Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Untouched ❯ Underneath It All ( Chapter 3 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
Yuri: YOU LUCKY BASTARDS!!! You guys are so lucky I love you so much. Because of all the reviews and support I got so far, I decided I would be a nice little authoress and post the next chapter today. Chapter four, though completed, will still be posted Sunday. Don't expect a lot of these random updates. It's just that I feed on all the love I get from you guys and sometimes I think you guys deserve a reward!
Anyways, I've planned out the entire rest of the story. There will be a total of ten chapters, which might sound small to some of you but considering that my average amount of words per chapter for this story is 5,000, this story will be approximately 50,000 words. Anyways, I hope you guys like this chapter! See you at the bottom.
Oh, and please vote in my poll!
Warnings: AU (alternate universe), Mild Language.
Chapter 3: Underneath It All
Yugi sighed. Yami...
He was starting to see why Yami was so uptight sometimes. For one, his parents were bloody insane. Not that Yugi wouldn't do anything to have his parents but he wondered how Yami put up with it everyday.
Flashback
"Yami, you're home!" a slender, middle-aged woman with long black hair and blond bangs framing her defined cheek bones announced happily the second her son walked through the front door.
Yugi bit his lip. Fantastic. "Hi...mom?" Yugi greeted, trying his best to act natural. He was pretty sure he was failing.
"How was school today, sweet heart?" the violet-eyed woman asked, walking over and pinching Yugi's cheek ever-so-painfully.
"Fine," Yugi winced, rubbing the assaulted flesh.
"Yami, you're slouching," she frowned. "Stand up straight, young man."
Yugi mumbled a meek apology as he straighted his back and brought his shoulders back. Mrs. Atemu looked surprised by the apology but smiled nevertheless.
"Come!" she said and Yugi decided that it was indeed a demand not a question. "Eat with your family," she finished, shoving him into the dining room. The door opened to reveal a broad, sturdy man, probably in his mid-forties, with black hair, which was tinted red at the end. The man looked up at the new arrivals and Yugi instantly knew by the ruby-colored eyes that this was Yami's father.
"Chin up, boy!" the man commanded, returning his gaze back to the newspaper. "Where are your manners?"
Yugi blinked. That was a rethorical question he believed. Maybe it was best not to answer then.
"Horatio, please put the paper down," the mother pleaded softly. "We are about to have dinner."
Mr. Atemu nodded in consent before placing the paper aside. "Julia, if you'd please," he said before the violet-eyed woman walked off into the kitchen.
As soon as Yami's mother left the room, an eerie silence filled the void that she left behind, which left Yugi in what he considered a very awkward and uncomfortable position. He began to fidget with the hem of his shirt, trying his best to ignore the piercing gaze of Mr. Atemu.
"Why are you fidgeting, son? Are you ill?" Mr. Atemu questioned but the tone of his voice made Yugi feel like he was in an interrogation room.
"N-no," Yugi replied, slightly intimadated by the man.
Yugi sighed in relief when Mrs. Atemu walked back into the room, a large plate of meatloaf mixed with several vegetables in her hand. Placing it down on the table, she gestured for Yugi to take a seat. The latter had to force himself not to make his face seem disgusted by the food, which he extremely was. Mrs. Atemu, without hesitation, grabbed an empty plate and began loading on pounds of meatloaf and vegetables.
"Umm," Yugi began when the food was set down in front of him. He was never a fan of any food that was green. "I don't think I can eat all of this. I'm really not that hungry."
"Nonsense!" Mr. Atemu assured indifferently. "Eat."
Not knowing what else to do, Yugi picked up a fork and glared. Somehow, someway, this was Yami's fault.
'You so owe me,' he said to himself before shoving a forkful of green beans into his mouth, trying his best not to gag.
"Yami, stop slouching in your seat," Mrs. Atemu reprimanded, pinching the boy beside her on the cheek. "That's the second time I've told you. Whatever is wrong with you? Oh!" she exclaimed as though realizing something. "It must be that school! It's such a bad influence on you, sweetie."
Mr. Atemu grunted in affirmation as he chewed on a rather large piece of meat. "You should spend less time with your 'friends' and more time with people like your cousin. Ah, Kaiba, what a fine boy he's grown to be. Completely capable of taking over the family business."
Yugi didn't reply to any of this. He just focused on finishing the rest of his meal so that he could escape as soon as possible.
"You really should have him tutor you, Yami. You need to get your grades up," Mrs. Atemu instructed firmly.
Mr. Atemu nodded. “Education is the foundation of life, son. Remember that!”
Yugi slightly jumped at the sudden demand and watched as Mrs. Atemu stood to her feet. He inwardly glared at the woman. 'Pinch my cheek...one more time,' Yugi practically dared the woman, but to his relief, she just walked right past him and picked up a pair of reading glasses before glancing at the watch around her slim wrist.
“Time for bed,” Mrs. Atemu almost sang.
Yugi looked at the clock and blinked. “But it’s only seven.”
Mr. Atemu's eyes flashed. “Don’t talk back to your mother, boy! I raised you better than that.”
"Sorry!" Yugi blurted out instinctively before wishing Yami's parents a 'goodnight' and scurrying up the stairs, not daring to disobey either adults.
End Of Flashback
Yugi glanced at the clock beside his bed. He had a half hour till school. He guessed he should probably get up now even though there was a voice in his head that was pretty insistent on telling him to just run and hide under a rock somewhere.
God only knew what today had in store.
...Untouched...
Yugi opened his locker, or rather Yami's locker, and grabbed a text book that he would be needing for next period. He was glad that even though he and Yami had different schedules, they had the same classes. That way he didn't have to learn a whole new subject. He just wasn't up for that at the moment. No, what he was focused on was his current predicament. He really needed to find a way to fix this whole situation soon. If he didn't, he feared that he might never get his body back. Lost in his thoughts, his mind barely registered when a slim figure slid besides him, proceeding to lean on the locker next to his.
Yugi glanced at the person and groaned. It wasn't even first period yet!
As he continued to fish in his locker for another book, he shot Yami another look and frowned.
“Why are you here? Don’t you have a poor, defenseless puppy to kick somewhere?” Yugi mused with feign curiosity.
Yami smirked at Yugi's touchy attitude before replying: “Jou is busy at the moment.”
Yugi glared at the youth in response. “Did you enjoy yourself last night, Yugi? You seem to be in an...amusing mood.”
