Hold On

Dragonlady222: Kumiko’s the best *grins* especially when insulting people without even knowing it. And don’t worry *grins* Won’t let Yami go demonic that easily. Have fun reading the new chap ^^

Dragon Speaker: Well I hope I didn’t make you wait too long then. Hvave fun reading.

Keara: Hmm.. what demon wouldn’t’want that power… a crazy one? *sweatdrops* who knows how many of those out there. *nods* Anyway, hope you enjoy the new chap even though you seem to know exactly what’s going to happen XD Oh, and I really don’t think I’m that safe yet… I really don’t seeing as I know what’s yet to come… yeah…

Catti-dono: yeah, I know people don’t review much but I can still try ne? And besides, I went from 3 to 5 reviews again and I’m trying to keep an average of 5 reviews per chapter so yeh. As for the cliffies… well the end of this one barely has one if you can even call it that. That should cheer you up ne? ^^ Have fun reading the new chap!
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Ha! I knew telling you people cliffies were punishment for not reviewing while they were there anyway since the fic is already completed anyway! See people? Being lazy nd not review is bad, reviewing and telling me how great I am is good! Anyway, hope you all enjoy the new chapter so R&R!


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--: 10 :--
Choices

Yami froze his eyes wide and his jaw slack. His son? He’d been a demon? But why wasn’t he one now then? What had happened? This was all just so confusing!

“Yami, don’t listen to him. I mean, oh fuck.” Yuugi glared at the demon smirking in front of him, “If I had the power, you’d die right now.”

“Many angels have said that, yet I still live.” Aknunkanon’s smirk just widened and he turned back to Yami to see the confused and disbelieving look on the other’s face.

“But… how? Why? What?” Yami shook his head, trying to get rid of all the confusing thoughts tumbling over each other. He had absolutely no idea what to believe anymore, and someone could probably convince him that he was really a chicken right now.

“Confused why you were changed into a measly mortal? Well then let me tell you. You were ruthless and didn’t care who you had to kill, as long as you could just see blood flowing. Angel blood in particular seemed to draw your attention though, and you loved to hunt those ugly creatures and torture them. There was just one mistake you made, and that was when you caught a particular angel. She was beautiful and loved by all, not just because her heart was pure or because she was the fairest of all, but also because she the lover of God himself.”

“You had such fun hunting her, driving her insane with nothing but taunting and mocking. She cried all the way through the last part of your little hunt, and the real pain hadn’t even started yet.”

“As the hunt ended though, and you finally managed to trap her in a forest in Celestia, the angel kingdom, you hadn’t noticed a new presence that was looking for this beautiful woman. Just as you killed her, God came into the clearing and watched horrified as you took away his lover’s life, knowing that when angels die, they simply stop existing since they were already dead in the first place.”

“God was enraged, and a great fight between the two of you followed. Even God with all his power could’ve never beaten you, you were simply to fast, cunning, and strong, but his anger gave him the boost he needed and he managed to defeat you.”

Aknunkanon glared at the sky as if God himself was there to receive it before he continued. “God did not kill you; the man is too merciful for his own good. Even though you had killed the person he most loved, he couldn’t betray everything he stood for. Instead he decided to take an other approach.”

“He purified your soul, erased all memories of what had ever happened to you, only leaving your character behind as this cannot be erased no matter what. He placed you into a mortal child to lead a life of sorrow and grief, a life that would hurt you as much as you had hurt others. You always wondered why you were being beaten up time after time by Yoru? Well this is the reason. It’s all his sick way of punishing you.”

Aknunkanon paused for a second, and smirked again, “What our dear little God didn’t know though was that there was a way for you to regain the power that is still locked deep inside of you. If you accept my deal on this day, the day of your 18th birthday, then you will get back all the power you have lost because of that old bastard, and you will once again be the demonic heir, the Prince of all Demons.”

Yami stared as Aknunkanon finally finished his story. This just couldn’t be true. He couldn’t be a demon! Could he? God the story of him being a chicken really did sound believable right now.

He held his head as a huge headache started to shoot through it. Why did this have to be so confusing? Why couldn’t he be a normal teenager that had just turned 18?

Oh yeah, the story Aknunkanon had just explain kind of gave the answer to that question away.

Yami groaned at the headache, before looking at Yuugi. The boy had stayed silent throughout the entire tale, and was glaring at the ground at the moment. Surely Yuugi could tell him this demon was lying. As an ex-angel Yuugi would know of all this…

“Yuugi? Is… Is he speaking the truth?”

