We build and then we break

We build, and then we break


Chapter Two

- - - - - - - - - -

Sugoroku sighed, gazing at a closed bedroom door. He stood at the end of the hallway, head shaking in sadness. He hadn’t meant to stare at the door for this long. He was worried about Yuugi.

His grandson hadn’t spoken to him in days, merely locking himself into his bedroom, working aimlessly on his novel alongside a case of beer. He rolled his eyes at the thought of his once innocent Yuugi. Nothing mattered to him anymore other than his novel and of course, his drinking habit.

Something was irking the hell out of him. He had been sitting in the game shop’s backroom, settling the sales for the day barely aware of anything. Yuugi barreled into the house/game shop in a drunken state, muttering profanities under his breath.

Sugoroku turned his head from the backroom, observing Yuugi’s drunken moment. He appeared frustrated if not frightened. He tripped over his own feet, somehow managing to get upstairs.

Shaking his head, Sugoroku sighed. That was the last time he had seen Yuugi minus the time he left for more alcohol. Something was definitely up. He hoped that Yuugi’s sudden introverted personality wasn’t a product of finding his darker half.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Jou found himself bored, finding the pleasure of spending an afternoon with his best friend. However, Yuugi wasn’t in the mood for an outing. Therefore, now the duo sat in Yuugi’s small bedroom, quietly talking over the noise of Yuugi’s music.

Jou lay on Yuugi’s bed, gazing at his friend with interest. Yuugi sat hunched over laptop at a desk. He typed quickly, pausing every once in a while to partake in the amber liquid of his Bud Light.

Jou simply gazed around the room, finding little differences in Yuugi’s current state of living. The room once bright and vibrant of an avid gamer now appeared lifeless and normal. There were no posters on the pale blue walls. The only things in this man’s room were his desk, television, bed, and numerous boxes strewn around every space imaginable. Half a case of bottled beer sat idly in a small cooler by Yuugi’s bedside table.

Jou didn’t understand his friend’s sudden taking to alcohol. He knew that he had been a heavy drinker since his arrival in Domino a week previously. Yuugi had built up a tolerance for himself, one that rivaled that of Jou.

Blinking in boredom, Jou turned to his side, pushing bangs from his face. He coughed, gaining his friend’s attention.

“Hmm?” Yuugi muttered eyes still on the laptop’s screen.

“The hell, Yuge?”

Sighing in defeat, Yuugi hit the save button on his word document and turned his full attention upon his best friend.

“What?”

Jou gestured at Yuugi’s appearance and the room itself. “What the hell is up with all this, Yuugi?”

Rolling his eyes, Yuugi threw his empty bottle of beer into a small trashcan.

“I’m tempted to ignore you, Jou. I don’t think it’s any of your business.”

Jou shook his head, rolling his eyes at Yuugi.

“I’m worried about you, Yuugi. You haven’t left this room in days.” He sat up, eyeing his friend in concern.

“Why is that, Yuugi?”

He sat up, stretching his thin body. Yuugi gazed at his friend with blood-shot indigo eyes. He frowned, speaking softly. “I ran into him, Jou.”

Jou knew whom Yuugi was mentioning. He hadn’t told his friend about that restaurant by accident. He knew of the issues that occurred between the yami and hikari pair. He hoped that the duo would make amends and become happy again.

“You ran into your other half, then?”

The smaller of the two flinched outwardly at the term ‘other half.’ He wasn’t accustomed to the term any longer. Hearing it was similar to nails on a chalkboard.

“Jou, please for the love of god, don’t call him that.”

A flicker of emotion coursed through Yuugi’s voice and expressive eyes. It was the first clue that had given Jou some type of information upon Yuugi’s anger.

Yami was the key to his friend’s sadness.

“What ever ya say, Yuge’.” He fidgeted uneasily, gazing at his friend worriedly. “I’m not sure what went down five years ago between you and Yami but I don’t wanna see ya depressed Yuugi.”

