YD: This is dedicated to Anime WarriorSkye and Miriku-Yami's Queen of the Nile-Yami no Hikari. They were the only two that reviewed!

Rating: T

Freezing Waters

Yuugi gazed across the moon-less sky over the calm dark waters of the lake. He sighed and sat near the frigid water, not daring to touch the surface. His life had been hell for the past month or two. High school was ending and so was Yuugi's perfect life. The whole group was splitting up, all heading down their separate paths. Everyone was leaving or going to a college far away. Everyone… except Yuugi. He couldn't part from his grandfather, not when he was so old.

Even Yami was leaving his hikari behind. He was to study Egyptology in a college miles away from Domino. Jounouchi was traveling with Kaiba Seto to study business and advertising. Honda would leave for Tokyo to study law and attempt to become a lawyer. Otogi had already gone back to San Francisco to continue advertising his new game. Anzu left for New York after high school ended, determined to pursue her dream of becoming a dancer.

The more Yuugi pondered his predicament, the more miserable he became. Without his friends, Yuugi would be alone, with only his grandfather. Now, he loved his grandfather to bits but even then, he would be lonely. How he wanted to travel abroad and pursue his career as a doctor! But his grandfather's health was failing. He couldn't leave.

A chilling wind blew through the cloudless sky, prompting some of the water to blow towards Yuugi. He grit his teeth against the cold and stayed. The thin jacket did nothing to warm him. He didn't want to leave, not just yet.

A sudden careless thought flew through his mind. Would anyone care if he disappeared? Or would they carry on with their lives, too busy to notice? The very thought depressed him further. He curled up and started crying softly, forehead pressed against his knees. The tears made him colder, both inside and out. The wind continued blowing unrelentingly.

Before long, it grew too cold to cry any longer. Another dark thought gripped him. Could he try to disappear? Would anyone bother to come looking for him? Almost languidly, Yuugi uncurled and stood. His dim purple eyes gazed upon the churning waters of the freezing lake.

He bent down and removed his shoes, digging his toes into the ground. He wiped the tears that had frozen on his face away. On a whim, Yuugi stepped forward, toward the water.

Yuugi jumped back as soon as the water touched his feet. Forcing himself to relax, he stepped into the water again. He waited until his feet were numb until he stepped forward again. Little but little, Yuugi entered the freezing water. He sucked in a breath and completely entered the frigid water. As soon as the water closed above him, the precious oxygen in his lungs escaped. Forced to go resurface from lack of air, Yuugi kicked upwards.

He felt completely numb. Which, of course, he literally was. But it was more of an emotional feeling. He thought nothing of his friends or his grandfather. The lake may have been a holding cell for all his emotions. And Yuugi was drowning in it.

He went down once more, this time having a bit more control over his lungs. He opened his eyes in the darkness and quickly closed them, as the chilling waters stunned them. As soon as he broke for air, Yuugi noted that he was shivering. Lazily, a thought drifted through his mind. Could he just stay here and die of coldness? He quickly kicked the thought out of his mind. If he died, what would become of his grandfather?

Yuugi decided he was being selfish and swam back to the shore. There, he realized he was a fool. He had brought nothing because he had not planned on taking an idiotic dip in the lake. His clothes clung to his body, making him colder when the wind blew passed him. Cursing his idiocy, he grabbed his shoes and stopped suddenly. He felt eyes watching his every move.

Subtlety, Yuugi looked around. Seeing no one, he grew even more nervous. All his senses were on high alert and he could feel his heart thumping wildly in his ears. It was so loud he was sure his watcher could hear it.

Yuugi tried to act confident but the eyes watching him made him extremely jumpy. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore.

"Who's there?" Thankfully, none of Yuugi's fear leaked through his voice.

A shadow stepped out, but Yuugi could only dimly see their silhouette. He couldn't tell where the shadows ended and the person began. But he did see their eyes. Yuugi gasped and backed up.

"Why are you doing this? Don't think you can lie to me." Yuugi froze. He knew that voice all too well. Involuntarily, Yuugi stepped backwards again.

"What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing." He retorted bitingly. Yuugi shivered, but not from cold. He wanted to run, run as fast as he could, away from the person in the shadows. But he couldn't.

"Why do you care?" Yuugi replied scathingly. His soul ached from hearing the other speak. His heartbeat reminded him how much life was hurting.

"You know that's not fair. I do care about you."

"You're sure not acting like it." Yuugi muttered to himself.

"Damn it, Yuugi! You're not being fair! Do you not realize how much it's hurting me as well to leave you?" The person in the shadows stepped towards Yuugi. His red eyes seemed as if they were glowing from the rage so evident in his expression.

"No, Yami. Don't lie to me. I happen to possess your talent as well. You're happy that you're leaving me here, all alone. You're ecstatic that you're going to school miles away from here, away from me!" Yami stalked forward. Yuugi knew he'd gone too far. He turned to run, dropping his shoes in the process.

"Yuugi! Damn it."

Yami's voice faded as Yuugi kept running. He never once looked back. He succeeded in getting away but he was colder than ever. He sneezed twice in a row and looked around.

