A/N: This story is inspired by my current standoff with writer's block.

Chapter One

The first time Yami saw Yugi Mutou, he spilled tea down the front of himself.

It was an involuntary twitch of the hand, just enough to feel the dribble on his fingers before realizing that a small tepid pool was soaking into the crotch of his pants. He slammed down his cup, turning from the boy who had entered the café and yanked napkins from the table dispenser as he sopped up the tea puddled in his lap.

It was late Thursday afternoon, and the café was full of Domino University students crammed into mismatched tables and chairs, sitting hunchbacked at their laptops, coffee mugs clutched in their hands. The shop was tiny, with low ceilings and dark walls, but, the smell of coffee, and the heat rattling through the vents made it a cozy haven from the autumn chill outside

The boy was still lingering in the doorway as Yami finished blotting the tea from his clothes. He was short, Yami noticed, just scraping five feet, but his hair stood on end with the electricity of three different hues, granting him a few precious inches. He shrugged off his jacket and tucked it under his arm, before navigating over the jumble of power cords that patrons had stretched across the floor to reach available outlets.

He waved to the barista working the espresso machine and placed his order at the register. As he fished out his wallet, a coin dropped from his pocket, rolling across the floor before he trapped it with his shoe. He grabbed it from the ground and as he straightened, he met Yami's stare.

The boy's eyes were purple, part hidden under a blonde fringe that he pushed back as he noticed Yami sitting a few feet away. His cheeks reddened, and he gave a timid smile before turning back to the counter, dropping the coin all over again but ignoring it as it rolled behind him towards Yami table.

Despite the cold, damp material clinging to his thighs, Yami felt part of him stirring as the boy glanced over his shoulder, their eyes meeting again.

"Hey – Yugi!" the girl who had been working the espresso machine said, drawing the attention of the boy as she met him at the register.

Espresso girl flipped her dark ponytail over her shoulder, leaning over the counter as Yugi whispered something to her. The girl seemed familiar to Yami as she settled on her elbows, eyes flickering behind Yugi as she scanned the coffee shop. When her eyes met Yami's stare, she bit back a grin, and Yami struggled to place her. She said something to Yugi but, her reply was lost as another barista flipped on the blender.

Yami started to stand but froze as he remembered the damp stain that had taken up residence over his crotch. He sank back into his chair as espresso girl handed Yugi a to-go cup, jerking her head in Yami's direction.

Yugi shook his head, backpedaling as he waved to the girl, who glared at him, lips pursed.

"I'm leaving!" Yugi said, his voice igniting something low in Yami's stomach.

He couldn't let the boy leave.

"Wait!" Yami said. His chair scraped across the floor as he stood.

Yugi froze mid-backpedal, cheeks flushed as Yami leaned over and picked up Yugi's abandoned coin. Skirting around a table of girls pouring over textbooks and vanilla lattes, Yami reached Yugi and offered him the money.

The younger boy gave another shy smile, his fingers trembling as they brushed Yami's palm, igniting a fire that rocketed through older boy's body.

Meeting his hikari, Yami had been told, would feel like sliding the last puzzle piece of his soul into place, an indescribable feeling of coming full circle, like curling under the covers and drifting into the realm between reality and dreamland.

Yami was not prepared for the intensity of that shock when Yugi's skin brushed against his. Electricity raced up his arms, thrusting his pulse into overdrive as it vibrated through his veins. Happiness, sadness, joy, fear, and lust roared through him and, before he could stop himself, he was gripping Yugi's shoulder, the waves of emotions crashing through him.

It was amazing and disturbing all at once.

Yugi's eyes were wide as Yami came down from the high, and while time had stopped for the pair, the café continued to bustle around them, the door slamming closed as someone came or went.

"Are you okay?" Yugi said. His face was creased with concern but, he seemed otherwise unaffected by the meeting of his darker half.

Yami slid his hand from Yugi's shoulder, straightening as he took a breath. "My apologies," Yami said, "I felt dizzy for a moment."

