AN/Warnings: I'm digging myself into a hole here. Anyways, I was listening to Rocketman by Elton John (he was in the Bob the Builder Christmas special. I love his glasses), and this sort of (metaphorically) hit me in the head. End of story.

Teehee, because I like messing with characters. Yami (?)/Anzu, Jounouchi/Seto, and Yami (?)/Seto. Scandal! Who loves angsty love squares? I DO! You've been warned, so don't complain if you don't like. Technically, Yami could be Yugi and visa versa…I'm confusing myself.

I don't own Yuugiou. For shame. I made Yugi & Yami's relationship more teasing and sarcastic than usual, and Mokuba's become a social butterfly.

The Key:

"Blah." - Normal speech.

"Blah/Blah." - Usually Yugi & Yami's inner dialogue, or emphasis. Bold for Yami, italic for Yugi.

Large parts in bold are memories. There's one part where Anzu's voice comes back to Yugi, but it's in italics. Blah.

Blah* - There's a footnote about this attached at the end of the chapter.

Anyways, God knows how long this is going to end up. Enjoy.

Heart for Rent

Yugi Motou (or what appeared to be him, anyway), was walking down the sidewalk, right next to the main road. He kept his head down, his hands in his pockets.

The traffic was horrible on the road next to him. Not enough to be total gridlock, but enough so that the cars moved slowly. Very slowly.

"Yugi! You're not the same anymore! I thought, God, I don't know what I thought!"

He chokes on his own breath, and starts to cough.

"Anzu, Anzu, I, I'll be better soon. I promise."

"You've told me that too many times. Please. Just go."

"No, please, don't make me leave. I haven't got anywhere to go!"

"We'll try again later, Yugi."

"Anzu…"

"No! How many times have you left me to go off in some championship? You care more about your cards than me!"

Yugi winced at that memory, and sighed when he felt the first drops of rain hit his head.

The downpour started soon after.

It was true, though. He didn't have anywhere to go. After Ji-chan had died, he hadn't been able to pay to keep the Kame Game Shop. He was only just out of University, for God's sake. He had all of the games that hadn't been sold, all of the Duel Monster booster packs, rare cards, and even some of the more obscure games and toys. He had a blank puzzle, just like the one Honda had given that girl he liked a few years ago - Ribbon, was it? But the rooms above were rented out, the furniture taken. The Kame Game Shop had turned into a pizzeria.

He had turned to Anzu, who, of course, was a highly successful lawyer. It had started out as two friends living together, which had advanced to even more, much to Yugi's delight.

That didn't matter anymore. Not to Anzu, anyway. But it was everything to Yugi.

He didn't notice the small black BMW that pulled up besides him, and didn't hear the window roll down.

"Motou, you idiot, what are you doing out here?"

Yugi looked up, and his usually wide eyes narrow and glassy.

Who he met was an unconcerned Seto Kaiba, head sticking out the window, and his hair was almost as wet as Yugi's.

You see, Yugi Motou has a secret. The pyramid that once hung around his neck has shrunk to a small pendant on a chain, and it is no longer heavy with an ancient Pharaoh's soul.

They had secretly merged souls, the presence of the Pharaoh Atemu was much less noticeable now.

However, Yugi now looked much more like the Pharaoh than Yugi Motou. Although he had no blonde streaks in his hair, his crimson eyes were narrow, and he held himself slightly taller. Along with his fashion sense, but let's not get into that.

"Why aren't you with Anzu?" Kaiba tried to get the young man to speak, but he seemed to be choking on his own words.

"Fine. Whatever. Get in the car. I'm sure Jou won't mind if you stay with us."

Yugi stared at him, Atemu muttering something about Jounouchi.

"You idiot. We're going to end up in the middle of a love affair."

"Who the heck cares? Anzu won't be taking me - us - back any time soon."

"Whatever. But I swear, if I see those two making out, I will force us to commit suicide."

"You sure you don't mind?" Yugi was just begging to be taken in by someone now. He was just upping the guilt factor.

"I've got enough guest rooms to house half of China."

Somehow, he didn't doubt it. Yugi laughed weakly, and walked around to the other side of the car, opening the door and sitting in the front passenger seat.

It was now officially total gridlock.

