Yu-Gi-Oh!: 100 Word Challenge

by Rickudemus

Yuugi describes moments of his life after he met Yami, using 100 different words and meanings that mean a lot to him.

I have wanted to do a 100 Word Challenge thing for a long time, but I always feel disappointed when I know I can't finish them. I needed to find a way to do a complete 100 word challenge and I think I now found the way, more or less. I wrote a short story for each word, trying my best to use the exact word in the piece of story and have it make sense in a way or another. Some stories may not be in chronological order, but that mostly goes for the stories in the middle, but I really tried to make them go in order. The words just wouldn't let me. I ended up changing one word, though, because the story turned out... Inappropriate.

I also wanted to write the story in a way like Yuugi was writing in his diary or something, so the "chapters" are meant to be a little "broken" and may not make full sense at times. Still, I hope you have at least some fun reading this piece of literature! And just as a warning, I WILL do more of these in the future, since this was so much fun!

Enjoy!

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1. Introduction

It was certainly a strange meeting. Not to say I have never met strange people in the past, but this could very well go above it all. He was an exchange student from Egypt and he spoke such fluent Japanese, it was almost frightening. Had it only been that, I wouldn't have minded, but the fact that he was my mirror image was pushing it over the edge and beyond. I would have said he looked handsome, but that felt a little... Strange. It was just the hair that was similar, but I don't recall this hair style being in fashion, in like, never. He had more golden bangs going across his hair, almost like lightning. The theme fit him well, as his eyes seemed to stare me like lightning as well and they struck deep inside me. The warmth on my cheeks were surely caused by this. His firm handshake surely didn't help and neither did his powerful voice when he gave his introduction. "My name is Yami."

2. Complicated

I would say it was interesting to live with an exchange student that looked a lot like you, which it was, but that word wasn't giving it enough justice. Maybe complicated would suit it better? Much like my feelings at the moment. He could have easily been my brother. A twin brother, more precisely. We had no relation to each other and if he was just as surprised as I was, he certainly didn't show it. He seemed pleased with his host family and he couldn't stop smiling for some reason. It was contained, but it also had so much pleasure in it. I could look at it all day and thankfully, I could. I was to show him around the house and show him how some things work in here and during all that time, he smiled. I couldn't help but keep smiling back, hoping that his stay here would be a long one.

3. Making History

Yami may not have been aware of it, but today, he was making history. I introduced him to my friends, Jounouchi, Anzu and Honda and he managed to leave them all speechless. Whether it was our similar appearances or simply his charm, I could not say, but it was truly historical. Especially on Jou's part, who even managed to receive a small blush when they shook hands and Yami said "It is a pleasure to meet you all." I felt a small tingle of jealousy, when he seemed to flirt with all three of them (Anzu almost going nuts over it), but when he looked back to me with an assuring smile, my emotions seemed to calm down. Maybe he was a wizard.

4. Rivalry

I would hate to admit it, especially when she was my childhood friend, but she was my rival. It was probably strange in the eyes of people, but Yami was... Mine. That's what I thought, what I wanted to say and what my heart desired. But I wasn't blind; Anzu felt the same. She wanted him as well, and who could blame her? He WAS gorgeous. I'd like to think that I was in the lead, but maybe I was just getting cocky? I would not go into extremes with the matter, of course. If Yami were to choose Anzu, sure, it would hurt, but I would accept my defeat. I wasn't the bitter type. Although, she seemed to be a little when I was the one to receive that wink from Yami, when Jou and Honda had made a dirty joke.

5. Unbreakable

My nerves shattered too easily. I don't mean on the anger department, since that seat was taken by Jou. What I meant, was me getting embarrassed way too easily. It was too easy for me to blush and to reach that situation wasn't difficult in the least. Yami had noticed this, I assumed, and was now teasing the hell out of me. He would make odd suggestions, weird gestures and give me plenty of looks to let me see what he was all about. It was almost like the other three didn't even exist around the coffee table, just us. I could see them, clear as day, but Yami's attention, for the most part, was forwarded to me. While appreciated, I tried to forward that attention elsewhere, but it seemed that his mind was unbreakable. Once he was settled on something, he would bot break. Ever.

6. Obsession

Maybe I was a bit obsessed, so what? So what if I was thinking about him all that time we spend with our friends in the town? We were together every second, after all. So what if he was on my mind when we went home for dinner? I couldn't exactly ignore him when he sat opposite of me. So what if his eyes played tricks in my mind when I was laying on my bed, eyes closed? Not everyone I know has blood coloured eyes. So what if I treasured the small touches he gave me when I was bathing? Not in a dirty way, but... Alright, A LITTLE in a dirty way, but he was sending sparks down my spine that I had never felt before. Sure, I was a little obsessed, but when I walked out of the bathroom with nothing but a towel on, his look told me that I wasn't the only one with an obsession.

7. Eternity

Everyone has their own concept of eternity. Some take it very seriously, same take it rather humorously. To some, card games may feel like they last an eternity. If two skilled duelists meet, their duel could last a long time. Much like the one Yami and I were having right now. We were both good and each time I meddled with his plans, he got this very intriguing smirk on his face. He was loving the challenge, so he pushed on, meddling with my plans, too. We were having fun and it made me very happy. Being like this, made me very, very happy. If we could go on like this for eternity, I would have no objections.

8. Gateway

We both ran as fast as we could, silently cursing that we had missed the bus to school. We had been up late, playing card games with each other and just talking. We just couldn't stop, which resulted us waking up late and missing the bus. Neither of us were too keen on running for such a long way, but we could only blame ourselves. Not much to my surprise, we met Jou along the way. He had also slept late. The three of us ran, sharing little laughs at how stupid we were. We made to the gateway at the school, seeing Honda and Anzu wait for us. The bell had already rung, but they insisted on waiting for us, sharing a little bit of the punishment of being late. Even though we were punished, it didn't felt like one at all, with such friends like these.

9. Death

Today, Yami wanted to be serious with me. He wanted to speak of the matters in his heart and sure enough, it resolved around death. He told me that the reason he wanted to come here to study, was because recently, his mother died due to an accident. His father had not taken it well, which I can imagine, so he had began to overwork himself with housework and with his job. Their relatives, worried, took their father in, but Yami didn't want to stay with them. He had no issues with his relatives, but it was far too packed for him. He needed to get out and heal differently from his father. He needed something new and this had been his best choice. Telling this, he actually began to sob a little. I pulled him into a hug, letting him bury his face into my chest. He had difficulties with letting his sorrow out, so I told him: "I can't see your face, so I wouldn't know what you do." This, surprisingly, had been enough for him and he began to cry.

10. Opportunities

Yami had explained to me that his mother had been Japanese, so he himself was half Egyptian and half Japanese. He said that his mother often spoke Japanese with him, making sure that her son could speak her language fluently. This had given Yami more opportunities in his life and he gladly took them, which was the reason why he was here now. While he appreciated his national language, he felt more at home with Japanese and Japan in general. I wonder if he was telling the truth or if he was just saying that to make me smile even wider. He said that if things go well until he's able to live on his own, he would find a place to work in Japan. Not that he didn't miss his father, but there was not much they could do for each other, he thought. It was better this way, he said with a smile that was anything but a happy one.

11. 33%

Thirty-three percent of me was oblivious and naive. My friends always called me out on that, saying that for such a smart guy, I never got the "hint". Well, maybe I did! I just... Couldn't do much about it... Another thirty-three percent was simply treasuring the friendship I now had with Yami. He was a great young man with a lot of great things built in. You could call him perfect, but thankfully, he too had his flaws. The other thirty-three percent was... In awe. My heart loved these thirty-three percent as it seemed to always beat at the sight of him and at everything he said or did, pretty much. It was going crazy inside my chest and sometimes, it beat so loud that I swear Yami could hear it. The left-over one percent? Oh, that... Well, I will leave that to your imagination...

12. Dead Wrong

Oh, how I wanted to say it when Anzu explained that she had a thing for Yami. How I wanted to say it when she went on about how she was sure that Yami felt the same. How I wanted to say it when she walked to him and treated him in such a friendly manner (not that she didn't with us, but it was different). How I wanted to say it when Yami flirted back at her, but gave me a wink when she wasn't looking. How I wanted to say it when Anzu came back and said that she was getting closer to her goal. No, I wouldn't say it, but I would still think it: You're dead wrong, Anzu.

