Disclaimer: Not mine.

Yuugi grabbed his stack of books, thick tomes with titles indicative of his major in anthropology. The librarian smiled familiarly as he scanned in Yuugi's books, but refrained from flirting. All the rumors he had heard made him reluctant to take the next step.

Yuugi, for his part, did not seem to notice. His violet eyes gazed into the distance as he picked up the books and made his way back to his dorm.

"Hey, Yuugi," a voice called from behind him. Yuugi turned and started to wave at his friend before realizing that if he did his books would fall. He settled for nodding.

The other boy caught up with him. "You coming to the party tonight?"

Yuugi shook his head. "I have too much studying to do."

"Did you really break up with Michelle?" he asked suddenly.

Yuugi turned, wide-eyed. "We decided to go our separate ways."

His friend swore under his breath. "What, did you say to yourself, 'This relationship is too perfect, and I cannot stand it anymore?'" Yuugi glared and he shut his mouth with a clack. "Sorry, man. But she was crazy about you."

"I have to finish this paper."

Shaking his head, the other boy stopped, yelling out as Yuugi walked away, "If you don't watch out, you're going to end up worn-out and alone."

Yuugi nodded in absent acknowledgment. As he strode across the campus he could feel the weight of his unhappiness, a parasite that ate at every relationship he tried to have.

Yuugi dropped his books on his desk, running a hand through his hair. In the past years his form had gone from short and thin to slightly taller and emaciated. His eyes were filled with shadows, but for all that he was still beautiful. One of his boyfriends had commented that he always seemed to be filled with a bright passion that destroyed him with its fire.

He pressed the button on his answering machine, shuffling papers as his grandfather's voice filled the room. He stopped moving, though, when the next message came on and a voice as fine as silk and as rich as Aztec chocolate pressed tenderly against Yuugi's ears.

"Hey, Yuugi," Atemu said. "I just wanted to call and check on you. It's been a while since we've talked." He sounded genuinely happy, as full of life and passion as ever, but with a new note of pure joy. "Call me back, okay."

Yuugi collapsed, resting his forehead against the cool wood of his desk. His heartbeat pounded, blood rushing in his ears. Old scars opened and he remembered all that he wanted with Atemu that no other person had been able to fulfill.

Just when he thought he had been able to move on, when Atemu's phone calls had tapered off nearly to nothing, the spirit-made-man had to call again.

Tentatively, Yuugi picked up the phone and dialed. He forced interest and happiness in his voice as he listened to Atemu rave about the wonders of the places he had visited, Egypt and Brazil and England and Russia.

And he refrained, as always, from asking when Atemu was coming home.

Atemu shoved his bangs out of his eyes, surveying the dorm building he was standing in front of. Sugoroku's directions and a campus map were clutched in his hand. A smile of bright anticipation graced his features.

With every passing day he appeared more like the Pharaoh of the past. His skin had faded from Yuugi's fairness into a rich cinnamon shade from days spent out in the sun in places all around the world. He even wore gold earrings dangling from both his lobes.

Returning from the Sahara, he wore a long, white, linen tunic belted with a vibrant red sash over loose cotton breeches. Fastened around his neck was an indigo-dyed cloak he had worn to keep out of the sun's heat. In every way he seemed exotically nomadic.

Caring little for the other university students, he hurried up the stairs to Yuugi's dorm, his eyes possessing the same focus they did in a duel. He paused as he reached the door.

Would Yuugi be glad to see him? It seemed like forever since they had spoken face-to-face, and really, they rarely spoke on the phone too. Atemu had originally intended to call more often, but it seemed so awkward when he did.

He straightened his shoulders. Now that they were together again that awkwardness would be a thing of the past, he assured himself, and knocked firmly. He heard footsteps inside, a muffled cuss, and the door swung open.

Atemu could not help but stare. Whereas he had become more ruggedly handsome, Yuugi had grown even more elegantly beautiful. He wad nearly as tall as Atemu, though significantly thinner, with an aura of untouchable loveliness.

