I ♥ my elJay.

Title: [title]
Pairing: Yuugi/Ryoh
Rating: PG?
Notes: This fic is post-series and fits into the Sesen universe. Yuugi and Ryoh have somewhat of an established relationship by this point, but no one said it was a healthy and happy relationship.


"I wonder Yuugi-kun..." Ryoh began, holding the small bottle. "...what kind of lives could be contained in these pills."

Yuugi looked down, "what are you talking about?"

Ryoh inclined his head and smiled. "People change when they take drugs. Some are supposed to stop things from happening, and others are supposed to make...things...happen."

Yuugi snatched the bottle from his hand. "You didn't answer my question."

Ryoh sighed, "for instance: I used to take some brand of antipsychotics. The pills were supposed to control...the Other me. They changed me instead."

"Why?" Yuugi asked, reaching down to brush a few stray strands of hair from Ryoh's eyes.

Ryoh narrowed his eyes, "because he wasn't in my head."

"At least not in any way medication could help."

"Yeah..." Ryoh sat up and repositioned himself so he was lying next to Yuugi, and he wrapped his arms around the other boy tightly.

Yuugi smiled, and returned the hug. They were silent for awhile. Yuugi gently massaged the other boy's back. Ryoh sighed and Yuugi felt the warm breath on his neck. They stayed like that for several minutes.

Finally, he broke the comfortable silence. "Atemu gave me so much...I can't imagine my life without him. I'm glad I got the chance to help him." Yuugi said thoughtfully.

"I'm glad too...that you could help." Ryoh buried his head in Yuugi's chest. "I'm so relieved though, that it's all over. I don't want to be someone else. I want to be myself. ...and I want you to be yourself."

Yuugi smiled. "You wouldn't be who you are without him though. You would have different experiences, and you might even live in a different place. You'd be a different person. I would be someone else too." He sighed and stroked Ryoh's cheek with his thumb. "I guess we have to thank them for that."

"Okay..." Ryoh said uneasily. "I'm different because of him. I can't thank him though. He changed my life...but not all changes are good. People were terrified of me, Yuugi. There was nothing anyone could do. People just kept dying. You have no idea how that looks to a school official...or a police officer. Even now, I have to explain my school records from those years as I'm applying to college. People don't forget "little incidents" that make me look like a...serial killer." Ryoh hid his face to hide the tears.

"It...is difficult." Yuugi conceded. He stroked Ryoh's hair. "Regardless. He has made you a different person."

Ryoh shook his head. "I don't want to talk about this anymore." His voice was muffled by Yuugi's shirt.

"I think you do." Yuugi replied softly. Ryoh sniffed, and a hand came between them as he raised his hand to wipe his face.

"No, Yuugi-kun. I-I don't want to think about it. About him. That's all in the past. I feel weak when I think about how much I let him do. I should have fought harder! He shouldn't have been able to get control of me again!" Yuugi smiled sadly.

"I...don't want to see you hurt again. You know how ruthless he was. Every time you disobeyed him, you ended up in the hospital. If we hadn't been so concerned with finding Malik, then we would have been there to stop the other you..." Ryoh was shaking his head.

"They planned it. Malik and the other me. He had to hurt my body so I would appear weak and Malik...would appear strong." He shivered sharply in revulsion. "I know now that Malik was bad then. I remember hurting, and his hands in my hair as he waited for everyone else." The arms around Ryoh tightened protectively. "He was gripping my hair so tight and laughing like I was a prize, Yuugi-kun! I don't want to remember that, and I don't want to remember watching as the other you played the Dark RPG against me. None of it should have happened. I was strong enough to stop him...but I didn't. I was afraid of him."

"Are you still afraid of him?"

Ryoh nodded against his chest. "I'm afraid he'll come back. Even with the Ring gone, I'm scared that he's still in my head just...waiting."

"Why would he remain though? I thought he was only after the Items?"

"I...don't know. I know he wanted your Puzzle. He was also furious with me when I stole the Ring and left the Rod. Even with the other you gone...what's to say that he'll stay away? He's mad, Yuugi-kun. I can still hear him screaming about a "blood payment"." Ryoh's eyes met Yuugi's, "...a blood payment of what?"

Yuugi looked away. "It doesn't matter now. It's...better for you not to know. I'm certain he's gone now-" Ryoh pulled out of his embrace and sat up. "Ryoh?" He shook his head.

"'Better for me not to know'?" Ryoh laughed hollowly. "What could be worse than what he's done to me? Or do you stand to tell me that after all that, he had some kind of motivation that turns him into a tragic hero?" He was smiling thinly, and it was only to hold back the tears.

"Ryoh, please..." Yuugi sat up.

"What?" He responded with a hint of ice in his voice. "It's not like this is the first time you've hinted that something else happened in that game."

Yuugi matched his gaze. "It's not something I want to discuss with you right now. You said you wanted to forget about him. So let's do that. Let's just forget about him."

"No! Damn it, Yuugi-kun, that isn't what I meant and you know it!" The other boy sighed.

"I know...but it's really something I don't want to talk about now. Whatever motivations he had for doing what he did are inconsequential now. It's all in the past." Yuugi explained calmly - using Ryoh's words. "Frankly, I don't care about him, or even about Atem. They're gone. What matters now is you, Ryoh. You know I wouldn't withhold information from you just because I think you're too sensitive."

Ryoh sighed, and his shoulders dropped in defeat. "So...game or movie?"

"Movie." Ryoh nodded in agreement and they stood up at the same time. Yuugi held out his hand and internally breathed a sigh or relief when Ryoh took it. He led them out of the room and down the stairs.