AN: ok here's my first attempt at a big story. hope you like!

disclaimer: i own...nothing, except a bonsai tree!

Summary: Set during prohibition in Chicago. Yami is a bartender and gin runner for the Nightlight speakeasy with a shady past. When he rescues an unconscious boy from a boat wreck his world gets turned upside down. Yugi works for his grandfather in his café while he goes through school. He immediately falls for his moody savior and being in love with criminals is never easy. But when your in love or craving whisky it's hard to remain bone dry forever! YY RB SJ MM yaoi!

Bone Dry

Ch. 1

Yami gazed out over the crowd of people as he wiped down the bar with a cloth. Prohibition hadn't stopped these people one bit all it did was make the already rich, like his boss, richer and the business more cutthroat. He really did like bar tending, preferring it to the actual running he also did. He nodded at Seto Kaiba, his long time best fried, boss, and owner of the Nightlight speakeasy, as he sat down.

"What can I get you?" Yami asked, already pouring a glass of water. Kaiba never drank.

Kaiba just nodded his thanks. "I need you to go make a pick up." he said knowing that was what Yami had meant with his question.

Yami sighed. "what about Bakura and Marik?" he asked. He really wasn't fond of running (1).

"they're busy on another job for me, one I'm sure you'd like less then this one." Kaiba said. "I know you'd be much happier if I kept you behind the bar forever but you're the only one I can trust."

Yami only nodded. "done then," he replied knowing he would get the specifics later when they were out of the public eye.

It was almost dawn by the time Yami walked back toward his cozy room in the back of the speakeasy (2). He flopped down on his bed and starred at the ceiling. As tired as he was there was no real point in going back to sleep since he had to make that pick up for Seto today. He sat up regretfully and walked over to the table. Picking up his simple revolver and strapping it to his hip he smiled. He would have felt better if Bakura or Marik could back him up but he was defiantly able to look after himself. With a sigh he hauled on his black duster and headed out to purloin a car from Seto; he certainly wasn't going to risk his own car on the drive up to Lake Michigan, he was likely to be shot at…again.

He waited impatiently on the bank of the little secret cove for the Winter Mary to arrive with it's promised shipment. He jumped slightly at the sound of a crow taking flight and mental scolded himself for being so jumpy. Still he needed to be on his guard, Seto wasn't likely the only one to know of the Winter Mary and its cargo and there was almost certainly going to be other runners trying to get it.

Sure enough he heard the sound of a snapped twig and soft cursing. Yami rolled he eyes. Amateur, he thought as he eased his revolver out of its holster. Without so much as a whisper of sound he slipped behind a tree to wait for his company to arrive. A skinny callow man with squashed together eyes and a too-large nose. Ugly. However Yami could see the expensive piece he was packing and only one person supplied his runners with fancy guns such as that; Pegasus. Pegasus was always fond of hiring stupid rubes (3) as runners, Yami thought. cannon fodder to him.

Yami stepped out of his hiding place, his pistol aimed.

"you best turn around now before there is any trouble." Yami said.

The man squeaked and whirled to face Yami. "I-I think you should be the one to leave here before you get hurt." he said with false bravado, staring nervously at Yami's gun.

Yami said nothing simply cocked the gun. The man stared into dispassionate crimson eyes before deciding that he really didn't want to meet his maker today. He turned and fled. Yami ran a hand though his spiky tri-colored locks feeling relieved. He didn't like killing people, but that doesn't mean he never had, or never would again. Generally though he much preferred to leave the killing to Marik and Bakura or to avoid it where ever possible.

"Ho there!" a voice called, startling Yami from his thoughts.

He looked up to see the Winter Mary gliding up to shore, her first mate standing at the bow ready to toss him a mooring rope.

"Ho, Tristan!" he called back to the first mate. He reached out to catch the rope being tossed to him. Securing it to a tree even as Tristan leapt to shore.