"You should sit," Yugi said, inspecting the older boy as if waiting for him to topple over. Then, his blush deepened. He cleared his throat, eyes focusing somewhere over Yami's shoulder.

It was then Yami realized that his pants were still soaked with tea, highlighting the bulge that had turned rock hard at briefest touch of Yugi's skin. If he hadn't been the ruler of Egypt in a past life, Yami was sure that his face would be as red as Yugi's.

"Sit with me," Yami said. It wasn't a question.

He wanted answers - the boy's full name and his story, why he was here and where he was from. He wouldn't let Yugi from his sight, not now, not when his hands tingled to tangle in the boy's hair, to press his skin against his own, to feel him writhe beneath him. He took another deep breath. It had been five minutes and, this boy was already threatening his composure.

Espresso girl gave Yugi a sly thumbs up as they walked back to Yami's table and, Yugi was fidgeting as he slid into the chair across from the older boy. Yami pushed his now cold mug to the side, folding his hands on the table.

"I'm Yugi," the boy said. He took a sip of his drink, studying the older boy over the lid of his cup.

"You may call me, Yami," Yami said. He didn't like the boy's nervous energy. It seemed to slide under his skin, muddling his thoughts.

"I know," Yugi said. He fiddled with his cup. "I've seen you duel." He gulped down his drink, embarrassed.

Yami nodded. As the current reigning champion of Duel Monsters and the King of Games, people often recognized him from the champion level duels they broadcast on television.

"Are you a duelist, Yugi?" Yami said. He tasted the boy's name on his tongue and found himself wanting to say it again.

Yugi rubbed the back of his head. "Only here in Domino," he said. "It's not like I am the King of Games or anything." He smiled, a real smile this time.

His hikari was teasing him. Yami's stomach fluttered. You're acting like an adolescent, Yami told himself. Calm your mind.

"Tell me about yourself," Yami said.

Yugi pulled on his collar. "Well, I go to Domino," he said. "I'm studying to be an archeologist."

"And what is the focus of your studies?" Yami said.

"Ancient Egypt," Yugi said. "I've been pretty obsessed since I was a kid."

Yami wasn't surprised. The hikaris of legend did not exist in his time but, magic was the basis of their existence. The ancient Egyptian magic that pumped through Yami's veins was destined to pull in his light, and while hikaris were not born with the knowledge of their lineage, destiny would lead them to their darker half.

"Any particular reason?" Yami asked.

Yugi paused. "Well, my grandfather spent a lot of time in Egypt before I was born," he said. He fiddled with his cup. "A few years ago he gave me something from one of his digs. He told me that he thought I was destined to have it. I've been hooked on learning more about the history and culture behind it ever since."

Yami met his hikari's eyes, only speaking when the younger boy began to squirm in his chair.

"What did he give you?" Yami said, leaning forward.

"A puzzle," Yugi said. His nervous energy had eased but, his shoulders were tense as he mentioned his grandfather's gift.

Yami froze in his seat, mind racing. It has to be the Millennium Puzzle, he thought. He forced himself to relax back into his chair as his hikari glanced at the café door.

Like most Egyptian children, Yami's bedtime stories were weaved in the era of ancient times, where shadow games threatened the world and an ancient pharaoh sealed the magic in the seven millennium items with his soul. These millennium items were entrusted to the keepers of the tombs and, each generation of keepers awaited the day when the pharaoh and the former owners of the millennium items would be reborn.

However, for the reborn to tap into their powers, they had to first find their other half, their hikari. Born to balance the shadow magic that flowed through their darker half's veins, the hikaris of legend were insurance by the ancient priests who sealed the millennium items thousands of years ago. They were the light to the shadow magic that the millennium items contained, and once a hikari was revealed to their darker half, the two souls would grow to be one, yin and yang.

"I would like to see this puzzle," Yami said, "if you will allow me."

