Dreamland

“Hey, what’re you watching?”

“Nothing much. Just an old movie on TV.”

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Dreamland
By Cody Saoyrn
_


After a moment’s thought, Yami swung himself over the couch’s arm and plopped down next to Yuugi. With a yelp, Yuugi clutched at his bowl of popcorn.

“Gah! Don’t DO that! I almost spilled the thing all over the floor!”

“Heh, sorry, aibou.”

Yuugi chuckled.

“It’s all right, mou hitori no boku. Hey, d’you mind if I change the channel?”

“Not at all. But what’s on this one?”

Yami tilted his head, squinting at the television screen.

“Eh, some black and white movie. It’s in English with subtitles, and it’s pretty boring.”

Shrugging, Yuugi reached for the remote.

“If you’re not enjoying it, then by all means go ahead.”

Yami smiled, watching Yuugi punch in the numbers at random.

“Feeling adventurous tonight, aibou?”

Yuugi laughed as he grabbed a handful of popcorn.

“If it’s something weird, I’m changing it right away. But otherwise, yeah. Ooh, it’s a music station!”

“Music station?”

“They play music videos from all over the world! It’s really cool, Yami!”

“Huh.”

Yami leaned back, crossing his legs and draping his arms across the couch’s back.

“Looks like this is in English too, aibou.”

“Oh, I know this band—the B-52’s! Their music is pretty awesome. Let’s see, this one is called Dreamland?”

Taking another handful of popcorn, Yuugi edged closer to Yami.

“Hey, want some, mou hitori no boku? Popcorn, I mean.”

Meet me tonight in dreamland
Meet me tonight in dreamland
Where the things I want will come true
For in dreamland they always do
So meet me tonight in dreamland

Yami smiled and picked a few pieces out of the bowl.

“Oh, come on! You can take more than that!”

“But then there’ll be less for you—”

“I ate half the bowl before you came in, Yami. Just take some, you silly.”

Yami stuck his tongue out playfully, digging his hand into the popcorn.

“There, happy?”

Yuugi beamed, leaning against Yami slightly.

“Isn’t this song so pretty?”

“It is, aibou.”

Meet me on the path of green
Where nightmares disappear in dreams
Sleeping as one
Flowered river carries us down
To dreamland

“We don’t do this very often, do we?”

“Hm? What do you mean?”

Yami peered down at Yuugi’s upturned face, raising his eyebrows.

“I mean, uh…. Watching TV together, hanging out like this. Usually we’re at school, or out saving the world or something….”

Yuugi laughed, looking down.

Yami frowned. Had there been a hint of nervousness in Yuugi’s voice? And why had he looked away so rapidly?

[In dreams]
Kisses as pure as the sky is blue
[In dreams]
As it carries the thoughts I have of you
[In dreams]
Kisses as pure as the sky is blue
[Dreamland, dreamland!]

“Yuugi… Is there something wrong?”

“N-no… No! Of course not!”

Laughing again, Yuugi froze when Yami abruptly slid his right arm down around Yuugi’s shoulders.

“Talk to me, aibou.”

Peering intently into his other’s startled eyes, Yami began to get the impression that he knew what Yuugi wanted but didn’t have the courage to say. But he remained silent, waiting for Yuugi to make up his mind.

“Uh, um…. I don’t know what you’re—”

“Yuugi.”

“I….”

The wind is a perfume of blossoms that hide
From people who’d trample a dream such as ours

“Do I need to say it for you?”

“W-what the hell?!”

Yuugi flushed furiously as he shouted, recoiling.

Yami sighed.

Blossoms that fall from the trees so tall
That falling is floating in heaven for hours

“Yuugi....”

“B-b-b-but I-I-I—”

Yuugi stammered uncontrollably, his face growing even redder.

“Shh. Okay? Just be quiet, aibou. Come here.”

Yami gently reached out with both hands and drew Yuugi’s shuddering body towards himself, enveloping the smaller boy in his arms.

Trees that are towers that rise above
The bower of dreams where I lie with my love

“It’s all right. It’s all right. Don’t be so hard on yourself, Yuugi. Remember, we can hear each other’s thoughts?”

Yuugi stiffened.

“So… All this time… You knew?”

Smiling, Yami nodded slowly.

“And you know what else? If you had bothered to listen in on my thoughts, you would have realized that I was thinking the same thing as you.”

“R-really…?”

Dreams that fly from our hearts to each other
Shared thoughts of our love under the covers

“Yes. It’s okay, aibou. Just…relax.”

Yami hugged Yuugi to him roughly, wiping away Yuugi’s tears.

“But I—”

“Shh.”

[In dreams]
Kisses as pure as the sky is blue
[In dreams]
As it carries the thoughts I have of you

Taking a shuddery breath, Yuugi slid his small hands up to grip Yami’s shoulders.

In response, Yami leaned down and rested his cheek against Yuugi’s.

[In dreams]
Kisses as pure as the sky is blue
[In dreams]
Kisses that carry the thoughts I have of you
[Dreamland, dreamland!]

Nuzzling Yuugi’s face, Yami was startled when his other boldly captured his lips in a kiss.

Yuugi…?

Shh. Yami could detect a hint of amusement in Yuugi’s thoughts. Just relax.

At this, Yami barely stopped himself from laughing out loud, resigning himself to a mental chuckle.

Eventually, though, Yuugi melted into Yami’s grasp and Yami took control.

With kisses we are entwined
With the lilies and the vines
All on the path

Y-Yami…

What is it, aibou?

I love you.

In response, Yami untangled himself from Yuugi, and smiled as he stood up.

Gathering Yuugi in his arms, Yami chuckled at Yuugi’s renewed blush.

Last night I dreamed I had burning hands
Reaching for beautiful visions
And everything was shimmering

“You okay, aibou?”

“Y-yeah.”

Yuugi glanced away, then returned his gaze to Yami, his face a bright red.

“You sure? I don’t want to be forcing you into anything you don’t want….”

Yami shifted his hands slightly to support Yuugi’s head better.

“No. No, I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time now, mou hitori no boku.”

At this, Yami smiled down at Yuugi, who beamed back up.

Using his shadow powers to turn off the TV as he walked past it, Yami bent his neck to kiss Yuugi once more as they left the room.

_

[OWARI.]