We build and then we break

We build and then we break

Chapter Ten

There is a watered down lemon in this chapter.


- - - - - - - - - -

Time wasn’t of the essence in his frame of mind. Everything stopped all together. Reality crashed down his views of life. Losing the father figure in his life hit hard. The death wasn’t fully unsuspected, a shock that hit Yuugi to the very core.

During his five-year study in California, Sugoroku began having heart problems, an issue he never told Yuugi. Not knowing of his grandfather’s health issues infuriated Yuugi more than dealing with pompous windbags like Kaiba.

Why hadn’t his grandfather spoken of this?

- - - - - - - - - -

The denial set in, arrangements were made. The reality of the situation began to settle with the funeral only a day away.

Confining himself to his apartment for three days wasn’t healthy, it bordered on the line of insanity. Yet, Yuugi chose to indulge himself in his work, typing away on his laptop. Empty beer bottles littered the floor, new case sitting only feet away, awaiting a chance to be broken into. The time for mourning was needed. Unfortunately, Yuugi couldn’t bring himself to grieve.

- - - - - - - - - -

The funeral was lovely, or at least in the eyes of the mourning guests. Yami and the rest of Yuugi’s close friends sat in the first row, adjacent to the open casket. Flower arrangements lined the front of the front of the room, arrays of color stood out profoundly against the neutral colors of the interior of the chapel.

Yami gazed around, his crimson eyes misty with sorrow. Yuugi had yet to make an appearance, worrying the man further. His lover said he would show, yet he had been drunk when the proclamation had been made. He stood up, gazing at the back, passing the small crowd of mourners. He searched for Yuugi coming to no avail in his quest.

Moments later, soft music began to play through the chapel, signaling the end of the ceremony. Family and friends made a final stop in front of the casket, each saying their goodbyes. Yami passed the casket, doing the same. He exited the room, finding himself in lobbying area of the funeral home.

He sighed softly once he saw a familiar mop of tricolor hair come into view. Relief flooded through his body as he walked forward, finding Akefia dragging Yuugi with him.

Yami watched worriedly as the former tomb robber met eyes with his roommate, nodding in acknowledgement. He stopped a few feet in front of Yami, setting a silent Yuugi in front of the man’s darker half.

“Where was he?”

Akefia ruffled his white hair, gazing down at the former pharaoh as he motioned towards the silent man.

“He was drinking until three in the morning from what he’s told me. I found him sitting in the rain outside the game shop, mumbling under his breath.”

Yami took this time to gaze down at his light, seeing the man’s sodden appearance. The man was out of it, drunk most likely. He stood up, shaking. He gazed at his darker half, amethyst eyes wide, glassy and bloodshot.

“Partner.” Yami whispered, reaching out to the sodden, broken light of his soul.

Yuugi reacted in the split of a second. Something clicked in his mind once the former pharaoh spoke. The pharaoh’s light blinked, taking the scene before him. He noticed Yami first, causing him to cry out in relief. He walked forward, wrapping his arms around his taller counterpart. He mumbled things incoherently, shaking.

“Partner, it’s okay.” Yami ran his hands through Yuugi’s damp hair in comfort.

Akefia had long ago left the scene as had the many mourners attending the funeral. Light and dark clung to one another, neither aware of time or the pain that one another were facing with the loss of Sugoroku.

Yuugi eventually pulled back, taking in a deep breath. He looked at Yami through glazed eyes, sighing as he spoke.

“I’m a horrible grandson. I couldn’t even bring myself to attend the funeral.” Yuugi muttered, shying away from Yami’s side.

“Yuugi, you’re not horrible. You haven’t allowed yourself to grieve. You need to mourn; otherwise you will never forgive yourself over this entire ordeal.”

Yuugi nodded, knowing the answer himself. “I know, I just…. I can’t deal with this…”

These words reminded Yami of the final words Yuugi had said before he left for California in the past. Hearing these words shook his heart, bringing back the memories he never wanted to relive.

Yami wrapped an arm around Yuugi’s shoulders, bringing the teen closer to him. He frowned a little, kissing the man on the forehead as he spoke softly. They walked out of the funeral home close together, raining pouring heavily.

Yami drove himself and Yuugi to the cemetery for the burial of Sugoroku. The rain was coming down in sheets, heavy and thick. Maneuvering the Mercedes through this weather wasn’t easy. However, they managed to make it, finding the small tent covering the burial site.

Everyone huddled beneath the tent, gazing at the casket that was now closed. Flowers were placed on top of it, depicting the deceased man’s favorite array of colored carnations. Sobs erupted from many as they watched the priest speak of his final words of Sugoroku’s memory. Yami watched with silent tears, Yuugi by his side. The smaller man hadn’t made a sound since they had left the funeral home. Yuugi studied the final ceremony of his grandfather’s memory with pure silence. He never showed an ounce of emotion, leaving it bottled inside. He was coming down from his drunken stupor. His eyes, glazed and bloodshot showed how physically worn and withdrawn he was.

Yami cast his partner a glance through the corner of his eye, finding it hard to see his other suffer inwardly. He knew how Yuugi hated showing emotion in front of others, especially now. In those five years, Yuugi had lost his ‘heart on his sleeve’ attitude and had gained balls as Akefia often referred to it as.

