Sorry about the wait after leaving a cliffhanger. I had a really bad case of writer's block. Well, that... and extreme laziness. Won't happen again, I promise!

CosmicEssence: Thank you for your comments! I'm glad I've got you hanging on for more. I promise all your questions will be answered... eventually.

Atemu Yugi Lover34: I absolutely love reading your reviews! They always make me laugh. And they've been giving me ideas of little finishing touches to add. So thanks a lot! Yuugi's got several good reasons for not confiding in anyone about his parents, but unfortunately, you won't find out what they all are yet. Some will be explained in this chapter. And while Atemu may get mad, anger may also lead to some make-up fluff! But you'll have to wait and see! laughs evilly

Pequena: Thanks for reading, and I hope the rest of the story doesn't disappoint.

Sanni York: Seems like a lot of people are anxious about what Hikaru's up to. Heh heh... you will also have to wait and see. But I'll give you one little hint... everyone who's made a guess about her true nature so far has been wrong. Just a few more chapters, and the truth will be revealed! So just hang on a while longer, k?

Cactus Bob: LOL No, I'm not trying to kill you. Or maybe I am... shifty eyes Just kidding! If you have another heart attack from future chapters, you can go ahead and send me the doctor bill. :P

Kyo lover with little sanity: Hmm. Interesting. It took some thinking, but I think I've got some good ideas. After this story is completed, I'll get right on your oneshot (from what I planned out, it might not be a oneshot after all; I might have to divide it into a few chapters. We'll see).

This chapter might be a little confusing as it shifts back and forth between Yuugi and Sugoroku as they tell the same story, with a few flashbacks in between. I tried to make it as clear as possible, so I hope that it's relatively easy to follow. I did the best I could, but if a lot of people find it confusing, I'll try to rewrite it. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh! or xxxHolic


"Yes. They're scary, you know. These words. You can't take them back once they've left your mouth. You can't act as if they were never said. And without knowing how tightly they can bind... people continued to use these chains. 'Words' have life. And in time, they can even bind one's right to live." – Yuko Ishahara, xxxHolic, Volume Four

Binding Words, Part Two

Atemu watched anxiously as his adopted grandfather flipped through a family photo album, searching for a particular page. In the process, he caught small glimpses of what appeared to be wedding photos, baby pictures, and various newspaper clippings, but he couldn't make sense of them without further examination. A smirk found its way to his lips as he wondered whether there was anything embarrassing in there he could tease Yuugi about later, but that would have to wait.

Sugoroku grinned proudly when he found what he was looking for, and laid the book flat on the table at an angle so both he and Yami could see the picture well. He pointed to the large photo in the middle of the page as the younger man leaned forward for a better view.

"I'm sure you've already guessed... these are Yuugi's parents," he began. He tapped the image of man in his mid twenties with spiky black hair and amethyst eyes. "My son, Syaoran." Then he indicated the woman with shoulder length golden hair and grey eyes. "His wife, Sakura, and Yuugi, of course."

Atemu smiled a little as he ran his hand over the picture. Syaoran had one arm around his wife, while the other supported his small son, who was sitting on his shoulders. He wore an expression the one time pharaoh easily recognized as similar to Yuugi's game face: a confident smirk and a playful glint in his eyes that dared anyone to challenge him. Sakura was the absolute picture of elegance, as shown by her peaceful smile, the slight tilt of her head, and her folded hands. And Yuugi looked like a living bundle of energy; his wide eyes sparkling with mischief and a huge grin on his face.

"They look so happy," he observed aloud. He glanced up at Sugoroku in a silent gesture to continue.

He nodded. "They were." He turned a few more pages and pointed out another image. It was another family photo of the three of them, but this time a little white house and a small garden could be seen in the background. "Syaoran worked for a software company that designed and tested video games. His upper management position allowed him to work at home, so he could be with his family all the time. Sakura was a housewife and stay-at-home mom. The house you see in the background was their home, complete with a white picket fence." Grandpa chuckled briefly. "The only thing missing from their lives was a family dog..."

--

"Do you know where Himawari is, Hikaru-san?" Yuugi asked, glancing over at her. When she shook her head, he continued. "It's a small town, about a four hour drive west of the city. You have to take the Ame-Warashi Mountain Pass to get there." He was silent a moment, as he considered where to go from there. "Since it's kind of a long drive, I didn't get to see my grandpa much at first. We made a few trips to help him set up and open the game shop, but outside of that, we didn't visit as much as I would have liked."