"Shit," Yuugi mumbled. All around him were trees. He heard something far off to his left. And he knew exactly who it was. Ears straining to hear anything, Yuugi hid in the shadows. He was shivering and cold but he didn't want his Dark to find him.

"Yuugi, please. I'm sorry, all right? Damn it, Yuugi! What do you want from me?"

Yuugi shivered again. He tried to stop an oncoming sneeze but failed. Yami's voice stopped calling. Yuugi knew he was found. He felt eyes rake across his body. Yuugi wanted so badly to get away, to keep running. But he had no strength left in his frail body.

"When you sneeze, somebody's thinking of you." Yuugi opened his eyes and gazed blearily at his Dark's concerned demeanor.

"You can't help, Yami." Yuugi battled the darkness vainly. He swayed on his feet and Yami caught him quickly. Warmth invaded his senses. "No can help." The darkness won and Yuugi knew no more.

Yuugi awoke several times, each time seeing Yami watching him. But Yuugi drifted off again before Yami could say anything. It took three days for Yuugi to fully recover from the illness that had ravaged his body. Yuugi's weakened immune system did nothing to help. Yuugi had stopped eating, thereby weakening his immune system to the point where a minor cold could kill him.

Yuugi noticed that Yami wasn't watching him when he woke up. A soft cry escaped his lips. He should've known. Yami didn't care at all. He sank into the warmth of his bed. Someone moaned next to him. Startled, Yuugi pushed the warmth away. The sudden movement caused Yami to awaken. Yuugi could only watch as his Dark uncurled like a cat and glanced at him.

"Aibou," he greeted softly. Yuugi was speechless. His Dark was sleeping in his bed. He kept staring at Yami uncomprehendingly. He barely noticed that the shirt on him was sliding off his shoulder. But he did see the hungry look that shone in Yami's cerise eyes.

"Yami," he started, "why are you looking at me like that?" Yami said nothing but he grabbed Yuugi and smashed his lips against his. When Yuugi tensed, Yami immediately pulled away.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, aibou; I don't know what came over me." Yami hung his head in shame, awaiting Yuugi's harsh words. Yuugi was stunned, to say the least. A million questions raged within him, all wanting to be answered. Yuugi decided on the simplest one.

"Yami, what do you feel for me?"

"I… I love you…"

"Is that why you came after me that day at the lake?" Yuugi asked softly. He didn't want his Dark to leave. He never did.

"Yes," Yami paused. "I could hear your thoughts. You kept thinking about disappearing, aibou! And when you stepped into that lake, I thought… I thought you would really would!" Tears slipped from his eyes. Harshly, Yami brushed them aside.

"Yami," Yuugi gently wiped away some of the tears Yami missed. "It'll be all right."

"No it won't!" Yami sniffed. "You hate me and I'm leaving for college." Yuugi was silent.

"I never hated you. I can't. I love you too much." He caressed Yami's face lightly. Hearing those words from Yuugi's mouth, Yami pressed against his other desperately. A knock at the door interrupted them. Yami seemed like he was about to jump over the bed and sit in the vacant chair beside Yuugi but decided against it.

"Ah, I see that you're awake, Yuugi. You gave me quite a scare when Yami carried you home. Don't do that again, Yuugi." Yuugi's grandfather admonished gently.

"I'm sorry, jii-chan. I won't."

"Good boy," He looked at the two still in bed. "I will mind the shop today. You just regain your strength, all right?"

"Hai, jii-chan," Yuugi replied softly. Yami's hands were roaming across Yuugi's skin, distracting him. "I will." His grandfather smiled once more and left the room, closing the door behind him.

"Yami!" Yuugi hissed. "Do you realize how infuriating you can be?" Yami smiled innocently.

"No," Yuugi was about to retort when Yami suddenly kissed him. He took advantage of Yuugi's momentary shock to deepen the kiss. Yuugi was breathless when Yami pulled away.

"Damn, Yami, I never knew you were such a good kisser." Yami smirked at the praise and the dazed look in Yuugi's eyes.

"Well, aibou, I think you are too." He smirked lightly and kissed him again. Yuugi leaned against his Dark, enjoying the attention allotted him.

"What are we going to do about this issue with colleges?"

"There is a well-known college that offers an excellent opportunity for medicinal majors…"

"But I would still be parted from you and jii-chan." Yuugi answered bitterly.

"Actually, aibou, that is not so. Rebecca is coming to Domino to finish her schooling. And with Rebecca, her grandfather will be here too. Jii-chan offered a place to stay and they will take care of him. The professor is a good man."

"What college are you talking about anyway?"

"…mine,"

"What? Are you serious?" Yuugi asked, hope shining in his eyes. Yami chuckled.

"Would I lie to you, aibou?" Yuugi's countenance immediately brightened. He wrapped his arms around Yami and kissed him lightly.

"So everything's going to be fine now?" Light and love danced in Yuugi's amethyst eyes, making him look heavenly. Yami looked tenderly at his partner. It was hard to believe that Yuugi almost killed himself three days previous.

"I believe it will be, aibou. I believe it will."

Owari

YD: There you go! Fluff and angst! What more could you ask for?

HS: (yawn) Bye now!