Yugi could feel Yami eyeing the cute boy a block away.
He sighed inwardly.
It was going to be one of those days wasn't it?

//Hey, if we ask nicely do you think Bakura will let us borrow Ryo for the night?//
/Absolutely not!/

His yami snorted thinking loudly that Yugi was no fun.

Yugi hurried to the corner to meet his friends.

He didn't see Anzu hurriedly rounding the other corner and they collided with Yugi ending up in her lap.

Yami tried to keep him there but failed to gain control of the body.
She was rather soft, Yugi though, then jumped up, embarrassed at both his yami and himself.

"Gomen Anzu!" he apologized quickly.
She just laughed claiming it was her fault and they all continued on as planned to get after school treats.

His friends laughing and jostling one another.
Yugi was quiet.
He was busy scolding Yami.
Explaining for the umpteenth time the importance of a loving caring relationship.

As always, Yami ignored him.

Jou nudged Yugi as they sat,
Pointing out a girl who was staring at him.

Yugi wondered if it was the hair.

//The hair just completes the look Yugi.//
Yami whispered at him,
mental voice seductive and teasing.

//The leather collar, the hair, the air of mystery…//

/Shut up Yami/ Yugi sighed irritated.

//They're all staring…//

/I said shut up./

//They all want you.//

/Stop it Yami!/

//Hell, maybe even I want you.//

Yugi's heart skipped a beat betraying what he'd been trying desperately to keep hidden.

Anger flooded him.
He was suddenly furious at Yami, and himself.

"I SAID SHUT UP!"

He tore off the puzzle and threw it across the room.
Then realized if it hit something it would shatter.
And watched in agony as it careened towards the wall.

Snatch.

Kaiba held his catch by the chain and examined it with a small frown.
He looked at Yugi in disgust.
Then walked over to return the item.

"You should take better care of your things."
Yugi, now thoroughly embarrassed, held open his book bag so he didn't have to touch the puzzle.

Kaiba raised an eyebrow but obediently dropped it in.

His expression softened slightly at Yugi's obvious distress and he wondered what could had prompted such public display.

"Especially one that took you so long to put together."

"Thanks" Yugi whispered, "I think I should be going home."
With that he jumped out of the booth and ran from the place leaving his friends staring at the swinging doors.

He didn't stop until he got home.

Yami found himself cut off.
He was locked in his soul room
And in shock.

He'd only been teasing.
Did Yugi really . . .

Did Yugi like him?

And what had prompted him to go that far with his taunts?
Yugi had been so embarrassed, so angry.
Yugi was never angry.
At anyone.

He'd hurt him.
His Aibou.
His sweet, warm, innocent, beautiful hikari.

Blink

Had he really been teasing . . .
Or had be been flirting?

Yugi reached the game shop and finally stopped to catch his breath.

Why had he run the whole way?
He felt he'd been running from something.

What was wrong with him!

He pushed his hand through his hair,
Trying to push away his thoughts as well.

He headed slowly inside, climbed the stairs to his room, threw his school bag in the corner, and sat at his desk to study.

Anything to occupy his mind.

He rummaged around his desk a bit, getting himself organized, then realized that the book he needed was still in his bag.
With the puzzle.

Crap.

Oh well, it wasn't like Yami couldn't have re-established contact.
The puzzle had been close enough since Kaiba dropped it in his bag.

He was glad Yami had stayed silent.
He didn't really want to see his dark or the puzzle right now.

Didn't want to see.
Didn't want to think.

Not about the puzzle.
Or Yami.

And certainly not about how very attracted he was to his dark counterpart.

Irritated, Yugi tried desperately to blank his mind again.

He opened his bag long enough to grab the school book and tried to concentrate.

It didn't work, his mind wandered again.
Yami had just been teasing. He was sure.

Not flirting. Not for real.
No matter how hard he wished it.

After several more failed attempts at reading the dry text he sat up to stretch and looked around.

His eyes met Yami's who stood leaning against the wall and studying him quietly.

Shit.

Yugi snapped his head back down and buried his face in the book.

Yami was quiet a while longer.
Considering.

He'd been thinking long and hard.
Attempting to sort out just what he felt for his gentle Aibou,
And trying to find a fix for the situation,
Some way to erase the hurt he'd caused Yugi.

He hesitated slightly,
Fearing rejection,
Then pressed on

"Aibou." Yami called softly

Yugi breathed relief into his book at yami's voice.
Sincere and not teasing.
He didn't think he could take anymore teasing.

Though just because he was relieved that his yami was being serious didn't mean he wanted to hear what he had to say.
He hunched farther into his book.

"I'm studying"

He felt a hand on his shoulder.
So warm.
He allowed himself to be pulled from his book and turned.

//Yugi// The mind in his voice equally warm. //I'm so sorry I hurt you.//

Yugi could feel his face turn red.

"It's ok…"

"No!" Yami cut him off. "It was wrong. I never want to hurt you, ever, my precious hikari."

Yugi, startled, looked up into warm crimson eyes intense with emotion.
His blush deepened.

//I love you my hikari, my light//

He drew Yugi against him and leaned down to kiss him gently.

Yugi leaned into the kiss praying that it was real.
That this was really happening.
It's what he had craved for so long.

/Don't tease./ He pleaded.

//Never// Yami wrapped his arms around him possessively.

Yugi melted against his yami, finally convincing himself this was real and wouldn't end in laughing and teasing.

/I love you too, yamimine./

Yami purred slightly at the endearment, deepened the kiss,
And they both gave into long repressed desires.