Judgment Dragon

Chapter 2: Spare Change


“Yugi, do you have feelings for Tea?” asked Tristan. Yugi was caught off guard and almost broke his pencil. The pair was sitting in their math class working through a worksheet. Surprisingly, Tristan was good at math, and Yugi had excelled in all subjects. Tea and Joey were in a math class behind them. [1]

He never expected Tristan to be asking him this. Yugi thought a moment about the current state of things between him and Tea. Sure, she had grown into a beautiful woman. She was smart, funny, mature, and eye candy for any guy that wanted to look, but Yugi wasn’t sure he could think of her as anything more than his friend.

“No. Not really Tristan. Not like that anyhow. What makes you ask that?

“Oh. I was just curious. I kinda always thought you’d end up together.”

Yugi had a suspicion there was more than just curiosity. Seemed everyone was hiding things these days. He worked another problem and then placed his pencil down.

“Tristan what is this really about?”

Tristan rubbed his hands together nervously. Yugi knew that this signified Tristan was legitimately terrified to tell Yugi what was the real reason that he wanted to talk about Tea’s current relationship status.

“I think I kind of like her. I was thinking about how next year, I wouldn’t see any of you guys, and I found myself,” he paused, “Sorta missing her more than I thought I would. I’m not sure if it would be worth trying since we’ll be apart but, I just feel like I gotta try ya know?”

Yugi looked at his friend and smiled brightly.

“I think you should ask her out Tristan.”

“Really Yugi?”

“Yeah. I think you guys could be great together. Besides, even if you are moving away, there is always phone and internet and you could even fly to see her or she could fly to see you. You seem like you really like her, and both of you deserve to be happy.”

Tristan clasped Yugi’s shoulder. “Thanks Yugi. You’re a real pal.”

“Of course Tristan. Now, what did you get for number 20?”

Yugi was genuinely happy for his friends, but he was also disturbed by an aching in his chest that he had never felt before: an aching, rather, a longing for someone to belong to. He had never really thought about dating. He was always satisfied with his friends, or dueling, or worrying about saving the world. Dating was something that normal people did. Wasn’t he normal? Wasn’t he a man? Isn’t that a part of growing up?

“So Yugi, do you have your eye on anyone?” Tristan asked after a few moments of silence.

“No. Not really. I’ve never really thought about dating to be honest.”

“It’s alright. Some hot girl will come along and sweep you right off your feet.”

Yugi giggled, giving his friend reassurance that he was okay with this new information about his feelings for Tea.

“Don’t worry about me Tristan. I’m sure that my adventures in love will happen when it’s supposed to.”

Yugi wasn’t sure about his statement, and if he hadn’t heard it in a movie, he wouldn’t have even been able to come up with it. Mostly, he was confused about what it was supposed to mean anyway.

~*~

Yugi sat on his bed still trying to fit together the charm puzzle, letting this ease his thoughts. He heard his door open and close, Yami entering with a glass of juice in Yugi’s favorite cup and three of the cookies that Mr. Tanaka had gave to him. Yami sat them on his dresser then sat in the windowsill.

“What’s the matter Yugi? You seemed upset when you got home from school.”

“Ah its nothing major Yami. I’m just,” he thought for a moment, “confused about something that’s going on with my friends lately. And well everything is sorta confusing these days. It seems everyone is hiding something from me.”

Yami felt a sinking feeling in his stomach, feeling sorry for the boy’s troubles, but also feeling guilty for his own secrecy. The truth was, Yami burst to tell Yugi everything he was feeling, but he also knew that it would be selfish of him to ask him to stay in Domino forever. So Yami decided to approach the friend issue in an attempt to help.

“Are you upset that Tea and Tristan are leaving?”

“I’m not sure that I’m upset. I will miss them of course. But today, Tristan told me he’s going to ask Tea out.”

Yugi grabbed a cookie and took a bite then he took a gulp of juice from the cup. He smiled at the nice flavor the two things made in his mouth, and then smiled at Yami, thanking him silently for his thoughtfulness. While mysterious as Yami was, Yugi knew at least one thing about the pharaoh; he was always mindful of Yugi. Even though they were no longer sharing a body, Yami seemed to be able to sense everything still as if they were one. Yugi felt a splash of guilt at that, rethinking the past few weeks to which he had not spent much time with Yami.

“Are you jealous?” Yami asked.

“Well. Yeah,” he answered.

Yami lifted one eyebrow, feeling a fall into his own state of panic at the situation. The potential idea of Yugi involved with anyone surprised him, but also, scared him. The eerie feeling he got from the idea of Yugi in love with Tea still lacked clarity. What exactly was Yami afraid of?

“I’m jealous of what they could have. No maybe what they will have. I’ve never really been interested in anyone that way before Yami. So I don’t quite understand it even. Yet, I wish I knew more now that this is happening.”

Yami searched his mind for something to ease the confusion that plagued Yugi, but he found nothing suitable for a while. All he could think about was the creepy crawly feeling on his spine that had subsided when Yugi indicated no interest in Tea, Tristan, or even anyone for that matter. Finally, after a while of silence Yugi sighed, putting the charm puzzle down and flopping back on his bed.

