Shounen-ai: implied Yami x Yugi
Created 11th Jan. 2005
Lyrics: 'Angel Standing By' - Jewel

Yami came out of a light doze to the sound of muffled tears.

All through the night I'll be standing over you...

Immediately he materialized into his own body, and appeared beside the bed to look down at his hikari with a piercing crimson gaze. Concern filled his eyes at the sight.

Yugi was lying face down, his head buried in the pillow as he sobbed quietly to himself. Yami could not see his face, but knew that his aibou would have those amethyst eyes squeezed shut as crystalline tears rolled gently down his cheeks, to be collected by the pillow. His skin would be pale, his expression anguished.

So distracted was the teen in his crying that he had not yet noticed the form that was Yami standing beside him, until the spirit made himself known by placing a hand gently on his back and rubbing it soothingly.

All through the night I'll be watching over you...

"Aibou? What is it? Why do you cry?"

In response, Yugi gave a shudder as another sob wracked his small body. He spoke into the pillow, and Yami could not make out his words. He therefore spoke through their mindlink.

/I did not hear you, aibou. Tell me why you are crying./

Yugi was tired – his mind was weak from his outburst of emotion and so he did not reply back through the link. He did, however, roll over onto his side, so that Yami could see his face.

"Sorry... I knew you were sleeping... so I didn't want to wake you up... but I did and I'm sorry..."

His tears had subsided enough for him to speak more clearly, but his eyes still shimmered with more unshed tears that soon also joined the others on already wet cheeks.

And through the bad dreams I'll be right there...

"Aibou... you must know that my pain will always be your pain, because of our bond with each other. I love you too much to see you suffer and not know why you hurt like this. Please tell me what is wrong."

The last sentence was uttered pleadingly; Yami himself hurt to see Yugi in pain and not know the cause of it.

Yugi squeezed bis eyes shut again and attempted to calm himself by taking a deep breath.

"My feet", he whispered.

Yami frowned and bent to look, and his eyes widened.

Holding your hand, telling you everything is all right...

Yugi's feet were bruised and cut – blood still crept through the tears in the skin, and he flinched as Yami touched one foot softly to examine it.

"Who did this to you?"

The words were hissed softly, and Yugi knew that his dark half was very angry, though not at him.

"N-nobody. There were some guys and they chased me because I got angry when they made fun of me. I had to run home so they wouldn't catch me. And my shoes got left behind because I hadn't put them back on from the park yet and I had to run on the new gravel bit."

"So they didn't hurt you?"

"No. They just ran after me and I had to keep running 'til I got back here and my feet got all cut up. It hurts. That's why I was crying."

And when you cry I'll be right there...

Yami could hear the truth in Yugi's words, and gave a mental sigh of relief – if those boys had hurt his aibou...
He got up abruptly and went out of the room, to return with a roll of bandages he had obtained from the bathroom.

"Aibou, I have to put these on your feet or the cuts will just re-open when you walk on them... it might hurt but I'll be as gentle as I can. Alright?"

Yugi gave a nod, and Yami knelt as his hikari swung his kegs over the side of the bed so that his feet dangled down.

Telling you you were never anything less than beautiful...

With infinite care, Yami slowly cleaned out the cuts and wrapped them in the white gauze he had found. He felt Yugi's hurt each time the cuts were touched, and winced with him as he shared the same sensation of stabbing pain alongside him.
Finally it was done, and Yugi lay back down with a groan; now utterly exhausted. Yami lay down beside his aibou and caressed his cheek gently as the pain in Yugi's mind eventually became a dull throbbing in the back of his conciousness.

So don't you worry...

"Alright now, aibou? It is done, the pain will soon be nothing but a memory, and I'm right here beside you... right here next to you, aibou..."

Yami carried on in a soothing voice for a while, until he found that Yugi had drifted into sleep; lulled by Yami's soft but steady voice. Yami moved himself over so that he lay right up against the smaller form to give him warmth. He kept a silent watch all through the night.

I'm your Angel standing by ...