Hello Fanfiction! Welcome to my story! Despite this being the first fic I've posted here, I promise you this isn't my first story I've written, so I'm hopefully long past the nasty novice stage! This website was always intimidating, but I'm giving it a shot! This is something of an epilogue to the original story (timeline a cross between manga and anime) and a prologue to another story I'm in the process of writing. This story focuses on their lives after the Items are put to rest. If you're still interested, please proceed!

This world, as well as many others, contain various mysteries. Some are beautiful, some are painful, some are both or neither. Occasionally an incomplete soul is born. That soul can live and grow, living happily and healthily as any whole soul, often never aware that it isn't whole. However, if a half-soul were to meet their other half, have the experience of being whole, they would never be the same. They would notice the absence they were previously unaware of. They'd be unstable and off-balance, struggling to survive on their own. The fate of a half-soul relies entirely on their strength of will and the kinds of people they surround themselves with. The fate of most unlucky half-souls is death.

Yugi stared down at the notes he'd been taking for class with unseeing amethyst eyes. It was happening again. One of his depressions. Ever since he left...the Pharaoh, Atemu, his best friend, his other self...he'd felt...empty. He wasn't broken exactly, he just wasn't how he used to be. He was lonely, and despite spending nearly as much time with his friends as before, it wouldn't go away for long. They did their best to help. Joey messed with his hair and dragged him to the arcade and challenged him to all sorts of games. Tristan was almost the same, if slightly less forward. Tea tried to talk to him about it, but that never really worked, and sometimes even triggered his moods. Duke asked him to play DDM or help test out new video games or experiment with new ideas for the game. Even Kaiba tried to keep a sense of normalcy by challenging him to a duel nearly every other weekend. But no matter how happy he was at any given time, the depression was inevitable.

"Um...Yugi?"

The short boy jumped in his seat and looked up to find soft blue eyes watching him curiously, with an anxious sort of patience. He looked around, realising class must have broke for lunch. "Sorry Bakura, did you say something?"

"I just..." His pause grabbed Yugi's attention, and his eyes focused in on the taller boy's face. The blue eyed boy looked away, eyes guarded and expression nervous and determined. "I was wondering if I could...talk to you. Alone. Just for a while. If it's not too much trouble."

Yugi blinked. Bakura had never really asked to talk privately before, particularly after...but he smiled up at his friend and responded cheerfully. "Sure, no problem Bakura. Do you want to talk now?"

Bakura nodded jerkily. "Thank you Yugi. Meet me on the roof in a few minutes?" And before he got a response, he swiftly left the classroom with the grace of a ghost. Yugi sat there and stared after him in confusion for a moment. What could he want that was such a secret that he could only tell Yugi? They weren't particularly close, so why him? Suddenly a hand slapped down on his shoulder, snapping Yugi from his thoughts and making him jump. Again. He should really start paying more attention to his surroundings.

"Hey Yug, y'know it's lunch, right? Time to get some chow!" Joey said exuberantly, always excited by the prospect of food in his mouth.

Yugi smiled up at his friends and laughed nervously. "Yeah, I kinda zoned out I guess. But I actually have plans for lunch. I hope you guys don't mind."

"Of course not," Tea interjected before either of her male friends could object. "As long as we're still hanging out after school."

Yugi nodded, a bright smile on his face. "Yeah! Thanks guys!" Tea nodded with a mirrored smile and dragged the other boys out of the room by their sleeves towards the cafeteria as they struggled against her, at first reaching back for Yugi, then trying to rush forward toward food. Yugi shook his head affectionately before gathering his things and heading up to the roof.

'I wonder what Bakura wants to talk about,' he thought, walking down the hall towards the roof. That was something he tried to avoid doing. Thinking. His head just felt so empty without the Spirit of the Puzzle...His thoughts always seemed to echo in his mind, begging for a response that would never come. He sighed at the phantom weight of the pyramid around his neck that was there no longer.

