Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ The Darkness in the Light ❯ Chapter5 ( Chapter 5 )

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, get out! Just tip out the door already!

WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS CHILD ABUSE, MOLESTATION AND RAPE. IF YOU CAN'T HANDLE IT, DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT READ IT!!

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

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

~*~*~*~*~

YD: Joey, get off the desk! I can't see the monitor.

Joey: *sits in YD's lap* Better?

YD: Oh yeah!

DD: So, now we see what's really going on.

Yugi: It's about time!

Bakura: Did you have to make me so soft in this fic?

DD: I dressed you in leather, didn't I?

Ryou: I liked that part.

YD: You would. *mumbles something about hormone driven teenagers again*

~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 5

~*~*~*~*~

"Yami?" Joey whispered. "What happened?"

Yami tried the mind link again. It was faint, but it was there. Yami drew energy from the puzzle, strengthening his bond with Yugi.

//Aibou?!//

Silence.

//Aibou! Speak to me!//

The link rang with Yugi presence, but he didn't answer.

"He's not answering me." Yami held his little light tightly. "Our mind link is weak, but I believe I can draw enough energy from the puzzle to reach him."

Joey moved to lean against the headboard and held out his arms. "Let me take him."

Yami reluctantly gave Yugi over to Joey who held him close, whispering to him and kissing his face.

"Yami." Seto touched his shoulder. "Tell me what you need."

Garnet met sapphire and Seto saw something he never thought to see in those ancient eyes. Fear. Not for himself, but rather for his other and the memories he was forced to face. Memories so terrifying he had chosen to shut himself away from them, and the people who loved him, rather than face them.

They all had an idea of the basis of those fears, but no one more than Seto. He had seen it flash in Yugi's eyes just before he collapsed. Seto knew that look well. The unholy terror of a betrayal of the worst sort, by the one who should never have betrayed you. He'd seen it in his own mirror often enough.

"I need…" Yami struggled inwardly, hating to admit to his weakness. "I need you to hold me."

"Oh Yami." Seto pulled his lover into his arms, feeling the slender body quake against his own. "I'm here. I'll hold you for as long as you need me to."

They kissed each other gently, tenderly, as though for the first time.

"Stay with me Seth." Yami whispered. "I need your strength."

"I'll watch over you my pharaoh, just like I always have."

Seto watched as Yami's eyes slid out of focus and the puzzle began to glow softly.

~*~*~*~*~

The corridors of Yugi's mind were dark and cold. They echoed with the anguish of betrayal, the tears of lost innocence.

Yami stood for a long moment outside the door of his hikari's soul room. Never in his life, or his afterlife, had he felt such fear. He opened the door with a trembling hand and stepped inside.

He didn't see Yugi at first. He was too stunned by the destruction.

//Great Ra! What happened here?//

Everything was torn and smashed, there were cracks in the walls and a large, black scorch mark ran across the ceiling.

His gaze traveled to the one untouched area of the room, the bed. Yugi sat there, clutching a stuffed bear to his chest.

Yami picked his way through the mess and sat down next to Yugi, putting his arms around the boy.

"Yugi, what happened?"

Yugi just clung to him, his eyes fixed on the opposite wall. Yami followed his gaze and saw something he had never seen in his aibou's soul room before.

It was what looked like a mirror, ornately framed in black metal and where the glass should be, a dark mist swirled.

"Aibou, what is it?"

"It's all there." Yugi whispered.

"What's all there?"

Yugi pulled away, clutching the stuffed animal tighter, not replying.

Yami got up and crossed to the mirror, eyes narrowing as he tried to make out the figures moving there. He reached a hand out and tentatively touched the swirling fog. He felt himself falling.

Darkness

Ten year old Yugi stood holding his father's hand, staring at the grave.

"I miss her Daddy."

"I know Yugi. I miss her too." The blonde-haired man ran a hand through his son's outrageous hair and smiled sadly.

"It seems longer than a year." The little boy sniffled. "When will I get to see her again?"

"When you go to heaven son."

Darkness

"Daddy? Will you sleep with me?"

"Yugi, you're eleven years old. You're old enough to sleep on your own."

"Please?" Yugi raised huge, tear-filled eyes to his father.

"Fine." His father got under the covers, wrapping his arms around the small body.