Yugi's glare intensified. “Oh, yes, Yami. Your parents are absolutely lovely. I see where you get your boyish charm from.”
Yami shrugged and then thought about his resolution from the previous night. He was going to try to be nicer to Yugi today. It couldn't be that hard...
"I'm actually quite surprised you survived the night. Guess you aren't as weak as I thought you were," Yami spoke, a smile on his features.
To say he was shocked when Yugi slammed his locker shut and then turned on him with narrowed crimson eyes was an understatement.
“What?” Yami inquired in disbelief. "It was a compliment!"
Yugi's eyes widened in amazment. "Oh, well, with compliments like that, what's the point in insults?!"
Yami gaped. And here he was trying to be nice!
"I swear, sometimes I just want to -- Argh!" Yami shouted, causing several people to look their way.
Yugi rolled his eyes. "Well, before you throw another 'compliment' my way, I should tell you that I think it's best for both of us to stay over my house tonight. I have a guest room for you and it's probably better if we lay low until we fix this. Besides, I don't think my sanity could last another night with your parents," he tossed Yami a sideways glance. "Figures."
Yami twitched. "What?"
"That you came out the way you did."
"And how's that, little Yugi?"
The youth fumed at the word 'little.' He flung his arms in a desperate attempt to come up with words to describe exactly what he thought of Yami only to fail miserably. "Like this!" Yugi gave up, gesturing to himself.
Yami scoffed. "Oh, yes Yugi. So colloquial as always."
"I'm just surprised you know a word more then four letters and used it correctly in a sentence," Yugi fired back.
"Woah!" a new voice interrupted and Yami felt someone come up from behind him. "What the hell is going on?" the familiar blond questioned. “You two are at each other’s throats even more than before."
"I agree," Kaiba added, walking up besides Jou. "Not to mention that you both have been acting...different lately."
Yugi's anger immediately vanished as he quickly thought of something to say. However, Yami beat him to it.
"It's nothing. We were just having a minor disagreement about something. It's over now, though. Isn't that right, Yami?"
Yugi narrowed his eyes at the other's tone but nodded nevertheless. "I'll see you after school then," Yami finished before walking off with Jou by his side.
Yugi flashed Kaiba a nervous glance before scurrying off into a classroom and taking a seat next to a window. In order to calm his nerves, he opened a book that he had been reading, and let himself get lost in the fictional world that pulled him away from reality only to be snatched right back into it by a high-pitched squeal.
"Yami!" a brunette girl with shining blue eyes chirped excitedly. "Just the guy I wanted to run into!"
Yugi mentally rolled his eyes. 'Yeah, he's the kind of guy I'd really like to run into sometime -- preferably when he's walking and I'm driving a car.'
"Hi Anzu," Yugi greeted softly despite his current mood that Yami had so graciously put him in to.
The brunette quickly sat down next to him and smiled. "So, I was wondering, would you like to take me out to dinner tonight?"
Yugi blinked. "Like...on a date?"
"Of course, silly," Anzu giggled playfully.
Yugi thought about this for a second, weighing the pros and cons. Well, for one, he had always thought that Anzu was attractive but she never seemed to give him the time of day when he was in his own body. Then again, this was Yami's body and it would be rude to use it to get dates. Then again, Yami was a selfish jerk who deserved to be hit with a thousand angry porcupines.
Hmm...decisions, decisions.
Yugi looked up to Anzu and smiled. "Alright."
...Untouched...
Around six o'clock in the evening, Yugi found himself staring at his bed that was littered with different outfits. Picking up a red, long-sleeve shirt that was hanging off one of the edges of his bed, Yugi walked up to the mirror and held the shirt out in front of him. Usually he wore purple shirts when going out at night. However, Yami's intense eye color that he had been sporting for the past two days called for something a little more drastic.
Yugi barely acknowledged Yami as the latter walked past his room, tossing him a curious glance in the process before heading over to the guest room, which was directly beside Yugi's bedroom.
"Why are you getting all dressed up for?" Yami questioned from the guest room, trying to sound as thought he really could care less.
Yugi ignored Yami's indifferent tone. “I have a date tonight,” Yugi confessed while slipping into a pair of dark blue jeans. He listened as a loud crash came from the other room. The next thing he knew, Yami was standing at the doorway of his bedroom.
“With who?” Yami inquired with a sharp lift of an eyebrow.
Yugi glanced at Yami through the mirror and smiled. “Anzu.”
Yugi frowned when a small smirk settled onto the other’s face. “Oh, that explains it,” Yami thought aloud as he walked away knowing very well that Yugi would follow him.
Yami walked back into the guest room and took a seat in front of the mirror on the nightstand. There he grabbed a comb and proceeded to brush out Yugi’s annoying blond bangs that were hovering over his eyes. He didn’t even turn to look at Yugi as the other one walked into the room. “Explains what?” Yugi questioned, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Why Anzu’s going out with you on a date,” Yami replied smugly.
Yugi scowled at the other's confident tone. “And what, may I ask, is the reason?”
Yami turned to look at Yugi, his signature smirk never leaving his face. “Isn’t it obvious?" Yami asked with mock surprise. "It's because you’re in my body. That’s the only reason.”
Yami turned back to the mirror just in time to see Yugi's fists clench at his sides through the reflection. “That’s not the only reason!” Yugi fumed, his cheeks turning red with frustration.
Yami only chuckled in response. “Let me guess then," Yami mused, tossing the blond bangs that framed his face to the side so that he could stare directly into the other's eyes. "She’s going out with you because of your sparkling personality?”
"Not everyone's like you, Yami!" Yugi asserted irratebly. "Some people look past the looks. It's the inside that counts."
Yami scoffed. "That may be true but I can assure you that Anzu is not one of those people."
"How do you know!?" Yugi implored angrily. "Have you ever even taken the time to get to know her?"
Yami turned to look at Yugi with a bewildered expression. "I don't have to. I can read people like a book. She doesn't care about you, Yugi. Do you honestly think that she would even give you a second look if you weren't in my body?"
Yugi's insides flinched at the question. "Once she got to know me, yes!" Yugi snapped, hoping that Yami wouldn't sense the uncertainty in his statement. "And since you can read minds, I guess I don't have to say aloud how much of an ass I think you are."
"Careful, Yugi," Yami warned wearily. "Don't forget that I am still in your body. Don't tempt me to do something drastic while you're out on your 'date,'" he added with the help of air quotes.
