In Between

---Chapter 10---

Rain ran down the windows of the Turtle Game shop, Yugi rested his chin on the ball of his hand and stared out at the darkness. The flight had been long and full of tension, he felt it, Yami felt it, and he was pretty sure everyone around them felt it. The landing was perfect even in the rainy whether. No one had come to pick them up, Yami had been planning to kidnap him from the star, Yugi noted as he noticed Yami had a car ready for them right in front.

Yugi sighed, his warm breath causing the window to fog up. He listened to the rain for a time and once in a while he would hear the sound of Yami turning a page in his book when he was finished. Yugi cooled down a bit but he wasn't ready to forgive Yami for taking him away… which brought him to the kiss.

He ran his fingers over his soft pink lips and felt them tremble. Yami's kiss was different from Duke's. Yugi looked over at Yami for a second and gasped. He was too busy being angry before to notice that Yami had told him he loved him. His eyes when wide and he looked back out the window. 'No, I am engaged to Duke, he loves me. Yami is trying to trick me.' He thought and jumped when a rumble of thunder rang through the darkness.

"Aibou?" Yami looked up at Yugi and placed his bookmark in his book and put the book on the end table before walking over to him. When Yugi didn't answer he nodded, "Still mad at me, huh?" he took Yugi's hand, "Well even so, I know you hate thunderstorms so come sit on the couch next to me." Yugi went without protest.

"I know you will understand, Yugi, what I did." He said as he covered Yugi up with a warm blanket. "It has always been my job to protect you."

"Did you mean it?" he said suddenly, his voice cracking a bit because he hadn't used it in hours.

"Pardon?" Yami looked down at him with soft eyes.

"Did you mean it, when you said you loved me?"

"… I- Yes. I meant it." He said finally

"What about Anzu?"

"She and I have an understanding, she knows that I love you and she respects that. I love her differently. Yugi, you are my better half. There is no one else who can complete me the way you do." He said and placed his hand over Yugi's "Remember when you trusted me about everything? When did that change? You know I would never do anything to hurt you… intentionally." He added.

"I-I know. But…Duke."

"Ah, Yes. He has been filling your mind with lies." Yami turned slightly so he was facing Yugi and looked into his eyes. "I can see how much he's hurt you. You don't deserve that. You deserve a man who won't attack your self esteem. A man who will love you just they way you are."

"I'm not the same."

"You just need to get your life back."

"I don't know if I can."

"I'll help you." Yami reassured him and slowly rubbed his thumb up and down Yugi's hand and griped it tighter and cocked his head to the side as he noticed a small red line peeking out from under the hem of Yugi's sleeve. "I've been meaning to ask you something. Nevada is hot, almost as hot as Egypt, and I remember how you used to complain about being hot in the summer time here. I wonder why you are wearing long sleeves. You must be hot."

Yugi swallowed hard and began to draw his hand back but he felt that Yami wouldn't let him. "No, I just like them now, you know, I don't want a sun burn."

"Hmm, I see." He said and slowly pushed Yugi's sleeve up and his eyes went a bit wider at the sight of his cut marks. "Self mutilation. Oh, Yugi."

"Y-You aren't angry?"

"No, I'm sad and I'm hurt but I'm not angry." He whispered. "You can't say you were happy with him."

"I wasn't. I thought he was the only one who could love me. I would rather be with someone who hurts me than with no one. But now that you've seen this, do you… think I am ugly?"

"I would never thing that." He whispered and brought Yugi's wrist up to his lips and pressed his lips to it softly and started a trail of kisses up to his elbow where Yugi's sleeve stopped him. "I love you; I always have and will forever. No matter what you do."

"Then I guess… I can forgive you for kidnapping me. But not for making me think you were hurt."

"Alright. I deserve that." Thunder boomed and out of instinct, Yugi threw his arms around Yami's neck and buried his face in his chest. Yami let out a velvet chuckle and wrapped his arms around Yugi. "It's alright Aibou. I can call you that, right?"

"You didn't listen to me when I told you not to."

"Yes, but I think I would rather have it be official. Can I call you Aibou?"

"Yes, you know I love it." He smiled, "Yami, it's a thunderstorm…"

"Yes, I know."

"Well… Don't you know what that means?"

"Hot chocolate?" a small smiled played on his lips and he pulled away. "See, you'll get your old life back in no time." He stood up and headed into the kitchen flicking on the light switch as he passed through the archway. He pulled out the box of Swiss Miss and pulled the milk out of the fridge (milk, in Yami's opinion, tasted better than the water the package suggested you add) and a small cup from the cabinet.

Yami returned some time later with a cup of freshly made hot chocolate and blew on it slightly before handing it to Yugi. Yugi accepted it gratefully and smiled up at Yami, those violet eyes so silky and bright, still so bright even after all that had happened. Yami was lost in their beauty and his heart ached for the second time that day.

"How is it?" he asked after Yugi took a careful sip.

"Wonderful. Just like always. Just the right amount of milk." He smiled perfectly, "But the marshmallows are already melted." He pouted and Yami damned the pillowy treats then and there for making his Yugi frown.

"I can get you more Marshmallows if you like."

"That's okay. Done!" he smiled showing Yami the empty cup.

"So soon?"

"Hey, I haven't had this in a long time. It's too hot in Las Vegas." He smiled. "I am sort of glad you kidnapped me. It was like that place was sucking the life out of me, there are crimes every two hours and you hear the sirens of cops at all hours and no one cares about anyone else. The people are just so mean there."

"Then I am glad a kidnapped you."

"Just so you know… I do too."

"What?"

"I love you too."

Yami's heart skipped a beat and he took a steady breath so as not to seem too anxious and took the empty cup from him and set it on the table before sitting next to him on the couch. "Aibou." He whispered and placed his hand over Yugi's and looks into his soft eyes then licked his lips to wet them and moved his other hand up to cup his chin. Tickling it with his fingers a bit and drew Yugi closer to him and leaned in slowly.

Yugi could feel his heart beating out of control as he felt Yami's warm breath against his lips and they trembled as Yami's lips touched his only slightly. He felt Yami's hand tighten around his as they began to shake. Yami's soft lips were causing jolts of excitement to bounce around inside him. They pressed harder completing the kiss and Yugi felt them pull away slightly, Yugi didn't want that so he moved closer and kissed him back.

Yami smirked in the back of his mind as his plan to get Yugi to kiss him back worked. Moving his hand around to the back of Yugi's head he held him in the kiss and slid his tongue past his lips to caress and sweep across Yugi's bottom lip.

Yugi brought his hands up to cup Yami's cheeks and parted his lips for him slowly and let out a soft whisper of a moan when Yami's tongue ran across his. The kiss felt as though it lasted hours when it had only lasted a few moments. The need for air forced them away and they sat panting, the rumble of the storm outside a forgotten memory.

"I love you, Aibou."

"I love you too, Mou hitori no boku."