Something in Atemu stirred, a hunger he had never before associated with his other half. Surely he had not always felt this gnawing desire, he thought, but perhaps he had, and only being away for so long had revealed it to him.

He shelved the thought away for perusal later, for Yuugi was looking at him with shock and something guarded clear on his face.

"Surprise?" he asked with a grin.

Yuugi's eyes were wide, as if his world as just shifted, as he stammered, "H-hi." An emotion flickered across his face too briefly for Atemu to catch it, though it looked something like pain.

"May I come in?" he asked carefully, trying to gauge Yuugi's mood. It was surprisingly difficult to do, especially as it had always been so easy to read Yuugi.

"Of course," Yuugi murmured, stepping away from the doorway. The interior was sparsely furnished, both sides messy with unmade beds. What Atemu guessed was Yuugi's half was littered with books and notebooks.

"How are your studies going?"

"They're okay," Yuugi replied distantly.

"You're not wearing your puzzle," he commented, his hand resting on his own golden puzzle.

Yuugi met his eyes defiantly. "You never answered," the accusation fell from his lips and although he winced he did not retract the statement.

"What?"

Yuugi stood and took his puzzle from a drawer in his desk. "I can't tell you how many times I called for you, clinging to the puzzle, but you never answered." He seemed about to say something more, but he cut himself off.

"Why didn't you call me?" Atemu watched his other half, hating himself for the pain he had unintentionally brought.

Yuugi sighed in exasperation, tears stinging his eyes. "You seemed so happy. I wasn't going to ruin that."

Atemu stood. "Well, I'm here now. It'll be okay." He reached out to touch Yuugi only for him to pull away.

"No," he whispered in that tone that brooked no argument, "I have fought too long and too hard to move on with my life, I cannot-" His strength broke and he seemed at the point of weakness.

"My other half," Atemu pleaded, trying to break through the pain.

Yuugi's resolve only seemed to harden. "Get out. Go live your life. We're two different people now. I shouldn't have said anything."

"Yuugi."

"Get. Out." Atemu obeyed, closing the door behind him. He turned back, though, at the gut-wrenching sound of a puzzle shattering, followed by a weak, dry sob.

Jounouchi had barely walked in the door to his apartment after his job when a loud knock woke him from his dreamy daze. He groaned, wondering vaguely who would risk his temper.

He gaped as he saw Atemu standing there, a sad sort of smile on his face.

"Pharaoh," he gasped, pulling the still slender man into a tight hug. He looked like he needed it. "It's so good to have you home. Come in." He yanked Atemu inside. "Sorry the place is a mess."

Atemu smiled sincerely, his eyes lighting up. "It's good to see you too, Jounouchi. I've missed Domino."

"Even when you were out there looking upon the riches of the world? I find that hard to believe." The blond collapsed onto his couch while Atemu took a careful seat on a chair.

"All the riches of Earth cannot rival the friendships I have here. You know that, Jounouchi."

Jounouchi smiled softly. "Yeah, I know, but some of us might need reminding." Atemu frowned, but Jounouchi did not elaborate. Instead he went on, "So what's up? You look almost as depressed as Yuugi's been lately."

"Yuugi's been depressed?"

"Well, not depressed, per se." Jounouchi scratched his head. "He's been dating a little, you know, but every time the relationship starts going well, he breaks it off. He's actually got quite a bit of a reputation as a heartbreaker."

"Is he..." he paused, searching for the right word, "Okay? Happy, I mean."

Jounouchi shrugged. "I don't really know. He's always so busy with his studies and hardly ever hangs out with anyone. Of course, all you've got to do is mention you and he clams up pretty tight."

Atemu's hands fisted where they rested on his knees. "How could I not have known? All this time he was waiting for me while I was off selfishly ignoring him." He rubbed his fingers over the eye in his puzzle. "How could I never hear his call?"

Jounouchi frowned in thought. "Well, you're not the same soul anymore, right?" Atemu winced at the echo of Yuugi's earlier statement, but nodded in agreement anyway. "Well, then it makes sense that it would take more work to keep the connection open. As soon as you two let yourselves become distant it was pretty much guaranteed communication would be difficult."