"Pttf," Yugi huffed in frustration. "Whatever. I don't have time for this or you."
With that, Yugi walked back into his room and snatched his jacket from the back of his desk chair. He completely ignored Yami who had followed him back to his room and who was now leaning, with arms crossed, against the door frame. Throwing on his jacket, Yugi made his way towards the door with the intention of walking right passed Yami. He would have too if Yami hadn't pushed himself off the wall and positioned himself directly in front of his exit.
"Get out of my way, Yami," Yugi demanded stiffly.
But Yami didn't budge. In fact, Yugi wasn't even sure if the other had heard him. This hypothesis was only proved by Yami's next question.
"So, you're really leaving?" Yami inquired softly.
Yugi raised an eyebrow. "Do I have a reason to stay?"
Yami was silent for a while. He just stood there with a blank yet thoughtful look on his face. Finally, after what seemed like forever, he said: "No, I guess you don't."
As soon as the words left his lips, Yami moved to the side and allowed space for the other to pass, which he immediately did. Yugi quickly walked down the stairs and opened the front door. He turned back to see Yami standing at the top of the stairs, an unreadable expression on his face.
"I'll be back later," Yugi murmured before closing the door behind him quickly. As soon as the the cold air hit his flushed face, Yugi exhaled deeply, unaware that he had been holding his breath. Leaning against the back of the door, Yugi breathed as slow and steady as he could. What had happened back in there? Why was Yami so surprised when he had told him that he was, in fact, going out? But, most importantly, why did he want Yami to tell him to stay with him?
The thing is that if Yami told him to stay...he probably would have. That's what bothered him. He wanted Yami to tell him not to go out on this date. He wanted Yami to care...
Yugi shook those thoughts out of his head. No, there was no way in hell that Yugi was going to allow Yami to haunt his thoughts like this. He didn't care what Yami said or didn't say. He didn't care about Yami...right? Of course not.
'Prick,' Yugi said to himself before heading down the street where he was supposed to be meeting Anzu. He wouldn't admit it but he suddenly wasn't that excited about the date anymore.
…Untouched...
Yugi walked into the restaurant, all eyes on his stunning form, and timidly glanced around for his date. He cringed when her voice cut through his thoughts like a knife.
"Yami, don't you look gorgeous!" Anzu greeted from behind him. "Like always," she added with a small flutter of her lashes.
"Thanks," Yugi replied politely. "You look great as well," he added, taking in the black cocktail dress that the brunette was wearing. Hmm, maybe he should have dressed up more.
"I know," Anzu responded confidently to his last statement.
The words barely left her mouth before the two were showed to a table by an all too disinterested waiter. They immediately requested two drinks before the waiter left them to enjoy each other's company.
"So, Yami," Anzu purred, propping her elbows on the table before resting her chin in her overlapping hands. "What changed your mind all of the sudden? Not that I'm complaining."
Yugi raised an eyebrow. "About what?"
"Going out with me, silly," she answered like it was obvious. "I was starting to get worried that you didn't like me."
"Sorry," Yugi replied, not really sure what else to say. "I must have been...busy."
Anzu nodded. "Well that's the past. Let's talk about our future instead..."
'Future?' Yugi said to himself before glancing down at his watch. 'It's been three minutes.'
"Umm, don't you want to get to know me first?" Yugi inquired, slightly puzzled.
"Oh, well, they'll be plenty time for that later," she assured.
Yugi nodded slowly at the comment. He thought back to the fight he and Yami had earlier before tilting his head. "Anzu, can I ask you something?"
"Of course!"
Yugi leaned back in his chair. "What is it about me that attracts you?"
"You're drop-dead gorgeous. Duh!" she said without any hesitation whatsoever.
"Oh…” Yugi responded softly. “Is that all?”
Anzu looked surprised. “Well, yeah. I mean, what else is there? No offense, Yami, but you’re just a pretty face. Don’t be ashamed of it. Most of us are.”
"You’re wrong!” Yugi shouted abruptly. ‘Yami’s not just another pretty face. He’s funny and outgoing. He’s never afraid to speak his mind and is always up for a challenge. He’s…’
Tears immediately stung his eyes. No...oh god, what was he saying? What was Yami doing to him?
Looking back at his date's shocked face, Yugi sighed, refusing to let the tears in his eyes fall.
“I think,” Yugi started, reaching into his wallet and pulling out a twenty dollar bill, figuring it would pay for the drinks while leaving the waiter a nice tip. “That this was a mistake.”
Anzu brought up her hands to cover her gasp. “What do you mean?”
“What I mean,” Yugi replied, pulling his jacket on and standing to his feet. “Is that I’m going home. Goodnight, Anzu.”
With that, Yugi walked to the exit, his head hanging low so that the blond bangs set a dark shadow of his eyes. “Yami!" he heard Anzu call. "Don’t you walk away from me!”
Yugi didn’t even bother to reply. He just turned to give Anzu a pitiful smile before exiting through the front door.
...Untouched...
For about the fifth time in the last three minutes, Yami glanced over at the clock hanging over the kitchen counter. He inwardly groaned at his foolishness. What exactly was he doing? Why the hell was he waiting for Yugi to get back home? If the little brat thought he was old enough to leave and not come back for three hours then he was surely old enough to get home safely on his own. Yami leaned back in the kitchen chair and began to count the tiles on the ceiling in an attempt to ignore the constant pang of jealousy knowing that Yugi was out with someone else.
Yami snorted at his feelings. Why did he care? Yugi could go out with whoever he damn well pleased. He didn't care...right?
Yami shook his head. Of course, he didn't. He just didn't want anything happening to his body while Yugi was out. He knew all to well how clumsy the other could be. The last thing Yami wanted was a cut or bruise on his flawless face. Yami felt sleepiness eating away at his mind. He really should be in bed. It had been a long day and he needed his rest.
Yami commanded his body to move but to no avail. His legs stayed glued to the floor and his ass to the chair. He groaned aloud knowing that, no matter what he told himself, he could not go to sleep without knowing if Yugi got back home safe.
He glanced at the clock again to realize that only sixty seconds had passed since the last time he looked at it.
Damn it to hell!
Yami glared at a book on top of the round table in front of him and immediately snatched it in his grip. Turning to a random page, Yami began to read the lines that really didn't mean much to him. He sighed and brought the book closer to his face in hopes that he would feel the need to actually read the book instead of just pretend. He really needed something to get his mind off of Yugi. Out of the corner of his eye, Yami tossed a fleeting glance at the clock and growled.