“Yami?”

Yami looked at him indicating he had his undivided attention. Yugi sat up on his elbows, glancing at Yami’s body. Yes, they were very similar, Yugi thought. He always felt he was softer than Yami, with more body fat sure, but still skinny. Yugi nodded to himself in agreement that he preferred Yami to have the harder, angular, and more defined body. Yugi then felt the pit of his stomach drop and then spread as Yami placed a hand on his shoulder.

“What is it Yugi?”

Their eyes locked and suddenly the room was spinning. Yami’s darker eyes bore into Yugi’s lighter ones, and their connection with each other suddenly felt overwhelming to both of them. There was a pull, a pull that desired for both of them to be closer than that gentle friendly touch. However, there was also confusion. Yami could feel the confusion clouding over both of their minds. The pull was still stronger. The phone rang and they both snapped out of their gaze, Yami’s hand quickly retreating from Yugi’s shoulder. After the second ring Yugi grabbed the phone quickly.

“Hello. Oh, Hi Malik, how are you? That’s good. What’s that, you want to speak to Yami? Of course.”

Yugi handed Yami the phone, motioning for him to just hold it to his ear. Yami, surprising the smaller man, knew exactly how to use it.

“Hello,” Yami answered.

Yugi tried not to eavesdrop, distracting himself with the puzzle charm again, but he couldn’t help but wonder why Malik would want to speak to Yami, or to why it seemed Yami hadn’t spoken more than a few yes’ and nos. Finally, Yami said one sentence that made Yugi’s hairs rise up on the back of his neck.

“You haven’t much time before it consumes you. This will require more than just your light. We will also have to draw out your dark.”

Yami pressed the end button on the phone and he stood up to put it back on its dock. Yami sat back down in front of Yugi and prepared to tell him what he had seen when he had got the puzzle, and what he had remembered when he saw what Malik had uncovered.

“Yugi, there is something I need to explain to you. It is easier to show you however. Put on your shoes, and meet me outside.”

Yugi had a million questions when he found Yami sitting on the curb of the Game Shop looking solemnly out on the night. Yugi however could not ask a single one because of what happened next. After almost a month of dull color and barely any activity, the Millennium puzzle began to shimmer then glow in Yami’s hands. It began to shake and then levitate in front of Yami, shining a beam in a northern direction down the street. While this was shocking, Yugi was rendered speechless by Yami’s hand upon his shoulder.

“Yugi, no matter what you see, no matter what happens in the next hour or so, do not trust or believe anyone except me. Stay close to me. And whatever you do, if we should be parted, call out to me using the puzzle and I will find you.”

“Yami, what’s going on? You’re acting crazy and it’s kind of scary.”

“I will explain everything very soon Yugi. But first we must go to Malik’s thrift store.”

And so the two tri-colored opposites hurried down the street toward Malik’s thrift store, Yugi’s mind plagued with confusion about what was happening, but also, the tingling feeling in his stomach at the sudden closeness of him and Yami, for his hand had not left Yugi’s back the whole time they walked. It did not feel like Yami was rushing him, but mostly like he was trying to reassure him, comfort him. Then of course, there was the intense desire to hold on to him in the fear of everything that seemed to change well . . . everything.


~*~
Yugi awoke abruptly, shooting up to a sitting position, breathing heavily. He felt a little crowded and looked over to find a pair of dark eyes looking at him with worry. Yami was lying gracefully across the side of the bed closest to the wall. Yugi felt his heart pounding.

“Yami what happened? Was it all a dream?”

“What do you remember?”

“Something is wrong with Malik, and we had to go to the shadow realm to find the millennium rod. And, Yami your arm is your arm okay?”

At this question Yami displayed his arm for the smaller man. It was bandaged with Yugi’s trademark gauss tape.

“Oh. Right. I fixed it for you. But, how’d we get home? And what happened to Malik?”

“I carried you. You passed out when the shadow game began. It was too much dark energy. For that I am sorry Yugi. But not for you there, I would have been taken over myself by the darkness.”

“Yami, I feel kinda strange. Like I want to throw,” but before he could finish Yugi was rushing toward the bathroom that connected to their room. Yami quickly followed, turning on the bedside table lamp on his way to the bathroom. Yugi began to shiver.

“Yami what’s happening to me? I’m so confused.”

Yami wrapped one arm around him and found his skin was on fire. He rolled up Yugi’s pants leg, and sighed in relief, finding no mark. He reached to the other, and gasped, almost choking on nothing but air. There was a large bruise like mark, the size of a quarter, that looked to be pulsating and then growing. Yami picked Yugi up bridal style and he made his way down the stairs of the game shop and headed in the direction of the thrift store.

~*~
Isis Ishtar was awakened by a loud knocking at her door. She hurriedly put on a robe and answered it, finding Yami standing with a very sick looking Yugi. She asked no questions, simply standing aside and leading Yami into the guest room. Yami gently deposited Yugi onto the bed and cringed when he began to shiver again.