13. Running Away

It wasn't the first time I was running away like the coward that I was. Oh no, far from it. There was only so much I could do with my physique and the only thing it was capable of doing, was to run. As fast as I possibly could. I was neglecting my after school cleaning duties, but I would not want to get caught by the bullies. I knew Yami was waiting for me outside of school, so I aimed my destination there. The bullies usually scattered when they saw me with other people. They would rarely come after me when I wasn't alone, and the cleaning duties were never done by one person alone, so I guess I had just gotten unlucky. The other students had left home early, saying they were very busy with school work. While I doubted, I told them I would take care of the rest. What a bad idea it was, but I was very happy when I finally saw Yami's figure and the steps behind me stopped.

14. Judgment

I was never really worried over how other people judge me. All those times I brought in a new game to school, I didn't care what they thought of me. I was just sad that they would never play with me. There is only one type of judgement I fear; the judgement of my friends. They were always a good bunch of people and we would do anything for each other. I trust them more than anything. But sometimes I can't help but feel that what if I turn into something they don't like? What if I grow in a way that causes them to leave me and hate me? What if I tell them how I feel about... Him... Would they judge me? It was truly painful to think about and I could barely sleep that night.

15. Seeking Solace

One night, Yami knocked on my door. I wasn't sleeping yet, so I invited him in. He looked a little upset and was asking me if I could chat with him for a little while. Unable to say no, I sat up to the edge of my bed, patting the space next to me. He walked over, letting out a sigh as he sat down. He said to be upset about his mother and could not sleep because of it. He told me how he missed her and how there were so many things he wanted to tell her and show her. Now he had missed those chances and he was now seeking solace from me; I was apparently the only person he could really open up to. With a faint smile, I told him that he shouldn't regret things he hadn't done, but rather be grateful over things he had done. As long as his mother knew her son loved her and is going forward in his life, despite her not being there physically, that is the greatest gift he could ever give her now. His arms wrapped around my neck, pulling me close. He buried his face into my hair and I could feel the heat in my cheeks rise. "Thank you." Was all that was said for what felt like a very long time.

16. Excuses

A lot of people have excuses for about anything. When they're late, when they're going somewhere, when they feel a certain way about something or someone. To name a few. I have a lot of them as well, but usually about my own well-being. When there is something bothering me, I usually blame it on being tired or hungry. I don't want to worry my friends, so I make up excuses. I tell them I'm fine. But this was something new; I wasn't feeling under the weather. I was feeling pretty good actually. I felt like I could fly or run around the town without breaking a sweat. I felt like I could... Do anything. And I had no excuses for it. I knew exactly what it was. It was something I couldn't say out loud, but I knew I couldn't really lie to myself. I just hoped my friends wouldn't ask me about it, 'cause I had no idea how to lie about this one...

17. Vengeance

I had never seen so much rage in a person before. Well, unless you leave out Jounouchi, that is. Yami was so mad that he could scare off anyone with those raging eyes. He swore he would get vengeance in my place, but I told him that it would just be stooping to their level; the level of the bullies. I said I was fine, but he was not convinced when the black eye clearly hurt and so did the wound on my lip. As did my arm, my back, my stomach and my leg. It all hurt, sure, but beating them up would only keep the circle running. They would avenge back and that would get none of us nowhere. Yami said he felt helpless over the situation and he swore to never leave me alone, ever again. He would always be with me and protect me. I could only smile at him and his promise, thanking him for such a thought.

18. Love

It wasn't a secret between us. We both knew what was going on, but somehow, saying it was so difficult. Not just for me, apparently, but for him, too. There were a couple of times when we tried to say it, but couldn't, due to us both being a little shy. Who would have thought HIM to be so shy? But it made me happy nevertheless. Neither of us were pushing each other to say it, but I would be lying if there wasn't a little competition going on with which one of us would say it first. It was ridiculous, but winning was important to both of us. It still didn't seem to get us nowhere. How was declaring love to one another so difficult?!

19. Tears

There were times where I would become so upset that I could hardly hold back my tears. Crying was something all my friends have seen me do and I wasn't really ashamed of doing so. Still, it felt a little bad to do it in the presence of... Him. I told him that my parents were always away on a business trip and would rarely be around. At times, I even forgot what they sounded like, or even looked like. They would send me postcards every now and then, but not often enough. I had mostly been raised by my grandpa, and I had no issues with that since he was a great guy. Sometimes I just really wished to spend time with my parents and make sure I actually had parents. Most of the time, it felt like I had been abandoned and I couldn't help but cry because of it. Yami would patiently listen to me and comfort me, making sure that I would not lose my good night's sleep. I didn't.

20. My Inspiration

Getting through school was difficult. I wasn't exactly smartest kid, although I was certainly not the dumbest. I was smarter than Honda and Jounouchi, at least, but otherwise... I just didn't have much motivation to study at times and I could barely understand why. It just seemed like a bother most of the time. But getting scolded by some of the teachers AND my grandpa, I knew I would have to get my act together. But how? It didn't make studying any less difficult. Yami, who was getting rather good grades himself, offered to help me in any way he could. If I managed to get good grades, we would go on a date, he promised. And there it was; my inspiration. Let's do this!

21. Never Again

I could hardly stay mad at someone, who made so much effort into fixing me breakfast. Yami had wanted it to be special, so he tried making... Something. He admitted, he was not good in the kitchen and I couldn't really brag myself, but this was just... Wow. The kitchen was a mess and in the middle, there stood Yami, ego broken and confidence shattered. It was a sight that could destroy anyone. I couldn't stay mad at him with his lost expression. I offered to help him clean the place up and although we didn't manage to get rid of the mess before grandpa saw it, we still pulled through his scolding. I told Yami that he should cook never again and he gladly accepted the terms.

22. Online

I never really had a computer, so I could never get into those online things and what-not. Yami had his own laptop and he showed me around the internet, telling me about a few games that could interest me. I began to curse for not having a computer, but if I ever wanted one, grandpa would make me work for the money and buy one myself. I wouldn't argue against it, but man, how cheap... Yami and I would watch some videos on the internet, too. Some funny ones, cute ones, serious ones... We had a lot of fun surfing the internet. He was even communicating with his relatives, asking about his father. He wouldn't show me the conversation, but he had such a relieved smile on his face. Being online seemed to be such a great idea.

23. Failure

It wasn't difficult to see that to Yami, failure was never an option. No matter what it was, he hated to fail. Much like when he tried to cook for me, if he found out that he wasn't good at something, he would lock-up for a little while. I tried explaining to him that one can't be good at everything and while it did manage to help him a little, he was still overly shocked. I would be lying if I said he wasn't kind of cute like that. Even when we were playing card games, whenever he would lose against me, he would be a little lost. While he appreciated the challenge and appreciated my victory, he would still look a little disappointed in himself. What a poor guy.

24. Rebirth

Yami asked the weirdest thing today: "Do you believe in rebirth?" It was a difficult question that I really hadn't thought about. He chuckled at my dumbfounded reaction as he began to explain the reason behind his question. His father had always been keen on history, especially about their own history. He had come across stories about an ancient pharaoh, who would bear similar looks to Yami himself. I shook my head at his story, giving him a chuckle. "If you really were a pharaoh in the past, it wouldn't surprise me in the least." I said and he gave a very child-like grin, obviously looking happy over my words.

25. Breaking Away

Oh, man. Oh, wow. Oh, boy. I can't help it, I'm just in heaven right now. I can't get my thoughts straight- Well, duh, how can you think straight, when you yourself aren't straight! Still; Oh, God. Don't let this end, okay? It's amazing, his body so close to mine, his arms around my back and my arms around his neck. He wasn't that much taller than me, was he? He always seemed so tall to me. But I had no trouble reaching his lips, not in the least. And oh my, did he taste amazing! I wonder if he thought the same about me? He tightened his grip around me and I could feel him take my breath away. Still, breaking away was not an option. This needed to happen right now. I tightened my grip around him, too.

26. Forever and a day

He held my hand with such delight as we watched the movie in the living room. Grandpa had already gone to sleep, but the two of us wanted to watch something together. It was just a random movie Yami had picked out, but honestly, I don't think he was even paying attention to it by this point. Then again, neither was I. He would just be eyeing me, smiling. He would nuzzle my neck and face every now and then, smiling even wider when I let out a giggle or two. It tickled! "I want to be with you forever." He said, leering. I gave him a small smirk as I stuck my tongue out. "Oh yeah? Well, I want to be with you forever and a day." His eyes widened a little, but soon enough, he began to laugh before tackling me down on the couch, kissing my cheek with small purrs.