"Man! Yami, am I glad to see you." he said running up to the crimson eyed runner.

Yami cocked an eyebrow. "and why is that? It not like you wont sell to the first deal." he asked.

"maybe," Tristan replied, "but that's not what's important. The reason we're late is we ran across a wreck and we pulled out one survivor. He's unconscious and needs medical care. You're the only one with a speck of decency, everyone else would just leave him to die. He needs help Yami!"

" I have to get this shipment to Seto," Yami said slowly, "but I will take him back with me. Lets load up quickly."

Tristan nodded, "you're a good man Yami."

They loaded the moonshine into Yami's barrowed truck in fairly short order. Then Yami followed Tristan back to the boat. He handed down a body tightly wrapped in blankets to Yami waiting below. Yami was startled to see a face so like his own half hidden in the cocoon of blankets. The boy, who looked no more than fourteen was light and Yami easily managed to carry him over to the truck. He placed him gently inside. He turned to Tristan.

"Any idea who he is?" Yami asked, unnerved slightly by the boy's resemblance to him.

Tristan shook his head. "naw, he was half drowned and unconscious when we pulled him out of the water. No name or nothing, except he looks almost exactly like you."

"I noticed," Yami said. "here." he handed Tristan an envelope with the money for the liquor.

"take care Yami," Tristan said, undoing the mooring line and jumping back onto the boat.

Yami just got in the truck and drove off with a short wave. He thought about the boy next to him as he drove. On three things in particular; one: Seto was going to kill him for bringing home baggage, Yami didn't have to tell him but he certainly couldn't afford a doctor himself. Two: what was he going to do if Seto refused (Yami was involved now and there was no way he could abandon the boy.) and three: what color were his eyes?

For some reason Yami found that last thing far more important than the first two. He wasn't sure why.

He pulled to a stop outside the warehouse complex belonging the Seto's huge corporation. He nodded at the day guard who let him past and into the garage. Predictable Seto was waiting for him, flanked on either side by the psychos he called friends, Marik and Bakura.

"why on earth did you steal my truck you have one of your own!" Seto raged as Yami stepped out of the vehicle. Marik and Bakura were cackling making the other workers stare at them nervously and Seto glare. Yami said nothing, simply walking around to the passenger side of the truck and lifting the unconscious boy out.

"what made you think…" Seto stopped mid-rant as he saw what Yami had in his arms.

"Yami, what is that?" Seto's voice had gone dangerously calm.

"Tristan pulled him out of a boat wreck." Yami replied. "He needs medical help."

"No." Seto said flatly.

"Seto!" Yami growled

"he's not our business dump him at the church." Seto said firmly.

"no," Yami's voice had also gone flat. and his eyes were completely devoid of emotion.

Seto took a step back unconsciously and Marik and Bakura shut up immediately. Yami rarely got into a killing mood but if Seto provoked him now they all might end up dead.

"fine, but this counts as your pay for the job." Seto said.

Yami nodded a and turned away as Seto barked orders to have a doctor called and made his way back to his room. He set the boy down on his bed and stripped off his duster and gun holster. He removed the musty boat smelling blankets and tucked the boy into his own bed. Sitting next to him Yami gently brushed the boy's golden bangs back from his face before running his fingers through the soft spiky locks so like his own.

"who are you, kid? What about you calls to me huh?" he asked aloud.

He wasn't sure what about this boy made him want to protect him but something did. It was unnerving seeing as Yami usually never let any one close to him. It was certainly puzzling indeed and Yami knew he wasn't going to let the boy out of his sight until this mystery had been solved.

Outside in the now empty floor of the Nightlight Seto, Bakura and Marik were discussing just that.

"that was close," Bakura whistled and Marik nodded.

Seto shook his head in agreement. "it has been a while since Yami ever came that close." he said.

"what ever the reason Yami has formed an attachment to this boy. Just step care fully around him for a while," Seto decided to last.

