WARNING(s): Some character ages have been modified for the story. Some family relations and relationships have been altered to fit the story line better. Coarse Language, hinted sexual situation.

Reviews:

RobotGirl2.0 - Awww thank you! We think we're pretty good writing partners too. We're very glad you consider this story good fanfic, :) stick with it and you won't be sorry!

Many thanks everyone for your continuous support!

We appreciate it very much so, and here's the next chapter, :)

The bass of a song pounded through the crowd, some people dancing, others laughing and drinking. And Yugi? Well he was sitting on that same chair he had been for a while, Marik's figure constantly shadowing him. It was almost unsettling. Almost as if the other was indirectly watching him.

In a moment he shuddered, this lingering creepy feeling. Yugi felt a sudden kiss upon his neck. Even though it was Marik... and it was gentle kiss, which was surprising on its own. He couldn't help but to feel jumpy, it was after dark. "Oh, my apologies darling. I forgot it was nighttime." Marik explained tenderly, somewhat - sincerely.

Yugi gave a nervous smile and started to wring his hands, keeping his sights on the brightest points in the room.

Yami watched like a hawk from the corner of his eye. He'd been babysitting his current drink for the past couple hours. He barely wanted to leave his eyes from the two of them, just in case something went down. He'd be there in milliseconds.

Yugi faltered in his search of the lightest places when his eyes landed on a lean figure, a pleasant spark running down his spine. The way Yami was sitting was very alluring... was that weird? That he found the way he sat attractive? Who found sitting habits hot?! He shook his head, praying Marik didn't catch him staring.

"Yugi, I... I adore you very much, you know that." Marik knelt down in front of him, "I've made some big changes... not just for me, but for us. For us babe, and... Yugi, I have to ask you what you're doing for the rest of your life and I want to know just one thing." He held Yugi's soft hand, caressing it gently. "Yugi Muto, will you marry me?"

Yugi felt like he slammed into a brick wall. "P-pardon?" He stared wide eyed as people turned and stared, waiting for his reply. "I-I ah... U-uhmm." He glances away from the mesmerizing eye and looked up, hoping to lock them with Yami. Only, Yami wasn't sitting there anymore . . .

Marik's eyes watered lightly with sincerity, "Yugi... my love," he persuaded softly. "You are my everything. I thought you knew."

The smaller starred shocked. He was? His breath hitched and he felt torn. Why couldn't he see Yami? "I-I'm sorry but can I have a couple days to think it through?" He asked quietly, feeling embarrassed and a bit terrified as to how the other would react. He didn't reject him! But he didn't accept him either.

Marik didn't completely back off just yet. "Think... sweetheart, what's there to think about?"

Sensing his panic settling in, an unlikely source piped up. "Oh y'know, who's gonna be the best-man... all that sorta wedding-planning like stuff, you guys are only young so like... how can you afford something like that, there's lots to think about."

Yugi's widened eyes darted over to Tristan Taylor - who had just helped him out in a big way right there.

"Very well, I'll leave you to think... I suppose." Marik kissed Yugi's cheek and solemnly walked up the staircase leading to the upper level, out of sight for now and certainly out of poor Yugi's hair.

Yugi gave Tristan a thankful sigh before getting up. He needed to find Yami. He wound through the string of people before finally seeing him in the kitchen. "Yami!" He rushed forwards, thankful that he found the older.

He turned around and raised an eyebrow. Cautiously looking for Marik before taking Yugi into his arms for a brief hug. "Hi there," he greeted softly.

"Hi." Yugi said bashfully, hugging the taller again. Before pulling back. "Y-you disappeared." he mumbled just loud enough or the other to hear. He stared everywhere but at the other "I-I didn't know what to do."

Yami wasn't too sure of what to do either, other than pat the younger's shoulder. "I hardly meant to disappear, I was attempting to find a straight drink. It seems hard not to find something spiked around here." He chuckled lightly, "Yugi, why are you looking away from me?"

The younger flinched and started to fidget. "I-I'm nervous. I don't know if I should accept or not." he admitted.

Yami stepped back to observe a near-completely trembling Yugi, "Accept what?"

Oh god! He didn't know! Yugi felt the panic start to rise up and his voice followed in pitch. "U-uhm, well, you see..." He cleared his throat. "Marik, uhm, well, he- ah, he- he kinda-sorta... proposed?" the last bit came out as a squeak.

Yami stood there, utterly stunned. "What?!" He quieted the other before he could open his mouth. "Don't, don't repeat it. . . I, my ears need disinfectant. He asked you for your hand in marriage? You're joking right?" Seeing nothing but fear in the younger, he paused. A bit longer this time. "Well," he decided after some deliberation on how to approach this topic delicately. "what did you say?"

"I-I said I needed time to think about it." He pushed down the lump that started in his throat.

Yami nodded, that seemed like a reasonable answer - although he really couldn't fathom the idea of Yugi marrying him. "I think you need more than time, Yugi. . . are you really considering this at all?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" He shot Yami a glare. "Of course I'm considering it, Yami! Why wouldn't I?" Even Yugi knew that was the wrong question to ask.

Yami scoffed lightly, "Do you honestly think he will give you a decent life in the slightest? You deserve so much better than him, I just do not understand where your head is." He shook his own head, but didn't realize what he had said until it fell out of his mouth effortlessly - he didn't even have to try.

