Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ The Darkness in the Light ❯ Chapter4 ( Chapter 4 )

The Darkness in the Light

by Dragondreamer and Yami Dragon

Disclaimer: We don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! If we did, Joey would have no need of clothing.

Warning: This story contains shouenen-ai (guy/guy relationships) and yaoi (guys having sex with guys). It also contains coarse language and violence. If you don't like it, or become offended by such things, just leave already! How many times do you have to be told?

Note: /…/ Yugi's thoughts and mindlink to Yami

//…// Yami's thoughts and mindlink to Yugi

[…] Joey's thoughts

*…* Ryou's thoughts and mindlink to Bakura

**…** Bakura's thoughts and mindlink to Ryou

~*~*~*~*~

DD: This chapter is WAY long.

YD: Well, I couldn't find a good place to cut it off.

Tristan: How much longer are you going to keep us hanging anyway?

DD: Well, this chapter is what the other three have been leading up to.

Bakura: So, someone dies?

DD: *sighs* No you psycho, no one dies.

Bakura: When does someone die?

DD: No one dies!!

YD: Yugi, go get me a coffee, would ya?

DD: *note to Pyro and Bakurasgirl* All hail Tim Horton!!

~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 4

~*~*~*~*~

Yami smiled at the sight before him.

Joey was stretched out on the couch, arms protectively around a sleeping Yugi who was sprawled out on the taller teen.

The love in Joey's eyes as he watched Yugi sleep was enough to bring tears to Yami's. He felt Seto slip his arms around his waist and he leaned back with a sigh.

Joey looked up at the slight sound and grinned.

"Morning mutt." Seto whispered.

Joey scowled, irritated at not being able to make a comeback for fear of waking the boy in his arms.

"I'll make us some breakfast." Yami said softly, pulling Seto from the room before his victorious laughter could wake his hikari.

"Seto." Yami scolded.

"I couldn't help it." Seto chuckled.

~*~*~*~*~

Yugi stirred in his sleep, whimpering. "No…please…"

"Yugi, wake up." Joey tightened his grip on the smaller form.

Yugi whimpered again, eyelids fluttering. "P-p-please…"

"Wake up love. You're having a nightmare."

Yugi's eyes shot open. "NO!"

He struggled violently to escape Joey's arms.

"Hush Yugi. It's okay. It's okay!"

Seto and Yami ran into the room, drawn by Yugi's scream.

"Aibou!" Yami knelt next to the couch, reaching out to his light. He tried to reach him through their link, but all he got was an unreasoning terror.

Yugi continued to struggle, senseless, against the comforting hands. Suddenly, he went limp.

Minutes slipped by, Yugi's ragged sobs the only sound in the quiet room. Eventually, he lifted a tear-streaked face to look at Joey.

"Oh baby." Joey was shocked by the fear in the huge, purple eyes. "It's alright. It was just a dream."

"Aibou, can you tell us about it?"

"Blood…pain…" Yugi shook his head. "I can't remember."

Seto, desperate for something to do, left the room and came back with a glass of water. Joey sat up, supporting Yugi as Seto handed him the glass.

"Thanks." Yugi smiled tremulously at him.

Seto smiled back, tousling his hair, a gesture previously reserved for his brother.

Yugi was still trembling slightly as he stood up. "I'm gonna go take a shower."

Joey rose from the couch, gripping Yugi's shoulders to steady him. Yugi pulled away with a violent shudder.

"Please Joey." He whispered, voice full of tears. "Please. Don't touch me."

Without looking back, he left the room. Joey took a step towards the doorway but stopped when Seto grabbed his arm. He whirled around, amber eyes flashing fire.

"Let him go Joey. He wants to be alone."

The blonde hesitated a heartbeat, then to Seto's surprise, as well as Yami's, threw himself at the young billionaire, sobbing, wrapping his arms around his waist.

After an awkward moment, Seto put his arms around the crying teen and attempted to soothe him.