Yuugi clenched his eyes. He didn’t want to tell Yami that it was all true. What did it matter? This had all happened in his previous life. Yami had changed; he wasn’t a cold-hearted murderer anymore!

“Better tell him the truth, Angel. You don’t want to lie to your dear boyfriend like you did before, now do you.” Aknunkanon mocked, a triumphant smirk plastered to his face.

Yuugi sighed and looked up into desperate crimson-red eyes. Yami was obviously looking for a different answer than Yuugi was about to give him, but the ex-angel didn’t have a choice.

“Yuugi?”

“It’s true.” Yami’s eyes widened again and he took a step back. No… this couldn’t be happening… this couldn’t be true!

“Yuugi, please… no…”

Yuugi didn’t respond, and looked back at the ground. So it was really true. He’d been a demon in his last life. He’d killed thousands, and he’d enjoyed every drop of blood that had fallen.

He stared at Yuugi, then at Aknunkanon. So this was his choice to make now. He could take Aknunkanon’s deal and become what he had been before; a ruthless killing machine that took pleasure from other people’s pain. Or he could refuse the deal, stay a mortal and live the life that had been given to him as a punishment for all the deaths he’d caused.

For some reason, the first option sounded more alluring than the second.

On the other hand. Life seemed to be going quite good for him at the moment. He had Yuugi, Yoru – even though the man had just destroyed one of his presents in a fit of rage – was leaving him alone a lot and the beatings had decreased as well.

Of course he still wanted to have his revenge on the other. He wanted to break away from the man responsible for destroying his life.

But was this really the best way to get that revenge? Wasn’t there a more human way to get that didn’t which include him losing his soul?

Yami clutched his head again, the headache only getting worse by the second. This was really confusing and hard. Why did choices always have to be so damned hard!

“Mi-chan?” Yami snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the only person that hadn’t said anything since they had arrived. Kumiko was looking up at him with frightened, worried eyes, the usual bright smile nowhere to be found and the spark of happiness in her eyes dimmed to such an extent that you couldn’t find it anymore.

Yami kneeled down and hugged the girl, feeling Kumiko cling to him desperately as she started to cry.

“You won’t leave, will you? You promised you’d always be there to protect me! You promised!” Kumiko sobbed into her brother’s shirt, crying her heart out. This entire conversation had done nothing but confuse her, and she still had no idea what was going on. The only thing she knew was that her brother might be leaving, and she didn’t want that.

“Tenshi…” Yami hugged the girl closer to him. Could he really give up someone like Kumiko just for some power? Just for revenge? No, he would never be able to live with the thought of Kumiko being all alone, of him breaking that promise he had made so long ago, “I won’t leave.”

Aknunkanon’s smirk vanished in record time as his jaw nearly dropped to the ground. Yuugi’s head shot up to stare at Yami in shock. Both had though that Yami would take the deal, that he would find revenge more important than his humanity. Yuugi because he knew all too well how good Aknunkanon was in influencing other people into doing something they didn’t want to do actually, and Aknunkanon because he thought the demonic, greedy character would shine through the human appearance.

Neither was correct.

Kumiko’s eyes lit up again as she wiped away the tears in her eyes, “You really won’t leave me?”

Yami smiled at her, “I could never leave you, Tenshi,” he turned to face Yuugi, “or you.” Yuugi immediately blushed, not only at the remark but also for ever doubting the other. How stupid could he be? Yami had changed and he was too stubborn to be tempted into something like this.

And of course Kumiko was a very persuasive person without even knowing it.

Aknunkanon stared in shock as Yuugi hugged both Yami and Kumiko. Yami had said no? He hadn’t agreed to the deal? Had this life changed him that much?!

No, it didn’t matter. As soon as he’d get Yami to agree to the deal, his son would return, the most feared demon of them all, and they would finally be able to kill the bastard who had done this in the first place. Of course, he did still have to get Yami to agree… which was a bit harder than it had first seemed.

Aknunkanon’s expression turned too enraged as he watched the three, the ‘damned angel’ – as Aknunkanon was now calling him – laughing as Yami hugged him. He would stop this all too happy picture… but how?

His eye fell on Kumiko, the girl that had made Yami’s mind up to stay in the end. This girl was really responsible for making sure Yami hadn’t agreed. Aknunkanon found it only fitting – though ironical as well – that she would be the one to convince her brother to take the deal after all.

Yuugi turned to the furious demon with a bright smile on his face, though smugness was definitely there too, “I guess you lose, demon. Now why don’t you go back to Hell where you belong?”