'He better get here before I go find him and drag him back here.'
Yami continued to read in silence before the slamming of the front door caught his attention. By the time he looked up from the small book, Yugi was standing at the kitchen door, tears pouring down his face in small streams.
“Yugi, what happened?” Yami asked, immediately sitting up in his chair.
“You were right!” Yugi cried, more tears escaping his eyes. “You were right about everything! I’m so foolish! How could I think that someone actually cared about me? How could I ever think that someone could love me for me!”
As soon as the last words left his lips, Yugi bolted upstairs. Yami sat in his seat, temporarily stunned by Yugi's sudden outburst. By the time he had awaken from his daze, Yugi was already on the second floor.
“Yugi! Wait!” Yami shouted after the other, jumping out of his chair and running after the distressed teen. He got to the top of the stairs just in time to see Yugi’s bedroom door close with a loud slam.
“Yugi...,” Yami called through the door only to get no response. He pressed his ear up against the door and could hear very faintly the other’s muffled sobs. Knowing that Yugi wouldn’t reply to him, Yami slumped against the back of Yugi’s bedroom door and slid down to the ground. Bending one leg at the knee, Yami hung an arm over it and rested his head against the wall so that he was staring up at the ceiling. Yugi’s faint cries reached his ears and Yami couldn’t help the horrible feeling that stabbed at his heart at the sound of Yugi’s heart breaking. He sat like that for about ten maybe fifteen minutes. Then, almost subconsciously, as if he didn't even realize what he was saying, Yami suddenly spoke up.
“You know,” Yami began loud enough so that he knew Yugi would be able to hear him. “When I was little, I used to go to a private school. We had to wear these really uncomfortable uniforms that would get even smaller when you washed them. I had to wear these really big glasses too. They were round and, since I had dropped them a few times, they had this duck tape on them holding some of the pieces together. I had these braces too! Damn, did I hate them. I couldn't eat any of my favorite foods. There was this kid that would tease me so much, I wanted to kill the little bastard.”
Yami paused. He couldn't believe what he was saying. Never, in his life, had he told anyone about his embarrassing experiences at his previous school. But here he was, revealing his life to Yugi like it was an open book. Why? Why was he doing this?
There was a faint sound of a bed creaking, followed by the sound of footsteps. Then Yugi’s door opened and Yami looked up and, in that instant, knew why he was doing what he was. It was to make Yugi feel better.
“…Really?” Yugi asked while wiping his eyes with the corner of his sleeves.
Yami nodded with a small smile. “Yeah…”
Yugi hesitantly took a seat next to Yami on the ground and leaned against the wall. "Whatever happened to him?"
Yami tilted his head. "To who?"
"That kid," Yugi replied. "The one who used to tease you."
Yami grinned. "He's now that bastard I call my best friend, Bakura."
Yugi couldn't help the giggles that erupted from his lips and Yami soon joined in with his infamous rich and entrancing laugh. It was then that Yugi realized that even though they had switched bodies, that was the only thing that had changed. Yugi, who had always been so fond of light, feathery giggles had still kept his signature. And, in the moment that the other released a laugh, he saw Yami behind his amethyst eyes, laughing. Not him.
So that made him wonder…
Did Yami see him too?
...Untouched...
Two hours later found the two boys in the exact same spot, talking and laughing every now and then.
“That’s not true!” Yugi mused with a wide smile.
Yami chuckled and raised one hand. “I swear it on Bakura's life."
Yugi rolled his eyes. "Oh, yeah, I'm definitely going to believe you now."
After another round of light-hearted laughs and excited utterances, Yugi stretched his arms, making sure not to hit Yami in the process. With a wide yawn, Yugi subconsciously leaned his head on Yami’s shoulder. The latter tensed at the sudden action but immediately relaxed and proceeded to lean his head on top of Yugi’s.
“Yami,” Yugi said with another yawn, his eyelids suddenly heavy.
Yami breathed in the scent of Yugi’s hair and sighed. Even though it was technically his hair, it smelled different than usual. It smelled like strawberries and it was so soft. It must be Yugi's shampoo. Yami heard the one beside him call his name and quickly responded: “Yes, Yugi?”
There was a pause before the other spoke again. “Why do you hate me so much?” Yugi asked drowsily, his eyes now half-lidded.
Yami’s eyes widened slightly at the unexpected question. He let another sigh escape his lips before replying softly: “I don’t hate you, Yugi. I’m just...I–”
But he couldn’t finish. The reason being because he wasn't sure what to say. What he wanted to say was ‘I’m just confused about my feelings for you.’ But what did he really mean by that? Confused about what? There was absolutely nothing to be confused about. That, Yami was sure. Yugi and him were merely hanging out together because they were in this predicament. After this whole 'problem' was fixed, everything would go back to how it had been before...right?
Yami sighed. He wished someone would answer his question for once. None of this was making any sense to him. The only thing that was real right now...was Yugi.
“Yugi?” Yami whispered softly only to realize that the boy was fast asleep. Knowing that there was no physical way possible for him to lift his body in Yugi's petite form, he turned over other alternatives in his head. The only think he could think about was bringing a pillow to support Yug's head and a blanket to keep him warm for the night. Yami made a slow movement as he began to make his way to his feet only to feel something keeping him in his place.
Yami looked down to see Yugi clutching on to his shirt. “Stay with me,” Yugi begged sleepily. “Please?”
Yami paused, taking this request into consideration. Yugi had managed to make his crimson eyes shine and radiate with innocence and, in the moment, he didn't see himself. He saw Yugi.
What was wrong with him?
With a small roll of his eyes, Yami sat back in his spot. “You’re such a brat, Yugi,” Yami said but instead of its usual harshness, it carried a tone of light humor accompanied with a sense of playfulness.
Yugi smiled. “Prick,” he yawned while snuggling into the other’s body without realizing it.
Yami returned the other’s smile and sighed as he allowed himself to get comfortable on the carpet floor, his shoulder supporting Yugi's head and his body providing the other warmth for the rest of the night.
Anyways, I've planned out the entire rest of the story. There will be a total of ten chapters, which might sound small to some of you but considering that my average amount of words per chapter for this story is 5,000, this story will be approximately 50,000 words. Anyways, I hope you guys like this chapter! See you at the bottom.