Yugi sighed happily, turning over and snuggling back against his parent.

He was just about to fall asleep when he heard his father breathing harshly. Something hard and hot was pressed against the back of his leg.

"Daddy?" He whispered. "What's that?"

"Nothing son. Go to sleep."

Darkness

Yugi trudged home from school, trying to take as long as possible. He didn't want to go home.

Daddy had been acting funny lately. It had started on that night that he had begged his father to sleep with him six months ago. After that his father had taken to sleeping in his bed three or four nights a week. Every time Yugi would feel that same thing pressing against his body. Sometimes it would rub against him, scaring him. Whenever he asked his father about it, he was always told to go to sleep.

Last night he had found out what it was.

When he asked, as he did every night, his father had shown him. Then he had asked Yugi to touch it. Out of childish curiosity, he had, and something bad and very wrong had happened.

His father had groaned like he was in pain. Then, suddenly, he had pulled away and slapped Yugi, hard. He had lain there, crying from the shock as much as the pain, as his father had slammed out of the room.

Darkness

Yugi looked out the window as he put the last of the supper dishes away. It was getting dark.

Yugi shivered. He had come to fear the sight of the sun dropping below the horizon.

During the day he was a normal twelve year old boy. He went to school, played games, went to the movies with his father; normal kid stuff.

But at night…things changed.

He wasn't just a regular boy with a normal, loving father. At night, his life became a living hell…and the devil came.

The devil would make him do things, things he knew were wrong, no matter what he was told. But he did them anyway. If he didn't, if he said no, the devil would hit him. So he did what he was told, and he never said anything to anyone, because if he did, the devil would kill him.

Yugi climbed the stairs to his room. He was waiting for him…the devil wearing his father's body.

He crossed the room, immediately starting to do what was expected of him. Maybe, just maybe, if he made it happen quickly enough, he could go to sleep. His dreams were the only place where he could forget.

"Take your clothes off boy."

Yugi looked up, surprised. He'd never been told to do that before.

The devil raised his hand and Yugi quickly scrambled to his feet, doing what was asked of him. The devil ran his hands over the boy's body, pinching and grasping. He bit his tongue to keep from crying out.

Suddenly, he found himself face down on the bed.

"Don't move."

He felt the devil pressing him into the mattress and then…pain. A pain so intense he couldn't help but scream. He begged and pleaded, but was ignored.

Finally, the devil left, but the pain didn't.

Darkness

It was a week before his thirteenth birthday. Not that it mattered. Why care when your life was in tatters.

Yugi sat at his desk, trying to do his homework. The only bright spot in his life right now was that his grandfather was coming today to take him out. He'd noticed how withdrawn his grandson had become and thought a trip to the zoo would cheer him up.

He stiffened as he heard his bedroom door open. It was his father. It was morning; the sun was shining, so he really had nothing to be afraid of. The devil only came out at night.

"I made you some breakfast son." A plate, fork and knife were placed by his elbow. "Steak and eggs. You're favorite."

Yugi mumbled a thank you, his attention on his book. He froze as he felt a hand slip into his shirt to caress his collarbone.

No! It couldn't be! It was daytime! It was daytime!

He was pulled from his chair, spun around and slammed back against his desk. It rocked, spilling its contents, homework and breakfast, to the floor.

Rough hands ripped the clothes from his body then threw him to the floor. He landed on his hands and knees. He heard the husky, demented laughter of the devil just before the now familiar pain started.

Something inside Yugi snapped. The devil had complete control over his father! If he could come during the day, there would be no time when he'd be safe. He began to struggle.

"Stop!" Maybe if he pleaded, his father would hear him and the devil would go away. "Stop! Please Daddy! It hurts!"

"Shut up boy." The devil growled.

"No! Don't!" Yugi decided to use his only weapon. "I'll tell! When Grandpa comes, I'll tell!"

"You little bastard! I'll make sure you don't tell anyone!"

The devil grabbed the steak knife from where it lay on the floor and brought it up to Yugi's neck. He felt it bite into his skin just below his ear and then a searing pain as it ripped through the flesh of his neck.

The agony was too much to handle.

Darkness

He heard someone calling his name.

He was so tired he couldn't open his eyes. Tired…and cold. So cold.

