All I Wanted Was A Friend

Sins and Virtues

The third game went similarly to the first, but the boys were unable to finish it before the bell rang to signify the end of lunch. As Jounouchi, Yuugi and Yami packed up, Honda limped into the classroom, followed by the rest of the class.

"There you are, Jounouchi!" Honda called, rubbing a sore spot on his arm and completely ignoring Yuugi. "Been looking everywhere for you, man."

"Why were ya lookin' for me?" Jounouchi asked.

"Oh, you totally missed it," he exclaimed with a slightly feral grin. "You know how Ushio was acting all weird outside the school gate this morning?"

"Yeah, I know, right? Made me wish I had a video camera."

Honda snorted.

Yuugi and Yami listened to the conversation in silence, they were not sure if the sudden kindness Jounouchi was showing them today extended to Honda.

"The teachers got so pissed off with him that they ended up calling the police," Honda explained.

"No way!"

"Yeah, way! He made a massive scene of it, screaming about cash. Talk about karmic justice, eh?"

"Serves him right!"

"Teach him to not knock me unconscious! Next time I see him, I'll-"

"Hey, Yuugi," said another voice, drawing their focus.

"Oh. Hi, Anzu," greeted Yuugi.

"Jounouchi behaved himself, yeah?"

Yami explained, "he did not do anything bad, in fact, he has been nothing but kind all day."

"Really? Hm," Anzu mused, carefully eyeing Jounouchi as he watched Honda's wild gesticulations. "I wonder what could have brought that up."

Just then, the teacher, Ms. Chouno, strode into the classroom. The clicks of her heels clacked so sharply against the floor; it was a wonder her steps did not leave indents. "All right students, settle down, or you'll all end up like Mr. Ushio at the police station."

The students quickly scrambled to their desks and began a class held by a teacher in an especially vindictive mood. Jounouchi and Honda were harshly berated for "interrupting class" when they tried to whisper to each other.

The walk back home was peacefully quiet, which allowed Yuugi and Yami time to think with each other. It occurred to Yuugi that thinking in and of itself, a usually solitary activity, was now suddenly a social one instead. He and Yami thought together now, with the same brain. Yami would be wherever he was, and despite the embarrassment it already caused, the thought filled him with a sense of giddy warmth. It was like he had a guardian angel following him wherever he went.

Yami could not help but blush in response to his partner's thoughts. Yuugi, he said. You are embarrassing me.

He smirked. You deserve payback for that stunt you pulled with Jounouchi.

Do not lie and say that you were not interested.

I mean, yeah, but is that really the sort of thing you want to watch with me?

Why is that such a bad thing?

It's watching it with another person in your head. How is that not a bad thing?

They continued in such a manner for the rest of the walk home, discussing the moral ramifications of viewing mature video media more than individually. Yami had no qualms with the idea while Yuugi was emphatic that such a thing should be done in privacy. Eventually, Yami tried to convince Yuugi that deprivation was a far worse outcome than the loss of solitude.

As an example, though I dislike bringing it to attention, would you rather have to shower in public or give it up entirely?

Trying desperately to ignore the reminder of what happened earlier in the morning, Yuugi gave the question some serious consideration.

I think... I think I would hate not being clean more than the embarrassment.

Yami gave out a smug grin. Exactly. Even then, it is entirely possible to become accustomed to the situation. Eventually, you may not even consider the fact that there are others there worthy of note.

That doesn't mean I want to do something like that any time soon.

That is fair.

"I'm back!" Yuugi and Yami called as they opened the door to Grandpa's Game Shop.

"Welcome home," he replied from the counter. He quickly but subtly eyed his grandson up and down in search of any injuries. After breathing a sigh of relief, he asked. "How was your day?"

"It was great!" Yuugi answered as they took their shoes off. "Jounouchi was really nice today."

Yami continued. "We were playing snakes and ladders during our lunch break. During our second game, he rolled literally perfectly and won in six die rolls!

"You should have seen it." Yuugi finished.

"Well, I'll be damned." Grandpa stoked his beard. "Your friend must have the devil's own luck."

"That's what I said!" said Yuugi.

Grandpa chuckled. "Say, Yuugi. Have I ever told you about the history of Snakes and Ladders?"

Yuugi pondered for a moment. "No, I don't think so."

"You may have in the past," said Yami, "but nothing comes to mind."

"Well, it's quite an interesting story." Grandpa walked around the counter and to one of the shelves. "Snakes and Ladders was originally an Indian game from around two thousand years ago. It was made to be a tool to teach children about the path to Nirvana." He pulled out a copy of the game and set it up on the counter. The design of the particular board had a distinctly middle eastern style to it.

"Nirvana? How does that work?"

"You'll notice that the Snakes are both more plentiful and on average longer than any of the ladders." He pointed at a snake that led from space ninety-three to space thirty-one. "That's because the snakes are a representation of sinful deeds like theft or violence, while ladders are meant to represent good deeds. It's far easier to do evil than it is to do good. And even when you fall down a snake or do something bad, you still have to pick up the dice and keep playing, to not give up trying to do good."

"So, the game is a metaphor for life?"

Grandpa hummed, "You could say that, yes. Although, the game was made a long time ago, where religious ideas were thought of as universal fact. I'm sure the belief of reincarnation and multiple lives had something to do with it, I couldn't tell you what."

Reincarnation. The word hammered into their mind. They took their puzzle into their hands and stared at it. It made them wonder.

Later that night, after Yuugi and Yami had finished their homework for English class, Yuugi thought back to what grandpa had said about good and evil acts.

Yami? asked Yuugi, fiddling with the cord holding the puzzle around their neck.

Yes, Yuugi? he prompted.

Did... Did we do a bad thing? The image of an Ushio caked in mud was fresh in their mind.

Yuugi felt Yami move through a haze of thoughts, of punishment and being worthy to punish others, whether or not mortal life had the right to do such a thing, whether or not it was their responsibility in a world where there was a status quo of power in teachers and government, having to defend yourself and those you care about, preventing the evil of others when you can.

Yami sighed. I have no idea, Yuugi.