Oh, and please vote in my poll!
Warnings: AU (alternate universe), Mild Language.
Chapter 3: Underneath It All
“I want to get what I wantDon't stopGive me what you gotCause I can't wait any more.Don't even talk about the consequenceCause right now you're the only thing that's making any sense to me.”
Yugi laid as still as possible, staring up at the ceiling of Yami's room. It was nice. Beautiful really. Crimson shades covered the windows, preventing the rising sun from blinding Yugi. The room was relatively large but rather messy. Clothes were everywhere, thrown carelessly on the ground and over the bedpost. He really needed to talk to Yami about this mess.Yugi sighed. Yami...
He was starting to see why Yami was so uptight sometimes. For one, his parents were bloody insane. Not that Yugi wouldn't do anything to have his parents but he wondered how Yami put up with it everyday.
Flashback
"Yami, you're home!" a slender, middle-aged woman with long black hair and blond bangs framing her defined cheek bones announced happily the second her son walked through the front door.
Yugi bit his lip. Fantastic. "Hi...mom?" Yugi greeted, trying his best to act natural. He was pretty sure he was failing.
"How was school today, sweet heart?" the violet-eyed woman asked, walking over and pinching Yugi's cheek ever-so-painfully.
"Fine," Yugi winced, rubbing the assaulted flesh.
"Yami, you're slouching," she frowned. "Stand up straight, young man."
Yugi mumbled a meek apology as he straighted his back and brought his shoulders back. Mrs. Atemu looked surprised by the apology but smiled nevertheless.
"Come!" she said and Yugi decided that it was indeed a demand not a question. "Eat with your family," she finished, shoving him into the dining room. The door opened to reveal a broad, sturdy man, probably in his mid-forties, with black hair, which was tinted red at the end. The man looked up at the new arrivals and Yugi instantly knew by the ruby-colored eyes that this was Yami's father.
"Chin up, boy!" the man commanded, returning his gaze back to the newspaper. "Where are your manners?"
Yugi blinked. That was a rethorical question he believed. Maybe it was best not to answer then.
"Horatio, please put the paper down," the mother pleaded softly. "We are about to have dinner."
Mr. Atemu nodded in consent before placing the paper aside. "Julia, if you'd please," he said before the violet-eyed woman walked off into the kitchen.
As soon as Yami's mother left the room, an eerie silence filled the void that she left behind, which left Yugi in what he considered a very awkward and uncomfortable position. He began to fidget with the hem of his shirt, trying his best to ignore the piercing gaze of Mr. Atemu.
"Why are you fidgeting, son? Are you ill?" Mr. Atemu questioned but the tone of his voice made Yugi feel like he was in an interrogation room.
"N-no," Yugi replied, slightly intimadated by the man.
Yugi sighed in relief when Mrs. Atemu walked back into the room, a large plate of meatloaf mixed with several vegetables in her hand. Placing it down on the table, she gestured for Yugi to take a seat. The latter had to force himself not to make his face seem disgusted by the food, which he extremely was. Mrs. Atemu, without hesitation, grabbed an empty plate and began loading on pounds of meatloaf and vegetables.
"Umm," Yugi began when the food was set down in front of him. He was never a fan of any food that was green. "I don't think I can eat all of this. I'm really not that hungry."
"Nonsense!" Mr. Atemu assured indifferently. "Eat."
Not knowing what else to do, Yugi picked up a fork and glared. Somehow, someway, this was Yami's fault.
'You so owe me,' he said to himself before shoving a forkful of green beans into his mouth, trying his best not to gag.
"Yami, stop slouching in your seat," Mrs. Atemu reprimanded, pinching the boy beside her on the cheek. "That's the second time I've told you. Whatever is wrong with you? Oh!" she exclaimed as though realizing something. "It must be that school! It's such a bad influence on you, sweetie."
Mr. Atemu grunted in affirmation as he chewed on a rather large piece of meat. "You should spend less time with your 'friends' and more time with people like your cousin. Ah, Kaiba, what a fine boy he's grown to be. Completely capable of taking over the family business."
Yugi didn't reply to any of this. He just focused on finishing the rest of his meal so that he could escape as soon as possible.
"You really should have him tutor you, Yami. You need to get your grades up," Mrs. Atemu instructed firmly.
Mr. Atemu nodded. “Education is the foundation of life, son. Remember that!”
Yugi slightly jumped at the sudden demand and watched as Mrs. Atemu stood to her feet. He inwardly glared at the woman. 'Pinch my cheek...one more time,' Yugi practically dared the woman, but to his relief, she just walked right past him and picked up a pair of reading glasses before glancing at the watch around her slim wrist.
“Time for bed,” Mrs. Atemu almost sang.
Yugi looked at the clock and blinked. “But it’s only seven.”
Mr. Atemu's eyes flashed. “Don’t talk back to your mother, boy! I raised you better than that.”
"Sorry!" Yugi blurted out instinctively before wishing Yami's parents a 'goodnight' and scurrying up the stairs, not daring to disobey either adults.
End Of Flashback
Yugi glanced at the clock beside his bed. He had a half hour till school. He guessed he should probably get up now even though there was a voice in his head that was pretty insistent on telling him to just run and hide under a rock somewhere.
God only knew what today had in store.
...Untouched...
Yugi opened his locker, or rather Yami's locker, and grabbed a text book that he would be needing for next period. He was glad that even though he and Yami had different schedules, they had the same classes. That way he didn't have to learn a whole new subject. He just wasn't up for that at the moment. No, what he was focused on was his current predicament. He really needed to find a way to fix this whole situation soon. If he didn't, he feared that he might never get his body back. Lost in his thoughts, his mind barely registered when a slim figure slid besides him, proceeding to lean on the locker next to his.
Yugi glanced at the person and groaned. It wasn't even first period yet!
As he continued to fish in his locker for another book, he shot Yami another look and frowned.
“Why are you here? Don’t you have a poor, defenseless puppy to kick somewhere?” Yugi mused with feign curiosity.
Yami smirked at Yugi's touchy attitude before replying: “Jou is busy at the moment.”
Yugi glared at the youth in response. “Did you enjoy yourself last night, Yugi? You seem to be in an...amusing mood.”
Yugi's glare intensified. “Oh, yes, Yami. Your parents are absolutely lovely. I see where you get your boyish charm from.”
