Hold On

Red Dragon of Egypt: I think I won’t be needing Anzu until something like chap 9, so have fun with her! *throws Anzu at you* Hope you can actually find use for her, since I haven’t so far. Have fun with the latest chap, though I think you’ll once again want to kill me… damn, you really gotta stop wanting to do that ^^;;

Dragonlady222: I’m glad you liked it, and have fun with the latest chap!

Catti-dono: *sweatdrops* we’re on the first, now second chap of the story and you’re already starting to guess? Tsk, bad you. Just keep reading the story and you’ll see what happens. Enjoy the new chap.

Koorime13: Yeah, I have this habit where my prologues are years before the actual story. This is the third time a story worked out like that, and I kinda like it this way. As for Anzu…
HOW CAN YOU ACTUALLY THINK SHE’S NORMAL?! The whole friendship obsession is what makes her so annoying. The friendship speeches bore even during the first time, so let alone when she keeps repeating them. And come on, she drew a SMILEY on they’re hands! For crying out loud that’s just taking a bit too far!
Anyway, I hope you have fun with the new chap!
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Yo people! Here’s the new chap and even though I knew you’ll all hate me for certain pieces, there’s good news too! Kumiko is coming into the story! *squeals* I love that girl, seriously. Anyway, R&R people!
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--: 02 :--
My life

“And then what happened, Mi-chan?” Yami smiled at the laughing girl skipping next to him merrily. He’d gotten out of school about an hour ago and had gone straight home for his usual walk through the park with Kumiko. They were currently walking around the large pond and Yami was telling about his day at school.

“Well Ushio backed off and left Yuugi-kun alone for the rest of the day,” Yami grinned, “I think he was scared.”

Kumiko giggled, “So you have a new friend now, Mi-chan?” She sat down under one of the trees. Yami sat down next to her with a thoughtful look on his face.

Was Yuugi a friend of his? No, he just couldn’t allow that to happen. It would only hurt if something happened to the other and hurting was something Yami didn’t want to be anymore.

“Mi-chan?” Yami snapped out of his thoughts, smiling at the curiously looking Kumiko.

“He’s not really a friend, Tenshi. Just… someone I know.”

“Oh,” Kumiko sighed, “I was hoping you’d have someone else at school so you wouldn’t be so lonely.”

Yami smiled gently at his little sister, “I have you, so why would I be lonely?” He pulled Kumiko into his lap and the girl giggled again, snuggling into his chest with a bright smile on her face.

“I know, but I want you to have someone in class too, or when I’m not there like today.”

Yami just hugged his little angel close, “You’re the only one I need, Kumiko.”

They sat there for a long time in a comfortable silence, until they heard the clock tower sound five times. Yami sighed and pulled away from Kumiko slightly, “It’s time to go home, Tenshi. We’ll be late if we don’t.”

Kumiko’s face saddened. She loved just sitting here with Yami, doing nothing but staring at the scenery and the people walking by.

“I don’t wanna go yet.” She pouted cutely and snuggled back into Yami’s chest.

Yami chuckled but stood up nonetheless, picking up Kumiko up as he went so they could leave. If he wasn’t home on time, certain consequences would follow. Painful consequences. Not that Kumiko knew about that, so he couldn’t blame her for wanting to go against their father’s wishes a little.

Kumiko just pouted even more, but didn’t struggle in any way. Yami simply couldn’t resist the cute sight of his sister, and his determination to get home as soon as possible fell faster than a brick thrown off a building.

He sighed and glanced around, noticing an ice-cream cart not too far away. He briefly wondered why an ice-cream cart would still be around at this time of the year, but he didn’t really care. The line was pretty long, and it would take quite some time to get to the front, but Kumiko would love it. He smiled as he nudged his still sulking sister, “You want an ice-cream?”

Kumiko’s expression changed faster than a cube of ice would melt in a raging hot fire. “Yay!”

She jumped out of Yami’s arms as soon as she spotted the cart and ran to it as fast as possible. Yami smiled and followed the younger, glad that she wasn’t sad anymore. He’d probably get into loads of trouble with his father, but he’d worry about that later; Kumiko was the only one that mattered at the moment.

Yami bought a chocolate ice-cream and now Kumiko was happily skipped next to him as they made their way home. Sure, Kumiko would probably get hyper but again, that was something to worry about later.

