It was an inanely hot day. Sweat was pouring off of Joey's neck, and each time he wiped it, it only seemed to reappear even faster. So, he was pretty surprised to see Yugi dressed in his usual outfit—long, blue jeans, a black shirt with the sleeves neatly cut off—climbing up a loosed gutter pipe, his navy blue backpack on his back.
"Yugi?"
Yugi grunted as he fell off of the pipe. He had only been about halfway up in, anyway, but now the pipe was too loose. He could move it too easily, and he couldn't climb it. He'd have to find another way to scale the building.
"Oh, sorry, Yug'. I didn't mean to scare ya'," Joey apologized, his dark eyes sympathetic.
Yugi stood up and brushed the dirt off of his favorite shirt. "It's a good thing black hides dirt, then, huh?" he joked, giving Joey a broad grin.
"Yug'."
"Hm?"
"Are you okay?"
Yugi's violet eyes swept up to meet Joey's. His friend Joey towered over him, making Yugi suddenly felt like a little kid. He was immediately repulsed by this feeling, remembering his new resolution to not let people walk all over him. Ever since Tea had taken to her little "heart games," where she dated everybody in the world except for Yugi, and then always made goo-goo eyes at him, Yugi had felt like he was even getting run over by girls. And that was not a feeling that Yugi was going to take lightly anymore.
Yugi shrugged, placing his hands in his pockets. "What do you mean, am I okay?" he asked, feigning innocence. "Do I look green or something? Is my head turning into a fruit, like in those snack commercials?"
"No, I mean, you just…"
"Just what?"
"You missed the stairs." Joey pointed to the stairwell on the other side of the building's wall. Yugi sweat dropped.
"…The person who wants me up there told me not to take the stairs."
"Why?"
"Um, because they can…?"
Joey shook his head. "Whateva'. I'm just gonna split, seeing as you're obviously busy with something."
Yugi took a hold of the gutter pipe. "Thanks, Joey. You're awesome."
"Eh?" Joey scratched the back of his head, obviously pleased. "He he he he. Of course I am. Stay cool!"
"That's impossible in this heat," Yugi muttered to himself after Joey had turned away and started to stroll out of the alley. Letting go of the gutter pipe, Yugi headed towards the stairs. True, Bakura had told him not to use the stairs, but he wasn't listening to Bakura anymore, now was he?
Yugi's shoes seemed to clank a little too loudly on the metal steps. Wincing with each step, he took the stairs two at a time, wishing he could just be at the top already. It was only one story, but in the haze of the heat it seemed to be three. Finally, he was up top.
Immediately he was confronted by a slender boy with shockingly white hair, and even more shockingly pale skin. Deep, dark brown eyes furrowed, considering him. Lips were pulled tightly into a scowl. The person was wearing a t-shirt with white and light blue horizontal stripes, and grayish slacks.
"I thought I told you not to take the stairs."
Yugi tried to make a production of rolling his eyes at the intimidating figure, while all of his insides went eep. He wasn't wearing the Millennium Puzzle—he had quit wearing it once Yami and he got their own bodies, or, to be more precise, after he had become teed off with his counter part. This made him much, much more vulnerable.
"Special delivery boys have to take special delivery paths," was all that Yugi could manage, along with a stiff smile. Bakura raised one eyebrow, but waved him along with his hand. Walking besides Yugi initially across the barren, tan rooftop, Bakura was able to get across with less strides, seeing as his legs were so much longer. There was a counter in the middle of the rooftop; tan and scratchy, just like the floor. It was about five feet deep, four feet wide, four feet long. Malik was leaning the side that Yugi couldn't see, and Yami Marik was perched on it. Bakura hopped onto it himself, situating himself. Nudging Yami Marik with his elbow, Bakura effectively drew the… abnormality's attention away from his dark green yo-yo with a white stripe. Now both of the yamis had their gazes fixed solely upon Yugi.
While the old Yugi would've probably had his nerves shot by this, the new Yugi just squared his shoulders and passed them easily. Finally he was standing in front of Malik. The poor down was wearing dark-colored slacks and his infamous purple belly shirt, but because of the heat he was neglecting to wear his customary golden jewelry.
Malik was fanning himself with an old Vogue magazine. Yugi stared at the cover of the magazine curiously, before removing his backpack from his shoulders. Opening the flap, he turned it and dumped out its contents.
Three larges packages of candy fell out. Malik looked up at Yugi, then at the candy, then back at Yugi, gratefully.
"Thank you Yugi. Here's the money I promised you." Malik took out a wad of one-dollar bills. For some reason or another, the two of them had promised to exchange American money instead of yen pieces. Yugi still wasn't quite sure why; he thought Malik had just gotten back from a vacation in America, but he couldn't remember exactly.
Yugi counted through the dollar bills.
"You owe me five dollars," Malik told him. "I gave you five too many… I just couldn't bother to count them."
Why should I have to count them? Yugi wondered. "Hey, too bad. Mine now," he joked.
Wait a second… New Yugi! Just keep the money!
Malik smirked at him. "Yeah, right. Fork it over."
Just do it!
"No," Yugi said. He nearly choked on his words, but managed to sound calm. He felt confident in a way he didn't know he could have. He started to walk away.
Malik looked shock. "What!" he spat. "Give me my money!"
"No way!" Yugi said, grinning. He rushed off, leaping over the side of the building. He didn't land on his feet, but nobody was there to see, so it was all cool. He started to make his way home very quickly, in case Malik came after him.
"What the heck!" Malik leapt to his feet. "Did you see that!"
Bakura was laughing his butt off. Marik gazed after Yugi, considering his action.
That was so different of that gaki-me, he thought. It could be useful to find out what makes him act like that.
"I'll get it for you," Marik offered. Malik turned and nodded at his other self. Ever since Marik had been granted a new life, he was always trying to be on good behavior around his former host. He felt he owed it to him. He was actually kind of scared of Malik's motorcycle, but he was not admitting that.
Malik shrugged. "Sure," he said. "Go ahead."