He heard his name being called again. It sounded like Grandpa.

He thought he heard someone crying. He couldn't tell; there was a loud ringing in his ears.

He felt like he was floating.

All sound and sensation faded away.

Darkness

Darkness

Darkness

Yami found himself on his hands and knees, gagging at the taste of bile in the back of his throat.

He rose unsteadily, wiping the sweat from his eyes and making his way back to Yugi.

"Aibou…"

He sat, putting his arms around his hikari, rocking him. He didn't know what to say to his other. "I'm sorry" would be a feeble attempt at comfort. That someone could do this to their own flesh and blood. That his precious light had suffered so.

Rage awoke.

Yami stood, his anger crackling around him like lightening. He raised his hand towards the mirror and with a scream of pure fury, shattered it with a bolt of energy.

He turned back to find Yugi cowering on the bed in fright. Yami went to him once again, pulling him into his lap and holding him close.

"It's time to come back now Yugi."

"I don't want to." Yugi whimpered. "I don't want to face it."

"You can't stay here. If you do, you'll die. I can't take over your body for you anymore."

"I don't care. I can't deal with it Yami. I'm not strong enough."

"That's not true Yugi. You've faced tougher challenges than this. And we'll help you get through this. We'll be there for you. Come back. We need you. Joey needs you."

"Joey…" Yugi's eyes filled with tears. "I'll come."

~*~*~*~*~

Joey looked down as he felt dampness on his chest. There were tears running down Yugi's cheeks. The small body began to twitch.

"Seto, I think they're…" He was cut off as Yami suddenly threw his arms around the brunette's neck.

"Joey." Yugi's eyes opened and he lifted a shaking hand towards the other.

Joey took the small hand in his and pressed it to his lips.

"Joey, I love you."

The blonde buried his face in his love's spiky hair, struggling to control his own tears.

"Yugi…oh baby, I was so scared you weren't going to come back to me."

Seto could feel Yami's entire body trembling. He rubbed the leather clad back in an attempt to soothe his lover.

"Yami?"

Yami lifted his head from Seto's shoulder. The brunette was shocked by what he saw in the blood red depths of the Pharaoh's eyes. Grief he had expected, tears even, but this? The barely suppressed rage he found there was enough to strike a deep, cold fear into his heart. He was about to ask what happened when Yami moved away from him, going to Yugi.

"Aibou." Yami brushed the tears from his hikari's face as the eye began to glow on his forehead. "Sleep now my light."

Yugi nodded, his eyes dropping shut as his breathing deepened.

Yami stood up from the bed. "Come. Let him sleep. We need to talk."

~*~*~*~*~

Three weeks had passed since the night Yugi had regained his lost memories. Sitting alone on the couch, Yugi thought back to the morning after.

~*~*~*~*~

Flashback

~*~*~*~*~

He woke up from the spell induced slumber to find himself draped across Joey who, even in his sleep, held the smaller boy in a protective embrace. He wriggled out of Joey's arms and turned over, only to find himself staring at an extremely disheveled Ryou.

"Oh Yugi!" Tears spilled from his chocolate brown eyes. "We came as soon as Yami called."

"Shh." Yugi slid from the bed. "Don't wake Joey. Go on out to the living room. I'll be there in a couple of minutes."

The minute he stepped into the living room, Yami started fussing at him, until Seto pulled him down on the couch with a glare.

Without a word, Bakura gathered Yugi into his arms, holding him gently. Yugi flushed with embarrassment at the sight of the tears in the spirit's eyes.

Bakura was saved further discomfiture by Joey's arrival.

The blonde collapsed into the nearest chair, still half asleep. He smiled when Yugi pulled away from Bakura and came to settle himself in Joey's lap, leaning up to place a chaste kiss on his lips.

"Yugi?" Ryou asked softly as he sat down with Bakura. "Can you talk to us about it?"

"Ryou!" Yami exploded. "That's not something he needs to talk about right now. He needs to…"

"No." Seto interrupted quietly. "I think he should. If he wants to."

"I do." Yugi smiled up at Joey. "I'm done hiding from the people who love me."

So they talked. Yami had already told everyone what happened and, haltingly, Yugi filled in the blanks.

