In Safe Hands (PuzzleShipping)

Chapter 68

Yugi blinked back his tears of his overwhelming happiness as he knelt by the bed of his love, who had woken up once over the night, but fell back asleep because of the dose of anesthetic he was given.

He gazed upon the slightly revived body, taking notice on how he wasn't as pale as he used to be. He was still extremely thin, but his bulging muscles were returning slowly. His breathing dropped back into steady rhythm even if it was a bit short and hollow. He would need the respirator for a few more days until he could breathe on his own.

His heart rate had increased a slight bit, getting a little closer to what it should have been, even though it was still extremely slow. The body was getting better, but the quality of life that it was in at the moment...

It wasn't the best.

"Yami..." Yugi muttered longingly, holding the limp hand as he caressed the bruised knuckles as a way to south the pain he knew Yami felt.

He reached out and ran his fingers lightly through Yami's hair, twirling his finger around the ends of his golden bangs that framed his thin yet muscular face. Yami still slept on and Yugi would stay by his side until he saw Yami awake.

Even then, he wouldn't leave. You wouldn't be able to make him.

"Please..." Yugi took the hand he already held in both of his hands and brought it to his lips, kissing the knuckles with his eyes closed as he prayed, "...I'm here...There is no more pain..."

It remained silent there as nothing happened. Yugi sighed, breathing sadly into the back of the hand and kissing the knuckle again. He rested one hand on Yami's wrist and rubbed up and down gently on the arm.

"..." Yugi looked at him, "...Yami..."

Suddenly as though he heard him, a low, hoarse gurgle could be heard as a very slight squeeze could be felt on Yugi's grasp. He gasped, his eyes widening, and he stared at the young man who finally responded to his pleas.

"...a-ai..bou..." A hoarse comment could be heard through the many tubes going in and out of Yami's neck.

Yugi smiled shakily and the smile slowly formed into a beam on his face.

"M-Mou H-H-Hitori!!" He squealed, the happiness becoming even more overwhelming.

Careful of all the wires and tubes, Yugi took Yami into his arms and snuggled into him, smiling. Yami nuzzled weakly back, longing for the strength to smile away his Aibou.

"...Y...ug...I..." Yami rasped out, his eyes filled with tears.

Yugi looked at Yami and took his face into his hands, wiping away the tears. He gently hushed him, smiling lovingly in his way.

"I'm right here, Mou Hitori..." He whispered, "I'm not leaving you...ever."

Yami tilted his head, burying one side of his face into Yugi's palm. He felt a chill rush through his body as he shivered slightly.

"Yami..." Yugi said, a look of sadness creeping across his face as he set Yami back in his bed, surely careful of everything he was hooked up to, "I'm so sorry this happened...I was selfish to do this to you..."

Yami shook his head slowly.

"N-No..." He whispered, his voice raspy, "It...no..no..o..f...it...is...yo...ur...fault..."

Yugi sniffed, shaking his head back. Yugi held his hand, sniffing again. He remained silent even though he knew that it was all his fault. He had a feeling of guilt that remained there even as he held his Mou Hitori in his arms.

"But...what really matters is that you're better..." Yugi slightly smiled.

He took Yami's face into his hands again, kissing his forehead gently. Yami cheeks flushed a slight red, letting out a low groan.

He nuzzled into Yugi's Palm again, feeling his head hurt. He whimpered slightly and Yugi ran his fingers through Yami's hair, hugging his head gently, but closely.

"What's wrong?" He whispered to Yami.

Yami whimpered again.

"M-My...head..." He muttered weakly, "It...It's....sore..."

Yugi kissed the top of it, sighing to himself, slightly relieved to have his Yami back.

The entire time Yami was asleep, Yugi longed for a loving touch. He longed for good news. He longed to feel love again. He longed to join his boyfriend as he slept in that bed, on machines and dials, in a medically induced coma.

Yugi still felt the chill of when he first came to grips with the extremity of Yami's close demise.

"Well, you banged it up pretty hard in that accident..." Yugi whispered playfully into his ear, "I would expect for it to be at least a little sore."

Yami whimpered once more, pressing himself against Yugi. He weakly gripped Yugi's hand and leaned his head on Yugi's chest, where he felt Yugi's rhythmic heartbeat.

"Ai-Aibou..." He whispered weakly in return, "...d-don't...leave...please..."

Yugi held Yami's head as he gently cradled Yami in his arms.

He shook his head slowly, smiling kindly at his love. He kissed Yami one more time on the nose before pressing his forehead gently against Yami's as he held Yami close.

"Don't worry, Mou Hitori No Boku..." He whispered lovingly, his breath hot against Yami's bruised skin, chilling Yami slightly.

He intertwines his fingers with the good ones of Yami's and put his hand to Yami's right cheek, his smile never leaving his face, and his gaze not ever leaving Yami's.

"I'm not going anywhere..." He repeated gently.

Yami's eyes drooped as Yugi held him close. The loving touch Yami felt from Yugi was surely what he needed to feel. He nuzzled into his Aibou and shivered again, the power of sleep taking over.

It was that anesthetic again.

"I'm not going anywhere..." Yugi whispered, over and over again.

Yami looked up weakly at him as he was falling perfectly asleep.

"I..." Yami began, almost half asleep now, "Yugi...I've always loved you..."

Yugi slightly blushed at these words and looked at him, giggling almost.

"I always loved you too." Yugi said, "Before, during, and now after the coma."

Yami leaned his head against Yugi's chest again, resting a limp hand against Yugi's chest and Yugi wrapping his arms around his Mou Hitori No Boku and holding him closer than he ever did before.

"...please..." Yami whimpered as his pain increased yet again and he tightened his grip on Yugi's shirt, "...don't leave...please don't leave me..."

Yugi nuzzled lovingly into Yami's small of his neck. He smiled ever so slightly.

"Yami...I promise you, I'm not going anywhere without you." He whispered, "I love you. We do everything together. I can't just walk out and leave you."

Yami heard every single word of what Yugi just said as he was pulled deeper and deeper into the wave of drowsiness that swept over him, making him weaker than he was before.

He pressed up, pressing the top of his head under Yugi's chin and sighing, yawning, before falling asleep in Yugi's arms.

Yugi smiled at the sight.

"...I'm not going anywhere..." He whispered lovingly into his ear.