When he reached the top of the stairs, he gently pushed the door open and looked out on the roof. It was fenced in all the way around, and there were a few benches for people to sit on, but the was only one other person there. He stood, looking out over Domino City, snowy locks shifting with the wind, gentle blue eyes pensive and thoughtful. There was a few moments where Yugi just watched him, not really wanting to disturb him. But after about five minutes his curiosity got the better of him and he took a few steps closer. Right when he was about to say something, Bakura turned and faced him, a sweet smile on his face.

"Hey, Yugi. Thanks for coming to talk to me," he said with a grateful tone to his voice.

"Mm, no problem." Yugi said kindly. "But, um, what did you want to talk about?"

Bakura was silent for a moment, his smile slowly falling and a strange look pooling in his eyes. He took a few steps forward and looked Yugi in the eye, staring into them for a few moments. His eyes were focused, as if intent on finding something hidden in his smaller friends large eyes.

"You haven't seemed quite yourself in a long time, Yugi."

Yugi blinked at the abruptness of the statement, then looked away. This wasn't a conversation he liked having. Especially since he had it with most of his friends every few days. He didn't want Bakura jumping on that bandwagon too. "You don't have to worry about me," he mumbled. "I'm fine, really."

Bakura sighed softly, no more loud or forceful than a whisper on the wind. "Yugi, if anyone should worry about you, I think in these circumstances, I'm the most qualified. Like you may be the only one who can understand what I'm going through..."

Yugi looked up sharply, brows furrowing just smiled back at him. But Yugi noticed something familiar in his eyes. Something...not quite sad, but-

"Would you like to sit down? It might be more comfortable." The white-haired boy sat on the nearest bench and patted the seat beside him. A little cautiously, Yugi joined him. He waited patiently for Bakura to explain what he'd meant, and for a while, the boy just fidgeted with the strings on his lunch box. Then, with a deep breath, he looked to the sky and began to speak. "I'm much happier now. With him gone." He gestured towards his chest, where his cursed item used to rest, where harsh silvery scars left the memory of sharp gold under his neat uniform. Yugi subconsciously reached to grip a chain that was no longer around his neck. "I can make friends without having to worry he'll hurt them. I can go to sleep knowing I'll wake up in my own bed without having left. I don't have to worry about police coming to my door looking for a missing person or a stolen object. I'm free. But…" he paused, looking down at his hands. "I'm not always happy...and I know no one's always happy. But I feel like...something's missing. Like even though I thought I hated him, even though I was afraid of him, when he left, he...took a piece of me with him. And now I just feel..." He paused, biting his lip, searching his mind for the right word.

"Unbalanced," Yugi mumbled. "Lost. Empty. Incomplete."

Bakura nodded, smiling sadly. "Yes. Exactly. You feel it too." It wasn't a question, but Yugi nodded anyway, surprised Bakura felt the same as he did . "It must be harder for you. You lost more than I did. I lost a self-proclaimed parasite. You lost your closest friend."

"No, I-" his voice cracked and he took a deep, calming breath. Now was not the time for tears. He had to be strong, like the Pharaoh. "I mean yeah, it's hard. Sometimes I'll think or say something and it suddenly just hits me how empty my mind is. I'm so used to hearing him and having him close...I don't...I don't remember how to live without the other me..." He bit his lip, fists clenching in his lap, for a moment before continuing. "But I think this must be harder for you. I mean, if you've been feeling what I have...I could just explain it away as losing my friend. You have to deal with missing someone you never really liked." Suddenly a warm hand was on one of his, resting over it for a moment before lifting it and rubbing it soothingly, gently urging him to relax. Yugi looked up at his friend's face and saw loneliness reflected in his eyes and an understanding smile on his pale lips. Yugi wondered why Bakura was the one comforting him when it really should be the other way around. He should have noticed his friend suffering. He should have done something. He would have, if he hadn't been so absorbed in his own loneliness. It was time to fix that. "Would you...Do you wanna go with me and the others to the arcade after school?"

Bakura blinked, a bit surprised. "Are you sure?"

Yugi nodded and smiled. "Of course. You're our friend too, Bakura." He pulled his hand away carefully and grabbed his lunch. "You can join us whenever you like, but you gotta promise me one thing."

