We build and then we break

We build and then we break

AN: It’s been a while eh? I have loads of excuses but I’m sure none of you want to know or care so here’s one of the final few chapters of this fic. Enjoy.

Chapter Nine

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“You know, this stuff isn’t going to magically grow legs and walk into your closet.”

“It could happen. This stuff has been sitting here so long, I’m beginning to think that it’s mutated legs somewhere in that pile.” He gestured towards the offending pile of items on the floor.

Yami rolled his eyes, flipping through the channels on the television. Yuugi lay against a pillow on the other side of the large couch, curled into a ball on his side. It was a dreary Sunday afternoon. It was raining and neither man felt like venturing through the storm. Thus, the storm left them in their current position.

Yuugi grunted from his position, yawning widely. He was dressed in black basketball shorts and a baggy t-shirt. His hair was spiking in its old fashion, streaks of its original tricolors breaking through the black dye. Yuugi ignored the need to dye it. After all, he no longer had a reason to. Most of his problems were solved.

Yami grew bored with channel surfing. He sighed loudly, resting one of his legs against the coffee table. He blinked a few moments before using the remote control as a prodding instrument. Taking his boredom to another level, he prodded Yuugi in the side, earning a yelp from the shorter man.

“What the hell, Yami?”

The former pharaoh shrugged his shoulders sheepishly. He moved his foot from the coffee table, letting it dangle off the edge of the couch.

“I’m bored.” He paused, prodding his light again. “You invited me over to help out.”

Yuugi yelped again, rolling his eyes. He removed himself from his ball, glaring at his darker half. He pointed an accusing finger at him.

“No, I believe you invited yourself over. I was trying to clean but you just had to come over and make me lazy.”’ Yuugi said, stretching his legs.

Yami laughed. He took a hold of Yuugi’s socked foot, dragging the man towards him. A set of surprised amethyst eyes trained on his smirking face. Continuing his actions, the former pharaoh towered his body over Yuugi’s own.

He purred in satisfaction, running his hands through Yuugi’s downy-soft hair. He kissed his light on the jaw, nuzzling him.

“I’m glad you’re letting your hair grow out to its former glory.”

Yuugi closed his eyes in contentment. He purred slightly in acknowledgement.

“That’s one of the four things I missed as my former self.”

Yami paused, kissing Yuugi once more, raising a brow.

“Hmm? One of the four?” He paused, blinking in curiosity. “What are the others?”

“That’s for me to know and for you to never find out.” Yuugi chastised.

Yami mock pouted. He grinned deviously, prodding his light in the side with the infamous remote control.

Yuugi jumped again, only to find himself pinned beneath the former pharaoh. He sighed in defeat, clearing his throat.

“None of that, Aibou.” He poked the man again. “Tell me.”

“Why?”

“Because I wanna know.”

“No.”

“Please?”

“No, damn it!”

Before Yami could interrogate the man further, the sound of Yuugi’s cell phone echoed through the living room.

The familiar tone of “Gives you Hell” played continuously as the smaller of the two fought to get the offending device from his pocket.

“Get up, Yami.”

The former pharaoh got up with a pout, finding peace on the other side of the couch. He observed Yuugi’s antics as he answered the cell phone.

“Hello?”

Yuugi listened intently on this phone call, nodding his head absently. He spoke only a few times, softly. His facial expressions changed every so often starting at happy to concern to downright devastated.

“Alright, I’ll be there soon. Thank you.”

Yuugi hit the red button the cell phone, dropping the device onto the coffee table. His brows knitted in deep thought. He remained silent, back turned away from Yami.

Concern ebbed at Yami’s heart. He was more than worried about Yuugi now. He did not have a clue what happened but apparently, it was a serious, if not depressing call.

Soundlessly, Yami got to his feet, padding across the carpet. He put a hand on Yuugi’s shoulder, offering some form of comfort to the man.

“Aibou? What’s wrong?”

Yuugi jumped, wiping at his face. He turned around and faced his darkness. He kept his eyes away from Yami’s directing his gaze at the fireplace.

“That was Joey. He found grandpa on the floor, unconscious. He and Seto took him to the emergency room.”

“Aibou… I’m sorry…”

The former pharaoh attempted to embrace his light. However, the shorter of the two would not have any of that. Yuugi dodged the hug, walking across the living room to retrieve his wallet and his cell phone. All the while, Yami just stood there, clueless and worried.

“Yuugi?”

Said man grabbed his keys to the apartment, wallet, and cell phone. Yuugi shook his head at his darkness, never letting tears fall down his face.

“I’m sorry. I just I need to get to the hospital. I have to catch the bus.”

