In Safe Hands (PuzzleShipping)

Chapter 41

The night dragged on as if it were engulfed in thick molasses. Yugi was sent home after all that had happened and he couldn't sleep at all through the night. He couldn't get Yami off of his mind. That image of him that he saw before was nightmarish enough and the fact that Yami was in that condition crushed Yugi.

But now, it was the morning and visiting hours had started back up. He could finally, if Yami was better, go see him. They had also given him part of today off to regather himself. Everyone knew now what the two of them had.

It wasn't a huge secret now.

Yugi walked through the entrance doors and down a hallway that was described way too many times before. Rooms lined the wall and doctors and nurses walked in and out, all of them having someplace to be and some job to do. They all seemed so focused.

Yugi finally made it to the desk where Mana sat, silently typing on the computer. She still seemed preoccupied with the accident last night and all. Yugi stood and looked at her, trying to put a lighthearted mood to things, but knowing it wasn't gonna last.

"Hey, Yugi." Mana looked at him, forcing a smile, "They gave you this part of the the day off to get rested. Why are you here?"

"I...I wanted to see Yami." Yugi said, folding his hands, "Do you know how he is?"

Mana looked at him for a brief moment and blinked before turning back to the computer and typing more.

"Let me see..." She said slightly to herself and slightly in Yugi's direction.

Yugi watched her and waited patiently as the moments had gone by. But soon, she finally finished typing and she looked back at him.

"Complex ICU Room 236." She said, "They don't have much information on him posted just yet."

Yugi nodded back at her upon hearing this and walked over to the elevators. He waved over his shoulder, getting a second wave in return.

---

"210..."

Yugi watched the doors as they passed him by. He kept his eyes out for the number that he had wanted. His thoughts raced as he walked down the ICU corridor.

When he entered, what was he gonna see?

Yugi let out a breath and kept walking down the hall as the doors passed him by. His eyes fell on each number that was engraved and finally, he found what he was looking for.

"Room 236..." He muttered.

Yugi's heart raced as he put his hand on the doorknob and slowly turned it. It was silent on the other side and the only sound he could he was that of a heart monitor.

Closing his eyes to try to calm himself, he opened the door and stepped inside.

Yugi walked in and the first thing his eyes fell on was Yami, who lay in bed, his image crushing a Yugi completely.

His arm had been bandaged and put in a stiff cast and his forehead and head had been wrapped with more thick bandages, his left eye covered and his right eye shut as he slept. He had a long tub going into his neck and down his throat that enabled him to breath, or at least, the machine was sure to breathe for him.

Yami saw wires going into him from all sides, connecting to several machines. The heart monitor showed that his heart was beating, but at a rate that could stop at any minute. He had a neck brace securely around his neck, preventing him from moving his head too much. As he looked on, Yugi felt tears being pumped into his eyes. He sat beside the bed on a chair that was provided to visitors and blinked, unable to believe any of this.

"Y-Yami..." Yugi whispered, his jaw dropping, "W-Why..."

Yami didn't respond. Yugi gripped his hand, knowing Yami wouldn't feel it, but doing so to maybe make himself feel better or to make Yami reassured. He honestly didn't know.

"Yami...I-it's Aibou..." Yugi said, looking at him, "I...I came to see how you were doing and...well..."

Yugi went silent he wasn't sure what to do. His best friend and boyfriend was being hospitalized and in extremely critical condition. Yugi sighed shakily and ran his other hand through Yami's hair in a calming gesture, soothing himself and also trying to soothe what he could of Yami.

Yugi looked back and at the foot of the bed, there was Yami's papers and his current state. Slightly shaking, but not letting go of Yami's hand, he picked up the clip board and flipped through the papers.

"Two punctured lungs...tracheotomy...in need of critical care..." The next few words caught Yugi off guard, "State: Comatose."

Comatose???

Yugi couldn't wrap his mind around it. Yami couldn't be in a coma. He just couldn't be in a coma. Yami was always the really strong and nice guy that everyone looked up to.

Now...he was weak and was between the balance between life and death. And Yugi was watching him go through it all. This destroyed him. He couldn't accept any of this. It was too unreal. Yami couldn't be in a coma. Yami couldn't be in a hospital bed with all these terrible wounds all over his body.

"Y-Yami..." Yugi said, his shock clearly in his voice, "I...You...It...no. no..."

Yugi shook his head and dropped the clipboard back in its place, the tears returning stronger than they had before. Yugi clutched Yami's hand, still shaking his head. This couldn't be real.

None of it.

It just couldn't be real.

"W-Why did this happen?" Yugi muttered, not letting go of Yami's hand, "Why c-couldn't I h-have remembered?? I-I was...warned...You were in danger...I w-was told to be wise...but I w-was careless."

Yugi voice cracked with sobs that ached to escape and a lump in Yugi's throat formed swiftly.

"And n-now..." Yugi sigh shakily, "Y-You're suffering...because of me..."

Yugi sniffed and the tears went rolling down his cheeks. He knew it was true. It was all true. Heba tried to tell him. Heba warned him to point that he was in tears. Yugi hadn't understood what the Angel meant, but now, he was certain. Yugi should have known.

"Y-Yami..." He sobbed, finally breaking down into tears, "I-I'm...s-So sorry..."

Yugi shook his head and cried, still not letting go of Yami's good hand and planned on doing so. He couldn't understand why this happened. He couldn't understand why or how something like this could occur. One day, Yami is fine...and the next he is lying in a hospital bed, with fatal injuries and in a coma.

He didn't understand.

This was all too unreal.

Yami was hurt and this was all Yugi's fault....all of it.

Whether he liked it or not.

"I...I'm s-sorry..." Yugi repeated, his voice still cracking, "I'm s-so...sorry..."