"It's okay Joey."

"It's not! I don't know how much more of this I can handle!"

Yami stood, dumbstruck, at the scene before him. Seto saw this and realized he had to take the situation in hand, and quickly before Joey completely broke down.

"Alright, enough puppy. You're soaking me here." Seto said, his tone caustic.

Joey pulled away, wiping his eyes, and smirking at the brunette.

"Wouldn't want to wrinkle your shirt, would I, ya rich asshole."

"That's better. Mutt."

"Moneybags."

"Canine."

Yami left the room quietly, so as not to disturb Seto cheering up Joey. He made his way to Yugi's bedroom, sitting on the bed, waiting for his other half to emerge from the attached bathroom.

Yugi came into the room a few minutes later, buckling his neck belt. He smiled at his dark, sitting down next to him.

"Feeling better Aibou?"

"Yeah. Sorry about losing it like that."

"Don't worry about it my light." Yami hugged the smaller boy. "Though you did upset Joey."

Yugi sighed. "I didn't mean to. I just couldn't…I couldn't bear for him to touch me."

"Why?" Crimson eyes gazed into amethyst. "Don't you love him Yugi?"

"Yeah, don't you?" Joey was standing in the doorway, looking lost.

Yugi got up and came to stand in front of the blonde. He placed his hand on Joey's chest, over his heart.

"With all my heart." He looked up questioningly.

Joey leaned down and kissed Yugi gently.

"Forever." He whispered in response to the other's silent plea.

~*~*~*~*~

Yugi looked out the window of the car, lightly drumming his fingers on his knee. He saw Tristan and Otogi walking up the street, seemingly towards his place, and waved to them.

"It'll be good to have Ryou and Bakura home."

"Yeah." Yugi replied. "I can't believe they've only been gone a month. It seems like they haven't been around all summer."

"You miss Ryou, huh?"

Yes. I mean, he is my best friend." Yugi grinned. "We tell each other everything. Do you know one time Bakura discovered this bottle of chocolate sauce and…"

"Stop right there! I do not want to know!"

Yugi laughed. "Oh come on Seto. I saw Yami's wrists. You freak."

Seto blushed, suddenly finding it very necessary to keep his eyes glued to the road.

"Yugi," Seto asked when the laughter finally died. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"What exactly caused your memory loss?"

Yugi's brow furrowed. "I went through the windshield. The doctors told Grandpa it was the result of my head injury."

"And you were how old?

"Thirteen."

"How far back does the memory loss go?"

Yugi had the feeling Seto was digging for something. "Three years. I have all my memories up until I was ten. My mom dying. Me and my dad living alone. That sort of thing, but after that, it's weird. It's just small things that I can remember for the next three years. School, my father taking me to the movies, my twelfth birthday…my memories don't become whole again until after I came to live with Grandpa."

"Why did you?"

"My dad couldn't handle it. Grandpa said they both thought I'd be better off living with him. I haven't seen my dad since. I don't even know where he is."

"Mmmm…"

"I know what you're thinking Seto. And I know Yami probed my memories."

"You do?"

Yugi nodded. "It left…umm…echoes. I know why he did it. I'm not happy about it, but I understand.

"He's really worried about you. We all are."

"I know Seto, and I love you guys for it. I just feel guilty about Joey."

"Yugi, he loves you. I know this. He'll stand by you, no matter what."

"But for how long? If I can't…"Yugi's voice broke.

"Hey little man." Seto reached over and squeezed his shoulder. "He wouldn't want you to force yourself to do anything you're not ready for."

~*~*~*~*~

The airport was crowed, but they didn't have any problems finding Ryou and Bakura. The two half albinos stood out like wolves amongst sheep. Well, at least that was true of Bakura. The yami, dressed in skin tight black leather, chains and spikes, was ignoring the curious looks of the people around him.