Bakura chuckled maniacally while Marik said. "Yami doesn't scare me. Bakura and I can handle him."

"you too maybe, but I'm mostly worried about the other workers, not to mention my patrons." Seto said firmly. "don't piss him off."

Bakura and Marik nodded sharply before slipping off to hunt down their friend. Seto turned to one of the young kids who worked as message boys for him.

"yes?" he asked sharply.

"uh, the doctor is here, Mr. Kaiba sir.' he said.

"show him in and take him to Yami's room." Seto ordered curtly.

The boy swallowed slightly at that (Yami didn't let anyone other than Seto, or Bakura and Marik near his room in a good mood) but nodded and backed away. "yes, sir."

Seto groaned. This was going to make things difficult.

Yami jumped at the sound of the door being opened but didn't bother to turn around; the only people who would barge in here un announced were Bakura and Marik.

"hey would ya look at that. It's a mini-Yami!" Marik said.

Bakura leavened closer, "a girly mini-Yami," he said derisively.

Yami glared at him.

Bakura held up his hands, "I'm not saying you look like a girl Yami!" he said quickly, while Marik howled with laughter.

"shut up porcupine!" Yami said to the blond.

"porcupine, I like it!" Bakura cackled.

"you too hedgehog!" Yami growled causing Marik to laugh again.

Bakura scowled. "well what does that make you? A flamingo with a bad hair day?"

This sent Marik of into fresh gales of laughter. "Yami-haha-is a-haha-flamingo!" he choked out.

Yami glowered. "I look nothing like a flamingo." Yami ground out. His eye twitching. Bakura looked as if he'd have said more but was interrupted by the sound of a knock on the door. Yami strode over, fully ready to take out his irritation on what ever idiot person had decided to disturb him. He yanked it open to find a very frightened messenger boy and the elderly doctor who looked after Seto, Yami, and the psychos.

"let me in Yami," the doctor said kindly. Yami nodded and stepped aside. Marik and Bakura chose to make a hasty exit, lest the doctor give them one of his lectures.

"now what happened to him?" the doctor asked pulling back the sheets and putting the ends of the stethoscope in his ears.

Yami carefully recited all who knew about what had happened to the boy. The doctor nodded carefully checking his patient over.

"Well he's recovering from hypothermia and he hit his head pretty hard but he should be waking up pretty soon. Just keep him warm and dry, if he wakes up he can have some water and broth. I'll be back to check up on him in the morning with some medicent for his fever." the doctor said standing up.

Yami nodded tightly, "thank you, doctor."

The doctor smiled and waved him off. "you just stay out of trouble my boy! Need you to look after those crazy friends of yours, and to keep Mr. Kaiba from killing himself with work." he said cheerfully.

Yami smiled. "I will," he said sincerely.

The doctor waved and tottered off in the direction of the exit. Yami went back into his room and closed the door with a soft click. Dragging the plain wooden chair away from his desk and next to his bed Yami set up vigil. He grabbed his book and started reading, determined to be there when the boy awoke.

Yugi awoke to find himself staring at a rough wood paneled ceiling he did not recognized. He wondered briefly if he was dead but decided there was no way his head could hurt this much if he was actually dead. He remembered his little sail boat hitting a rock and he being thrown overboard but nothing after that. With a groan he sat up trying to see where he was and how to get out; Grandpa was probably worried sick about him. He saw a man asleep in a chair next to him, book resting on his chest. Yugi gave a start of surprise to see that the man had the same odd colored hair that he did. In fact, he well could have been Yugi's older twin.

Crimson eyes snapped open when he shifted to get a better look and locked directly on his own. Yugi felt himself being pulled down into a sea of red. He snapped back to himself when the man spoke.

"so you're awake?"

terms:

1 runners are the pick up men they usually are heavily armed and heavily competitive.

2 a place where illegal liquor is sold.

3 county bred.

AN: please review. the more you review the faster i'll post