Yami gulped as they reached their apartment. One look on his watch told him it was already past half past 5; they were too late… and that meant Yoru would be angry. The man had recently gotten angry about any little thing that Yami did wrong, the beatings only getting worse and more frequent. Yami bit his lip slightly, but didn’t want to worry Kumiko so kept his mask of confidence up.

They entered the house and as soon as they came into the living room, Yami could see the angry look on Yoru’s face as the other got off the couch, his eyes promising pain and lots of it.

“Kumiko… why don’t you go to my room okay? I’ll be there in a few minutes.” Yami smiled at the confused looking Kumiko, who slowly made her way up the stairs and into Yami’s room. As soon as Yami heard the door to his room close, he gulped and looked back at his father. He tried to mask the fear in his eyes but some of it still showed ever so slightly.

“You’re late.” Yoru hissed, coming closer to Yami. Yami immediately backed up against the wall only a meter behind him. This was going to be very bad. He just hoped Kumiko wouldn’t come down; he didn’t want to scar the girl in any way. This would definitely be a way to scar her for life.

“I-I’m sorry.” Yami tried to desperately think of an excuse that didn’t involve Kumiko and was at least a little acceptable, but nothing came to mind.

“Sorry? I’ve told you a million times already that you have to be home before half past 5 and yet you still come home after that!” Yoru’s fist connected with Yami’s chest in a painful left hook and Yami stumbled, almost falling to the ground. He was so screwed.

Yoru continued to hiss at him while hitting every inch that Yami would be able to cover up. Yami quickly found himself on the ground, covered in fresh bruises that would be visible for weeks. He clenched his eyes shut to hold back tears that were about to run down his face but to no avail. Yoru just kept going, loving every whimper and suppressed cry of pain he got from the teen on the ground.

After ten minutes it finally stopped and Yami heard Yoru walk back to the couch, muttering darkly under his breath about worthless sons.

“Go to your room and don’t come out until tomorrow. You’re not getting any dinner.” Yoru spat. Yami just got off the ground without a word, wincing at every movement. He made his way up the stairs and stopped in front of his door.

He sighed as he tried to look as normal as possible for Kumiko. Every step he took hurt and his clothes were a mess, but he’d just say he fell or something.

He opened the door and smiled at the girl sitting on his bed. She looked up with a bright smile and ran over to him to give him a hug. Yami winced again as small arms wrapped around him, but he ignored it for Kumiko’s sake.

“What took you so long, Mi-chan?” Yami led the girl back to the bed and pulled her into his lap again.

“I just had to talk to father for a second since we were a little late,” he ruffled Kumiko’s hair playfully, “but I have homework so can you go to your room and play there for a while?”

Kumiko nodded, not seeing yet another wince as she hugged Yami again before running off to her own room, humming cheerfully to herself. Yami stood up and closed the door behind her, so she’d be out of sight and hopefully earshot as well.

Tears fell freely from his eyes now as he lay on his bed, burying his head in his pillow to mute his sobs as much as possible. God he hated his father for doing this time after time. He didn’t understand why the man found so much pleasure in beating people up. His mind briefly flashed back to the night when Yoru had killed his mother, the only person trying to keep him out of harm’s way. How Yoru had gotten away with it was still beyond him. It had been quite obvious that Yoru had been the one to kill Kireira, but somehow his attorney had gotten him out of it.

He pushed the thoughts of his mother out of his head as his heart clenched at her memory. He had to keep people out of his heart so it wouldn’t hurt if they got hurt or left him. He didn’t want to lose someone dear to him ever again, and the best way to do that was to just keep everyone out of his heart. Kumiko was the only that mattered to him, and that’s why he was so overprotective of her. If anything every happened to his little angel, he’d kill whoever had hurt her.

He cried until he heard a soft knock at the door, and Kumiko’s voice calling for him, “Mi-chan? You coming? Dinner’s ready.”

Yami steeled his voice as much as possible so she wouldn’t hear he’d been crying, “I’m not hungry, Tenshi. I don’t want any.” It was a good thing she couldn’t hear his stomach protesting against that statement, because it did at that moment.