27. Lost and Found

Jounouchi gave an embarrassed smile when he told us about losing a Duel Monster card I had once given him. He was clearly ashamed, but I wasn't too bitter about it. No matter how important some things are, you sometimes just lose them anyway. It happens. Yami and I accompanied him to the lost and found box the janitor usually kept in his office and he gladly let Jounouchi roam through it. The box was rather big, but it didn't take him too long to find the card. He was overjoyed and thanked the janitor a million times for finding it. I smiled happily at my friend, as did Yami (although a bit more contained) and Jounouchi thanked me for not loosing my cool because of it. I would just say that it's just what friends do: They help you find things you have lost, not lose things you have finally found. He didn't get this, but to me, it meant the world.

28. Light

Once again, I couldn't contain my blush when Yami was giving such cheesy speeches to me. In a way, I felt a little ill over all those cheesy words, but a big part of me was screaming like a fangirl. "You know, I believe you complete me." He said, kissing my hand. "Despite your name, this is no game to me." He kissed his way up my arm, his face now almost touching mine. "You are the light to my darkness. You blind me, yet, you make me see so much." He kissed my neck and I could feel how cold he was compared to me. "You are like a puzzle piece I have found. No... You are half of the puzzle. Because you and I are equal." He planted the next kiss on my lips, giving me a chance to say something, but there was NOTHING I could say that would compare with his words. Noticing this, Yami simply kept on kissing me, saving me from the embarrassment.

29. Dark

That's what Yami's name meant: Dark. In some ways, he truly was like the darkness. He could sneak up behind you and easily scare you. You could not hear his steps, when he really didn't want you to. His skin was dark as well as his eyes; they were truly complimenting each other. His hair, so similar to mine, but instead of purple, the edges were red. They went well with his eyes. His mind tended to be a little dark at times, too, and his smirk was a proof of that. He wouldn't tell what he was thinking, but I had a rather good hunch what was going on in there. Heh, maybe my mind was a little dark as well?

30. Faith

It's amazing how faith works sometimes. But I don't want to talk about faith in a sense of destiny, no. I want to talk about faith in a sense of having faith in others, because there is a lot of that to go around when talking about my faith for my friends. Honda was a strong-willed guy and he would do so much to protect me and the others. I had strong faith in him, much like he had in Jounouchi. They were such good friends and they were always backing each other up. Jounouchi was just as strong-willed and at times, I think there's no-one braver than him. He takes on any challenge and he was the one who saved me from loneliness, not to mention the bullies. Anzu is an amazing gal, let me tell ya. She's beautiful and strong; she doesn't take crap from anyone, you could say. She's my childhood friend and she has managed to stay by my side 'till this day. And Yami... Well, he says that he will always stay by my side. I know that one day, he needs to go back home, but I know he will return. I know he will. I have faith in him.

31. Colours

You know, despite Yami being naturally rather colourful (in looks and personality), his wardrobe sure was lacking that. He seemed to love leather. That, or leather really loved him. If it wasn't leather, it was a black shirt, either a sleeveless one or a long-sleeved one. He didn't seem to have much in-between. I have tried my best to get him to purchase clothes that have actual colours in them and while he did argue that gold and silver were technically colours, I said that they would not do. Finally, I got him to buy some actual colours for a change! Dark blue... Because that's nowhere near black, right! I let out a huff as he gives me a small laugh.

32. Exploration

One thing Yami and grandpa had in common was the desire for exploration. Grandpa loved archaeology and he was very keen on doing that in Egypt, which had interested Yami to no end, of course. He, on the other hand, even when he was a kid he liked to explore everything around him, almost like he was making sure that he knew his kingdom better than his pockets. Much like here, Yami had been interested in every corner of the town and its places. He made sure he saw every corner of the house, like he was nervous about something. I guess he was just curious. He seemed to be rather keen on exploring every corner of me as well, but for the time being, I would very much like to be a little unexplored.

33. Seeing Red

Some people use the expression "I'm seeing red!" to express anger. That they're so angry that they're seeing red, almost like a blood vessel has exploded in their head or in their eye and it was now fogging the pupil. Yeah, I guess that was a pretty stupid thought, but for me, seeing red is a little more literal. Like right now, as Yami watches me, looking like he's trying to figure out my thoughts. I look back at him, feeling a little warm as his red eyes seem to be permanently stuck on viewing me. It wasn't awkward, per se, but it was a little... Weird. Was he staring at my eyes for the same reason I was staring at his? Did he like my eyes? Were they good enough for me? I could only see a flash of his smirk before he leaned in to kiss me, almost like he was answering my question with a big "yes".

34. Shades of Grey

It was truly amazing how many different shades of grey winter actually held. The ground is grey, the trees are grey, the sky is grey, the people are grey, the mood is grey and I'm pretty sure that if the winter won't pass soon, all the colour in my hair will fall out as well, just because they feel bad for the condition of the nature. Yami laughs at me as I say that, saying that he agrees. He was showing plenty of colour as he was freezing over the weather, saying that in his home, things were a lot warmer. I smile as I scoot a little closer to him, trying to keep the blanket around us as closed as possible.

35. Forgotten

There are a lot of things I have forgotten. Like a lot of things that had to do with my parents. I wouldn't call them bad parents, but I have actually forgotten if they even were that good. Sometimes it's hard to remember how they sound or how they talk. How do they look like, what clothes do they like, what kind of activities they liked to do, what were their hobbies and if they even had any. What were they like when they weren't busy? Oh, I forgot, that never happened, silly me. Still, I didn't want to feel bad over it. I had grandpa with me and I had my friends. And I had him. I had Yami.

36. Dreamer

I never really thought Yami to be a dreamer of any sort. Maybe it shouldn't be THAT weird, but he usually seemed to be more of a down-to-earth kinda guy. But apparently, he likes to daydream a lot. He said that he likes to daydream about possible events that could happen in the future, like interesting card game battles or any game battles, really. He likes to daydream of events from the past, the times when his mother was still alive and well and his father was still alright. I smiled sadly at that, but I dared to ask: "What about the present?" He leaned against the couch, resting his head against his hand as he began to smirk at me. I gave him a small smile. "Never mind. I don't want to know."

37. Mist

Have you ever heard of Silent Hill? Well, pffh you must have. That game is pretty famous for it's creepiness and what-not. But I'm not here to talk about the game itself, I just want you to picture the mist. That thick, uncomfortable mist that doesn't allow you to see further from your own nose. Yeah, that was now happening in here. For some reason, the beginning of autumn meant Silent Hill -mode in Domino, how lovely. I could admit, it made me a little bit afraid, but Yami, not so much. He would just smile at me and take a firm hold of my hand, promising me that if any monsters came after me, he would beat the ever loving cr- Well, you know what I mean.

38. Burning

It was truly amazing how every touch I received from Yami made me feel like I was burning. Maybe it was just me blushing, feeling embarrassed to be touched in such ways. Ways that I can't really describe here... And no, nothing THAT dirty. God knows he tries, though. Maybe it was just because he was naturally so warm-blooded. It was almost like he was constantly in fire and he did his best to let me enjoy that pleasure with him. And he knew it very well that the effect was well in motion in me. One of these days, I swear I'll wipe that cheeky smirk off his face somehow.

39. Out of Time

One day, Yami was a little upset. He tried his best not to show it, but I could tell. After all, I knew him well by this point. After a few times of pestering and asking more or less politely, he finally opened up. He said to be upset over running out of time. I raised my eyebrow at the statement, but he continued to clarify his statement. Since he was just an exchange student, he was here for a limited time and each day, that limit would sooner or later arrive. Remembering this, I also became upset. Having him around was already so natural to me, so I didn't even think of it. There was not much we could say or do about it as we just watched each other sadly, giving one another a tight hug. I swear I could hear Yami let out a quiet sob.

40. Knowing How

Yami was a dork sometimes. No, seriously, he was. He was so stubborn on being best at everything, but I suppose that's what the title of "King of Games" did to people. Or, did to him, at least. If something was broken or lost, he would find the solution. If the microwave was broken, he would try and fix it, even without knowing how to. Something tells me that that was how he had gotten his haircut in the first place, but I wouldn't say it out loud. After all, he seemed to be able to fix the microwave, even if it worked for only a week. Ra bless him he tries.

