Chapter 1
The sun rose over Domino City. The golden rays stretched over the quiet city like long shadowy fingers. The light reached over the many buildings to reach one unique house. A young boy of about 18 lay in bed, his back to the room. His name was Yugi Mouto; his unusual hair was scattered around his face.
The sunlight filtered in and fell on the youth, highlighting his tear-streaked face. His unusual red-purple eyes were open and stared sadly at the white ceiling.
His arms were curled around himself and his legs were drawn up and he turned on his side to face the open window. His quiet sobs were almost non-existent in the silent air of the house and game shop.
His lips moved with unheard words and tears fell down his cheeks. One word could be heard repeated like a mantra. “Atenu…” Yugi clenched his eyes shut and drew up against himself. He tried to quiet the fresh sobs that came with that name.
That name brought back memories, memories of a tall look-a-like of himself. With a deep voice and a regal bearing, memories of a person he had come to know so well, memories of his Yami.
He let out a sob that sounded like he was dying. He could still remember that day, 2 years ago, where he defeated the Pharaoh and set his soul free, and he could remember how sad he was that his friend and secret love had left him forever.
After that day, Yugi stopped dueling. He stopped attending tournaments; he severed all ties of with Duel Monsters. He got rid of anything that made him think of his Yami. He even died his hair fully black to help him forget.
He shook his head wildly, his long hair swishing around his head, coming to rest over his face, only exposing one eye.
He grabbed a pillow and hugged it tightly. “Atenu…” He whispered.
His eyes were still clenched shut when a loud creaking of a door sounded in his room. Yugi ignored it; his grandfather was probably just getting up to check on him. He didn’t move or make any noise as he continued to weep.
He was startled though as he felt a soft hand on his bare shoulder. He jumped away from the person and hugged himself more. He heard a deep sigh and a swish of clothing.
He just waited for whoever it was to go and leave him to his misery.
“Yugi…” A deep, familiar voice met his ears. His body froze as the voice continued to speak.
“…I’m back…” The hand went back to his shoulder and gave it a squeeze.
Yugi blinked a few times and then shook his head, he must have been dreaming. That’s it, he fell asleep crying about Yami. Yes that’s it. But somehow he knew that was a lie.
“Yugi, please don’t cry…” The voice said. Yugi couldn’t take it. He burst into sobs again and squeezed his dark eyes shut; he hugged himself again, shying away from the imaginary Yami standing at his side.
He was crying so hard he didn’t hear the soft sigh or notice the bed dip down until those soft hands gripped his slender shoulders and shook him gently.
“Yugi look at me please.” The youth shook his head, muttering to himself “Your not real…Your not real…your not real…” He kept saying the mantra in the hope that this phantom would leave him.
“Yugi!” His shoulders were shook with such force that he had to open his eyes. Dark blue eyes met dark blue. All Yugi could see was long blond/red/black-spiked hair and bangs held back by a huge golden eye crown. His eyes were the same as his and sharp features still looked the same.
His eyes traveled over the face of his secret love. ‘He looks the same…’ He thought. His eyes once again start to well up with tears.
This had to be a terrible dream, a nightmare. He shook his head again and again, willing himself to wake up. “Yugi! Stop, It’s me Atenu!”
Yugi couldn’t take it any longer, the feel of his love’s soft hands, the deep voice, the close proximity; it was all too much. He ripped away from the vision of his love and jumped off the bed. He accidentally tripped over something and fell backwards onto his butt.
Immediately the fake Atenu was at his side. Yugi pushed him away and crawled away from him into a corner, where he held himself and refused to look at him.
‘What happened to him?’ Yami thought as he tried once again to approach his friend, his light side. The boy cowered back again. He stopped moving and tried to figure out what had happened to make his light be so afraid of him.
“Yugi, why won’t you believe me?” He asked taking one step forward. The youth just shook his head wildly and hide his face.
Yami wished he still held his connection with the boy so he could see what had caused him to become so reclusive. He was still shocked at his appearance when he first saw him. His long hair had been cut short and died to black, he had bruises on his upper arms and his eyes were red and puffy from crying.
It looked like he had been in fight and had not come out the victor. But something told him that wasn’t the case; Yugi was not someone who would fight, unless he absolutely had to.