“Oh,” Kumiko sounded disappointed, and Yami could’ve hit himself for hurting her feelings like that. She probably thought he didn’t want to be with her right now. “I’ll see you later then…” Soft footsteps were heard going down the stairs, and new tears gathered in Yami’s eyes. He once again buried his face in his pillow, hating himself as well as his father now.

He had no idea how long he’d been laying there, just crying and hugging his pillow to himself, but at one point his cell phone rang. He wiped his tears away and once again steeled his voice to sound natural. He let out a shaky breath before taking the call, “Hello? Yami speaking.”

-“Hey Yami-kun.”- Yami blinked as he recognized Yuugi’s voice. He’d given his cell phone number to the other just in case he was ever in trouble and he wasn’t anywhere around. The other didn’t sound troubled though, completely the opposite actually.

“Yuugi-kun? Why are you calling?” Yami sat up, mentally cursing as his body protested against it.

-“Well it is Saturday night and we don’t have any school tomorrow, and I’m bored. I thought maybe we could do something together?”-

Yami blinked in surprise for the second time. Yuugi was actually asking him to go somewhere and do things friends would normally do with each other. But Yuugi wasn’t a friend… was he? No, he couldn’t be!

“I don’t know, Yuugi-kun. I have homework and everything so…” Yami trailed off. It was a crap excuse since he could always do it tomorrow, but he didn’t want to hurt the other’s feelings. He’d done that more than enough for today.

-“But can’t you do that tomorrow? You’ll have the entire day for it then.”-

Damn it, Yuugi sounded disappointed, just like Kumiko had. Yami clenched his eyes; this just couldn’t be happening to him.

-“Please, Yami-kun?”-

“I’ll have to ask my father first.” Yami groaned mentally. He couldn’t exactly go down since Yoru had forbidden him to, but he had to ask if he could go no matter what. Sneaking out of his house would only get him a new beating if he got caught.

-“Okay, I’ll hold.”-

But damnit, Yuugi sounded happy again. Yami sighed, “I’ll be right back.”

Yami put the cell phone on his bed and slowly exited the room. He heard music coming from Kumiko’s room so dinner must’ve ended already. He descended the stairs nervously, praying to God that Yoru would let him go – anywhere was better than in this damned house – or would at least let him go back upstairs without another beating.

The door creaked too much for Yami’s liking, and Yoru obviously heard it too as the man turned around with an annoyed look. As soon as their eyes locked, anger flashed in Yoru’s blue ones. “Didn’t I tell you to stay in your room?! I don’t want to see you for the rest of the day!”

Yami unconsciously took a step back, “I-I’m sorry, but I just wanted to ask if I could go somewhere.”
Yoru
snorted, “And where would you go?”

“Someone called and asked if I wanted to go somewhere…” Yami gulped and prayed Yoru would let him go. He wasn’t sure if he was ready to let someone else besides Kumiko into his heart, but it seemed Yuugi was getting in without even trying. He liked the kid, and the other wasn’t shallow or anything, so Yami supposed it wouldn’t be all too bad if they got to know each other at least a little bit better.

Yoru’s eyes widened in brief shock. Someone had actually asked if Yami wanted to do something with them, and Yami had actually accepted?! He thought he’d gotten to a point where Yami’s only line to reality was Kumiko, but it seemed his son had gotten a friend of some sort. What was he supposed to do now? Forbidding Yami to go would be useless as the two probably saw each other at school. And he did want the brat away from him as much as possible.

His glare returned, “Fine, go to wherever the Hell you want. Just as long as you’re not anywhere near me.” He turned back to the TV and sat down on the couch again, ignoring Yami completely now.

Yami’s eyes widened in shock as his father actually agreed, “What time do I have to be home?” he asked, not wanting a new beating for being late.

“I don’t care.” Yoru answered, throwing a brief glare his way for interrupting the TV. Yami practically ran out of the room, glad he was still in one piece. He was also very happy that his body had gotten used to all the beatings, and wouldn’t hurt so much after even an hour anymore.

As Yami’s door closed, Yoru sensed someone appearing in the room behind him. He scolded as he turned around to face one of the minions of Aknunkanon that kept his eye on everything that happened.

“You let him go,” the minion stated coldly, “why?”

Yoru shrugged and turned back to the TV, “Why not. It gets him away from me for a while.”

The demon narrowed his eyes on Yoru. “It also gives him a chance to befriend other people. I believe you were supposed to get him away from the world.”