41. Fork in the road

It was easy for me to admire Yami at most times. Sure, he had issues with certain matters, but when it came to life decisions, he seemed to be well prepared. He wouldn't share his plans that much and he did say that even if he got lost with his plans, something good would come to those who wait. It was a lot better from me, the kid who still had no clue what to do as a grown-up. A lot of people didn't, so that helped it a little, but I didn't have much of an idea for the future. There were many paths to take, what should I choose? Yami just chuckled. "When you come to the fork in the road, take it." I looked at him, confused. "What is that supposed to mean?" He just smiled, gently brushing my hair.

42. Start

I have a very good friend named Ryou. He's kind and understanding; a truly lovable person. His "other half", though... His partner, Bakura. He was a little on the nasty side when it came to personalities and needless to say, he and Yami truly had a bad start. Those two just couldn't get along through the day we spent together and the worst thing about it was that I couldn't really scold Yami for it. Bakura was the one who would keep coming at him with insults and snarls. Ryou just told me not to worry about it, so I tried not to. Thankfully, they never physically hurt each other, but I could see that both their prides had been damaged. In a way, I kind of liked the way Yami looked with his ego on the floor. He didn't like the way I was sneering at him though.

43. Nature's Fury

Have you ever wondered what Nature's Fury means? I have, a few times and I think I've figured out a few ways to describe it. Now, nature can mean a lot of things. It could mean the nature itself is trying to get to us, throwing earthquakes and tsunamis at us, making sure we can survive its challenges. Nature can also mean the nature of humans, the way they naturally work when put into certain situations. If someone stole something important to you, your nature would tell you to be upset and angry and catch the bloody bastard. If someone kissed you, your nature, accompanied with your feelings, would make you either push them away or want more. In Yami's case, though... When he was trying to kiss me and someone dared to interrupt that lovely piece of activity as he'd call it, Yami's nature would... Well, you can probably imagine the rest.

44. At Peace

Despite having been in a relationship (more or less) with Yami for some time, it took us a long time to actually sleep together. And no, I mean actual sleep, not the... Other thing. Not that Yami was against it, but I felt a little... Embarrassed. My sleeping patterns were not of the calmest kind and according to grandpa, I tended to snore a little. Somehow, this caused me to become a little self-conscious. Yami just smiled at me, telling me not to worry about such things. If snoring made me feel self-conscious, then he would snore too. Somehow, this made me feel a little warm inside and I could finally be at peace. I can say for sure that waking up with kisses was certainly an interesting type of an alarm clock.

45. Heart Song

Oddly, romance was something that Yami was rather good at. He would know what to say to make your heart go wild and your head spin. Sure, it could get cheesy, but to think that he would go through the trouble of doing so much for me certainly made me melt. Like this one time, we were sitting on the couch, watching TV. I was leaning against his shoulder and he had his arm wrapped around me. We both sat silent, until he told me to press my ear against his chest. While confused, I did as told. He smiled down at me, petting my hair as he began to talk. "That's a tune I only play for you, it's my heart song, that's what you do." His words made my blush, but I couldn't look away from his loving eyes. I never believed to love such cheesy words so much.

46. Reflection

Yami and I never really went out on a date. Not because we didn't want to, but because two boys looking like they were brothers, holding hands and kissing, just didn't quite cut it. I didn't mind being his reflection (Ra knows I wished to be more like him), but it was sad we couldn't go out as freely as normal couples could. It was already bad enough that we were both boys, but when we looked like this? I guess destiny just wanted to mess around with us. Yami said he didn't mind staying indoors instead; he had always thought of becoming a hermit and he now had a very good reason to do so. I rolled my eyes at his words, wondering, if I really did want to be like him after all.

47. Perfection

"You are my light

For you, I would surely fight

As you truly are perfection

You are the target of my affection

Your eyes, so dazzling

My heart flutters when I hear you laughing

Is porcelain what you are made of?

If so, I will handle you gently like a dove

Please understand my love, Aibou

For all I want, is only you"

I blushed furiously as I finished reading the note, Yami watching me devilishly as I tried to cover my face with the piece of paper. "S-sometimes with you..." He snickered. "Didn't you like it?" He asked, and I gave him an angry pout. "No." I said and he raised his eyebrow at me. "I friggin' loved it, dumbass..." Once again, he began to laugh at my reaction, eagerly kissing my heated forehead.

48. Everyday Magic

I know a lot of my thoughts resolve around Yami these days, but I really can't help it. He makes it very difficult to think about other things, almost like he wants me to only think of him. Wouldn't be a surprise... Still, I didn't mind it too much. Sure I would love to wonder about my friends and spend a little more time with them. Same for grandpa, really. They didn't know my relationship with Yami yet, so they wouldn't know why I was like this these days. How could I tell them? How could I tell them that I had been enchanted with everyday magic and if I spent one day away from him... Well, who knows what would happen, but it wouldn't be good for the either of us.

49. Umbrella

Sharing an umbrella was a sweet thing for couples to do. I always kind of liked the idea with it. Two people staying under a piece of cloth that repelled water, hoping to not be hit by the water so they would stay close to each other. How could you not love the idea behind that? The only problem was... Doing it with Yami was a little uncomfortable. Not because it was him and I, but because I was nervous about people staring at us. Yami convinced me that no-one would pay attention in the rain, so we walked home with one umbrella, even though we had two of them. One good thing about it though: If you lower it down enough, people can't see you kiss.

50. Party

Although Yami seemed to be the out-going type, he actually wasn't at all. He wouldn't mind staying at home, but he wouldn't really complain when he went out with me. Hmm, maybe he just went where I went, now that I think about it. Nevertheless, he wasn't a party animal, which was perfectly fine to me. He seemed to enjoy his birthday party enough, with Jou, Anzu and Honda as guests. I would have invited Ryou and Bakura, but... They weren't exactly what you'd call friends. Yami had said he didn't need a party for his birthday, but I still wanted to at least make a small get-together for him to celebrate his sixteenth birthday. Jou looked at me, dumbfounded, saying how he couldn't believe me being older than him. I just glared at him, asking what that was supposed to mean.

51. Troubling Thoughts

"Hey, Yug', a penny for your thoughts?"

"Ah, it's fine, Jounouchi... They're such troubling thoughts, I wouldn't want to bother you with them."

"You, bothering me? Yeah, like THAT ever happened!"

"Heh, well... There's a first time for everything..."

"Come on, Pal, you can talk to me about everything. You know you can trust me?"

"Well, uh, it's umm... Kind of uh... You know..."

"Oh! Don't tell me! You have a crush!"

"HOW do you figure that out?"

"You're nervous, sweaty and blushing like mad. Gee, I wonder."

"Ah... I am a little obvious, aren't I?"

"Ha ha. You and Yami both. Honestly."

"Heh, yeah... Wait, what?!"

52. Stirring of the Wind

We walked down the road at a nearby park, watching silently as the sakura tree pedals danced in the air, making us both smile. We walked side by side, not saying a word. I closed my eyes as I felt the stirring of the wind against my face, liking the way it was cool and warm at the same time. We made our way to a small bridge, stopping at the middle of it and leaning against the fence that probably stopped people from falling in. A small stream ran under the bridge and a few ducks swam across it. The view was simple, but so damn beautiful. I stole a glance at Yami, who was watching an entirely different view. Well, at least he seemed satisfied, heh.

53. Future

Maybe I should think more about my future, now that I thought about it. I wasn't the only who didn't; Jounouchi, Honda, and even Ryou, weren't too much into it. They had small ideas on what they might want to do, but not actual decisions, unlike Anzu and Yami did. Anzu wanted to become a professional dancer in America, and I won't lie; she was good at it. Yami's plans were already more or clear to me, no use repeating them again. But me? I didn't have much planned. Would I take over grandpa's game shop? Should I take over? Would he let me take over? Was that even what I was suited for? Or should I try for something else? Who was I kidding, I wasn't suitable for much else... Still, taking care of a game shop did sound kinda nice. I wonder what grandpa would think?

54. Health and Healing

The frustrated face of Yami was, in a weird way, a little pleasing to me. Not because I liked to see him in pain, but because he was always so cool and collected. When he was sick, though? Oh, he was none of that. He looked rather weak, pathetic even. He even liked to complain in his fever-filled state. "I don't want to rest..." He whined and I gave him a glare, that turned more into a scolding pout. "Well, you're the one who ignored your own health and healing is what I'm commanding you to do now." He growled under the sheets, making me smile deviously. "Maybe, if you're a good boy, I can give you a little show to go by." Had the thermometer not indicated him having a fever, I would say that judging by the look on his face, he was more than healthy after my suggestion.