Atemu stared, wide-eyed, at the blonde. "When did you get smart, Jounouchi?"

Jounouchi smirked. "You missed some things while you were away." Seeing the shadows come back into Atemu's face he stood and patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, he's just forgotten and needs you to remind him how much you both need each other."

Atemu looked up into his friend's eyes and asked, hesitantly, "Is he in love with me?"

Jounouchi winked and shook his finger. "That you will have to ask him, yourself. I'm in no position to tell."

It was raining, thin, wispy fingers of water droplets that left silvery threads silhouetted against the gray sky. Fog pooled on the ground, casting familiar faces in mystery. The sun could just barely be seen, creating bright lines that crisscrossed the heavens.

Yuugi stood outside, shivering. He would probably catch a cold tomorrow, but he could not bring himself to care. His other self had always been fascinated by the rain, would sit outside for hours until he was soaked, his hair drenched down to his scalp with tiny rivulets running down his face. Yuugi would complain, but the truth was he felt more alive in those moments than he ever had before he finished the puzzle. Atemu had that power, to make everything seem more real, more focused and clear.

He turned as Atemu approached. He had known his other self would be back and did not feel like resisting. He tilted his head back and caught raindrops on his eyelids and lips. Atemu wrapped strong arms around his waist, nuzzling his nose into Yuugi's hair and breathing in the sweet scents.

Tears stung at Yuugi's eyes. He felt whole again, the proximity to his other half nourishing his soul.

"Are you going to leave me again?" he asked. He could feel his other self stiffen, arms tightening.

"No, not unless you tell me to."

Yuugi curled forward on himself, tears mixing with the rain. He felt angry and sad and relieved all at once. He wanted to yell and cry and kiss and million other things, but suddenly he knew he would have time for it all. Time for a future with his Pharaoh.

Atemu turned him slowly, pulling him into a warm embrace. "I missed you," he whispered, "Every day, every moment that we were apart."

"Why did you stay away so long?" Yuugi buried his head under Atemu's chin.

"I thought maybe you wanted us to go our separate ways, after everything we have been through. I think I only now realize how foolish that was. We were meant to be together, forever."

Yuugi pressed his hands against Atemu's puzzle. "I'm sorry." He pulled closer and suddenly the words were tumbling from him, spilling out and relieving all the tension he had built up with every word he spoke. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you I missed you. Sorry I was so stupid. I want you so much and I thought," he gasped on his feelings, sensing nothing but the cool rain and the heat of Atemu's soothing hand on his back, "That if you didn't love me too I might shatter like the puzzle and disappear into the sands of time."

Atemu tilted his chin up slowly, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. And to both his cheeks. And finally, softly but without hesitation, to his lips. Yuugi clung to him, trying not to drown in the ocean of his emotions. Their tongues met and Yuugi thought he would burn up from the sudden heat.

Atemu moaned and Yuugi wondered how he had lived a single day without hearing that noise, needy and primal and wanting him, Yuugi. "I swear to Anubis, my other self," Atemu hissed into the space between their lips, "I will never leave you. I love you and will love until there is no magic left in the puzzles that bind us together."

Yuugi smiled, elated. "I will love you until the end of time, my other self. You'll never be able to get rid of me so easily again."

"I'd never dream of it." Atemu kissed him and Yuugi laced his fingers behind his neck. His world began and ended with his love, the caressing hands on his hips and the warm breath against his mouth and the soft tendrils of hair caught in his fingers.

He would have it no other way.

Yuugi plucked the puzzle piece his love was struggling with from Atemu's fingers, kissing his knuckles softly. Fitting the golden piece into place he grinned at his other self.

"How come you can do it and I can't?" Atemu demanded petulantly.

Yuugi kissed the furrow on his brow. "You'll give yourself wrinkles if you keep looking like that. And, to answer your question, I've done this before." He slid the last piece into place and laughed aloud.

Atemu dropped the chain around his neck. "Together again," he murmured with a kiss.

"No," Yuugi replied, "Together forever."

Thanks for reading. hugs Love you guys.