Yami rolled his eyes. “Yuugi, allow me.” He twirled his car keys on his index finger. Yuugi cocked his head to the side, gazing at them.

“No, it’s alright. I’ll just walk or take the bus.”

“It’s raining, Aibou. Just let me take you.”

“I’ve got an umbrella.”

Yami sighed heavily, grasping Yuugi’s wrist. He held the man in place, narrowing his eyes.

“Yuugi, it’s raining. I’m not allowing you to walk or take the bus when I’m perfectly capable of driving you to the hospital.”

Yuugi found little way to argue in this situation. He held his head down in defeat and nodded.

“Fine. But I’m paying you for gas.”

“No you’re not. I like to think I don’t need payment from my lover.”

Yuugi did not say anything. He was in shock at the term ‘lover.’ They had not established terms of their so-called budding relationship. Hearing this made his heart flutter.

“Alright.”

Yami lead Yuugi downstairs through light mist. He clicked his remote, causing the lights to flash on his black Mercedes. He opened the door for Yuugi closed it, and got in the driver’s side. He started the car, barely noticing Yuugi’s curious stare.

After a few moments, he felt the eyes of his light concentrated upon him. He backed the car out of the parking lot, raising a brow.

“Yes?”

“How do you afford a Mercedes on your salary? I don’t mean to be so forward, but I’m curious.”

Yami smirked to himself, laughing.

“I know of your curiosity, Aibou. I still play at tournaments occasionally. However, I won this car after dueling a drunken Kaiba. He was rather persuasive in dueling so I asked for a car of my choice if I won. Low and behold, I own the car of my desires.”

Yuugi half-smiled. He gazed out the window, watching as droplets of rain trailed down the glass. He felt horrible for his grandfather. His grandfather was all he had left in terms of close family other than Yami and his friends.

Yami took hold of Yuugi’s hand, squeezing it tightly within his own. He frowned slightly at his light’s sadness. He did not know what to do for his ailing love. He remained silent for Yuugi’s sake. The man was thinking intently over this situation.

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The drive wasn’t long but the silence made it feel longer. Yuugi sensed the tension between himself and Yami the entire time. He hadn’t thought of anything to say and he didn’t want to speak of his grandfather or anything related.

Once the Mercedes came to a halt, Yami pulled his keys from the ignition, opening his door with a sigh. He walked over to Yuugi’s side, opening the door for him.

Yuugi rolled his eyes at Yami’s gentlemen-like behavior. He got out of the foreign car and raised a brow at the former pharaoh.

“You know, you don’t have to open the door for me. It’s the twenty-first century, remember?”

Yami opened the backseat of his car, pulling out an umbrella. He scoffed at Yuugi’s comment, opening the umbrella after.

“It’s how I was raised Yuugi. It’s part of showing respect for the one I love.”

Yuugi nodded silently. An odd flash of an unknown emotion crossed through Yuugi’s eyes at the word ‘love.’ He shook his head and started walking off to the hospital entrance in the midst of the downpour.

“Yuugi! Wait up!”

Yuugi blinked, as he felt dry for the moment. He raised a brow and turned up, noticing a red umbrella shielding him from the rain. He groaned, realizing who had done this. Turning his head to the side, Yuugi found Yami holding the umbrella supporting both of them.

“Aibou, don’t run off like that. I don’t want you to get sick.” He said softly, smiling at the smaller man. He hoped to take his love’s mind off his grandfather. So far, it seemed to work.

However, it seemed that Yuugi didn’t want the sweet gestures. “Those are the types of things someone does for their girlfriend, Yami! Are you trying to say that I’m a girl?”

“No, you’re definitely not a girl, I know of that.” He flashed a perverted grin before he continued. “Besides, I thought I was your bitch as you said a few weeks ago?”

Yuugi sought out to argue his point further but found himself unable. He laughed a little and gave in to his dark’s gentlemen-like gestures.

“You’re only doing this to get me in bed, aren’t you?”

“No. I can do that without these gestures, Aibou. Trust me on this.”

Yuugi slapped his forehead with his hand muttering ‘why me?’ silently.

The duo found the entrance to the large hospital, walking through the automatic glass doors.

After shaking out the umbrella and closing, the duo headed up to the information desk and found out where Sugoroku’s area was. Not long after, they found themselves on the fourteenth floor of the hospital waiting room.

Jou sat on an uncomfortable-looking chair, head in his hands. He looked as if he had seen better days.

Yuugi walked forward, touching his friend on the shoulder.

The blond gazed up; meeting Yuugi’s saddened amethyst eyes.

“Yuugi, bout time you got here.”

He got up and hugged his friend, pulling away once he noticed Yami standing off to the side.

“Yami, Yuugi. I was wondering where the hell you two were.”

