(Pierre Noel hops in, looks around and leaves. Comes back in lead Daisuke and Yuugi.)

Daisuke: Oh, a new chapter of the story is coming out! Ummm, but where's E?

Yuugi: I have no clue. I haven't seen her for awhile. No reading fanfiction, and no watching those AMVs she's addicted to.

(E comes running in, out of breath with dark bags under her eyes)

E: Hey guys, sorry I'm late. (beating back a rabid homework monster)

Daisuke and Yuugi: OO

E: Hey everyone, sorry about this. Be glad I got her at all. I was up till way late working on this rough draft of an documentary I'm making for a History class. I'm seriously about dead and all I can think about is going home this weekend and crashing. I'm still not sure if I'll get back up...

(Daisuke and Yuugi pat her nervously on the back as she sighs)

E: Anywho, here is the next chapter for the story. I'm glad I got such great responses! You have no idea what rays of sunshine they were this week!

Yuugi: E wanted me to thank all of you personally so...Thanks very much to: Panguins-in-American-Oh-my, redconvoy, Crystal F. Flowright, Kyo lover with little sanity, DaakuKitsune (for helping her on the spelling of Mahaado), Atemu Yugi Lover34, and Tavi (if you will contact E., she'd love for you to beta).

E: I don't have anything for you guys other then my extreme thanks. I see fan authors giving plushies, etc. so if you want anything, let me know. And now, Dai-chan?

Daisuke: DarkandDaisuke does not own Yu-Gi-Oh nor D N Angel. She also claims to not truely own Pierre Noel, as he is rather free spirited, though she did think him up. She also wishes me to inform you that there is a bit of violence in this one as Yuugi is (once again) going to be hurt. What would a Yuugi/Yami story be without that? Do I really have to read all of this? (sigh) She is also toying with the idea of this as shonen-ai. She would like your opinions, as within a couple chapters from where she is, it will either have it or it won't. Your imput is important!

E: Till next time! (Everyone waves)

Chapter One

Painful Encounters

May 3, (blank)

Dear Diary,

It's been two months since I last wrote in you, but nothings really happened. Life has remained the same; school is the same, with all the pain that goes with it, Ji-chan still asks how school goes and accepts my lies of fine and of course I have friends but they're busy right now. Last weekend I spent the entirety of Saturday at the library so he would believe I'd hung out with friends all day. I hate lying to him, but he used to feel so guilty that I couldn't lead a normal kid's life. He has more important things to worry about then me and my miserable life. He's been so happy ever since I told him I had made friends, I can't hurt him by giving up the untruth. What am I going to do?

OH! On another note, I still haven't seen that boy since the last time I wrote in you. I've walked by several times, but nobody's there. There's not even a gardener or anyone, though the grass is cut and the flowers obviously tended. What do they do, go out in the middle of the night so no one can see them? I…it's not like I have to see him, I mean I don't even know his name! But, for just a moment, I thought I'd found a friend.

Yuugi plodded down the road on his way home from school. It had been a pretty bad day, as they went. Three different groups of bullies had "talked" with him at various times during the day. But finally, he was free and could go home to his Ji-chan and play his games with himself. Kicking a stone further up the sidewalk, his steps paused, as they always did no, before the large mansion that held the boy that so fascinated him. The amethyst-eyed boy stared for a time at the well-manicured garden hidden behind the harsh metal gates. Recently, he had felt watchful eyes on him as he walked by the huge house. Only yesterday, he had looked up in time to catch a glimpse of curtains twitched shut. Smothering a sigh, the boy lingered only a moment more before continuing his slow trudge home.

Barely a foot from the gate, he felt a heavy hand grab uncaringly on his small shoulder.

"Hey, midget." It was Ushio, the worst bully of all of them in his school. He seemed to have taken a true disliking to the small boy, though being the only kid who actually got the much larger boy into trouble might have had something to do with it. "Not ready to go home yet? Good; cuz me and the boys were pining for your company." Yuugi seriously doubted that; more like they were bored to tears because there was nobody to beat up. He was harshly drug behind the large house into a small wooded area behind it.

"You still keepin' your mouth shout about this?" A tentative nod. "Good. Wouldn't want oji-kun to get hurt now would we?" A firmer shake. "I can't hear you?" Oh great, now he wanted him to answer! The last several times he had been hit for 'speaking out of turn'.

SLAP! The small boy found himself on the ground, a large red mark already gracing his pale face and a large knot on his head from where it had struck the pavement as he hit the ground. He lay there, face turned into the pavement as he tried to blink away tears. Out of nowhere, a foot sailed out and landed straight in his ribs. He bit back a scream, biting his lip until it bled. After that, it all melted away into one large pain, growing and shrinking in strength, but never leaving. As a wracking cough shook his body, a drop of blood fell to the pavement. A tear soon joined it; he was all alone.