"What triggered it Yugi?" Seto asked. "That's the only thing I don't understand."

"Well, Joey and I were…umm…" Yugi blushed furiously.

"I get that part." Seto cut in with a small smile.

Joey tightened his arms around Yugi. "It's okay baby."

"He said…he…" Yugi broke down, burying his face in his hands.

"Seto!" Yami turned on his lover. "Don't you think he's had enough for one day?!"

"He needs to talk about it!" Seto's patience with Yami's over-protectiveness was wearing thin. "He needs to get it out in the open."

"What he needs..!"

"What he needs is for you to stop treating him like a child!"

"Please!" Yugi choked out. "Please don't fight!"

The two combatants glared at each other.

"Yami, please." Yugi pleaded with his other. "I want them to know…I need them to know. Especially Joey."

Yami crossed his arms over his chest and looked away from Seto. "As you wish Aibou."

Yugi took a deep breath, pulling Joey's arms more securely around him. "Joey told me to relax. The way he put it…it'll be better if you relax…" Yugi shuddered. "That's exactly what he always said. It was like opening a flood gate. It all came pouring back. All of it, like it happened yesterday. I just couldn't face it, so I ran from it."

A long silence followed as the others digested what they had heard. Then, a small sound, akin to a whimper, broke the quiet. Everyone turned to the source of the sound.

Joey sat with his arms around Yugi, tears falling silently and guilt etched plainly on his face.

"No." Yugi whispered, turning to comfort the blonde. "No Joey. No guilt. It's not your fault."

Joey just buried his face in Yugi's neck and sobbed.

~*~*~*~*~

End Flashback

~*~*~*~*~

Yugi sighed. Joey was still feeling guilty, no matter what Yugi said to try to convince him otherwise. And Seto and Yami were at constant sword's points over Yugi talking about it.

He winced as he heard shouting coming from downstairs. Joey came in, shaking his head.

"They're fighting again, aren't they?"

"Yeah." Joey dropped down next to the smaller teen. "Yami's pissed because he thinks it was Seto's idea that you talked to Tristan and Otogi about it."

"But it wasn't." Yugi cuddled up next to the blonde, wearily rubbing his eyes. "I was the one who called them."

"That's what Seto said, but Yami wouldn't listen. Then Seto said he was smothering you."

"I wish they'd knock it off."

"They'll work it out." Joey tipped Yugi face up and kissed him. "If they don't, I'll just have to knock their stubborn heads together."

Yugi laughed and snuggled in closer, feeling safe and loved.

~*~*~*~*~

"Gods! I give up!" Seto yelled. "He's never going to be able to get on with his life if he can't put it behind him! He needs to talk about it Yami!"

"Why are you pushing him so hard?!"

"I'm not! You're trying to shelter him too much! I can't stand here and watch it anymore!"

Seto whirled and tore open the shop door, storming out onto the sidewalk, heading for his car.

"Seto! Wait!"

Seto turned; ready to launch into another tirade when the impact of Yami's smaller body nearly knocked him off his feet.

"Seto, I'm sorry." Yami clung to the brunette. "I'm just…It kills me to think of what he's been through. I just want to protect him."

Seto put his arms around his lover. "I know you do. But he has to live his life Yami."

Yami looked up into Seto's azure blue eyes.

//He'll never understand. Yugi is my hikari. It's my duty to protect him. And he could never understand what Yugi went through. I can't fight with him any more.//

Yami pulled Seto's head down and kissed him. Immediately, Seto deepened it, his tongue invading the other's mouth, as he fought against the tears stinging his eyes.

~*~*~*~*~

From the shadows of a tree across the street, the man watched the two kiss.

He brushed his blonde hair back out of his eyes and smirked. Soon enough he'd get back what belonged to him.

~*~*~*~*~

TBC

~*~*~*~*~

Ryou: You did it again!!

DD: Well, it was the only good place to cut it off.

Yugi: Why do I get the feeling that I'm not done being tortured?

YD: *evil grin*

Bakura: I cried?! I cried?! You two so need a visit to the Shadow Realm!

DD: Aw, come on Bakura. You're so cute when you get all mushy.

Bakura: *chases DD with man eater bug card*

YD: Please review people! We're getting all kinds of great reviews and we love our reviewers!