Yugi didn’t need much coaxing to come and settle at
her Grandfather’s side as he settled on the sofa, happy to leave Jou to cook
something that was resembling food more and more with every meal. She cuddled
into him, relaxing as he hugged her. She had been tense for days after Death-T,
still partly convinced that everything that had happened was her fault. Even
now, a week and a half later she sought out their company, silently enjoying
what had nearly been ripped away from her, but didn’t join in their games and
laughter. Tonight was no different.
It was almost, Sugoroku mused as he watched the
frustration crossing Jonouchi’s features when Yugi didn’t join him in playing
for yet another night in a row, instead watching as he completed yet another
chapter of some video game, as if she didn’t think she deserved to have fun.
It hurt to see her like this. Watching her regress
into the quiet, shy little mouse she had been pre-Puzzle was painful. He missed
the bouncy, happy, energetic girl she had become over the last few months.
It was partly his fault she had withdrawn so far.
When they had gotten to the hospital, he had still been in emergency surgery
and the Doctor had told Yugi the truth of his condition. A condition that had
been brought on by Kaiba’s ‘Penalty Game.’ He had emerged from the surgery
whole and healthy, feeling much better, in fact, than he had for a while but
the damage had been done.
Yugi had barely left his side since. He didn’t
think he could blame her. He had been just as terrified about losing her as she
had about losing him. He had
been so afraid that she would not make it. That Kaiba’s malicious games would
rob him of the last remaining member of his family. He did not think he could
have survived it if he had had to return to the Game Shop, knowing that Yugi
was never going to come home.
To
know she was safe, that she had made it through the trials she had taken on
purely to ensure his safety, eased most of the remaining stress on his heart
and made breathing easier. Now if he could just mend her heart, his own would
be just fine.
He
had tried to reassure her that it wasn’t her fault. That he didn’t blame her
for Kaiba’s actions. He had even offered to help her merge his deck and hers
into something new, just for her. However she had turned him down, just handing
the deck back and shaking her head. A first sign, maybe, of the state she had
spiralled into.
He couldn’t help but wonder what the Pharaoh
thought. Whether the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle was as frustrated as
Yugi’s other friends or whether she felt guilty about what Kaiba had done too.
It wasn’t like he could ask his other granddaughter. Not without something
happening to Yugi to make her come out.
He
was sure that given the right impetus Yugi would be okay but he couldn’t help
but worry. He wasn’t quite sure what to do to fix the problem. Normally
he would have offered her a game or two from the store to help lift her mood,
but he did not think it would help. Not when he didn’t have anything new to
encourage her curiosity.
Not till tomorrow at least. He was pretty sure
that the new game that was due to arrive in store would at least get her
playing again. She wouldn’t be able to help herself. She never had been able to
resist the latest releases. From there he was sure her friends could draw her
out of her shell once more. Despite their frustration he could see that they
only wanted to help her.
Yugi
retired to her room early again, leaving a ticked off Jou and a worried
Sugoroku behind.
“If
she were a guy I’d’ve smacked her by now.” Jou huffed, irritated as he watched
her go. “It wasn’t her fault Kaiba was a psycho and the sooner she works that
out the better.”
“I
have a plan.” The elderly gamer reassured him, smiling slightly at the
confirmation of his suspicions. “Just give it a little longer.”
“I
hope it works.” Jou replied, shutting down the games console as he did so. “Can
I help?”
“Actually
you’re kind of vital.” Sugoroku chuckled lightly, “Got something new coming in
tomorrow. I’ll be giving you and Yugi freebies.”
“But
Yuge’s not playing...” Jou paused, curiosity kicking in, “Wait, how new?”
“Brand
new release. Out for sale tomorrow.” He informed the teen, amused by the way
the thought of a new game had derailed the blonde.
“That
could work.” Jou nodded thoughtfully.
“We’ll
just have to wait and see.”
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