Yuugi lifted one knee so his foot was resting on the bench, and he folded his hands over his shin, balancing himself as he looked up at the clear blue sky. He laughed a little. "I used to love visiting the shop. Grandpa always gave me all kinds of games and puzzles. Whenever he received a new one, he'd ask me to try it out and help him decide whether he should stock it in the store, or just put it on an order form. Heh... Dad told him that was a bad idea." He closed his eyes with a fond smile.

Syaoran shook his head with a grin. "Honestly, Pops, you should have known better. Yuugi loves every game you give him. You'll have that stock room overflowing if you let him decide what to keep." The three adults burst into a fit of laughter, while little Yuugi pouted, clearly confused as to what was so funny.

Hikaru giggled. "Oh, it sounds like you had so much fun."

The young man chuckled with her. "Yeah."

The air about them was comfortingly serene as she waited for him to go on. Hikaru barely caught the flash of pain that flitted across his features before he forced another smile, so it was clear that he was slowly getting towards the heart of the matter.

"When I turned seven, Grandpa called to wish me Happy Birthday. He said... he had a very special gift for me. A one-of-a-kind puzzle that no one had ever been able to solve before..."

--

Atemu's eyes widened in recognition as Sugoroku nodded. "Yep. I was going to give Yuugi the Millennium Puzzle for his birthday. I'll admit that I was a little worried, considering all the rumors surrounding it. But I tried to solve it, and nothing bad had ever happened to me, so I thought it'd be okay." He grinned. "I thought that if anyone could figure it out, Yuugi could. That boy could put together a puzzle before he even knew how to walk."

Both of them laughed, and Yami couldn't help but smirk in quiet pride.

--

"I was so excited about Grandpa's gift; I couldn't wait to have it. Unfortunately, he was too tired at the time to travel, and refused to just mail it. He said he had to give it to me in person."

"It must have been a very special present for him to say that," Hikaru commented, beaming at him.

Yuugi nodded. "It was... the best gift I've ever received. If Grandpa hadn't given me the Puzzle, I never would have met Atemu." He chose his words carefully, as he hadn't yet revealed anything regarding the Millennium Items, or that fact that Atemu was actually a five thousand year old pharaoh that had until recently only been a spirit inhabiting his body. Hikaru hadn't inquired about it, which was surprising considering how vague his story about meeting him was. Nonetheless, he was grateful that she didn't pressure him at all.

He continued. "I begged and begged my parents to go for a visit. They said they wanted to wait because there'd been some reports of dangerous storms over the mountain pass, and they didn't want to take any chances." Yuugi suddenly lowered his head so far that his bangs overshadowed his eyes. "But... they finally got tired of my whining and agreed to go."

"Alright! Alright! Honestly, you'll be the death of me, my little angel!" Sakura gave an exasperated sigh, but patted her son's head fondly anyway.

--

Something seemed to dawn on Atemu. "Angel..." He looked Sugoroku in the eyes. "Is that why he..."

"Hey now! It's rude to interrupt. You're not a pharaoh anymore, remember?" Grandpa chided with a wink.

Atemu chuckled sheepishly. "Heh heh. Sorry."

"It's alright. Now where was I?" Sugoroku tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Oh yes. Syaoran and Sakura finally agreed to come for a visit. The storms seemed to have died down, but they were still cautious about it."

Yami nearly winced when sorrow seemed to overtake his grandfather's features, making him look far older than he already was. He could practically see the heavy burden of pain that caused the elder's shoulders to droop. His crimson eyes narrowed in compassionate understanding as he forced himself to wait patiently for him to say more.

"They were going to spend a week here, and have a little family party for Yuugi's birthday. Syaoran called, right before they left their house..."

Sugoroku wiped his hands hurriedly on his apron as he rushed to answer the phone. Flour was streaked across his face, and he was covered in cake frosting, but he was grinning proudly at his culinary accomplishment. "Hello?"

"Hey, Pops. It's me."

"Well, hello Syaoran. I was just finishing Yuugi's birthday cake. I hope you're all hungry for lots of chocolate."

An amused laugh was his reply. "I just called to let you know we're leaving now. The weather reports say there might be some light rain, so we'll be taking it easy, but we shouldn't have any problems. I just didn't want you to worry if we're late."