Yuugi’s eyes narrowed slightly as he spoke. “So you want me go back to California? I can certainly do that! Hell, let’s make the world perfect and send away the depressed man back to his hell hole away from the fucking other half of him that rejected him in every possible manner!”

Jou’s eyes bugged out at his friend’s outburst. Yuugi never raised his voice nor cursed unless he was beyond regally pissed off. He knew that Yami changed his friend’s attitude. He knew there was something more than seen to this puzzle.

With a defeated sigh, Jou got up, and waved off Yuugi’s defensive stance. He grabbed his coat, dodging a stray empty beer bottle.

“Look, Yuugi, I don’t want ya to go back to California. I’m just worried about ya and don’t wanna see ya sad. I’m here for you when ya want to talk. But until then, I’m gonna let you calm down. I’m only makin this worse on you.”

Jou walked out of Yuugi’s bedroom without looking back. All the while, Yuugi fell to his knees, beer bottles at his feet. He stared blankly at the floor, feeling his world fall apart once again. He hated being in this predicament. He hadn’t seen it since he left years ago. Now with all his problems back in reality, life would turn to hell as Murphy’s Law took form. When something could go wrong, then everything that can will go wrong.

He shook his head, holding his face in his hands.

What the hell would happen next?

- - - - - - - - - -

Yami set an empty tray to the side, gazing at the now closed restaurant. He wiped sweat from his brow, tired from the long night that he endured. Waiting tables wasn’t exactly thrilling or fun. Hell, it was a job and he was good at it. That is, he was good at using his looks and seductive nature to woo the crowds no matter male or female. Working in this restaurant wasn’t by choice nor was it something he wanted to do any longer.

Working in the restaurant was the only way he kept his mind clear from thoughts of his hikari, Yuugi. Shaking his head, he pulled his glasses away from his tired eyes, placing them in the breast pocket of his shirt.

Another inconvenience of his exhausted life was the glasses. Any impairment that Yuugi suffered, Yami suffered as well. Luckily, the eyes were the only thing he suffered from. He knew there was more to his hikari’s bizarre impairments now after their run-in five years after their still unresolved problems.

He ran a hand through his sweaty tricolor hair, eyes closed in exhaustion. Tonight had been taxing for more ways than one. He felt and odd change in his emotions. A ripple of anger and depression coursed through his body, causing his stern attitude to falter slightly. That cost him a few decent tips at the beginning of his shift.

Something was off. He knew this much. He hadn’t felt any spike in emotional changes in a long time. Hell, he almost always felt rather indifferent and depressed as usual. However, upon seeing Yuugi everything shot to hell. His carefully constructed mask used while waiting tables and seeing others was cracking at its seams. Yami’s façade would fall if he saw his other half again.

He felt a longing tug from his heart upon thinking of his hikari. Yuugi meant everything to him, no matter what they argued about years ago. He missed the man with a fiery passion. Going to god knows where changed his little one in more ways than one.

“What the hell changed Yuugi so much in five years?”

He decided to head home, thinking of the ice-cold beer waiting for him.

Yami shook his head, sadden that this was another impairment he received from Yuugi. He loved Bud Light almost as much as his light.

They were still connected deeply no matter how long they were apart.

- - - - - -

“I promise it won’t be that long, Yuugi. I need to get a few things and then I will be back in a bit.”

Sugoroku smiled at his obviously hung over grandson, whom was sitting behind the counter of their game shop, eye half-open. His usually indigo eyes were now violet, bloodshot from a night of boozing it up. Yuugi blinked tiredly, eyes magnified from behind a pair of thick square-rimmed glasses. He didn’t have the desire to wear contacts this day. Sugoroku gave his grandson a final nod, proceeding to leave the shop. He felt bad for causing his grandson more pain with his hangover. However, it was merely a ploy to get things back in order for his grandson.