“Please…just go away, your not real…” The dark haired youth said, still cowering in the corner.
Yami was completely confused. He had watched Yugi since he had left, two years ago. The spirit world let him do that much. He had watched as Yugi and his friends departed from the temple and go back to their lives, but Yugi seemed the worst effected. He had broken off all ties to his friends and eventually Yami couldn’t watch Yugi anymore because he couldn’t find him.
Yami shuffled forward, his long purple cloak swished silently across the carpet. ‘Maybe I look so different to him…’ He thought, he changed his outfit to the one he had used so often before, the domino high uniform.
But when Yugi saw this, he hugged himself tighter and more tears came. Yami didn’t know what was troubling his light. He had come back, so why was he still sad?
“Yugi, please tell me what’s wrong.” He said in a soft voice, he was now kneeling down next to the sobbing boy. “Your not real…” He was repeating his mantra again.
“Yes Yugi I am real.” He said. The youth looked up. “Stop it…Your not real…You can’t be real…Just leave me alone!” He shouted. He pushed the stunned pharaoh away and ran from him. He stopped at the door.
“Yugi! Wait, how can I prove that I’m real?” He asked, desperation finding it’s way into his voice.
The young man stood with his back to him. “Yugi?”
But Yugi remained silent. Yami was worried as he stood and walked towards him.
“Yugi…?” He asked again. The youth turned around and locked eyes with him. His cheeks were tear-stained and his eyes were red. He walked forward and took a breath and held it. He reached out and touched Yami’s tan cheek. He stroked the skin there and closed his eyes and opened them again.
Yami was seriously confused now. What was Yugi doing? Although he had to admit, him stroking his cheek like that felt amazing.
Yugi slowly stroked the phantom’s cheek. In his other fantasies and nightmares, as soon as he touched his love anywhere, he would disappear as soon as Yugi would close his eyes. He carefully let out the breath he was holding and stared at the figure in front of him.
His eyes streamed tears again as he threw himself at the man in front of him. He hugged him tightly, never wanting to let go; he cried into his chest and nuzzled his face into the shirt fabric.
Strong arms wrapped around him and held him tightly as he cried. He could feel hands stroking his back and hair too.
“Atenu…Atenu…” He said softly.
“Call me Yami.” Yami said as he held him tighter.
“You came back…” He whispered.
“Yes.” Came the reply.
Yugi pulled away and looked his Yami in the eyes. He still didn’t know if he was dreaming or not, but he knew one way to find out. He leaned forward and kissed Yami full on the lips.
He pulled back in a second and realized it wasn’t a dream and he had just kissed his secret love. He didn’t know what Yami’s reaction was going to be, but he hoped it wasn’t bad.
He stood there after Yugi had kissed for about 5 seconds before he grabbed Yugi’s face and pulled it to him. As soon as his lips connected with Yugi’s he let his tongue probe Yugi’s mouth waiting for a reply.
And he got one. Yugi opened his mouth and Yami started to explore the sweet cavern. Yugi’s tongue shy poked forward into Yami’s mouth and ran over his lips and teeth before Yami intertwined his with Yugi’s.
Finally after a few moments of intense kissing, Yugi broke the kiss for a much-needed breath of air.
“That was amazing…” He said after a few seconds. Yami nodded and hugged Yugi to him again.
He thought this might be a good time to ask, “Why were you so afraid of me before?”
The body in his arms tensed and pulled away slightly to look into his eyes.
“It’s just that…Well I…It was…” He tried a few times to say what he wanted but couldn’t get it out.
“Yugi, what happened after I left?” Yami asked leading them over to the bed and sitting down. Though Yugi had other plans and pulled him to lay down with him facing each other.
“Oh Gods…” He muttered before starting. “After you left, it was so hard. Being apart from you, I just couldn’t…take it.” He said closing his eyes.
Yami reached a hand forward and ran a finger gently over his cheek before Yugi continued.
“I’m sorry about before…I guess it wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t always dream about you…” He quickly brought up a hand over his mouth and his eyes snapped open.
Yami raised an eyebrow and smiled alittle. “Dream about me? You dream about me?” He asked. And before Yugi could catch himself he nodded his head.