The final goodbyes were said with the end of the priest’s speech. He bowed his head in respect as the casket was lowered into the ground. It was all over, rain pouring down, almost outweighing the small tent everyone stood beneath in attempts of avoiding the downpour.

Yami glanced down at Yuugi, nudging him in the arm. He motioned for the man to follow him out into the midst of the storm, ready to leave.

Yuugi grudgingly followed his eyes downcast the entire time. Guilt was setting in as he began to realize that things weren’t the same. Domino was no longer home.

- - - - - - - - - -

The car stopped in front of Yuugi’s apartment, rain letting up in its duet with the growing thunderstorm. Yet, Yami and Yuugi remained in the Mercedes, heat drying their sodden hair and clothing.

Yuugi sat silently, looking through passenger seat window. He had sported a stoic expression, eyes half-lidded.

All the while, the former pharaoh observed his light’s body language. The man was beginning to show the timid side of his former self. He hadn’t seen this side of his lover since their moment alone a few days before Battle City.

He sighed, leaning an arm against the steering wheel. He spoke softly, gaining the other’s attention with ease.

“Partner, you need to talk, I’m want to make you feel better.”

Yuugi shook his head, groaning loudly. “It’s hard to make sense of this situation whenever your friends know more of the deceased’s health conditions than you do.” He mocked, shaking his head in frustration.

Yami merely nodded, relieved. At least the lighter half of his soul was beginning to vent.

“Partner… You know how you’re grandfather is. He didn’t want to burden you with his problems. He has the same stubborn nature as you do.”

Yuugi turned his attention from the window, raising a brow at his darker half.

“I know.” He smiled sadly, shifting in his seat. “It’s one of the more annoying qualities he and I share. It’s something that makes me love and hate him all at once.”

He paused, wiping a single tear from his face, before continuing.

“I’ve been a fuck up for the past five years, Yami. You have to understand why I feel so guilty for everything. He called me regularly, telling me about life in general minus his health issues. He asked me to come home for the holidays and I would usually come up with some excuse to keep from returning here. He eventually stopped asking all together. Yet, even when I came home… He didn’t tell me of his problems… Even with my own problems from drinking to avoiding the past.”

At this point, Yuugi tears were cascading down his face, sobs erupting from his throat. He was finally letting the dam break, letting his emotions free for the first time since he returned.

Yami silently listened, staring at his light with worry. This was needed, it was better for his light to do this. However, seeing it was another story. He hated the heart wrenching sobs that erupted from Yuugi’s throat.

“Why can’t everything go back to the way it was? Why did I have to be such an ass and leave five years ago?!” He stopped speaking, letting the tears fall, and the sobs becoming louder by the minute.

“Partner…”

He reached over, pulling the man into a light hug, rubbing soothing circles down his back. “Ssh… Partner none of us are perfect. Things happen for a reason…. Life is a game… You’re the one who told me that. It’s not perfect, otherwise how would we learn in the end or win the game?”

Silence took form. Yuugi’s sobs stopped after a while, yet he remained in Yami’s arms.

He sniffed, turning his amethyst eyes to Yami’s crimson.

“Yami… I’m so confused….”

“I’m here for you, Yuugi. You know that I love you with all my heart and I’m here to help you.”

“I know.”

Yuugi moved from his other self's arms as he sighed, wiping the remains of his tears.

“I have a lot of problems to face now. I don’t know how to handle this alone.” He gazed out the window and turned his attention to Yami again.

“Can you do me one favor, if only just this one night?”

Yami turned off the car, raising a brow at his lover's question.

“Anything for you, Partner. What is it that you desire?”

Yuugi spoke quickly, eyes diverted from the other man’s face.

“Can you love me?”

Confusion bubbled in the former pharaoh’s head as he rethought the question. He thought it was silly. His other knew the answer to that.

“Yuugi, I already love you with all my heart.”

A blush covered Yuugi’s face as he shook his head.

“No, I meant can you make love to me tonight, if only just this once?”

Yami didn’t even think twice before initiated the first intimate kiss of the night. Tongues dueled, fighting dominance, hands wandered in sensitive places. Moans of pleasure rang through the car before the duo had enough sense to take it upstairs.

Heated kisses and touches happened along the expanse to the apartment. A knee was wedged between Yuugi’s legs as he attempted to unlock his apartment.

Their shirts lay discarded on the floor, belts, pants, and other clothing following along. Cries emitted from one another as heated kisses continued, touches and soft moans as the throes of their passion ended with their orgasms running high.

Yami collapsed on top of his younger lover, running his hands through the smaller’s sweaty bangs, smiling. An equally happy smile met his own as a pair of amethyst eyes locked onto his hazy crimson.

Yuugi smiled at his lover, leaning up to kiss his jaw line.

Neither spoke of anything as the rain continued to pour. Nothing mattered now. Reality was gone until the distraction of their passion ended.

Both knew once the night ended, there were many problems that needed tending to. Some that Yuugi hadn’t told anyone.

- - - - - -

I know the lemon was pretty watered down. I might end up writing another version of this chapter in the future if someone wants it.