… I make Mahaado angst way too much, don’t I? *Sigh* and no, I’m not knocking friendship. I just think that Rebecca’s a brat! And I wish she’d gotten her soul eaten in Orichalcos…

Disclaimer: Yu-gi-Oh! Belongs to Kazuki Takahashi. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me under international copyright laws and taking it is plagiarism. Don’t steal and don’t sue. Thank you, *Phantomness bows*

Pairing: Yami/Black Magician

Summary: Vastly AU to a point. After Yuugi’s match with Rebecca, Black Magician needs some cheering up. Yuugi certainly isn’t available, and I really don’t think his comfort would work, so I suppose Yami will have to do

Warnings: Shonen-ai, Yuugi-bashing, anti-Rebecca

Title: Inútil

He fell to his knees in the middle of the labyrinth, clutching his staff tightly in his hands. They could have won. He knew it, knew it even as he stared down the Shadow Ghoul, such a cruel irony… the one monster he used to use himself to fight Tomb robbers now wreaking its havoc on him…. and his Master – no, never his Master, never, his Master was Pharaoh alone, and never would he allow himself to be so used by another again…!

Yami’s footsteps sounded softly on the stone floor as he walked up to his Black Magician. Without a word, he opened his arms; letting the monster pillow it’s face against his shoulder.

“Shh… it’s not your fault.” He said soothingly. Of course Black Magician was frightened – not just frightened, for such a thing was unthinkable! Why had Yuugi surrendered? If only he could have stopped him somehow…

The monster in his arms was nothing short of terrified.

This frightened Yami. He was used to the Black Magician being calm and complacent, loyal and absolutely trustworthy, his favorite card and monster and loyal servant, and now, now…

What had Yuugi done?

Duel Monsters had souls, everyone knew that, but it seemed that in his valiant effort to save that bratty girl from America, Yuugi had trampled on the soul of another.

Anger began to rise in his body as his grip on the Black Magician tightened. How dare he. After everything they had been through together, how dare he repay his faithful monster like this?

Yami waited until finally, the quiet cries and shudders subsided. The Black Magician stood, and as Yami watched, faded back into blackness.

Yami knew that should he need to call the monster, he could just find the row of tablets in his mind. With a sigh, he found his throne and sat down, closing his eyes.

He dreamed of nothing, and when he awoke, Yuugi did not notice the sudden wall of coldness between them.

When they fought Duke, Yami watched the monsters. Their souls were in the game, and yet, he felt little kinship with them. Even as the monsters attacked, he felt naught but a strange emptiness.

…Until he drew Black Magician…

Black Magician was brilliant, and he knew all the moves. Enough to conceal, enough to move, enough to attack at the last moment with Black Magic, devastating the opponent… and as the duel ended he smiled at his favorite monster before Yuugi claimed ownership of his body once again.

“You did well today,” He commented.

Black Magician smiled, and Yami felt his own cheeks grow slightly warm. His monster knelt before him, as if accepting a blessing, and Yami was more than happy to give one, syllables of old rolling off his tongue before Black Magician once again faded into mist and shadow.

He smiled, feeling lighter already.

By the end of Battle City, Yuugi finally realized what was wrong. Of course he knew Black Magician was their favorite card, but lately, it seemed to only respond to Yami’s commands. He decided to test the theory out one day, and since Rebecca was coming over for a week-long visit, it seemed proper to do a little practice dueling as himself. Yami didn’t protest, and since it wasn’t a Duel of importance, he was more than content to let Yuugi handle it.

As Yuugi shuffled, he realized with growing trepidation that it wasn’t just the Black Magician. None of the other cards felt right in his hands either. He shivered, almost dropping the deck at one point as Jounichi looked at him in undisguised concern.

“What’s the matter, pal?”

“I don’t know.” Yuugi said honestly. “It’s just that this deck feels wrong.”

“What? It feels wrong? But you built it yourself!”

Yuugi shook his head. “Maybe it’s not for me…”

“What are you talking about? Those are all your monsters! Are you just going to toss them aside now?”

“I-I don’t know!”

Yami watched, a frown marring his features as Black Magician materialized behind him. Why was Yuugi acting so strangely? Certainly, there was nothing wrong with their monsters…

Yuugi finally dropped the cards on the table with a frustrated expression, shaking his head. “I can’t do it.”

Yami took over.

“It’s all right, Jounichi. If Yuugi doesn’t feel like dueling today, I’ll duel you.” Jounichi cracked a smile, and the battle began. However, Yuugi noticed none of it as he huddled in his soul room.

What was wrong?

Was he a bad duelist?

Of course not! Grandpa had taught him well, hadn’t he? And he didn’t need Yami to duel for him, really he didn’t!

Yami looked surprised as the Puzzle activated, and he found himself back in his soul room. What was Yuugi trying to prove? Was it that he was strong? Yuugi did have a strong heart to fight with, but even so…

On the field, Jounichi noticed the Black Magician’s expression change for a second, anger and shock before sliding into a neutral mask.

Yuugi blinked as he took in the scenario, and sighed. Of course…

“Black Magician! Attack Axe Raider directly!”

The monster blasted the world into negative hues, and the Duel ended as Jounichi’s life points scrolled down to zero. Without a word, the monsters vanished.

Yuugi frowned. Something was still wrong…

“Yuugi, are you feeling all right? You’re acting very strange today.” Jounichi said.

Yuugi shook his head. “It’s nothing.”

Yami watched as Black Magician appeared in his room once again, feeling a strange sense of relief.

Duels might be only holograms, but his connection to this monster was strong… and he was certain that the monsters were aware and did have souls. How else would the heart of the cards work?

However, before he could say more, a knocking sounded. Yami sighed as he went to open the door to his room.

“I don’t understand.” Yuugi told him. “What have you done to my deck?”

Yami tensed. “Your deck, aibou? It has always belonged to both of us.”

“Well, you’ve changed it! Now it won’t respond to me!”

“I…”

Black Magician frowned as he listened to this exchange. With a thought, he materialized at the Pharaoh’s side, causing Yuugi to squeak and retreat a few steps.

“See? Even him! He was always my favorite card! But you’ve corrupted him!”

Yami glared right back at Yuugi. “I have not done such a thing!”

“Well then, why is he in your mind and not mine?”

Yami was beginning to think that spending time with Rebecca was severely detrimental to Yuugi’s mental health, or at least his common sense.

“I don’t know.” He sighed.

Yuugi glared.

Black Magician glared back. Even Duel Monsters had a limited stock of patience, and though Mahaado was normally a patient Priest-slash-Magician, now was not the time to be patient, especially into with this weak human insulting his Pharaoh!

But perhaps Pharaoh wouldn’t like it if he blasted this not-hikari, so he visualized Spellbinding Circle and watched as Yuugi struggled.

Yami raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

“See? You’re taking his side!”

“Oh for the love of Ra, would you stop that?”

Black Magician paused, turning to stare at his Pharaoh.

“Not you.” Yami said curtly. “But while you’re at it, could you use Dark Magic?”

… Just in case someone had used Change of Heart on Brain Control on Yuugi. One could never be too careful with these things.

A gust of wind swept through the room, but there was no change in Yuugi’s expression. Yami sighed.

It seemed that things were becoming complicated again.

End Chapter

Completed 9/7/06

Yeah, Yuugi-bashing makes me happy!