“And what happens in those dreams?” He asked, still smiling, he wasn’t being mean, but was curious.
“That you’re back and then as soon as I touch you, you leave again.” Tears were threatening to fall again. Yami frowned and wiped away a stray tear.
“Is that why you kept saying I wasn’t real?” He asked. Yugi nodded.
“Doctor Zula said it would help me forget…” He barely whispered.
Yami raised another eyebrow, “Who’s Dr. Zula?”
Yugi mumbled something. Yami shook his head, showing he didn’t hear and Yugi repeated it alittle louder.
“My therapist.” Yami shook his head, disbelief in his eyes. He knew what therapists were, but he couldn’t believe Yugi had become such a mess that he had to go to one.
“I’m crazy…” Yugi muttered after about a minute of uncomfortable silence.
Yami shook his head and smiled at his light. “You’re not crazy.”
Yugi sighed and closed his eyes. “Please don’t let this be another dream…” He mumbled as he moved himself closer to his Yami.
“It’s not, I’m really and truly back and am here to stay.” He said rubbing his light’s back soothingly.
Yugi lifted his head and looked Yami in the eye. “How? I set your soul free when I won the duel.” He said.
Yami nodded and smiled. “ Yes you did, but I was able to come back, I was given a new body and life. “
Yugi couldn’t believe his ears. “ Really? “
Yami nodded, “Qetesh said you needed me.” He said.
Yugi was still in awe. “Yami…” He said as he kissed his dark again. “I’m so glad your back!” He shouted sitting up and smiling for the first time in 2 long years.
Yami sat up with him. “I’m glad too.” He said with a laugh. He was surprised as Yugi hugged him and laughed. Yami hugged back with as much force and pulled Yugi back down onto the bed.
Their arms wrapped around each other. Yugi sighed againest Yami’s neck and closed his eyes.
Yami listened as they sat like that in comfortable silence. Suddenly he heard a rather loud growl come from His and Yugi’s stomachs.
He smiled and nudged Yugi who seemed to have fallen asleep. “We need to get something to eat. “ He said gently shaking the youth. Yugi rubbed his eyes and mumbled”I’m not asleep.”
Yami laughed and listened as another growl was heard from Yugi’s stomach. “Come on.” Yugi nodded as Yami sat up and helped him up as well. “I don’t wanna eat, I wanna stay with you.” He said.
“I’m not going anywhere, let’s get something to eat, after all it’s been 2 years since I actually ate something and 5,000 since it was my stomach I was filling.” Yugi giggled and stood with Yami as they walked together to the door.
Yami led them downstairs, walking memorized hallways to the kitchen. Yugi followed obedently behind and couldn’t help but stare at Yami the whole way. So much so that he failed to hear what Yami had asked him when they reached the kitchen.
“huh?” He asked shaking his head alittle.
Yami turned to him and smiled. “What do you want to eat?” He asked.
Yugi shrugged and looked around the small kitchen. He walked to the cabinet and pulled down a box of cereal. “I think all we have is this.” He said showing Yami the colorful box of cereal.
Yami smiled brightly and walked forward. He opened another cabinet and pulled down two bowls and two spoons, while Yugi set the box on the table and grabbed the milk.
Once everything was on the table they started to eat. Yugi ate in silence every few seconds looking up at Yami and looking down before the other could see his gaze.
“So, after breakfast what do you want to do?” Yami asked his light after swallowing the spoonful of cereal. He lifted his gaze to Yugi’s and saw the youth looking at him.
“What?” He asked. Yugi shook his head and looked back down at his cereal. “I don’t know…I haven’t done anything in such a long time…”
Yami frowned. ‘Qetesh was right…he does need me’ He thought. “Okay how about…we go out?” He asked. It was still early and he didn’t exactly want to be around to give Yugi’s grandpa a heart-attack.
“Yugi looked up suddenly, “Out?” He asked. Yami nodded.
Yugi looked down at his finished bowl. “I guess we could do that, where do you want to go?”
Yami smiled and stood. “It’s a surprise.” He reached across the table and grabbed Yugi’s bowl and his and took them to the sink. When that was done, he held out his hand for Yugi to take it.
When the boy’s hand was firmly in his, he led them out of the kitchen and out of the building.
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