Yuugi took a breath and sat down on the opposite of Jou’s chair.

“What happened to him, Jou?”

The blond motioned for Yami to take a seat by them but he declined, feigning the need to get something to drink. Yuugi figured he was giving them privacy. He groaned and waited for Jou to sit.

“Jou, tell me what happened to my grandfather!”

“Alright, easy man! I’ll tell ya.”

Moments later Jou revealed the truth, making Yuugi’s worry grow wildly.

“I was coming by to check on him and he was unconscious. Seto and I called an ambulance and had him admitted here.” He paused, fiddling with a piece of his unmanageable hair. “The docs said he had a heart attack. That’s all I know so far.”

Yuugi nodded grimly as he sighed. “I should have been there. What the hell was I thinking by getting an apartment on my own?”

Jou patted his friend on the back in attempts of soothing the smaller man.

“Yuugi, you’re twenty-three years old. You have a right to live on your own. Trust me when I say this: You are one of the most dedicated people I’ve ever seen to their family and friends.”

Yuugi shook his head. “No I’m not! I wouldn’t have left everyone and went to California for five years! I left all of you just for my own selfish reasons.” He was close to tears at this point. “I wouldn’t have had to wait forever to be with Yami, and I wouldn’t have become so bitter!”

“Yuugi don’t blame this on yourself. It’s not your fault that he had a heart attack.”

The voice wasn’t Jou’s. This caused Yuugi to jump, turning his attention to the direction of the unsuspecting voice.

Yami stood to the side, holding a Styrofoam cup in hand. His face was stern, void of any emotion. He placed his cup on the loan table of outdated magazines, turning his attention fully on Yuugi.

He sat next to his light, taking one of Yuugi’s hands into his own. He wiped Yuugi’s tears away with his other hand.

“Aibou, you’re an adult. You’ve always been selfless. I’ve never seen you do anything for yourself other than go to college in California. Don’t take the blame for something you cannot control.”

Yuugi sniffed, nodding despite his falling tears. “It’s hard. I feel as if is my own fault. Everything changed when I left. Everyone changed.”

“So did you, Aibou. Change is a part of life. It happens.”

Yami kissed his light’s forehead, tilting his head to the side. “Better?”

Yuugi nodded silently, resting his head against Yami’s shoulder.

“A little. I just hate being in the dark over grandpa’s well-being.”

“Don’t we all?” Jou added, hoping to lighten the tension further.

He ruffled Yuugi’s hair, earning a sad smile from the smaller of the trio.

“I hope so.”

After a few coffee breaks and games of rock, paper, scissors, it seemed like time had frozen. There hadn’t been any news of Sugoroku’s well-being. Yuugi was becoming fidgety from the caffeine and worry. It took both Yami and Jou to keep the small man calm.

Finally, a doctor made an appearance, causing all three men to fall silent.

“Are you three here for Sugoroku Mutou?”

All three nodded.

The doctor spoke further, frowning slightly.

“Which of you is the grandson, Yuugi Mutou?”

Yuugi stood up, signifying his identity.

The woman nodded and asked him to follow her.

“Where are we going?”

She opened a door to a small conference room, gesturing for him to follow her in. Silently he did as instructed, taking a seat.

“Are you going to answer my questions?”

She closed the door, setting a stack of folders on the desk.

“I’m sorry for the wait on any information concerning your grandfather. We were working very hard to keep him in a stable condition for surgery. However….”

“However, what?”

“Mr. Mutou… Your grandfather didn’t make it through the surgery. Given his age, he wasn’t stable enough to withstand the bypass surgery. I’m sorry.”

The words sunk into Yuugi’s mind, repeating themselves continuously. He shook his head, denying the truth of the woman’s words.

“No, it’s not true. He can’t be gone. He can’t be gone!”

The woman shook her head silently.

“He has passed on, I’m sorry.”

Yuugi didn’t know what to do or say. He took the easiest method of dealing with the pain. He ran out of the office, tears falling down his face. He dodged carts and nurses down the halls. He made his way back to the waiting room, finding Yami and Jou in the same seats.

“Yuugi? What’s wrong?”

Yami got out of the chair, Jou trailing behind him. The former pharaoh walked forward, taking his light into his arms, attempting to sooth the man he loved.

“Yuge’ what’s wrong?”

The smaller of the three choked back a sob, burying his face into his dark’s shirt.

“He’s gone.”

“What?”

He pulled his face away from his other’s chest.

“Grandpa, he’s gone. He died.”

No one spoke as the truth revealed itself. The pain of losing someone close to their hearts was painful.

Sugoroku was gone and Yuugi wasn’t sure if he could cope. The need to drink was enticing.

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TBC…