Aknunkanon’s expression changed again, and he smirked, “But my existence is so lonely there, and now that my son isn’t going with me, I guess I’ll have to take a replacement for him.”

Yuugi and Yami both blinked in confusion and stared at the man, but Aknunkanon just smirked. His eyes slowly wandered away from the two and rested on Kumiko, who was standing half behind her brother. Her eyes shower her fear and confusion, and she clutched onto Yami’s arm as their eyes met.

Yami followed the gaze and landed on his sister as well, and his eyes instantly narrowed as anger sparked in them. Aknunkanon wanted to take Kumiko? No way was Yami going to allow that.

“Keep your hands of her! She has nothing to do with this!” Aknunkanon chuckled as Yami picked Kumiko up and held her close to him. Did he really think he’d be able to fight the demon overlord without his powers? Ha! Ridiculous. Only if Yami would accept his deal and regain his latent powers would he be able to do something like that. But then again, a soulless being didn’t really care about others that much so Yami wouldn’t bother anymore then.

“You think you can stop me?” Aknunkanon’s expression turned to amused as Yuugi stepped in front of the two other’s, a light golden aura already surrounding him and showing that he was ready to defend them. Aknunkanon would’ve burst into laughter at the sight; did that brat really think he had the power to stop a creature like him?

Aknunkanon’s face turned wicked as he lunged forward. Yuugi magic responded immediately and tried to push him back, but Aknunkanon’s own magic simply lashed out against it, negating it instantly. The purple-black magic lashed out again, this time throwing Yuugi to the side with ease, and Aknunkanon stopped mere inches in front of Yami.

“Did you really think you could do this? You’re nothing but a mortal right now, a weak helpless human with no magic to defend himself. The only way you’ll ever be able to beat me is by regaining what was taken from you.” Aknunkanon’s low whispered words flitted through Yami’s mind as the other’s fist connected to his stomach and he gasped loudly, wanting to clutch his aching stomach but not wanting to let go of Kumiko. Aknunkanon simply kicked his feet from under him, making him drop to the ground and let go of the little girl in his arms. He hit the ground with a ‘thud’ and groaned, opening his eyes only to have his world spin around him. He had obviously hit his head on the ground a bit too hard.

Kumiko crying out in fear and pain snapped him back to reality and he looked at the victoriously smirking Aknunkanon as he held Kumiko in his claws. The girl was struggling against the hold, but it only made the sharp nails dig into her skin further.

Yuugi jumped up and launched himself at Aknunkanon, but the purple swirling magic surrounding the demon held him back with ease. Yuugi growled as he tried desperately to get through, but the demon’s magic was far stronger than his own.

“Kumiko…” Yami’s eyes were wide as Aknunkanon brought the girl to his eyelevel. She clenched her eyes shut, tears streaming down her face as she refused to meet the demon’s gaze.

“I wonder how a weakling and coward like you ever got to be the sister of someone as powerful as my son.” Aknunkanon mused. His amusement of Yuugi trying to get through the magic shield around him grew as Yami joined in, trying desperately to get through the shadows. Aknunkanon smirked again as he threw Kumiko over his shoulder, and let Yami come close enough so he could almost touch them.

“If you ever want to see your sister alive again, you have to accept my deal. You have until the stroke of midnight, and all you have to do is call for me. I promise you that your sister won’t be harmed, unless of course you refuse my deal completely.” Aknunkanon smirked at the panic etched on Yami’s face. His voice went even lower as he spoke his final words. “If you refuse, she won’t live to see the next day.”

The shadows pushed Yami back again, before engulfing an insanely laughing Aknunkanon and a crying Kumiko. Yami’s wide eyes went even wider as he watched the shadows dissipate, taking his sister, his angel away from him.

“Ku… no… this…” Tears welt up in his eyes and Yami dropped to his knees. This was all his fault. He hadn’t been able to defend Kumiko. He had let her down. It was his fault that she might die now. He had to do something… but what? He couldn’t just give in to the other’s threat, could he? On the other hand, it would be selfish of him not to. Kumiko had done nothing wrong, this was between him and Aknunkanon, yet she had been the victim. If he didn’t save her now, what kind of big brother would he be?

“Yami…” A hand was placed softly on his shoulder and Yami looked up into worried, sad amethyst eyes. Why hadn’t Yuugi stopped Aknunkanon? Why hadn’t Yuugi been there to protect them like last time?!

“Why… why didn’t you save her?” Yami’s tears were falling from his eyes freely now as he saw Yuugi’s face grow sadder.

