Disclaimer: Is this really necessary? Second part of 'the difference one night can make' this takes place during Yugi's battle with Kaiba at the castle. I don't entirely remember how this battle goes but even thought the B E ultimate has been summoned, for the purposes of this story, he hasn't used the Dark Magician yet. Got it? Good.

Dai-na: this gets kinda weird and it seems to be lacking something to me. If you could tell what you think it is I'd appreciate it.

Breaking Twilight By Dai-onna

Yugi stood motionless as he watched the boy across the dueling field. He wasn't sure how it had happened but here he was, at Pegasus' castle, dueling the love of his life who just happened to be using what might possibly the most powerful card in the entire game of duel monsters.

He had never felt more betrayed in his life.

After exiting the labyrinth where he and Joey had tag-teamed Mei and Kyuu they had been almost instantly confronted with Seto, saying that to get into the castle Yugi had to first defeat him. Yugi hadn't realized just how serious Seto had been about this battle until he'd pulled out the ritual to summon the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon.

Had he been planning this all along? Had their night together, Yugi's precious guarded treasure, been nothing more than a carefully constructed lie? A battle tactic to weaken his guard and pierce his defenses? Yugi could feel the tears stinging at his eyes just considering it.

*Don't be a fool Yugi!*  His Yami reprimanded him forcefully. *Seto loves you and you damn well know it. You should be ashamed for ever doubting him!*

The words were like a mental slap for Yugi, knocking him out of his self pity and bringing him to his senses

A wave of guilt swept over him.

'You're right. I was stupid for not believing in him; for not trusting why I loved him in the first place.'

 *This is Pegasus' doing. Somehow, to save Mokuba, Seto first has to defeat you in a duel. It's a  win/win situation for Pegasus. One way or another, he'll have someone out of his hair when this is over.*

Yugi sighed softly in silent agreement.

'He's a fool if he thinks either Seto or I will give up just because we lost.'

He felt himself growing angry at Pegasus for making him and Seto fight. It wasn't just anger thought. It was a white-hot rage that seemed to seep from every pore in his body. It scared him but, at the same time it made him feel powerful, more confident. Like ha was ready to face anything if it would bring about Pegasus' downfall so that they could save the ones they loved and finally have a chance to work things out between them.

Could they even have a life together outside of this island?

He needed desperately to find out.

 Yugi studied Seto intently. The other boy's eyes seemed impassive and cold but just when Yugi was about to turn away, they flashed. It was only a brief flickering that would have been missed if he'd blinked. But, in that instant, he'd seen all the love and devotion he needed to feel like a total fool for having ever doubted his koibitto. His heart swelled and he swore that they would see this through. He needed nothing else if but to believe that.

But for now, they had a duel to finish.

Despite that he knew Seto's reasons for dueling, he wasn't about to let him win. The older boy's pride would never allow it. Nor would his own. Only one of them was going to get into the castle and Yugi was going to try his hardest to make sure he was that one.

He looked over his hand. He knew he had nothing that could beat the Blue Eyes but he still had to play something.

"I summon the Dark Magician and place it in defense mode."

Yugi wasn't certain but he almost thought he saw Seto wince. A fake sneer crossed his beautiful feature and he looked up at the magnificent dragon he had created.

"Pathetic. Blue Eyes, ultimate burst!!"

Everyone stared, dumbstruck and the mighty dragon merely turned to glare at his master then turned his nose—er, noses—up in the air, disdained. 

Yugi felt his eyes grow wide at the sight. Was… Was the card deliberately disobeying him? The idea sounded ridiculous but Yugi couldn't shake the feeling that that was exactly what was happening.

"Uh…Blue Eyes?" Seto's voice was bewildered and concerned as he looked up at his beloved creature. The dragon glared at him fiercely with all six eyes and Yugi could have sworn that he saw pain sparkling in their depths.

No one was quite sure what was happening when the dragon began to glow and, in a blinding light that covered the whole dueling field, was replaced with a young boy.