He tilted his head curiously. "And what would that be?"

Yugi smiled brightly at his friend. "I promise to talk to you if you promise to talk to me."

Bakura laughed, the delicate sound of a ceremonial bell. "That sounds fair enough."

They spent the rest of lunch in relative silence, occasionally making light conversation and just relearning to relax in each other's company.

"Hey guys, is it alright if Bakura comes with us?."

"What? Bakura?" Joey asked, confused. Yugi nodded, waving the pale boy over. "I don't see why not."

Tristan thoughtfully began "Yeah, but-"

"He doesn't look too well," Tea interjected, halting the boys rude objections as the boy joined them, his innocent smile perfectly set on his white face.

"Hello everyone. Yugi invited me to join you, I hope you don't mind."

Just as Tristan was about to speak, Joey wrapped his arm around his neck in a way that could easily be seen as equally threatening and friendly. "Yeah, we'd love ta have ya! Ain't that right, Tristan?"

"Are you sure you're up to it, Bakura?" Tea asked, her inner mother hen coming forth. "I mean, you look really pale, and you've been quieter than usual lately…"

"Oh no, I'm fine, really. But thank you for worrying." His smile seemed to become warmer, more real in response to Tea's doting. Yugi smiled at them all, glad Bakura was welcomed. "Let's go then, shall we?"

"Aw yeah! To the arcade!" Joey exclaimed excitedly. Everyone laughed at his excitement and followed him, idly chattering about school and what they'd been up to. Bakura was seemingly welcome, though no one really seemed to know how to handle him. Not that he minded, he completely understood. Eventually he just listened to them talk and bicker, staring off into nothingness as he followed them. Their hesitance around him was actually a comfort. They were nervous, but not scared, and they wanted to give him a chance. Of course, what did they have to fear now the the Ring was gone? Bakura looked down at his shoes, a wave of unwanted feelings lapping at his ankles.

"Hey, Bakura?"

He looked up suddenly and noticed everyone looking at him worriedly. His eyes fell on Yugi, who smiled the most friendly smile Bakura had ever seen. How he could seem so happy when he'd lost so much, Bakura thought was a superhuman feat. But if he could do it, so could Bakura. He became Yugi's mirror and smiled brightly at the group. "I'm sorry, I guess I got lost in my thoughts. Did you say something?"

"We were just wondering if you wanted to join us this weekend," Tristan said.

"We're havin' a movie night. It'll be awesome!" Joey smiled brightly.

"It's at my place, if you don't mind," Yugi added softly.

"We'd love for you to join us!" Tea proclaimed with a bright smile.

Bakura blinked. Was having friends really this easy? He smiled. "You really wouldn't mind? I wouldn't want to intrude or anything."

Tea frowned and walked up to him, looking him right in the face. He fidgeted uncomfortably, not really caring for the close proximity, as it usually preceded a beating of some sort. After about a minute of close examination, Tea brought up her hand, and flicked his forehead.

"O-ow!" He rubbed his forehead, eyes wide in surprise.

"Bakura, you're our friend, not a burden," Tea scolded, sounding for all the world like a teacher disappointed at a student that didn't finish their homework. "If we invite you to something, we want you there."

Bakura blinked. "A-alright. S-sorry."

Yugi giggled softly behind them before appearing at Tea's side. "You're also more than welcome to stay the night. Joey and Tristan are staying over too."

The white-haired boy smiled brightly. "I'd like that very much, if it's alright."

Yugi nodded, smiling. "Mm. You can join us whenever you want, Bakura."

Bakura's heart and face warmed. His friends were already excited to drag him with them again, and with him not being a threat, they wanted him to join them with welcoming open arms. He hadn't expected for things to change so abruptly, but of course Yugi would do whatever he could to make Bakura feel better. He probably felt guilty he hadn't helped his friend sooner. Bakura decided just needed to be ready to repay the favor, as he was already more than willing.

What do you think? Leave a review and let me know! Thanks for reading! :33