The elder Mutou nodded to himself. "Very well. I'll hold off making supper then. Thanks for the call."

"Yep. See ya soon. Love ya, Pops."

"Bye, Syaoran."

Sugoroku sniffed a few times, working hard to hold back the tears. "That was the last time I ever talked to my son."

--

"Yuugi-kun?" Concern was written all over Hikaru's face as she watched her young friend. He had resumed leaning forward, elbows resting on his thighs as he glared at the ground. His shoulders were trembling, and he was biting his bottom lip.

"It was... it was fine at first," he whispered softly. It was obvious that it was taking a great deal of self control on his part not to burst with long suppressed emotions. "It was only a light sprinkle when we started up the pass. But it got worse as we went. By the time we reached the half way point, it was a full blown thunder storm." Yuugi hiccupped. "But I wasn't afraid. Mom and Dad were with me. They promised they'd always be there, and I'd be safe with them. So I wasn't afraid of the storm. I didn't know they were..."

Sakura jumped nervously as another flash of lightning revealed the wildly blowing trees on the roadside and the rain that pounded the pavement all around their car. She had suggested before that they pull over and wait a while for the storm to call down, but Syaoran was confident they'd be alright, and she trusted his judgment. A quick glance behind her revealed Yuugi looking all about them in great interest. She found it strange that her young son could be so calm at such a time as this, but it gave her strength, as did her husband's reassurances.

--

"If things had continued that way, they would have been fine. But... there was an unusual amount of traffic on the pass that night. The roads are narrow and can be dangerous even in perfect conditions. Add some reckless drivers in the mix, and it's a disaster waiting to happen."

At this point, Sugoroku had begun flipping through the photo album again.

--

"Mommy, are we almost there?"

Sakura looked over her shoulder again to her son sitting in the back seat of the car with a smile. "Not yet, sweetie. We have a little ways to go before we get to Grandpa's house."

The boy pouted. "But I want to see Grandpa! He said he had a present for me!"

The woman giggled. "I know, I know. But we'll be there soon enough. Just be patient for a little while longer, okay?"

"Yuugi, will you please be quiet?" It was the first time in a while that his father had said anything. One hand gripped the steering wheel extremely tightly while the other ran through his spiky black hair wearily. "Daddy needs to concentrate."

"Syaoran... " The woman looked to her husband and spoke with both worry and a reprimand in her tone.

He sighed. "I'm sorry, Sakura, but this storm is really starting to make me nervous."

"Dad wasn't worried at first, but as we drove on, the storm just kept getting worse. But that wasn't all that was bugging him." Yuugi's hands clenched into fists as he replayed that night's events in his mind. "There was some guy behind us who was driving like a maniac. He was way over the speed limit, and he just kept passing people. No one knows why he was in such a hurry."

Syaoran swore under his breath and steered a little closer to the side of the road. The driver behind him was riding his tail and veering over, trying to pass. "I wish he'd just go already," he mumbled.

Sakura glanced in her side mirror. "Really, the road is too wet and dangerous to be driving like that."

--

"From what Yuugi and the police told me, some crazed driver tried to pass Syaoran. But he didn't see the semi truck coming around the corner at the same time."

It all happened so fast. Tires squealed in quick acceleration. Another set screeched as Syaoran slammed on the brakes.

A low heavy horn honked a panicked warning from somewhere ahead. A flash of lightning combined with the bright headlights of an eighteen-wheeled semi.

Atemu slowly shifted his seat over so he could put an arm around his grandfather, who had now begun to cry.

--

"Yuugi?" Hikaru put a soft hand on his shoulder as his frame began to shake even more.

"I just... it happened so fast. One minute everything was fine, and the next thing I knew, I was squished... I couldn't move. My back hurt really bad. Broken glass flew at me... but it didn't stop." Yuugi choked between sobs as he desperately continued, not really knowing if he was making sense or not. "There were more. They just kept coming..."

--

"The semi collided with the car that tried to pass Syaoran. My son... he couldn't stop in time. Neither could the other cars behind both him and the semi." Sugoroku wiped his eyes with one hand as the other stopped on a page in the photo album.

Atemu peered down to see a large newspaper clipping. He gasped at the bold print that screamed the headline from the page: "Tragedy on the Ame-Warashi". The subtitle under that elaborated: "Fifteen Car Pile-up Claims 23 lives".

--

Yuugi had been quiet for a while as he tried to subdue his cries. It helped that Hikaru had begun to gently rub his back in circular motions with one hand while the other held one of his. The contact was very comforting.

