Give it Up, You're all I'll Ever Need

Chapter Three- Shredding My Prepubescent Heart

Yuugi sighed as he admitted the unalienable truth to himself: He was making a god awful mistake. He knew Kaiba….had known Kaiba the moment the brunet had spoken to him. In truth, Yuugi was quite skilled in acting, and made use of said skills to fool Kaiba. He made sure not to tell Kaiba his last name as he knew the billionaire believed Mr. Mutou to be an old man.

In his defense, Yuugi adored Kaiba- as though that made deceiving him any better. Yuugi had looked up to the author who'd begun writing a year after he himself published his first book. The sixteen year old had been infatuated with Kaiba and couldn't help the large grin that spread across his face when he read Kaiba's dedication page. It had been a dream come true, knowing he was Kaiba's inspiration, knowing he got Kaiba to writing…but now, Yuugi was in a hell of a mess.

Kaiba treated Yuugi normally, in his own twisted way. Should Kaiba catch wind of the fact that Yuugi was indeed his revered 'Mr. Mutou', the brunette would treat Yuugi like an idol, like someone he'd created an image for without getting to know the person. Yuugi didn't want that, and never would; therefore, he hid his identity from Kaiba.

Yuugi admired Kaiba, liked him in a romantic sort of way, whereas Kaiba loved the words that Yuugi scribbled down on paper. Yuugi wasn't, and would never be, satisfied with that.

Never.

He wanted the genuine Kaiba. The Kaiba that wouldn't like him just because of his books. The Kaiba who would like, maybe even love, him- Yuugi.

With another woeful sigh Yuugi set about to cleaning, singing "Where Are You Christmas" softly, substituting the word 'Christmas' for 'Kaiba'.

"Yuugi, I'm flattered," a familiar, arrogant voice crooned, "You don't have to look too far- I'm right here. It's Christmastime; do you want your gift?"

"Oh, no thanks, I don't except cheap nasty gifts nowadays." Yuugi replied mock-sweetly.

"I'm not cheap Yuugi…though I do have a few thoughts running through my head that fall under nasty."

Yuugi took the bait- he couldn't help but grab at it- hook, line, and sinker. The source of endless inspiration looked up quickly just as Kaiba laughed,

"Relax…" the billionaire sighed, "None of them are about you."

Talk about taking someone to the Grand Canyon just to push them off the cliff. Yuugi choked on air for moment before he resumed sweeping with renewed vigor.

'I am an idiot.' Yuugi thought morosely. The sixteen year old refused to look at Kaiba as he spoke cheerfully.

"Hey, Kaiba, I'm going to go home tomorrow. I'll stay the night there and come back here the day after with my stuff."

"How far is your house?" Kaiba asked, uncaring. Yuugi wanted to rip the apathetic look off his face, wanted to make Kaiba care.

"I have to take the train so-"

"Call me when you get back," he interrupted in the same apathetic tone, "I'll pick you up."

Yuugi nodded, refusing to look up from his task though there wasn't a speck of dust left on the floor. Kaiba nodded and swept away, his cloak billowing out behind him. Yuugi sat in one of the kitchen chairs and closed his eyes, concentrating on the painful pulsing in his chest.

Kaiba stared at the ceiling of his room, counting the tiles for the umpteenth time. With a small sigh, the nineteen year old touched the bruise on his forehead, caused by several meeting with the headboard of his bed.

'I am a fool…' the billionaire thought, 'We should have been getting along fine. I should be writing. But somehow- I'm not even sure what I said to cause it- I hurt my inspiration and he left.'

Kaiba eyed the headboard longingly, perhaps more self-mutilation would help him cope with his own stupidity…

Just as Kaiba rose to give himself a mild concussion, Mokuba burst in, paying his brother an odd look before announcing,

"Phone's for you, bro. It's Inspiration."

"Gramps!" Yuugi called, not waiting for the man to respond he continued, "I think I'll stay over a bit longer."

Yuugi stared at the suitcases he'd packed for a long while then got up to call Kaiba.

"Kaiba?" he began when the billionaire answered, "I'm going to stay at my house for another…maybe two weeks?"

"No." came the instant reply.

"It wasn't a question. I might stop by sometime to see Mokuba but yeah, have fun, I guess."

With that, Yuugi hung up with a satisfied smile. Kaiba- 8,000,000 Yuugi- 3; he was catching up!

Yuugi flopped on his bed, turning his head to glance at the photo of his mother on his dresser.

She had been beautiful.

Up to the moment her body twisted at unnatural angles as she protected him, she had been gorgeous. Up to the moment the falling beam snapped her spine, she had been gorgeous. Up to the moment the horrid gang attacked the store she had been gorgeous.

But when they moved her body off of her child and took him away, she was ugly.

Her hair was ruined and she was bent backwards at an odd angle. Her eyes were unusually empty, and her face was pale and bloodless. Yuugi had nightmares about her dying face. There were no words spoken but as she died she gave him one last loving look before fading away.