Yugi turned back to Yami, wary. "Well," Yugi said. "It's pretty important to me. I don't usually even mention it to people." He cringed. "I mean, I'm not saying you can't be trusted or anything…I just…I don't…" He sighed. "I'm just usually not so open with people I don't know."

"I would like to acquaint myself with you," Yami said.

Yugi's nervousness crawled underneath Yami's skin, and he forced himself to look away from his hikari. The intensity of his stare was legendary, and while onlookers speculated it was intense focus, Yami suspected it had more to do with the ancient pharaoh that had been his past life.

You're panicking him, Yami told himself, and his anxiety is feeding into me. Yami frowned. It seemed that his lhikari was uncomfortable talking about himself to those he didn't know. Don't worry, little one, Yami thought. Soon I will know all of your secrets and then, we will be one.

Yugi finished off his drink, and Yami felt his companion's earlier nerves spark across his skin.

"I should really…" Yugi said.

"I apologize," Yami said, cutting him off. "I am…unpracticed when it comes to these situations."

Yugi's forehead crinkled. "What do you mean?"

"I want to spend time with you," Yami said. "You interest me."

Yugi flushed. "But, you're the King of Games."

Yami frowned, confused. "I am," he said, agreeing. He failed to see the course of the younger boy's statement.

"So, aren't you…busy?" Yugi said. He knocked over his empty cup as he gestured with his hands.

They both reached for the cup at the same time, and Yami felt another surge of electricity race through his body as he touched Yugi's hand. They both jerked back.

"Jeesh," Yugi said, "that's the second time we've shocked each other." He smiled, rubbing the fingers of his tingling hand.

"Do you agree?" Yami said, urgent in his request to better accustom the boy to him. This time it had been easier to manage the energy that flooded through him when he touched Yugi's skin but as the feeling faded, Yami's body ached. His hikari was wary of him, and the lack of physical and mental feedback from his other half made Yami feel hollow and anxious.

"Of course," Yugi said. "How often do you meet the King of Games?" He smiled, teasing the older boy again.

"Let's begin then," Yami said.

Yugi sputtered. "Well, I didn't mean right this second!"

"Tomorrow then?" Yami said. Now that he had discovered him, the time without his hikari would feel slower, harder, and darker. It was going against every part of him to even consider letting the boy leave his side.

"Well, I have class in the morning," Yugi said, "but I could meet you in the afternoon."

"My hotel is only two blocks from here," Yami said. "Is it convenient for you to meet me there?"

Yugi nodded.

"3 pm tomorrow in the lobby of the Mandarin then?" Yami said.

"Sure," Yugi said. He rose from his chair. "I have to help my grandfather close up his shop now though." He slipped on his jacket, taking out his cell phone.

Yami stood, buttoning his jacket as Yugi checked his phone. He realized that, though a little discolored, the tea had dried from his pants.

The café had emptied somewhat as the pair had talked, and espresso girl was reading a magazine behind the counter. She gave Yugi the call me sign as the pair exited the café. The air was brisk as night fell, and Yugi snuggled into his coat as a breeze pushed past them on the quiet city street.

"Tomorrow then," Yami said. His fingers curled in his pockets, desperate to touch his hikari again but, he ignored the whisper in his mind telling him not to let Yugi out of his sight. He will return, Yami reminded himself. And together we will rediscover the power of the Millennium Puzzle.

Yami started towards his hotel, turning when Yugi called his name and jogged to catch up with him.

"Here, you should take my cell phone number in case something comes up," Yugi said. He thrust a crumpled receipt in Yami's hands, a number scrawled across the back.

His hikari waved as he started in the opposite direction, and Yami watched as he disappeared down the block.

The temperature seemed to drop as Yami walked down the street, and he felt the energy from Yugi's presence dissipating the farther he walked. He felt cold and sluggish without his hikari by his side, and he didn't care for the loneliness that crept over him as he entered his hotel. Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.