The two hikaris started running as soon as they spotted each other. They collided so hard, hugging each other madly, that Seto was surprised they stayed on their feet.

"Ra, it's good to be back!

Seto smiled at the spirit of the Ring. "Wales not to your liking Bakura?"

"Rained too much."

"Really `kura!" Ryou untangled himself from Yugi. "It only rained the last four days."

"Hey Bakura!" Yugi smiled brightly.

Bakura hugged the small duelist. "Hello little one."

Seto picked up their suitcase. "How's your grandmother?"

"Great!" Ryou smirked. "She spoiled `kura rotten."

Seto lifted an eyebrow at Bakura's blush.

"Let's get going!" Yugi was practically bouncing. "Grandpa's supposed to call today."

~*~*~*~*~

The sun was setting and they were all sitting around Yugi's living room, talking about Ryou and Bakura's trip.

While Yami and Yugi were closing up the game shop, Seto and Bakura had gone for take out. Napkins, utensils, and empty food containers littered the coffee table.

Something had been nagging Ryou all day and now, looking around at his friends from his usual spot on Bakura's lap, he saw what it was.

Seto was sitting on the couch, idly running his fingers through Yami's hair as the Pharaoh lay with his head on Seto's lap. Tristan was stretched out on the floor, his head in his hand and an arm around Otogi who couldn't possibly get any closer. And Joey and Yugi…they were sitting at opposite ends of the loveseat, at least two feet of space between them. Yugi had his knees drawn up to his chest, his arms wrapped around them while Joey sat with a leg tucked under him and his arm across the back of the seat. But they weren't touching.

* Something's wrong. *

** What? **

* Joey and Yugi. They haven't touched each other all day. *

** I know. Things have gotten worse. Seto told me about it when we were out. **

* What's happened? *

Ryou reeled mentally as the information dense images of Bakura's conversation with Seto poured into his mind.

* Oh gods. Poor Yugi. *

** Poor Joey. **

* Yeah…I wonder… *

** What? **

* I'll be right back. *

Ryou kissed his other half and slipped from his lap. He walked from the room, heading for the adjoining kitchen, and paused in the doorway.

"Yugi, could you give me a hand?"

"Sure." Yugi followed the white haired boy into the kitchen.

Bakura watched Joey's eyes follow them, his expression dejected. Seto caught his eye, frowning slightly. Bakura shrugged, indicating he had no idea what his light was up to.

~*~*~*~*~

"Yugi, what's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

Ryou folded his arms over his chest and scowled. "Hello? Best friend here?"

Yugi sighed and shook his head.

Ryou's stance softened. "It's getting worse, isn't it?"

"Yes." Yugi sighed again. "I just…I can't…oh gods Ryou. I love him so much! I don't want to lose him!"

"Maybe you should talk to someone. You know, like a doctor."

"How would that help? I don't even know what's wrong!"

Ryou hugged his friend. He didn't know what to say. Frustration at his helplessness poured through him. "I'm here if you need to talk, okay?"

"Thanks Ryou."

~*~*~*~*~

Yami shook his head as he stuck the candles in the cake. He had hoped for a happier birthday for his little light.

It had been a hard week.

Joey was still staying with them; his father was still on his binge. Every night he and Yugi fell asleep on the couch together and every morning Yugi woke up screaming. He still couldn't remember what he was dreaming about, and it would be hours before he'd let Joey so much as hold his hand.

This morning had been particularly trying.

It had taken them twenty minutes to calm Yugi down. He wouldn't even let Yami touch him. In desperation, Yami had called Seto. When the brunette arrived, Yugi had clung to him, finally crying himself to sleep.

Throughout the day, they had tried to talk to him about it, but he kept putting them off, finally exploding in a rare show of temper and telling Yami to "stay out of his head". He had then locked himself in his room and hadn't come out until an hour ago, apologizing for yelling at them.

Seto came into the kitchen, interrupting his thoughts.