Yuugi hadn’t left the house in over four days, spending them drinking and working on his ‘epic novel.’ Which no one other than the man’s agent knew about. God only knew what lying open in that word document. Was

Sugoroku shook his head, walking to his car. He only hoped that his grandson would awaken from his crazed stupor and find love for his past. He missed his overly excited over Duel Monster’s crazed grandson. This stoic, easily angered version of Yuugi was enough to make him wonder what the hell happened years ago.

After all, there were only two people who fully knew what Yuugi went through during his final days in Domino.

- - - - - - - - - -

Yuugi felt horrible. He had a pounding headache, and his eyes burned like fire. His glasses slid down his nose, making vision blurry for the hung over man. Annoyed, he pushed them onto the bridge of his nose, fingers tapping idly upon a keyboard.

Sometime during the morning, he became bored and ventured back to his room, dragging his laptop with him. His grandfather hadn’t banned the laptop from the game shop. He merely wanted Yuugi to watch the store for a while.

Yuugi’s eyes left the screen of his novel, finding little interest in the numerous Duel Monster memorabilia that hung from every square inch of the walls and displays. He found nothing but hate for the game. No one believed this of course. How the hell could the king of games hate his supposedly favorite card game?

Ignoring Duel Monsters wasn’t easy at first. However, as time passed, Yuugi found it easy to deny any relation with the game. Upon leaving in such haste for California, he took drastic measures in order to change himself in more ways than one.

Losing interest in Duel Monsters was the first ploy. Changing his appearance was the second. After all, how would someone recognize the supposed duel king if he didn’t sport his trademark tricolor hair and leather ensemble?

Yawning widely, Yuugi pushed his laptop to the side, hearing the door opening, bell ringing in response.

He turned his eyes upon the door, finding a young girl walking down the aisles, curiously spying cards of many varieties. Rolling his eyes, Yuugi went back to his laptop, turning his attention towards the little girl every once in a while.

-- - - - - - - -

Sugoroku sat in the midst of the infamous Tex-Mex restaurant, gazing at the junk-infested walls.

This was the oldest restaurant in town, still run and owned by the original owners. Sighing softly, the aged Mutou sat back in his booth, finding interest at the moose head mounted on the opposite wall.

A shadow crept forward, distracting his sudden fascination with the moose.

Yami stood regally, arms crossed at the chest. He raised a brow, confusion furrowing in his brows. He blinked behind a thin pair of square-rimmed glasses.

“Grandfather Sugoroku?”

Said man nodded, taking in his grandson’s darker half. He merely gazed at the man, finding an odd sense of relief that he hadn’t changed as much in appearance as his Yuugi.

“What brings you here to Tori’s?” Yami asked, removing his arms from his chest. He blinked thoughtfully.

“I came to see you and ask a few questions.”

Ruby eyes glinted behind thick lenses.

“Questions about?” He asked, voice losing its confidence. He knew why Sugoroku was here.

Sugoroku motioned for Yami to sit, eyes vacant of any passing emotion. He gazed at the waiter, speaking softly.

“I’m sure you’re aware that Yuugi is back.”

A mere nod answered his question as Yami took his seat.

“Yes, I’m aware that he has returned here. Albeit, he isn’t my hikari anymore,” he paused, finding an angered expression forming upon the other’s face. “He isn’t my Yuugi anymore, grandfather. I don’t understand what happened to cause such a change in five years…”

“What do you mean by that?! You of all people should know why he has changed!”

Yami blinked, raising an angled brow once more. He knew that he and Yuugi weren’t a typical light and dark anymore. The separation between them had severed the tight bond they felt towards one another. However, the sense of void he felt was also a part of Yuugi. Even without their loving bond they had once known, both were connected in terms of their lives and their emotions. Whatever affected Yuugi also affected Yami.

“There were a lot of things said, grandfather. Even with Yuugi leaving me, I don’t know why he hates me anymore than you do. The answer to your question lies with Yuugi himself. I’m merely a lone soul attempting to regain what was lost. I miss MY hikari, not this sarcastic man who has returned with your grandson’s name.”