Yami shrugged and then thought about his resolution from the previous night. He was going to try to be nicer to Yugi today. It couldn't be that hard...
"I'm actually quite surprised you survived the night. Guess you aren't as weak as I thought you were," Yami spoke, a smile on his features.
To say he was shocked when Yugi slammed his locker shut and then turned on him with narrowed crimson eyes was an understatement.
“What?” Yami inquired in disbelief. "It was a compliment!"
Yugi's eyes widened in amazment. "Oh, well, with compliments like that, what's the point in insults?!"
Yami gaped. And here he was trying to be nice!
"I swear, sometimes I just want to -- Argh!" Yami shouted, causing several people to look their way.
Yugi rolled his eyes. "Well, before you throw another 'compliment' my way, I should tell you that I think it's best for both of us to stay over my house tonight. I have a guest room for you and it's probably better if we lay low until we fix this. Besides, I don't think my sanity could last another night with your parents," he tossed Yami a sideways glance. "Figures."
Yami twitched. "What?"
"That you came out the way you did."
"And how's that, little Yugi?"
The youth fumed at the word 'little.' He flung his arms in a desperate attempt to come up with words to describe exactly what he thought of Yami only to fail miserably. "Like this!" Yugi gave up, gesturing to himself.
Yami scoffed. "Oh, yes Yugi. So colloquial as always."
"I'm just surprised you know a word more then four letters and used it correctly in a sentence," Yugi fired back.
"Woah!" a new voice interrupted and Yami felt someone come up from behind him. "What the hell is going on?" the familiar blond questioned. “You two are at each other’s throats even more than before."
"I agree," Kaiba added, walking up besides Jou. "Not to mention that you both have been acting...different lately."
Yugi's anger immediately vanished as he quickly thought of something to say. However, Yami beat him to it.
"It's nothing. We were just having a minor disagreement about something. It's over now, though. Isn't that right, Yami?"
Yugi narrowed his eyes at the other's tone but nodded nevertheless. "I'll see you after school then," Yami finished before walking off with Jou by his side.
Yugi flashed Kaiba a nervous glance before scurrying off into a classroom and taking a seat next to a window. In order to calm his nerves, he opened a book that he had been reading, and let himself get lost in the fictional world that pulled him away from reality only to be snatched right back into it by a high-pitched squeal.
"Yami!" a brunette girl with shining blue eyes chirped excitedly. "Just the guy I wanted to run into!"
Yugi mentally rolled his eyes. 'Yeah, he's the kind of guy I'd really like to run into sometime -- preferably when he's walking and I'm driving a car.'
"Hi Anzu," Yugi greeted softly despite his current mood that Yami had so graciously put him in to.
The brunette quickly sat down next to him and smiled. "So, I was wondering, would you like to take me out to dinner tonight?"
Yugi blinked. "Like...on a date?"
"Of course, silly," Anzu giggled playfully.
Yugi thought about this for a second, weighing the pros and cons. Well, for one, he had always thought that Anzu was attractive but she never seemed to give him the time of day when he was in his own body. Then again, this was Yami's body and it would be rude to use it to get dates. Then again, Yami was a selfish jerk who deserved to be hit with a thousand angry porcupines.
Hmm...decisions, decisions.
Yugi looked up to Anzu and smiled. "Alright."
...Untouched...
Around six o'clock in the evening, Yugi found himself staring at his bed that was littered with different outfits. Picking up a red, long-sleeve shirt that was hanging off one of the edges of his bed, Yugi walked up to the mirror and held the shirt out in front of him. Usually he wore purple shirts when going out at night. However, Yami's intense eye color that he had been sporting for the past two days called for something a little more drastic.
Yugi barely acknowledged Yami as the latter walked past his room, tossing him a curious glance in the process before heading over to the guest room, which was directly beside Yugi's bedroom.
"Why are you getting all dressed up for?" Yami questioned from the guest room, trying to sound as thought he really could care less.
Yugi ignored Yami's indifferent tone. “I have a date tonight,” Yugi confessed while slipping into a pair of dark blue jeans. He listened as a loud crash came from the other room. The next thing he knew, Yami was standing at the doorway of his bedroom.
“With who?” Yami inquired with a sharp lift of an eyebrow.
Yugi glanced at Yami through the mirror and smiled. “Anzu.”
Yugi frowned when a small smirk settled onto the other’s face. “Oh, that explains it,” Yami thought aloud as he walked away knowing very well that Yugi would follow him.
Yami walked back into the guest room and took a seat in front of the mirror on the nightstand. There he grabbed a comb and proceeded to brush out Yugi’s annoying blond bangs that were hovering over his eyes. He didn’t even turn to look at Yugi as the other one walked into the room. “Explains what?” Yugi questioned, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Why Anzu’s going out with you on a date,” Yami replied smugly.
Yugi scowled at the other's confident tone. “And what, may I ask, is the reason?”
Yami turned to look at Yugi, his signature smirk never leaving his face. “Isn’t it obvious?" Yami asked with mock surprise. "It's because you’re in my body. That’s the only reason.”
Yami turned back to the mirror just in time to see Yugi's fists clench at his sides through the reflection. “That’s not the only reason!” Yugi fumed, his cheeks turning red with frustration.
Yami only chuckled in response. “Let me guess then," Yami mused, tossing the blond bangs that framed his face to the side so that he could stare directly into the other's eyes. "She’s going out with you because of your sparkling personality?”
"Not everyone's like you, Yami!" Yugi asserted irratebly. "Some people look past the looks. It's the inside that counts."
Yami scoffed. "That may be true but I can assure you that Anzu is not one of those people."
"How do you know!?" Yugi implored angrily. "Have you ever even taken the time to get to know her?"
Yami turned to look at Yugi with a bewildered expression. "I don't have to. I can read people like a book. She doesn't care about you, Yugi. Do you honestly think that she would even give you a second look if you weren't in my body?"
Yugi's insides flinched at the question. "Once she got to know me, yes!" Yugi snapped, hoping that Yami wouldn't sense the uncertainty in his statement. "And since you can read minds, I guess I don't have to say aloud how much of an ass I think you are."
"Careful, Yugi," Yami warned wearily. "Don't forget that I am still in your body. Don't tempt me to do something drastic while you're out on your 'date,'" he added with the help of air quotes.
"Pttf," Yugi huffed in frustration. "Whatever. I don't have time for this or you."
