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He'd waited until he was sure that Yugi was asleep to manifest. Yami lightly perched on the edge of his partner's bed, well aware that Yugi couldn't feel his presence on the mattress, but wanting to be careful not to wake him all the same.
'I don't know what I'd do without you' echoed through his head. He knew Yugi meant it. He was certain that Yugi was strong enough to go on without him. He'd never doubted it for a second. His partner was strong even before he'd solved the puzzle and met him. Yugi's fierce loyalty and kindness had inspired the Pharaoh to reassess his own doings, and he had taught him to show mercy, to be kind where he didn't think kindness would be due. Yugi's soul was so bright, so captivating. He was a person of unmatched strength and a bigger heart than the Pharaoh would have thought possible.
But the Ceremonial Duel was set for tomorrow, and the Pharaoh didn't know if he would be alright himself. He'd told himself that he would be content with the time he'd spent with Yugi, for any time at all was better than never having met him. And now he had his memories. He remembered his family and friends from his life in Egypt. He should want to move on, to see them again, shouldn't he?
He turned from where his gaze was planted on the floor to look at his sleeping partner. Yugi's form rose and fell with gentle breaths under his blanket. His forehead creased with the furrowing of his eyebrows. The Pharaoh wished he could reach out to smooth that crease away. He wished he could pull the blankets up over his aibou's shoulders. Tuck him in. Make him feel safe.
His hands shook with the sudden realization that he would never be enough. He would never be solid. He could never be what Yugi needed. He could never hug him. He couldn't share the warmth and comfort that his aibou wanted. Hell, he couldn't even sit down and eat lunch with Yugi.
Their conversation about loneliness crept back into his head. He wished for nothing more than the chance to slip into bed next to his partner. To curl himself around this precious sleeping soul and let him wake to the feeling of being held in the arms of someone who cared for him more than anything else in this damned world.
He squeezed his eyes closed. They burned behind his eyelids. This wasn't enough time. It wasn't fair. How foolish was he, to think that simply being with Yugi in this... Cursed half life would be enough. It would never be enough. For either of them.
He was bitter.
Bitter at never having the chance to live his life. Bitter for having died at the age of seventeen. Bitter for having now known love, and never having gotten to share it with the one who needed it most.
He let his feet disappear. Let his form disappate into wisps of color. Watched as his wretched body left the air, and slid back into the puzzle.
He prodded lightly at Yugi's dreams. His aibou was having a fitful sleep. The least he could do was nudge him into a pleasant slumber on his last night here.
He knew Yugi wouldn't be sleeping well after tomorrow.