The words stung in more ways than one. Sugoroku had always checked periodically on his grandson’s darkness, making sure he was alright. After all, he was a part of Yuugi no matter the circumstances. But to hear the once pharaoh claim that he missed his hikari was another thing entirely. Yami missed the old Yuugi Mutou. He didn’t know the hardened brokenhearted Yuugi that had returned to Domino.

“Yami, I believe you have given me enough to think about for a bit. I would like to leave you with a few things to think over. Yuugi can’t become the same person he once was, not unless there is progress towards the root of Yuugi’s hatred. Your hikari isn’t coming back anytime soon.”

With that said, the aged man got up and walked out of the restaurant, leaving a dumbstruck Yami.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

“Sir, do you have a Dark Magician Girl card?”

Yuugi looked up from his laptop, raising a brow at the small girl who walked into the store earlier. A set of cerulean blue eyes sparkled, gazing at him with such curiosity and innocence that it made him queasy.

“Excuse me?”

“Do you have a Dark Magician Girl card, sir?”

Yuugi blinked, brows furrowed in thought. He got up and walked towards the card display on the other side of the register.

“Yes, I believe we do, young lady. Are you making a spell caster deck?”

Yuugi’s eyes bugged out as he felt his old sense of self-slip from its own accord. He smiled despite this, gazing at the small blonde-haired girl.

“No, I’m makin’ a deck like my idol Yuugi Mutou’s!” She exclaimed, smiling widely, revealing two missing teeth.

His heart skipped a beat. Hearing a little girl talk about him as an idol made his whole hatred disappear. He felt his heart melt as he smiled at her slightly, holding out the Dark Magician Girl for the little girl.

“You’re a fan of Yuugi eh?”

She nodded vigorously, holding the card within her small hands.

“Yes! He’s my favorite duelist! I miss him so much! He just disappeared a few years ago… That’s what my momma said.” She set the card back down onto the counter, cocking her head to the side cutely. “My momma was a friend of his, a long time ago.”

Before Yuugi was able to process this statement further, the door opened again, bell tinkling in toll. A tall leggy blonde-haired woman walked into the store, violet eyes wide with relief. She stepped towards the small girl at the counter.

“Emma! There you are! You had me so worried! I told you to stay by my side..” She picked up the little girl and hugged her tightly.

Emma pulled back slightly, nose scrunched up. She frowned. “I’m sorry Mamma! But I found the Dark Magician Girl card here!”

Violet eyes fell upon the card laying on the counter then to Yuugi. She set her daughter onto her feet. She smiled, ruffling the girl’s blonde locks.

“I’m sorry for my daughter’s intrusion. I’m sure she was quite a handful for you.”

Yuugi felt realization strike as he recognized the woman in front of him. He hadn’t seen her in years. Hell, he hadn’t seen her since the end of the whole Doom organization.

Surprised he walked from behind the counter, taking a quick look to make sure he wasn’t seeing things. He spoke quietly, earning an odd look from little Emma.

“Its’ alright, she wasn’t any trouble at all.” He paused, taking a moment to speak further. “Mai Valentine?”

Her eyes widened at the mention of her name, she eyed Yuugi skeptically, wondering who the hell he was.

“How do you know my name?”

“You don’t recognize your own friend? After all, I’ve dueled you a few times and have saved your life on more than one occasion.”

With that said, he crossed his arms at his chest, gazing at his once friend with a blank expression.

The gears in her mind must have clicked together and put the pieces into perspective. Her eyes widened as she smiled, almost shocked.

“Yuugi?!”

“The one and only.”

Yuugi grinned, hugging his friend as she stepped forward, wrapping him in a tight embrace.

Although, his attention was diverted as the game shop door opened once again, bell tinkling in unison. A pair of ruby eyes watched Yuugi partake in the embrace, sadness evident in the person’s face.

Yuugi pulled away from Mai, finding those fury ruby eyes burning holes into his small form.

He gulped, finding none other than his darkness standing to the side, brows narrowed in annoyance.

“Yami…”

- - - -

TBC…