Yoru shrugged again, only half paying attention to the demon. He’d gotten over his fear for them a long time ago, since they kept popping up out of nowhere to check up on him. “They obviously met at school, so why bother trying to keep them away from each other if they’ll see one another there anyway? It makes no sense. Besides, like this you can see who this friend of his is and get rid of them. When that happens Yami’ll get hurt again which will make him turn his back on the world ever more. See? I did think this through you know. Now leave, I want to watch TV before my work calls with yet another problem for me to solve.”

The demon glared at Yoru’s back, but didn’t say another word. He disappeared into the shadows, no doubt on his way to tell the others of the new news.

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Yami ran up the stairs and back into his room before Yoru could take back his words. He quickly scooped the cell phone off the bed and held it to his ear again. The first smile that hadn’t been caused by Kumiko since ages was playing on his lips and he actually felt happy that he was going to do something with the other boy.

“Yuugi? You still there?”

-“Yeah, what did your dad say?”-

Yuugi sounded curious and slightly worried. Yami smiled even brighter, “He said it was okay, didn’t even give me a time to be back at home.” Come to think of it, what time was it anyway? He quickly glanced at his watch to see it was ten past eight. “So what do you want to do?”

-“I don’t know, I haven’t been here for that long so I don’t know what we can do. We’ll just go walk around aimlessly until we find something we can do.”-

“Sure, I’ll come pick you up since I have a pretty good idea where you live. Just make sure you’re standing in front of the door in about twenty minutes okay?”

-“Okay, see you in a few.”-

Yami hung up and walked to the mirror to see how bad he really looked. He flinched at the sight that met his eyes.

His already red eyes were even redder because of all the crying he’d down. His hair was a complete mess, just like his clothes, and some of the bruises Yoru had just made were visible on his arms. In short, he looked like crap, probably even worse than that.

He let out a sigh of frustration before taking a comb and starting on his hair. It took him about five minutes before it was untangled and back to its normal spiky state, and another five to put enough make-up on to make his eyes look a little more normal. He quickly looked through his closet and took out a pair of fresh blue jeans and a sleeveless black leather shirt. He’d just have to keep a jacket on so Yuugi wouldn’t be able to see the bruises on his arms.

Quickly he exited his room and went to Kumiko’s. He found her drawing while singing along with the music. Yami stopped in the doorway and smiled at the girl still not noticing him there. Yami always loved to hear Kumiko sing, as she sounded like the angel he thought she really was. She was a very creative person in general, as she could already draw beautifully. Lucky for him her drawings where mostly for him.

“Kumiko?” The girl looked up slightly startled as her name was called, but smiled brightly as she saw Yami standing in the doorway.

“Mi-chan! Are you done with your homework?” Kumiko stood up to walk over to her brother and hug him. Yami winced once more because of all the bruises, but Kumiko didn’t seem to notice. Plus, the pain was already less than a couple of hours ago.

“No, not yet. But Yuugi-kun called and asked if I wanted to do something fun.” Yami ruffled the girl’s hair again, “So I just came to say goodnight; I don’t know when I’ll be back again.

Kumiko just smiled brightly, “You’re really going to do something? I knew you two were friends!” She giggled happily as she hugged Yami tighter. “Have fun!”

Yami smiled as Kumiko let go and cheerfully ran back to her drawing, singing along with her music again. He walked away slowly, Kumiko waving at him as he walked down the stairs.

As soon as Kumiko was out of sight though, Yami hurried through the hallway, grabbed his jacket, keys, and wallet, and made his way out of the door as fast as possible. His father had said that he didn’t want to see Yami again today, and Yami had no problems with that. Besides, the less time he spend getting out of the house, the less time Yoru had to change his mind and forbid Yami to go.

As he closed the door behind him, Yami glanced at his watch to see he had about five more minutes to get to the large apartment complex; more than enough time.

He started walking with a smile on his face, actually looking forward to the rest of the evening, and already glad he had accepted Yuugi’s invitation. He just hoped it would get his mind off Yoru, though he doubted it as he could still feel all his bruises with every step. Well it beat lying on his bed and crying the entire evening, ne?a

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There we go for this week. Hope you all enjoyed even though I just let Yoru beat Yami up *sweatdrops* Please Review!