55. Separation

I sighed as I watched Yami's sleeping face beside me. He seemed so peaceful and content that it almost made me forget the reason why I was still awake. Almost. I sighed again. I truly wanted to be beside Yami as long as I possibly could, but the days of separation came closer by the day. Sure, it would still be a couple of months before he left, but it still felt too close. I know I should just enjoy the time while we still were together, but I was just too stressed. He said he would come back one day, but would he really? What if something came in and ruined his plans? What if he got a great job at Egypt or if he found another person to love? These things feared me, while a big part of me was yelling back at me to stop thinking such ridiculous things. I tried. Oh lord, I tried.

56. Everything For You

It was one of those days when Yami decided that romance was the answer for everything. He would make sweet little gestures, some sweet talk and giving me light pecks with that sweet little smile of his. He would be breathing down my neck the whole time I was trying to cook something simple for supper, saying all that mellow stuff and trying to break my concentration. "You know, Yuugi." He began with a chuckle. "What?" I asked, trying to sound like I was too busy with making food. "I will do everything for you." His words made me turn my head and raise my eyebrow. "Don't you mean: I would do anything for you?" His eyes lit up as he gave me a kiss on the lips. "Aw, that was sweet of you to say~" I let out a sigh, turning back to the counter. I smiled to myself; that was kind of clever, I had to admit. "But no, I know what I said." He said as he hugged my waist from behind.

57. Slow Down

"Y-Yami, please, slow down..." I whimpered as he had kissed his way down my neck to my waist. The situation wasn't awkward, per se, but I had no time to adjust to his touches. Or maybe it was just the physical feeling I was receiving from him. I wasn't really used to it... He smiled at me, brushing my hair ever so gently. "Do you wish to stop?" He asked in a loving, yet in a little disappointed manner. "N-no... It's just... My first time and all..." His eyes became a little round, almost like he was surprised by it. But soon, his gaze became understanding as he kissed my forehead, then lowering down to whisper into my ear. "Don't worry. I would never do anything to hurt you." He paused for a while. "But... If I do hurt you... I hope you can forgive me..." He sounded so sad, but I couldn't really be mad at him. I was just nervous. "Always." I said, words becoming quite meaningless for the rest of the night.

58. Heartfelt Apology

"Come on, Yuugi, can't you be reasonable?" Anzu pleaded as she had slammed her hands together, trying her best to look apologetic. "Not before I receive a heartfelt apology from you." I pouted, sitting on the chair by the coffee table. Yami, Jou and Honda were getting us drinks at the cafe near the game shop. Once they had left the table, Anzu had been begging. "But I didn't know you two were... You know." It was true that I hadn't told Anzu, but judging by how easily Jounouchi could tell what the relationship between me and Yami was, I would have sworn Anzu to know the best. Still, she didn't and went ahead to smooch him. It wasn't a sight that pleased me. "Still, that was pretty uncalled for..." I say and she lets out a small whimper. I was angry, sure, but I couldn't stay like that forever at my friends. Just for now, I needed to be mad at her for touching my man.

59. Challenged

Something in Yami seemed to click every time he was challenged to a game (or anything really). His eyes became determined and his attitude was a little rough, I could say. He was very confident in himself, but he had become more kind to his opponents over the time. Even Jounouchi didn't seem to get so angry over losing in a game of Duel Monsters anymore, but instead, he seemed to enjoy himself. Yami was even willing to give him tips in improving his skills, as well as giving him a couple of new cards as a gift. This had made Jou extremely happy and he wrapped his arm around Yami's neck, giving him a "man hug" as he called it. They couldn't see it, thankfully, but that made me a little jealous.

60. Exhaustion

There are times when you should know when to quit early. Apparently, in my family, such a thing was unheard of. We had gotten a few calls in the past about my mother and father collapsing from exhaustion due to overworking. Even my grandpa seemed to do it more than often, hurting his back as he tried lifting boxes heavier than his old body could take. The tradition seemed to continue when I collapsed on the floor from studying too much. I wasn't physically that strong, so I couldn't take much abuse either. Although Yami and grandpa had tried, I didn't eat much, drink much or sleep much and that was only during the weekend. I was a little behind my studies and I needed to catch up, or the teachers would fail me. The stress had gotten to me and next time I woke up, I saw Yami looking at me in the most heartbreaking manner I had ever seen. I had no choice but to promise him that I wouldn't do that again.

61. Accuracy

Jounouchi had a very good accuracy in a lot of things. He seemed like your typical goof-ball, but he was a very smart guy. Not only was his throwing of things accurate, but so were his words most of the time. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worst; he was still always honest. Quite like the time when Honda finally found out about my affection and he was a little repulsed. He was very into girls and had never seen being gay as an option for anyone, so when he found out, he couldn't accept it. He would be rather insulting and who knows if he would have stopped, had it not been for Jou. "You know what man? At least Yuugi isn't afraid of being open. He's just as much of a human now as he always was and your words won't take that away from him. If you won't take back what you just said, I will punch you to hell and back, until you accept the fact that love should know no boundaries." I had to stop him from hitting Honda, which he really wanted to do. Still, I considered Honda my friend, even if it took him a couple of weeks to come around and apologize for being an idiot.

62. Irregular Orbit

A class of science, subject: Planets. Not the most exciting subject, but not the most boring either. I don't know if it was boredom or just my general sensitiveness, but I actually felt a little bad for Pluto. Seriously, how can you decide to make it a non-planet just like that? That's kind of harsh. I don't remember much about the lesson and the only part that I remember too clearly, was the teacher explaining why Uranus has an irregular orbit. Not so much the lesson itself, but Jounouchi's comment to that one. "An irregular orbit, huh? Not like your boyfriend, am I right?" He whispered as he turned around to look at me, the teacher snapping at him for not paying attention in class. I was just happy that Jounouchi couldn't see my embarrassed face.

63. Cold Embrace

It was awkward and unpleasant. I felt like I could cry at any second, but like the good son I was supposed to be, I smiled when I received that cold embrace from my parents. They tried to be loving, they tried to be warm, they tried to be close. God bless them for trying, but I didn't buy any of it. I didn't feel any of it. Receiving so much love from my grandpa, my friends and my boyfriend, the love of my parents felt distant. I knew I was supposed to be happy for finally having them both home at the same time, especially when they seemed so happy. They were very friendly with Yami and they would treat me a little like I was still in kindergarten, embarrassing me a little in front of my love. Still, it wasn't so bad, if it didn't feel so empty. After they had left only after two days, I couldn't help but cry all night in my room after that. Alone.

64. Frost

I never minded a little bit of frost in the morning. To me, it made the air kind of fresh, preventing the day from becoming too hot. I didn't like too much heat, nor did I like too much of the opposite. Anything from the middle was fine, especially the point where I could wear a t-shirt and it wouldn't be too chilly, but my skin wouldn't get burned off either. The wind that the morning frost had granted felt incredible to me. After a long summer of unbearable heat, this was very welcomed. Well, on my part, anyway. Yami had to wear a jacket and he kept on complaining and wondering how I could dress so little in such a weather. Maybe I was a little evil for thinking it, but he looked kind of cute at that time.

65. A Moment in Time

A moment in time... Gosh, there were so many moments in my life that were invaluable to me. Not just good ones. There were a lot of bad ones that I regret, but I knew some things just need to happen. But there were a lot of moments with Yami that my mind seemed to revolve around. Like our first meeting, or our first kiss, or our first night sleeping together, or our first time... Well, "sleeping" together. For the longest time, I didn't believe there would be anyone willing to go for me and make an effort in keeping me. So maybe, above it all, that one "a moment in time" that's above it all was when Yami said "I love you" for the first time and how he actually seemed afraid of saying it, as if he thought I would reject him.

66. Dangerous Territory

Being in a dangerous territory wasn't a new thing for me, as you can imagine. Having been bullied so often, I got to see a lot of places I didn't want to so much, since I sometimes got dragged away from sight so the bullies wouldn't be caught. Indeed, the dark side of Domino wasn't a pleasant sight. But now I had my friends, so I was spared from it most of the time. Even when I was dragged into those bully territories, Jou and Honda would find me and rescue me, beating the cr- Well, giving them a beating. Now that Yami was around, even he got a chance to see those places I knew a little too well. It probably went without saying, but he was less than happy about those situations, especially when he felt at fault for allowing these things to happen. I assured that he wasn't to blame, I was just... A little too weak to protect myself.

