A Yugioh divergent future - no. Alternate past - no. ARGH. It's a Yugioh fic, and by definition, timeline is an optional feature, and occasional bug! PG-13, ~68,000 words, drama, action and romance. Yuugi/Other!Yuugi/Kaiba (kind of). Set right after the manga ending, with occasional anime elements thrown in, just for the fun of it.

This fic contains spoiler for, well, the entire series. And a lot of notes. You have been warned.

Comments are appreciated!

This story was started on May 29, 2009 and finished on December 31, 2010. Currently the edits are ongoing, hence the long lull in between updates.

RE:Play

[5/29/2009 - 12/31/2010]

RE:Wind

In hindsight—

Scratch that. In retrospect, perhaps it shouldn't have surprised Yuugi that the last sight he had of his Other Self – Atem – was that of Atem's back. He'd spent so long staying (figuratively, and also often literally) behind Atem that it should have been a familiar sight to him. The Other Yuugi – Atem – did not quite look back even as he gave them a thumbs-up, and continued to walk towards the light. One more step, and Atem would walk over the threshold of the gate and out of Yuugi's life forever.

And Yuugi had only a split second to wonder, really wonder, if he had done the right thing, if he shouldn't have thought more about this, except it was too late now and—

Atem did not – dared not – look back because even he wasn't that strong, King of Games or not. He knew if he saw Yuugi now, face still streaked with tears and probably looking as forlorn as an abandoned puppy, he would falter. This was what he wanted, what Yuugi wanted for him, and it was for the best. Beyond the open gateway, he could see familiar shapes of his friends from three thousand years ago, outlined in bright light. This was where he belonged, in the afterlife, with those who were waiting for him. He had been only a brief passenger in Yuugi's life, and he should be happy now that Yuugi was stronger even than him, and didn't need him anymore.

And Atem was seized with an irresistible desire to look behind him just once more, like Orpheus at the threshold of the Underworld, to see Yuugi one last time. Except it was too late now, and one more step would take him over to the other side of the gate, and—

Light erupted from the open gateway, blinding them, and all of them reflexively turned away to shield their eyes. After the light finally faded, Jounouchi was the first to open his eyes and peek. The gateway to the Underworld was now firmly shut, as if it had never opened. There was no other change in the chamber, not even a shift in the dry air. At his side, Anzu was rubbing her eyes, probably wiping them dry with her sleeves. On his other side, Honda's coattail rustled next to him as he looked about, and it was like any old day. There would be a time to grieve for their friend, but for now, they were together, and that had to be enough.

"Jounouchi..." Anzu's voice trembled with the beginnings of panic. It took Jounouchi a moment to realize why.

There was no sign of Yuugi anywhere in the room.