The boy had two darkened silhouettes on either side of him, each mirroring his form perfectly. His spiked hair and satiny clothes were the same icy metallic color that the dragon had been but his eyes were deep cerulean, just like Seto's. The Dragon-boy glared at his master again before going over to stand next to the Dark Magician who, to Yugi's amazement, had changed slightly as well.

He no longer wore his bulky armor, leaving his long, lean body in a tight-fitting outfit that was a deep, dark purple and his once violet hair now fell in shimmering golden cascades. His own sky-colored eyes were angry and filled with frustrated tears.

Their masters could only watch them in shock.

"I will not obey you." The dragon-boy's voice was rich and musical but it was filled with quelled rage.

The blonde mage turned towards Yugi.

"Nor will I you."  Yugi could only blink in surprised as he was faced with a rebellious mage.

Seto couldn't believe what he was seeing or hearing.

"You're going to mutiny?" He asked incredulously.

His former dragon speared him with a disparaging look.

"If it will put an end to this nonsense." The metallic-haired boy wrapped his arms around the mage's waist. "You got to be with your love. Why should I have to destroy mine?"  Yugi suppressed a gasp and sorrowful tears filled his eyes.

Their cards hearts, whether by coincidence or by some indefinable connection, now mirrored their own.

And by dueling they had done to their most beloved cards what Pegasus had done to them in forcing them to fight. Only this was worse. They weren't forced to merely compete against one another; they had to fight until one destroyed the other.   

Seto was in a state of shock. The brunette couldn't think of a single thing to say to that that didn't constitute as monosyllabic mumbling.

The cards loved?

His own beloved dragon was in love with Yugi's Dark Magician, his small Koibitto's own signature card. And it was returned.

Was this the true 'heart of the cards' that Yugi had so often spoke of? Or was it something else entirely?

"Enough!" Yami's powerful voice gained everyone's attention before he shifted back to Yugi.

"The smaller boy had tears of sympathy in his eyes.

"You're right. This isn't fair." Yugi walked over to Seto, his back to his friends so that they couldn't see him removing the star chips from his glove before it was too late to stop him.

He stopped in front of his love and placed the five tokens in his hand.

"I forfeit."

The monsters on the field disappeared. There were gasps all around but the two boys ignored them as they studied each other intently. Yugi knew that this was what he had to do. He would not stand in Seto's way of protecting his brother, nor would he force their cards to battle anymore.

"Save Mokuba." He whispered softly so that only Seto could hear him.

" I'll be there as soon as I can just please, Seto, be careful."

The taller boy nodded and raised his battle disc, removing the card from it and handing it to Yugi who was holding is own Dark Magician card. His precious Blue Eyes, the card that meant more to him the rest of his entire collection combined. True he had three, but this one had always seemed the truest.

He had felt as if it had chosen him from the beginning to be its master.

"They should be together, don't you think?"

The tears were now streaming down Yugi's cheeks as he looked at the cards in his hand. They looked right together.

He reached up to his throat to unlatch and remove the ever-present collar, handing it to his lover in an unspoken declaration. Seto seemed to understand that he needed him to take it. Needed to feel that apart of him would be there to look over him until he could get there in person.

The brunette wordlessly latched the strap around his neck and a moment of silent understanding passed between them before Seto walked away, heading back inside the castle.

Yugi didn't even notice as the cards he held tightly to his chest began to glow slightly before merging into one. He unconsciously slipped it into his deck before rejoining his friends who were all still in a state of shock.

Somehow, someway, he would get into that castle and, if anything happened to Seto before he did. There would be hell to pay.

~~Owari~~

Dai-na: Well, that's that. I know it was kind of a short chapter but I stretched it as much as my imagination would allow without turning it into an episode of Dragon Ball. The next part, Shattered Dawn is still in the works. I'm not really sure how to write it so don't hold your breath waiting for me to post it.

Please review

^__^ And, as always, I hope you enjoyed it.