Yuugi sighed and flipped over, ignoring the hot trails that ran down his cheeks. He wanted to have a nightmare about his mother. In real life, and in happy dreams, he couldn't remember her voice even during the dream…but in nightmares- oh in nightmares- the shinning ray of light was the voice he'd surely forget when he awoke.

Yuugi slowly fell asleep, content when the horror of his mother's death plagued his mind. He wondered what she'd say this time.

Wake up.

Mope.

Eat.

Mope.

Write.

Mope.

Erase Writing.

Mope.

Attempt to cry.

Mope.

Eat.

Mope.

Clean up.

Mope.

Sleep.

Dream mope.

It was Kaiba's new schedule since Yuugi asked for two weeks at his own house. The billionaire couldn't believe he'd let Inspiration run off somewhere before he finished his book! Was he mental! Yuugi was all he had between him and Mr. Mutou and he let him run off! The nineteen year old groaned and slammed his eternally bruised forehead on his desk. Four days had passed without a spark of inspiration.

After losing a few hundred brain cells to his desk's hard surface, Kaiba called Yuugi. Yuugi picked up the phone and before Seto could speak he heard,

"Oh, it's Kaiba… yeah Jounouchi- him."

Before he hung up. Kaiba gripped the fabric over the middle of his chest as he was plagued with a heavy bout of a burning sensation. He decided it was spontaneous heartburn.

Kaiba sighed. One more day of no Yuugi and he'd lose it. He was this close to dropping a T.V. into his bath, or hanging himself, or- or something drastic! He would NOT lose his one chance to meet Mr. Mutou and he WOULD kill Yuugi if the brat didn't stop wasting his precious time!

Kaiba raised a hand to type before letting it fall. Then he lifted his head continued his new favorite activity.

'Hello desk,' He thought, 'I think you should be reintroduced to my forehead.'

Yuugi frowned as he fought the oncoming panic attack he was so close to. He couldn't find Jounochi and the street was nearly empty.

Gangs liked deserted places.

Yuugi shook his head, trying to shake the thought away but it attacked his brain mercilessly. The teen's eyes watered and his hands shook as he began walking faster. He needed a way out of this street back to where people existed. The air felt thicker, the road seemed longer, and the light seemed darker as Yuugi fell farther into panic.

The teen began to hyperventilate as he broke into a run.

"Hey," a voice called from behind him. Yuugi increased speed,

"Are you okay?" the voice called. Arm circled around Yuugi's waist and he emitted a fearful yell that was cut short by his sobs. Blonde hair tickled his tear-stained cheek as violet eyes searched his.

"What's wrong sir?" the stranger asked, his handsome face contorted for a second before he extended a hand, "Marik Ishtar by the way."

Yuugi's teeth clacked against each other unbecomingly as he took the offered hand and replied, "I-I- I'm fine. Yu-Yuugi Mutou."

Marik's eyes flashed and he turned without releasing Yuugi's hand, leading the teen towards the comforting sound of cars.

"I work for Seto Kaiba." He said simply, "Don't worry about you're identity- I won't tell him. Anyways, if you keep walking this way you should be back to kind society. I don't recommend wandering these parts. I have to go."

Marik turned and strode away quickly, ignoring the way the young author froze when he admitted working for Seto Kaiba. Yuugi walked back onto the familiar streets he'd been past before as he berated himself.

What had he been thinking to give his full name? He groaned. Being screwed was never a good feeling. Kaiba's source of Inspiration paused and reconsidered as he thought of Kaiba. Perhaps that thought was a bit close-minded….

Marik Ishtar smiled contentedly. He should leave Yuugi alone, he really should, but he honestly needed the boy. Besides, he'd liked the teen well enough a few minutes ago. Marik compiled all the info his boss, or rather, fake-friend had given him about Yuugi and smiled. He knew just how to steal Kaiba's crush. The warped male chuckled evilly as he paced to the thought of his plan.

Kaiba was no fool so there was a sixty percent chance part one would blow up in his face. Part two however was flawless. Kaiba was a relatively shy person, but he hid it under his large ego. As much as a contradiction that was, it was it was true. Not to mention he was uncannily honest, in his own twisted way. Kaiba believed you could bend the truth until it was almost breaking; as long as it didn't break…it was the truth. This was what made Kaiba's role in Marik's scheme a tad harder.

Yuugi, on the other hand, was an open-close case. The boy, from what he'd gathered, was painfully naïve. Yuugi seemed to find the most heinous crime on earth to be breaking a promise, according to Kaiba. Marik smiled, the fools had no idea just how badly screwed over they were going to be.

Marik unlocked the door to his house, looking around for his lover. As per usual, the white haired man was absent. The blonde cradled the albino's pillow to his face and inhaled deeply, imagining that the albino actually loved him enough to come home more often.

[A/N]: I'm going to be posting the last chapter I had up before revisions soon! There'll be a lot more of it as this time we'll actually endure the last ten days of Yuugi's absence from Kaiba. Love You People!

Tanksie- Give It Up, You're All I'll Ever Need: The Most Bitchin' Fiction You Ever Did See.