"Suddenly, everything was so quiet. I could still hear the rain, but it didn't... My back was bleeding really badly, and Dad wasn't moving. I could barely move. But that's when Mom..."

Sakura reached out a bleeding hand, searching for her son. "Yuugi..."

"Mommy! It hurts!" The terrified child cried from pain. "I'm scared!"

"I know, Angel. I know." Her voice was fading, and every little movement was pure agony, but she paid it no mind. She was far more concerned with the smoke that was quickly filling what was left of the vehicle's interior. "Yuugi, you have to get out of the car. You have to climb out the window."

Yuugi sniffed. "I can't, Mommy! It hurts to move, and I'm stuck."

Sakura wiggled her way from the front seat to the back, wincing as jagged shards of metal and glass tore at her from all sides. It took a lot of effort, but she managed to crawl beside her son. Now that she was closer, she could see that his seat belt release was covered by the fragments of a door, and his back was bleeding. "Hold still, okay? This might hurt a little, but it'll be over quick." She negotiated her hand under the door and searched for the button, gasping when something dug into her skin. It was hard, but she tried to ignore the boy's cries at the pressure of her body as she leaned over him and concentrated on her task. She finally managed to press the release, but found her hand was now stuck.

"Yuugi, take off the seat belt, okay?"

"I can't!"

"Yes you can. Just take it slow, alright. Come now, you can do it."

With his mother's encouraging words ringing in his ears, Yuugi slowly removed the belt, crying from the sharp shooting pains the movement caused. He gasped in relief when it was over.

"Good job, Sweetie! Good boy! Now, listen carefully. You must crawl beneath me, and get out the window." She nodded towards the opening. She knew it would be difficult, as fragments of glass still clung stubbornly to the pane, and another car had collided on that side, further shrinking the opening. But she was determined that her son survive. "You can do it; I know you can!" she said quickly, knowing he would protest.

Yuugi nodded and carefully followed her instructions. He continued to sob, and started to cough from the smoke, but he obeyed nonetheless.

Sakura cheered her boy on, suddenly glad that he was so small for his age. She knew he was going to make, though she would not. Her words grew fainter and her eyes drooped wearily.

"Mom... she helped me get out. I didn't understand why she was so worried at the time..."

--

"The horrible collision was bad enough. But the situation was more desperate than Yuugi realized. The crash set several cars on fire, and more than one had a gas leak." Sugoroku turned the page, revealing another clipping regarding the accident.

"Ami-Warashi Explosion Seen for Miles."

--

Yuugi grinned happily, proud despite the pain that he had accomplished what his mother had asked of him. He was about to turn, expecting her to follow his lead, but there was no time or warning.

A resounding boom shook the earth. A flash of brilliant flames erupted from several different directions, including behind the boy. The force of the tremor threw him forward, heat engulfing his back. He landed with a loud thud on the cruel concrete road, eyes facing the mass pile of metal that had once been fifteen separate cars as he lay on his stomach.

He simply watched, his mind and body in a state of shock as more explosions detonated from the engines of the vehicles. His amethyst orbs widened as tears poured down his pale cheeks. He was no longer aware of the pain on his back, or of the rain that had quickly drenched him, deluding his blood and tears. His ears did not comprehend the muffled voices of the people who had managed to stop in time to escape the pile-up, and now rushed to render aid. He didn't react in the slightest when a stranger picked him up, declaring to the others that he found a survivor.

It wasn't until much later that Yuugi's world would finally come crashing down when understanding sank in.

--

Atemu fought the tears that had threatened to spill at this revelation. Instead, he focused on comforting Sugoroku, who had now latched onto him and was crying on his shoulder. He could barely believe it. Why didn't Yuugi tell him?!

"Ra... I'm so sorry, Grandpa," he whispered, hugging the old man.

He said nothing for a long time, choosing instead to let it all out. He would never forget that day. No one should ever have to know what it's like to lose their child, and it shattered poor Sugoroku. He remembered distinctly when he got the phone call from the police, informing him that his son and daughter-in-law had died. He had almost collapsed from the sorrow and shock, but managed to pull himself together when the officer told him that his grandson yet lived. As difficult as it was, he had to be strong, for Yuugi's sake.

After a good while, he finally pulled away and smiled gratefully at his adopted grandson. He sighed. "I wish that was all there was to tell, but... fate was not kind to little Yuugi," he continued.