With that, Yugi walked back into his room and snatched his jacket from the back of his desk chair. He completely ignored Yami who had followed him back to his room and who was now leaning, with arms crossed, against the door frame. Throwing on his jacket, Yugi made his way towards the door with the intention of walking right passed Yami. He would have too if Yami hadn't pushed himself off the wall and positioned himself directly in front of his exit.
"Get out of my way, Yami," Yugi demanded stiffly.
But Yami didn't budge. In fact, Yugi wasn't even sure if the other had heard him. This hypothesis was only proved by Yami's next question.
"So, you're really leaving?" Yami inquired softly.
Yugi raised an eyebrow. "Do I have a reason to stay?"
Yami was silent for a while. He just stood there with a blank yet thoughtful look on his face. Finally, after what seemed like forever, he said: "No, I guess you don't."
As soon as the words left his lips, Yami moved to the side and allowed space for the other to pass, which he immediately did. Yugi quickly walked down the stairs and opened the front door. He turned back to see Yami standing at the top of the stairs, an unreadable expression on his face.
"I'll be back later," Yugi murmured before closing the door behind him quickly. As soon as the the cold air hit his flushed face, Yugi exhaled deeply, unaware that he had been holding his breath. Leaning against the back of the door, Yugi breathed as slow and steady as he could. What had happened back in there? Why was Yami so surprised when he had told him that he was, in fact, going out? But, most importantly, why did he want Yami to tell him to stay with him?
The thing is that if Yami told him to stay...he probably would have. That's what bothered him. He wanted Yami to tell him not to go out on this date. He wanted Yami to care...
Yugi shook those thoughts out of his head. No, there was no way in hell that Yugi was going to allow Yami to haunt his thoughts like this. He didn't care what Yami said or didn't say. He didn't care about Yami...right? Of course not.
'Prick,' Yugi said to himself before heading down the street where he was supposed to be meeting Anzu. He wouldn't admit it but he suddenly wasn't that excited about the date anymore.
…Untouched...
Yugi walked into the restaurant, all eyes on his stunning form, and timidly glanced around for his date. He cringed when her voice cut through his thoughts like a knife.
"Yami, don't you look gorgeous!" Anzu greeted from behind him. "Like always," she added with a small flutter of her lashes.
"Thanks," Yugi replied politely. "You look great as well," he added, taking in the black cocktail dress that the brunette was wearing. Hmm, maybe he should have dressed up more.
"I know," Anzu responded confidently to his last statement.
The words barely left her mouth before the two were showed to a table by an all too disinterested waiter. They immediately requested two drinks before the waiter left them to enjoy each other's company.
"So, Yami," Anzu purred, propping her elbows on the table before resting her chin in her overlapping hands. "What changed your mind all of the sudden? Not that I'm complaining."
Yugi raised an eyebrow. "About what?"
"Going out with me, silly," she answered like it was obvious. "I was starting to get worried that you didn't like me."
"Sorry," Yugi replied, not really sure what else to say. "I must have been...busy."
Anzu nodded. "Well that's the past. Let's talk about our future instead..."
'Future?' Yugi said to himself before glancing down at his watch. 'It's been three minutes.'
"Umm, don't you want to get to know me first?" Yugi inquired, slightly puzzled.
"Oh, well, they'll be plenty time for that later," she assured.
Yugi nodded slowly at the comment. He thought back to the fight he and Yami had earlier before tilting his head. "Anzu, can I ask you something?"
"Of course!"
Yugi leaned back in his chair. "What is it about me that attracts you?"
"You're drop-dead gorgeous. Duh!" she said without any hesitation whatsoever.
"Oh…” Yugi responded softly. “Is that all?”
Anzu looked surprised. “Well, yeah. I mean, what else is there? No offense, Yami, but you’re just a pretty face. Don’t be ashamed of it. Most of us are.”
"You’re wrong!” Yugi shouted abruptly. ‘Yami’s not just another pretty face. He’s funny and outgoing. He’s never afraid to speak his mind and is always up for a challenge. He’s…’
Tears immediately stung his eyes. No...oh god, what was he saying? What was Yami doing to him?
Looking back at his date's shocked face, Yugi sighed, refusing to let the tears in his eyes fall.
“I think,” Yugi started, reaching into his wallet and pulling out a twenty dollar bill, figuring it would pay for the drinks while leaving the waiter a nice tip. “That this was a mistake.”
Anzu brought up her hands to cover her gasp. “What do you mean?”
“What I mean,” Yugi replied, pulling his jacket on and standing to his feet. “Is that I’m going home. Goodnight, Anzu.”
With that, Yugi walked to the exit, his head hanging low so that the blond bangs set a dark shadow of his eyes. “Yami!" he heard Anzu call. "Don’t you walk away from me!”
Yugi didn’t even bother to reply. He just turned to give Anzu a pitiful smile before exiting through the front door.
...Untouched...
For about the fifth time in the last three minutes, Yami glanced over at the clock hanging over the kitchen counter. He inwardly groaned at his foolishness. What exactly was he doing? Why the hell was he waiting for Yugi to get back home? If the little brat thought he was old enough to leave and not come back for three hours then he was surely old enough to get home safely on his own. Yami leaned back in the kitchen chair and began to count the tiles on the ceiling in an attempt to ignore the constant pang of jealousy knowing that Yugi was out with someone else.
Yami snorted at his feelings. Why did he care? Yugi could go out with whoever he damn well pleased. He didn't care...right?
Yami shook his head. Of course, he didn't. He just didn't want anything happening to his body while Yugi was out. He knew all to well how clumsy the other could be. The last thing Yami wanted was a cut or bruise on his flawless face. Yami felt sleepiness eating away at his mind. He really should be in bed. It had been a long day and he needed his rest.
Yami commanded his body to move but to no avail. His legs stayed glued to the floor and his ass to the chair. He groaned aloud knowing that, no matter what he told himself, he could not go to sleep without knowing if Yugi got back home safe.
He glanced at the clock again to realize that only sixty seconds had passed since the last time he looked at it.
Damn it to hell!
Yami glared at a book on top of the round table in front of him and immediately snatched it in his grip. Turning to a random page, Yami began to read the lines that really didn't mean much to him. He sighed and brought the book closer to his face in hopes that he would feel the need to actually read the book instead of just pretend. He really needed something to get his mind off of Yugi. Out of the corner of his eye, Yami tossed a fleeting glance at the clock and growled.