"Tristan and Otogi are here."

"Thanks love."

Seto put his arms around Yami and held him close. "If it's okay with you, I'm going to stay tonight."

Yami looked up at his lover. "Of course."

"I want to be here in the morning, just in case."

"You're so good to him Seto."

"He reminds me a lot of Mokuba actually." Seto grinned. "Besides, he's part of you. How could I not love him?"

Yami pulled him down and kissed him deeply.

"Oh Ra, I think I'm going to be sick!"

Seto pulled away and gave Bakura one of his patented glares. "What do you want?"

"We're all here, rich boy, so bring out the cake and let's get this thing going."

~*~*~*~*~

Yugi began to come around as the evening progressed.

The cake had been eaten, a few duels were played, and Tristan had been shouted down for suggesting a game of pin the tail on Otogi.

Yugi was opening his presents. There was the usual assortment of booster packs, a few rare cards from Yami and a beautiful twelve inch statue of the Dark Magician carved from soapstone from Seto.

Joey sat next to Yugi, a small, gilt wrapped box in his hands. With a small smile, he handed it to him. Yugi tore off the wrapping and lifted the lid. He gasped and almost dropped the box.

It was a silver pendant on a chain. The Red Eyes Black Dragon with one wing protectively wrapped around the Dark Magician.

Yugi picked it up, cupping it in his hands, speechless.

Joey reached over and turned it around so Yugi could see the two words engraved on the back.

Forever, Joey

Everyone else was forgotten as Yugi looked up at the blonde, eyes glistening.

"Happy birthday Yugi."

"Oh Joey…" Yugi launched himself at the taller teen, claiming his lips.

Joey moaned softly as Yugi's tongue invaded his mouth. He brought his hand up to caress the other's back, pressing him closer. Yugi's hands came up and tangled in Joey's hair as he deepened the kiss. He trembled, but not with fear. Every cell in his body was on fire. He could tell Joey felt it too. They broke apart, eyes wide.

"Joey…" Yugi whispered, surprise written all over his face.

Joey placed a finger over the other's lips and shook his head. "I love you."

"I love you."

A creak of leather broke the spell.

Yugi looked at Bakura and blushed seeing the smirk on the yami's face. That's when he noticed everyone else smiling. His blush deepened and he fiddled with the clasp on the silver chain.

"Here, let me." Joey took the chain from him and put it around Yugi's neck. The pendant hung just below his neck belt, setting off the silver buckle.

"It's beautiful." Ryou said. "Where did you find it Joey?"

"I sketched it out and Seto had a guy make it for me."

The party broke up soon after, Tristan and Otogi leaving first after the black haired teen making a flippant remark about having an appointment for a tonsillectomy.

Before he and Bakura left, Ryou took his best friend aside.

"What changed Yugi?"

Yugi turned the pendant over so Ryou could read the back. "He really loves me."

"Well, duh!" Ryou rolled his eyes. "Hair gel sinking into your brain or something?"

"Very funny Ryou."

"So, do you think things will be okay now?"

"I don't know. I sure hope so."

They were interrupted by Bakura, who pushed his hikari aside and threw his arms around Yugi.

"I didn't get to hug the birthday boy." He joked, squeezing.

"Th-thanks Ba-kura." Yugi gasped for breath.

"'kura, knock it off or you'll be sleeping on the couch tonight."

Bakura tried, and failed miserably, to give his light the puppy eyes as Ryou dragged him out the door, laughing.

~*~*~*~*~

Joey threw the last of the paper plates in the garbage and leaned against the counter. He glanced at the clock. "It's late."

"Yeah." Yugi threw the dish cloth in the sink. "At least we don't have to open the game shop tomorrow."

The two boys walked out into the living room, thinking to settle down on the couch for the night. That plan collapsed under the sound of a loud moan.

Yugi smirked.

Yami had Seto pinned to the couch on his back, his shirt on the floor.