Yugi's eyes widened and he felt a pain rung through him, one he couldn't describe. "Yes! I do believe I'll have a good life with him! He's changed! I've been watching him change!" He raised his voice, resisting the urge to hit the other for suggesting such a horrid thing.

Yami could hardly believe what he was hearing. "It will not last, the changes will not stick around that I can guarantee. If you were 100% confident, you would have said yes no problem. You would not be confused or conflicted, there would be no need to feel that if he is the right one for you. And you know what I have a problem with?"

Yugi glared at him and crossed his arms, his posture becoming defensive along with the tone in his voice. "What?" he practically hissed it at him.

He glared right back at the other, neither one of them backing down. "How you can marry someone who cannot even tell you he loves you, in one simple phrase. You have never once heard the complete phrase 'I love you' fall from his lips, have you? Huh?" After a brief period of silence, came a snarky concluding response. "Exactly." He folded his arms over his chest.

Yugi's eyes started to burn, his chest aching. He summed up all his anguish at what the other said into two words. "Fuck. You."

After the hasty reply, Yami stood for a brief moment in silence. Then he grabbed anything he came to the party with - pushing past many bodies and slamming the front door on the way out.

Yugi then turned on his heel and walked off, turning into Duke's bathroom and slamming the door shut behind him.

He stared at the sink for a long time, letting a few sobs break free. Finally he sniffed and looked up at the mirror.

Yugi wiped the tears from his eyes. How could Yami say such things? And right after he apologized! Why wasn't he happy for Yugi? He slammed his hand down on the bathroom counter and stared himself in the mirror. "C'mon Yuge. You can do this! Go back out there!" He nodded to himself and slipped out. Now he just needed to find Marik and give him his answer.

"Have you seen Marik?" Yugi asked Ryou and Alister who both shook their heads. "Oh okay, thanks." He continued searching. "Duke? Have you seen Marik?"

"Yeah I think he's still upstairs!" He called out over the noise.

"Thanks!" Yugi headed up the stairs and along the second floor, knocking and opening doors as he went. He was always bad at knocking, he was too gentle. Maybe if he had a stronger hand he wouldn't have known. Maybe they wouldn't have been on the bed, wearing nothing but their boxers, Marik pinned under Bakura. At first he thought Marik was in trouble. Then he gained the upper hand and flipped their positions. Mouths smashing together as hands moved, frantically trying to rid each other of the last garment.

Yugi heard a noise and apparently the other two did as well. Both their heads snapped to the side and their eyes widened. "I-I'm sorry. I'll knock louder next time." He whispered before closing the door and taking the stairs two at a time. He shoved past the crowed, past the noise and past his friends before breaking out the door and collapsing on the walkway. He paused for a moment, trying to catch his breath.

The same noise before echoed in his ears and he realized it came from him. Home. He needed to get home! He ran. He ran faster than he ever had. Faster than all the times at track and field. And finally he made it home. He knew it was late, that Yami would be in a restless sleep and that Gramps was out cold for hours by now. So he sat. He quietly took his spot on the couch, head in his hands and stayed there, just thinking as the time ticked by. It was all his fault. He wasn't giving Marik what he needed, clearly. Why else would he turn to Bakura? His whole being sunk as the emotions tore at him.

He wanted to cry, hell he wanted to scream, throw something - hit something! Anything! Bust he wouldn't. He couldn't. So Yugi sat on the uncomfortable couch, his shoulders slumped, head hung low. He let the thoughts race for a long time. He was weighing the pros and cons of every situation. Too many thoughts, too many problems, too many cons in the world. No matter what he chose to do with his life there would always be cons.

He sighed and headed upstairs to his room where Yami was in a deep sleep. He went to his desk and used his phone as a light, writing a quick note for the taller. He felt the liquid slowly fill up around his eyes, threatening to spill over the edge.

Yugi's slipped his orbs shut, tears streaming down his cheek as he let out a breath. He reread the brief note before placing it next to Yami's head. He sniffed quietly and leaned down, pressing his lips to a warm cheek. He felt the pain more than ever, like a hand gripping his heart tight, sobs threatening to fall. His heart was breaking. But he had to do it. He straightened himself out, grabbed the pre-packed bag from the open closet and headed downstairs and out the back door, locking it and placing the key in the mailbox.

Yugi's feet started to move and he stiffened when he felt a cold drizzle start. Maybe he should do it another night? No, he'd never do it if he kept that attitude. He continued walking, the rain becoming more and more dense until a harsh downpour started.

He made it to the white house with the white picket fence sooner then he expected, walking up the steps. He took in everything on the way. The red roses the shade of blood from the rain, the marble pathway and the zigzag patterns in it. He took in the perfect grass and finally landed on the black door. He raised his hand and hesitated before knocking on the door.

From inside he heard laughter and incoherent good-natured shouts before the door opened. Yugi glanced up and Bakura blinked. So they did make it back home?

"Uh, Marik? I think this drowned rat is here for you." He moved out of the way and the sandy haired man stepped into his view. Yugi let his backpack fall down his arm and felt fresh tears fallow.

"I choose you." He said just loud enough for the other to hear. "I choose you."

Dear Yami,

I'm sorry. The key is in the mailbox.

I changed my number.

Yugi

:: Yu :: Gi :: Oh ::