'He better get here before I go find him and drag him back here.'
Yami continued to read in silence before the slamming of the front door caught his attention. By the time he looked up from the small book, Yugi was standing at the kitchen door, tears pouring down his face in small streams.
“Yugi, what happened?” Yami asked, immediately sitting up in his chair.
“You were right!” Yugi cried, more tears escaping his eyes. “You were right about everything! I’m so foolish! How could I think that someone actually cared about me? How could I ever think that someone could love me for me!”
As soon as the last words left his lips, Yugi bolted upstairs. Yami sat in his seat, temporarily stunned by Yugi's sudden outburst. By the time he had awaken from his daze, Yugi was already on the second floor.
“Yugi! Wait!” Yami shouted after the other, jumping out of his chair and running after the distressed teen. He got to the top of the stairs just in time to see Yugi’s bedroom door close with a loud slam.
“Yugi...,” Yami called through the door only to get no response. He pressed his ear up against the door and could hear very faintly the other’s muffled sobs. Knowing that Yugi wouldn’t reply to him, Yami slumped against the back of Yugi’s bedroom door and slid down to the ground. Bending one leg at the knee, Yami hung an arm over it and rested his head against the wall so that he was staring up at the ceiling. Yugi’s faint cries reached his ears and Yami couldn’t help the horrible feeling that stabbed at his heart at the sound of Yugi’s heart breaking. He sat like that for about ten maybe fifteen minutes. Then, almost subconsciously, as if he didn't even realize what he was saying, Yami suddenly spoke up.
“You know,” Yami began loud enough so that he knew Yugi would be able to hear him. “When I was little, I used to go to a private school. We had to wear these really uncomfortable uniforms that would get even smaller when you washed them. I had to wear these really big glasses too. They were round and, since I had dropped them a few times, they had this duck tape on them holding some of the pieces together. I had these braces too! Damn, did I hate them. I couldn't eat any of my favorite foods. There was this kid that would tease me so much, I wanted to kill the little bastard.”
Yami paused. He couldn't believe what he was saying. Never, in his life, had he told anyone about his embarrassing experiences at his previous school. But here he was, revealing his life to Yugi like it was an open book. Why? Why was he doing this?
There was a faint sound of a bed creaking, followed by the sound of footsteps. Then Yugi’s door opened and Yami looked up and, in that instant, knew why he was doing what he was. It was to make Yugi feel better.
“…Really?” Yugi asked while wiping his eyes with the corner of his sleeves.
Yami nodded with a small smile. “Yeah…”
Yugi hesitantly took a seat next to Yami on the ground and leaned against the wall. "Whatever happened to him?"
Yami tilted his head. "To who?"
"That kid," Yugi replied. "The one who used to tease you."
Yami grinned. "He's now that bastard I call my best friend, Bakura."
Yugi couldn't help the giggles that erupted from his lips and Yami soon joined in with his infamous rich and entrancing laugh. It was then that Yugi realized that even though they had switched bodies, that was the only thing that had changed. Yugi, who had always been so fond of light, feathery giggles had still kept his signature. And, in the moment that the other released a laugh, he saw Yami behind his amethyst eyes, laughing. Not him.
So that made him wonder…
Did Yami see him too?
...Untouched...
Two hours later found the two boys in the exact same spot, talking and laughing every now and then.
“That’s not true!” Yugi mused with a wide smile.
Yami chuckled and raised one hand. “I swear it on Bakura's life."
Yugi rolled his eyes. "Oh, yeah, I'm definitely going to believe you now."
After another round of light-hearted laughs and excited utterances, Yugi stretched his arms, making sure not to hit Yami in the process. With a wide yawn, Yugi subconsciously leaned his head on Yami’s shoulder. The latter tensed at the sudden action but immediately relaxed and proceeded to lean his head on top of Yugi’s.
“Yami,” Yugi said with another yawn, his eyelids suddenly heavy.
Yami breathed in the scent of Yugi’s hair and sighed. Even though it was technically his hair, it smelled different than usual. It smelled like strawberries and it was so soft. It must be Yugi's shampoo. Yami heard the one beside him call his name and quickly responded: “Yes, Yugi?”
There was a pause before the other spoke again. “Why do you hate me so much?” Yugi asked drowsily, his eyes now half-lidded.
Yami’s eyes widened slightly at the unexpected question. He let another sigh escape his lips before replying softly: “I don’t hate you, Yugi. I’m just...I–”
But he couldn’t finish. The reason being because he wasn't sure what to say. What he wanted to say was ‘I’m just confused about my feelings for you.’ But what did he really mean by that? Confused about what? There was absolutely nothing to be confused about. That, Yami was sure. Yugi and him were merely hanging out together because they were in this predicament. After this whole 'problem' was fixed, everything would go back to how it had been before...right?
Yami sighed. He wished someone would answer his question for once. None of this was making any sense to him. The only thing that was real right now...was Yugi.
“Yugi?” Yami whispered softly only to realize that the boy was fast asleep. Knowing that there was no physical way possible for him to lift his body in Yugi's petite form, he turned over other alternatives in his head. The only think he could think about was bringing a pillow to support Yug's head and a blanket to keep him warm for the night. Yami made a slow movement as he began to make his way to his feet only to feel something keeping him in his place.
Yami looked down to see Yugi clutching on to his shirt. “Stay with me,” Yugi begged sleepily. “Please?”
Yami paused, taking this request into consideration. Yugi had managed to make his crimson eyes shine and radiate with innocence and, in the moment, he didn't see himself. He saw Yugi.
What was wrong with him?
With a small roll of his eyes, Yami sat back in his spot. “You’re such a brat, Yugi,” Yami said but instead of its usual harshness, it carried a tone of light humor accompanied with a sense of playfulness.
Yugi smiled. “Prick,” he yawned while snuggling into the other’s body without realizing it.
Yami returned the other’s smile and sighed as he allowed himself to get comfortable on the carpet floor, his shoulder supporting Yugi's head and his body providing the other warmth for the rest of the night.
“I want to get what I wantDon't stopGive me what you gotCause I can't wait any more.Don't even talk about the consequenceCause right now you're the only thing that's making any sense to me.”
To Be Continued...
Yuri: SOOOO!!!!???? What you think? Write it down in a review! And I'll give you candy! Well, no...actually I won't. But I'll love you forever! Review now! Bye!To Be Continued...