67. Boundaries

A lot of people usually say that love knows no boundaries. Yeah, sure it doesn't. I was pessimistic enough to disagree with that. Sure, I would do a lot of things for my family, my friends or Yami, but it wasn't always as simple. I would give my life for them, of course, but if I had to travel far for them for any excuse, I probably couldn't do it. Not because I didn't love them enough, but I wouldn't have money or anything for such things. I wasn't Seto Kaiba. Or if I was to jump off a tall bridge for them. Well... I might, but what would that ever even accomplish? I would do a lot of weird tasks for them, certainly, if my body and will can take it. Just because I love them, doesn't mean my body will allow it. So really, what you should say is "love has boundaries, but you have the power to make the rules". Or maybe that just sounds silly?

68. Unsettling Revelations

Ah, nothing like the feeling you get from all those silly unsettling revelations. Maybe I shouldn't be so angry, and yet, I was. Even to the point of locking myself in my room while Yami was behind the door, pleading me to let him in so he could explain. I didn't want that, though. Not right now. For some reason, it hurt me a lot to know that I hadn't been his first in pretty much anything. My first kiss hadn't been his. My first time hadn't been his. My first love... Hadn't been his. But why was I so surprised? I should be thankful I even got him now! But somehow... It just felt like he was recycling his words from his previous relationship. It hadn't lasted that long and he had been pretty stupid and young (like he wasn't now), but he had no contact with the girl anymore. Yeah, maybe that was one of the reasons. Like I could compare to a girl...

69. Shattered

I wouldn't go to the extremes of saying that my heart had been shattered, but my spirit certainly was. I was still mad at Yami for keeping his past relationship a secret and I didn't think it would pass on anytime soon. While I did let him explain it to me, I just needed the time to register this whole revelation. I just couldn't help but think that I was nothing but a replacement. These were only the upsetting thoughts of my mind that I couldn't let Yami see. I knew that if I wanted things to go back to normal, I would have to open up, trust him and let it go. Still, I only kept on blocking him, emotionally and physically.

70. Bitter Silence

"Yuugi..." Yami pleaded from behind the door again, not being able to come in since I had well locked the door when I came in. He needed to stay out and I needed to linger in this bitter silence that I had been in for the last couple of days. "Yuugi, please..." He whimpered, sounding like a lost little puppy. "I'm really sorry... But it was before I met you!" He kept on assuring, causing me to sigh as I turned on my back as I lie on my bed. I glared at the ceiling, biting my lower lip. "I've never loved anyone as much as I love you... She doesn't even come close to anything what I've had with you... Sure, I loved her, in my own way, but..." He paused, his voice sounding a little shaky. Was he... Crying? "You're the only one I need... The only one I want... You're the only one... That... Makes... Oh Ra..." His voice kept breaking and it was quite obvious now that he seemed to be in hysterical tears. I could even hear his sobbing through the door. I sighed as I walked to the door, unlocking it.

71. The True You

So, for such a charismatic and an overall powerful young man, Yami truly could cry. It wasn't the first time I heard him cry or anything, but it was nowhere close to THIS. He kept repeating how sorry he was for not telling about his past affair and how he would never do anything like it to hurt me again, all that while keeping his face buried in my chest. He was holding on to my arms, while I just watched him, unable to move from my spot. Was I still angry? No, not really. I was sad, worried and terrified. Had I really been this cruel on him? Yeah, I had been, there was no doubt about it. The true you is kind of ugly, Yuugi, I thought to myself and I felt a little repulsed. I had to hug Yami as tightly as I could. I had to tell him how sorry I was for being such a dick. I had to kiss him and show him that everything was alright. We both needed them to be.

72. Pretense

Sometimes it gets weird when people think that pretense brings happiness. Sure, it may, but not for eternity. Sooner or later, someone will find out that one has pretended and lied and the trust that has been lost will be hard to gain back. Pretending in order to avoid controversy was never the right path to take, although I admit, it seemed like the more pleasant path to take at times. Like if I had pretended that I didn't mind for Yami's ex. If I had pretended to be fine with it. We wouldn't have fought, I wouldn't have hurt him, I wouldn't have made him cry. He wouldn't have seen how dark my heart can be. He wouldn't know how easily I can hurt. Had I pretended to be something I was not, we would have never had such an "I love you" -declaration marathon along with the making up using our bodies. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that fighting was kind of constructive.

73. Patience

Patience was one of those things that was quite different among my friends. Starting with people who had little to none of it, Jounouchi was always quick on making decisions. While he could show a little patience on certain things, most of the time, he had no grasp over it. Anzu and Honda were more or less on the same level. Both could get very impatient depending on the circumstances, but they could also be patient when the situation called for it. It was one of those things where "You don't have to answer yet, I can wait" and "Where is my pizza?!" were on very different levels. Yami and I were also quite same, also, depending. He was very patient when it came to card games and I was very patient when people needed to talk. Well, we were both good at being patient when it came to those two things, but one thing we weren't at so much, was when we both had the urge to share even a little kiss and grandpa would just stay there and talk about his golden days. Ugh.

74. Midnight

There were times when I needed to show Yami how much I appreciated him by drowning him in romance. I wasn't good at it, but it didn't mean I shouldn't try, right? I had attempted to make some self-made chocolate... Things. While not too gorgeous, he seemed to love them, eating them with such a big smile on his face. Well, the first piece I had needed to try out myself, since I didn't want to give him food poisoning. When I had noticed that it had been decent, I gave him a strong kiss on the lips, letting him taste the chocolate all he wanted. It may have been a mistake since he seemed to want to enjoy most of the chocolate with a little bit of me on the side. We were lying next to each other on my bed, watching the midnight moon on the sky from my ceiling window. It was almost full and it lit up the room so well that it could have passed as a good night light. It also gave us enough light to see the smiles we gladly gave each other.

75. Shadows

When I was a kid, I was afraid of the dark. I swore I could see the shadows move and I was afraid they would get me. I begged my parents for a night light, but they told me that big boys don't need such silly things. Grandpa couldn't believe them and once they were gone on their trips again, he purchased me a light that would keep the shadows away for the night and it was truly a relief for me. As the years passed on and I got older, I was forced to get rid of the light. It began to dim and I didn't dare to ask for a new one. What kind of a sixteen year old boy could say that they were afraid of the dark? There was no way I could say something like that, but now, I didn't need to. Because I knew the dark wouldn't harm me. It wouldn't scare me anymore. Even if the dark had blood-red coloured eyes, I knew they were there to protect me and love me.

76. Lesson

Jounouchi shook his head at Yami who sat opposite of him and next to me at our favourite cafe. "You're an idiot." Said Jou, which didn't please the person he was talking to in the least. "Well, you both kind of are, but I do mean that lovingly." He grinned at me and I shook my head, telling him silently that no offense was taken. "Well, I hope this will be a good lesson to you Yami." Jou laughed, taking a drink from his hot cocoa. "Never make Yuugi mad. Seriously, dude, you just shouldn't do that." He shook his head and Yami let out this awkward laugh, unable to look at me. "Yes... I know that now." I smiled at his response. Or maybe it was because of his grip tightening around my hand in such a nervous way.

77. Memories

Such fragile things, but so precious to a lot of people. Memories certainly held up a lot of meaning for so many, although there are people who care so little for them. Somehow, Seto Kaiba seemed to pop into mind. Still, for me, memories are truly important, no matter if they were hurtful or joyful. They were a big part of who I was and how I would turn out in the future. All those mistakes I remember, serving as lessons to not screw up the same way again. All those times I helped people in need, receiving their smiles and gratitudes, making me believe that goodness can overcome a lot of things. All those times I was hurt, a lot of times by other people, but I wasn't planning on revenge. I just blamed myself for being weak. All those times when my friends told me they liked me and protected me, proving me that friendship truly was an unbelievable force. All those times when Yami proved me that love was for everyone, not just for the few selected ones. I treasured them all.