Yugi grabbed Joey's hand and dragged him down the hall, stopping outside his bedroom door.

"I guess I could sleep in Gramps' room." Joey said.

"Or you could sleep in my bed."

"Yugi, just because…"

"Joey, please?" Yugi interrupted. "At the very least I want your arms around me tonight."

Joey looked down into Yugi's beautiful, trusting eyes and couldn't find it in his heart to say no. He let Yugi lead him into the room.

"I'm gonna go get changed." Yugi grabbed his sweatpants and turtleneck and went into the bathroom, shutting the door.

Joey pulled out the bottom drawer of the bureau and grabbed some pajama bottoms, thankful he always left a few changes of clothes here. He quickly changed, foregoing a tee shirt because of the heat.

He climbed into bed and closed his eyes.

~*~*~*~*~

Yugi stripped to his boxers and pulled on his sweatpants. His hands went to the buckle of his neck belt and he paused, looking at himself in the mirror. He looked critically at the scars on his body.

Maybe…maybe it was time.

His hands went back to his neck belt and he shivered. He left it on. One step at a time. He took off his pendant, putting it next to the sink. He left the room, leaving his shirt in a crumpled heap on the floor.

~*~*~*~*~

Joey was half asleep when Yugi crawled in next to him. He put his arm around the smaller teen and came fully awake with a jerk as his hand made contact with bare skin.

"Yugi?" Joey saw that Yugi had his head down, avoiding looking at him. "Hey. Look at me."

Yugi raised his head and looked at the blonde, eyes wide with apprehension.

"What's this about?"

"Umm…I thought maybe…maybe it was time you saw." Yugi sat up, crossing his arms high over his chest, shivering a little.

"It's okay Yugi. Really, it is." Joey reached out and put his hand on the other's knee. "I know this is hard for you. Are you sure?"

Yugi just nodded, uncrossing his arms slowly and letting them drop to his sides. He averted his eyes, not able to face Joey's reaction.

Joey didn't react. There was nothing, in his point of view, to react to. He looked at the network of small, almost invisible, scars on Yugi's chest. You really wouldn't be able to see them if you didn't know they were there. There was only one really bad one, and that was only in comparison to the others. It was about three inches long, situated a couple of inches below the collarbone on the left hand side. It was curved in shape.

"Yugi, these aren't that bad." Joey gently ran a finger over the larger scar, causing Yugi to flinch slightly. "This is the only one that's really noticeable."

"No, it's not." Yugi whispered, still not looking at the blonde.

"I don't understand."

Yugi reached for the neck belt, his fingers shaking so hard he couldn't get it undone.

Joey sat up and covered Yugi's hands with his own. "Whatever you're hiding by wearing this is not going to make me stop loving you."

Yugi finally met his eyes and saw nothing but truth there. Joey let his hands fall to Yugi's shoulders.

"Thank you for trusting me with this Yugi."

Yugi's hands barely trembled now as he unbuckled the belt and brought it away from his neck.

Joey's eyes widened slightly. Yugi held his breath, waiting for the other to draw back in disgust at the sight of the large jagged scar that ran from one side of his neck to the other.

Joey pulled Yugi close to him, wrapping one arm around his back and caressing his face with the other hand. "This makes you no less beautiful to me."

Yugi threw his arms around Joey's neck, kissing him desperately.

Joey let him have his way for a long moment before he broke the kiss, gently pushing Yugi's head back. Leaning down, he trailed light kisses over the scar.

Looking deeply into Yugi's eyes he whispered, "I love you Yugi. All of you."

Yugi tugged at Joey, bringing him down to lay on the bed.

They kissed again and Joey tentatively let his hands roam over Yugi's shoulders and chest. Yugi moaned, arching into the touch. The shorter teen broke away from the other's lips.

"Please Joey."

"Are you sure?"

Yugi nodded. "I'm tired of being afraid. I've made you wait long enough."