Atemu looked confused. "What do you mean?"

Sugoroku answered by flipping a few more pages in the book. What he found was a loose page of a crumpled up newspaper. No care was taken to preserve this memory. "I don't know where Yuugi got this, or why he kept it. I found it in his room a couple of years ago when I was picking up his laundry," he said. He carefully unfolded the paper and soothed it out. "I wanted to throw it out, but... he must have wanted it for something." He frowned as he leaned back, allowing Yami to take a look.

The one time pharaoh felt a scowl forming on his own face as he read the title... "Tiny Angel of Death Kills 23 People!!" The article was accentuated by a candid photo of a trembling Yuugi. He looked like he was scrambling to get away from something, presumably the photographer. His torso was bare of clothing, but completely covered in white bandages. Well, they were white, but on his back were clear red marks... the wing shaped scars soaked in blood.

"What the... what the hell is this?!" Atemu asked, outraged. He could see that Yuugi was terrified in the picture, and it angered him to think that someone would hurt his hikari, either physically or mentally.

"A tabloid," his grandpa answered, looking just as upset at the younger man. "It's a form of journalism, but not a very good one. The reporters, if you can even call them that, more or less just make up stories and pass on rumors. They'll say anything and do anything if it'll make them money. They prey on people's emotions." He sighed heavily. "It was such a huge story back then, every newspaper and reporter wanted some kind of exclusive. And there was no greater source or topic of discussion than the sole survivor of the crash."

Atemu's eyes widened in surprise. "Sole survivor?"

Sugoroku nodded. "Besides dealing with the pain of losing his parents, Yuugi had another, media fueled complex to deal with." He looked away, envisioning his grandson pacing the floor restlessly. When he spoke again, his voice was soft and full of tender compassion. "He never said anything outright when he was little. It surprised me, to be honest. Kids are typically so full of questions, especially when a tragedy like this strikes them. But he kept it all in, and never wanted to talk about it. But still... every once in a while, I would catch him staring at himself in the mirror or pacing around, mumbling..."

--

"Why? Why me? Why just me?" Yuugi asked. With Hikaru's comforting gestures, he had finally calmed down after sobbing for a good long time, now finally ready to continue with his story. "I mean, I've come to understand my destiny, and that it was important for me to live." He didn't elaborate further. He wasn't about to explain that his darker half might still be trapped in a magic puzzle if he hadn't solved it. "But still... why was I the only one? Twenty-three other people were involved in the crash, but I was the only one who survived. But... why?"

--

"His psychiatrist told me it was 'survivor's guilt'. He was ashamed that he escaped with his life while the others, including his parents, did not." Sugoroku's hands clenched. "The tabloid just made it worse. And it wasn't the only thing. According to the article, that cruel nickname they game him came from a woman whose fiancé had died in that crash."

"Some woman..." Atemu growled.

"...Called our Yuugi an 'Angel of Death' because of the scars he got and because he survived when her loved one died," his grandpa concluded.

Yami had to swallow his anger before he asked, "But... why? Why on earth would someone blame Yuugi for what happened?"

Sugoroku shook his head in annoyance. "Because she's human." When Atemu cocked an eyebrow in uncertainty, he explained. "Humans are, by nature, emotional and irrational. Despite that, or perhaps because of it, we seek understanding and logic in all things. But most especially, we want to understand when something goes wrong." He sighed again. "In order to accept the bad things that happen in life, we seek... no, we demand a reason for it. Of course, the reason for the crash was the reckless driver that night. But no one knows the reason why Yuugi survived and no one else."

His brows furrowed in irritation once more. "So finally, that woman made up a reason, and the tabloid exploited it. A photographer even went so far as to break into Yuugi's hospital room to get a picture of his scars." He nodded in agreement when Atemu snarled furiously, but took his hand to prevent him from punching the table in his rage. He looked him in the eye. "But the worst of it... is that Yuugi believed it."

The young Egyptian was shocked. "What? How could Yuugi believe something so stupid?"

Sugoroku quickly corrected him. "He didn't believe them outright. He was old enough to understand that the accident was in no way his fault. But as I said, the survivor's guilt made him believe it's his fault no one else lived." The elderly man bowed his head. "Angel of Death. That's why he reacted so badly when you called him angel. Those words consumed him, disabled him. It was because of that he spent so many years alone and friendless... so afraid."