“I… couldn’t…” Yuugi sighed as he sat down next to Yami and hugged the older teen. Yami sobbed into his shoulder as Yuugi stroked his back, “Aknunkanon is much stronger than I am, and his magic was keeping me away from them. I could’ve fired every spell I know but it still wouldn’t have penetrated his magic…”

Yami just cried more. Then they had both failed Kumiko. It was their fault… and he’d have to do the only thing he could about it.

He pulled away, wiping his tears away to clear his blurred vision, and shakily stood up.

“What are you going to do, Yami?” Yuugi looked up at the other worriedly. Yami wasn’t going to do what he thought the other was going to do right? No… Yami wouldn’t just give in to Aknunkanon’s threat…

“I’m going to give that bastard what he wants; me. If that’s the only way to get Kumiko back then so be it. She doesn’t deserve to be punished for something that is between me and that ass.”

Yuugi’s eyes widened and he stood up, “You can’t do that! You’ll lose your soul and then what? Do you think Kumiko wants you to kill people for fun? To have a brother that doesn’t care about her the slightest bit? That might even kill her!”

“Aknunkanon said she’d be safe! Kumiko is getting hurt because I’m being too selfish!”

“Not wanting to lose your soul is not being selfish!”

“At least she’ll be safe if I do this!”

Yuugi clenched his eyes and raised his hand, slapping Yami across the face as tears of his own threatened to fall from his eyes. Yami looked at him in shock as he cupped his cheek. “Yuugi?”

“Do you think I want to lose you? Do you think I want Kumiko-chan to get hurt? Do you fucking care even the slightest bit about what you’d be leaving behind in this world if you take that deal!” Yuugi’s tears spilled from his eyes and he cried silently, his eyes clenched shut and his head bowed. Yami couldn’t just give up on everything, not when everything had been going so well.

“But… Kumiko…” Yami looked down at the ground in shame. Yuugi was right. He couldn’t just give up on life. If he really did accept that deal he’d lose Yuugi forever, and he probably would kill everyone in sight just as he had apparently done in his previous life. Who was to say that he wouldn’t kill Kumiko and Yuugi? If he really was as strong as the other two said he was, there would be no one to stop him after all.

“We’ll get her back.” Yuugi looked up and stepped forward, hugging Yami tightly again. “We’ll find a way.”

Yami nodded, hugging Yuugi back and burying his face into the other’s hair as tears continued to spill from his eyes. He silently vowed that he would get Kumiko back, and without accepting the deal Aknunkanon had offered him.

They stood there for a little while, just holding each other, comforting each other, until Yuugi finally pulled away and smiled slightly at Yami. “Come on, we better get back to your place if we want to get some sleep. No sense in going to Hell while we’re tired.”

Yami nodded and got up, though he was reluctant to go home. Yoru would be there, and he didn’t exactly want to see the other yet… or ever again if he had a say in it. Yuugi sighed as he saw the reluctant look on Yami’s face.

“Yoru stormed out of the house as well, though he went in a different direction. I don’t think he’ll be home yet. As for the present I gave you,” he smiled, “I think I can still fix that.”

Yami looked down and smiled sadly, “Thanks, Yuugi.” The other nodded and they slowly walked home, leaving the park and going through the familiar streets of Domino. As they got to Yami’s house, they could hear sound inside. Yami’s shoulders slumped; so his father was home after all huh? Damn, that really just sucked.

Yuugi opened the door and peeked into the living room curiously. This couldn’t be Yoru. There was more than one aura, and those were being hidden so Yuugi couldn’t sense who they were. Yoru couldn’t do that, so who was in Yami’s house? And how did they get in?

Yuugi’s eyes widened as someone ripped the door open and tackled him, making them both fall to the ground as an all too familiar voice to him rambled on.

“Yuugi… who are they?” Yami looked at Yuugi first, before switching his gaze to the three newcomers. All three were wearing similar robes as Yuugi had been wearing that one time he’d used all his power, though the designs on the silk white robes were different for each of them. Also, the feather white wings he had missed with Yuugi were very much present with these three, only they were neatly folded behind their backs so they wouldn’t be bothered by them. Okay, so there were three angels in his house, and one of them was hugging his boyfriend to death…. Yep, this evening really couldn’t get any crazier.
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And that was it. And as if magically being there while you all reviewed, no cliffie! Well I can’t really call it one anyway since most of you will already know who the 3 newcomers are. At least one of them should be really obvious. Anyway, hope you all liked and Review please! I’ll cya all next week ^^.