78. Change in the Weather

The time froze in that exact moment. The ground was ready to swallow me whole when I felt the change in the weather as grandpa stared at me with such wide, shocked eyes. Or maybe that was just wishful thinking on my part. I swallowed, crossing my fingers as I watched him in slight fear. What was he going to do? Yell? Scream? Throw a hissy fit? Have a heart attack? Oh God, I've made a terrible mistake... "Yuugi." He began, sounding more serious than ever. "How long?" He asked. "Like... Two months after he came here?" I shrugged, forcing a weak smile on. He began to chuckle as he rubbed his forehead. Now this was unexpected. "That long? Wow, I feel like an idiot." He kept on laughing, scaring the hell out of me. "So, uh... Aren't you... Uhm..." He shook his head. "Yuugi, I'm just happy as long as you are. This changes nothing." He smiled lovingly, yet, a little sadly. "Just... Don't tell your parents. I don't think they would... Understand." I nodded as I smiled back, just as sadly as he did.

79. Illogical

It was amazing to see the surprised face on Yami when he watched Jounouchi acting like... Well, Jounouchi. He was never too clear on his head and he would do a lot of weird stunts and acts. You know, the usual. There was little to no logic to why he performed such acts and how he performed them. I'll rephrase: Yami was stunned. Not to say I wasn't, but I was used to his antics. Yami tugged on my sleeve, not being able to tear his eyes off of Jou who was trying to... To be honest, I wasn't even sure what he tried to do, but it did involve his school desk, the chair, a light-bulb (wherever he even found that), a pencil and scissors. "What is he even...?" Yami asked in confusion while I just rolled my eyes. "Being Jou, I suppose." I said, Yami still not being able to look away. "But it's so... Illogical!" He breathed in a difficult manner. "No. It's just Jou."

80. Only Human

"Stop covering it and let me clean it up." I commanded Yami, who wasn't too willing to work with me and his bloody nose. He was ashamed to show it, or maybe it was his face in general. "N-no..." He mumbled, keeping his face down, hiding it as much as he could. I was growing impatient. "You know that thing I do with your ear that you love so much? Unless you let me see your nose, none of that will happen again." It didn't take much to get Yami to turn his head to my direction and I could finally see the damage he had received. Man, those bullies got him a little too well... "Now stay still. This might hurt a bit..." I said as I began to carefully clean it up with a wet towel. "This is humiliating..." Yami said whimpering. I gave him a smile. "You're only human. They tend to take damage like this." His gaze was turned elsewhere as he let me work on healing him to the best of my abilities.

81. A Place to Belong

All of us are always trying to find a place to belong. A place we can call our own. A place that makes us feel at home and special, like we actually matter to something or someone. Some people may look for such a place their entire life and some may never even find it. Some may find it young, or they may think they have found it and then it turns out that everything has been a lie. Well... Things like that can happen... To me, though? Heh, I was quite sure that the Kame Game shop was the place I truly belonged to, but it hadn't felt too complete in the past with just me and grandpa. Looking down at Yami who was resting his head on my lap, I could tell that he had certainly found his place. Yeah, had it not been for him, maybe I would still be looking for my place, too.

82. Advantage

Yami and I stared at Jounouchi for the longest time as the blonde explained his weird theories with such glee while we were sitting in a circle in my room. "What?" He asked from both of us. "Can you repeat what you just said?" Yami suggested and Joy began to grin even wider. "Well, you know, I just thought of it! I mean, two guys in a relationship. I think they have an advantage over this dating business!" His happy look didn't really rub on us, least of all on Yami. "I mean, come on! When they argue, they can have a fist fight and be friends after ten minutes again! And you don't have to worry about headaches, 'cause guys are always into sex!" He cheered, almost like he was considering getting a boyfriend of his own. "First of all..." Yami began. "The former statement is really a stretch, but I like the sound of the latter one." He nodded, looking at me. "Of course you do." I rolled my eyes. "And they can look porn together! No-one would get mad!" Jou continued and I let out a sigh. One-track mind.

83. Breakfast

Jounouchi liked to stay over-night every now and then and I knew his favourite breakfast more than well. I didn't mind making them and he seemed to get happy 'cause of it. Sure it may not be too unusual to like pancakes and I wasn't a master of making them, but he certainly seemed more than delighted to get his hands on the maple syrup frosted pile of pancakes. The way he ate them was messy, but he always helped me to clean up after he was done, so there was no harm done with it. Yami just couldn't believe the speed at which Jou ate his food and how much he could actually devour. Once again, he was baffled by this blonde-haired fool that I liked so much, apparently.

84. Echoes

One thing you might notice right away in Jounouchi, is that he isn't really all that... You know, smart. Not to insult him in any way, but he seemed like the type who'd have echoes in his head if you yelled into his ear. Not the brightest fellow around, I know. Still, would you believe that he was a very smart guy? He was! When it came to bravery, pride, acceptance or friendship, he was the one around here who knew most of it. He was the most trustworthy guy around you could possibly find. So yeah, maybe he wasn't the smartest guy when it came to school related matters or logical matters. Still, if all the things mentioned before could be measured by intellect, then Jounouchi was the most intelligent guy in the world.

85. Falling

How many different types of falling can you name? Falling out of luck, falling down the stairs, falling in to pit, falling for the wrong crowd, falling in love... To name a few. And yes, I AM going to talk about the last one! Because falling in love is wonderful! It made me feel amazing! Sure, there were those bad moments everyone has to go through, but if you are willing to get past those times with your significant other, you're bound to have a good relationship ahead of you. Still, I could only wonder why they call it "falling in love". I know it's an expression, but it kind of makes me feel like you're falling down on the cupid's arrow. Or maybe I was just getting a little insane with my thoughts right now.

86. Picking up the Pieces

I was completely shattered at their words. It wasn't like I wanted them to find out, but it had been an accident! How was I to know my parents were to come on a surprise visit and they would catch Yami and I on my bed. While fully clothed, he was still lying on top of me and I had my arms around him and we had been kissing. "What is wrong with you?!" They screamed as I now sat on my bed, alone. They had driven Yami out to the guest room and they were both at my throat. "How could you do this to us!" One of them said. I didn't care which one. "Why would you choose to be gay?!" That was it. I stood up, glaring at them deep into the eyes as tears fell down. "Maybe for the same reason you chose to abandon me for all these years!" I cried out, rushing past them and out of my room. I dashed inside the guest room, locking it so they couldn't open it when they had come after me. Yami took me in his arms, watching me in worry as I cried when my parents yelled from behind the door. Yes, I was completely shattered and picking up the pieces was something I had no hope for at the moment.

87. Gunshot

My father could make the sound of his fist meeting up with the door sound like a gunshot. I didn't even know that and really, did I even care? No, I didn't give a shit. All I wanted, was to stay in Yami's protective arms. We were on his bed, Yami leaning against the wall and I was lying against him, my face in his chest and my hands clutching onto his shirt ever so tightly. I weeped, probably sounding like I was choking in my own tears. Yami kept on petting my hair and my back ever so gently, but I could feel him shaking. He was shaking almost as much as I was. We listened dad yelling on the other side of the door, grandpa joining in at one point and telling his son to calm down for God's sake. They lashed out at each other, my mother crying on the side. An ironic smile formed on my lips, and I could taste my tears. These weren't my parents. These people were intruders. And I hated them.

88. Possession

After a day of staying behind the locked door, I stood up and told Yami to stay in his room, no matter what. I would go there and talk to those people that thought they were my parents. He was hesitant, but obeyed. I came out of the room and headed for the living room where the woman cried, the man walked circles around the room and grandpa was trying to reason with them. When I walked in, the man began to yell at me, telling me how I had disappointed them with such disgusting ways, almost sounding upset how little possession they had over me at this point of my life. I wouldn't let that slip, so I did something I never did; I yelled in pure anger. "Well, what are you going to do? Disown me? Well, boohoo, you were never there for me anyway! Then again, you could also hit me! Show me what fucking delightful parents you are! You're going to hate me for loving a person? Aren't you just jealous when you're so incapable of loving me?" I roared, leaving the three in the room speechless. It hurt to say those things, but they needed to be free. They had to know what they had done to my heart. "I'm fine with not being your son, because I haven't considered you my parents for a long time anyway." With that, I left the room, not hearing a sound as I did. I couldn't even hear my own breathing.

89. Twilight

It was such a beautiful twilight outside, but I could hardly enjoy it. It was a shame, really. Yami and I had stood awake until morning, talking a little about the things that had happened. He had apologized millions of times, but I just told him that none of this was his fault. Our family was just so broken that this kind of thing was bound to happen sooner or later. There was a light knock on the door and I took my time to get up and walk over to it. I didn't open it first, though. It was her, begging me to come out. I didn't feel like putting up much of a fight anymore, so I unlocked to door and stepped outside. She slowly hugged me, crying as she did. She also began to apologize, about everything, more or less, but I didn't feel much. I couldn't help but feel so empty over her words. After all, they would soon leave me again and none of it would matter much.