Cursing, Seto Kaiba drummed his palms and fingertips on the steering wheel, obviously to a song he was hearing in his head.

Without stopping the percussion, or turning his head, Seto Kaiba focused his gaze on Yugi.

The boy (or rather, Seto Kaiba still thought of him as one) was ruining the leather seat by slouching in it like that. His hands were in his lap, and he stared down at them. His thumbs moved occasionally, fighting each other. He looked absolutely pathetic, like someone had ripped out his heart, dissected it, and then put it back in upside down.

Which was why Seto said nothing about the leather seat.

"I hate rush hour." He announced casually. Yugi nodded, stealing a glance at him.

"Me too. Everyone's in such a rush, but they're getting nowhere."

Yugi froze, but the man next to him didn't notice.

I was sitting in a chariot, next to another, a taller figure.

The sand whipped at my skin, and I pulled the cloak tighter around his body.

The figure muttered something, and I could feel my lips turn into a cross between a smile and a smirk.

He starts tapping his feet on the base of the chariot, the wooden floor of sorts. Without even looking, I join in on the offbeat, as the line of chariots behind and in front of us never moves.

Yugi shook his head quickly, earning a full turn of the head and a raised eyebrow from Kaiba, who is still drumming.

Yugi just smiles, and Seto knows not to pry any further. He has secrets and knows things that he can only bear by himself.

That's Yugi Motou for you.

---

The black BMW gunned into the driveway, and Yugi yelped when Kaiba slammed on the breaks. The garage door opened with amazing speed - probably something Kaiba had come up with on a rainy day.

Did Kaiba have rainy days?

They both step out of the car, and Yugi suddenly realized he had no idea what he's doing. Would Jounouchi think he was invading his private life?

"Don't be ridiculous. This is Jounouchi we're talking about. Besides, I wouldn't want to invade on his private life with Kaiba. Yuck."

"Jealous much?"

"Shut up."

Kaiba motions for Yugi to follow him. They step into an elevator, and Yugi notices there must be at least five other levels below the garage, and around another five going up.

They arrive on second level, where the TV is blasting some news report.

"Seto? Is that you?" Came as voice is that was undeniably Jounouchi's. He leaned against the doorframe, and smiled when he saw Yugi.

"Yugi! I didn't expect you to be here."

"I found him on the sidewalk next to the main road. I think it's Anzu." Yugi blushed, and Seto shrugged.

Jounouchi's face fell, and he nodded.

"Awh, Yugi, don't worry. He can stay with us, can't he Seto?"

Seto Kaiba rolled his eyes, and Yugi's mind wandered, thinking that sounded rather wrong.

"Come on, Yugi. I've still got some old clothes that might fit." Seto looked pointedly at Yugi's soaked clothes. Jounouchi nodded in agreement, and shooed Yugi upstairs, behind Seto.

---

After spending many days in the Boys' Changing Room at Domino High, Yugi had little to no problem about changing clothes in front of those of the same gender. Girls was another matter. Let's not get into that. Ask Jounouchi sometime, he has loads of stories.

Seto waited outside of the room, leaning against the wall, as Yugi pulled the shirt over his head.

Yugi stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him. Seto raised an eyebrow, and hummed in approval.

The King of Games was in a pair of Seto's old blue jeans. Rather tight fitting at the thigh, but a bit too baggy at the bottom. His shirt (he had quite a selection. Seto kept most of his old clothes for Mokuba) was a plain white t-shirt. It was actually Mokuba's, and it read "Roi de Jeux" in gothic black letters on the front, with a crown over it.

Seto smirked, but didn't miss the moment when Yugi looked over the banister, and rubbed his eyes.

---

Yugi, Seto, Jounouchi. The order on the couch. All of them were watching the news, pretending to be interested, because there was nothing else to say.

Mokuba came in around midnight, now a teenager with an overly healthy social life. He was soaked to the bone as well, apparently one of his friends had streaked across the park in the pouring rain. He was still laughing, and Seto looked at Yugi, rolling his eyes. Jounouchi was laughing as well, and punched Mokuba's shoulder. The boy waved to Yugi, and headed upstairs to change.

"In other stock market news, Kaiba Corporation's stocks have gone down two percent."