Atemu huffed. "If I ever find out who that woman is... and that photographer..."

"They certainly didn't think about the effect their words would have on Yuugi. I wonder if they would have done the same if they did."

A long pause followed while the younger man processed all the new information. Yuugi's strange behavior the previous night and this morning made sense now that he had the rest of the puzzle pieces. But there was one thing still bugging him. "Grandpa, I still don't understand something. Why didn't Yuugi ever tell me this? Why did he keep it all in?"

Sugoroku was silent as he considered several possibilities, but none seemed quite as satisfactory. "Honestly, Atemu... that is something you'll just have to ask him."

--

Both Yuugi and Hikaru were now very quiet. A few stray tears continued to trail down the boy's cheeks, but he was no longer crying uncontrollably. One of the lady's hands gripped his lightly, her thumb brushing ever so gently over it.

"Yuugi," she finally began, "there's something I'd like to ask you." When he nodded encouragingly, she moved on. "I don't want you to misunderstand... I'm very glad you feel comfortable talking to me about all this. I'm honored, in fact. But you're..." She grinned and tugged on his hoodie. "I just find it a little strange that you'd rush out here, in your pajamas no less, bursting to talk about your parents. So I was wondering... did something happen to trigger this?"

The young man nodded slowly and explained what happened during the storm and his previous conversation with Atemu.

Hikaru looked appalled. "And you yelled at him? My goodness, he must be very upset. Why didn't you just tell him what happened?"

Yuugi looked away. "Lots of reason, I guess." She gave him a look that demanded further clarification, so he complied. "I think... I was ashamed."

"Ashamed?"

"Yeah." He sighed. "My friend Jounouchi... his parents are divorced. His father is abusive and his mom can barely stand him. Anzu's are never home. Otogi's dad is insane, and Honda never talks about his. Ryou only just started getting in touch with his family again. And Atemu... his parents are long gone too, and I don't know anything about them." He clenched his fists again, so tightly that his knuckles turned white. "My parents are dead. Nothing anyone can do can change that. But it was years ago. And at least... I know they loved me. And I have a grandfather who loves me too. I don't have any reason to complain. It's not fair of me to."

"Yuugi..."

"I mean, I should be over this. And if not, I should be able to handle it myself."

"Yuugi..."

"I always feel like such a burden. All my life, I've always been weak and helpless. My friends end up taking care of me, and I..."

"YUUGI!! THAT'S ENOUGH!!"

His head snapped and eyes blinked in astonishment. Hikaru's face was red and her eyes narrowed in anger. He winced under the intense scrutiny.

"I don't ever want to hear you talk like that again! Do you hear me?!" She grabbed his shoulders and shook him to get her point across.

"Hikaru-san?"

She took a deep breath and bowed her head. "Yuugi, you are NOT weak, just because you need a little help. And you have no reason to feel guilty about missing your parents. Everyone needs to grieve. Don't let anyone tell you differently. It's natural for you to feel sorrow, even now years later. We already talked about that, remember?" She released him and faced him fully, eyes gazing directly in his. "And your friends... you love them very much. So much that you don't want to burden them. I can understand that. But I have no doubt that they love you too, and would want to be there for you. Especially Atemu. He's probably very worried about you. Did you ever consider that he'd be more hurt by you closing yourself off than opening up?"

Yuugi turned away. Fresh tears made their way to his eyes as realization sunk in. "I... I didn't think... I thought..." He was startled when he suddenly found himself pulled into Hikaru's warm embrace. She had moved to kneel in front of him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders once more.

"Don't. It's alright. You didn't mean it. And you still have time to make things right." Her own frame started trembling; Yuugi felt his neck growing wet.

"Hikaru?"

"I'm sorry," she cried softly. "It's just... you're a good boy. Such a good boy. Everything will be alright. You'll see."

Yuugi's eyes drooped slowly and a small smile appeared. His own arms gradually moved to return the hug as he rested his head on her shoulder. 'Hikaru... thank you.'


Well, there you have it. Sorry it was so long.

By the way, the names Himawari and Ame-Warashi are also from xxxHolic. Himawari is the girl Watanuki has a crush on in the manga. Her name means "sunflower". I thought it was an appropriate name for Yuugi's imaginary home town. And the Ame-Warashi is a rain maker, or rain spirit... perfect for a mountain pass known for its storms. -

Leave me lots of reviews!!

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