in the summary. If you don't like Yaoi stories, then you don't have to read them. Thanks for the info on the TV series though.

Disclaimer: I still don't own Yugioh.

Well, here's the next chapter. It's in Yami's POV this time. Enjoy!

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Chapter 2: Encouraging Words

I can tell Yugi is awake. As I shake the remnants of sleep from mind I can sense that he is worried about something. I mentally prepare for the day, as he showers and gets dressed. I don't think he got much sleep last night. I can sense fatigue at the edges of his awareness. I decide to see if he'll tell me what's wrong.

//Good morning, Yugi.//

/'Morning, Yami!/ He replies happily, but I can tell that it's forced.

//Ready for the next day of the tournament?// I ask, hoping he'll tell me what's bothering him.

He pauses a moment before replying, as if deciding on what to say.

/Of course!/

It's clear that he isn't going to tell me. I could just read his mind, but that would be invading his privacy, and I won't do that unless I have to. I remain quite as he finishes getting ready and eats breakfast. He lingers a moment before getting up and leaving the house. 'Strange, he's usually eager to leave in the morning. He loves being outside.'

As he walks towards the center of town, I appear in my spirit form and walk beside him.

//Yugi, are you sure there is nothing wrong?// I try again.

He looks up at me, then faces forward again. He doesn't reply right away, and take the time to study him. He's wearing a pair of tight, black, leather pants and a black leather shirt without sleeves. I recognize the outfit as the one I wore about a week ago when I went on that "date" with Tea. I actually like the way he looks in it. 'It really shows off his figure. I should ask him to wear things like that more often. He looks cute . . .' I stop myself right there. I almost can't believe I was thinking that. But then again, it's true.

He finally responds, saving me from having to think about that anymore.

/I'm just worried about the tournament./ He says, looking up at me again. /I mean, there's so much at stake here. Not just with the tournament, but with Marik and you. I don't know what to do./

I smile at him. 'Is that what he's been worried about?'

//Listen, Yugi. Everything will be fine. We'll deal with Marik when and where he shows up. We can't spend all our time worry about him. As for the tournament, we'll just do our best. Like we always do. There's really no reason to worry about.//

/But what about what Marik said. He's after you and the Puzzle. He won't stop until he gets it. What happens if he does get it? I don't think I could stop him if he really came after us./

//Yugi, we'll be alright.// We pause and I try to figure out how to say this. //Yes, Marik is after the Puzzle, but so was Pegasus. Bakura's Yami is still after it. As long as the Puzzle and I exist, people are going to be after its power. I've known this all along. I'm sorry you had to be dragged into this, too. But I know that together we can deal with anything that Marik can throw at us. You'll do fine. You just have to trust yourself and your abilities like I do.//

He looked at me, surprised for a moment, as he processed what I had said. Then he smiled. A small smile, but I could sense the lift in his spirits. He might still be worried, but he wasn't as worried as he was before.

/Thank you, Yami./ He said, then he continued onward.

I returned to my soul room thinking about what he had said. 'He needs to learn to trust himself. I won't always be able to protect him.' I sigh, and we continue on to face the second day of the tournament.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Well? What do you think? Please review? It really helps me with my work. Thanks!!