Yugi and Jounouchi both looked at the CEO, who was frozen, and looked as though he was contemplating something. Probably strangling one of them to take out his shallow anger.

Jounouchi's face was trying to hold in a grin, and Yugi just stared at the two curiously.

"Seto's very sensitive about his stocks." Jounouchi leaned over his boyfriend, and whispered to Yugi, who laughed. Seto closed his eyes, and grabbed a handful of blonde hair, and pulled it away from him. Jounouchi cried out, and swatted at his captor.

"Seto! Lemmie go!" Yugi giggled at Jounouchi's cries for release.

He easily was let go when Jounouchi managed to grab a handful of chocolate hair himself.

"Stop being so aggressive, Katsuya." He growled. Jounouchi smirked.

"That's not what you say in bed, Kaiba." Jounouchi's hand crawled up his captor's leg, and Seto's eyes narrowed.

Yugi was the only one who blushed at this comment, and Seto let go of Jounouchi, shoving him.

"That's it people. I've had enough of you. Sorry Yugi, you'll have to deal with him by yourself." Jounouchi stood up, and stretched. He leaned over to give Seto a quick kiss on the lips. In the back of his mind, Yugi could hear the Pharaoh making retching sounds. Patting Yugi on the head absent mindedly, Jounouchi walked out of the room, and up the stairs.

"Mokuba's disappeared." Yugi stated simply. Seto hummed.

"Probably on the phone, or instant messaging. He has more friends now than I ever did, or will."

Yugi winced at that comment, and looked up at Seto Kaiba, who was just staring at the TV, watching the stocks scroll.

"What happened? Between you and Anzu?" He was going to get the story out of Yugi one way or another. The young man next to him sighed.

"She doesn't like me as much as she used to. We've been fighting a lot, sometimes more than once a week. I guess she finally kicked me out." His laugh was weak, and forced.

"Why?"

"Someone's being blunt today."

"He's just trying to help."

"This is Seto Kaiba we're talking about. He won't believe you anyway."

"I'm surprised you, of all people, haven't noticed." Yugi said simply, and Kaiba grunted.

"I have so. You're different. Whoever used to battle with you is still there, but he's much closer. That's it, isn't it? She can't accept the whole Yugi, psychopathic duelist and all."

Yugi could sense there was some logic, some comfort in that insult, but he sure as hell couldn't find it. He looked straight at Seto Kaiba, who stared right down back.

"I take offense to that. It's a miracle, though. Kaiba's being sympathetic. In his own twisted way, but hey."

"Oh shut up. I'm sure he means well."

"Someone has a crush, ne?"

"Then that makes two of us. Besides, he's taken."

"…So?"

"There are names for people like you."

Yugi could hear the Pharaoh laughing, and he blushed when he realized that he was still staring at Seto.

"You care about your cards more than me!"

He bit his lower lip at the memory, feeling his eyes starting to water. He looked straight at the TV screen, but the reporter was blurred.

He expected maybe a smirk, or a hum from Seto Kaiba. Maybe even an insult thrown in Anzu's direction, but cleverly disguised to somehow insult him as well.

What he didn't expect was the hand that turned his face, or the pressure of lips against his own.

Yugi didn't even blush - he was too stunned for that.

It was a quick kiss, to say the least. He wasn't sure if there was feeling behind it, or if it was just a sympathy kiss, or even worse, if it came from pity. Knowing Jounouchi's antics and mood swings, it was probably the only way for Seto to get him to calm down.

For some reason, that thought hurt.

Seto seemed surprised with himself, which was something Yugi had never seen before.

The taller man himself wasn't sure why he had just kissed the other - it just seemed the only thing he could do to console him. It was out of impulse, a spontaneous reaction.

To what, though?

Now the tears in those crimson were on the brink of falling, and for one reason or another, Seto didn't want that.

Yugi looked to the side, his cheeks flushing light pink. He stood up abruptly, sharply, and murmured a good night.

When Seto was sure the other had gone, he ran a hand through his hair, and turned the TV off. He needed to think.

---

Seto Kaiba walked upstairs, and checked on Mokuba. His younger brother had fallen asleep on the keyboard, the screen still flashing with instant messages.