"Yugi…"

Yugi cut him off with another kiss, plunging his tongue into Joey's mouth, demanding.

Joey let himself get caught up in the emotions pouring from the other. He ran his hands boldly now over Yugi's chest and abdomen, fingers memorizing ever detail. His lips left Yugi's to trail down the side of his face and neck. He kissed the sensitive skin just below the other's ear while teasingly running his fingers along the waistband of Yugi's pants. Yugi's whole body jerked and he groaned.

"Oh gods Joey…please!"

"Easy baby." Joey whispered in his ear. "It'll be better if you relax."

It'll be better if you relax.

The words echoed in Yugi's head and he felt something pull loose in his mind. Suddenly, all the memories he had lost came flooding back. So many memories, including…

"NOOOOOO!"

Yugi tore himself away from Joey, scrambling back and pressing himself against the headboard.

"Yugi! Yugi, what's wrong?!"

"Nononono…please…no…don't" Yugi's voice was small and pleading.

Joey tried to reach out to him, but Yugi just pressed himself against the headboard again, crouching there, trembling like a scared animal.

That's when Joey noticed the blank look in his eyes.

~*~*~*~*~

"Now this is how I like my CEOs" Yami smirked from where he was perched on Seto's chest.

"You're trying to kill me aren't you?"

Aside from ripping Seto's shirt off before he pinned him to the couch, Yami had made no moves to remove any more clothes from either of them. He had been teasing Seto for well over a half hour and the young billionaire was getting close to murder.

"Call it payback for the handcuffs."

Seto opened his mouth to make a sharp retort when Yami grabbed his head and tumbled from the couch.

"Yami!" Seto got down next to him and took him in his arms. "What's wrong?!"

The pain was so intense he couldn't even voice it. It was gone. The link was gone. He couldn't feel Yugi. It was like leaning against a wall only to have it disappear from under you and plunging into a put of broken glass.

The pain began to recede as quickly as it had come and he became aware of Seto calling to him frantically.

"Yami! Yami, love, talk to me!"

Yami struggled to sit up, head spinning. "Yugi…oh gods Seto! Something's wrong!"

Seto stood, pulling Yami to his feet and half carrying him down the hall to Yugi's room.

The sight that greeted them when they opened the door stopped them both cold.

Yugi, crouched at the head of the bed, whimpering, eyes blank, and Joey, kneeling in front of him, hands outstretched but not touching the smaller boy, pleading with him.

Yami bolted across the room, falling to his knees next to the bed. "Yugi?! Aibou, what's wrong?!"

Seto sat down behind Joey, putting his hands on the blonde's shoulders. "Joey, what happened?"

"I don't know." Joey began to cry. "We were…everything was fine. Then he just…freaked."

Yami reached out to touch his hikari's shoulder. Yugi flinched away.

"No…don't…it hurts…stop…please stop…"

Yami grabbed Yugi by the arms, trying to force his light to look at him. What happened next made everyone's blood freeze.

Yugi screamed, going rigid in Yami's grip. "No! I didn't tell! I didn't! Please, please don't hurt me! Please Daddy, don't!"

He collapsed into Yami's arms, his shell-shocked mind retreating to the relative safety of his soul room

~*~*~*~*~

TBC

~*~*~*~*~

Everybody: *shocked silence*

Seto: *blinking* That has to be your worst cliffhanger yet.

DD: *points at Dragon* My yami made me do it.

Ryou: That's the excuse I always use.

Yugi: What have you guys done to me!

YD: *evil grin* You'll have to wait until the next chapter.

DD: But I promise you'll find out all the details then.

Yami: Good thing. I can't believe you guys are being so cruel to my light.

DD: *sighs* What we don't do in the name of art. *cuddles Yugi*

YD: Art? *snorts* I just like to torture people.

Bakura: If you want them to keep on writing, you have to review!! The more reviews they get, the faster the next chapter gets written.