Yami glanced through the curtains, for the last time, he told himself. Still no sign of the small look-alike. He was at least an hour past his usual time. Sighing, he turned and stalked down the stairs and out of the house. Heading around to the back of the house, he paused to grab a jacket before heading into the private woods behind the house. He walked a bit before sinking down beside a small stream. The tranquility soothed his loneliness a bit, but never for very long. Opening his crimson eyes, he sighed as his mind flew over the intense language lessons that had filled up the past two months. He had always had a knack for languages and had picked up much of the basics at no time. He had shocked both his sensei and even Mahaado by how fast he was becoming proficient in both the verbal and written aspects of the language. They couldn't know how late he stayed up, how many hours he spent practicing, working ahead in his studies, and slogging through TV shows and newspapers.

He was close to the point where he would not make an absolute idiot of himself if he spoke to the amethyst-eyed boy. He was now faced with what to say.

Hi, my name is Yami and I've learned Japanese just so I could talk to you…would you be my friend? Even in his head it sounded stupid. For all he knew, the boy had tons of friends and would never have time for someone like him. And yet, for a few moments in that one time they had faced each other, Yami had felt as if he had finally found someone else who understood how lonely he was, because they themselves felt the same.

In an attempt to get his mind off the disturbing thoughts flittering around, he lazily swirled his fingers around in the cool water. Suddenly, sounds invaded his quiet corner. Harsh laughter, moans, and a strange muffled thumping sound caught his attention. Making his way over the small, stone wall that separated the end of their part of the forest to a small paved path through the rest of it, he quickly clambered over before following the sounds. Rounding a particularly large tree, the sight that greeted him brought a gasp of astonishment past his lips.

The unknown sound was of fists striking flesh, as his widened crimson eyes saw. As his eyes traveled over the group of both victim and attackers, he spotted a patch of black and crimson mixed with blond on the pavement.

It's him! Immediately, cold rage coursed through his veins. How dare these cowards, for what else do you call boys of that size beating on a boy of his stature, hurt someone so kind! Before he could completely think through his actions, he was striding, powerful and confident toward the group of boys still causing pain to the now unconscious boy.

"What do you think you're doing?" The right amounts of confidence and superiority are needed here. The tallest boy, a giant to the slightly smaller than average boy, turned around, a scowl prominent on his cruel features.

"Who wants to know?" This was not how the boy wished to use his Japanese for the first time out of the classroom! If he misunderstood anything…

"You are technically on private property," he was glad on Mahaado's emphasis on phrases to warn off curious people, "I think you and your group should leave before I call the police." The other boys' eyes widened and flickered to their leader before settling on each other as they fidgeted with fear. The leader's façade did not change. His small, dark eyes bored into the smaller boy, promising pain if he tried anything. Yami's gaze never left the cruel eyes; he had to end this as quickly and easily as possible. Finally, the taller boy turned away, but not before throwing another dirty look at the prone, gasping figure.

"We'll be back." Crimson eyes narrowed and watched him until the entire group was completely out of sight. Quickly, he ran over to the bleeding figure.

"Ra, chibi ichi!" He'd wanted to say those two words since he found out what they meant, but not like this, no never like this! Carefully, he felt for a pulse and was much relieved to find a fairly strong, yet slightly fast one. The breathing, however, was not right, and Yami could think of no other option then to seek out Mahaado's help.

Before daring to lift the injured boy, he carefully felt each of his ribs, wincing when he felt bones weakened by too many kicks. He would have to be very careful no to put too much pressure on the ribs. Gently, he lifted the limp boy into his arms, his shoulders supported by one arm and his knees the other. His head flopped immediately to rest on the taller boy's chest, his rasping breath loud in the surrounding silence. Suddenly, his breath quickened further and his arms feebly pushed against the person causing him more pain. Yami tried to calm down his frantic efforts, as the boy was stressing his body further.

"Shhhhh, boy. I'm a friend, I promise. I'm trying to help." The movements paused and finally stopped, though Yami was not sure whether it was from trust or the boy had simply worn himself out. He quickly leapt over the low stone wall and carefully, yet hurriedly made his way to the big house. He could just imagine what his guardian would say.

Yuugi: (Sniff) Why is it always me?

Daisuke: (patting him on the shoulder) It's alright, the fan girls always love to hurt the cute ones, it leads the Yamis to want to protect them. Then there is all this fluff and...

E: (from the room next to them, frantically working on homework) Are you trying to give away the plot! Now say goodnight, boys, and lets be done!

Daisuke and Yuugi: Goodnight, boys!

Dark and Yami: Goodnight, aibou!

E: (shakes head and mutters about stupid boys) Please review! And sorry, Yuugi!

(11-15-2006: Another repost compliments of beta Tavi!
Yugi and Daisuke: Three cheers for Tavi!

Dark and Yami: (clearly wanting to be anywhere but here): hurrah, hurrah, hurrah...don't ever make us do that again.

E: (sweatdrop)