Seto sighed, and pulled down the covers on his bed. He half carried, half dragged the teenager, who was pure dead weight. He managed to get him into his bed, and pulled the covers over him. Mokuba moaned in protest, and kicked some of the blanket away, so one leg was on top of the covers, the other under. Brushing some of the raven hair away from his face, the older brother half-smiled, and turned away. He shut down the computer, turned off the light, and closed the door.

He ghosted in the doorway of the guest room where Yugi was sleeping. The only clothing on the floor was his old jeans, so Seto supposed he was sleeping in Mokuba's t-shirt and boxers.

The young man shuddered in his sleep, and turned over onto his side.

He closed the door, and watched his shadow disappear.

His next and final stop was his queen-sized bed, and Jounouchi was sleeping in the dead center of it, limbs thrown around and the blankets kicked the bottom.

Seto shoved the blonde boy towards the wall, and brought the blankets around to cover him. He peeled his shirt and jeans off, and sat down on the side of the bed, his head in his hands.

"Mm, Honda…" Came an almost inaudible whisper. Seto rolled his eyes, and felt a great need to shove the blonde haired boy occupying his bed.

What in all of the seven Hells had he done?

---

Yugi Motou's eyes snapped open. His quick and uneasy dream (or was it a nightmare?) had been of the moment only hours before, except from a third-person view. It still didn't make any sense.

"There are names for people like you." The Pharaoh echoed in the back of his mind, trying to cheer his partner up. However, it only made things worse.

Yugi sighed, and put a hand across his forehead. He laid his head back down onto the pillow, but his dream was another restless one.

He saw Jounouchi, Anzu and Seto, all as plain and clear as if they were with him in the room. Jounouchi slung his arm around the taller boy, and waved to Yugi. Seto didn't even look at the puppy hanging onto him, as if he was alone in this memory. He stared at Yugi, but at the same time, stared past him. There was a blank expression on his face, a startling contrast to the beaming Jounouchi.

Anzu stood next to Jounouchi, glaring at him.

"You're not the same anymore. You're not the Yugi Motou I thought I loved!"

Those words hit home, and Yugi forced himself to wake once again.

Choking back sobs, Yugi turned his pillow over. His wet eyelashes quickly fluttered, and then clamped together.

---

"Recite!" Barked the teacher. I was sitting on the dirt packed floor. I was next to another, I suspect it's the same person who was with me in the chariot, but I have a feeling this is before such a memory. There were also a few others around and behind us.

I stood up hesitantly, and opened my mouth. My suspicions are confirmed. My voice is slightly higher than usual, it hasn't broken yet.

"Alef, Beit, Gimel, Dalet, Hei, Vav, Zayin, Chet, Tet, Yud, Kaf, Lamed, Mem, Nun…Sa…Sa…" I faltered.

"Samech." Whispered the figure next to me. Thank the Gods, or the teacher will have my neck for not studying the alef-beit*.

"Samech, A..a…"

"Ayin." Came my savior once again.

"Ayin, Pei, Tzadik, Kuf, Reish, Shin and Tav**." I could feel my face heating up from all of the eyes on me.

"Very good, Prince. You may sit." I slumped into my seat, still blushing, and the figure next to me put a hand on my shoulder.

"Thanks." I whispered, and he shrugged.

Why did I have to learn the language of the slaves?*** I wasn't ever going to talk to one. It's ridiculous. I'm going to be the Pharaoh! I can have someone else do it if necessary.

I'm an immortal.

---

* Does alef-beit look familiar? Si signore, it's like alpha-beta, or alphabet.

** This is the (modern?) Hebrew alphabet. I got it from The Da Vinci Code (by Dan Brown. Good book. Go read), I hope it's accurate.

*** Tying in with the statement above, I'm guessing the slaves in Yuugiou's Ancient Egypt spoke Hebrew as well. I'm not being racist or anything, but it's simply (biblical) history. I'm no good with timelines, so I'm not sure if the Ancient Egypt we see in Yuugiou was before or after Moses, so work with me (they left during one of the Ramses' reign, I think... Ramses II?) I'm not sure if the Hebrew they spoke is the same as it is now, but Imhotep in The Mummy definitely understood the Hebrew the guy prayed in.