Nyctophilia
Author: auroraXborealis (@xauroraxborealisx)
Rated M • Published 2021 • Complete • Word count 97k
Everybody deals with grief differently. Yugi prefers to deal with it alone. With Atem and the puzzle gone to the Afterlife, he struggles to keep his identity intact with that profound loss. And he fears what lurks inside of him, what seemed to have been buried before, but is now slowly taking control. But he hides it from everyone, as he always did with his problems. However, this menace lurking in the dark will affect the lives of his friends and enemies as it makes its presence known. And it will reach the depths of the Afterlife where Atem will have to help his partner any way he can before it is too late.
Read on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/33230251
@writewolf90 says:
This is the exact fic I wanted/needed back when I first started reading Yugioh fanfictions after the finale aired. It has the most emotional depth of any fic I have ever read. It conveys the pain of grief and loss so profoundly that it moved me with every chapter yet I wanted more. It's the exact opposite of fluff but the romantic moments are so beautiful and well earned after all of the turmoil of the earlier chapters. The ending had me in tears.
It's realistic, that's the other thing. Not only is it so deeply moving in a painful way, but it's realistic. Grief and learning to live with your own demons are all overwhelming and unpredictable. It just hurts to see our favorite characters going through all of that hurt. Everyone is in character and it genuinely feels like a sequel to the canon after DSOD.
I've gone on about this fic to many people including the author and I will continue to sing this fic's praises for a long time! It's angst, yes, but it's beautiful in the journey.