90. Nowhere and Nothing

So, I lied. I lied about when I said that her words wouldn't matter. I didn't want to hear them because I thought it would lead nowhere and nothing would come out of it, but I was wrong. Now, we were both in tears. That man wasn't so much, but he looked guilty, at least to some extent. We talked about family values and how to regain that back. I just smiled, saying that as long as they would always be away, there was not much to be done. It was their life, they could do whatever, but they had no right to judge me for who I was. Because this is how I grew to be. They would have to accept it. While they admitted in being shocked over the fact that I was batting for the other team, they said they would do their best to learn to live with it. But they needed time, like they always did. They needed some time away. I gave another smile. "Sure." It didn't matter anymore.

91. Answers

Things didn't change much for a long time in our family. It almost felt like nothing had even happened. Still, it didn't matter much. Or so I wanted to think. Yami still felt guilty over it, but I told him to quit with those thoughts. For some time, he seemed to be avoiding me a little, not even giving me those lights kisses I liked so much. He wouldn't ever share the night with me. I didn't want to bother him too much about it, since he would talk to me when he felt the need to. Well, I said I didn't want to, but I had to ask him just one question. I was just too neurotic after all that has been happening that I just had to. "Yami... Do you still... Love me...?" I asked nervously and his expression was surprised. Without giving it much thought, he leaned in to kiss me full on the lips. When he pulled back, he said with a smile. "I hope that answers your question." I just nodded as I gave him one strong hug, letting him have his needed space after that.

92. Innocence

For some reason to Yami, I was apparently the image of innocence. I had no clue where he got that idea from, but he would sometimes go on about how innocent I was. How? Why? I mean, after our first time of making love, I think my innocence had long vanished. It's not like I minded him saying all that, but it was just weird. He would comment on me having such pure looking eyes and he couldn't resist but kiss me hungrily every time he saw my eyes. It was hard to contain himself sometimes from doing so much more, but he would do anything to not hurt me, as he said. I could only say that he wasn't alone with those thoughts. He chuckled, still keeping the image of innocence well labeled on me. Weird guy.

93. Simplicity

Sometimes I could simply admire the thought process of Yami. The simplicity of it was just something baffling to me. "Hey, Yami, would you prefer it, if I were a girl?" I dared to ask and he just watched me confused. "I just prefer you." He said like it had been more obvious than anything. "So, you don't mind me being a guy?" He raised his eyebrow. "Why would I mind that?" He seemed so puzzled by my questions. "Well, I dunno, some people get a bit... Touchy about it, I guess." I stated. "Oh, like I get touchy with you?" He asked with a smirk and I gave him a glare. "Not in THAT way." He laughed a little at my words, leaning back in the couch while I watched up to him as I was resting my head against his lap. "But I don't really care what you are. I mean, in a way, we get a lot more done since we're both guys. I can tell more clearly what kind of touchy-stuff you might actually like." He grinned down, giving me a furious blush, as he always did. He was such a simple guy sometimes.

94. Reality

Life had been all fun and games up to this point, but it was time to face the reality. It wouldn't be long now until Yami would go back to Egypt and we were now spending the last few days together as he was packing some of his stuff. He didn't like to rush, so he wanted to prepare early. And also because he wanted to spend the last days with me without worry, as he had claimed. I watched him pack as I sat on his bed, feeling quite upset that I would have to say goodbye to him soon. It wasn't something I would be happy about doing, but I wasn't the only one. My friends were also sad to see him go and Yami wanted to stay as well but his father was getting better and his exchange program was coming to an end. We all knew this day would come, but it was still pretty friggin' sad.

95. Acceptance

I smiled as Yami leaned in to kiss me after his promise. I could only ponder on how much easier things would get with acceptance. Sure, it was still hard, but we all needed to accept that Yami had to leave. Didn't mean he would never come back, like he had told me plenty of times. He had promised me that he would definitely be back in at least two years when he was considered to be an adult and he would hopefully be able to live on his own. I just laughed, telling him that he didn't need to worry about it. He could just live with us and if nothing else, pay rent for the room or something. He was practically family anyway and grandpa did agree with that, I knew. Saying that had caused him to give me the happiest and most relieved hug I had ever received from anyone. "I love you so much, Yuugi."

96. Puzzle

"It's called a what?" I asked, confused, receiving a soft chuckle from him. "A Millenium Puzzle. Well, a replica of it. It used to hold the power of the ancient pharaoh and it was said to grant the person who solved it one wish." Yami explained. "So, does the replica grant wishes?" I raised my eyebrow, and he shrugged. "It may or it may not. I guess it depends on how much you believe in it." He looked at the golden coloured object in his hand with a soft smile. "Mine did." He said as he began to take the pieces apart. "W-what are you doing?" I panicked. "I want to give this to you and I want you to solve it. I want you to make a wish on it and I want you to make it true." He said, taking apart the last of the pieces and then handing them over to me. "I know you can do it." He said and I gave him an assuring smile. "I definitely will." My words seemed to make him very happy.

97. Enthusiasm

After two days, Yami would be going back home and we were doing our best to make the best of it. No matter how awkward, we would go on a date and he would but so much effort into it. We went to eat some dinner and we would go shopping for some Duel Monsters merchandise afterwards. We walked through the park, talking about a lot of things that mattered to us. We would go back home, play a duel or two, have a tickle fight and everything just evolved from that into something very pleasuring. He did everything in such enthusiasm and in the middle of our act, he would watch me with those passionate eyes and say with such a loving voice. "I never want you to forget this day, this night... I never want you to forget me..." I pulled him closer, letting out a moan as he moved. "I would never forget YOU..."

98. Game

Grandpa was getting sad over the fact that Yami had to leave, too. He usually didn't get so sad over things like these, but he was really heartbroken. They really did get along well. As a souvenir, he wanted to give Yami any game from his shop and he could choose one himself. This made Yami look like a little kid in a candy-store as he happily went through the games (he had done that a few times in the past, too), looking for a suitable one. He took a long time deciding, but we were in no rush. While he was busy with that, grandpa showed me an empty jigsaw puzzle and told me that this was what he used to win his wife's love in the past. While I said that it was kind of late for it, I thought that I could give Yami a gift as well. I took the puzzle and I told the two I would be back a little later. I rushed to my room, writing my feelings on the puzzle and then disassembling it. I looked for a box big enough for the pieces, but small enough to fit Yami's luggage. I slipped the box in there, not saying a word to him about it. He would have to find out when he got back home, I leered a little.

99. Friendship

"I appreciate that you have let me be part of your friendship, everyone." Yami said to Jou, Anzu and Honda, who all gave him strong, tearful hugs as we were leaving for the airport. "Anytime, man. But I won't forgive ya, if ya ever forget us, man." Jou said with a forced grin, tears obviously forming in the corners of his eyes. Yami smiled a little sadly. "Never going to happen, my friend." He said, receiving a hair ruffle from Jou. "Good! And don't forget to write us!" He demanded and the two laughed, as we all did. "I won't." He assured, getting in the car with me and grandpa and he waved eagerly to the three who stood by the game shop. " I like those guys." Yami said to me, smiling. There was not much to say to that and the rest of the way was spent in silence.

100. Endings

"I'm going to miss you..." Yami said as he didn't seem to want to let go of me and really, I didn't want to either. Neither of us cared if people were staring, but we needed to share a kiss. It would be the last one, so we needed to have it. Right now. "I'm going to miss you, too..." I said, both of us pulling back at the same time, trying our best to smile, but the tears that rolled down on our faces spoke more than just the truth. "I will be back for you, Yuugi. I definitely will. So, until that-" "Don't worry. I'll definitely wait." I assured him with a grin and he returned it, letting go of my hands as the customers were ordered to get on the plane. We could barely look elsewhere from each other and it did cost him to pump into other people. Even when he had climbed to the plane, I could see him from the window, waving and crying. I really was his mirror image at that time, wasn't I?

But I knew that this wasn't the end. No, this was simply one of those endings to a chapter, but not to the whole story. He would be back and I would wait for him.

I began to assemble the Millenium Puzzle and it took me exactly two years.

And what do you know, my wish DID come true and I saw him again.