"A-Ah..."
Yami weakly squeaked as he was being inspected, just as he had been so long ago. Yugi still clutched his hand and whispered loving comments into his ear as Yami nuzzled into him, as if the pain drew him to be closer to Yugi.
Yugi held him tightly and gently in his arms. The tubes down Yami's throat made it hard to curl up against him, but he was still held by his aibou.
"I have you, Mou Hitori..." Yugi murmured sweetly into his Yami's ears.
Yami only whimpered, burying his face into Yugi's chest.
Yami didn't feel like himself at all. The anesthetic made him feel woozy and weak. He couldn't move his body much without panting. He found everything hard to do, including breathing even though the tube had been put down his throat to help.
It didn't do much.
Yami couldn't move his arms or legs and felt as though they were all strapped down to where he couldn't move them at all. His head ached and he just wanted everything to stop. He partly wished he didn't come back to this place, but he also didn't want his to lose his Yugi's touch.
"There, there..." Yugi ran his fingers through Yami's hair, "It's all almost over. You've made it this far. Don't give up now."
Yami only whimpered and Mana gripped his other hand, running her hand down the sheets to smoothen them out for Yami. She rubbed his arm gently, easing the pain of the many bruises on his arms.
"Come on, Yami..." She said, gripping his hand a little tighter, "Don't do what you did last time...we're so close..."
Yami remained silent, not having the strength to say anything. He tensed when they injected him with another sedative, and this one was a very strong one. His eyes fell low and Yugi held him.
"Yami..." He whispered, his eyes wide as he held Yami's empty hand tightly, holding it up to his chest.
Yami looked up at him with tearful eyes.
He was now unsure if he was staying or going. He tried to hang on the bit of reality he had: Aibou's Hand. He clutched it back, his eyes falling shut.
Yugi looked up at Mahad and Karim, the doctors from the inspection before, who were walking back and forth from the machines to the stand with tools.
"What..." Yugi said, setting Yami down, "What was that?"
Mahad beamed his way.
"We're taking the tube out." He said, ecstatic, "Yami is well enough to take the tracheotomy out~!!"
Yugi's eyes widened and Mana and He exchanged glances.
"Really~???" Mana almost jumped up and down.
Karim smiled and nodded.
"Next up is teaching him to sit himself up and down." He said, "But he's a fast learner. A few weeks of therapy and he should juuuuust fine."
Yugi felt his mouth widen into one of the biggest grins he had ever smiled. He looked down at Yami, who slept in his arms from the sedative. With the tube in his throat being removed, he was going to be very relieved and calm.
The tube was the one thing he hated the most. It breathed for him and almost made him feel weak and worthless. He hated that fact.
Yugi cradled him, still smiling. He was happier than he had been in a while.
"We're doing it, Yami..." He whispered lovingly into his Mou Hitori's ear, "That tube is gonna get out and you'll be making progress to getting out of here."
He ran his fingers through Yami's hair, noticing the muscles in his face relax.
He probably heard him.
Yugi smiled.