Yukei - Chapter 8

Chapter 8 - Protect You

"IDIOT!" The word echoed in the vacant space and was soon followed by the thundering sound of a hand connecting with cheek of a raven haired man and his body crashing to the floor. "Why did you stop me?!" the voice bellowed again, angry…no furious in tone as it's owner's red eyes glared down at the signer before them. The young duelist held a hand over his cheek where he'd just been struck as he looked up at his assailant from his position on the floor. He said nothing in response to the spirit and only kept a firm gaze. "How dare you Interfere, Yusei! Do you not see what I am trying to do for you?!" his voice carried on, growling in frustration before the blue eyed boy spoke up.

"For me?" his voice chimed soft but confused.  This small phrase caused the spirit to turn in his thrashing about to look at the figure still half setting on the floor, his red eyes now reflecting a sort of sadistic sympathy. His lips turned up into a coy grin as he approached his counterpart, and held out his hands in an attempt to bring the other man into his arms. Yusei pulled away, flinching as the spirit made his advance.  Yukei looked at him, almost hurt.  He pulled his hand back ever so slightly, and held them in a paused stance.

"Yusei? Are you afraid of me Yusei?" he asked, his voice was oddly concerned. He held out his hand again, moving to place it upon the signer's face only to have him pull back from his attempt once again.

"Don't touch me!" Yusei shouted at his would-be counterpart, his eyes narrowing in a firm distrust. "Why did you do that?! How is any of this for me?!" he shouted, all of his frustrations; his pent up confusions coming out at once. "Why do you make me hurt the ones that love me?!"
The spirit pulled back at Yusei's out burst of emotion, pained that the boy would think such a thing. "Yusei…" he droned out for a moment before dropped his hands. "Yusei they don't love you." he spoke in a saddened tone. "How can they love you when they leave scars on your body?" Yukei asked pointing to Yusei's right side. Yusei held a hand over the spot and remembered the pain of injury - when he'd almost died trying to save Kiryu from the darkness. "Tell Me Yusei, How can they love you when they leave you bruised and beaten?" He reached forward again, resting his hand softly upon Yusei's bruised cheek - where Jack had hit him only moments ago. Yusei didn't pull back this time. For some reason he was able to feel a strange comforting warmth from this spirit. For some reason Yusei felt as if he could trust him.

"But you…" Yusei started moving to make mention the spirit's own assault on him but was cut short when a finger was held to his lips.

"I know. I'm sorry Yusei." he spoke and pulled the boy into his arms, running a hand through his hair. "I won't let anyone hurt you, Yusei." he spoke as if he was trying to calm the signer. "They left you all alone, and let those men take you again. What kind of friends let you get kidnapped and never come looking?" he asked still stroking Yusei's hair. "Please don't be scared of me Yusei. I'm just trying to protect you." Yukei looked down at the raven haired boy to see his eyes falling shut, entranced into the sense of security he was creating for him. His lips turned up into a sly grin, as his eyes narrowed still holding the boy close. "That's right Yusei. Sleep now."

"I'll protect you….from everyone. even yourself."

~~~~

"So Basically you're telling me that, that guy really isn't Yusei…but a different Yusei?" Pale digits reached up to scratch through long ice blue hair as their owner was finding himself more and more confused.

"He calls himself Yukei." Jack interjected into Aki and Crow's explanation.

"Yukei?" the two of them chimed in unison glaring at the blond man as if he was keeping information from them.

"How do you know something like that, Jack?" Crow's voice half growled as he continued to glare at the blond. Who in turn only turned away from him, and went back to drinking the coffee he held in hand.

"Jack…" Crow spoke trying to push the issue.

"Never mind that.  The important thing is what are we going to do about this Yukei?" The long haired man spoke from his seat across the kitchen table. The two boys stopped instantly, and only glared at each other.
"You two haven't changed much." he commented setting his own cup down, looking to everyone with his own intense gaze. "The must important thing here, is that we help Yusei. That's why I came back here after all." He looked down, remembering the days of his death, and his 'revival' as a Dark Signer. He gripped the handle of his cup a little tighter as he thought about it. He'd almost taken Yusei away from all of them, simply because he refused to listen.

"Kiryu!" Crow spoke up waving a hand in his face. "You were zoning out again. Stop droning on the past okay? You're right, we have to worry about the now, and the now is taking care of this "Yukei"."

"Yeah but what are we going to do about him?" Jack interjected.  The three of them continued to chatter amongst themselves purposing the problems and issues with dealing with seemingly another personality, and the fact that they really didn't have too much to go on.

"Maybe it's like my Psychic powers." Aki interjected breaking up their conversation.

All three of them found their interest perked and looked to her as if to carry on. "Go On. What do you mean?" Kiryu urged her.

"Well I wear my hair clip to keep my psychic powers at bay, so maybe we could keep this "Yukei" at bay with something in the same way?" she explained, offering up the idea.

"That's an idea, but how are we going to know which powers to keep at bay, and how do we know it won't hurt Yusei.." Crow started while Kiryu's eyes drifted to look upward towards their third story.

"I wonder how long he's going to be out…. I hope I didn't hurt him too bad." he mumbled aloud to himself.

"He'll be fine. Will you stop worrying about everything? I think he's hit himself harder just working on his D-Wheels." Crow teased the man, as everyone noticed him zoning out again.

The four of them stopped however when they heard a small clanking on the ladder that lead into the kitchen. Bare feet hit softly against the metal as the frame of a small raven haired man was carried down.

Kiryu smiled seeing that he was up and about, relieved that he hadn't hurt him too bad when he knocked him out earlier. "Yusei are you alright?"

The teen turned slowly, looking over at the four setting at the table, a sinister smile plastered on his lips.  "Oh don't worry about me." he spoke, his eyes closed as he turned his head around. "I'm just fine." He finished opening his eyes sending them all a wicked glare.  Both eyes were open, and both eyes were shining a wicked red.

To be continued…