Blissful oblivion

Chapter 5

   Such an insufferable child! I glower at him viciously as he struggles to avoid any and all eye contact with me. His eyes twitch towards me on occasion before retreating back to their original object of attention, a thin woman who is speaking while writing on a white board with some magic cylinder in her hand that is somehow able to leave behind colored markings on the board. I shamelessly continue to glare at him it's not like anyone would notice me anyways.
   It has become painfully evident that Yugi is the only one capable of seeing me. I suppose that is convenient for circumstances such as these, but that is also supposing that I care. Regardless no one would have known I was there, considering the fact that Yugi and this woman are the only two in the room.
   "Do you understand Yugi?"
   "Oh, yes Ms. Granger." He mumbles as he stares intently at the pad of paper in front of him. "I think I understand it this time."
   "Yugi," she says with a sigh, a slight hand pushing back a strand of red hair behind her ear. "That's what you said last time."
   "I know...it's just that...I've been distracted lately."
   "I understand, sweetheart." She murmurs.
   "Makes it hard to focus at times."  He breathes to himself, but it was just barely loud enough for me to hear him. My eyebrows narrow as I stare at him in curiosity. Is he referring to me? A part of me feels confident at that assumption but something feels off.
   "Is it Ushio again?" The boy flinches at the mere sound of the name. My eyes narrow suspiciously at the reaction. Why does he appear afraid? "Have you tried reporting it?"
   "Yes ma'am." He mumbles. There is almost a tone of bitterness to his voice. Interesting. This is the first that I have ever seen any emotion short of complacent pleasantry from the boy. It's refreshing. "I've done that on several occasions."
   "I see." She replies with a frown. Her eyes are downcast and her expression is saddened by the topic of their conversation. I notice that Yugi's fingers curl into fists against the cloth of his pants. This is an interesting occurrence indeed. It would appear that the boy is capable of feeling anger after all.
   "Until next time?" Yugi says, rising to his feet suddenly.
   "Oh, yes." She replies with a stunned expression. "Just remember to study." Yugi merely nods in response and hurriedly walks out of the room. I frown and follow after him, his small form rushing through the empty halls. We both remain silent as we continue to walk away from the schoolroom.
   A quiet sigh escapes my lips as sunlight brushes across my transparent form. The warmth of the light still sends chills down my spine every now and then but the warmth is now welcome in my existence. I never realized just how much I had truly missed the warm kiss of sunlight on my skin until it was gone. The nostalgic warmth makes me remember nights when I would simply sleep nude due to the intense heat. The only sensation being my skin against the soft sheets of my bed.
   "You look happy." Yugi murmurs as we walk through the school, pausing in a large open space with a wooden floor.
   "Don't be ridiculous."I retort.
   "But you were smiling."
   "You're imagining things." I don't really know why I am so adamantly denying all of his claims. It just feels like the natural thing to do in this situation. "I don't see any reason to be smiling at the moment."
   "Fine, be sullen. See if I care." He grumbles.
   "You obviously do since you initiated this conversation." I answer pointedly. The boy says nothing before staring intently at the floor. He remains silent for a moment before sinking into a sitting position on the wooden floor, his blue pants standing out in stark contrast to the white markings painted on the wooden surface. "Are you going to make me ask?"
   Yugi glances at me curiously for a moment before his eyes narrow and glare at the floor with such an intensity that it's a miracle that it didn't begin to smolder. His hands clench into fists and tremors shake through his shoulders before he slams his hand onto the floor harshly. A loud slap permeates through the air.
   I whistle lowly. "That bad?"
   "Like you care." He grumbles, his body going limp after his sudden act of aggression. "You probably would encourage them if it would come down to you getting what you want."
   "Depends." I answer with a shrug.
   "On what?"
   "Just what they are doing to you."
   "I'm not telling you." He snaps.
   "Wasn't asking you to." I reply as I slowly take a seat a short distance away from him, my legs mimicking his position but with a bit more grace. He looks at me curiously, blatant surprise written all over his face. "Everyone has had their own fair share of bullying."
   "Even you?"
   "Does that surprise you?" I raise an eyebrow.
   "Slightly." He mumbles sheepishly. "It's hard for me to imagine. 
   "Well, don't go believing that our situations are exactly the same... They're not, nor will they ever be." Yugi frowns and I sigh quietly before making him look at me. "You just have to be strong."
   "How did you end up this way Yami?" He whispers.
   "That's none of your-"
   "I'm not talking about being in the puzzle." He interjects, meeting my gaze pointedly. "How did you end up being so harsh...yet kind?" I blink in surprise. Yugi continues to stare at me expectantly. "I would give anything to be able to have your strength. To be able to fight back." His eyes slowly slide shut as if relishing the thought of fighting back. I can't help but stare at him with a perplexed expression.
   He is nothing like I had expected him to be like. Even he has a dark side it would seem. A small grin graces my lips as I take in the dark expression on Yugi's face. You are human after all.
   "Let's make a deal."