“Let me guess, Malik’s been playing with things he shouldn’t have again? And you tried to fix it with a duel in the shadows?”

“What’s going to happen to Yugi?”

“He’ll be okay. I’ll need room, which means you should find your way to the kitchen or maybe even downstairs to Malik’s lair, because Yugi will not get any better with your darkness hovering over him.”

Yami began to walk away from the bed until his hand was grabbed by Yugi. Yugi strained to open his eyes looking with difficulty from the dark for the pharaoh’s eyes.

“Yami, please don’t leave me.”

Yami squeezed his hand and silently promised to stay right outside the door. Isis quirked an eyebrow and then began to chant in Egyptian, her millennium necklace glowing. Yami stepped outside of the door, the last thing he remembered being the tingling feeling in his hand where Yugi had once held it.

When Isis finally came out of the room she looked very tired. Yami looked up at her and then stood. She motioned for them to go into the kitchen where she began to make tea. Yami sat down at the table and flexed the hand that was attached to his still pained arm.

“Alright Yami. Explain yourself. What did Malik find on his excavation in Egypt that I’m sure he wasn’t supposed to bring back?”

“It was a game. The ancient game of soul release.”

“Like the card?[2]”

“Somewhat. Whoever created this set left their darkness in the pieces and once opened you must put the pieces together or the darkness will feed on your life energy until it kills you. In exchange, that soul gets released. When the game is played with two people, each person draws a piece and the first person to complete a puzzle wins, but this usually never happens as to someone cannot withstand the darkness feeding upon them long enough to make it to the end.”

“So you took Yugi to the shadow realm with you, how foolish!”

“The appropriate word is selfish. You are aware that Yugi and I are two halves to a whole correct?”

“Yes,” she answered finally sitting down with a cup of tea, steam rising off the top. Yami closed his eyes in shame.

“I knew that if I found out whoever it was that enchanted Malik’s game and challenged them to the game I’d win because I had another source of light. And I did win, but I guess even winning comes with a price.”

“So Yugi now has darkness feeding off him?”

“Not exactly. Were you able to get him stabilized?”

“Yes. Although the shadow fought me the whole way. So Yugi was just sort of infected, he wasn’t playing the game so the darkness had no claim?”

“Right. But Malik on the other hand now has to deal with Marik.”

“What?”

“I enabled Marik to return in order for Malik to venture to the shadow realm to rid himself of the darkness that had consumed him.”

“Yami, you have caused a great disturbance by doing that.”

“I know. But I will clean up my mess just fine Isis. I must check on Yugi now.”

Isis lifted one eyebrow in curiosity and confusion at Yami’s sudden need to check on the young boy who had recently grown into a man. As strong as he had become, he was still weaker standing next to Yami yet, weaker only in a certain kind of strength. Yami seemed to be deeply troubled, and given Isis’s last look into the future, the trouble was his newly restored heart.

Inside the room Yami sat next to Yugi’s bed, feeling the boy’s forehead and finding tiny beads of sweat there. He took the cold cloth Isis had left by the bed on the brown modern finished table and pressed it to the currently unconscious. When Yami laid the cloth back in the cold water, Yugi’s eyes slowly fluttered open. He looked up at Yami, only making out certain parts of his face in the darkness.

“Yami? Is that you?”

“Yes little one. It is I.”

“I wish you wouldn’t call me that. I’m not little anymore.”

Yami tilted his head to the side in relief, glad to see that he had returned to normal somewhat. Yugi strained to sit up but Yami gently placed his hand on his shoulder keeping him down.

“Rest,” Yami directed.
“Yami?”

“Yes?”

“Will you lay,” he coughed, “I mean sit here with me till I fall back asleep.” Yugi blushed in the darkness at the thought of the pharaoh sharing the bed with him, his stomach twisting in confusion and delight at his thought.

“Of course.”

Yugi turned away from Yami, afraid that he could see his blush and confusion in the darkness. While they were still connected, Yugi had learned how to shut off that connection to serve his selfish privacy, or so, just the things that while he wouldn’t mind sharing if he had to, he kept to himself. Although, he was very unsure about his feelings as of tonight, the strong pull he had to the pharaoh scaring him and yet exciting him. He had always enjoyed his company, and was happy to have shared so much with him, but this feeling of sharing more was unfamiliar. Yugi shrugged to himself before trying legitimately to sleep, and just before he felt the familiar pull of a deep sleep take him, he felt Yami climb into the bed behind him quietly, and while he kept his distance, Yugi couldn’t help but smile in his sleep.



[1] This was just an assumption driven by the demeanors of the characters.
[2] Actual card. This is getting easier since I found my own cards from those years ago when I was quite the duel master.

AN: There was trouble in my understanding of Yami/Atem’s character. I watched the episode where he and Tea spend the day together and got a better understanding of his temperance, thus chapter two. Reviews are always appreciated, but I’m also happy to know that some of you are just simply reading. I will attempt to get chapter three up in a timely manner.